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Bianca, Eric and Samantha had been strangled, overpowered, with what was most likely a belt, according to Dr. Llewllyn. Andrew, Rian and William were stabbed repeatedly, one in the side, twice in the stomach and once in the heart, killing them. This murderer had crossed ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexualities, genders, methodologies. The bodies were dumped all over Whitechapel, and, except for the location they were last said to have been, nothing about these people overlapped. Then it has to be the location, Chandler theorized. What else could it be? "Riley," he called, eyes zeroing in on the red circle on the map that marked the last place, "Did we find out what was around the last known location of the victims?" Riley looked away from the computer screen for a moment before ducking her head towards her notes, "Um, yes, there"s a chippy, a shoemakers and an old pub that has complaints for loud music. Locals said that some company brought it out a few months back - Jason Reynolds, he"s the owner of a chain of nightclubs around London - and there"s been a few complaints about the noise, up until four weeks ago when soundproofing was installed as a kind of compromise." "A nightclub..." Chandler murmured, "Doesn"t that seem like the perfect place for a serial killer to pick and stalk his targets?" "It"s as good a place as any," Miles commented, taking a few steps to stand at Chandler"s side, "Lots of loud music, smoke, other people to hide behind it." "But why would the Dagmar"s be at some dive nightclub in the middle of the rat arse end of Whitechapel?" Mansell questioned, causing the DI and Sergeant to turn towards him. His feet were up on his desk and he was fiddling with a pen. "They weren"t exactly the type to need to take advantage of four shots for five quid and ladies get in free nights." "It"s the only thing that makes sense," Chandler argued, "There"s nothing else in that area that would attract anyone from outside. It"s got to be the night club." "Think Reynolds would talk to us?" Miles asked. Riley frowned slightly. "It"s unlikely. He didn"t take too kindly to the police turning up at his business about the noise complaints, only did what he was asked to do to stop the old bill from knocking again. I can"t imagine he"d be too happy about us turning up again." "So we have to find another way of getting information," Chandler stated. "We could show up there? Act as if we"re clubbers, get information from the guests? If there are regulars, it"s likely they would have seen our victims before," Kent theorized. Mansell snorted. "Do you really think skip will blend into a club scene?" "Oi," Miles grumbled and Mansell held up his hand in surrender, although the amused grin on his face didn"t let up. "He"s got a point though," Riley reluctantly agreed. "I could go," Kent volunteered, sitting up a little straighter at his desk, hand raised in a school yard gesture. Eyes turned to him. "I"m in the age range, I wouldn"t stand out." "No," Chandler denied automatically, "It"s out of the question. What if the murderer is there that night and sees you?" "But he only targets couples," Kent reminded, "I"d be fine." "Lancaster and Torrez are never mentioned together until three nights before their bodies were found, and that"s from a picture on Torrez" facebook account. What if the killer just pairs you with someone you happen to speak to?" he argued, "And they wouldn"t know how to protect themselves or you. I"d feel better if someone more experience was with you." "Then why don"t you go?" Miles nudged him, a wicked grin on his face like he knew exactly what he was doing and that was a little terrifying. Chandler blinked, startled by the sudden suggestion. "W-what?" "Miles is right, you"d probably be the only other one of us that could blend in well enough," Riley concurred with the Sergeant, "You and Kent pose as a couple, gather your information, and if anything happens, you"ll be there to make sure this bastard"s body count doesn"t go up to eight." "I-I..." Chandler stammered uncertainly. He glanced at Kent out of the corner of his eye, the DC being unusually quiet during this situation. His head was ducked a little, his face shielded, and he was absentmindedly rolling a ball of glue tack on the surface of his desk. But he was listening, Chandler could see that in the arch of his shoulders, the tension. He wasn"t sure what it was about seeing him like that, which made Chandler gather himself. To straighten his back and fold his arms across his chest. "It seems like a perfectly reasonable idea. Kent, we should get started on his as soon as possible." Kent looked up at him and smiled, a mixture of uncertainty and excitement - was that excitement, Chandler wasn"t sure - in the curve of his lips. "Of course sir." Chandler smiled back and nodded briefly before glancing back towards the board, at the bodies, at the people that hadn"t been saved and needed to be avenged. That was why he was doing this, the only reason why, he told himself and tried to ignore a small part of him that rebelled against the idea. Torrent was loud, smoky, cramped and overcrowded with people, all dancing against each other, shouting, laughing, drinking. Chandler supposed it was like any other nightclub in London, with the same kind of people that always frequented these establishment. Not that he would know, not from first hand experience anyway. He wasn"t exactly the nightclub type, not even when he was a teenager or at university. They never really appealed to him, for the exact reasons why they appealed to everyone else he guessed, although he assumed his issues with cleanliness also played a part. Torrent didn"t seem like the most sanitary of places, and it was all he could do to restrain himself from flinching away from the contact whenever someone"s bare arm, sweaty and glitter covered, brushed against his shirt. He tried not to look uncomfortable, or to give away his true purpose there, but he just felt so out of place and like he shouldn"t be there. Kent though, he seemed to fit right in. The clothes of the party goers, the tight jeans and the band shirt making it easier for him to blend in than Chandler in his slightly loose jeans and plaid shirt that Riley had forced him into - "you have to look like you"re supposed to be there, sir, not like a dad there to watch his teenage daughter," she had told him when he complained about the choice of attire - and he was relaxed and comfortable as he was. When they had entered and seen the number of people, the silhouettes in the grey clouds, Kent and Chandler had shared a look as if uncertain of where to begin, and then Kent had offered to go get them some drinks, to try and make them look less conspicuous. From where Chandler was standing, he could see Kent conversing with two women on his right, smiling widely as he leant in close to hear what they were saying over the thumping of the music. Chandler couldn"t help but smile a little at the sight. Since he had known Kent, he knew that the man took his job seriously and when it came to gathering information from the less than willing, he gained their trust. Perhaps it was something about his face that made it so, Chandler couldn"t be sure, he just knew that Kent was aware of this strange ability that he seemed to possess and used it whenever he could to get the job done. He was rather dedicated to it. Kent turned and gestured towards him through the crowd, making the two women glance towards him, small smirks on their faces. Chandler smiled and waved politely, until he realised he was being gestured over, and startled began to push his way through the crowd to join the trio. "Joe, this is Abigail and Whitney," Kent shouted over the music to introduce. His arm slung easily around Chandler"s waist, in a manner so comfortable, as if it were something he did all the time, that it genuinely made Chandler jerk, but he pushed down the violent movement just in time. Kent grinned up at him and Chandler strained a smile down, "This is my Joe." "Oh, he"s cute," one - Whitney, Chandler thought - cooed at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm resting on the table, and eyed him up and down, bringing a flush to the DI"s face. "But he looks a little out of his comfort zone here, pet," Abigail commented, her Newcastle accent thick and strong, no mistakes about it. "Clubs aren"t really his thing," Kent explained, "But he did it for me. We"ve been looking for some friends of mine, they"re supposed to be meeting us here. Apparently this is a regular place for them." "Regular, huh?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "We know all the regs." "So you might be able to help us then?" Chandler questioned, a small hopeful smile coming to his face at the thought that this wouldn"t be a completely useless line of enquiry. She grinned at him. "I don"t see why not pet. Gives us the names and we can see if we can help." "Dagmar, Will and Sam Dagmar," Kent told them. Whitney grinned. "Yeah, we know "em. Couple of oldies that like a good time. Usually in the backroom," she frowned, "Haven"t seen in a while though." "The backroom?" Chandler quoted urgently, "What"s that?" "It"s like private rooms, ya know, for those who can afford it," she explained with a small shrug, "PDA ain"t allowed on the dance floor, but if you can afford to get back there, from what I"ve heard, there ain"t nothing stopping ya, if you know what I mean." she winked playfully. "And two like that, they"d definitely want to get back there," Abigail teased, "Kinky as hell, always looking for a good time and a third." "A-a third?" Chandler questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A threesome hun," Whitney clarified, and Chandler turned red. "So when did you last see them?" Kent quickly diverted. "Uh, a few days I guess. They grabbed some fresher from the floor and went down back," Abigail shrugged. "Do you know who this fresher is? Maybe they can help?" "He was just a fresher, but I"ve seen him a few times recently. He"s cute, so he keeps getting lucky, if you know what I mean," her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and Kent laughed boisterously whilst Chandler strained a smile. "So how much does it cost to get into the backroom?" Kent wondered. "Why pet, you interested?" Whitney grinned wickedly. Chandler flushed and stammered embarrassed by the insinuation and how casually it was thrown about, but Kent just smiled widely and stated, "You"ve got to try everything once, right?" Kent glanced up at him uncertainly. "Are you ready for this sir?" he questioned. Chandler"s eyes darted between the narrow corridor and his DC and then back again. He wanted to say "of course I am, don"t be ridiculous" but they would both know it was a lie. He wasn"t an undercover agent, he never had been, and he found it hard to act when he knew something would bother him, and Chandler was hundred percent sure that whatever laid beyond the hallway, would bother him. Kent"s hand was still a steady and, perhaps mostly unusually, comfortable presence around his own. When they"d walked away from Abigail and Whitney, Kent had kept up the couple pretence by grasping his hand and tugging him through the crowd, but he hadn"t felt the need to let go and Chandler honestly hadn"t felt the need to ask him to. "I"ll be fine," he finally answered, realising that he"d been silent for far too long and Kent"s worried look had increased. It lessened a little at the words. "You do know what we"ll find in there, right?" he wondered, and turned a little pink, "And what we"ll be expected to do?" "Kent, I think for the sake of stopping another set of bodies from turning up, we can be...intimate," Chandler chose his words carefully, trying to ignore the flush of heat that warmed the back of his neck. It was understandable, he theorized, it had been a long time since he"d let anyone get that close, for work or otherwise, and now it was likely to happen with eyes firmly placed in his direction. Of course he would feel embarrassed. It had nothing to do with the curly haired man beside him that he would be expected to ki-be intimate with, and he was absolutely not fond of the idea. Why would he be? As if the idea of...being with Kent was favourable, regardless of the circumstances. Kent was...Kent, attractive yes, and sociable and hardworking and was no doubt a catch for any man or woman who caught his eye, but that didn"t mean that man was him. Chandler felt as if he was trying to tell himself something but he couldn"t quite put his finger on it. "Boss?" Kent"s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Joe," he corrected automatically, without much thought behind the instruction. Kent blinked surprised. "If we are to be in a couple, it only seems fitting," Chandler excused himself quickly, and Kent smiled widely, too brightly, too everything. "We should go in...Joe," he told him, his voice a little shy. Chandler nodded shiftly and straightened his collar, as if he were still wearing a suit at work and the straightness of the fabric would depend whether or not he made a good impression. "Let"s go," he ordered and took the lead, their linked hands pulling Kent behind him. Chandler could never honestly say that he liked kissing. It was level of intimacy that he had reached on several occasions in life, before he had realised that perhaps it was simpler to just be alone than to find someone who could accommodate to his habits, and yes, he could see the appeal, the feelings behind it, the closeness and the connection and the expectation behind the touch. He could understand that. But on a deep and personal level, it had always been seemed in its basic form - the spreading of germs through saliva and although he had gotten used to suppressing the urge to jerk away, it had never really disappeared entirely. He tried his hardest, when he took the lead and pressed his lips to Kent"s, not to focus on the statistics about germs and diseases, tried not to recoil away and ruin the image of a happy couple that they had portrayed. Instead, he focused on the warm body beside him on the loveseat, the heaviness of it pressed against his side. He thought of the cotton fabric of Kent"s shirt under his fingertips when he placed his hands on his waist, his grip tightening around it as he slipped, further and further. He thought about the taste of beer, bitter, on Kent"s breath, and how it washed shakily over his own lips, heating the skin in a surprising pleasant way. It was almost...enjoyable, could he say, when he thought about it like that. But they had work to do, he remembered quickly, and pulled away slowly. Kent looked a little flushed, dazed perhaps if one looked too closely and Chandler couldn"t stop himself from doing so. Kent traced his bottom lip with his tongue and looked up at Chandler from under his eyelashes. "Um, d-do you see anyone?" he murmured unsteadily. Chandler"s eyes flickered up and around the room and back again. "A few eyes. None that explicitly stand out." "Should we, ah, do it again then?" Kent wondered. "I suppose so," Chandler agreed, a second before the younger officer reared up and claimed a kiss once more. Chandler couldn"t help but be startled by the eagerness behind the touch, the way that Kent"s hands moved from gripping the front of his shirt and moved to the back of his neck, a warm touch against the skin, the way that he half climbed onto Chandler"s lap to get to him. This must be for the realism, one part of him reasoned. If you think that, you"re delusional, another one responded, he wants you almost as much as you want him. I don"t want him. Keep telling yourself that DI Chandler. It was funny how his inner voice was beginning to sound a lot like Miles. Kent pulled away after a moment, his breathing heavy and his face too close. His eyes were dark and Chandler was very much away that he was putting some bodily distance between them, the gap allowing a flood of cold air between them. "Think that did the trick?" he smiled, his words veiled with something that Chandler wasn"t certain that he could read. "I would say," he muttered back almost involuntarily. Kent blushed at the suggestion behind the words and grinned back a little more confidently. Chandler"s hands tightened around Kent"s waist and he gently urged the man to pushed down on him. Kent went a little wide eyed and uncertain, but did as he was ordered, lowering himself between Chandler"s legs. Chandler tilted his head towards Kent"s neck, his lips barely a brush against the flesh and he felt the full blown shiver that went through the DC"s body. Over Kent"s shoulder, Chandler watched the room. He scanned the people, some in couples, trios, groups, others standing alone, just watching. When his eyes swept scenes that seemed far too intimate for public consumption, he skidded past them quickly, with just a brief glimpse that their pleasure marred faces. It seemed likely that the killer was already part of a group, having already chosen his next victim, but these faces, they seemed too distracted, too wrapped in what was happening. From what they knew about the person responsible, this man wouldn"t enjoy the warm up gig more than the opening act. So he was standing alone, just watching, deciding. Only five people standing, two women and three men. The women were close together and chattering, eying each display before them with interest. Chandler didn"t spend too much time focused on them. It was statistically unlikely that this killer was female due to the brutality of the kills, and the strength it would take for one person to be able to subdue two victims, some of which were pretty hefty men. And the two women had said the Dagmar"s were last seen with a man, much like Lancaster and Torrez, and Morrison and Fitz. Two striked out. Kent"s lips pressed firmly against Chandler"s adams apple, making him gulp in response and his breathing pick up just that little bit more. It was a wet kiss, the sound seeming to echo even in the crowded, busy room. His mind flickered to the idea of spit on his skin, which goosebumped automatically, before Kent hummed, the noise vibrating against his skin and he gasped. It was an expected reaction, he argued. He was sensitive there, an exogenous zone, and he couldn"t control that. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Kent who had brought the shiver through him, who had made his thoughts jump and muddle in a mess at the front of his brain. Absolutely nothing. Chandler focused again. Three men, three men, he repeated. Each standing alone, their eyes dancing around the room, a mixture of interest and desire in their eyes. One was beckoned forward by an outstretched hand which was taken eagerly and he disappeared into the fold. A wet stripe was painted across his neck and he froze, physically and mentally. He glanced down startled, and Kent grinned up at him just a bit too innocently for it to be trusted. His hips rolled down, and his hands slide up and around the back of Chandler"s neck. He veered up and whispered in his ear, "Anything?" "Narrowed down to two," he muttered back, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling quite so hard. "Got a favourite boss?" Kent questioned. "Not as of yet, but we should probably try and get their names, get them checked out," Chandler stated almost absentmindedly. Kent pulled back a little. "Sir, that would mean...inviting them in, wouldn"t it?" The thought hadn"t occurred to him. He guessed he had forgotten he wasn"t supposed to be a police officer here. He could hardly approach the two figures and ask for their names, not without asking them to join or giving away who they really were. He had to be honest, the idea of anyone touching Kent kind of irritated him. Because Kent was his partner right now, he was on his team, of course he"s being protective. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss him again. Oh god, he wanted to kiss Kent again. Chandler was sure that his mind was going to spin into a panic at the revelation, it felt like that was what was going to happen. But a voice, unfamiliar, a little nasally perhaps, broke through the ramble. Kent and Chandler turned at the same time, and eyed the man beside him. He was about Chandler"s age, dark hair and dark eyes, with a polite smile. "Your drinks sirs," he stated and presented them towards them. "We didn"t order any drinks," Kent stated with an almost dismissive smile. "These drinks are for you both sir," the man said again, "On the house." "We don"t want them, thank you," Chandler forced a smile. "You must take them," he insisted, "They"re for you." "Well, let someone else have them," Chandler suggested. "No, only you!" the man snapped and stopped sharply, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked...shocked by his own actions. Chandler"s eyes narrowed and glanced between the champagne, the bubbles that floated to the top and popped as it reached the surface, and the man"s face, who was still staring at them. The victims were taken from Torrent, in the middle of the night without any witnesses to the abductions. Half were strangled, killed quickly, whilst the other was stabbed multiple times in the torso. The killer was a man, strong and fit enough to overpower two people at the same time. The only thing that hadn"t clicked was how the killer was doing it, how they were getting these people - these reasonable, safe people - to go with them. There was no visible marks on the bodies to show restraint, not even any defensive marks - but there was never going to be. Not when they were drugged beforehand.

Her smile widened as she leant into the touch, pausing for a moment before her face became serious; "There is another reason why I came back..." "What is it?" The smile softened. "I have a mark for you." Mickey arched one eyebrow. "A mark, huh?" Rosalind hummed and sipped her drink. "Who?" Sean leant forward in his seat, hands clasped together in anticipation. "His name is James Cern. He"s the Financial Manager of "Carnal and Change"." Rosalind explained. Eddie rested their drinks on the table. "I"ve heard of that company. Isn"t it owned by that, ah reclusive billionaire - the one that just bought that poker franchise?" "Victor Von Ratsen, yeah," Rosalind confirmed, "Now, Mr. Cern is in control of the money that goes in and out of the company, for every department in London. He"s obsessed with the stuff. He"d do anything to make a profit..." "That"s not really a good enough reason to con the man." Mickey started. "My friend used to work for him, as his secretary." Rosalind interrupted, "Apparently, he"s a very hands on boss." She wrinkled her nose at the thought, "She told me a lot about him in her emails to me so I checked him out. He"s been accused of sexual harassment, fraud and theft more times than I can count, but each time a case has been filed, it gets brushed aside and forgotten. James Cern is an arsehole - a worthy mark if they had standards." "Exactly the kind of man I hate." Emma commented. "Which friend is this?" Ash wondered. "Abigail Munroe - remember? She used to go to my primary school. Mum thought she"d be a good influence on me." She scoffed and shook her head as if it all were a joke, "I want to get back at him - for her - and...I want you to help me..." "You want our help?" "Please." Rosalind clasped her hands together and gave the group an over exaggerated look, her eyes wide as she blinked away fake tears. It was a look she had perfected as a child. She hoped it could still work on them. Albert laughed. "You are far too old for that look to work anymore my dear, but I do believe you are right about this Mr. Cern. A vote?" Eddie sighed. "I"ll go get the coasters..." Chapter 10 Rosalind entered Eddie"s Bar was a skip in her step, humming a familiar tune under her breath, holding a Costa coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Ash arched an eyebrow in amusement, clasping his hands together in front of him. "What has you so happy Babygirl?" Mickey questioned. "...Have you seen today"s paper?" she wondered. "No...should we have?" She sipped her drink and dropped the newspaper onto the table top. She slid further up in the seats when Sean and Emma joined them, drinks in hand. Eddie approached them, interested, leaning against the wall to the right to their booth. "Page six," she instructed almost smugly. Albert carefully turned the pages, pausing and laughing in happiness at the headline. "Oh you, Rosie, are a genius." "Thank you," Rosalind grinned. Sean appeared confused. "What?" ""Fraud Finance Manager in Money Scam"" Albert read aloud, ""Mr. James Cern is the Finance Manager of "Carnal and Change" - or he was, up until yesterday morning when it was revealed that 2% of the company"s profits were being transferred into the private bank account of Mr. Cern. With the help of an anonymous tip, billionaire and company owner, Victor Von Ratsen discovered the swindle within his own business. He told the public, from now on, he would personally deal with the money that moves in and out of the company...'" "Is that true?" Rosalind smiled knowingly. "I was his secretary for the past part of a fortnight. I had full access to his computers and all that was on it. It wasn"t that hard to piece together to be honest..." Emma laughed. "Brilliant." "Amazing," Sean breathed. Rosalind flushed pink, her grin widening ever so slightly. "We shouldn"t expect anything less," Mickey commented, smiling, "Babygirl has always been the best at finding and analysing the finer details. A fixer in the making." "I trained her well," Ash added. "The apple never falls far from the tree. Grifting is in her blood - in her family," Albert pointed out. "I am in the room people," Rosalind spoke, a hint of a whine in her voice, "Stop talking like I"m not." "Sorry darlin"" Ash grinned. He checked his wrist watch quickly, "Are you ready?" She hummed in acknowledgement, finishing her coffee and standing up. "Where are you two going?" Emma asked. The younger Morgan beamed brightly at the small group. "We"re having a Daddy-Daughter day." Sean watched the father and daughter with interest from over his shoulder, only shifting slightly in his seat. He found himself watching the wiggle of her hips as she exited the bar before he could stop. He clenched his fists and forced himself to turn back to his drink. He paused when he felt eyes on him. "What?" "You don"t pay dumb very well, do you Sean?" Emma stated amused, "That had to be the most obvious reaction to someone leaving I have ever seen..." "I...I don"t know what you"re talking about..." "Fine, don"t admit it - just listen, okay?" Emma ordered. "Sean, all we"re saying is you need to be careful when concerning Rosalind," Mickey warned carefully, "If there is one thing Ash Morgan cares about, it would be his daughter." "And he is not the only one." Albert interjected, sipping his drink. "Exactly; just...don"t do anything unless you"re completely serious, alright?" Eddie added in his two-cents, catching onto the jest of the conversation. "Nothing is happening between me and Rosalind, alright?" Sean insisted, "We"re just friends - nothing more, nothing less." Not that she"d ever want there to be more... "No...but you want there to be," Emma commented quietly, watching her brother"s reactions closely, "You have that look in your eyes - you can"t hide it from me Sean. I"m your big sister. I know you..." she sighed deeply and gave her brother a pleading look, "...just be careful, okay?" "So where are we going?" Rosalind questioned, smiling happily as she brushed her curls behind her ear. Ash placed an arm around her shoulders, guiding her in the right direction. "I thought I"d share some Grifting wisdom with you. How are you with casinos?" "Crap," she stated bluntly. "Excellent." He answered with glee. "Full House." Rosalind glanced down at her cards and sighed in defeat. "Two pair..." Ash cackled happily. "Royal Flush - guess this means I win." He circled his winnings with his arms, dragging the money closer to his chest before organising it into one pile. Their opponent cursed loudly, leaning back in his seat with a huff. He was a prosecutor, used to winning by any means necessary, so he wasn"t happy with the current situation. Something that Rosalind (despite her hatred at playing poker, especially with Mickey and her Dad) found amusing. "Dad, can we move on now?" she whined, laying her cards on the table, "There"s a roulette wheel calling my name..." "No - I want a rematch!" the solicitor demanded furiously. "Sorry mate, but its lady"s choice," Ash shrugged as he stood up from his place, folding his winnings in half and placing them in his back pocket, "Come on Rosie..." Rosalind stood up. "Sorry mate." "So...roulette huh?" Ash stated. She grinned happily. "Oh yeah, my game - no real way to cheat at roulette as the player. It"s all about chance. It looks like I"m going to have to teach you a thing or two, Dad." Ash gazed down at the stacked pile of chips with amazement. It seemed roulette was his daughter"s gambling gift. Starting off with £200, she managed to make up to £2400 within an hour. "How do you do that?" He wondered, awed. Rosalind smiled brightly at him. "It"s simple really - just math. Luis owns a lot of casinos and betting companies. He taught me techniques that help you win a large percentage of the time. For example, if I placed a six line inside bet, with a quantity number of six, the odds are 1 in 6.2 - the percentage of win 16.22%." At her Dad"s confused look, she laughed, "Yeah, I know. It"s confusing if you don"t know it of by heart, but it was the one thing I was good at remembering - odds and statistics are easy." "Says you..." Ash muttered, clearing his throat loudly, "Okay, I"ve been cleared out. How about we use some of your winnings and go out for ice cream or something?" Rosalind laughed, arching an eyebrow. "Ice cream? Okay, sounds nice - let"s go get ice cream." He shouldn"t be thinking about her. He"d been warned, by numerous people, to leave her alone - to be careful. He still didn"t know whose sake it was for: his or hers? Still, that did not change the fact she was plaguing him like a bad dream. Usually, Sean was the cool and collected type. Women come to him, not the other way around, so why was it that, with Rosalind, he would rather make his move now, no matter what her reaction might be? And he was sure they would be negative. All the other close encounters they had always seemed to end in them being interrupted, or she disappears. It was very clear sign that nothing was supposed to happen between them. So why couldn"t she leave him alone? Even now, as he lay on his bed in the Langham Hotel, he could remember the smell of her cherry lipstick clearly, the slight pout in her lips, the hint of a smirk as she joked with him; he remembered how much he wanted to kiss them. He could remember her walk, her teasing nature, the feel of her body pressure up against his when they were practicing their roles as "Harry" and "Elizabeth". Sighing heavily, he rolled onto his back, resting his head on his hairs, staring up at the ceiling with contempt. This is getting ridiculous, he decided, I just...have to get her out of my system is all... No, he couldn"t do that. Other than the fact he would most likely get killed by three of the scariest conmen he knew, and his sister, he couldn"t do that to her. She was just too...her. Groaning loudly, he ran his hand over his face. Oh yes, he was definitely screwed. "You know...this place looks familiar..." Rosalind commented, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember, licking contently at her Mr. Whippy Ice Cream Cone (with chocolate sauce and a flake). Ash smiled slightly. "You should, Rosie. This used to be your favourite park when you were toddling about - you said you used to like the ducks..." Rosalind smiled softly, reminiscing. "I remember." Six-year-old Rosalind giggled childishly as she knelt down by the edge of the large pond, watching the fish swim just beneath the surface and the elegant birds attack each other for the last scraps of stale bread. She couldn"t understand why they liked stale bread - she"d try it. It was gross. Ash stood at a slight distance with Mickey and Albert, watching her closely for any sign of distress. She had been told time and time again that swans were vicious creatures but, no, she refused to listen, so they had taken to just watching her alert, in case they were needed. Besides, she looked so happy, and who were they to destroy that? "What time does Chrissie want her back?" Albert questioned. Ash"s smile wavered at the mention of his baby"s mother. "Tomorrow at three. The woman, apparently, has a date with some bloody businessman and can"t take care of her tonight. So I have her tonight, instead of tomorrow, and my times cut down "because I wasn"t supposed to have tonight"." He shook his head, "Bloody woman"s a menace I can tell ya. If Rosie didn"t want to see me, she"d stop contact all today." Mickey rested a hand on his friend"s shoulder. "Just keep in mind Rosalind does want to see you - it"ll make you feel better." "Daddy," Rosalind appeared at her father"s side, tugging at the bottom of his suit jacket. She peered up at him with wide pleading eyes, "Can we go and get some bread to feed the duckies with? They"re hungry..." "Um and how can you tell?" Ash challenged. She pointed to the pond"s bank. "That brown duckie is eating grass. Mummy said grass isn"t good for ducks." "She"s right - it isn"t good for ducks." He agreed, holding out his hand for her to take, "Come on then - let"s go find some bread." Grinning happily, Rosalind gladly accepted the larger hand. "...Is the pond still there?" she wondered. "I think so. Wanna go see it?" Ash questioned, holding out his hand. Nodding happily, Rosalind accepted her Dad"s hand and quickly tugged him in one direction, making him laugh quietly. A/N: I just wanted to point out I have no idea about statistics and betting ratios, or anything like that. I got my roulette information from some website after I googled it (where would we be without Google?) so don"t ask me about them, because I have no clue. Thank you x Chapter 11 Rosalind stood beside Albert, struggling to hide her smirk as she watched Emma dancing just behind the camera before her, playing her part as Kylie as convincingly as possible. Just watching her older friend dance, a routine that it had taken her a few good days to even learn in the first place, she could see how much effort it was taking to keep up the charade that she did this everyday was amusing. Betterherthanme... Her job for this con wasn"t difficult. She mostly had to be the one who got Emma on and off set as fast as possible, acting as her Personal Assistant. She played her part well, she thought, checking her "state of the art" Blackberry as random points, and pulling away from the group as if she had just received an important call. As simple as her part was, Rosalind couldn"t help but feel she was getting into the swing of things again. She"d missed this, even when she"d run her own grifts in America (her father would be so proud). The teamwork of it all, the family dynamics; the way everyone looked out for each other. Albert clapped loudly, dragging her out of her thoughts, to signify the end of the shoot. The room instantly joined in and the music trailed off into silence. Emma straightened up instantly, offering the cast and crew a smile, just before Sean reached her side and, as her security, led her away from the set. "Gentleman, it"s a pleasure," Rosalind nodded quickly, offering them a polite smile. She turned sharply on her heels and walked off, shoes clicking, following the two towards her car. Instantly, her face broke out into a true smile. "Much better than rehearsals," she commented. "Honestly Em, that was amazing," Sean congratulated. Emma shot a mock glare in her direction, her face filling with relief when she finally managed to pull off those torture instruments that rich woman called shoes. "I hope that worked. I"m aching in places I didn"t know I had places." "Well, he seemed pretty enthralled to me," Rosalind teased. Ash swept past her, holding onto the door frame of the car. She moved out of the way, shuffling towards Sean. He raised an eyebrow. "Well?" "Yeah, well, you know, almost there," Ash started. "What do you mean almost?" Emma questioned. "How"s your Aussie accent?" "What?" Both women said together. "He wants to meet you," Ash clarified. Emma objected, a tone of panic in her voice. "What, no, Ash, you said..." "Um, yeah, dad, I don"t think Emma"s had time to prepare for a face-to-face encounter," Rosalind supported, nervously. She knew Emma could do accents. In fact, she had practised with her - why hadn"t they tried Australian accents? Looking back on it, that seemed like a very obvious accent to perfect. "I"ll send Kev round. Get your kit back on," Ash told her. He jokily blew her a kiss before disappearing again, probably to convince Kevin to help them out again. Oneofthesedays,thatmanwasgoingtolosehisjobonset,anditwouldbedad"sfault, Rosalind shook her head and looked sympathetically at Emma, who sighed and began to slowly put her shoes back on again. Sean hid a smirk behind his hand. The knock at on the trailer door, no more than a second after Kevin had showed them to the trailer, signified the start of the unexpected part of the con. The three shared a look. Rosalind sighed. "Showtime," she exited first, in a hurry, "Make this quick. We have two hours to get the airport before her next appointment at five, Spanish time." She didn"t really pay much attention to the conversation, allowing Mickey to take over control of the situation - to be honest, the man annoyed her and she really didn"t want to know anything other the acceptance of his money - but she did have to struggle for a moment to hide her impressed features at the pretty accurate Australian accent. With little to no practise, it was convincing. She caught Sean"s eye over the head of his sister and felt a small smile cross her face. He returned the expression, although he didn"t relax his stature of the bored bodyguard. "That"s it. You must say "Happy Birthday", like Marilyn Monroe to J.F.K but instead of "Mr. President" perhaps you could say...my name?" Rosalind arched an eyebrow; Ash and Sean shared a look. Yeah, Emma had to be commended for her patience with this man. She kept her wide smile in place and just agreed to it; in fact she gave him ideas. Rosalind was still debating whether or not that was a bad idea. Mickey tried to end the conference but was stopped - apparently the man had a list of songs for "Kylie" to sing next week. It was then she decided to step in. "I"m sorry, but you"ll have to wait until next week to continue this conversation. We simply cannot waste anymore time here," Rosalind interjected loudly, offering the group a smile. Ash clapped flamboyantly. "Right, if we don"t get her out of those shoes, she"ll have blisters the size of Ann Widicombe"s arse." "We"ve taken up enough of your time," Mickey smiled politely, all businesslike. "It"s good to meet you in person," Rosalind nodded towards the mark, "Our mutual friend here will deal with all the arrangements. Kylie, sweetie, you"re going to have to get your butt inside that trailer." She walked into the trailer first and Emma followed, waving goodbye to the mark. Ash and Sean came after. Instantly, Emma sat down and roughly pulled off those shoes she was beginning to despise, throwing them into the corner of the trailer. She huffed loudly and her body went limp in the chair. "Next chance I get, I"m going to burn those shoes..." she muttered darkly. "I"ve got to say Em, that was amazing," Sean complimented. "You did very well by dear," Albert agreed. "Especially considering you couldn"t dance three days ago," Rosalind added, throwing one arm over her friend"s shoulder, grinning widely. "And he was just rich enough and obnoxious enough to make it fun," Mickey nodded. "Yeah, but there is one thing I don"t get..." Emma started. "What"s that?" "I don"t even look like Kylie," She finished. Rosalind blinked a couple of times, surprised, before shaking her head in amusement. She released her hold on her friend and followed the others, her dad"s arm wrapping around her shoulder. She smiled when she heard Emma voicing her confusion behind her as she hurried to catch up. A/N: I apologise for the short chapter. This is more of a filler chapter before I get into the rest of the episodes. If you have any suggestions of situations you want the Hustle characters, please let me know because I"d love to know what you think and what you would want to read in this story. Now read and review! Chapter 12 Rosalind relaxed into the seat besides Albert and leant her arms on the table, resting her chin on her wrists. From her position, she could see everyone clearly. Her dad and Uncle Mikey were on her right, and Sean and Emma had approached the bar to order drinks. "You know Sean and Emma are working out really well..." Albert started. Mickey glanced towards the siblings briefly. "Yes they are." "I think they"re a real asset to the team, don"t you?" the older American continued, raising an eyebrow that pretty much said "you know what I want to hear". Rosalind grinned in amusement. He glanced towards Ash. "He"s going to make me say it?" Albert coughed. "Hmm, yes I am." "Of course he is," She interjected. Mickey sighed overdramatically. "Albert...you were right." "That"s very kind of you to say," he smiled smugly causing Rosalind to giggle. "And so unexpected," Ash commented. Sean and Emma made their way over from the bar, Sean stating that Eddie would bring the drinks over, and took the free seats on the end of the table. Rosalind straightened up with a small hum as her back clicked, and glanced at each member of the gang individually. "So, what"s next?" "Albert"s be working on a mark," Mickey started. "Anyone we know?" Emma asked. "Sir Edmund Richardson," Albert stated with a roll of his "r". Ash laughed. "What, Piggy Richardson?" He bowed his head. "The very same, yes." "Whose he when he"s at home?" Sean wondered. "He was the head of one of those banks that nearly when under last year," Mickey supplied helpfully, "The government had to bail them out." "We bailed them out you mean," Ash corrected his friend. "We?" "Well, the tax payer." Sean looked confused. "Do we pay tax?" "No, no, but it"s the principal." "My dad, pupil announcement for the common man," Rosalind teased, releasing a laugh at the look he sent her. "So what you"re saying is if we paid tax, which we don"t, then we bailed them out, which we didn"t," Sean summarized.

Rosalind shifted uncomfortably. "...Still feel like an escort..." Ash elbowed Sean in the stomach sharply. He gapped, winded. "Keep your eyes up, and hands to your self." He warned. Sean nodded, rubbing the point of impact in an attempt to easy the pain. "Now that we"ve established that Rosie does not look like an escort, we have 35 minutes." Emma pointed out, "We need to get changed and sort of the last minute details, like the deal." Mickey and Albert shared a knowing look, eyes sparkling. "Leave that to us." "He"s here: positions people." James Cern stood near the doorway of the Penthouse suite, watching the talkative and happy crowd for a familiar face. He strolled forward, one hand in his trouser pocket, and snagged a champagne glass from the snack"s table. In all honesty, he had always preferred wine to champagne - he sipped the drink anyway. At the back of the room, he could see the faces of Barkley and Harlem, deep in conversation with another suit clad man. Not far from them was another man, dressed in black, standing stiff and silent. It was unnervingly obvious in the friendly atmosphere. "James!" Cern turned on his heel at the sound of his name and instantly smiled when his hungry gaze landed on Elizabeth, looking so sweet and innocent as she smiled up at him warmly. "I"m so glad you made it!" she gushed. "Are you really?" "Of course," Rosalind tilted her head to the side, "Harlem and Barkley are a bit busy at the moment. That"s my Dad over there - they"re discussing the new product that Global Intec is investing in. It"s meant to be amazing...I just came over to get some drinks..." "I can speak to them later then. Care to keep me company until then?" he flirted. "Lizzie!" a voice called from within the crowd. No one reacted to the unexpected shout. Her eyes lit up. "I would but it seems I"m being called. Mingle...make new friends; I"ll talk to you later James." Before Cern could say anything more, the young woman had grabbed three glasses of champagne and carefully made her way across the room. He stared after her. She handed the drinks over to the three suited men, smiling widely, before moving the side of the strange man. His eyes narrowed when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the underside of his jaw. "So this must be Harry Lister...' "Are you sure this is going to work Mick?" Ash questioned. "We have to proposition him quickly - give him no chance to think over the huge gamble he"s making." Mickey explained and sipped his drink, "It has to be direct and obvious." "Yes, but are you sure this is going to work?" Ash repeated. Mickey paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "...We can"t afford to believe it won"t." "Well, that"s comforting." The fixer mumbled, feeling slightly uneasy, and gulped the alcohol heavily. "Relax," Albert advised, "Don"t let the mark, or more importantly Rosalind, know you"re nervous. Confidence is key." "This dress is so swishy..." Rosalind complained, as she grasped Sean"s hands and swung them at her side. To Cern, it would look as if they were flirting. "Swishy? Is "swishy" even a word?" he wondered amused. "Of course it is. I said it, didn"t I? If you can say it, it"s a word." Rosalind stated firmly. "Of course, whatever you say Rosie." Sean rolled his eyes, "So you don"t like "swishy" dresses?" "I don"t really like dresses." She admitted, "I prefer shorts, or jeans. Some dresses are okay but most of them..." she shook her head, "...not for me." "I think you look good in a dress." Sean assured. "Thank you, I guess...I think you look good in black?" Rosalind offered. "Rosie, I look good in anything." He pointed out cockily, smirking. Rosalind rolled her eyes in amusement. "You"re also very modest. Has anyone ever told you that?" "Not that I remember..." "Hmm...I can"t imagine why." Rosalind laughed behind her hand. Sean grinned in return. He raised his gaze away from the younger woman and glanced around the room. In discussion, they had decided that Harry Lister would be very paranoid - always looking for trouble, as it were. It also meant he could keep an eye on the mark from where ever he was. He could see Cern having a conversation with Emily Carter (aka Emma) near the settee. The mark"s eyes darted over to where they were standing. First they watched Mickey, Albert and Ash; then they trailed off to Rosalind. "He"s watching." Sean mumbled out as a warning before instantly grabbing low on Rosalind"s hips, pulling her tight against his chest. She flinched, as if in pain. It was only for a moment, before her face relaxed, but the expression had been clear on her face. He peered down at her worriedly. "Are you okay? I didn"t hurt you, did I?" She smiled weakly. "No, you didn"t. I"m fine." Sean rose an eyebrow disbelieving. Rosalind watched him for a moment, almost debating, before she sighed in defeat. "I...don"t like being touched...well; I don"t like being touched without any warning. It"s got nothing to do with you; I just wasn"t prepared..." "Bad experience?" She hummed in response, dropping her gaze and raising her hand to play with one of the buttons on his shirt. Sean dipped his head, so his lips were at her ear, and whispered, "You don"t have to say what happened. Just let me know if you feel uncomfortable and I"ll, uh..." She smiled sweetly at him. "...I"ll let you know." "James!" Rosalind rushed off, grasping his hand, "Barkley and Harlem want to speak to you know. They said to hurry." Cern straightened up at the command and allowed the young woman to pull him in the direction of the three men. He only had a moment to think how good it would feel to have her hands on him properly, before he was face to face with the owners of Global Intec and the investor who was almost certainly Elizabeth"s father. He smiled professionally at them in greeting. "Mr. Cern, it"s good to see you again. We"re glad you could make it." Mickey stood to shake the man"s hand firmly, "You already know George Barkley, of course. This is one of our main investors, Mr. Peters." "Call me Darren please. After all, aren"t we all friends here?" Ash grinned as he shook the mark"s hand in greeting, "You are Elizabeth"s employer, are you not?" "Yes that would be me. She is an asset to the department." Cern complimented. Rosalind flushed. "...I"m just a secretary..." "Don"t be so modest, Elizabeth." Albert reprimanded in a teasing way. He then tensed his back and turned his attention back to Cern, "I do believe Mr. Cern that you are here for business, not pleasantries. Please sit." He complied, sitting beside Darren. He leant forward and clasped his hands together, looking between the two business men in anticipation. "As you know, Global Intec has become famous for bring new products into the market before any other company." Mickey began, "The main marketing frenzy of this year is handheld technology, according to our surveyors. Handheld technology being anything from mobile phones to children"s toys, you understand." "If the market is already as wide as you say it is, how you going to bring something new into it? Wouldn"t it be near impossible?" Ash questioned. "Nothing is impossible - you should know that by now, Darren." Albert grinned, "This new product has come to our attention. It"s claimed to be one of the greatest revolutions in the world of technology. It"s already a hit in Japan." "It will be one of the most important and successful devices that Global Intec has ever invested in. Our researchers believe we will sell up to 80 million of these things." Mickey added with a slight laugh. Cern leant forward in his seat, excited. "What is this amazing device you speak of?" "We"re not allowed to divulge the actually name of the device - some laws and contracts that need to be dealt with before the release." Albert explained briefly, "This is a product that we need our investors to be greatly involved in." "How much?" "At a minimum we"re expecting an investment of 190,000." Cern choked. "190,000 pounds sterling? Jesus, that"s a lot of money..." "Completely worth it when the investment makes you both very, very rich men." Mickey assured, "We"ll need the money to be a one off payment, of course, but it does not have to be straight away. We understand it can seem like a lot of money but I"ve been assured that your investment will be doubled, even tripled, by the sale of this product." Ash grinned. "You know me. Always up for a risk. Give me a couple of days for the cheque to clear and I can have the cash ready for you." His eyes darkened suddenly with annoyance and his smile became strained, "You will have to excuse me. It seems I have some...personal issues to deal with." Ash stood up sharply and quickly made his way through the crowd. Cern watched him curiously as he moved to a darkened corner of the room, where he could clearly see a familiar couple embracing each other, romantically and heavily. He gritted his teeth to stave off the annoyance and turned his attention back to the company owners. "It seems this meeting has been cut short." Mickey laughed humourlessly, "We do not want to rush you, Mr. Cern, but you will have to make a decision soon. We need the investments before the products release in four days." Cern nodded and stood up. "I"ll think about it and let you know." Albert nodded. "Perfectly acceptable; a sensible man. We"ll look forward to hearing from you Mr. Cern." Chapter Eight James Cern sat at his desk, his chin resting on his hands as he stared at a spot on wall opposite him thoughtfully. After all, he had a lot to think about. The offer that had been put forward was...amazingly dangerous business wise, for lack of a better description, especially with the company"s money. But he only has four days to make a decision. Cern had always been an opportunist, and this was a huge financial opportunity. The biggest one that had ever been introduced to him - he"d done the math so many times, just to be sure - 190,000 multiplied by three was a heart stopping amount of money; about double what his monthly pay was contracted as. And he really liked money. Cern closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. In the craziness of his mind, the image of Elizabeth Peters was formed. He growled under his breath. Gods, how he wanted her - he had never lasted his long waiting for a woman, but this one was so innocent and young and so damn teasing. It was as if she was playing with him but he doubted she was capable of such things. "I like someone who can take a risk," her voice flittered through his memory. Someone who can take risks, huh? He smirked to himself. "Elizabeth!" Rosalind looked up at the call of her character"s name and a bright smile covered her features when Cern approached. "I"ve just spoken to that Emily Carter - you know, the secretary at Global Intec. I have a day arranged for the pickup. It"s in two days. 190,000 pounds..." She whistled. "That"s a lot of money..." Cern sighed deeply and took a step closer, so his hand brushed her hip. "I know it"s risky but isn"t it worth it with the outcome being so large - so profitable?" Rosalind swallowed nervously. "Well, yes...I suppose it would be worth it..." "And wouldn"t that be the same in a situation where say, a woman you really want has a boyfriend?" Cern questioned, raising his hand to stroke under her chin. Rosalind took a step back instinctively and Cern followed. "I...I don"t know James. I"ve, ah, never been in that situation before..." "I have. Many times. It"s quite frustrating actually." He mused, "But I"ve long since realised it is so much easier just to take what I want..." Rosalind tensed when he grabbed her hips tightly, his nails digging in, and he forced his mouth against his. The kiss was toothy and hard and painful. All too familiar. Cern groaned in annoyance when he heard (and felt) the buzz of her mobile phone. "Let it go to voicemail..." Rosalind fumbled with the phone. "I...I can"t. It"s my Dad. If I don"t answer, he"ll come here himself." With shaking hands, she raised the device to her ear. "H-hello?" "Get back now." "I"ll be right there." "Are you alright?" Sean asked worriedly as soon as she came through the door of the penthouse suite. Dropping her bag to the floor, she gave him a watery look and shook her head. She sniffed loudly and rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands. Ash hugged her in a way only a father could his daughter. Rosalind clung to him tightly, her eyes clenched shut. He brushed his hand over her hair in an attempt to calm her. Everyone stayed silent and just watched the family embrace until the sobs subsided into high pitched hiccups. She pulled back sniffing. "Are you okay Rosie?" Emma rested a hand on her friend"s shoulder. Rosalind smiled weakly. "I"ll be fine. He just...terrified me in all." She sniffed again and rubbed her nose, "Apparently, he was "taking a risk"..." "Would anyone be opposed to the idea of kicking the crap out of him?" Sean questioned furiously. Rosalind shook her head. "You guys aren"t thugs and I don"t expect you to act like them now. No, just stick with the plan. Conning him out of his lively hood will make me feel better and none of you will end up in a cell." She smiled softly at Sean, "Thanks for caring though..." She sighed shakily and levelled her gaze with her uncle, "So Mickey, what"s the next step?" He stared at her silently for a moment as if not knowing if he should. She cocked her head and gave him a pleading look that no one else saw. With a sigh, Mickey nodded. "Cern called a few hours ago to organise a drop off of his £190,000 investment. Emma said that she"d fax him the whereabouts once we"ve heard from Darren Peters. Ash, I need you to find us an office building, somewhere open and busy - make it more realistic. Albert, I"ll need you to try and get some money together from your business friends, for Mr. Peters to handover. It has to be real money, and our...reservoirs are currently empty. Sean, from the office building that Ash finds I need you to find us a weak point, a way in. Emma, I need you to get us some identifications - something new and will get us into the office building that Ash picks out. Babygirl, you are going to take a break, and don"t argue with me." he interjected when she opened her mouth, "You"ve done your job so now you have to rest." She sighed in defeat. "Okay Uncle Mickey..." He clapped. "Excellent. Everyone get busy - we have two days." Rosalind paced her room, circling her bed once, and then twice. She had her arms folded across her chest and was holding her upper arms tightly, breathing deeply and slowly. She could still feel his hands on her and it made her cringe at the memory. As much as she loved Mickey for caring, she knew that leaving her alone to her thoughts at the moment probably wasn"t the best idea. She circled the bed one more time before she grabbed her mobile from her bedside table and typed in the number she knew off by heart. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes wide, as she listened to the dull ringing. "Hello?" "Abby? It"s me, Rosalind." "Rosie! How are you?" "...Can we talk?" Her voice was concerned. "Rosie...what happened? Is it Jackson, again?" "No...Definitely not." Rosalind chuckled weakly, dryly, "But you"re the only one I can talk to about this. Remember you told me about that seedy boss of yours..." "James Cern - yeah, I remember him but...oh, Rosie, you didn"t..." "I did." The 5th floor of a rented building in the centre of London was the perfect setting. The owner of the small time business company, Richard Keiths, was a man who made some bad choices in his past, and it was an easy weakness to play on. Mickey and Albert had been hurriedly put into one of the offices and, after letting the smiling man know that they had associates coming soon, were left alone. "Are we sure about this?" Albert asked. Mickey nodded. "Positive. This will work, I know it will. I think our main problem is keeping Ash - and Sean, for that matter - from attacking Cern when he arrives." "That is easier said than done." Albert pointed out. It was about 10 minutes later when Ash and Sean appeared with Cern not that far behind. Pleasantries were exchanged before the four settled into their seats (Sean was standing beside Ash). Cern leant back in his chair; hand on his lap, with a huge smile on his face. It seemed he was acting as if what had happened between him and "Elizabeth Peters" hadn"t happened - Ash believed that was what really annoyed him. "So do you have your investments ready?" Albert questioned, glancing between the two men across from him. Ash raised his hand, clutching a brief case. "It"s all here - £190,000 in full." As if to prove he was telling the truth, he opened the case and showed them the rows of £20 notes that had been specially prepared for that moment. Cern opened the brief case and showed the £50 notes off to the two men. Mickey grinned. "Excellent. It seems it"s all there. We"re glad you both decided to invest. I assure you, it is not a mistake." "It was a good deal. You"d be stupid not to take it, Nico." Ash laughed deeply. "So when do we see the prototype?" Cern asked. "We will get this lot taken to the broker as soon as possible. Once the instalment has cleared, we are legally allowed to reveal the product. It will be sent with you within the next 24 hours at the most." Mickey explained. Cern clapped the arms of his seat. "Perfect. Is that all?" "Did you expect it to be more difficult?" Albert laughed. "I didn"t know what to expect to be honest - each company is different after all." Cern smiled, "Anyway, I have to return to the office. I have a ton of work to do and I left the sub in charge of the phones." "Ah, yes, my dear Elizabeth is sick - bed ridden." Ash explained sharply, "I was meant to get her to call in sick but she was just so ill, the poor thing." "It"s no problem really Darren. I wish her a speedy recovery." Cern nodded. "Well, it seems we"re done here." Mickey rose from his seat and held out his hand, "It"s a pleasure doing business with you gentlemen." "As always old friend." Ash rose onto his feet and shook the hand graciously. Cern copied. "I"ll look forward to doing business with you in the future, and even more for the money that soon follows." Chapter Nine Albert, Ash and Mickey sat in their designated "office" within Eddie"s bar, hands cupping their glasses. From their position, they could watch Emma and Rosalind converse at the bar, acting as if they have been friends for years, instead of the few days it had been in reality. "They seem to be getting along well enough," Mickey commented. "In a world full of men, the women must stay together..." Albert explained intelligently. "It"s a good thing - then we don"t have to listen to all that poncy, girly crap." Ash grinned and sipped his scotch. "Ladies," Mickey called and gestured towards the free seats. Grabbing their drinks from the counter, they slid into the plush seating; Rosalind beside her father, and Emma besides Albert. "We have one more thing to do before we can celebrate." Mickey continued, "Remember, the "prototype" still has to be delivered to Carnal and Change." "Aw, I wouldn"t worry about that," Ash spoke nonchalantly, shrugging, "We"ve already had a volunteer." Emma suddenly straightened up, her eyebrows furrowed as she glanced around the empty bar. "Where"s Sean?" Mickey barked out a laugh of amusement, his eyes sparkling. "Ash Morgan, you did not..." Ash smirked smugly. "Better him than me." Rosalind dropped her head into her hands and groaned. "Oh boy..." Albert chortled happily. James Cern looked up in surprise when a heavy box dropped onto his desk from a height. When he caught sight of Harry Lister looming over him, he smirked dangerously and relaxed into his seat. "Mr. Lister...I"m surprise to see you here...Is there anything I can help you with?" He questioned a fake smile on his face. "Mr. Peters asked me to drop this off personally. It"s the prototype." Sean answered shortly, his hands in his pockets. Cern"s face brightened. "Ah, thank you. I"ve been waiting for this." He pulled the box closer to him before pausing, "So how is Elizabeth?" Sean tensed, his eyes narrowed. "I almost forgot. I came here for another reason." He leant on the desk and leaning forward, his eyes gleaming threateningly, "I came here to tell you to stay away from Elizabeth Peters." Cern laughed darkly. "Oh please. Do you really think that would work on me?" "I"m telling you this for your own safety," Sean chided frustrated, "You see, Lizzie told me what you did - trust me, the only reason why I"m not beating your face into your skull is because she doesn"t want me to go back to prison...so I"m just going to give you some friendly advice: don"t touch her. Don"t look at her, don"t speak to her - don"t even think about her..." Cern laughed again. "That"s going to be difficult, don"t you think? After all, she works for me." Sean smirked knowingly. "Oh yeah - she quits." "Uncork that for us, would you Eddie?" Sean grinned happily as he entered the bar. He appeared relaxed as he handed the champagne bottle over to the disgruntled bartender. Sharing a look, the five other members of the group carefully slid from their seats and slowly approached the smiling man.

"Joe, this is Abigail and Whitney," Kent shouted over the music to introduce. His arm slung easily around Chandler"s waist, in a manner so comfortable, as if it were something he did all the time, that it genuinely made Chandler jerk, but he pushed down the violent movement just in time. Kent grinned up at him and Chandler strained a smile down, "This is my Joe." "Oh, he"s cute," one - Whitney, Chandler thought - cooed at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm resting on the table, and eyed him up and down, bringing a flush to the DI"s face. "But he looks a little out of his comfort zone here, pet," Abigail commented, her Newcastle accent thick and strong, no mistakes about it. "Clubs aren"t really his thing," Kent explained, "But he did it for me. We"ve been looking for some friends of mine, they"re supposed to be meeting us here. Apparently this is a regular place for them." "Regular, huh?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "We know all the regs." "So you might be able to help us then?" Chandler questioned, a small hopeful smile coming to his face at the thought that this wouldn"t be a completely useless line of enquiry. She grinned at him. "I don"t see why not pet. Gives us the names and we can see if we can help." "Dagmar, Will and Sam Dagmar," Kent told them. Whitney grinned. "Yeah, we know "em. Couple of oldies that like a good time. Usually in the backroom," she frowned, "Haven"t seen in a while though." "The backroom?" Chandler quoted urgently, "What"s that?" "It"s like private rooms, ya know, for those who can afford it," she explained with a small shrug, "PDA ain"t allowed on the dance floor, but if you can afford to get back there, from what I"ve heard, there ain"t nothing stopping ya, if you know what I mean." she winked playfully. "And two like that, they"d definitely want to get back there," Abigail teased, "Kinky as hell, always looking for a good time and a third." "A-a third?" Chandler questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A threesome hun," Whitney clarified, and Chandler turned red. "So when did you last see them?" Kent quickly diverted. "Uh, a few days I guess. They grabbed some fresher from the floor and went down back," Abigail shrugged. "Do you know who this fresher is? Maybe they can help?" "He was just a fresher, but I"ve seen him a few times recently. He"s cute, so he keeps getting lucky, if you know what I mean," her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and Kent laughed boisterously whilst Chandler strained a smile. "So how much does it cost to get into the backroom?" Kent wondered. "Why pet, you interested?" Whitney grinned wickedly. Chandler flushed and stammered embarrassed by the insinuation and how casually it was thrown about, but Kent just smiled widely and stated, "You"ve got to try everything once, right?" Kent glanced up at him uncertainly. "Are you ready for this sir?" he questioned. Chandler"s eyes darted between the narrow corridor and his DC and then back again. He wanted to say "of course I am, don"t be ridiculous" but they would both know it was a lie. He wasn"t an undercover agent, he never had been, and he found it hard to act when he knew something would bother him, and Chandler was hundred percent sure that whatever laid beyond the hallway, would bother him. Kent"s hand was still a steady and, perhaps mostly unusually, comfortable presence around his own. When they"d walked away from Abigail and Whitney, Kent had kept up the couple pretence by grasping his hand and tugging him through the crowd, but he hadn"t felt the need to let go and Chandler honestly hadn"t felt the need to ask him to. "I"ll be fine," he finally answered, realising that he"d been silent for far too long and Kent"s worried look had increased. It lessened a little at the words. "You do know what we"ll find in there, right?" he wondered, and turned a little pink, "And what we"ll be expected to do?" "Kent, I think for the sake of stopping another set of bodies from turning up, we can be...intimate," Chandler chose his words carefully, trying to ignore the flush of heat that warmed the back of his neck. It was understandable, he theorized, it had been a long time since he"d let anyone get that close, for work or otherwise, and now it was likely to happen with eyes firmly placed in his direction. Of course he would feel embarrassed. It had nothing to do with the curly haired man beside him that he would be expected to ki-be intimate with, and he was absolutely not fond of the idea. Why would he be? As if the idea of...being with Kent was favourable, regardless of the circumstances. Kent was...Kent, attractive yes, and sociable and hardworking and was no doubt a catch for any man or woman who caught his eye, but that didn"t mean that man was him. Chandler felt as if he was trying to tell himself something but he couldn"t quite put his finger on it. "Boss?" Kent"s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Joe," he corrected automatically, without much thought behind the instruction. Kent blinked surprised. "If we are to be in a couple, it only seems fitting," Chandler excused himself quickly, and Kent smiled widely, too brightly, too everything. "We should go in...Joe," he told him, his voice a little shy. Chandler nodded shiftly and straightened his collar, as if he were still wearing a suit at work and the straightness of the fabric would depend whether or not he made a good impression. "Let"s go," he ordered and took the lead, their linked hands pulling Kent behind him. Chandler could never honestly say that he liked kissing. It was level of intimacy that he had reached on several occasions in life, before he had realised that perhaps it was simpler to just be alone than to find someone who could accommodate to his habits, and yes, he could see the appeal, the feelings behind it, the closeness and the connection and the expectation behind the touch. He could understand that. But on a deep and personal level, it had always been seemed in its basic form - the spreading of germs through saliva and although he had gotten used to suppressing the urge to jerk away, it had never really disappeared entirely. He tried his hardest, when he took the lead and pressed his lips to Kent"s, not to focus on the statistics about germs and diseases, tried not to recoil away and ruin the image of a happy couple that they had portrayed. Instead, he focused on the warm body beside him on the loveseat, the heaviness of it pressed against his side. He thought of the cotton fabric of Kent"s shirt under his fingertips when he placed his hands on his waist, his grip tightening around it as he slipped, further and further. He thought about the taste of beer, bitter, on Kent"s breath, and how it washed shakily over his own lips, heating the skin in a surprising pleasant way. It was almost...enjoyable, could he say, when he thought about it like that. But they had work to do, he remembered quickly, and pulled away slowly. Kent looked a little flushed, dazed perhaps if one looked too closely and Chandler couldn"t stop himself from doing so. Kent traced his bottom lip with his tongue and looked up at Chandler from under his eyelashes. "Um, d-do you see anyone?" he murmured unsteadily. Chandler"s eyes flickered up and around the room and back again. "A few eyes. None that explicitly stand out." "Should we, ah, do it again then?" Kent wondered. "I suppose so," Chandler agreed, a second before the younger officer reared up and claimed a kiss once more. Chandler couldn"t help but be startled by the eagerness behind the touch, the way that Kent"s hands moved from gripping the front of his shirt and moved to the back of his neck, a warm touch against the skin, the way that he half climbed onto Chandler"s lap to get to him. This must be for the realism, one part of him reasoned. If you think that, you"re delusional, another one responded, he wants you almost as much as you want him. I don"t want him. Keep telling yourself that DI Chandler. It was funny how his inner voice was beginning to sound a lot like Miles. Kent pulled away after a moment, his breathing heavy and his face too close. His eyes were dark and Chandler was very much away that he was putting some bodily distance between them, the gap allowing a flood of cold air between them. "Think that did the trick?" he smiled, his words veiled with something that Chandler wasn"t certain that he could read. "I would say," he muttered back almost involuntarily. Kent blushed at the suggestion behind the words and grinned back a little more confidently. Chandler"s hands tightened around Kent"s waist and he gently urged the man to pushed down on him. Kent went a little wide eyed and uncertain, but did as he was ordered, lowering himself between Chandler"s legs. Chandler tilted his head towards Kent"s neck, his lips barely a brush against the flesh and he felt the full blown shiver that went through the DC"s body. Over Kent"s shoulder, Chandler watched the room. He scanned the people, some in couples, trios, groups, others standing alone, just watching. When his eyes swept scenes that seemed far too intimate for public consumption, he skidded past them quickly, with just a brief glimpse that their pleasure marred faces. It seemed likely that the killer was already part of a group, having already chosen his next victim, but these faces, they seemed too distracted, too wrapped in what was happening. From what they knew about the person responsible, this man wouldn"t enjoy the warm up gig more than the opening act. So he was standing alone, just watching, deciding. Only five people standing, two women and three men. The women were close together and chattering, eying each display before them with interest. Chandler didn"t spend too much time focused on them. It was statistically unlikely that this killer was female due to the brutality of the kills, and the strength it would take for one person to be able to subdue two victims, some of which were pretty hefty men. And the two women had said the Dagmar"s were last seen with a man, much like Lancaster and Torrez, and Morrison and Fitz. Two striked out. Kent"s lips pressed firmly against Chandler"s adams apple, making him gulp in response and his breathing pick up just that little bit more. It was a wet kiss, the sound seeming to echo even in the crowded, busy room. His mind flickered to the idea of spit on his skin, which goosebumped automatically, before Kent hummed, the noise vibrating against his skin and he gasped. It was an expected reaction, he argued. He was sensitive there, an exogenous zone, and he couldn"t control that. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Kent who had brought the shiver through him, who had made his thoughts jump and muddle in a mess at the front of his brain. Absolutely nothing. Chandler focused again. Three men, three men, he repeated. Each standing alone, their eyes dancing around the room, a mixture of interest and desire in their eyes. One was beckoned forward by an outstretched hand which was taken eagerly and he disappeared into the fold. A wet stripe was painted across his neck and he froze, physically and mentally. He glanced down startled, and Kent grinned up at him just a bit too innocently for it to be trusted. His hips rolled down, and his hands slide up and around the back of Chandler"s neck. He veered up and whispered in his ear, "Anything?" "Narrowed down to two," he muttered back, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling quite so hard. "Got a favourite boss?" Kent questioned. "Not as of yet, but we should probably try and get their names, get them checked out," Chandler stated almost absentmindedly. Kent pulled back a little. "Sir, that would mean...inviting them in, wouldn"t it?" The thought hadn"t occurred to him. He guessed he had forgotten he wasn"t supposed to be a police officer here. He could hardly approach the two figures and ask for their names, not without asking them to join or giving away who they really were. He had to be honest, the idea of anyone touching Kent kind of irritated him. Because Kent was his partner right now, he was on his team, of course he"s being protective. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss him again. Oh god, he wanted to kiss Kent again. Chandler was sure that his mind was going to spin into a panic at the revelation, it felt like that was what was going to happen. But a voice, unfamiliar, a little nasally perhaps, broke through the ramble. Kent and Chandler turned at the same time, and eyed the man beside him. He was about Chandler"s age, dark hair and dark eyes, with a polite smile. "Your drinks sirs," he stated and presented them towards them. "We didn"t order any drinks," Kent stated with an almost dismissive smile. "These drinks are for you both sir," the man said again, "On the house." "We don"t want them, thank you," Chandler forced a smile. "You must take them," he insisted, "They"re for you." "Well, let someone else have them," Chandler suggested. "No, only you!" the man snapped and stopped sharply, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked...shocked by his own actions. Chandler"s eyes narrowed and glanced between the champagne, the bubbles that floated to the top and popped as it reached the surface, and the man"s face, who was still staring at them. The victims were taken from Torrent, in the middle of the night without any witnesses to the abductions. Half were strangled, killed quickly, whilst the other was stabbed multiple times in the torso. The killer was a man, strong and fit enough to overpower two people at the same time. The only thing that hadn"t clicked was how the killer was doing it, how they were getting these people - these reasonable, safe people - to go with them. There was no visible marks on the bodies to show restraint, not even any defensive marks - but there was never going to be. Not when they were drugged beforehand. "It"s the drinks," Kent whispered out a second after, and Chandler nodded sharply, eyes narrowing. Kent moved slowly, climbing from Chandler"s lap, and the DI sat up slowly. That was the killer. He was right in front of them. Until he wasn"t. The man cursed loudly and the glasses were flung in their direction, one hitting Chandler in the center of his chest and the other bouncing off Kent"s shoulder. Later on, Chandler would worry about the wetness seeping through his clothes and the smell of champagne that would take ages to get out. Later on, he"d even worry about Kent and everything inbetween. Right now, they had a murderer to bring in, and this time, they would be alive. David Somerset, aged 39. Criminal History: theft, assault, battery - his wife, Allison Somerset now Venson, divorced him three years ago after the last arrest, and took their eight year old son away to live with her lover, Charles Pertree, whom she had met during an illicit encounter at a swinger"s event the year prior. Allison was blond and Charles was brunet. David Somerset was caught in the process of trying to drug a set of undercover agents, and whilst making his escape, he stepped onto a busy road and was knocked down by a white van. He didn"t make the night. After he"d put the phone down, Chandler had sat up a little straighter at his desk, and reached instinctively for the little pot of tiger balm that was rubbed evenly - three circles clockwise on his temples - on both sides of his head. He closed his eyes and breathed out shakily. Another one had died. It was an accident, he had reasoned, nothing could have been done to prevent Somerset from stepping in front of that van. It happened. It just seemed to be happening a lot to his unit, to him. "At least the killings are over now." Chandler opened his eyes at the voice, surprised. He had thought that everyone had left hours ago to finally get some sleep after the long few weeks, and that he was the only one in the Incident room. Kent stood in the doorway to his room, hands pushed into his pockets and hesitant to enter. He smiled comfortingly. "The killer didn"t get what he deserved," Chandler stated. "But he"s dead. No one else has to die like that again." "But the ones that did aren"t going to get their retribution," Chandler snapped before sucking in a breath through his teeth and sighed heavily, "...I didn"t mean to snap." "You"re being too hard on yourself sir," Kent told him firmly. He took a small step into the room. "You figured out who it was, you stopped him, whether it was the way you wanted it or not, it"s over now. And that"s a good thing sir." He sounded so sure of himself, of Chandler, of what had transpired. The look on his face was determined and Chandler was beginning to get the impression that Kent wouldn"t stand for any more of his frustration at not being able to bring in a killer alive, not when their deaths had meant the end, and that it had been him to figure it out. "Yes, it is isn"t it?" Chandler smiled from one side of his mouth. He adjusted and then readjusted his stapler on his table, and glanced back at Kent, "What are you doing here so late?" "Cleaning," Kent blurted out awkwardly. "Cleaning?" Chandler questioned curiously. The DC seemed embarrassed when he spoke. "Um, I just...after a case like this finishes, the Incident room is always in a state and I know that you don"t enjoy the mess of it, so I thought I"d try and help. You know, make it easier for you so you don"t have to stay so late all the time." "You know I stay late?" Chandler wondered quietly. Kent nodded, looking as if he wasn"t sure whether it was wise to answer the question. "Yes sir." "...I thought I told you to call me Joe," Chandler reminded him nonchalantly. He watched with curiosity and fascination as the man bounced a little on the balls of his feet, his expression suddenly that much brighter and his grin that much wider. "Joe," he echoed back, pleased. "You did some excellent work today Emerson," Chandler congratulated him, "You played the part well, and got the information we needed. No one could have done better." "Thank you sir - ah, Joe." "It seemed like you were having fun tonight..." Chandler stood up slowly and walked around his desk. He wasn"t sure what he was doing, half of his brain was screaming at him that this was a terrible idea for so many different reasons with a least half a dozen that were already circling his mind to try and convince him out of it, but while the rest of him pounding and shook nervously, he wanted to do this. He had to try at least. It would be good for him, really good for him. "Working with you is always fun," Kent told him awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other. "So that kiss...it was for fun?" "Wha- no, no, of - it was for work, of course it was for work," he argued, alarmed by the sudden insinuation. Chandler perched carefully on the edge of his desk, his legs crossed in front of him and his legs behind him. "So it was just work then? You didn"t like kissing me then?" "I-I didn"t..." Kent fumbled over the words, lost and worried and scared even of where he was supposed to go. "You seem unresolved on the matter," Chandler mused, "Perhaps we should give the test another go?" "T-test?" Kent repeated confused. "The kiss. To determine whether you enjoyed it or not," Chandler supplied. Kent flushed pink and looked all as if he couldn"t quite believe what was happening. "I..." "We"ll have to do it right though," He continued, "The right mood, the right setting - perhaps my apartment at seven next Wednesday, work permitting?" "W-wait, are you..." Kent stepped into the room, hand raised, and stopped, hand dropping to his waist. "Are you asking me...on a date?" "Y-yes, it would seem so," Chandler responded, all his confidence leaving him in one ago, fear and realisation of what he had just done abandoned behind. "And I would very much like to know the answer to my question." "Next Thursday," Kent told him. "I"m sorry?" He smiled softly, shyly. "We should meet next Thursday instead. Wednesday, Skip"s having his birthday dinner and if we miss it, Judy would do her nut. She"s almost as scary as Skip when she"s angry." Chandler returned the smile. "Thursday...seems like an even better day." "G-good, good," Kent"s smile widened into a grin, that seemed to take over most of his body, happy and eager and yes, Chandler had made the right decision. "So, Thursday and I should ah..." He took a small step back and jerked his thumb behind him, "should get back to...cleaning." "Of course," Chandler conceded. He turned away only when Kent did, and returned to sit behind his desk. From where the chair was positioned, he had the perfect view of the Incident room - and of Kent moving around it. He watched the way the man walked, the way he moved systematically around the room, and smiled. He then sighed and ducked his head, eyes on the papers and pictures that had once been plastered across the white boards. Although he had met a number of hurdles tonight head on, there was still one more left: paperwork. This is my first time writing a Whitechapel fic so I"d love to know what you think of it. You can leave comments or feelings either here on my tumblr: imthekeptainnow

"But he only targets couples," Kent reminded, "I"d be fine." "Lancaster and Torrez are never mentioned together until three nights before their bodies were found, and that"s from a picture on Torrez" facebook account. What if the killer just pairs you with someone you happen to speak to?" he argued, "And they wouldn"t know how to protect themselves or you. I"d feel better if someone more experience was with you." "Then why don"t you go?" Miles nudged him, a wicked grin on his face like he knew exactly what he was doing and that was a little terrifying. Chandler blinked, startled by the sudden suggestion. "W-what?" "Miles is right, you"d probably be the only other one of us that could blend in well enough," Riley concurred with the Sergeant, "You and Kent pose as a couple, gather your information, and if anything happens, you"ll be there to make sure this bastard"s body count doesn"t go up to eight." "I-I..." Chandler stammered uncertainly. He glanced at Kent out of the corner of his eye, the DC being unusually quiet during this situation. His head was ducked a little, his face shielded, and he was absentmindedly rolling a ball of glue tack on the surface of his desk. But he was listening, Chandler could see that in the arch of his shoulders, the tension. He wasn"t sure what it was about seeing him like that, which made Chandler gather himself. To straighten his back and fold his arms across his chest. "It seems like a perfectly reasonable idea. Kent, we should get started on his as soon as possible." Kent looked up at him and smiled, a mixture of uncertainty and excitement - was that excitement, Chandler wasn"t sure - in the curve of his lips. "Of course sir." Chandler smiled back and nodded briefly before glancing back towards the board, at the bodies, at the people that hadn"t been saved and needed to be avenged. That was why he was doing this, the only reason why, he told himself and tried to ignore a small part of him that rebelled against the idea. Torrent was loud, smoky, cramped and overcrowded with people, all dancing against each other, shouting, laughing, drinking. Chandler supposed it was like any other nightclub in London, with the same kind of people that always frequented these establishment. Not that he would know, not from first hand experience anyway. He wasn"t exactly the nightclub type, not even when he was a teenager or at university. They never really appealed to him, for the exact reasons why they appealed to everyone else he guessed, although he assumed his issues with cleanliness also played a part. Torrent didn"t seem like the most sanitary of places, and it was all he could do to restrain himself from flinching away from the contact whenever someone"s bare arm, sweaty and glitter covered, brushed against his shirt. He tried not to look uncomfortable, or to give away his true purpose there, but he just felt so out of place and like he shouldn"t be there. Kent though, he seemed to fit right in. The clothes of the party goers, the tight jeans and the band shirt making it easier for him to blend in than Chandler in his slightly loose jeans and plaid shirt that Riley had forced him into - "you have to look like you"re supposed to be there, sir, not like a dad there to watch his teenage daughter," she had told him when he complained about the choice of attire - and he was relaxed and comfortable as he was. When they had entered and seen the number of people, the silhouettes in the grey clouds, Kent and Chandler had shared a look as if uncertain of where to begin, and then Kent had offered to go get them some drinks, to try and make them look less conspicuous. From where Chandler was standing, he could see Kent conversing with two women on his right, smiling widely as he leant in close to hear what they were saying over the thumping of the music. Chandler couldn"t help but smile a little at the sight. Since he had known Kent, he knew that the man took his job seriously and when it came to gathering information from the less than willing, he gained their trust. Perhaps it was something about his face that made it so, Chandler couldn"t be sure, he just knew that Kent was aware of this strange ability that he seemed to possess and used it whenever he could to get the job done. He was rather dedicated to it. Kent turned and gestured towards him through the crowd, making the two women glance towards him, small smirks on their faces. Chandler smiled and waved politely, until he realised he was being gestured over, and startled began to push his way through the crowd to join the trio. "Joe, this is Abigail and Whitney," Kent shouted over the music to introduce. His arm slung easily around Chandler"s waist, in a manner so comfortable, as if it were something he did all the time, that it genuinely made Chandler jerk, but he pushed down the violent movement just in time. Kent grinned up at him and Chandler strained a smile down, "This is my Joe." "Oh, he"s cute," one - Whitney, Chandler thought - cooed at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm resting on the table, and eyed him up and down, bringing a flush to the DI"s face. "But he looks a little out of his comfort zone here, pet," Abigail commented, her Newcastle accent thick and strong, no mistakes about it. "Clubs aren"t really his thing," Kent explained, "But he did it for me. We"ve been looking for some friends of mine, they"re supposed to be meeting us here. Apparently this is a regular place for them." "Regular, huh?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "We know all the regs." "So you might be able to help us then?" Chandler questioned, a small hopeful smile coming to his face at the thought that this wouldn"t be a completely useless line of enquiry. She grinned at him. "I don"t see why not pet. Gives us the names and we can see if we can help." "Dagmar, Will and Sam Dagmar," Kent told them. Whitney grinned. "Yeah, we know "em. Couple of oldies that like a good time. Usually in the backroom," she frowned, "Haven"t seen in a while though." "The backroom?" Chandler quoted urgently, "What"s that?" "It"s like private rooms, ya know, for those who can afford it," she explained with a small shrug, "PDA ain"t allowed on the dance floor, but if you can afford to get back there, from what I"ve heard, there ain"t nothing stopping ya, if you know what I mean." she winked playfully. "And two like that, they"d definitely want to get back there," Abigail teased, "Kinky as hell, always looking for a good time and a third." "A-a third?" Chandler questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A threesome hun," Whitney clarified, and Chandler turned red. "So when did you last see them?" Kent quickly diverted. "Uh, a few days I guess. They grabbed some fresher from the floor and went down back," Abigail shrugged. "Do you know who this fresher is? Maybe they can help?" "He was just a fresher, but I"ve seen him a few times recently. He"s cute, so he keeps getting lucky, if you know what I mean," her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and Kent laughed boisterously whilst Chandler strained a smile. "So how much does it cost to get into the backroom?" Kent wondered. "Why pet, you interested?" Whitney grinned wickedly. Chandler flushed and stammered embarrassed by the insinuation and how casually it was thrown about, but Kent just smiled widely and stated, "You"ve got to try everything once, right?" Kent glanced up at him uncertainly. "Are you ready for this sir?" he questioned. Chandler"s eyes darted between the narrow corridor and his DC and then back again. He wanted to say "of course I am, don"t be ridiculous" but they would both know it was a lie. He wasn"t an undercover agent, he never had been, and he found it hard to act when he knew something would bother him, and Chandler was hundred percent sure that whatever laid beyond the hallway, would bother him. Kent"s hand was still a steady and, perhaps mostly unusually, comfortable presence around his own. When they"d walked away from Abigail and Whitney, Kent had kept up the couple pretence by grasping his hand and tugging him through the crowd, but he hadn"t felt the need to let go and Chandler honestly hadn"t felt the need to ask him to. "I"ll be fine," he finally answered, realising that he"d been silent for far too long and Kent"s worried look had increased. It lessened a little at the words. "You do know what we"ll find in there, right?" he wondered, and turned a little pink, "And what we"ll be expected to do?" "Kent, I think for the sake of stopping another set of bodies from turning up, we can be...intimate," Chandler chose his words carefully, trying to ignore the flush of heat that warmed the back of his neck. It was understandable, he theorized, it had been a long time since he"d let anyone get that close, for work or otherwise, and now it was likely to happen with eyes firmly placed in his direction. Of course he would feel embarrassed. It had nothing to do with the curly haired man beside him that he would be expected to ki-be intimate with, and he was absolutely not fond of the idea. Why would he be? As if the idea of...being with Kent was favourable, regardless of the circumstances. Kent was...Kent, attractive yes, and sociable and hardworking and was no doubt a catch for any man or woman who caught his eye, but that didn"t mean that man was him. Chandler felt as if he was trying to tell himself something but he couldn"t quite put his finger on it. "Boss?" Kent"s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Joe," he corrected automatically, without much thought behind the instruction. Kent blinked surprised. "If we are to be in a couple, it only seems fitting," Chandler excused himself quickly, and Kent smiled widely, too brightly, too everything. "We should go in...Joe," he told him, his voice a little shy. Chandler nodded shiftly and straightened his collar, as if he were still wearing a suit at work and the straightness of the fabric would depend whether or not he made a good impression. "Let"s go," he ordered and took the lead, their linked hands pulling Kent behind him. Chandler could never honestly say that he liked kissing. It was level of intimacy that he had reached on several occasions in life, before he had realised that perhaps it was simpler to just be alone than to find someone who could accommodate to his habits, and yes, he could see the appeal, the feelings behind it, the closeness and the connection and the expectation behind the touch. He could understand that. But on a deep and personal level, it had always been seemed in its basic form - the spreading of germs through saliva and although he had gotten used to suppressing the urge to jerk away, it had never really disappeared entirely. He tried his hardest, when he took the lead and pressed his lips to Kent"s, not to focus on the statistics about germs and diseases, tried not to recoil away and ruin the image of a happy couple that they had portrayed. Instead, he focused on the warm body beside him on the loveseat, the heaviness of it pressed against his side. He thought of the cotton fabric of Kent"s shirt under his fingertips when he placed his hands on his waist, his grip tightening around it as he slipped, further and further. He thought about the taste of beer, bitter, on Kent"s breath, and how it washed shakily over his own lips, heating the skin in a surprising pleasant way. It was almost...enjoyable, could he say, when he thought about it like that. But they had work to do, he remembered quickly, and pulled away slowly. Kent looked a little flushed, dazed perhaps if one looked too closely and Chandler couldn"t stop himself from doing so. Kent traced his bottom lip with his tongue and looked up at Chandler from under his eyelashes. "Um, d-do you see anyone?" he murmured unsteadily. Chandler"s eyes flickered up and around the room and back again. "A few eyes. None that explicitly stand out." "Should we, ah, do it again then?" Kent wondered. "I suppose so," Chandler agreed, a second before the younger officer reared up and claimed a kiss once more. Chandler couldn"t help but be startled by the eagerness behind the touch, the way that Kent"s hands moved from gripping the front of his shirt and moved to the back of his neck, a warm touch against the skin, the way that he half climbed onto Chandler"s lap to get to him. This must be for the realism, one part of him reasoned. If you think that, you"re delusional, another one responded, he wants you almost as much as you want him. I don"t want him. Keep telling yourself that DI Chandler. It was funny how his inner voice was beginning to sound a lot like Miles. Kent pulled away after a moment, his breathing heavy and his face too close. His eyes were dark and Chandler was very much away that he was putting some bodily distance between them, the gap allowing a flood of cold air between them. "Think that did the trick?" he smiled, his words veiled with something that Chandler wasn"t certain that he could read. "I would say," he muttered back almost involuntarily. Kent blushed at the suggestion behind the words and grinned back a little more confidently. Chandler"s hands tightened around Kent"s waist and he gently urged the man to pushed down on him. Kent went a little wide eyed and uncertain, but did as he was ordered, lowering himself between Chandler"s legs. Chandler tilted his head towards Kent"s neck, his lips barely a brush against the flesh and he felt the full blown shiver that went through the DC"s body. Over Kent"s shoulder, Chandler watched the room. He scanned the people, some in couples, trios, groups, others standing alone, just watching. When his eyes swept scenes that seemed far too intimate for public consumption, he skidded past them quickly, with just a brief glimpse that their pleasure marred faces. It seemed likely that the killer was already part of a group, having already chosen his next victim, but these faces, they seemed too distracted, too wrapped in what was happening. From what they knew about the person responsible, this man wouldn"t enjoy the warm up gig more than the opening act. So he was standing alone, just watching, deciding. Only five people standing, two women and three men. The women were close together and chattering, eying each display before them with interest. Chandler didn"t spend too much time focused on them. It was statistically unlikely that this killer was female due to the brutality of the kills, and the strength it would take for one person to be able to subdue two victims, some of which were pretty hefty men. And the two women had said the Dagmar"s were last seen with a man, much like Lancaster and Torrez, and Morrison and Fitz. Two striked out. Kent"s lips pressed firmly against Chandler"s adams apple, making him gulp in response and his breathing pick up just that little bit more. It was a wet kiss, the sound seeming to echo even in the crowded, busy room. His mind flickered to the idea of spit on his skin, which goosebumped automatically, before Kent hummed, the noise vibrating against his skin and he gasped. It was an expected reaction, he argued. He was sensitive there, an exogenous zone, and he couldn"t control that. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Kent who had brought the shiver through him, who had made his thoughts jump and muddle in a mess at the front of his brain. Absolutely nothing. Chandler focused again. Three men, three men, he repeated. Each standing alone, their eyes dancing around the room, a mixture of interest and desire in their eyes. One was beckoned forward by an outstretched hand which was taken eagerly and he disappeared into the fold. A wet stripe was painted across his neck and he froze, physically and mentally. He glanced down startled, and Kent grinned up at him just a bit too innocently for it to be trusted. His hips rolled down, and his hands slide up and around the back of Chandler"s neck. He veered up and whispered in his ear, "Anything?" "Narrowed down to two," he muttered back, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling quite so hard. "Got a favourite boss?" Kent questioned. "Not as of yet, but we should probably try and get their names, get them checked out," Chandler stated almost absentmindedly. Kent pulled back a little. "Sir, that would mean...inviting them in, wouldn"t it?" The thought hadn"t occurred to him. He guessed he had forgotten he wasn"t supposed to be a police officer here. He could hardly approach the two figures and ask for their names, not without asking them to join or giving away who they really were. He had to be honest, the idea of anyone touching Kent kind of irritated him. Because Kent was his partner right now, he was on his team, of course he"s being protective. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss him again. Oh god, he wanted to kiss Kent again. Chandler was sure that his mind was going to spin into a panic at the revelation, it felt like that was what was going to happen. But a voice, unfamiliar, a little nasally perhaps, broke through the ramble. Kent and Chandler turned at the same time, and eyed the man beside him. He was about Chandler"s age, dark hair and dark eyes, with a polite smile. "Your drinks sirs," he stated and presented them towards them. "We didn"t order any drinks," Kent stated with an almost dismissive smile. "These drinks are for you both sir," the man said again, "On the house." "We don"t want them, thank you," Chandler forced a smile. "You must take them," he insisted, "They"re for you." "Well, let someone else have them," Chandler suggested. "No, only you!" the man snapped and stopped sharply, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked...shocked by his own actions. Chandler"s eyes narrowed and glanced between the champagne, the bubbles that floated to the top and popped as it reached the surface, and the man"s face, who was still staring at them. The victims were taken from Torrent, in the middle of the night without any witnesses to the abductions. Half were strangled, killed quickly, whilst the other was stabbed multiple times in the torso. The killer was a man, strong and fit enough to overpower two people at the same time. The only thing that hadn"t clicked was how the killer was doing it, how they were getting these people - these reasonable, safe people - to go with them. There was no visible marks on the bodies to show restraint, not even any defensive marks - but there was never going to be. Not when they were drugged beforehand. "It"s the drinks," Kent whispered out a second after, and Chandler nodded sharply, eyes narrowing. Kent moved slowly, climbing from Chandler"s lap, and the DI sat up slowly. That was the killer. He was right in front of them. Until he wasn"t. The man cursed loudly and the glasses were flung in their direction, one hitting Chandler in the center of his chest and the other bouncing off Kent"s shoulder. Later on, Chandler would worry about the wetness seeping through his clothes and the smell of champagne that would take ages to get out. Later on, he"d even worry about Kent and everything inbetween. Right now, they had a murderer to bring in, and this time, they would be alive. David Somerset, aged 39. Criminal History: theft, assault, battery - his wife, Allison Somerset now Venson, divorced him three years ago after the last arrest, and took their eight year old son away to live with her lover, Charles Pertree, whom she had met during an illicit encounter at a swinger"s event the year prior. Allison was blond and Charles was brunet. David Somerset was caught in the process of trying to drug a set of undercover agents, and whilst making his escape, he stepped onto a busy road and was knocked down by a white van. He didn"t make the night. After he"d put the phone down, Chandler had sat up a little straighter at his desk, and reached instinctively for the little pot of tiger balm that was rubbed evenly - three circles clockwise on his temples - on both sides of his head. He closed his eyes and breathed out shakily. Another one had died. It was an accident, he had reasoned, nothing could have been done to prevent Somerset from stepping in front of that van. It happened. It just seemed to be happening a lot to his unit, to him. "At least the killings are over now." Chandler opened his eyes at the voice, surprised. He had thought that everyone had left hours ago to finally get some sleep after the long few weeks, and that he was the only one in the Incident room. Kent stood in the doorway to his room, hands pushed into his pockets and hesitant to enter. He smiled comfortingly. "The killer didn"t get what he deserved," Chandler stated. "But he"s dead. No one else has to die like that again." "But the ones that did aren"t going to get their retribution," Chandler snapped before sucking in a breath through his teeth and sighed heavily, "...I didn"t mean to snap." "You"re being too hard on yourself sir," Kent told him firmly. He took a small step into the room. "You figured out who it was, you stopped him, whether it was the way you wanted it or not, it"s over now. And that"s a good thing sir."

"Oh definitely." Emma laughed, "Come on, we have three suits and two dresses to buy before the next hour is up." "Sounds like fun." Rosalind muttered, cautiously eyeing the golden clothes racks that surrounded her, not moving. Emma laughed in amusement, reaching over to grasp the young woman"s hand and tug her into the colourful abyss of dresses and other designer clothes for women. "Come on, Rosie. I"ll make sure the mean, evil clothes don"t hurt you. I promise." "Fine, but if I get us permanently banned from this place, be it on your head." "It will forever weight on my conscience. Now, how do you feel about animal print?" "I hate it." "Good. Then I know the prefect dress for you." Rosalind raised an eyebrow. "You figured that out with one question?" "Of course. I already told you - I like to shop." "Your name is Harry Lister. You"re nearly eight years older than me. Classic bad boy routine - most importantly you like to take risks. Oh, and you work as Darren Peters" bodyguard." Rosalind listed off all the information she could remember, "The rest we can make up as we go along." "Um, okay. We met through your Dad when you were seventeen, were in a relationship by the time you were eighteen. I have anger management problems - which would explain the arguments and make me seem like a better bodyguard." "Yeah, because you don"t exactly have that "built like a brick shit house" look about you." Rosalind smirked, squeezing his upper arm as if to prove a point, "Maybe your expertise is Karate or something." "We could have one of the guests get too close to Ash and I could demonstrate my brilliant moves." Sean suggested, grinning. "Maybe. It certainly would annoy Cern." She smiled at the thought. "You really don"t like him, do you?" "No, not much. He"s a good looking guy, it"s just his personality that let him down." Sean shrugged. "Just a small problem then." he joked. "Yeah, he"d be fine if he didn"t open his mouth." Rosalind giggled, before coughing and struggling to keep a straight face. For some reason, she kept imaging James Cern with a zip for a mouth. "We have to be serious now. This is important...think couple stuff..." Sean cleared his throat. "Yes, couple stuff..." The two dissolved into laughter and giggles, somehow unable to help themselves. They fell back into the sofa they were sitting on and struggled to smother the chuckles. Rosalind"s face was already pink from her failed attempt to calm down. They had to be serious about what was happening because one mistake could cost them the entire con. "No...no. We have to be serious about this." She took in a deep breath and let it out again. Sean, a moment after, copied. "Right. One of the things we have to do is be able to act like a couple. Are you comfortable with that?" "Comfortable? With acting like a couple? With you?" Sean repeated, "Oh yeah, of course. No problem. It should be fun..." Rosalind raised an eyebrow. "Fun?" Sean flushed. "Yes, fun. Very fun, enjoyable even." She smiled softly, watching him closely with wide eyes. Eyes, he realised, were a strange ocean blue colour. "It should be fun. Messing with people is a fun activity on any day, even better when that person is such a dick." "Definitely. Couldn"t happen to a better person." He commented, "Would you be...comfortable?" Rosalind leant closer, smirking, eyes sparkling playfully. Sean swallowed instinctively. "I can"t be certain but I can say I"m looking forward to the experience." "What is she doing?' His lips twitched upward. "Do you really?" Rosalind hummed in answer, shifting forward in her place until her legs brushed his own. She leant forward, her lips brushing his ear. "Does it look like I"m kidding?" He smirked. If she was going to play, so was he. His hand grasped her hips tightly and tugged her roughly onto his lap. She fell into place willingly, her hands coming to rest around his neck as a way to keep balance. One of his hands rose to her head, interlocking with her brown curls, and moved her head away from the side of his head so she faced him in a brutal way. He arched an eyebrow. "Did I pass your test?" Rosalind smirked widely, her fingers brushing the thin hair at the back of his neck. "With flying colours, believe it or not. I don"t think we"ll have any problems convincing Cern that we"re a couple. Not after that performance." He simpered at her smugly. "Impress you, did I?" "Don"t act so modest. It"s a character flaw." Rosalind scolded, smirking with amusement. There was a pregnant pause between the two of them, where neither moved or spoke, just watched each other. Somewhere in the distance, a car back fired and broke the silence. Sean cleared his throat nervously and Rosalind glanced away. "I should go ask my Dad if he needs any help." She rationalised in a low voice, carefully climbing off the older man"s lap and onto her bare feet. She straightened her top uneasily, and ran a hand through her hair, ruffling the back into a messy mass. Sean sniffed, brushing his nose. "Yup, of course." "Work on your "bad boy" attitude. It"s important for the, ah, con..." "Yeah, I will. You just, ah, keep acting innocent..." Rosalind smiled gingerly. "Shouldn"t be too hard...I"ll just..." she gestured behind her. "Yes, ah, I"ll talk to you later..." She hummed in response. Rosalind knocked hesitantly on her Father"s bedroom door, peering through the small gap. He looked up at the noise, his phone to his ear, and waved her in smiling. She quietly shut the door behind her and made her way over to the bed. "Ah, yeah, that should be enough. About six at the usual place...alright, good, thanks." Ash ended the call, snapping his phone closed and glanced at Rosalind out of the corner of his eye, "Hey Rosie...something wrong?" She smiled gently. "Nothing - just wanted to see if wanted any help." "Alright...you can attach this motherboard to the back of this." He passed her over the circuit board and the metal casing, "I don"t have small enough fingers to get it properly." "No problem." Quietly, she went to work, spreading the wires out across the front to leave enough from for the superglue to be added. She bit her bottom lip as she concentrated, using her free hand to screw open the tube. "Is something bothering you, "cause I can tell that something"s wrong - remember, I"m not a mark, I"m your Dad." Ash told his daughter firmly, turning so he faced her properly, "Tell me, and you dare think of lying...it isn"t to do with Sean is it?" Rosalind"s cheeks dusted a light pink, as she shook her head. "No, it"s nothing like that...I just realised we haven"t spent much time together since I"ve arrived, what with the Score and all. It just doesn"t seem right after so long..." "Is that it?" Ash raised an eyebrow, "You"re just...upset that we haven"t spent much time together? Are you sure?" Rosalind hummed, her eyes firmly focused on screwing the cap on the superglue. Carefully, she pressed the electronic system into the metal casing. She held it there for a few seconds, just to be sure, before letting go. "It"s stupid really...It"s just it"s been over a decade since I left England and we haven"t had much contact thanks to her and I missed you..." Ash put his arm around her, one hand grasping her own. "I missed you too darling. How about this: after we finish with this mark, we"ll go out somewhere, just the two of us." Rosalind"s smile widened and she hugged her Father back. "Yeah Dad...I"d like that..." Chapter Seven "This is a celebration of Barkley and Harlem, played by Albert and Mickey here, making you all rich shareholders and investors, so keep it casual and classy." Ash explained to the group of extras that had been found by one of his contacts, "You have two main jobs tonight: tell the mark wonderful success stories, and keep him away from those two until one of us give you the go to. Oh and make sure, where ever the mark is, he can see Rosalind and Sean, alright?" "Emma! I changed my mind - I can"t wear this out in public!" Rosalind"s voice carried from the next room, the distress clear. Emma rolled her eyes, smirking with amusement. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You look fine Rosie." "I feel like an expensive escort." "Hey!" "Sorry, but it"s true, and I was taught not to lie to my friends." Emma stood up and casually approached the bedroom door. "Then as your friend, I"m telling you to come out." "You can"t make me!" "Wanna bet?" She raised an eyebrow at the challenge, before opening the door and stepping into the room. The people in the main room pretended to turn their attention away from the girlish squeals and obvious sounds of a struggle. The door swung open again to reveal a persistent Emma tugging an equally as stubborn Rosalind out the door. She was holding onto something within the room. "Come on Rosie...you look fine..." the eldest Kennedy tried to coax the younger woman, as you would a terrified cat. "Expensive escort!" She shouted back firmly. "Just...come on..." Emma gave one more, rough tug and Rosalind tumbled from within the confinements of her room, a surprised look on her face. "How could someone so small, be so strong?' She shook slightly on the silver Jimmy Choo"s Emma had brought for her and had to hold her arms out at her side in an attempt to regain stability. She tilted her head up slightly, just enough so she could see the eyes on her, and instantly tensed up; her cheeks flushed a pale pink. Emma beamed breathlessly. "See. You look great - definitely not an escort." The dress was a satin silk in a dark navy colour. It was like a wrap dress, tied with a black ribbon just under her bust. Towards her feet, it flared outwards. Diamond jewellery donned her ears, neck and wrist. "Perfect choice Emma." Mickey congratulated, making the woman smiled proudly at him. "You look stunning my dear." Albert assured, placing a kiss on her forehead. Rosalind shifted uncomfortably. "...Still feel like an escort..." Ash elbowed Sean in the stomach sharply. He gapped, winded. "Keep your eyes up, and hands to your self." He warned. Sean nodded, rubbing the point of impact in an attempt to easy the pain. "Now that we"ve established that Rosie does not look like an escort, we have 35 minutes." Emma pointed out, "We need to get changed and sort of the last minute details, like the deal." Mickey and Albert shared a knowing look, eyes sparkling. "Leave that to us." "He"s here: positions people." James Cern stood near the doorway of the Penthouse suite, watching the talkative and happy crowd for a familiar face. He strolled forward, one hand in his trouser pocket, and snagged a champagne glass from the snack"s table. In all honesty, he had always preferred wine to champagne - he sipped the drink anyway. At the back of the room, he could see the faces of Barkley and Harlem, deep in conversation with another suit clad man. Not far from them was another man, dressed in black, standing stiff and silent. It was unnervingly obvious in the friendly atmosphere. "James!" Cern turned on his heel at the sound of his name and instantly smiled when his hungry gaze landed on Elizabeth, looking so sweet and innocent as she smiled up at him warmly. "I"m so glad you made it!" she gushed. "Are you really?" "Of course," Rosalind tilted her head to the side, "Harlem and Barkley are a bit busy at the moment. That"s my Dad over there - they"re discussing the new product that Global Intec is investing in. It"s meant to be amazing...I just came over to get some drinks..." "I can speak to them later then. Care to keep me company until then?" he flirted. "Lizzie!" a voice called from within the crowd. No one reacted to the unexpected shout. Her eyes lit up. "I would but it seems I"m being called. Mingle...make new friends; I"ll talk to you later James." Before Cern could say anything more, the young woman had grabbed three glasses of champagne and carefully made her way across the room. He stared after her. She handed the drinks over to the three suited men, smiling widely, before moving the side of the strange man. His eyes narrowed when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the underside of his jaw. "So this must be Harry Lister...' "Are you sure this is going to work Mick?" Ash questioned. "We have to proposition him quickly - give him no chance to think over the huge gamble he"s making." Mickey explained and sipped his drink, "It has to be direct and obvious." "Yes, but are you sure this is going to work?" Ash repeated. Mickey paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "...We can"t afford to believe it won"t." "Well, that"s comforting." The fixer mumbled, feeling slightly uneasy, and gulped the alcohol heavily. "Relax," Albert advised, "Don"t let the mark, or more importantly Rosalind, know you"re nervous. Confidence is key." "This dress is so swishy..." Rosalind complained, as she grasped Sean"s hands and swung them at her side. To Cern, it would look as if they were flirting. "Swishy? Is "swishy" even a word?" he wondered amused. "Of course it is. I said it, didn"t I? If you can say it, it"s a word." Rosalind stated firmly. "Of course, whatever you say Rosie." Sean rolled his eyes, "So you don"t like "swishy" dresses?" "I don"t really like dresses." She admitted, "I prefer shorts, or jeans. Some dresses are okay but most of them..." she shook her head, "...not for me." "I think you look good in a dress." Sean assured. "Thank you, I guess...I think you look good in black?" Rosalind offered. "Rosie, I look good in anything." He pointed out cockily, smirking. Rosalind rolled her eyes in amusement. "You"re also very modest. Has anyone ever told you that?" "Not that I remember..." "Hmm...I can"t imagine why." Rosalind laughed behind her hand. Sean grinned in return. He raised his gaze away from the younger woman and glanced around the room. In discussion, they had decided that Harry Lister would be very paranoid - always looking for trouble, as it were. It also meant he could keep an eye on the mark from where ever he was. He could see Cern having a conversation with Emily Carter (aka Emma) near the settee. The mark"s eyes darted over to where they were standing. First they watched Mickey, Albert and Ash; then they trailed off to Rosalind. "He"s watching." Sean mumbled out as a warning before instantly grabbing low on Rosalind"s hips, pulling her tight against his chest. She flinched, as if in pain. It was only for a moment, before her face relaxed, but the expression had been clear on her face. He peered down at her worriedly. "Are you okay? I didn"t hurt you, did I?" She smiled weakly. "No, you didn"t. I"m fine." Sean rose an eyebrow disbelieving. Rosalind watched him for a moment, almost debating, before she sighed in defeat. "I...don"t like being touched...well; I don"t like being touched without any warning. It"s got nothing to do with you; I just wasn"t prepared..." "Bad experience?" She hummed in response, dropping her gaze and raising her hand to play with one of the buttons on his shirt. Sean dipped his head, so his lips were at her ear, and whispered, "You don"t have to say what happened. Just let me know if you feel uncomfortable and I"ll, uh..." She smiled sweetly at him. "...I"ll let you know." "James!" Rosalind rushed off, grasping his hand, "Barkley and Harlem want to speak to you know. They said to hurry." Cern straightened up at the command and allowed the young woman to pull him in the direction of the three men. He only had a moment to think how good it would feel to have her hands on him properly, before he was face to face with the owners of Global Intec and the investor who was almost certainly Elizabeth"s father. He smiled professionally at them in greeting. "Mr. Cern, it"s good to see you again. We"re glad you could make it." Mickey stood to shake the man"s hand firmly, "You already know George Barkley, of course. This is one of our main investors, Mr. Peters." "Call me Darren please. After all, aren"t we all friends here?" Ash grinned as he shook the mark"s hand in greeting, "You are Elizabeth"s employer, are you not?" "Yes that would be me. She is an asset to the department." Cern complimented. Rosalind flushed. "...I"m just a secretary..." "Don"t be so modest, Elizabeth." Albert reprimanded in a teasing way. He then tensed his back and turned his attention back to Cern, "I do believe Mr. Cern that you are here for business, not pleasantries. Please sit." He complied, sitting beside Darren. He leant forward and clasped his hands together, looking between the two business men in anticipation. "As you know, Global Intec has become famous for bring new products into the market before any other company." Mickey began, "The main marketing frenzy of this year is handheld technology, according to our surveyors. Handheld technology being anything from mobile phones to children"s toys, you understand." "If the market is already as wide as you say it is, how you going to bring something new into it? Wouldn"t it be near impossible?" Ash questioned. "Nothing is impossible - you should know that by now, Darren." Albert grinned, "This new product has come to our attention. It"s claimed to be one of the greatest revolutions in the world of technology. It"s already a hit in Japan." "It will be one of the most important and successful devices that Global Intec has ever invested in. Our researchers believe we will sell up to 80 million of these things." Mickey added with a slight laugh. Cern leant forward in his seat, excited. "What is this amazing device you speak of?" "We"re not allowed to divulge the actually name of the device - some laws and contracts that need to be dealt with before the release." Albert explained briefly, "This is a product that we need our investors to be greatly involved in." "How much?" "At a minimum we"re expecting an investment of 190,000." Cern choked. "190,000 pounds sterling? Jesus, that"s a lot of money..." "Completely worth it when the investment makes you both very, very rich men." Mickey assured, "We"ll need the money to be a one off payment, of course, but it does not have to be straight away. We understand it can seem like a lot of money but I"ve been assured that your investment will be doubled, even tripled, by the sale of this product." Ash grinned. "You know me. Always up for a risk. Give me a couple of days for the cheque to clear and I can have the cash ready for you." His eyes darkened suddenly with annoyance and his smile became strained, "You will have to excuse me. It seems I have some...personal issues to deal with." Ash stood up sharply and quickly made his way through the crowd. Cern watched him curiously as he moved to a darkened corner of the room, where he could clearly see a familiar couple embracing each other, romantically and heavily. He gritted his teeth to stave off the annoyance and turned his attention back to the company owners. "It seems this meeting has been cut short." Mickey laughed humourlessly, "We do not want to rush you, Mr. Cern, but you will have to make a decision soon. We need the investments before the products release in four days." Cern nodded and stood up. "I"ll think about it and let you know." Albert nodded. "Perfectly acceptable; a sensible man. We"ll look forward to hearing from you Mr. Cern." Chapter Eight James Cern sat at his desk, his chin resting on his hands as he stared at a spot on wall opposite him thoughtfully. After all, he had a lot to think about. The offer that had been put forward was...amazingly dangerous business wise, for lack of a better description, especially with the company"s money. But he only has four days to make a decision. Cern had always been an opportunist, and this was a huge financial opportunity. The biggest one that had ever been introduced to him - he"d done the math so many times, just to be sure - 190,000 multiplied by three was a heart stopping amount of money; about double what his monthly pay was contracted as. And he really liked money. Cern closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. In the craziness of his mind, the image of Elizabeth Peters was formed. He growled under his breath. Gods, how he wanted her - he had never lasted his long waiting for a woman, but this one was so innocent and young and so damn teasing. It was as if she was playing with him but he doubted she was capable of such things. "I like someone who can take a risk," her voice flittered through his memory. Someone who can take risks, huh? He smirked to himself. "Elizabeth!" Rosalind looked up at the call of her character"s name and a bright smile covered her features when Cern approached. "I"ve just spoken to that Emily Carter - you know, the secretary at Global Intec. I have a day arranged for the pickup. It"s in two days. 190,000 pounds..." She whistled. "That"s a lot of money..." Cern sighed deeply and took a step closer, so his hand brushed her hip. "I know it"s risky but isn"t it worth it with the outcome being so large - so profitable?" Rosalind swallowed nervously. "Well, yes...I suppose it would be worth it..." "And wouldn"t that be the same in a situation where say, a woman you really want has a boyfriend?" Cern questioned, raising his hand to stroke under her chin.

Jill"s teasing smile and light-hearted eyes effectively put Cindy at ease. She couldn"t help but smile back. "Um, it doesn"t quite work that way." "No? Well we females are pretty awesome, so I can"t blame you there. Anyway," Jill continued, pulling up to the curb, "Get out of my car. I don"t feel like playing chauffeur any more." Cindy frowned in confusion, until she looked out the window and saw that they had reached Cindy"s apartment. Laughing, she smacked Jill on the arm. "Damn you, Jill, I was about to launch into a rant about passive-aggressive homophobia." Jill just smiled innocently. Cindy got out of the car and turned to say goodnight, but Jill had gotten out as well, coming around to lean casually against the side of the car. "So, you"re not freaked out?" Cindy asked hesitantly. "Are you kidding?" Jill scoffed. "We live in Gay Francisco, of course I"m not freaked out!" "Well, thanks." Cindy stuck her hands in her pockets, feeling vaguely shy again. "Most of my coming-out experiences haven"t exactly gone very well, so thanks for not freaking out. And I"ll tell Claire and Lindsay at some point, too. There just never seems to be an appropriate moment for this kind of thing." "You could always go out on more bad dates in lesbian bars and then call each of them to pick you up," Jill suggested. "But in the meantime, don"t worry, your secret"s safe with me. Now c"mere. I feel like we"ve bonded, so I think we should hug." Cindy giggled again as Jill reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I"m glad you felt comfortable enough to tell me," Jill continued genuinely, pulling back from the hug, but keeping her hands on Cindy"s shoulders and holding her at arm"s length. Noticing the switch in Jill"s tone from teasing to sincere, Cindy could only smile at first, unsure how else to answer and feeling unexpectedly choked up. After a moment, she settled on, "Well, thanks for the ride," inwardly cringing at how lame she sounded. With a smile and a nod of her head, Jill simply got back in her car, but didn"t drive away until Cindy had reached the top step to her apartment and turned around to wave. TBC... "So, do you have a girlfriend?" Jill asked as soon as the movie ended. Cindy"s blush was almost instantaneous. She had been wondering when Jill was going to bring up Cindy"s newly-revealed sexual-orientation. The club had gotten together for dinner at Jill"s new apartment, but Cindy was the only one left, since Claire had a husband and kids to attend to, and Lindsay had one of her scheduled long-distance phone calls with Pete. Taking a moment to swallow her handful of popcorn, Cindy replied, "Don"t you think you"d know if I had a girlfriend?" "Well one would think so, sure, but you managed to hide the fact that you"d even be interested in having a girlfriend, so you never know. Or, well, you know, obviously, so I guess it"s really more like I never know." Cindy laughed lightly, idly thinking that Jill was cute when she rambled. "No, I don"t have a girlfriend," she answered, as Jill reached over to grab the popcorn bowl. "And have you had a girlfriend since I"ve known you?" "No." "Why not?" Cindy frowned at the question. "What do you mean, "why not?'" Jill pulled her legs up onto the couch, twisting around to fully face Cindy, who was sitting at the other end. "Well, you"re an attractive girl. I"m sure there are plenty of interested females out there. So why not?" Cindy shrugged. She wasn"t interested in random hypothetical females so much as the one female in front of her, but she wasn"t about to admit that out loud. "I dunno. I"ve been on dates, as you well know. Just...no one"s clicked yet." Jill eyed her speculatively. "Okay then, when did you have your first girlfriend?" "Junior year in high school. And what"s with the twenty questions?" Jill smirked, and Cindy found herself thinking that her friend"s expression was impossibly sexy. "I"m interested in your lesbian lifestyle." Once again, Cindy laughed, forcing herself to shift her gaze away from Jill"s lips. - - - - - Cindy was at home, working on an article, when her phone started ringing. She reached over and grabbed it, not bothering to look at the caller ID. "Cindy Thomas," she greeted. "It"s your turn to play chauffeur, Cindy Thomas," came the reply on the other end. "What? Jill?" Cindy switched her attention from the computer screen in front of her to the phone. "Yes, it"s Jill." The attorney sounded almost offended that Cindy even had to ask. "And Denise, who is much drunker than I am, by the by, has informed me that if I try to drive myself home, she"s going to call Lindsay and have me arrested for driving while intoxicated. And why call a cab, when I can call you? So come pick me up." Cindy had to try very hard not to laugh out loud. "Sure thing. Where are you?" "Not at The Lesbian Club, unfortunately." Cindy paused, unsure about what to make of the word "unfortunately.' "Lexington. You mean The Lexington Club." "Sure, close enough. But I"m not there, so it doesn"t matter. Anyway, one of the ADAs in the narcotics unit is moving to Seattle, so we"re having a goodbye party, and there"s free booze, but now I"m bored, so get your ass over here." When Cindy pulled up in front of the function hall fifteen minutes later, the first thing that Jill said upon entering the car was, "Have I ever told you that you look cute in glasses?" Cindy simply stared at Jill for a moment, before slowly responding, "Um, no. You haven"t." "Well I should have, because you do. Look cute, that is. But you always look cute, damn you, so no surprise there." "Uh, thanks? You"re not so bad yourself." Cindy couldn"t be sure if Jill had always been this flirty, and she simply hadn"t noticed, or whether all the free alcohol was to blame. The ride back to Jill"s apartment was filled largely with gossip about Jill"s colleagues, but Cindy couldn"t have repeated any of it if asked to, since she found herself too distracted by the generous bit of cleavage she could catch whenever she glanced in the rearview mirror. "Cindy!" Startled out of her daydream, Cindy became aware of the fact that Jill was staring at her. "What? What"s wrong?" "You just drove right past my apartment!" Cindy looked out the window, finally paying attention to where she was. "Huh? Oh. Shit, sorry." "Jesus," Jill exclaimed, as Cindy suddenly hit the brakes and pulled a quick three-point turn. "You suck as a chauffeur." "Good thing I still have my day job, then," Cindy commented dryly as she parked Maggie. "Well to make up for it, you have to come inside and keep me company for a while." Jill exited the car and walked straight up to her building without a backward glance, leaving Cindy no choice but to follow. Inside the apartment, Jill waved a vague hand towards the living room, indicating (Cindy assumed) that Cindy should go there, as Jill disappeared into the kitchen. Cindy settled into the plush couch, waiting until Jill reappeared, with a beer in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other. She handed the beer to Cindy before sitting in the chair opposite the couch. "I probably shouldn"t drink," Cindy said, taking the offered beer anyway. "I still have to drive myself home, after all." "Not if I get you drunk enough to convince you to have a sleepover," Jill replied with a grin. "And either way, one beer won"t kill you. I know you"re little, but you can"t be that much of a lightweight." So Cindy convinced herself that she had to drink the beer at that point, if only to prove that her tolerance could handle it. The problem with that, however, was that once she"d accepted the first beer, it made it easier to accept a second one, and then a third. And then Cindy could only watch, wide-eyed and seemingly forgetting to breathe, as Jill stood up and strode over to the couch, removing the empty bottle from Cindy"s fingertips, and proceeding to essentially crawl into Cindy"s lap. "Um, hello," was all Cindy could seem to say. "Hi," was Jill"s breathy reply, as she leaned down and captured Cindy"s lips with her own. Cindy remained frozen to the spot, completely bewildered, until she finally moved the upper half of her body (the half that Jill wasn"t straddling) sharply to the right, pulling slightly away from Jill. "Jill! Wh- What are you doing?" "Isn"t it obvious? Trying to kiss you." With that, Jill leaned back in, but at the last second, Cindy moved her hand in between their lips. "Why?" she asked against the palm of her hand, an element of panic entering her voice. She had in no way seen this coming, and had no idea what to do about it. Sighing, Jill pulled back, but chose not to remove herself from Cindy"s lap. "Oh come on. Haven"t you noticed that I"ve wanted to kiss you for awhile, now? And I totally caught you checking me out in the car, so I know you"re not completely averse to the idea." In spite of the circumstances, Cindy couldn"t help but be impressed with Jill"s use of the word "averse," considering the fact that neither one of them was completely sober. Regardless, Cindy decided to ignore Jill"s last sentence for the moment. "You... you"ve wanted to kiss me? No, I can"t say that I"d picked up on that." "Then you"re blind, Cindy Thomas. But you"re still hot, so I"ll forgive you." Jill leaned in again, but Cindy was a bit more prepared for it this time, so she managed to shift and slide completely out from beneath Jill. "I... I should go." Jill sighed once again, flopping down onto the couch and then turning to look over at Cindy, who was now sitting up straight, as far to the other side of the couch as she could get. "Wow, you really had no idea, did you? I thought I had been more obvious about it," Jill commented idly, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Beneath her panic, Cindy couldn"t help but notice how beautiful Jill looked in that moment, the soft light of the nearby lamp falling gently across her pale skin. Cindy swallowed audibly, finding her throat to be uncomfortably dry. "Look," Cindy began, "I don"t know what"s going on. Not really. But I"ve been a straight girl"s random experiment, before. Things like that don"t end well. They never end well. I don"t know if you"re just curious, or what, but I won"t do that with you, Jill. For the sake of our friendship, and my sanity, I won"t do that with you." Cindy could only wait anxiously as Jill continued to silently gaze at her. Finally, the blonde blinked, sitting up straighter and breaking their eye contact, before shyly looking back over at her through long eyelashes. "I"m sorry, I"ve..." Jill paused to run her tongue over her lips and a hand through her hair. "I"ve fucked this whole thing up. I shouldn"t have just accosted you like that. But seriously, you"ve had three drinks. Just stay here tonight, okay? Will you stay if I promise not to sexually harass you?" Cindy couldn"t help but smile at Jill"s choice of words. "Okay," she replied, briefly wondering if she was giving in too easily, and then deciding that she didn"t quite care. TBC... Cindy gulped as she watched Jill slide into their booth at the diner, sitting next to Claire and opposite Cindy. "You look nicer than usual," Claire commented as Jill sat down. "You trying to impress someone at work?" "I always look nice!" Jill immediately protested. She caught Cindy"s eye as she continued, "I did get this new outfit recently, though. You gals like it?" Cindy could only nod in the affirmative. She had assumed that the issue of Jill apparently wanting to kiss her would disappear once Jill was sober again, but it hadn"t been that simple. Granted, Jill had been nothing but friendly (if more touchy-feely), but Cindy was still finding her restraint almost unbearably tested. Like now, for example. Instead of paying attention to her friends" conversation, Cindy found her eyes following Jill"s fingers, as they trailed up and down the column of her neck, idly scratching the smooth skin there, before lowering to play with the top (open) button of her well-tailored blouse. That button, of course, was perfectly placed at the top of Jill"s chest, so that when Jill"s fingers moved down to the table, Cindy"s eyes did not go with them. "Thomas!" Cindy jumped at Lindsay"s sharp tone, automatically lifting her eyes to Jill"s smirking face, before turning to look at Lindsay. "Huh? What, I"m paying attention. What?" she asked rapidly. Lindsay simply stared at her for a moment. "Did you even hear a word of what anyone just said?" Cindy frantically searched her brain for some hint of what they had been talking about. "Uh, yeah, of course. Two gunshot wounds to the head, found a suspect, need a warrant, but you"re not totally sure about the whole thing, because it still might be the older brother." Cindy rattled off the information she had independently gathered from each of her three friends, hoping desperately that it would match the conversation. "Sounds like you just pulled that out of your ass, but you"re right," Lindsay muttered, still skeptical but apparently satisfied with Cindy"s response. Cindy took a deep breath and forced herself to follow the conversation. After a few minutes, however, her efforts were immensely impeded when she felt a soft foot run up the side of her leg under the table. Cindy nearly jumped out of her skin at the contact, and immediately blushed from head to toe. Three pairs of eyes turned to stare at her. Lindsay looked confused, Claire looked concerned, and Jill looked amused. Claire was the first one to speak up. "Honey, are you okay? You look like you might be coming down with something." "Me? No, I"m perfectly fine." Jill chose right that moment to start moving her foot again, stroking slowly up and down Cindy"s calf. Cindy gritted her teeth and continued, "But I just remembered, that, um, that I have a deadline! Yeah, which means that I have an article. An article that I need to write. Right now. Because it"s due. In ten minutes. Okay, this has been fun, bye!" Cindy jumped up from the table and was half-way to the door before she realized that she had left her purse sitting next to Lindsay. So she returned to the table, grabbed the bag, smiled awkwardly, and then retreated once again to go write her imaginary article. By the end of the week, Cindy had been similarly tortured several more times. Admittedly, Jill"s actions were only slightly more demonstrative than they had been before the night when Jill kissed her. It occurred to Cindy that she may very well have been blind to the earlier hints that Jill regarded her as more than just a friend. Being aware of what was going on only made the situation harder to deal with, though. Even if Jill wasn"t trying to play footsie, she was wearing low-cut shirts, and making witty double-entendres, and touching Cindy way more than was strictly necessary. Given her recently spastic behavior, Cindy was sure that Lindsay and Claire were fully convinced by that point that she was certifiably insane. - - - - - Cindy had managed to avoid being alone with Jill for a while, but her luck ran out when Jill unexpectedly stopped by her apartment one day after work. Supposedly, Jill needed to talk with Cindy about one of the reporter"s contacts at the San Francisco Municipal Railway. It was something about the streetcar system -- Cindy had no idea what Jill could possibly need to know about the streetcar system, but she seemed to have missed some of the important details that had been shared during one of the not-a-club meetings earlier that week. Cindy had been cooking herself dinner when Jill arrived, so she was at least glad to have something other than Jill"s distracting form on which to focus her attention. The flaw in this plan soon became evident, however, as Jill walked up right behind Cindy, peering directly over her shoulder. "What"cha makin"?" Jill asked, and Cindy felt a chill run down her spine as the attorney"s warm breath slid over her ear. "Um, it"s chicken stir fry. It"s got chicken, obviously, and peppers, onions, mushrooms, carrots. All kinds of good stuff. It"s really easy to make, too..." Cindy continued speaking, even as she was well-aware of the fact that she was rambling. "Cindy," Jill spoke up, raising her voice slightly above Cindy"s and taking a step backwards. The redhead immediately stopped talking, both relieved and disappointed at the increase in distance between them. "Look at me, Cindy." Although half of her wanted to simply run away, she couldn"t stop herself from turning around and looking vaguely in Jill"s direction. Her eyes focused on Jill"s shoulder, however, regarding it as the safest way to look at Jill without really looking at her. "Look at me, Cindy," Jill repeated, softer this time. Figuring that she might as well get the most out of it, Cindy finally allowed her eyes to slowly rake up and down Jill"s body, feeling her heart rate climb with each passing second. Her gaze eventually settled on Jill"s bright blue eyes, and the two women simply stared at each other. "Fuck it." Unable to stand the tension any longer, Cindy reached forward and grabbed Jill by the lapels of her suit, pulling the blonde to her. "Finally," Jill murmured, just before their lips crashed together. The kiss started off rough, all lips and teeth and tongues. Cindy moved one hand around Jill"s neck as the other stretched backwards to blindly turn off the stove, very nearly burning herself in the process. Jill"s hands immediately went to either side of Cindy"s head, her fingertips sinking into soft hair as her palms gently tilted Cindy"s face to an angle that provided her better access to the petite redhead"s mouth. Cindy couldn"t help but moan, wrenching her mouth from Jill"s in order to fill her oxygen-deprived lungs, when Jill pushed harder against Cindy"s body, forcing a knee in between Cindy"s legs and pressing her thigh upwards. Jill"s mouth lowered along Cindy"s jaw line as her arms wrapped tightly around the reporter"s back, one hand slipping under the hem of Cindy"s shirt. "Holy shit, you"re good at this," Cindy murmured breathlessly. "Especially since you"ve never done this with a woman before." Cindy felt Jill"s lips move, as the blonde mumbled something against her neck, but it took Cindy"s mind longer than normal to fully process the words. "Technically, I never told you that I"d never been with a woman before." Cindy paused, her brow furrowing in slight confusion, even as Jill continued to kiss her way down Cindy"s neck. "Wait. What?" "Um, I may have lied by omission a little bit." Cindy noticed that Jill was blushing slightly, as the blonde brought her lips firmly back into contact with Cindy"s. Allowing herself to be distracted for the moment, Cindy ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of Jill"s neck, before she forced herself to pull back again. "You lied by omission. What does that mean?" "It means..." Jill paused, nervously biting down on her lower lip. "It means that I"m not exactly a girl sex virgin. If you asked either Lindsay or Claire, they"d tell you that I"m bi." Cindy simply gaped at Jill. She vaguely felt like she should be angry about such an omission, but found that she was mainly just confused. Finally, she managed to speak. "What? But you were curious about the lesbian lifestyle!" Jill simply smirked. "No," she corrected, "I do believe I told you that I was curious about your lesbian lifestyle." "Huh." Cindy ran her mind through the various conversations she"d had with the blonde. "The Lexington Club. From the very second I mentioned that name, you knew it was a lesbian bar," Cindy realized, almost talking to herself. "Straight girls wouldn"t have known that." Jill smiled sheepishly, silently confirming the statement. "But..." Cindy continued, "But why didn"t you just tell me? Things could have been so much simpler, if I hadn"t thought that you were going to have your little experiment with me and then break my heart." Jill"s expression changed somewhat, as she looked at Cindy tenderly. Cindy blushed as she realized that she had let slip that her heart was out there for the breaking. Reaching out to lightly caress Cindy"s cheek, Jill explained, "I"ve liked you for a while, now, Cindy Lou. And when I found out that you sometimes "date females,' as you put it... I don"t know, I just balked. Because it meant that maybe this could actually happen, if I didn"t screw it up, and it took me a little while to wrap my head around that." Cindy smiled at Jill"s admission. "Okay, I guess I can see that. But what about later? Especially after that night at your apartment?" Jill"s grin was almost feral as she replied, "I"ll admit that I kind of liked the idea of being the sweet, innocent straight girl, seduced by the evil lesbian." Cindy laughed. "But you"re apparently not straight, and you"re certainly not innocent. And anyway, you seduced me!" "Small details, whatever." Jill waved her hand vaguely in the air, shrugging away the discrepancies Cindy mentioned. "And it was a reverse-seduction." "A reverse-seduction?" "Yeah." Jill smiled. "I seduced you by making you seduce me." Cindy paused briefly before responding, "That makes no sense."

Then Sam noticed Katie, her roommate, and went over to join her. Katie had quickly become good friends with both Sam and Brooke. Together, the three of them had inspired the telling of quite a few jokes about, "a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead." "Hey, Sam, there you are. I was wondering where you"d gone off to. Your sister seems to be having a great time with Charlie. That guy seriously needs to work on being less sleazy." "Seriously. And she"s my STEP-sister, not my sister." "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You both keep telling me that, but I can just never seem to remember those extra four little letters. I mean, does it really matter?" Sam considered the question, taking another swig of her drink, as she watched Brooke squeeze away from Charlie and make her way over to the keg. "Damn, I"m not drunk enough for this party yet. My drink still tastes like shit. And yes, it does matter. Whether Brooke and I were at each other"s throats, or were actually friends, our relationship has never been exactly...sisterly." But soon Sam"s second drink turned into her sixth, and she no longer noticed the bad taste to the cheap alcohol. And before she quite knew how it had happened, she was dancing with Brooke. Brooke drunkenly draped her arms over Sam"s shoulders, as Sam clumsily placed her hands on Brooke"s waist and pulled their bodies together. "Sammy, I just want you to know that I"m really really glad that we"ve become friends." Sam giggled. "I know, Brooke. You make a point of telling me that every time we get drunk." "Well it"s true! I mean, I eventually forgave Nic and everything, but ever since the accident, you"ve become the only person I can count on. The only person I really trust to always be there for me." Brooke leaned forward and softly kissed Sam on the forehead. )) And then what? Then everything gets fuzzy. How did we get from dancing at the party, with so many people around...to standing in Brooke"s room, just the two of us? I honestly can"t remember how we got there. Does Brooke remember? What would happen if I asked her? But I can"t ask her! That would be way too embarrassing. So what else do I remember on my own? I remember kissing her. Lying down on her bed, pulling her on top of me. Flashes of us together. Was it good? I think it felt pretty good. And then waking up to her talking on the phone with Nicole, with Satan. I couldn"t handle it, I just had to get out of there. Shit! I can"t believe this happened, how the hell did this happen?? Sam groaned in frustration, waking up Brooke, who glanced over at her. Sam glanced back, before clenching her jaw and resolutely turning to look out the window. To look away from Brooke. Well, it"s going to be a long vacation. A/N: Well, I"m not as happy with this chapter as I was with the first part. But I felt like it was important to go over some of the stuff right before the girls end up in bed together. So hopefully it was ok, and you"ll stick with me, and hopefully it"ll get better! Same disclaimers as the last eighteen parts... Please don"t sue me; Sam and Brooke are college kids; feedback makes me very happy; thoughts. This chapter is pretty strange. I had fun writing it, though. Hope it turned out okay. Chapter 19 Brooke was walking through the streets of Santa Monica. She wasn"t sure where she was going. She was just walking. Suddenly, Sam was there walking beside her. Where did she come from? "Hi, Brooke!" Sam smiled cheerfully. "Uh, hey Sammy." They walked together in companionable silence. Occasionally, Brooke stole small glances toward Sam, trying to figure out why she was there. "Here, let"s go this way." Sam turned abruptly, leading the way down a street that Brooke had somehow never noticed before. Strangely, the road seemed to narrow, and more and more trees lined the sidewalks. Eventually, the pavement gave way to a dirt path. Brooke had no idea where they were going, but Sam just confidently walked forward. With Sam walking ahead of her, Brooke couldn"t really see what was coming up ahead. "Sam? Where are we going?" Sam laughed lightly. "You"ll see," was her cryptic answer. Then, the path started to widen again, and it gradually opened up onto a field of wildflowers. The field ended at a cliff. Walking up to the edge, Brooke saw a river at the bottom, flowing out to the ocean. Another cliff rose from the opposite bank of the river. A lone tree was visible on the other side. Where the hell are we? And how did I not know that this was here?? Brooke turned to look at Sam, who was staring across the expanse between the two cliffs. "It"s beautiful, isn"t it?" Sam asked. She then turned to gaze into Brooke"s eyes, bearing a wide smile. Brooke just nodded, not moving her eyes from Sam"s. "Well, you ready to go?" "Go? Go where?" Brooke frowned in confusion. She knew that Sam didn"t really make sense a lot of the time, but this was even stranger behavior than usual. "To the other side, of course." Sam rolled her eyes, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. But Brooke was now only more confused. "The other side?" She looked around. "But how do we get there? Is there a bridge somewhere?" Sam smiled again, laughing. "We don"t need a bridge, silly." Brooke sighed in frustration. "Sam, you"re not making any sense. What the hell are you talking about?" "Well, there is a bridge, if you really want to go that way. It"s about fifty miles away from here, though. Personally, I"d rather go as the crow flies." With that, Sam gave Brooke one last dazzling smile before taking a running start and jumping from the edge of the cliff. "Sam!" Brooke screamed, panicked. She was astonished to see Sam immediately turn into a bird, and fly easily across the ravine, landing on a branch high in the tree along the edge of the other cliff. Whoa. I didn"t know that Sam could do that. Brooke was somewhat surprised by how not-surprised she was that Sam had just turned into a bird. Somehow, it just didn"t seem like that big of a deal. Except for the fact that Sam was now on the other side, and Brooke wasn"t sure how she would be able to follow her. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Brooke shrieked again, this time in surprise. Sam had once again appeared standing beside her. She"s really got to stop with the suddenly sneaking up on people! Brooke looked at Sam, her eyes wide. Then she looked across at the tree again. Bird-Sam was still there. "How...? You flew away." Sam scoffed. "Brooke, if you"re okay with the fact that I turned into a bird and flew away, are you really going to doubt that I can be in two different places at the same time?" Brooke supposed that that made sense. Or at least, about as little sense as everything else that had been happening. "Well, okay, I guess. But are you the real Sam? Because if you"re the real Sam, then I don"t have to worry about getting over to Bird-Sam." "No, Bird-Sam is Real-Sam. Sorry. I"m just here because you seem to require a little more pushing than Sam anticipated." "Pushing?? Are you going to push me off the cliff?!?" Brooke was starting to panic again. "Preferably, no. But no guarantees." I"m going to die. Sam"s gone insane. Or maybe I"ve gone insane. And Second-Sam is going to push me off the cliff. And I"m going to die. Brooke warily took a few steps farther away from the edge. Second-Sam just stood calmly, gazing contemplatively at Brooke, who simply stared back at her, unsure of what to do next. Then, Second-Sam turned to look back at Bird-Sam. "Oh, look. There"s Luke," she commented offhandedly. Brooke followed Second-Sam"s gaze. Sure enough, there was Luke, walking up to the tree. Brooke watched as Luke reached the base of the tree and seemed to start talking with Bird-Sam. He then jumped up, grabbed a lower branch, and began to climb up the tree. "This is SO not fair! LUKE gets to be over there? But Sam dumped Luke! He shouldn"t be there! I should! I love her more than he ever did!" Brooke sharply turned to look anxiously at Second-Sam. Oh shit...I think I just admitted to Sam that I"m in love with her. Second-Sam just sighed. "Don"t worry. Even though Real-Sam tells me what to do, she doesn"t know what"s going on over here, and I"m not allowed to tell her what you say. So your secret"s safe with me, Princess." Second-Sam looked disappointed. Brooke exhaled in relief. But then she remembered about Luke. She looked back to the tree. Luke was getting closer to Bird-Sam"s branch. Luckily, he seemed to be moving very slowly. "So, you deserve to be there more than Luke? Well? What are you going to do about it?" Brooke turned to look again at Second-Sam. Sam had that tell-tale look in her eyes...she was daring Brooke. Daring Brooke to get to Bird-Sam before Luke did. She doesn"t think that I can do it, does she? Well screw what she thinks! Brooke defiantly stared back at Second-Sam. She then turned to face the cliff, took a deep breath, and started to run. As she got to the edge, she looked straight towards Bird-Sam, and took a flying leap into the air. She could hear Second-Sam cheering excitedly behind her. "Go, Brooke! Go!" Unfortunately, she didn"t immediately turn into a bird. She could feel herself falling. It wasn"t too scary though. And somehow, the ground didn"t seem to be getting any closer, even as the edge of the cliff got farther and farther away. Brooke began to hear a loud beeping noise. She couldn"t tell where it was coming from, though. She tried to twist around in the air, searching for the source of the noise. Then, Bird-Sam was there beside her, flying downwards along with Brooke. Bird-Sam opened her beak, and Brooke was surprised to hear English come out. Bird-Sam didn"t sound too happy. "What the hell are you doing, Brooke?? You"re supposed to be going up, not down! It"s really not that hard! Just follow me," Bird-Sam commanded. Bird-Sam quickly changed directions, flying back where she came from. Brooke was still slightly distracted by the beeping, but she screwed her eyes tightly shut, trying to will herself into a bird. When she opened her eyes again, Brooke was shocked. I did it! I"m a bird! She chirped happily, and turned to follow Bird-Sam. "I"m coming, Sam! I..." Brooke woke up to see Sam leaning across her to hit the snooze button on the beeping alarm clock. Sam settled back against Brooke"s side, mumbling a sleepy "Good morning," when she saw that Brooke was awake. Wow. Such a weird dream! Same disclaimers as the last nineteen parts... Please don"t sue me; Sam and Brooke are college kids; feedback makes me very happy; thoughts Chapter 20 Sam was watching Brooke. Again. She couldn"t help it. She didn"t know how it was possible that everyone in the room wasn"t watching Brooke. Brooke was just so...watch-able. Specifically, Sam was watching Brooke dance. It was only the third time since the thing with Charlie that Brooke had been convinced to go out to a club. But it seemed like it was the first time that Brooke was actually allowing herself to relax and have some fun. And a relaxed, dancing Brooke is very much a sexy Brooke. Sam knew that Brooke probably hadn"t had much, if any, alcohol -- if Brooke found herself in any more unwanted situations, she didn"t want her senses or her reactions or her judgment to be dulled -- but unlike Sam, Brooke didn"t need any liquid confidence to get her onto the dance floor. A few guys had come up to Brooke, trying to dance with her, but she easily brushed them off. Alexis and Katie were there too, the three of them dancing in a group, along with Jason and his boyfriend Seth. Sam had been with them, but had recently escaped for a bit, as the urge to reach out and kiss Brooke grew to be too overwhelming. Their relationship had been feeling even more complicated lately, if that were possible. Sam had attempted a few more bits of subtle flirting, and she had been shocked when Brooke started to actually flirt back. Somehow, Sam had never really expected that Brooke might actually flirt back. Sam now understood why Brooke had freaked out the first time Sam said anything suggestive. Because now that Brooke was flirting too, Sam was finding it to be absolutely terrifying. It wasn"t anything major. Sam still felt like she sucked at flirting. But Brooke, on the other hand... Brooke was VERY good at flirting. A light touch here, a dazzling smile there. Maybe a small flirtatious comment. That was all it took to make Sam"s insides feel like mush. She usually managed to keep it cool on the outside, but she really felt like a nervous wreck. So now she simply stood at the edge of the room, away from the crowd, allowing herself to watch Brooke"s every move. She idly noticed Katie walk away from the group, but she didn"t really pay her much attention. Because her eyes remained on Brooke, Sam didn"t see that Katie was headed in her direction. "Oh my god...now you"re doing it too?!" Sam turned in surprise, finding that Katie was right beside her, staring at her in shock. "Who, me?" Sam questioned. "Doing what too?" "Holy shit, this is SO Spring Break déjà vu! The two of you just switched places." Sam just looked at Katie in confusion, as Katie stared back with a big grin on her face. What the hell is Katie talking about? She"s not making any sense. I don"t even know what I could possibly say in response to that. Katie continued, "Okay, I"m too not-sober to deal with you and deal with all this craziness right now. But you need to talk to Brooke. Like, seriously. Promise me that you"ll talk to Brooke!" "Huh? Talk to Brooke about what?" Katie rolled her eyes. "If you don"t know, then maybe you"re not as smart as I thought you were. Figure it out." And with that, Katie turned and walked away, still smiling and chuckling to herself. Okay, what was that all about?? Did she catch me watching Brooke? Is that what that was? If so, why was she so happy about it? What does she know that I don"t? Did she mean that I"m supposed to tell Brooke how I feel? Does Katie know how I feel about Brooke? Does she know how Brooke feels about me? I"m so confused. Sam turned to look back towards Brooke. The blonde was still dancing, but was now staring right back at Sam. Brooke smiled, before biting down on her lower lip and raising one finger to beckon Sam. Damn, that may just be the sexiest thing, like, ever. It was a classic "come hither" gesture, and Sam really had no choice but to obey. She walked toward Brooke, neither one breaking eye contact. The closer Sam got, the faster it felt like her heart was beating. Out of the corner of her eye, she vaguely noticed Katie again, this time grabbing Alex"s and Jason"s hands, and unceremoniously pulling them off the dance floor. "I"m, um, tired. Yeah. So come keep me company. Let"s go...away...over there, somewhere," Katie mumbled hurriedly. Sam finally stood in front of Brooke, who had turned to curiously watch the exit of their friends, before turning to look back at Sam. Brooke smirked, but Sam could see a definite nervousness in Brooke"s eyes as well. It made her feel better, somehow, knowing that Brooke wasn"t quite as calm and as she appeared on the surface. That maybe Sam wasn"t the only one who was a nervous wreck. "Well, looks like it"s just you and me, Sammy. Wanna dance?" Sam exhaled audibly, practically breathing out the one-word response, "Yes," as she stepped forward into Brooke"s personal space. It occurred to her that Brooke might have simply meant dancing in the same vicinity, not dancing TOGETHER, but Sam didn"t care. She reached out, gingerly placing her right hand on Brooke"s hip. She was relieved when Brooke draped her arms around Sam"s neck without any hesitation. The last time we danced like this...I woke up the next day, naked and in Brooke"s bed. What craziness might tomorrow bring? There was a definite charge in the atmosphere between them. Neither one felt any need to talk, but their eyes stayed focused on each other. The music was fast, but they quickly settled into a rhythm together. Externally, Sam was doing her absolute best to keep from falling apart. Internally was quite a different matter, though. She was overjoyed. Overwhelmed. Terrified. Turned on. In shock. In love. In love?? Yeah, I think that"s what this is. I think I"m in love with Brooke. Holy shit, I"m in love with Brooke. Or at least in the process of falling. When a slower song came on, Sam reluctantly released her hold on Brooke, figuring that their dancing was over. Brooke didn"t let go, though. She only wrapped her arms tighter around Sam, keeping her close. Sam looked at Brooke in happy surprise. Smiling softly, she returned her hands to Brooke"s body, wrapping her arms around Brooke"s waist. Sam could feel Brooke"s body melded perfectly against her own. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of Brooke. There were still tons of other people around them, but Sam only felt Brooke. Her head was swimming with the sensation of Brooke. Suddenly, though, Brooke seemed to stiffen and took a step away from Sam. Sam tried not to look hurt. Great. She"s finally come to her senses, and has realized that she doesn"t want to be here. I knew this seemed too good to be true. Sam then heard someone behind her, clearing their throat. Sam looked over her shoulder, and saw a very guilty-looking Katie. Wait, so Brooke probably only stepped away because she saw Katie coming. It wasn"t because she didn"t want to be dancing with me! Yes! "I"m really really really sorry, guys," Katie stammered. "I didn"t want to, you know, um, interrupt or anything. But...well, Alexis has had a bit too much to drink. She just puked in the bathroom. So yeah, we"re gonna take her home. You don"t have to come with us, though. You should totally feel free to stay here and...yeah..." The end of Katie"s sentence trailed off. "Is she okay?" Brooke asked worriedly. "We should probably go with all of you. Seth shouldn"t have to deal with this, so Jason gets off the hook too, and you shouldn"t have to take care of her on your own. Is that okay, Sam?" It took a moment for Sam to realize that Brooke was talking to her. She had been too busy trying to get her heart to slow down. "Huh? Oh yeah, that"s fine, let"s go. Where"s Alex? Poor thing, that really sucks." What also really sucks is that I"m no longer dancing with Brooke. The three girls went to rejoin the rest of the group, and then the suitemates split from Seth and Jason, catching a cab back to their dorm. "Sorry I made everyone leave. I didn"t mean to get this drunk. I don"t usually get this drunk. Just sorta happened." Alexis was sitting between Sam and Brooke, with Katie in the front seat of the cab. Sam chuckled. "Hey, don"t worry about it. It"s happened to the best of us," she replied. "Plus, your speech is remarkably non-slurred, for someone who"s trashed. Impressive." "By the way," Alex continued, looking back and forth between Sam and Brooke, "you two were really hot out there." "Alexis!" Katie turned around sharply, staring reproachfully at the girl. "What? It"s true! I"m just stating a fact. You can"t tell me that they weren"t hot out there. Well, you CAN, technically...I just won"t believe you if you do." Sam laughed embarrassedly, hiding her face in her hands. She snuck a look over to Brooke, who was blushing profusely. Fuck. They were all watching us? I didn"t even think about that. The cab lapsed once again into silence, as Alexis snuggled contentedly against Brooke. Back at the dorm, they all easily got Alexis to bed. Katie soon disappeared into her own room as well. "And then there were two..." Sam commented idly. Now that they were in the glaring light of the hallway, Sam was nervous again. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and rocked back and forth from the balls of her feet to her heels. "You tired?" "Yeah, kind of. Bed?" When Sam nodded, Brooke grabbed one of Sam"s hands out of her pocket and pulled her down the hall, to her room. She stopped suddenly, and Sam almost crashed into her. Turning around, Brooke added, "I forgot. You need pajamas." She released Sam"s hand and gently pushed her towards the opposite end of the suite. "And brush your teeth and whatever. Then come back." When Sam re-entered Brooke"s room, the light was off, and Brooke was already in bed, waiting for her. Sam slipped between the sheets, lying on her side. Brooke was also on her side, facing Sam. Watching her. Sam draped her arm over Brooke"s waist. Her thumb quickly found a small patch of bare skin at the edge of Brooke"s shirt. She moved her thumb back and forth, slowly stroking the smooth skin. It took a minute for Sam"s eyes to adjust to the darkness, but then she could clearly see Brooke"s face. Brooke"s eyes were intently searching Sam"s. I wonder what she"s looking for. She was starting to grow uncomfortable under Brooke"s obvious scrutiny. She felt the need to break the growing silence. "I...I had fun tonight," she whispered, smiling shyly. "Me too." And before she could stop herself, Sam leaned forward, bringing her lips to Brooke"s. She kissed Brooke lightly, then pulled back in surprise. She hadn"t been planning on doing that. Brooke was looking at her, her eyes wide. Well, she hasn"t slapped me, or run away screaming. That"s good. Before she could lose her nerve, Sam closed her eyes and leaned back in. As their lips connected, Sam brought her hand up to Brooke"s face, cupping her cheek.

A/N: It is sophomore year in high school. A/N2: Sorry about the long delay on this one. I skipped ahead in my writing, and wrote chapter 6 before this one, but now I have to catch up with myself. A/N3: Thanks so much to theagonyofblank and wolfemeister for the beta reads! Proof! Brooke had proof, dammit, and it was right there in the shower. No way could Sam deny the cold, hard, (icky, wet) evidence. Because there was hair left at the bottom of the shower, and it was unmistakably brown. The first time that Brooke had accused Sam of leaving hair in the drain, it was after Brooke herself had also showered, so the mess of hairs left behind included blonde ones as well as brown. Sam had adamantly argued that maybe Brooke had a few brown hairs of her own, but that was bullshit, and Sam knew it. From then on, Brooke made a point of checking for evidence before she stepped in the shower. And there it was, about a week after the first incident. Proof! Brooke barged into Sam"s room without knocking, ready to launch into an indignant tirade, but she was momentarily thrown off when she didn"t see Sam right away. Taking a moment to scan the room, Brooke caught sight of the top of Sam"s head, that damn brown hair visible just beyond the far end of Sam"s bed. Damn it, what now? Sam heard her door burst open, heard Brooke start to say something, only to stop after a single syllable. She didn"t move from her spot on the floor, though. She really couldn"t be bothered with whatever the hell was troubling her blonde housemate this time. Even when Sam could see Brooke out of the corner of her eye, standing at the edge of her bed and looking at her curiously, she still didn"t move at all. She just sat there, staring at the photograph in her hands. The empty picture frame lay discarded on her bed. Sam liked to actually hold the photograph in her hands, sometimes, as evidenced by its numerous creases and the visible fingerprints covering the face of it. This was the closest Sam could get to actually touching him. Sam barely noticed when Brooke came and, without a word, sat down next to her on the floor. Part of her really just wanted Brooke to leave, wanted to be left alone, but part of her almost appreciated the company. Almost, mind you. Because even though it was company, it was still Brooke, and Sam refused to appreciate Brooke"s presence, if only out of principle. Still, actively telling the blonde to go away felt like it would take too much effort at the moment, so she remained motionless. Okay, so apparently now wasn"t the greatest time for yelling at Sam. The girl"s quiet, melancholy stillness was definitely disconcerting. Brooke didn"t know what to say, and Sam obviously wasn"t planning on speaking, so Brooke just observed Sam for a moment. Her almost-stepsister was sitting against the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped, leaning her forearms on her bent knees. Brooke couldn"t quite see what it was that Sam was holding tightly in her hands, staring at intently, so she leaned in a little further. Oh, Sam"s dad. Brooke cleared her throat awkwardly, but Sam still didn"t look at her, didn"t even flinch. "Is that..." Brooke started to speak, but she wasn"t sure how to finish her question. After another moment of silence, she settled on, "Was it today?" Sam still didn"t say anything for what felt like the longest time. Brooke was about to take the hint and leave, when finally, Sam spoke, quiet enough that Brooke had to lean in a little more to fully hear her. "Yeah. Today is the day that he died." If she hadn"t been afraid that laughter would lead to tears, Sam would have laughed at Brooke"s obvious discomfort with the situation. Clearly, Brooke didn"t know what to do, but Sam didn"t know what to tell her. "Um, is...is Jane around?" Brooke asked quietly. Sam sighed. "Mom deals with today very differently than I do. She always, I dunno, goes completely manic or something. I can"t deal with her today. I think she"s out shopping." "Oh. Okay. Um. Well what about Harrison, or Lily, or Carmen? Should I call one of them? Do you want them to come over?" Sam couldn"t be sure whether Brooke honestly wanted to help, or whether she was just trying to pass off the situation to someone else. Whatever, it didn"t really matter, she supposed. "No, that"s okay. They always try to get me out of the house, but being around too many people just bothers me." "Right. Well, I"m sure I"ve bothered you enough, now, too. I"m really sorry, Sam. I...I"ll just go." "Wait..." Brooke had started to stand up, but the word escaped Sam"s mouth before she could stop herself. The blonde froze mid-motion, and Sam turned to look at Brooke for the first time since she had walked in, only to quickly look away again. "I mean, you could stay, if you wanted to," Sam mumbled. Sam didn"t know what the hell had possessed her, asking Brooke to stay, but she felt some amount of relief as Brooke sat back down. Stealing another quick glance towards Brooke, Sam was surprised to see honest caring in Brooke"s expression. "All right," Brooke replied gently. Brooke still didn"t know what to do, but the fact that Sam apparently wanted her to be there made the whole situation easier to deal with, somehow. Sam was once again staring at the photograph, so Brooke leaned back against Sam"s bed, deciding to simply wait Sam out, allowing the brunette to talk if and when she wanted to. Brooke wasn"t sure how long they sat there, in relatively comfortable silence, but she had almost fallen asleep when Sam"s soft voice caused her head to jerk forward. "I promised myself that I would never forget him. But what I remember is getting more and more static, you know? I have pictures of him in my mind, but it"s like I can"t be sure if I"m actually remembering him, or if all I remember is just based on the photographs we have of him." Taking in a deep breath, Brooke managed to suppress her brief urge to panic. Sam was actually opening up to her, and it was so different from their usual interactions that it almost froze Brooke to the spot. But Sam was trusting her, surprisingly, and Brooke wasn"t going to screw it up. No matter what she thought about Sam most of the time, Brooke knew she"d feel horrible if she messed this up. "Tell me about that one." Brooke nodded towards the object still clutched in Sam"s hands. The barest hint of a smile appeared on Sam"s face. Sam had no idea what made her actually go ahead with Brooke"s suggestion, but once she started, the words just kept coming. "My dad loved camping. He had done it every summer with his family when he was growing up, and so the summer I turned eight, he and my mom decided to take me up to this regional park, about five hours north of here. At first, I was absolutely horrified by the whole thing. I mean, we were in a tent, and there were bugs, and my dad wanted to go fishing." Sam chuckled slightly, and then paused, momentarily lost in thought. Thankfully, Brooke knew enough not to say anything, though, and just waited patiently for Sam to continue. "I came around to the idea pretty soon, though. We spent a whole week there, and it was...it was great. Anyway, it was the third day or so, when my dad took me out on the lake in a canoe. I had never been in one before, so I was pretty scared, but I knew he wouldn"t let anything bad happen to me. He taught me how to use the paddle, and then we just slowly moved around the lake, with him telling me stories about when he was a kid. And then, this fish swam right by the canoe. It was the closest I had ever seen one in the wild, before, and I got so excited about it that I turned around in my seat to try to watch it, and ended up literally knocking myself right into the lake." Brooke couldn"t help but smile at the image that Sam was presenting. As much as she hated to acknowledge it, she figured that Sam had probably been an adorable little kid. "He later admitted that I really freaked him out," Sam continued, "but I had a life jacket, and we were actually pretty close to shore at that point, so I decided to just swim the rest of the way back in, and let my dad deal with the canoe. So that"s this picture. My mom took it, once the water was only about up to my knees. I was absolutely soaked, head to foot, but I was still so excited about the canoe, and the fish...and my dad was just cracking up behind me. That was the first and only time I went camping." Sam grew quiet again, and once Brooke was sure that Sam was done talking for now, she commented softly, "Well, this may just be me, but that memory sounds anything but "static.'" Brooke smiled hesitantly, gently placing her hand on top of Sam"s. The brunette released a short sound, somewhat resembling a strangled laugh, and then suddenly Sam was sobbing. It happened so quickly, the switch from calm to disconsolate, that Brooke was taken aback. For a moment, all she could do was blink at the sight of Sam"s heaving form. But as she felt something tighten in her chest, Brooke reached out and wrapped her arms around Sam. Sam stiffened at first, before shifting positions, allowing Brooke to pull her closer. Brooke held Sam tightly against her and leaned in to rest her cheek against that soft brown hair. Later, Sam wouldn"t be able to explain what made her break down like that, but for several minutes, she felt like there was absolutely nothing that she could do but cling to Brooke"s body and cry. She also wouldn"t be able to explain the comfort that she found as Brooke simply cradled her in her arms. At first, Sam was crying so hard that she could barely even breathe, but once she got a little more control over herself, she started to panic. She hated Brooke, and Brooke hated her, and what the hell was she doing letting the blonde see her when she was so vulnerable? She never liked to let anyone see her like this, let alone Brooke McQueen. Brooke was startled once again when Sam suddenly started pushing her away, extricating herself from Brooke"s embrace and scooting into the corner of her room. She was still crying somewhat, but she hugged her knees to her chest and lowered her head towards the floor, managing to rasp out, "Please leave." Sam heard Brooke move closer once again, but she refused to look up. She flinched when Brooke touched her gently on the shoulder. "Sam, what..." Brooke asked, with nothing but concern in her tone. "What happened? What did I do?" "Just leave, okay? Leave me alone. Just leave me alone." Brooke"s once-comforting presence was now nothing but claustrophobic, and the panic in Sam"s voice was obvious. Sam sat still, her heart beating alarmingly quickly, until she felt Brooke"s lips just barely brush across her hair, leaving a soft kiss. "I"m so sorry, Sam," Brooke whispered. "You know where to find me if you want to talk." Sam waited until she heard the door to her room close behind Brooke before allowing herself to cry once again. Thanks muchly to those of you who"ve reviewed so far! Feedback really means a lot :) Fandom: Popular Pairing: Sam/Brooke Prompt: 021 Friends; written for the fanfic100 challenge Word count: 1,019 Summary: Sam and Brooke make a discovery about their relationship... No, not the "I"m gay for you" discovery. We still have 95 fics to go! You didn"t think it would be that easy, did you? ;) A/N: Yep, still sophomore year in high school. A/N2: Thanks so much to theagonyofblank and wolfemeister for the beta reads! And thanks to Wolfe for the title. Brooke (unsuccessfully) tried not to roll her eyes when she heard her name paired with Sam"s. Of course, Glass teased them with the thought that the groups for the latest biology project would be completely random, but then proceeded to do nothing more than put them with their lab partners. Fantastic. Brooke had to admit that they had been getting along a lot better, recently, but that didn"t mean that she really wanted to spend any more time with Sam than she had to. At the end of class, Sam turned to Brooke. "Okay, I propose we just get this over with as quickly as possible. Agreed?" "Agreed." "Great. I have a Zapruder meeting after school, and you probably have Glamazons, so how about we just meet at the public library afterwards, and then we can get a start on research and stuff." "Sure Sam. Whatever you say." This time, Brooke did manage to not roll her eyes, but just barely. She had found that when it came to things like this, it was best to just let Sam feel like she was in charge. There tended to be less potential for bloodshed, that way. Later that afternoon, Brooke and Sam sat in the library, surrounded by several stacks of books. "Sam, this sucks," Brooke whispered. "It feels like we"ve been sitting here for ages, now, and I think my butt is going numb." Sam looked up from her notes at Brooke"s comment, with one of her trademark smirks crossing her face. "Would Her Highness prefer that I found a perfectly fluffed pillow to ease her royal behind?" Brooke just scowled. "No, Her Highness would prefer a change of scenery. And before you offer some snarky comment, yes, I am well aware of the fact that I just referred to myself in the third person. Deal with it." Sam"s grin only widened, and though she came really close to teasing Brooke further, if only out of habit, she decided to let it go. "You know, a change of scenery actually sounds good. We shouldn"t go home, though. Letting your dad and my mom see us working together would only send the wrong kind of message, since we still need to convince them that the whole family merger thing is really a bad idea." "Yeah, good thinking. Well, there"s a nice coffee shop that I like near here," Brooke suggested. "Lead the way, Princess." For the next week, Brooke and Sam spent at least a few hours every afternoon working in the same coffee shop. They ended up just drinking coffee and talking a lot more than actually working on the assignment, but it seemed to make them more productive when they did finally bring out their books and notes. At least, that"s what they told themselves. On Saturday, they took a day off from the project, but Sam decided to return to the café anyway. She really liked the atmosphere of the place, and thought it might be a good spot for her to finish up her latest article, a piece on the new Spanish teacher. Walking up to the counter, Sam recognized the server as the same guy who had been there whenever she came with Brooke. Sam smiled, but before she got a chance to order, the guy spoke, "Oh hey, you"re here! Would you hold on a sec? Your friend left her jacket here." Sam frowned in confusion. As far as she knew, none of her friends ever came there. "Wait, whose jacket is it?" "I dunno her name," he shrugged. "The one you"re in here with every day." Sam laughed. "Who, Brooke? Oh, she"s not..." Sam"s sentence trailed off, her brows knitting together. She and Brooke weren"t friends, were they? The server was still staring at Sam expectantly. Sam broke off her thought process and continued, "Well, whatever. Thanks, I"ll make sure she gets it back." After trying unsuccessfully to make any progress on her article, Sam gave up and decided to go home, acknowledging that her mind was elsewhere. Brooke returned from the mall that afternoon, and after dropping off her bags in her room, went to the kitchen for a snack. Sam was already in there, but it didn"t look like she was actually doing anything. Brooke grabbed an apple and then sat opposite Sam at the table. "Hey Sammy, what"s up?" Sam didn"t say anything, just stared speculatively at Brooke. Shifting uncomfortably under Sam"s focused gaze, Brooke tried again. "Okay, why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something caught in my teeth or something?" Sam"s line of sight shifted slightly, as she replied, "Actually, yeah, you have a tiny piece of something at the corner of your mouth, but that wasn"t why I was looking at you." Sam leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, tilting one head to the side to continue staring at Brooke. Brooke quickly wiped at her mouth, waiting for Sam to explain why she was being so odd. When no explanation followed, Brooke spoke again. "Okay, then. Why are you looking at me? You"re starting to freak me out." Sam finally seemed to snap out of it, blinking a few times, and learning forward to rest her elbows on the table. "Are we friends? "Cause it kind of seems like we might be." There was an element of surprise in Sam"s voice, like she could hardly believe it herself. Brooke laughed. "What? We"re not..." She paused, thinking about it. "Are we?" Sam merely raised an eyebrow, offering a sheepish half-smile. "Wow, we are friends," Brooke continued. "That"s weird." "I know. Very weird. No offense." Finally, the strangeness of the whole conversation caught up with Brooke and she couldn"t help but giggle. One small giggle turned into many more, though, until Sam was laughing too, and neither one was exactly sure what was so funny, but it didn"t really matter. When the laughter died down, Brooke simply smiled at Sam. "So, We"re friends. That"s interesting." She smirked playfully. "Just don"t tell the rest of our friends. I think they"d die from shock." A/N: It"s sophomore year in high school. A/N2: Thanks so much to wolfemeister and theagonyofblank for the beta reads! Sometimes, Brooke wondered why she was still friends with Nicole. On certain days, for some reason or another, Sam"s not-so-affectionate nickname of "Satan" rang especially true, and Brooke would find herself wishing that she had the strength to end their twisted friendship once and for all. It was one of those days. Brooke was supposed to be spending the night at Nicole"s place, but ever since she found out that Nicole had slept with Josh, Brooke had been less and less willing to put up with Nicole"s shit. So, having bailed on the planned shopping trip with Nicole and Mary Cherry, Brooke decided to just go home and relax instead. Mike and Jane were out of town, and Brooke didn"t know what Sam was up to, but maybe they could just hang out and watch a movie or something. Upon entering the house, Brooke was somewhat startled to hear the sound of blaring music coming from upstairs. Curious, she made her way towards the source of the music, ending up right outside Sam"s room. She hadn"t been able to tell what the song was right away, but as soon as she reached the top of the stairs, there was no mistaking the distinctive melody of Nirvana"s "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Brooke smiled as, above Kurt Cobain"s guttural voice, she could hear Sam"s more feminine tone, singing along. The music was loud enough that Brooke was pretty sure Sam wouldn"t be able to hear her knock on the door, but she did so anyway, in case Sam accused her of barging in uninvited. When, as expected, her knocks went unanswered, Brooke slowly pushed the door open and took a step inside the room. What she hadn"t expected, though, was the way that the sight on the other side of the door literally caused Brooke"s breath to hitch. Sam was dancing around her room, strumming along on air guitar and belting out the lyrics, with her long, flowing hair spreading out around her head. Brooke honestly hadn"t really thought about it before, but in that moment, it hit her. Sam was beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. Brooke was grateful that Sam"s eyes were closed, as it gave her the opportunity to simply watch the brunette. It was the first time that Brooke got a chance to see Sam without all those walls that Sam had worked so hard to build. Now, the adjectives that used to come to mind when Brooke thought about Sam -- stubborn, self-righteous, annoying -- were replaced with new ones -- passionate, strong, free-spirited. It wasn"t so much the song itself, but more the way that Sam carried herself. Brooke smiled to herself, and then quietly backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Brooke peered surreptitiously around the corner, watching Sam open her locker. She could tell that Sam noticed the object right away, the curious confusion easily visible on Sam"s face, even from a distance. Brooke watched Sam open the envelope, her puzzled frown deepening as her eyes scanned the note. When she opened the accompanying box, Sam simultaneously blushed and smiled widely. Brooke grinned shyly as Sam looked up and around the hallway, her eyes searching until they landed on her. Sam picked up her backpack and made her way over to Brooke. Still blushing, Sam asked, "Nirvana, Brooke? You like Nirvana?" Smirking, Brooke replied, "Well I hate to break it to you, Sammy, but sure, I like some of their stuff. Nirvana isn"t only for the dark, angsty, young rebels of the world." "Anyway, I take it you actually got home earlier than I thought, yesterday? I totally assumed I had the house to myself." Brooke laughed lightly. "Yeah, I couldn"t bring myself to interrupt your wonderful performance, though." "Well, I don"t know if it should count as a performance, since there wasn"t supposed to be an audience." Sam mock glared at the smiling blonde, but Brooke could tell that Sam wasn"t really upset. "And you really shouldn"t have gone through the trouble, but thanks for this," Sam continued, holding up the Nirvana CD.

"Shit, I woke you up, didn"t I? I"m so sorry! I was trying to be quiet, but I obviously failed miserably in that regard." Jill took a moment to simply look at Cindy. The redhead was still paler than usual, but looked a bit more like herself than she had the last time Jill had seen her. "Hey, it"s okay. I was already awake, actually." Jill looked at Cindy skeptically. "Really? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?" "Really," Cindy assured her. "Kind of out of it, as tends to happen when I sleep too much, but awake nonetheless. I just thought that maybe I should come out and investigate the noise. What are you making?" Cindy"s rumbling stomach betrayed her interest in the matter. "Well, if I haven"t killed it, it"s supposed to fettuccini alfredo. I saw this recipe in a magazine the last time I went to the dentist, and the picture looked really good, but I think it was a little more ambitious than my barely-there culinary skills could handle," Jill explained. Cindy shrugged. "Well let"s give it a shot. Is it ready?" At Jill"s nod, Cindy got out some silverware as Jill prepared two heaping plates of pasta. It didn"t look nearly as nice as the picture she"d seen, but Cindy seemed excited about the mere prospect of food. Jill watched anxiously as Cindy took a first bite. The reporter paused for a beat at the first mouthful, before slowly swallowing and nodding her head. "It"s... good," she managed unconvincingly. Raising a disbelieving eyebrow, Jill took a quick bite of her own. The pasta was obviously overcooked, the sauce was too watery, and there was some flavor which Jill couldn"t quite identify, but which definitely seemed like it shouldn"t be there. "Wow. That"s awful," the blonde declared. Cindy giggled, clearly in agreement. "It"s a good thing I like you for more than your culinary skills." "Screw this. I can"t make you eat this," Jill laughed, relieved that Cindy was at least finding some humor in the situation. It felt good to hear her friend laugh. "Think you can handle waiting another fifteen minutes before eating?" she continued. "We can safely say that "chef" was never meant to be my calling in life, but I can make a damn good grilled cheese, if I do say so myself. And clearly, trying to get extra fancy was not a good plan." Cindy smiled. "You know, grilled cheese actually sounds a lot more appealing than fettuccini alfredo right now, anyway." Once the food was made, though, Jill wasn"t quite sure what to do next. Her plan hadn"t extended past getting some food in Cindy"s stomach, and Jill had never been very good at dealing with the emotional stuff, and she thought she"d been doing okay so far, but she didn"t know how to make Cindy feel better, and she didn"t even really know what was wrong, and while Cindy may have been asleep for the majority of the last twelve and a half hours, Jill had been too worried and restless to sleep much more than five, and... Still standing in front of the stove, Jill took a deep breath and forced herself to resist the urge to panic. Cindy appeared to be oblivious to Jill"s near-freak-out, however, and simply stepped up behind the blonde, reaching around her to grab some food. "Now that looks good," Cindy commented happily, before uttering a contented sigh as she immediately took a healthy bite out of the sandwich. The meal that followed was held mostly in silence, other than a bit of stunted small talk. Excluding the previous night, once they"d returned from the crime scene, Jill couldn"t recall a single time since she"d known Cindy that the normally talkative redhead had been so withdrawn and quiet. It was disconcerting, and Jill didn"t quite know how to handle it. She stood to clear the dishes, but Cindy"s soft voice caused her to freeze in place. "I met her in high school," Cindy began, mumbling around her finger as she chewed distractedly on a fingernail. "Her family moved nearby before freshman year, and we were in the same English class. I got to know her when we were assigned to do a project together on A Tale of Two Cities, and we bonded over our love of books." She paused, and Jill finally eased back into her chair. Cindy"s fingers tapped agitatedly on the table, but Jill reached out and silently wrapped the nervous digits in her own hand. Cindy clutched tightly onto Jill"s hand and looked up briefly to meet Jill"s eyes, but then lowered her gaze again as she stared at the tablecloth in apparent fascination. "She was my first girlfriend." The blush that ran up the reporter"s cheeks was the only indication that Cindy was aware of the fact that she had just outed herself. Jill blinked, but willed herself not to outwardly react in any negative way, even as her heart sped up at the revelation. So Cindy dated women. Jill wasn"t sure whether she was really surprised, so much as vaguely hurt that Cindy hadn"t brought it up before. Regardless, it wasn"t the time to get into it, and Jill, fingers still entwined with Cindy"s, simply began to run her thumb soothingly over the back of Cindy"s hand. Cindy glanced up at the movement, relaxing visibly at the sight of Jill"s supportive smile. With a deep breath, Cindy continued, "We were young and naïve, and were so sure that that was it, you know? One and only. I loved her, I really did, but..." She shrugged, but the professed nonchalance seemed forced. "College happened, and we just drifted apart. I didn"t see her for a while, but then the summer after junior year, I happened to randomly run into her. She was just...so different from the girl I"d known." Suddenly, Jill felt Cindy"s hand rip away from her own as the redhead stood up abruptly, pushing herself away from the table and starting to pace in agitation. Jill"s brow creased in concern, her heart aching for her hurting friend. She wanted nothing more than to simply make Cindy feel better, but she didn"t know how. "It sounds stereotypical, but she"d done the whole "running with the wrong crowd" kind of thing, and..." Cindy paused, choking back a sob. "God, she was such a mess. My Lydia was still in there, but she was hidden beneath this new mess of a girl." Cindy wiped roughly at the tears that seemed to suddenly appear on her cheeks. Jill stood up, still unsure what to do, but simply wanting to be closer. She held still, though, when Cindy immediately shook her head and took a few quick steps backwards. "It took me almost the whole summer of badgering her," Cindy continued, her voice shaking a little, "but I eventually got her into a rehab program. Last I knew, she"d been doing better. She"s supposed to be living in Seattle; she"s supposed to be doing well. She"s not supposed to be here, Jill, she"s not supposed to be dead!" Cindy"s voice grew increasingly hysterical, and Jill felt her heart break at the undisguised pain behind the bloodshot, watery brown eyes before her. Jill stepped forward once again and simply reached out towards Cindy, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Cindy tried to retreat again, only for her back to collide with the wall behind her. "No-no-no, don"t hug me," Cindy pled. "Please don"t hug me. If you hug me, then I won"t be able to stop crying." Ignoring her, Jill extended her arms to wrap firmly around the reporter. Cindy struggled against her at first, but Jill refused to let go, and Cindy soon gave in, her own arms grasping desperately onto Jill as she buried her face in the crook of Jill"s neck. Jill could feel hot tears soak into the collar of her shirt, but she simply held Cindy tighter. When her arms began to ache with the effort of largely holding Cindy upright, Jill eased the two of them down onto the floor, sitting with her back against the wall and a bundle of redhead cradled in her lap. She lightly swayed Cindy back and forth, muttering soft words of comfort into the thick mane of red hair beneath her lips. Jill didn"t know how long they sat there, but eventually Cindy seemed to run out of tears. Jill pressed a light kiss to the top of Cindy"s head, only to pull back slightly when she felt the form within her arms stiffen. The next flurry of movement happened so quickly, Jill barely had time to react. Cindy suddenly shifted, pulling her face away from the blonde"s neck and leaning forward to press her lips against Jill"s. Shocked, Jill gasped, and Cindy took advantage by briefly pushing her tongue between Jill"s parted lips. The kiss was hard, wet, desperate, and sloppy. It was possibly the most intense kiss Jill had ever received. As soon as Jill began to kiss back, though, Cindy immediately pulled away and, without once meeting Jill"s eyes, returned to hiding her face in Jill"s shoulder. Jill was left to simply blink in bewilderment, unsure whether the kiss had actually happened or whether she had just imagined the whole thing. The lingering tingle and slight taste of salty tears on her lips left little question, though. If she hadn"t known what to say before, Jill really didn"t know what to say now, so she simply leaned her cheek against the crown of Cindy"s head and closed her eyes as exhaustion suddenly overtook her. Figuring out anything else would just have to wait. TBC Once again, I apologize for taking so long between updates on this. Thanks so much to those of you who are reading and reviewing! :) Part 4 Cindy woke up with a light groan. Disoriented at first, she quickly realized that she was lying on her side, on the floor. She didn"t feel hung-over, though, so wasn"t really sure what she was doing there. She glanced down at her watch and then reached up to rub at her dry eyes, regretting whatever had made her forget to remove her contacts the night before. It was only when she began to stretch out her stiff muscles, though, that she even realized that there was a soft hand splayed across her hip and a warm body lying behind her. Looking over her shoulder, Cindy narrowed her eyes in confusion. Jill? Suddenly, she remembered, and she felt her heart thump rapidly in response. Oh. Jill. Cindy had kissed Jill. Crap. Inching carefully out from under Jill"s touch, Cindy made her way quietly into the kitchen before turning back to watch her sleeping friend. This hadn"t been how she"d imagined her first kiss with Jill might be. Because she had imagined it, no matter how much she told herself that she shouldn"t; that it would never happen. But she"d thought about whether it might be sweet and gentle, only to decide that with someone like Jill, there was probably a greater chance of it ending up along the lines of light and meaningless. Maybe teasing. Maybe drunken. Maybe -- just maybe -- heartfelt on both ends (her own end, she could count on; Jill"s, not so much). It would definitely be sexy, though. In Cindy"s imagination, at least, kissing Jill could never be anything but toe-curling sexy. In Cindy"s imagination, it had never occurred to her that their first kiss would be forced, sloppy, rushed, and wet with tears. It didn"t exactly go along with her plan of wooing the blonde with such an amazing first kiss that Jill would immediately decide that they should start dating. Sighing, Cindy quietly slipped back by Jill and into the living room, grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch. She settled the blanket over Jill"s body and barely resisted the urge to brush the blonde bangs out of Jill"s eyes before turning to go make coffee and get some breakfast. She still had some time before she"d need to wake Jill for work. She was about to pour some milk in her cereal when Jill"s phone, lying abandoned on the kitchen counter, began to ring. A glance down at the screen revealed the caller to be Claire, and after a bit of hesitation, Cindy reached to answer the phone. "Good morning, this is Jill Bernhardt"s phone," she announced. There was a brief pause, and then Claire"s voice came over the line, asking, "Cindy?" "Yeah. Hi, Claire. I"m awake, and Jill isn"t, and the phone was right there, so I just sort of decided to answer it, but maybe I shouldn"t have, and I could have just let your call go to voicemail or something, but it"s too late to change anything about that now anyway, so-" "Cindy, it"s fine that you answered Jill"s phone," Claire interrupted Cindy"s rambling, a hint of a smile audible in her voice. "So how are you feeling, sweetheart?" she continued softly. Cindy sighed. "I"m okay. Well, not "okay" exactly, but better than before, at least. Jill... Jill helped me get some of the big emotions out, so now I can actually focus again." The sound of light footsteps alerted her that the blonde in question was awake, and sure enough, Cindy turned around to find Jill blinking sleepily at her, the blanket still wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Cindy smiled hesitantly and willed herself not to blush. Turning her attention back to the phone, she muttered, "Hey, Claire? Jill"s up, so I"m going to pass the phone off to her. Since it is, you know, her phone, after all. I"ll let her tell you about Lydia." With that, she thrust the phone towards Jill, who, obviously not fully awake yet, simply stared at it for a moment before taking it into her hand. "I don"t know if I can talk through everything all over again," Cindy explained, her voice causing Jill"s sleepy gaze to shift upwards from the phone. "Will you do it for me?" Cindy swallowed, unable to look away as clear blue eyes met hers. Jill"s short blonde hair, rumpled with sleep, stuck out in a few different directions, and Cindy felt her breath hitch at the ridiculously adorable image of the attorney. After a seemingly endless moment, Jill rubbed her eyes, apparently trying to wipe the sleep away, before releasing a yawn as she nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, sure thing," she replied. "Great." Her cereal momentarily forgotten, Cindy turned to walk out of the room, not really wanting to be in such close proximity as Jill recounted what she knew about Lydia. She paused, though, when a sudden thought struck her. Would Jill mention the whole ex-girlfriend thing? Cindy definitely planned to come out to her other friends sooner rather than later at this point, but she wasn"t sure that she was ready for it to happen right this moment, or for it to come from Jill"s mouth instead of her own. She stood frozen in the doorway, listening to Jill"s end of the conversation. "Yeah, I"m sorry I didn"t call back yesterday. I got caught up with things here," Jill was saying. "Well at this point, you"ve talked to her more than I have this morning, so I don"t really know. I think you"re right, though. ... I hope so. ... Yeah. ... Okay, so Lydia Baker. She"s an old friend of Cindy"s from high school. Got involved in some serious drugs during college. As far as Cindy knew, she"d gotten clean, though. Had gone through rehab and had been living in Seattle." Cindy exhaled. Jill had said the perfect amount, relating the important details without letting slip that certain piece of information which Cindy was happy to keep secret for the time being. She turned back around to see Jill glance down at her watch before looking up again to lock eyes on Cindy as she continued, "In an hour? Sure, I can do that. ... Okay, I will. ... Yeah, see you then. Bye." Silence filled the room once Jill hung up the phone, before they both started speaking at once. "About last night..." "How are you..." Laughing, Jill indicated for Cindy to go first. With a deep breath, Cindy tried again. "I just...wanted to thank you. For putting up with me last night." "Hey, it"s no problem. Really. I"m just glad I could be there for you," the blonde answered as she took a step forward and reached out to gently brush a hand up and down Cindy"s arm. Suddenly more nervous than before, Cindy rubbed at the back of her neck, trying not to fidget any more than that. "And about, um... Well, about how it ended..." Cindy trailed off, unsure how to finish her sentence. Jill waved off Cindy"s concern. "Don"t worry about it. It was an emotional night for you; you needed some comfort, and I happened to be there. I totally understand." Cindy nodded. Right. That was a good explanation. It made sense. She"d go with that one. Because that was definitely a better explanation than "Oh my God, I have a major crush on you, but I"ve been too afraid to make a move, because making a move would obviously be a completely moronic thing to do, but I was sad and vulnerable, and you were perfect, and I just couldn"t stop myself.' Yep, Jill"s explanation was absolutely a better one than that. "Besides," the attorney continued with a smirk, "it"s not every day that I have gorgeous women suddenly kissing the hell out of me, so I really can"t complain." Jill winked, apparently only gaining amusement as Cindy"s face instantly flushed with embarrassment. The redhead felt her heart skip a beat (Jill thinks I"m gorgeous? She"s probably just being nice to make me feel better.), but decided that it was about time to change the subject. "Yeah. I"m really sorry about that. But anyway, what"s in an hour?" At Jill"s initially confused expression, Cindy prompted, "With Claire?" "Oh, right. It"s nothing, don"t worry about it." Jill shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing?" Cindy scoffed. "If it was nothing, then you would just tell me about it. So that means that it is something, but you just don"t want to tell me. You know I"m going to find out anyway, right? So you might as well just tell me now." Cindy gave her best "I"m intimidating" look, but the attempt only made Jill grin affectionately. "Sorry babe, but I think Lindsay"s got a monopoly on the laser vision. Just not quite the same effect when it comes from you." "Are you meeting together to talk about the case?" Cindy probed, figuring she"d try to fish around until she figured something out. Jill remained quiet, eyeing her with a mixture of contemplation and sympathy. Cindy didn"t want Jill"s sympathy. "Are you meeting to decide what to get me for my birthday?" This time Cindy received a smile to accompany the blue-eyed stare. Undaunted by the continued silence, Cindy pressed on, "Are you getting together to discuss whether or not I"m mentally unstable after my little emotional breakdown thing?" That one got a response. "What? Cindy, no, that"s ridiculous." Sighing, Jill finally relented. "You"re right, though; you will find out eventually, so I may as well just spill. And look, none of us expect you to come, okay? But Claire"s done the autopsy." Cindy blanched, as Jill looked down towards the floor. Inwardly freaking out about Jill had managed to distract Cindy relatively well from the reason why she had needed Jill"s comfort in the first place. Lydia was dead. And Claire knew why. "I"m coming with you." Cindy was proud of her ability to keep her voice steady. Jill looked back up at her sharply. "You"re coming? Cindy, I really don"t think that"s such a good idea." "I need to be there. I"m obviously not going to cover the story, but I need to be part of this case." Cindy paused, taking in a deep breath. "I loved her, Jill, and I need to know who did this to her." Jill simply watched her intently at first, and it took all Cindy"s control to look squarely back at her friend, refusing to squirm under the scrutiny. Apparently satisfied with something, Jill finally looked away first, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Okay. But if you start to feel uncomfortable or freaked out, or whatever... Anything. You just give me a look and I will leave with you, right away. No questions asked. Okay? None of us will think any less of you for wanting to get out of there. Hell, I still think you"re kind of crazy for wanting to be there in the first place, so you"d just be convincing me that you"re normal. So you can come, but you have to promise me that you won"t stay just because you feel like you should -- just one look and we"re out of there. Deal?" Cindy smiled, touched by Jill"s concern. Still, she felt the need to point out, "Well, it"s not like you"ve got much to go with, in terms of bargaining. I mean, as much as you guys like to joke that I"m only twelve, you can"t exactly forbid me from entering the morgue. But yeah, I promise." There was a lighthearted twinkle in Jill"s eye as she replied with a wink, "Oh, I don"t know. If I really wanted to keep you out of there, I bet I could convince Lindsay to arrest you for something or other." "The sad part is that you"re probably right," Cindy laughed. "But okay, then. If we don"t want to be late, I should probably change out of pj"s, and you should get out of yesterday"s clothes." Jill looked down at herself, as if she"d already forgotten about falling asleep on their dining room floor, still dressed in her day-off outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. "Right, good plan," she agreed, turning to head towards her bedroom. "And remember," Cindy called after her, "I can get ready faster than you, so no trying to sneak out the door before me." "Yeah, yeah," Jill waved a loose hand behind her as she continued out of the room. "Watch out, maybe I"ll beat you one of these days! And I get the shower first!" With a deep breath, Cindy turned away as well. It was going to be long day, she could just tell.

Sam"s breath catches at the sight of her friend, curled up and fast asleep in an uncomfortable-looking chair. Brooke is beautiful, even in such an awkward position, and Sam"s pain clouds out everything else, except for that thought. Brooke is beautiful. And she"s here. Brooke"s presence is enough to calm Sam, who simply takes a deep breath, closes her eyes again, and allows the dark to surround her. * * * The next time that Sam opens her eyes, she shuts them again almost immediately. The dark had been confusing, but at least it wasn"t as blindingly painful as the light. She tries to speak again, but all that comes out is a groan. "Sam?? Oh God. Oh, Sammy baby, can you hear me?" The breathless voice belongs to her mother, and Sam wants nothing more than to open her eyes wide, smile, and have her mom tell her that everything"s okay. But she"s afraid to open her eyes, she doesn"t think she"d be able to smile even if she tried, and her body is telling her loud and clear that everything is not okay. Shaking hands brush across her forehead, down her cheek, along her arm. Sam groans again in response, because it"s the best she can do. Sam hears footsteps take her mother away from the bed; hears her calling out for a doctor; hears the noisy commotion of more people crowding around her. Finally, she tries to ease her eyes back open again, though she doesn"t make it past a half-lidded squint. She can make out a blurry vision of her mom and various white-coated strangers, but there"s no sign of Brooke. She looks towards the chair off to the side, but it"s empty this time. It"s the sight of this empty chair that triggers some kind of memory in Sam. She doesn"t know why, but suddenly there"s this overwhelming fear -- not for herself, but for Brooke. Had she simply imagined the idea that Brooke had been there with her? Suddenly it feels so important to know where the blonde is, but Sam can"t quite find the strength to ask. Sam"s mom reaches out to her, and Sam is grateful for the warmth of her mother"s hand, clutching tightly to one of her own. Jane is openly crying, and a stray tear slides slowly down Sam"s own cheek as well, though she can"t quite decide whether she"s sad, or happy, or something else entirely. "Samantha?" Sam"s attention is drawn to the doctor, a kind- but serious-looking woman with steel-gray hair and eyes to match. "Samantha, I want you to do something for me, okay? I"m sure you"re tired, but I want you to try to squeeze your mom"s hand now, okay? Just squeeze her hand if you can," the doctor directs. It seems to take an abnormally long time for the message from Sam"s brain to reach down to her fingers, but eventually she manages to constrict the appropriate muscles, and Jane releases a broken sob of relief as she feels the result of Sam"s effort. The doctor smiles encouragingly. "That"s great, Samantha." Opening her mouth, Sam isn"t quite sure what she wants to say, but it doesn"t matter anyway, since the doctor immediately continues, "Don"t try to talk. At this point, you just need to work on saving up your energy. But I have to say, Samantha, it"s really a pleasure to finally meet you." * * * Sam falls asleep again before long -- still confused, still worried, still in pain, but unable to keep her eyes open regardless. When she wakes up, the doctors and her mother are gone, but Brooke sits once again beside her, wide eyes fixed firmly on Sam. She must be pumped full of drugs, because Sam"s head feels pretty loopy, but she doesn"t hurt anymore. She idly wonders if this is actually happening, though -- if Brooke is really there -- or if it"s some weird hallucination. Before Sam can fully process anything, though, Brooke suddenly starts crying. Not just a few stray tears, but great, heaving sobs. Brooke"s whole body seems to shake. Sam"s never seen anything like it. She blinks, confused. She opens her mouth, and it takes a few tries, but eventually Sam manages to whisper, "Jeez, Brooke. I know we"re not the best of friends, but I never thought just looking at you could make you so upset." The joke only makes Brooke cry harder. The blonde raggedly runs her sleeve across her face, but can"t seem to get herself under any semblance of control. Her hand hovers near the bed, but she seems almost afraid to touch Sam. With a bit of effort, Sam flips her hand over so that it"s lying palm up, and Brooke sees the action as the invitation that it"s meant to be, with both of her own hands immediately clasping onto the offered one. "They...they told me you were awake, but..." Brooke manages between gulps of air. "But I didn"t... I couldn"t believe them until...until I saw you myself." Brooke keeps one hand wrapped tightly around Sam"s, but the other reaches up to run shakily over Sam"s hair. "But you"re really awake. Right? You"re okay. I"m not dreaming, am I? Are you really okay? Are you really here?" "I think so," is the best that Sam can come up with as a reply. Brooke"s crying is a bit calmer now, though it hasn"t stopped completely. And maybe it"s the effect of the drugs but Sam is happy to simply lie there, staring at her. Brooke can"t quite seem to keep still, though, as her free hand keeps moving -- light touches flitting from Sam"s cheek, to her arm, to her shoulder, to her eyes -- as if to continually verify Sam"s presence, verify that Sam"s eyes are open. * * * For a while, everything is a blur. Days filled with doctors poking, prodding, and stretching Sam"s stiff muscles, trying to get them to cooperate again. Visitors come and go, and while Sam"s been told the basics -- Nicole proved herself to be the crazy psycho bitch that Sam has always known her to be, but Sam saved the day -- it almost doesn"t feel real. Sam doesn"t remember any of the details, so it feels more like a story than reality. Still, most of the information comes from second-hand sources, like her mom, or the doctors; people who"ve heard about what happened, but weren"t actually there. The people who were there don"t want to talk to her about it, though. Neither Brooke nor Harrison -- who, Sam"s noticed, never seem to visit her at the same time, somehow -- want to talk to her about what happened. It"s confusing, and it"s frustrating. As Sam is wheeled out after her latest session of physical therapy, also known as "Sam"s personal torture," Brooke is there as usual, smiling and waiting. She takes a few minutes to chat with Ian, the physical therapist, giving Sam a chance to relax before wordlessly bringing Sam back to her room. It only took one instance of Brooke trying to get Sam to talk immediately after a therapy session for the blonde to learn that Sam"s always irritable after the intense physical strain. Even from the wheelchair, Sam can tell the exact moment when Brooke sees Harrison. She stiffens, and the wheelchair jerks to a stop right outside the door. Harrison looks up from his seat inside the room, but his expression pales slightly at the sight of the two of them. He stands up, awkwardly stuffing his hands in his pockets as Brooke comes to life again and pushes Sam the rest of the way into the room. "Hey Sam... And Brooke..." Harrison begins haltingly. "I, uh, didn"t realize you"d still have company, Sam. I"ll just come back later." "No you won"t," Sam articulates forcefully. "I told you to stop by now for a reason. You"re staying too, Brooke." The blonde blushes sheepishly as Sam catches her trying to sneak out the door. "Now one of you help me out of this thing," Sam continues, starting to try to hoist herself up out of her chair. Both Harrison and Brooke immediately rush forward, almost crashing into each other in their haste, before they laugh uneasily and Brooke ends up being the one to help Sam back into bed. Once she"s settled, silence descends upon the room, and Sam starts to think that maybe this wasn"t a good idea. Sighing, she asks, "Okay, so what"s the deal with you two?" Her question is only met with two identical blank stares. "Clearly, there has to be something that"s making you two uber-weird right now, and it"s getting annoying. You know, I haven"t been oblivious to the fact that you can"t seem to stand being in my presence at the same time, and I"ve come to the conclusion that it must have to do with the whole dinner fiasco beforehand. But I don"t remember any of it, so you"ll have to help me fill in some blanks, here." Turning to directly face Harrison, Sam asks, "Who did you pick, Harrison? Which one of us? Just tell me, and then we can all just deal with it and move on." Harrison"s eyes widen as he stutters, "Um... What? I mean, uh, I..." "Look, it doesn"t matter, Sam," Brooke mercifully cuts in. "With everything that happened, I think that I can speak for both myself and Harrison when I say that there are more important things to worry about than our dating lives. The whole thing was stupid, and petty, and it just really doesn"t matter." "Which means that he picked you," Sam intuits. "Because if he"d picked me, then it wouldn"t be your place to even say that it didn"t matter." Brooke opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out, and a red-faced Harrison is now staring intently at the floor, all of which only serves to confirm Sam"s theory. "So that"s fine, okay?" Sam continues, even though her heart thumps painfully at the thought of the two of them together. "You don"t have to worry about tiptoeing around me or whatever. You don"t have to be so weird about it. Just go ahead and date each other already!" Brooke looks torn as she gazes back and forth between Sam and Harrison, who still won"t meet anyone"s gaze. "But..." the blonde begins hesitantly. "But I don"t..." "Brooke"s right," Harrison abruptly interrupts. "Now"s just not good timing. Right now my own love life isn"t exactly high up on my priority list." He moves to the side of Sam"s bed, smiling gently at her before leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. His gaze shifts briefly to Brooke before he continues, almost more to himself than to either of the girls, "It"ll all work out. No matter what happens, we"ll be okay. But I should go. I promise to try not to be so awkward, though," he concludes. He squeezes Sam"s hand once, offers a small smile to them both, and then walks quickly from the room. It"s quiet for a minute, as Brooke watches Harrison leave, a frown etched into her forehead, and then pulls up a seat next to Sam"s bed. "I"m sorry," Sam murmurs softly, but Brooke only looks at her in confusion. "Why?" "Because things shouldn"t be so complicated for you two. If things had gone differently, you might be dating Harrison right now." It feels like Sam"s fault, somehow, that her two best friends aren"t together when it seems like they"d want to be if circumstances had been better. Brooke"s frown deepens. "If things had gone differently, I might not be here at all, Sam. We"re both alive, and nothing else matters." Sam"s somewhat taken aback by the utter conviction in Brooke"s tone. She gazes contemplatively at the blonde, seeing that she"s completely serious. There"s something in Brooke"s expression that"s different from the way Brooke"s ever looked at her before. It makes Sam"s heart skip a beat, but for lack of a better word, Sam decides to label it as gratefulness. It"s been a long day, though, and Sam feels her eyelids start to droop. Noticing, Brooke reaches out to pull up the blanket that"s been pushed to the edge of Sam"s bed. "You should get some rest, Sammy," Brooke smiles, tucking Sam in and smoothing a stray lock of hair away from Sam"s face. "Will you be here when I wake up?" Sam asks with a yawn. Sam"s sleep is usually plagued by bad dreams now, and Brooke"s presence seems to be the quickest thing that can calm her upon waking. "Of course, Sam," Brooke answers, leaning down to leave her own kiss to Sam"s forehead. "Always." With that assurance, Sam smiles and allows herself to drift back into sleep. Things are still weird between the three of them, but maybe it"s a step in the right direction. A/N: This is an extension of a drabble I wrote a while ago. A/N2: Thanks muchly to my betas, theagonyofblank and wolfemeister! A/N3: I don"t know if people are still reading/enjoying this (comments make me happy!)... Let me know what you think! Brooke was miserable. Well, maybe "miserable" was an exaggeration. Because really, there were a lot of things to not be miserable about. Sam was all right, they were still friends, and things weren"t awkward with Harrison. (Okay, that last one was a lie. Things definitely were awkward with Harrison, but they weren"t too awkward, Brooke supposed.) Still, sometimes Brooke couldn"t help but be melodramatic, and she would label her state of emotions as "miserable." The cause of her "misery" lay in the fact that, with Sam back to consciousness, Brooke was forced to think about that emotional admission of love on prom night. Brooke had only meant it in a platonic you"re-practically-family kind of way, right? So there was no need to freak out about it. Definitely not. Then why did Brooke feel like she had something to be embarrassed about? And seriously, what was with the weird feeling she got in her stomach every time she looked at Sam? It was starting to get really annoying. But somehow, Brooke had a feeling (a very scary feeling) that, in the heat of the moment, when she didn"t know if Sam would be okay, she had meant those words in a way that was at least slightly more than platonic. Sam gave no indication that she remembered what Brooke had said, though. Brooke wasn"t sure which would be worse -- the mortification of having to talk about it, or the relief of getting it out in the open. Brooke had barely given her words and the possible meaning behind them any thought while Sam was in the coma. Then, Brooke had been too focused on the guilt, fear, and hope. Now that Sam was getting back to health, though, Brooke was almost constantly confronted by the fact that Sam was vivacious, smart, loyal, and, to be perfectly honest, stunningly beautiful. Obviously, those were all good things, but the problem was that persistent flutter Brooke felt every time Sam was around. That flutter made her feel... Okay, "miserable" really was a complete exaggeration, but "uncomfortable," "nervous," and "confused" were right on the mark. And if she didn"t do something about it soon, Brooke thought her head might explode from all the self-reflection. * * * Brooke had been acting strangely, Sam noticed. It was a different kind of strange than the remaining awkwardness with Harrison, though. But whenever Sam found herself alone with Brooke, she seemed to become excessively jumpy, and Sam had caught the blonde simply staring intently at her a number of times. It was odd, and Sam didn"t know what to make of it. She also kept asking if Sam remembered any details about the night of the accident, but no matter how many times Sam repeated that she didn"t remember, Brooke just didn"t seem to get it. Still, continuing physical therapy and the process of catching up with schoolwork kept Sam so busy and tired that she couldn"t find the energy to really figure out what Brooke"s deal was. Now, Sam prided herself on her knowledge of the English language. Her vocabulary, in particular, was obviously that of someone way beyond her years. A lot of things had gone wrong in Sam"s life, but words never failed her. Except when Brooke looked at her like that, in that way that Brooke was supposed to be looking at Harrison. And when they arrived home after the last day of school, celebrating the end to junior year... When Brooke followed up that look with a sudden kiss, all soft and warm and sweet... For the first time ever, Sam"s mind, shocked, went completely blank; she couldn"t think of a single word. So instead of talking, she simply kissed back. A/N: Takes place immediately after the last part, "Beginning of Something Different" A/N2: Thanks muchly to my two betas, wolfemeister and theagonyofblank! Sam couldn"t seem to stop blinking. And she still couldn"t get any kind of coherent words out of her mouth. Brooke simply stared at her, all wide-eyed and gaping back at Sam. "You"re shocked?' Sam wanted to yell at her. "Try being me in this situation!" Finally, Sam found her voice and a bit of her vocabulary once again, and managed to stammer out, "Did... Did you just kiss me??" Sam"s words managed to shake Brooke out of her sudden stupor. Brooke blinked a few times herself, before her eyes finally focused back on Sam. She felt an intense blush spread rapidly across her cheeks, and wondered if Sam would kill her if she just walked away without saying anything. Death might be better than the utter mortification she felt at the moment, though. "Um. Well. I." Brooke had absolutely no idea what to say. "What if I did?" Sam just stared at Brooke incredulously for a moment. "What if you did?? What the hell does that mean?" An almost pleading look came over her as she continued, "You gotta help me out here, Brooke. With the whole recently-been-in-a-coma thing, I"m still a little loopy a lot of the time, and I"m honestly not sure if what I think happened a minute ago actually happened." Brooke started to panic. She had no idea what had come over her, but she just wished that she could melt into the floor right then. She covered her face with her hands momentarily, before taking a deep breath, and forcing herself to face Sam. She wasn"t sure, but it seemed like Sam had kissed her back. Still, Brooke couldn"t tell whether Sam actually wanted the thing that happened to have happened, so for the moment, she decided to stall a little longer. "Well, I mean... If I did kiss you, and I"m not saying that I did, then, um, maybe I...maybe I only kissed you in a way that friends kiss each other all the time! Or maybe...maybe there are lots of different reasons why I could have kissed you, and none of them are reasons that you should worry about, so it really wouldn"t be a big deal. If I kissed you. Hypothetically." Brooke almost whimpered in embarrassment. This was not going well. Sam regarded Brooke, trying to wrap her mind around what in the world Brooke had just said. So that meant that Brooke had kissed her, right? Otherwise, she wouldn"t be acting like a complete spaz all of a sudden. And while Sam had been relatively out of it since she woke up from the coma, she hadn"t actually invented any false memories yet, and she definitely did remember Brooke kissing her. Kissing her in a way that friends don"t kiss each other all the time. And if Brooke kissed her like that... Well, then there was really only one possible conclusion to be drawn. "Okay, that really didn"t make any sense," Sam noted. "But if you kissed me, hypothetically, then I might decide that the polite thing to do would be for me to initiate things and kiss you next time. But if you didn"t, then I guess I-" Sam didn"t get a chance to finish her sentence, because then Brooke"s lips were back on hers, and there was really no possible way to misinterpret things this time. Instinctively, Sam"s arms found their way around Brooke"s back, pulling the blonde tighter against her. Brooke"s hands buried themselves in Sam"s thick hair, and Brooke still couldn"t really believe that this was happening, but she"d now kissed Sam twice in the span of five minutes, and kissing Sam was actually really nice. Sam wasn"t sure how long they stood there, kissing, before they finally broke apart. "Well," she began, unable to hide either the surprise or the arousal in her voice, "I guess you did kiss me." Hesitantly, Brooke smiled. "I guess I did." Another A/N: I"m going to try not to take forever in updating this again, but work and grad school applications have taken over my life, so no guarantees! Sorry! A/N: It is sophomore year in high school. A/N2: Thanks so much to theagonyofblank and wolfemeister for the beta reads! There were a number of things that every student at Kennedy High School knew for an absolute fact: - Bio Glass was going to make your life a living hell. - Nicole Julian should be avoided at all costs. - You shouldn"t eat the mystery meat in the cafeteria, especially not on Thursdays. - And last but certainly not least, Brooke McQueen and Sam McPherson were bitter enemies, and always would be. Monday morning The hallways of Kennedy High "Hey, she"s alive!" Sam turned and rolled her eyes at the three people approaching her, breathing out a tortured sigh as she grabbed some books from her locker and stuffed them into her bag. "Yes, Carm, I"m alive." "Yeah, well we weren"t sure if you"d actually make it here today," Harrison commented, stopping to lean on the locker next to Sam"s, "or if you and Brooke had killed each other overnight." "Well, lucky for all of us, I managed to make it through the first night without getting murdered in my sleep. Yesterday was complete and utter hell, though. I can"t believe I have to actually live there now! I keep hoping that this is all just a nightmare, and I"ll wake up any minute now." As they hurried to make it to class before the bell rang, Lily asked, "Wait, I haven"t seen Brooke yet today... Brooke"s still alive too, right Sam?"

"I know her." TBC... Part 2 The world in front of her was swimming. Cindy closed her eyes against the swirl of shapes and colors, only to snap them back open when that face -- that normally warm and caring face, now turned pale and lifeless -- appeared behind her eyelids. She could vaguely hear voices around her, apparently trying to talk to her, but her mind felt too muddled to make out any actual words. She felt herself moving, unsure of how it was happening until her brain finally registered the firm hands holding onto her, propelling her away from the crime scene. Cindy had never had a real panic attack before, but she had a feeling it might be something like this -- the ringing in her head, the dizziness, the pounding in her chest, the struggle to get enough air... Cindy was pretty sure that she knew a panic attack when she felt one. She felt helpless to stop it, though. Could only feel the mounting panic, rising up around her. She struggled to keep the contents of her stomach inside her, keep the panic-fear-heartbreak-confusion from spilling from her throat, already raw with the effort to hold back the threatening tears. It made no sense. She (Cindy couldn"t even bring herself to think the name, to make it real) wasn"t supposed to be here. Not in San Francisco. Not lying on the cold, dirty ground. Not here. Not like this. Cindy jumped at the feel of cool skin against her cheek. She blinked, her eyes finally becoming aware of her surroundings. She was sitting in the passenger seat of a random police cruiser, hugging her knees to her chest and facing outwards through the open door. The hand on her cheek belonged to Jill, crouching in front of her and trying to get her attention; the fuzzy forms in front of her transformed into the concerned and scared faces of her three friends. "Cindy? Honey? I"m going to take you home, okay?" Jill"s voice was soft and calm, even as her eyes frantically searched Cindy"s face. "I"m coming with you." Claire and Lindsay spoke simultaneously, clearly leaving no room for argument. Cindy could only nod her head, allowing Jill and Claire to ease her onto her feet, as she vaguely noticed Lindsay going to talk briefly with Tom and Jacobi before joining them at Cindy"s car. The ride back to the apartment was silent. Claire held her hand in the backseat, as Jill and Lindsay kept glancing back at them in the rearview mirror. Cindy forced herself to breathe deeply, keeping all her attention focused on the external, the tangible -- the whirr of air outside the car, the texture of the car seat beneath her, the feel of three pairs of eyes watching her -- instead of all the questions running desperately through her head. Once back in the apartment, the four of them silently made their way to the living room. Claire didn"t release Cindy"s hand, choosing to offer what small amount of comfort she could. Or maybe it was simply that Cindy was gripping so tightly that Claire couldn"t have let go, even if she wanted to. Sitting down on the couch, Cindy took one look around her friends" near-identical expressions, full of questions and concern, and then locked her gaze on the opposite wall. She didn"t know what to tell them. Didn"t know whether she"d be able to make her vocal chords operate correctly anyway. "Cindy..." Lindsay"s voice broke hesitantly through the silence. Cindy simply shook her head, not even allowing the inspector to finish her question. No matter what Lindsay wanted to ask, Cindy knew that she couldn"t handle answering quite yet. She dropped Claire"s hand, sinking her head down between her knees and clasping her hands over her head. How much time passed in stillness, Cindy had no idea, but eventually she felt a slight shift on the couch as Claire stood up. Presumably, she went to stand near Jill and Lindsay, as the movement was soon followed by quiet murmurs, the sound muffled by Cindy"s forearms, held tightly against her ears. In defiance of her body"s immobility, Cindy"s mind simply would not keep still. Just a stream of questions, not even allowing herself any time to think about the answers. When was the last time Cindy had seen her? What had happened? Why was she here? Why was she--? Why was she dead? And repeat. When was the last time Cindy had seen her? What had happened? Why was she here? Why was she dead? The couch shifted once again, and a light hand landed on her back, rubbing slow, soothing circles. Cindy remained bent at the waist, but forced herself to lower her arms and turn her head to the side. She hadn"t heard anyone leave, so was surprised to see that Jill was the only one left in the room with her. As if reading her mind, Jill spoke softly, "The others wanted to stay, but their cars were still down at the- Downtown. I told them they should go home. I hope that"s okay." Cindy nodded. "How did they get back there? Did you leave?" "No," Jill replied quickly. "No, we called Jacobi. He came and picked them up." Cindy frowned in confusion. She had apparently been completely unaware of a lot of things happening right around her. "What time is it?" She finally sat up again, though Jill"s hand barely missed a beat, still tracing idle patterns across her back. "Almost 6:30." "Shit, really?" A lot more time had passed than Cindy had thought. "Shit, I have to go to work. So do you!" Cindy looked fully into Jill"s face for the first time in hours, only then noticing the bags under her friend"s eyes. Jill looked like a tired mess, and Cindy was probably about ten times worse, she imagined. Cindy began to stand up, but Jill"s quick hand on her shoulder eased her back down. "We"re both taking a sick day today. Lindsay and Claire promised to smooth over any issues with potentially disgruntled bosses." "But I... I should... I need to work. I need something to focus on. Something to do!" For Cindy -- only rarely able to enjoy sitting still for very long -- a day of inactivity sounded particularly terrifying in this instance. "You need to sleep, Cindy," Jill replied gently. "You"re in no condition to get anything done right now." Jill seemed to sense Cindy"s continued agitation, though, since she went on, "At least try to rest for a few hours, okay? Then maybe you can work from home. Keep yourself busy." After a beat, Cindy nodded, absently biting down on her lower lip. She was startled when Jill reached out to her, cupping Cindy"s chin in her palm and lightly using her thumb to free Cindy"s lip from between her teeth. "Careful, there. Looks like you might almost be ready to break the skin." Cindy blinked. It was only at Jill"s words that she even noticed the way her lip was throbbing with the force of her bite. "Right." For once, Cindy couldn"t really think of anything to say. "So, okay. Sleep. You will too, right? You look like crap." Jill laughed, and the sound was enough to bring a small smile to Cindy"s lips. "Well gee, thanks Cindy. I guess I can always count on you to just cut through the bullshit and tell it like it is." They stood up together, and it occurred to Cindy that Jill hadn"t asked a single question about that night, even though she must have been dying to. She"d have to tell Jill at some point how much she appreciated it. Not now, though. Sleep was starting to sound increasingly appealing. Still, she felt the need to say something about the situation. "Jill, I..." she began haltingly. "I know you must...must wonder what the hell is going on. But I just. I can"t. I can"t talk about it. Not now. Not yet." "Hey, it"s all right," Jill soothed, once again reaching out a hand to Cindy"s cheek, brushing away two stray tears. "I understand. Whenever you"re ready." Again, with her throat feeling uncomfortably tight, Cindy could only blink back the tears and nod with a jerk of her head. She turned towards her own room and took a few steps before turning back. Jill hadn"t moved; was simply watching Cindy carefully. Cindy took a deep, steadying breath before she managed to push out any words. "Her name"s Lydia. Lydia Baker. I don"t know if she had any ID on her, or whatever, so you can tell Lindsay. I don"t know if it"ll help, but..." "I"m sure Linz will appreciate it. We"ll find him, Cindy. Find out who did this." Jill"s earnestness was clear. Cindy knew that, even without understanding any details, Jill was already prepared to give this one everything she had. It meant something to Cindy, and that was enough for it to mean something to Jill. The knowledge of that deep loyalty made Cindy"s heart beat a little faster. Once again feeling like she was about to cry, Cindy attempted a smile (though it probably came out looking more like a grimace) and turned back towards her room. She closed the door behind her and stood leaning against it for a minute, before allowing herself to collapse into bed, hoping desperately for a night without dreams. TBC An actual update?? Shocking, I know. Somehow, I just had a really hard time with this part, and I"ve just generally been really busy lately. Sorry for taking so long! Part 3 Jill listened carefully outside Cindy"s door, trying to tell whether there was any sign of movement from within the room. She jumped, startled, as the loud and sudden ringing of her phone broke into the silence. Hurrying to grab it from the living room, Jill could only hope that the sound hadn"t woken Cindy up. "Shhhh!" she whispered harshly into the phone as she rushed to answer it. There was a long moment of silence, and then Lindsay"s voice, a quiet murmur of confusion, came over the line. "How can you tell me to be quiet when I haven"t said anything yet?" Jill snorted. "Sorry. It"s just that I hadn"t realized my phone was so loud. I should whisper, but you don"t have to," she explained. "Oh. Right. So how is she?" Lindsay asked, getting right to the point. "I don"t know." Jill shrugged helplessly. "She"s been in her room all day, mostly sleeping, I think. I heard her moving around a bit early this afternoon, but it"s been quiet in there for the last six and a half hours." "Has she eaten anything? She should eat something." "Shit, I forgot!" Jill lowered the phone away from her ear as she hurried into the kitchen, arriving just in time to see water boiling over the rim of the pot on the stove. "Dammit!" "Jill? What happened, are you still there??" Jill could just barely hear the faraway sound of Lindsay"s voice. The blonde lifted the phone back up to mutter distractedly, "Potential kitchen catastrophe. Gimme a minute," before she placed it down on the counter and turned back to the stove. She quickly lowered the heat, but almost burned herself when she reached to remove the lid of the pot. Swearing, she reactively dropped the hot lid onto the floor, cringing at the clanging sound it created, echoing around the room. So much for keeping the apartment quiet. "God, this is a fucking disaster," she sighed to herself, shaking out her near-burned hand, and agitatedly running the other one through her hair. She peered warily into the pot, trying to tell whether or not the whole thing was ruined. Remembering Lindsay, she picked the phone back up; it sounded like the inspector was talking to Claire on the other end, but Jill interrupted. "Hey Linz? You"re with Claire, right? Yeah, can I just call back later? I"m working on the food issue. I"ll be in touch about things later, once she gets up." Jill turned back to her attempts at making dinner for Cindy. A light cough behind her caught her attention, though, and she turned around to find Cindy leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, wearing pajamas and a small, amused smile. "Shit, I woke you up, didn"t I? I"m so sorry! I was trying to be quiet, but I obviously failed miserably in that regard." Jill took a moment to simply look at Cindy. The redhead was still paler than usual, but looked a bit more like herself than she had the last time Jill had seen her. "Hey, it"s okay. I was already awake, actually." Jill looked at Cindy skeptically. "Really? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?" "Really," Cindy assured her. "Kind of out of it, as tends to happen when I sleep too much, but awake nonetheless. I just thought that maybe I should come out and investigate the noise. What are you making?" Cindy"s rumbling stomach betrayed her interest in the matter. "Well, if I haven"t killed it, it"s supposed to fettuccini alfredo. I saw this recipe in a magazine the last time I went to the dentist, and the picture looked really good, but I think it was a little more ambitious than my barely-there culinary skills could handle," Jill explained. Cindy shrugged. "Well let"s give it a shot. Is it ready?" At Jill"s nod, Cindy got out some silverware as Jill prepared two heaping plates of pasta. It didn"t look nearly as nice as the picture she"d seen, but Cindy seemed excited about the mere prospect of food. Jill watched anxiously as Cindy took a first bite. The reporter paused for a beat at the first mouthful, before slowly swallowing and nodding her head. "It"s... good," she managed unconvincingly. Raising a disbelieving eyebrow, Jill took a quick bite of her own. The pasta was obviously overcooked, the sauce was too watery, and there was some flavor which Jill couldn"t quite identify, but which definitely seemed like it shouldn"t be there. "Wow. That"s awful," the blonde declared. Cindy giggled, clearly in agreement. "It"s a good thing I like you for more than your culinary skills." "Screw this. I can"t make you eat this," Jill laughed, relieved that Cindy was at least finding some humor in the situation. It felt good to hear her friend laugh. "Think you can handle waiting another fifteen minutes before eating?" she continued. "We can safely say that "chef" was never meant to be my calling in life, but I can make a damn good grilled cheese, if I do say so myself. And clearly, trying to get extra fancy was not a good plan." Cindy smiled. "You know, grilled cheese actually sounds a lot more appealing than fettuccini alfredo right now, anyway." Once the food was made, though, Jill wasn"t quite sure what to do next. Her plan hadn"t extended past getting some food in Cindy"s stomach, and Jill had never been very good at dealing with the emotional stuff, and she thought she"d been doing okay so far, but she didn"t know how to make Cindy feel better, and she didn"t even really know what was wrong, and while Cindy may have been asleep for the majority of the last twelve and a half hours, Jill had been too worried and restless to sleep much more than five, and... Still standing in front of the stove, Jill took a deep breath and forced herself to resist the urge to panic. Cindy appeared to be oblivious to Jill"s near-freak-out, however, and simply stepped up behind the blonde, reaching around her to grab some food. "Now that looks good," Cindy commented happily, before uttering a contented sigh as she immediately took a healthy bite out of the sandwich. The meal that followed was held mostly in silence, other than a bit of stunted small talk. Excluding the previous night, once they"d returned from the crime scene, Jill couldn"t recall a single time since she"d known Cindy that the normally talkative redhead had been so withdrawn and quiet. It was disconcerting, and Jill didn"t quite know how to handle it. She stood to clear the dishes, but Cindy"s soft voice caused her to freeze in place. "I met her in high school," Cindy began, mumbling around her finger as she chewed distractedly on a fingernail. "Her family moved nearby before freshman year, and we were in the same English class. I got to know her when we were assigned to do a project together on A Tale of Two Cities, and we bonded over our love of books." She paused, and Jill finally eased back into her chair. Cindy"s fingers tapped agitatedly on the table, but Jill reached out and silently wrapped the nervous digits in her own hand. Cindy clutched tightly onto Jill"s hand and looked up briefly to meet Jill"s eyes, but then lowered her gaze again as she stared at the tablecloth in apparent fascination. "She was my first girlfriend." The blush that ran up the reporter"s cheeks was the only indication that Cindy was aware of the fact that she had just outed herself. Jill blinked, but willed herself not to outwardly react in any negative way, even as her heart sped up at the revelation. So Cindy dated women. Jill wasn"t sure whether she was really surprised, so much as vaguely hurt that Cindy hadn"t brought it up before. Regardless, it wasn"t the time to get into it, and Jill, fingers still entwined with Cindy"s, simply began to run her thumb soothingly over the back of Cindy"s hand. Cindy glanced up at the movement, relaxing visibly at the sight of Jill"s supportive smile. With a deep breath, Cindy continued, "We were young and naïve, and were so sure that that was it, you know? One and only. I loved her, I really did, but..." She shrugged, but the professed nonchalance seemed forced. "College happened, and we just drifted apart. I didn"t see her for a while, but then the summer after junior year, I happened to randomly run into her. She was just...so different from the girl I"d known." Suddenly, Jill felt Cindy"s hand rip away from her own as the redhead stood up abruptly, pushing herself away from the table and starting to pace in agitation. Jill"s brow creased in concern, her heart aching for her hurting friend. She wanted nothing more than to simply make Cindy feel better, but she didn"t know how. "It sounds stereotypical, but she"d done the whole "running with the wrong crowd" kind of thing, and..." Cindy paused, choking back a sob. "God, she was such a mess. My Lydia was still in there, but she was hidden beneath this new mess of a girl." Cindy wiped roughly at the tears that seemed to suddenly appear on her cheeks. Jill stood up, still unsure what to do, but simply wanting to be closer. She held still, though, when Cindy immediately shook her head and took a few quick steps backwards. "It took me almost the whole summer of badgering her," Cindy continued, her voice shaking a little, "but I eventually got her into a rehab program. Last I knew, she"d been doing better. She"s supposed to be living in Seattle; she"s supposed to be doing well. She"s not supposed to be here, Jill, she"s not supposed to be dead!" Cindy"s voice grew increasingly hysterical, and Jill felt her heart break at the undisguised pain behind the bloodshot, watery brown eyes before her. Jill stepped forward once again and simply reached out towards Cindy, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Cindy tried to retreat again, only for her back to collide with the wall behind her. "No-no-no, don"t hug me," Cindy pled. "Please don"t hug me. If you hug me, then I won"t be able to stop crying." Ignoring her, Jill extended her arms to wrap firmly around the reporter. Cindy struggled against her at first, but Jill refused to let go, and Cindy soon gave in, her own arms grasping desperately onto Jill as she buried her face in the crook of Jill"s neck. Jill could feel hot tears soak into the collar of her shirt, but she simply held Cindy tighter. When her arms began to ache with the effort of largely holding Cindy upright, Jill eased the two of them down onto the floor, sitting with her back against the wall and a bundle of redhead cradled in her lap. She lightly swayed Cindy back and forth, muttering soft words of comfort into the thick mane of red hair beneath her lips. Jill didn"t know how long they sat there, but eventually Cindy seemed to run out of tears. Jill pressed a light kiss to the top of Cindy"s head, only to pull back slightly when she felt the form within her arms stiffen. The next flurry of movement happened so quickly, Jill barely had time to react. Cindy suddenly shifted, pulling her face away from the blonde"s neck and leaning forward to press her lips against Jill"s. Shocked, Jill gasped, and Cindy took advantage by briefly pushing her tongue between Jill"s parted lips. The kiss was hard, wet, desperate, and sloppy. It was possibly the most intense kiss Jill had ever received. As soon as Jill began to kiss back, though, Cindy immediately pulled away and, without once meeting Jill"s eyes, returned to hiding her face in Jill"s shoulder. Jill was left to simply blink in bewilderment, unsure whether the kiss had actually happened or whether she had just imagined the whole thing. The lingering tingle and slight taste of salty tears on her lips left little question, though. If she hadn"t known what to say before, Jill really didn"t know what to say now, so she simply leaned her cheek against the crown of Cindy"s head and closed her eyes as exhaustion suddenly overtook her. Figuring out anything else would just have to wait. TBC Once again, I apologize for taking so long between updates on this. Thanks so much to those of you who are reading and reviewing! :) Part 4 Cindy woke up with a light groan. Disoriented at first, she quickly realized that she was lying on her side, on the floor. She didn"t feel hung-over, though, so wasn"t really sure what she was doing there. She glanced down at her watch and then reached up to rub at her dry eyes, regretting whatever had made her forget to remove her contacts the night before. It was only when she began to stretch out her stiff muscles, though, that she even realized that there was a soft hand splayed across her hip and a warm body lying behind her.

Still, she felt the need to say something about the situation. "Jill, I..." she began haltingly. "I know you must...must wonder what the hell is going on. But I just. I can"t. I can"t talk about it. Not now. Not yet." "Hey, it"s all right," Jill soothed, once again reaching out a hand to Cindy"s cheek, brushing away two stray tears. "I understand. Whenever you"re ready." Again, with her throat feeling uncomfortably tight, Cindy could only blink back the tears and nod with a jerk of her head. She turned towards her own room and took a few steps before turning back. Jill hadn"t moved; was simply watching Cindy carefully. Cindy took a deep, steadying breath before she managed to push out any words. "Her name"s Lydia. Lydia Baker. I don"t know if she had any ID on her, or whatever, so you can tell Lindsay. I don"t know if it"ll help, but..." "I"m sure Linz will appreciate it. We"ll find him, Cindy. Find out who did this." Jill"s earnestness was clear. Cindy knew that, even without understanding any details, Jill was already prepared to give this one everything she had. It meant something to Cindy, and that was enough for it to mean something to Jill. The knowledge of that deep loyalty made Cindy"s heart beat a little faster. Once again feeling like she was about to cry, Cindy attempted a smile (though it probably came out looking more like a grimace) and turned back towards her room. She closed the door behind her and stood leaning against it for a minute, before allowing herself to collapse into bed, hoping desperately for a night without dreams. TBC An actual update?? Shocking, I know. Somehow, I just had a really hard time with this part, and I"ve just generally been really busy lately. Sorry for taking so long! Part 3 Jill listened carefully outside Cindy"s door, trying to tell whether there was any sign of movement from within the room. She jumped, startled, as the loud and sudden ringing of her phone broke into the silence. Hurrying to grab it from the living room, Jill could only hope that the sound hadn"t woken Cindy up. "Shhhh!" she whispered harshly into the phone as she rushed to answer it. There was a long moment of silence, and then Lindsay"s voice, a quiet murmur of confusion, came over the line. "How can you tell me to be quiet when I haven"t said anything yet?" Jill snorted. "Sorry. It"s just that I hadn"t realized my phone was so loud. I should whisper, but you don"t have to," she explained. "Oh. Right. So how is she?" Lindsay asked, getting right to the point. "I don"t know." Jill shrugged helplessly. "She"s been in her room all day, mostly sleeping, I think. I heard her moving around a bit early this afternoon, but it"s been quiet in there for the last six and a half hours." "Has she eaten anything? She should eat something." "Shit, I forgot!" Jill lowered the phone away from her ear as she hurried into the kitchen, arriving just in time to see water boiling over the rim of the pot on the stove. "Dammit!" "Jill? What happened, are you still there??" Jill could just barely hear the faraway sound of Lindsay"s voice. The blonde lifted the phone back up to mutter distractedly, "Potential kitchen catastrophe. Gimme a minute," before she placed it down on the counter and turned back to the stove. She quickly lowered the heat, but almost burned herself when she reached to remove the lid of the pot. Swearing, she reactively dropped the hot lid onto the floor, cringing at the clanging sound it created, echoing around the room. So much for keeping the apartment quiet. "God, this is a fucking disaster," she sighed to herself, shaking out her near-burned hand, and agitatedly running the other one through her hair. She peered warily into the pot, trying to tell whether or not the whole thing was ruined. Remembering Lindsay, she picked the phone back up; it sounded like the inspector was talking to Claire on the other end, but Jill interrupted. "Hey Linz? You"re with Claire, right? Yeah, can I just call back later? I"m working on the food issue. I"ll be in touch about things later, once she gets up." Jill turned back to her attempts at making dinner for Cindy. A light cough behind her caught her attention, though, and she turned around to find Cindy leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, wearing pajamas and a small, amused smile. "Shit, I woke you up, didn"t I? I"m so sorry! I was trying to be quiet, but I obviously failed miserably in that regard." Jill took a moment to simply look at Cindy. The redhead was still paler than usual, but looked a bit more like herself than she had the last time Jill had seen her. "Hey, it"s okay. I was already awake, actually." Jill looked at Cindy skeptically. "Really? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?" "Really," Cindy assured her. "Kind of out of it, as tends to happen when I sleep too much, but awake nonetheless. I just thought that maybe I should come out and investigate the noise. What are you making?" Cindy"s rumbling stomach betrayed her interest in the matter. "Well, if I haven"t killed it, it"s supposed to fettuccini alfredo. I saw this recipe in a magazine the last time I went to the dentist, and the picture looked really good, but I think it was a little more ambitious than my barely-there culinary skills could handle," Jill explained. Cindy shrugged. "Well let"s give it a shot. Is it ready?" At Jill"s nod, Cindy got out some silverware as Jill prepared two heaping plates of pasta. It didn"t look nearly as nice as the picture she"d seen, but Cindy seemed excited about the mere prospect of food. Jill watched anxiously as Cindy took a first bite. The reporter paused for a beat at the first mouthful, before slowly swallowing and nodding her head. "It"s... good," she managed unconvincingly. Raising a disbelieving eyebrow, Jill took a quick bite of her own. The pasta was obviously overcooked, the sauce was too watery, and there was some flavor which Jill couldn"t quite identify, but which definitely seemed like it shouldn"t be there. "Wow. That"s awful," the blonde declared. Cindy giggled, clearly in agreement. "It"s a good thing I like you for more than your culinary skills." "Screw this. I can"t make you eat this," Jill laughed, relieved that Cindy was at least finding some humor in the situation. It felt good to hear her friend laugh. "Think you can handle waiting another fifteen minutes before eating?" she continued. "We can safely say that "chef" was never meant to be my calling in life, but I can make a damn good grilled cheese, if I do say so myself. And clearly, trying to get extra fancy was not a good plan." Cindy smiled. "You know, grilled cheese actually sounds a lot more appealing than fettuccini alfredo right now, anyway." Once the food was made, though, Jill wasn"t quite sure what to do next. Her plan hadn"t extended past getting some food in Cindy"s stomach, and Jill had never been very good at dealing with the emotional stuff, and she thought she"d been doing okay so far, but she didn"t know how to make Cindy feel better, and she didn"t even really know what was wrong, and while Cindy may have been asleep for the majority of the last twelve and a half hours, Jill had been too worried and restless to sleep much more than five, and... Still standing in front of the stove, Jill took a deep breath and forced herself to resist the urge to panic. Cindy appeared to be oblivious to Jill"s near-freak-out, however, and simply stepped up behind the blonde, reaching around her to grab some food. "Now that looks good," Cindy commented happily, before uttering a contented sigh as she immediately took a healthy bite out of the sandwich. The meal that followed was held mostly in silence, other than a bit of stunted small talk. Excluding the previous night, once they"d returned from the crime scene, Jill couldn"t recall a single time since she"d known Cindy that the normally talkative redhead had been so withdrawn and quiet. It was disconcerting, and Jill didn"t quite know how to handle it. She stood to clear the dishes, but Cindy"s soft voice caused her to freeze in place. "I met her in high school," Cindy began, mumbling around her finger as she chewed distractedly on a fingernail. "Her family moved nearby before freshman year, and we were in the same English class. I got to know her when we were assigned to do a project together on A Tale of Two Cities, and we bonded over our love of books." She paused, and Jill finally eased back into her chair. Cindy"s fingers tapped agitatedly on the table, but Jill reached out and silently wrapped the nervous digits in her own hand. Cindy clutched tightly onto Jill"s hand and looked up briefly to meet Jill"s eyes, but then lowered her gaze again as she stared at the tablecloth in apparent fascination. "She was my first girlfriend." The blush that ran up the reporter"s cheeks was the only indication that Cindy was aware of the fact that she had just outed herself. Jill blinked, but willed herself not to outwardly react in any negative way, even as her heart sped up at the revelation. So Cindy dated women. Jill wasn"t sure whether she was really surprised, so much as vaguely hurt that Cindy hadn"t brought it up before. Regardless, it wasn"t the time to get into it, and Jill, fingers still entwined with Cindy"s, simply began to run her thumb soothingly over the back of Cindy"s hand. Cindy glanced up at the movement, relaxing visibly at the sight of Jill"s supportive smile. With a deep breath, Cindy continued, "We were young and naïve, and were so sure that that was it, you know? One and only. I loved her, I really did, but..." She shrugged, but the professed nonchalance seemed forced. "College happened, and we just drifted apart. I didn"t see her for a while, but then the summer after junior year, I happened to randomly run into her. She was just...so different from the girl I"d known." Suddenly, Jill felt Cindy"s hand rip away from her own as the redhead stood up abruptly, pushing herself away from the table and starting to pace in agitation. Jill"s brow creased in concern, her heart aching for her hurting friend. She wanted nothing more than to simply make Cindy feel better, but she didn"t know how. "It sounds stereotypical, but she"d done the whole "running with the wrong crowd" kind of thing, and..." Cindy paused, choking back a sob. "God, she was such a mess. My Lydia was still in there, but she was hidden beneath this new mess of a girl." Cindy wiped roughly at the tears that seemed to suddenly appear on her cheeks. Jill stood up, still unsure what to do, but simply wanting to be closer. She held still, though, when Cindy immediately shook her head and took a few quick steps backwards. "It took me almost the whole summer of badgering her," Cindy continued, her voice shaking a little, "but I eventually got her into a rehab program. Last I knew, she"d been doing better. She"s supposed to be living in Seattle; she"s supposed to be doing well. She"s not supposed to be here, Jill, she"s not supposed to be dead!" Cindy"s voice grew increasingly hysterical, and Jill felt her heart break at the undisguised pain behind the bloodshot, watery brown eyes before her. Jill stepped forward once again and simply reached out towards Cindy, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Cindy tried to retreat again, only for her back to collide with the wall behind her. "No-no-no, don"t hug me," Cindy pled. "Please don"t hug me. If you hug me, then I won"t be able to stop crying." Ignoring her, Jill extended her arms to wrap firmly around the reporter. Cindy struggled against her at first, but Jill refused to let go, and Cindy soon gave in, her own arms grasping desperately onto Jill as she buried her face in the crook of Jill"s neck. Jill could feel hot tears soak into the collar of her shirt, but she simply held Cindy tighter. When her arms began to ache with the effort of largely holding Cindy upright, Jill eased the two of them down onto the floor, sitting with her back against the wall and a bundle of redhead cradled in her lap. She lightly swayed Cindy back and forth, muttering soft words of comfort into the thick mane of red hair beneath her lips. Jill didn"t know how long they sat there, but eventually Cindy seemed to run out of tears. Jill pressed a light kiss to the top of Cindy"s head, only to pull back slightly when she felt the form within her arms stiffen. The next flurry of movement happened so quickly, Jill barely had time to react. Cindy suddenly shifted, pulling her face away from the blonde"s neck and leaning forward to press her lips against Jill"s. Shocked, Jill gasped, and Cindy took advantage by briefly pushing her tongue between Jill"s parted lips. The kiss was hard, wet, desperate, and sloppy. It was possibly the most intense kiss Jill had ever received. As soon as Jill began to kiss back, though, Cindy immediately pulled away and, without once meeting Jill"s eyes, returned to hiding her face in Jill"s shoulder. Jill was left to simply blink in bewilderment, unsure whether the kiss had actually happened or whether she had just imagined the whole thing. The lingering tingle and slight taste of salty tears on her lips left little question, though. If she hadn"t known what to say before, Jill really didn"t know what to say now, so she simply leaned her cheek against the crown of Cindy"s head and closed her eyes as exhaustion suddenly overtook her. Figuring out anything else would just have to wait. TBC Once again, I apologize for taking so long between updates on this. Thanks so much to those of you who are reading and reviewing! :) Part 4 Cindy woke up with a light groan. Disoriented at first, she quickly realized that she was lying on her side, on the floor. She didn"t feel hung-over, though, so wasn"t really sure what she was doing there. She glanced down at her watch and then reached up to rub at her dry eyes, regretting whatever had made her forget to remove her contacts the night before. It was only when she began to stretch out her stiff muscles, though, that she even realized that there was a soft hand splayed across her hip and a warm body lying behind her. Looking over her shoulder, Cindy narrowed her eyes in confusion. Jill? Suddenly, she remembered, and she felt her heart thump rapidly in response. Oh. Jill. Cindy had kissed Jill. Crap. Inching carefully out from under Jill"s touch, Cindy made her way quietly into the kitchen before turning back to watch her sleeping friend. This hadn"t been how she"d imagined her first kiss with Jill might be. Because she had imagined it, no matter how much she told herself that she shouldn"t; that it would never happen. But she"d thought about whether it might be sweet and gentle, only to decide that with someone like Jill, there was probably a greater chance of it ending up along the lines of light and meaningless. Maybe teasing. Maybe drunken. Maybe -- just maybe -- heartfelt on both ends (her own end, she could count on; Jill"s, not so much). It would definitely be sexy, though. In Cindy"s imagination, at least, kissing Jill could never be anything but toe-curling sexy. In Cindy"s imagination, it had never occurred to her that their first kiss would be forced, sloppy, rushed, and wet with tears. It didn"t exactly go along with her plan of wooing the blonde with such an amazing first kiss that Jill would immediately decide that they should start dating. Sighing, Cindy quietly slipped back by Jill and into the living room, grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch. She settled the blanket over Jill"s body and barely resisted the urge to brush the blonde bangs out of Jill"s eyes before turning to go make coffee and get some breakfast. She still had some time before she"d need to wake Jill for work. She was about to pour some milk in her cereal when Jill"s phone, lying abandoned on the kitchen counter, began to ring. A glance down at the screen revealed the caller to be Claire, and after a bit of hesitation, Cindy reached to answer the phone. "Good morning, this is Jill Bernhardt"s phone," she announced. There was a brief pause, and then Claire"s voice came over the line, asking, "Cindy?" "Yeah. Hi, Claire. I"m awake, and Jill isn"t, and the phone was right there, so I just sort of decided to answer it, but maybe I shouldn"t have, and I could have just let your call go to voicemail or something, but it"s too late to change anything about that now anyway, so-" "Cindy, it"s fine that you answered Jill"s phone," Claire interrupted Cindy"s rambling, a hint of a smile audible in her voice. "So how are you feeling, sweetheart?" she continued softly. Cindy sighed. "I"m okay. Well, not "okay" exactly, but better than before, at least. Jill... Jill helped me get some of the big emotions out, so now I can actually focus again." The sound of light footsteps alerted her that the blonde in question was awake, and sure enough, Cindy turned around to find Jill blinking sleepily at her, the blanket still wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Cindy smiled hesitantly and willed herself not to blush. Turning her attention back to the phone, she muttered, "Hey, Claire? Jill"s up, so I"m going to pass the phone off to her. Since it is, you know, her phone, after all. I"ll let her tell you about Lydia." With that, she thrust the phone towards Jill, who, obviously not fully awake yet, simply stared at it for a moment before taking it into her hand. "I don"t know if I can talk through everything all over again," Cindy explained, her voice causing Jill"s sleepy gaze to shift upwards from the phone. "Will you do it for me?" Cindy swallowed, unable to look away as clear blue eyes met hers. Jill"s short blonde hair, rumpled with sleep, stuck out in a few different directions, and Cindy felt her breath hitch at the ridiculously adorable image of the attorney. After a seemingly endless moment, Jill rubbed her eyes, apparently trying to wipe the sleep away, before releasing a yawn as she nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, sure thing," she replied. "Great." Her cereal momentarily forgotten, Cindy turned to walk out of the room, not really wanting to be in such close proximity as Jill recounted what she knew about Lydia. She paused, though, when a sudden thought struck her. Would Jill mention the whole ex-girlfriend thing? Cindy definitely planned to come out to her other friends sooner rather than later at this point, but she wasn"t sure that she was ready for it to happen right this moment, or for it to come from Jill"s mouth instead of her own. She stood frozen in the doorway, listening to Jill"s end of the conversation. "Yeah, I"m sorry I didn"t call back yesterday. I got caught up with things here," Jill was saying. "Well at this point, you"ve talked to her more than I have this morning, so I don"t really know. I think you"re right, though. ... I hope so. ... Yeah. ... Okay, so Lydia Baker. She"s an old friend of Cindy"s from high school. Got involved in some serious drugs during college. As far as Cindy knew, she"d gotten clean, though. Had gone through rehab and had been living in Seattle." Cindy exhaled. Jill had said the perfect amount, relating the important details without letting slip that certain piece of information which Cindy was happy to keep secret for the time being. She turned back around to see Jill glance down at her watch before looking up again to lock eyes on Cindy as she continued, "In an hour? Sure, I can do that. ... Okay, I will. ... Yeah, see you then. Bye." Silence filled the room once Jill hung up the phone, before they both started speaking at once. "About last night..." "How are you..." Laughing, Jill indicated for Cindy to go first. With a deep breath, Cindy tried again. "I just...wanted to thank you. For putting up with me last night." "Hey, it"s no problem. Really. I"m just glad I could be there for you," the blonde answered as she took a step forward and reached out to gently brush a hand up and down Cindy"s arm. Suddenly more nervous than before, Cindy rubbed at the back of her neck, trying not to fidget any more than that. "And about, um... Well, about how it ended..." Cindy trailed off, unsure how to finish her sentence. Jill waved off Cindy"s concern. "Don"t worry about it. It was an emotional night for you; you needed some comfort, and I happened to be there. I totally understand." Cindy nodded. Right. That was a good explanation. It made sense. She"d go with that one. Because that was definitely a better explanation than "Oh my God, I have a major crush on you, but I"ve been too afraid to make a move, because making a move would obviously be a completely moronic thing to do, but I was sad and vulnerable, and you were perfect, and I just couldn"t stop myself.' Yep, Jill"s explanation was absolutely a better one than that. "Besides," the attorney continued with a smirk, "it"s not every day that I have gorgeous women suddenly kissing the hell out of me, so I really can"t complain." Jill winked, apparently only gaining amusement as Cindy"s face instantly flushed with embarrassment. The redhead felt her heart skip a beat (Jill thinks I"m gorgeous? She"s probably just being nice to make me feel better.), but decided that it was about time to change the subject. "Yeah. I"m really sorry about that. But anyway, what"s in an hour?" At Jill"s initially confused expression, Cindy prompted, "With Claire?"

"Sam, what..." Brooke asked, with nothing but concern in her tone. "What happened? What did I do?" "Just leave, okay? Leave me alone. Just leave me alone." Brooke"s once-comforting presence was now nothing but claustrophobic, and the panic in Sam"s voice was obvious. Sam sat still, her heart beating alarmingly quickly, until she felt Brooke"s lips just barely brush across her hair, leaving a soft kiss. "I"m so sorry, Sam," Brooke whispered. "You know where to find me if you want to talk." Sam waited until she heard the door to her room close behind Brooke before allowing herself to cry once again. Thanks muchly to those of you who"ve reviewed so far! Feedback really means a lot :) Fandom: Popular Pairing: Sam/Brooke Prompt: 021 Friends; written for the fanfic100 challenge Word count: 1,019 Summary: Sam and Brooke make a discovery about their relationship... No, not the "I"m gay for you" discovery. We still have 95 fics to go! You didn"t think it would be that easy, did you? ;) A/N: Yep, still sophomore year in high school. A/N2: Thanks so much to theagonyofblank and wolfemeister for the beta reads! And thanks to Wolfe for the title. Brooke (unsuccessfully) tried not to roll her eyes when she heard her name paired with Sam"s. Of course, Glass teased them with the thought that the groups for the latest biology project would be completely random, but then proceeded to do nothing more than put them with their lab partners. Fantastic. Brooke had to admit that they had been getting along a lot better, recently, but that didn"t mean that she really wanted to spend any more time with Sam than she had to. At the end of class, Sam turned to Brooke. "Okay, I propose we just get this over with as quickly as possible. Agreed?" "Agreed." "Great. I have a Zapruder meeting after school, and you probably have Glamazons, so how about we just meet at the public library afterwards, and then we can get a start on research and stuff." "Sure Sam. Whatever you say." This time, Brooke did manage to not roll her eyes, but just barely. She had found that when it came to things like this, it was best to just let Sam feel like she was in charge. There tended to be less potential for bloodshed, that way. Later that afternoon, Brooke and Sam sat in the library, surrounded by several stacks of books. "Sam, this sucks," Brooke whispered. "It feels like we"ve been sitting here for ages, now, and I think my butt is going numb." Sam looked up from her notes at Brooke"s comment, with one of her trademark smirks crossing her face. "Would Her Highness prefer that I found a perfectly fluffed pillow to ease her royal behind?" Brooke just scowled. "No, Her Highness would prefer a change of scenery. And before you offer some snarky comment, yes, I am well aware of the fact that I just referred to myself in the third person. Deal with it." Sam"s grin only widened, and though she came really close to teasing Brooke further, if only out of habit, she decided to let it go. "You know, a change of scenery actually sounds good. We shouldn"t go home, though. Letting your dad and my mom see us working together would only send the wrong kind of message, since we still need to convince them that the whole family merger thing is really a bad idea." "Yeah, good thinking. Well, there"s a nice coffee shop that I like near here," Brooke suggested. "Lead the way, Princess." For the next week, Brooke and Sam spent at least a few hours every afternoon working in the same coffee shop. They ended up just drinking coffee and talking a lot more than actually working on the assignment, but it seemed to make them more productive when they did finally bring out their books and notes. At least, that"s what they told themselves. On Saturday, they took a day off from the project, but Sam decided to return to the café anyway. She really liked the atmosphere of the place, and thought it might be a good spot for her to finish up her latest article, a piece on the new Spanish teacher. Walking up to the counter, Sam recognized the server as the same guy who had been there whenever she came with Brooke. Sam smiled, but before she got a chance to order, the guy spoke, "Oh hey, you"re here! Would you hold on a sec? Your friend left her jacket here." Sam frowned in confusion. As far as she knew, none of her friends ever came there. "Wait, whose jacket is it?" "I dunno her name," he shrugged. "The one you"re in here with every day." Sam laughed. "Who, Brooke? Oh, she"s not..." Sam"s sentence trailed off, her brows knitting together. She and Brooke weren"t friends, were they? The server was still staring at Sam expectantly. Sam broke off her thought process and continued, "Well, whatever. Thanks, I"ll make sure she gets it back." After trying unsuccessfully to make any progress on her article, Sam gave up and decided to go home, acknowledging that her mind was elsewhere. Brooke returned from the mall that afternoon, and after dropping off her bags in her room, went to the kitchen for a snack. Sam was already in there, but it didn"t look like she was actually doing anything. Brooke grabbed an apple and then sat opposite Sam at the table. "Hey Sammy, what"s up?" Sam didn"t say anything, just stared speculatively at Brooke. Shifting uncomfortably under Sam"s focused gaze, Brooke tried again. "Okay, why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something caught in my teeth or something?" Sam"s line of sight shifted slightly, as she replied, "Actually, yeah, you have a tiny piece of something at the corner of your mouth, but that wasn"t why I was looking at you." Sam leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, tilting one head to the side to continue staring at Brooke. Brooke quickly wiped at her mouth, waiting for Sam to explain why she was being so odd. When no explanation followed, Brooke spoke again. "Okay, then. Why are you looking at me? You"re starting to freak me out." Sam finally seemed to snap out of it, blinking a few times, and learning forward to rest her elbows on the table. "Are we friends? "Cause it kind of seems like we might be." There was an element of surprise in Sam"s voice, like she could hardly believe it herself. Brooke laughed. "What? We"re not..." She paused, thinking about it. "Are we?" Sam merely raised an eyebrow, offering a sheepish half-smile. "Wow, we are friends," Brooke continued. "That"s weird." "I know. Very weird. No offense." Finally, the strangeness of the whole conversation caught up with Brooke and she couldn"t help but giggle. One small giggle turned into many more, though, until Sam was laughing too, and neither one was exactly sure what was so funny, but it didn"t really matter. When the laughter died down, Brooke simply smiled at Sam. "So, We"re friends. That"s interesting." She smirked playfully. "Just don"t tell the rest of our friends. I think they"d die from shock." A/N: It"s sophomore year in high school. A/N2: Thanks so much to wolfemeister and theagonyofblank for the beta reads! Sometimes, Brooke wondered why she was still friends with Nicole. On certain days, for some reason or another, Sam"s not-so-affectionate nickname of "Satan" rang especially true, and Brooke would find herself wishing that she had the strength to end their twisted friendship once and for all. It was one of those days. Brooke was supposed to be spending the night at Nicole"s place, but ever since she found out that Nicole had slept with Josh, Brooke had been less and less willing to put up with Nicole"s shit. So, having bailed on the planned shopping trip with Nicole and Mary Cherry, Brooke decided to just go home and relax instead. Mike and Jane were out of town, and Brooke didn"t know what Sam was up to, but maybe they could just hang out and watch a movie or something. Upon entering the house, Brooke was somewhat startled to hear the sound of blaring music coming from upstairs. Curious, she made her way towards the source of the music, ending up right outside Sam"s room. She hadn"t been able to tell what the song was right away, but as soon as she reached the top of the stairs, there was no mistaking the distinctive melody of Nirvana"s "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Brooke smiled as, above Kurt Cobain"s guttural voice, she could hear Sam"s more feminine tone, singing along. The music was loud enough that Brooke was pretty sure Sam wouldn"t be able to hear her knock on the door, but she did so anyway, in case Sam accused her of barging in uninvited. When, as expected, her knocks went unanswered, Brooke slowly pushed the door open and took a step inside the room. What she hadn"t expected, though, was the way that the sight on the other side of the door literally caused Brooke"s breath to hitch. Sam was dancing around her room, strumming along on air guitar and belting out the lyrics, with her long, flowing hair spreading out around her head. Brooke honestly hadn"t really thought about it before, but in that moment, it hit her. Sam was beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. Brooke was grateful that Sam"s eyes were closed, as it gave her the opportunity to simply watch the brunette. It was the first time that Brooke got a chance to see Sam without all those walls that Sam had worked so hard to build. Now, the adjectives that used to come to mind when Brooke thought about Sam -- stubborn, self-righteous, annoying -- were replaced with new ones -- passionate, strong, free-spirited. It wasn"t so much the song itself, but more the way that Sam carried herself. Brooke smiled to herself, and then quietly backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Brooke peered surreptitiously around the corner, watching Sam open her locker. She could tell that Sam noticed the object right away, the curious confusion easily visible on Sam"s face, even from a distance. Brooke watched Sam open the envelope, her puzzled frown deepening as her eyes scanned the note. When she opened the accompanying box, Sam simultaneously blushed and smiled widely. Brooke grinned shyly as Sam looked up and around the hallway, her eyes searching until they landed on her. Sam picked up her backpack and made her way over to Brooke. Still blushing, Sam asked, "Nirvana, Brooke? You like Nirvana?" Smirking, Brooke replied, "Well I hate to break it to you, Sammy, but sure, I like some of their stuff. Nirvana isn"t only for the dark, angsty, young rebels of the world." "Anyway, I take it you actually got home earlier than I thought, yesterday? I totally assumed I had the house to myself." Brooke laughed lightly. "Yeah, I couldn"t bring myself to interrupt your wonderful performance, though." "Well, I don"t know if it should count as a performance, since there wasn"t supposed to be an audience." Sam mock glared at the smiling blonde, but Brooke could tell that Sam wasn"t really upset. "And you really shouldn"t have gone through the trouble, but thanks for this," Sam continued, holding up the Nirvana CD. "My pleasure," Brooke assured Sam. "The song seemed to be skipping a lot, so I thought you could use an upgrade." "Yeah, too much time jumping around my room like a wanna-be rock star, I guess. I"ve been listening to the same, old CD for years now, but somehow I was always too lazy to just get a new one, even though my copy is all scratched up. I know, I know... "Way to be cheap, Sam,' right?" Sam rolled her eyes self-deprecatingly. "Hey, you said it, not me." Brooke held up her hands innocently. Sam smiled and continued, "But don"t expect a repeat performance anytime soon, or anything. I don"t know if I"ll be able to listen to that song for a while, without being completely embarrassed, now." "Oh, don"t be, Sam," Brooke hurried to say. "You really have a beautiful voice. You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about, I promise." Brooke found herself hoping that Sam would play the song again soon. She had listened to it a few times in the music store, and found that, with the music flowing in her ears, all she had to do was close her eyes, and she could once again visualize Sam, dancing freely in her room. The bell suddenly rang, and the girls shared a last smile and separated to go to class. Brooke turned around again, though, when Sam called out, "Oh, and Brooke?" At Brooke"s expectant look, Sam continued, "That"s my favorite part too." Dear Sam, Well, you"re constantly teasing me about the Glamazon choreography, but now I know that you"ve got some moves of your own! Watch out, though...I like the song, too, so maybe the difference between "Teen Spirit" and "school spirit," isn"t quite as big as I"m sure you"d like to believe. Anyway, just thought you might appreciate a newer copy. Enjoy, Brooke p.s. I"m not sure what the hell it means, but this is my favorite part. What"s yours? "And I forget just why I tasteOh yeah, I guess it makes me smileI found it hard, it"s hard to findOh well, whatever, never mind" A/N: It is junior year in high school. Brooke has just decided not to move to San Francisco with her mom. If you"re not familiar with canon, this fic might not make much sense. A/N2: Thanks to theagonyofblank and wolfemeister for the beta reads! I look across the table, smiling. My family was so close to falling apart, again, but Brooke is here, still here. I don"t know what Sam did to convince Brooke to stay, but it doesn"t matter. My girl came home, and that"s all I care about. There"s still this nagging feeling at the back of my mind, though, that our table is incomplete. After Kelly left the first time, we only kept two chairs out. When Jane and Sam moved in, I got two more. Those two extra chairs are still here. Empty. I haven"t wanted to put them away. I can"t believe I almost left this behind. I came so close to falling into this vicious cycle. My mother left her family, and then I grow up to leave mine. But Kelly isn"t really a part of my family anymore. My family is in Santa Monica. Not just Daddy, but Jane and Sam too. For once, I"m glad that Sam was so stubborn. I"m still kind of surprised that she worked so hard to make sure I stayed. I know she mostly did it for Jane, but the thought that she must actually care about me makes me smile. We try a new restaurant tonight, and though the food isn"t very good, Sam is happier than I"ve seen her in a while. When she explains that Brooke has decided to stay, I feel a surge of happiness. Not just for Mike, but for all of us. I am proud of Sam. Sure, she definitely had quite a hand in this mess, but she"s done everything she could to right her wrongs. Sam deserves a real family, with not just a mother, but also a father and a sister. I miss Mike and Brooke too, but it"s never that simple. It"s such a relief that, for once, I managed to not screw everything up. Or at least, not make things worse. With Brooke sticking around, there"s still hope that Mom and Mike will get back together. Mom deserves to be happy, and for that matter, so does Mike. Mike won"t ever replace my dad, but I do care about him, and Brooke too. As dysfunctional as we may be, we"re all a family now, and Brooke"s become a better friend than I ever thought possible. I"m still kind of shocked to admit it, but I don"t want to lose her. A/N: It"s junior year in high school. A/N2: Thanks, as always, to my two awesome betas, wolfemeister and theagonyofblank! FEBRUARY 2 "What do you mean, you"re not going to be here? Why not?" Sam had finally gotten up the nerve to talk to George about potential Valentine"s Day plans, but now he was telling her that he wasn"t even going to be in California? So not fair. "I"m really sorry, Sam," George replied. "I know it"s bad timing, but I have meetings with the football coaches at both University of Texas and Texas A&M. One meeting"s on the twelfth and the other one"s on the sixteenth, so it would be pretty crazy for me to come back here in between the two." It made sense. Sam knew that it made sense, but that didn"t make it any less frustrating. "And were you ever planning on telling me all this? That first meeting is only ten days from now, George." George shrugged sheepishly. "It just slipped my mind, I guess. But I promise to make it up to you when I get back! You will be the most pampered girlfriend at Kennedy!" Sam sighed. She didn"t want to be pampered. She just wanted to spend the most romantic day of the year with her boyfriend, but apparently, that was too much to ask. FEBRUARY 13 "This sucks. I finally have a semi-serious boyfriend on Valentine"s Day for the first time ever, and where is he? In Texas! I hate Texas." Sam and Brooke were supposed to be working on homework, but Sam thought that venting about George sounded like a lot more fun. "Yeah, it"s really weird being single on Valentine"s. I"m not even sure when the last time was that I didn"t have a date for tomorrow." Sam turned to look at Brooke and laughed. "God, you don"t even realize how conceited that sounds, do you?" "What?" Brooke asked, a combination of innocence and indignation. "It"s true! I don"t see how that makes me conceited." "Never mind." Sam smiled. A year ago, Sam would have used this conversation as more evidence against Brooke"s character. Now, she could only find Brooke"s obliviousness to the trials and tribulations of the single life oddly endearing. "You know what?" Brooke"s question broke into Sam"s thoughts. "We should go out for dinner tomorrow!" Sam eyed Brooke in confusion. ""We" as in you and me? Or the whole family? Or...?" "You and me! Dad and Jane already have plans, and so do all of our friends -- Lily and Josh; Mary Cherry somehow conned Harrison into a date; there"s no way that Nicole"s going to be alone; and Carmen is still working on patching things up with her mom." "So since I"m the last option available, you might as well hang out with me?" Sam teased. "No, of course not. You know I like hanging out with you, Sam. And instead of staying home and feeling sorry for ourselves, we should go out! Come on, what do you say?" Sam shrugged. "Sure, I guess." "Oh, that won"t do." Brooke stared at Sam seriously. "I will not have an apathetic date, even if it"s you. Where"s the enthusiasm? If we"re going to have fun, there will be no "Sure, I guess.' Now let"s try again: Will you be my Valentine, Sam?" Chuckling, Sam replied, "It would be an honor, Brooke." FEBRUARY 14 "Tell me again how you managed to get a reservation here at the last minute?" Sam asked, as she and Brooke were seated at one of the nicest restaurants in town. Brooke shrugged. "The guy who takes reservations used to have a huge crush on me in middle school. He squeezed us in, somehow." Sam smirked. "You and those magical feminine wiles of yours. Seriously, sometime you"ve got to teach me how to make everyone do what you want." The evening was proving to be surprisingly comfortable for them both, with everything going smoothly until it was time for dessert. Brooke, entertaining Sam with the stories of all her bad Valentine"s Day dates over the years, was in the middle of telling about the year when Josh took her to a hockey game when the waiter showed up. "Ladies, might I interest you in some coffee or dessert this evening? Our dessert special was prepared for all you couples, tonight-" He paused, looking concerned as Sam practically choked on the water she was in the process of drinking. Her eyes widened as she took in the romantic atmosphere, the way that her hand and Brooke"s were sitting quite close together on the table, the way they"d been talking, and laughing, and smiling all night... Brooke merely laughed as Sam blurted out, "We"re not a couple! We"re just, you know, friends. I have a boyfriend. And he"s great, but just...not here, and-" "I think we"re going to pass on dessert, tonight," Brooke interrupted, still smiling in amusement. "We do have a movie to catch. Thanks, though." "You all right, there, Sammy?" Brooke asked, once the waiter had left again. Sam coughed once more before replying, "Yeah. Yeah, I"m great." She paused. "Why does it not seem to bother you in the slightest that he thought we were dating? I mean, we"re supposed to be sisters!" Not that Sam actually thought of Brooke as a sister, but still, it was weird. Brooke shrugged. "I dunno. It"s just not that surprising, I guess, given the circumstances. It"s Valentine"s Day, it"s just the two of us, and we"re not that far from West Hollywood, after all. So it"s actually pretty logical that this would look like a date." "Right." It did make sense. And yet, somehow it had never even occurred to Sam that they"d be perceived as anything but friends. The waiter returned with their bill, apologizing for the misunderstanding. Sam bit back the urge to tell him that George was in Texas but would be back soon. "Come on, girlfriend. Time for part two of our not-a-date," Brooke teased, taking Sam"s hand and pulling them out to the car. Oh, right. Sam kept forgetting about the movie -- the romantic comedy -- they were going to see. Sam got in the car, resolving to ignore the weird feeling, almost like nervous butterflies, she"d had since the waiter"s false impression of her relationship with Brooke. Well, Sam supposed that at least this could serve as an interesting story to add to Brooke"s list of Valentine"s Day adventures.

"Ashely..." "I know he manipulated me. He only felt lust, not love. Well, there was no love to feel." "Was there lust? Or passion?" "He let me open up. There were so many feelings in me at that moment... And yeah, there was passion and lust. But it doesn"t mean anything." "I promise, we will talk. I promise..." "But you will still tell Chris and Jess, won"t you?" "I"m sorry Ash, but that"s what"s got to happen. You would want to know if you were him." I was about to hung up, when she talked again. "I decided to tell them my self." "You did?!" I asked really surprised. "Yes. It is eating me alive, Sam. I need to face it." "I am so proud of you." "I would just ask you to be there with me." "Of course I will." "Thanks." "Don"t mention it." "Sam...?" She said with a hesitant voice. "Yes?" "Never mind." "Are you sure? You can tell me everything." I reassured her. She hesitated a bit, debating whether to tell me or not. "I"m sure." "Okay..." There was an awkward silence gap for a while. "Well, I guess... See ya?" Said Ashley breaking the silence. "Definitely." I said and hung the phone up. ... I was searching through my movie collection, trying to decide what was best for our first movie night as an "official" couple. I hadn"t picked more than five dvd cases when the phone rang. "Yes?" "Hey, it"s me." "I know..." "I wanted to know if you"d be bring Josh..." "Bringing him where?" "Didn"t Ashley call you? She invited all of us to dinner at her place." "Oh, yeah... I totally forgot." I quickly lied. "So..." "I don"t know Jess, probably yeah... Why, shouldn"t I?" "Well, depends. How "official" are you?" "What do you mean?" "God, Sam." She said with frustration. "Did you do it?" She asked. "Jess!" I said blushing. "Oh my god! You so did!" She said squeaking in excitement. "Shut up." "I"m coming over and you will tell me all about it." "You can"t. Josh is coming over. We are having a movie night." "Yeah sure..." "Stop it." I heard her giggle through the phone. "Goodbye." I said as coldly as possible. "Bye." She said and made a kiss noise. ..... "... and she will tell it in this dinner, tomorrow." I said, finishing the story. "And you want to go?" "Yeah. I want to be there to support her." "Wait, you feel bad for her?" "Kind of... She really regretted it, Josh..." "Still, it is pretty big." "We all make stupid mistakes that some times hurt people we love." "Sam, there are a million ways, that are out of my control, for me to hurt you. And for your own stupid reasons you keep denying that. But, I swear to god that I would never cheat on you." "Me too..." We remained silent for a period of time. "Look at us..." I whispered. "What do you mean?" "We are a couple. And we are snuggling and watching a movie on a rainy night." "Yeah... But, I don"t think it is special enough. I mean, we did this before we were a couple." "What do you suggest?" A mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Well, I may have an idea or two..." He pulled me into a kiss, which turned into a making out session. "Wait." I said stopping him. His face turned serious. "What"s wrong?" "What about the movie?" I said trying to play innocent. "You are right; it"s distracting." I gave him a puzzled look. Then, suddenly, he took me into his arms and carried me to my bedroom. "Much better." He said while placing me on the bed. A/N: I decided that I could not have choices after every chapter, because it really hard to think of that many concepts. However, every suggestion is welcome and highly appreciated, so feel free to write what yo want to happen. (It won"t be done for sure, but will be taken into consideration and in no way ignored.) -Love ya. A/N: Next chapter. Thanks for all the feedback. As always, stay tuned and don"t forget to leave a review, follow and favorite. Also, spreading the word about it would really help. And everyone of you who is good at drawing, you don"t know how amazing it would be if you made a Sam x Josh fan art that I could totally use for cover. And last but not least, we need a ship name about those two. "The one and only." "You are alive." I stated still shocked. "Yep." He said while I fought the urge to hug him. "H-How?" I said bitting my lip. "Can I come in?" He said, while I was staring at his emerald green eyes; the exact same tone as mine. "Sure..." I murmured and stepped aside to let him enter the house. He walked in and sat on the couch I was sitting on before he came. The Tv was still open. "Cute PJs." He said and I unconsciously looked down. I was wearing my favorite pair of pajamas. There were pink with black strips and were really comfy, but mostly important, Hannah had given them for my birthday, three years ago. "Thanks." I said while sitting on the same couch, keeping some distance form him. "So, I have some explaining to do, huh?" He said and I nodded. God, he looked so normal. It was almost like it was before Beth and Hannah disappeared. I had missed that Josh. That Josh that made me smile, that Josh that was there for me that Josh that I- "Well, after Mike left me in the small cabin, a wendigo grabbed me and started carrying me towards the mines." Started Josh interrupting my thoughts. "It injured me pretty badly, but didn"t kill me. Then, out of a sudden, it leaves me and starts chasing somebody." He continues. "Chris and the... flamethrower guy..." I said, feeling bad for not knowing the name of the man who sacrificed his life for us. "Chris?" Said Josh clearly surprised. "Yeah... When he learned about the wendigos he said he couldn"t let you die." That made Josh flash one of those rare smiles. "Anyway... I crawled back to the cabin and locked my self up. Then I waited and waiting until people came and found me. They informed my family, about everything, and my parents begged that nobody knew about my survival. After that, I visited a psychologist that helped me solve my problems. I am now taking a few meds, but my doc is positive that in few months I won"t need them." Said Josh after a while. "Wow..." I whispered. "Yeah, I know." We stared at each other for a while, until he spoke again. "So, the reason I came here, is to ask you a favor." "A favor?" I asked, really surprised. "Yeah... Well, I wanted to ask you to gather the others so I could apologize properly to all of you guys. And then I promise I will get away from you." He said. "I can do that." "Really? Thanks Sam..." "Josh...?" I said after a while. "Yes?" "Why did you came to me?" He smiled bitterly and then approached me. "Because Sam, I thought you deserved the biggest apology. You didn"t deserve any of these." "I could have stopped the prank Josh." I said tears dropping off my eyes. "At least you didn"t took place in it Sam." "Chris didn"t take place in it. Who do I deserve the biggest apology." I asked. "Because you were always special Samantha." He said and his hand slowly swiped the tears of my face. His actions gave me shivers, but not because I was afraid of him. "Ok. Call me if you arrange the meeting, ok?" He said and abruptly got up. "Ok..." I said my voice trembling again. For a reason I couldn"t explain, I didn"t want to let him go. I had just found him again, I couldn"t let him slip away. I knew I shouldn"t be feeling that way for the man that had played such a sick prank on us, almost causing us to die, but I couldn"t help my self. "Josh." I said causing to stop as he was exiting my apartment. He turned and looked at me. "I am really glad that you are alive." I blurted in a moment of bluntness. He just smiled. "Goodnight Sam. Sleep well." He said before closing the door behind him. As I started at the door, something told me that for the first time, I would actually sleep well. A/N: Hi guys... It"s been a while. And I don"t want you to think that I am not taking this seriously. I just couldn"t think of what to write. I kept writing and erasing, as I didn"t like any outcome. So, I had some thinking on the story and I believe I know have a better idea on how I want to develop this story. I worked a lot on this chapter and really hope you like it. Also, I"d like to wish merry christmas to everyone of you and hope you understand the reason why I didn"t post for such a long time. I can reassure you I have a few ideas written down and more free time, as we have holiday vacation. This means, I will start uploading one per week like I did before. One last thing; I really wanted to do something special for christmas, but since I have no time, I was thinking of doing a new year"s eve one. I"d love to know your thoughts on that idea. Anyways, I am letting you enjoy the story. "Good morning sunshine." "Good morning..." "How long have you"ve been waiting for me to wake up?" I asked, while slowly changing into a sitting position. "Around half an hour; I like watching you sleep." He answered while changing his position as well. "You say my name a lot." He added and placed a small kiss on my forehead. "I do?" He nodded and got up. "What are you doing?" He gave me a puzzled look. I smiled and then crawled to the edge of the bed, so I could reach him. "Come here." I said while pulling him from his arm. He crawled on the bed an on top of me. Then he gave me a lingering kiss. "I love you." I whispered. "I love you too." .... It took us a while to get out of bed and as a result it was no longer time for breakfast. I was heading for the door when Josh stopped me. "You know how much I want you to stay for dinner, but since we are going on a date in the evening, I know I can"t keep you. I have to share you with Jessica." "Mmmm..." I said with a wide smile. "And I hate it." He whispered in my ear and gave me a quick kiss on my lips. "See you later." I said exiting the door. .... When I arrived at the little bistro in the centre of the city, Jess was there waiting for me. "Sorry I"m late." I quickly apologized while sitting on the table. "It"s fine; as long you tell me that Josh was the one keeping you busy." My grin was enough for her. "Tell me everything." I opened my mouth, but the waiter that came to take our order interrupted me. After the waiter left with our order, which was two Caesar salads and a bottle of white wine, I started talking. "I am so happy for you." Said Jess after I finished talking. I just flashed her a wide smile. "You remind me of Mike and myself." Her words made my face darken. "Wh-what do you mean?" "That your relationship is as perfect as ours." I looked away trying to hide that I was shaking. "What wrong?" She asked. "Nothing." "You are shaking." "Yeah..." "So... What"s wrong?" "It"s just... I am afraid that our happiness won"t last for that long." This was not a complete lie. My shaking wasn"t due to that, but that didn"t mean that I didn"t fear it. "Don"t be pessimistic." I simply shrugged. ..... "I haven"t been to one of them since I was a kid." I said while Josh helped me out of the car. "Really?" "Yeah... Is it that weird?" "No. Not at all." "Am I sensing irony." "Pfff... How did that come into your mind?" "Stop making fun of me." "Two tickets please." Said Josh turning to the cashier. "I promise to you that I will show you how fun it is as an adult." He said after we got past the entrance. I looked around me at the vast open space filled with attractions and children laughing. "Where do you want to go first?" Josh asked me. "I don"t know... Any suggestions?" "Let"s visit my favorite." He said grabbing my hand. "Which is?" I asked while we zig zagged through the crowd. "The roller coaster." He said and we came to a halt. In front of us was a huge construction. I saw a wagon filled with people descending really fast while screaming. "Josh... I don"t know..." "What"s wrong?" "Josh, these people are screaming." "Because they are having fun, Sam." He said while laughing. "I"m not sure." "You will be perfectly safe; with me." He said taking my hand in his. "Fine. Let"s go." This was one of the stupidest choice I"ve made in life. I was screaming all ride long, and not because I was having fun. And when the torturous ride finally came to an end, I was about to puke. "Are you sure you are fine?" Josh asked as we strolled in the park. "Yes; as long as we don"t go in it again." "Okay. There is a lot of cool stuff to do here." "This time I choose." "Whatever you want, your majesty." "Hmmm..." I said while scanning our environment. "I want you to win me a teddy bear." I finally said, pointing at a stand. "Piece of a cake." Said Josh while approaching the stand. The rules were simple. You had three attempts to destroy a pile of cans by throwing a ball on them. Josh concentrated really hard and started throwing the balls. "Woohoo! First attempt, baby!" He started cheering. The man in charge of the stand gave him a teddy, and Josh gave it to me. "What"s next on your list?" He asked victoriously. "I"m kinda hungry..." "Follow me." He said and grabbed my hand. Not long after, we were on the ferris wheel eating cotton candy. "The view is magnificent." I said. "I knew you"d like it." He then leaned forward to kiss me, but the wagon started shaking. "Woah." I said while he returned to his seat. "I believe it would be wise not to move." I said. "Yeah..." Murmured Josh, sounding quite disappointed. When the ride ended, Josh suggested us visiting the love tour. However, to his disappointment, we found out that it was under maintenance. "That sucks..." Said Josh looking down. "It"s fine. I bet there are many other things to do." We visited some other attractions, which quite fun and were now heading towards the in-park pizzeria. It took us quite a while to get seated, as it was the only place to eat in the park and as a result it was packed. Fortunately, we ordered quickly. "So... Are you enjoying our date?" Asked Josh while we waiting for our food. "It"s been certainly something unique." I said while playing with the table cloth. "You hate it, don"t you?" He murmured. "What?! No." I said startled. "Why would you say that?" I asked shortly after. "You don"t seem like you are having fun, that"s all." "I am; I swear. I just have a lot in my mind." Even though when I was laughing and having fun, I could not take the mess I was into from my head. He was about to say something, but the waiter came and brought our pizza. The car ride was very silent. After we finished eating, Josh said that we should leave. Despite the fact I protested and said I wanted to try out more rides, he just wanted us to go. "I"m sorry." He whispered while driving. "What?" I asked confused. "I am sorry for the disastrous date." "Josh, it wasn"t disa-" I started but he cut me off. "You hated the roller coaster and your mind was else where." "Ok, I might not have particularly liked the roller coaster, but I enjoyed the other rides. And about my mind being somewhere else, it"s me who should be sorry." "You don"t get it. The whole point was to take your mind off the awful situation you are in. And I miserably failed." "You did not." "Sam, stop..." "But-" "Please. The only thing I want is one more chance to fix up this mess of a date." I was about to protest again, but decided that there was no point. "What do you mean?" I asked instead. "You"ll see." He said pulling off in front of his house. He helped me out off the car and led me into the house. "I assume you don"t have a swimsuit, do you?" He asked while disappearing into the kitchen. "No... Why should I?" I asked confused. "Skinny dipping it is!" He said with excitement. "Hold your horses cowboy. I still have my underwear." "Damn it!" He said and I rolled my eyes. "What are you planning?" I asked intrigued. "You"ll see in a while. The only thing you have to do is remove your clothes." "Well, that does sound promising." I joked. .... After spending quite an amount of time waiting for Josh in my underwear, he finally showed up. He was only wearing his boxers. "Finally!" I said. "Come." He said taking my hand. He led me to his back yard. There, I noticed that the hot-tub was working. I gave Josh a no-you-didn"t look, and he just smirked. We walked towards the hot-tub, which was filled with rose petals. "Let"s go in, shall we?" He asked. I stepped in and the hot water touched my skin giving me an amazing feeling which only got better after my whole body was under the water. "Mmmm..." I said closing my eyes. I heard Josh getting in and felt him next to me. "Want some wine?" He asked holding a glass of red wine. "Gladly." I said and took the glass. I took a sip and looked at the starry sky. "It"s so beautiful isn"t it?" Josh asked, putting his arm around my neck. "It"s perfect." I said. Then, I turned and looked at him. I gave him a deep kiss. "A perfect end, for a perfect date." I whispered and he rolled his eyes. A/N: I know that this may sound irrelevant, but I recently discovered they were planning to make a game called "Until Dawn-Blood Rush". I"d love to know your thoughts on this, as I, to be honest, don"t think is a great idea and would prefer them sticking to the original game. -Love ya. A/N: Happy 2016 guys! I wish you the best. I"d like to thank you for all you support throughout this year, which I admit was crazy. I never could imagine one of my stories would go so well, or that it could get so long. More that 100 pages, guys! For me, that"s crazy. Enough talking... This is the New Year"s Eve special I promised. Go ahead and enjoy. Don"t forget to follow and favorite. Also, feedback helps a lot, so spending some of your time to write a review is highly appreciated. "Okay, everybody... Sit around this coffee table." Said Jess and everybody obeyed. "I am so excited!" Said Ashley and I smiled, as seeing her happy was rare nowadays. "Okay, this might be late for gift exchange, but Em and Matt could only make it for New Year"s Eve." Said Jess and everybody turned to look at them. They were sitting on the couch, snuggling. "Well, me and Matt had gone to visit my relatives at Alaska." Said Emily. "They were amazing; just like you babe." Said Matt and we all rolled our eyes. "Enough distractions! Present time." "I"ll go first!" Said Mike and jumped up. "Always the bravest one." Said Josh while sipping his eggnog. Mike stood in a place where we all could see him. "So... I was assigned to take a gift for Ashley." He said with a huge grin on his face. Ashley got up and approached him uncomfortably. "Here you go." He said and handed her the packet. "Thanks." She said and hugged him, unwillingly. They returned to their seats. "Go ahed and open it up." He said. Ashley took it out of the bag slowly unwrapped it. "It"s a perfume. I hope you like it." Ashley hold the box in her hands. The word "temptation" was written on it with calligraphy. I saw her freeze and knew that she would start panicing so I decided to intervene. "Hey, that"s so cool! I remember you saying you needed a perfume." "Yeah... Th-thank you." She said and put it back in the bag. "You are welcome." He said with a big smile. "Okay... Who"s next?" Asked Jess. Nobody volunteered. "Fine, you cowards! I"ll go." She said and got up. .... The exchange was normal after Mike"s gift. I got a bracelet from Emily and gave Jess a gift-card to her favorite shop. "Come on, Ash. It"s your turn." Said Emily. "I"m looking forward to see what you got me, baby." Said Chris and got up with her. Since Ashley was the last one to give her present, we all knew that she was going to give it to Chris, as he was the only one who hadn"t gotten a gift. "I got you the new iPhone, since you"ve telling me how cool it is and how much you wanted one, all the time." "No way!" Said Chris, his eyes widening. Everybody was looking at Ashley, their looks filled with disbelief and surprise. "Guys, she was not kidding." Said Chris holding the phone in his hands, after quickly unwrapping the box. "Ash, that"s so cool." Said Matt. "Thank you so much!" Said Chris and embraced Ashley, lifting her up and doing a little spin. "I have with no doubt the most amazing girlfriend in the world." He said and gave her a kiss. "You are exaggerating..." Said Ashley, looking down. "No he isn"t; trust me." Said Matt, earning an angry look from Emily. After him kissing her one more time, Chris and Ashley sat down. "Now, before we move on..." Said Mike getting up. "Lately I was thinking about how boring this place is. So, I decided to buy tickets for all of us to spend two weeks in Bahamas." "Holy shit!" "You are kidding, aren"t you?" "Not funny, Mike..." "Guys. I am not joking." He said taking a bunch of tickets out of his pockets. "Babe, right now, you are like santa. The hotter version of him, of course." Said Jess approaching him. "Ho ho ho. Come get your tickets." He said trying to imitate santa. "Don"t..." Said Jess. "Why?" "It"s lame..." "No, it"s sexy." Jess shook her head while giggling. "No it"s not." "Pfff... Emily what do you think?" "I"ll have to agree with Jess, Mike. It"s not sexy at all." "You guys have no taste. I am sure Ashley finds it very hot." "No, I don"t." Her answer came out too quick, making her behavior a bit suspicious. Mike turned at me, but I stopped him. "No..." I said disapprovingly. "Gosh... Well, if you hate me that much, I should keep the tickets." "No! You are so hot." Said Emily quickly. "The hottest." Added Jess. "If you insist..." "We should start planning about the trip." Said Jess putting the hotness debate aside. "Mmm..." Agreed Emily.

"The alpha female is meeting us in four hours." "Cool, I"ll have time to meet Sarah." Says Maddie and is about to leave the cave when something flashes through her mind. "Oh, Sarah told me she was conceived in wolf form." "That"s great, Maddie! We may have actually found a way to give birth safely." Maddie smiles and runs out of the cave. Sarah had told her to meet her in a not habited cave next to the lake. When she arrived she saw Sarah lying down in the cave, in her wolf form. "Hey, you made it!" Says Sarah with excitement. "I am surprised my mum let me come... She has been lecturing me for drinking since I came back from the festival. "God, this sucks... I am sorry." "It"s not your fault" Said Maddy who lied next to Sarah. "It"s Luke"s though..." Maddie couldn"t disagree on that. "Yeah, but at least I had lots of fun." She finally said causing Sarah to smile. "You know, Luke likes you." "Cool." Says Maddie thinking Sarah was talking about friendship. Sarah giggled. "No, I mean he really likes you. Like, likes you." "Oh." Said Maddie finally getting it. Sarah giggles again. "I don"t see him that way, though. I mean his is fine, but nothing more than a friend." "Do you have a boyfriend at home or something?" "Yeah, but it is kind of complicated." "It can"t be more than mine is." "Well, we are... we are..." Sarah looks at Maddie confused. "Come on, say it." Maddie takes a deep breath ad spits it out. "We are married." Sarah doesn"t try to hide how shocked she is. "Married? I thought you said you were 17..." "I am." "And isn"t that, like, I don"t know... Illegal?" "Not if your parents agree..." "And you want me to believe that your mother, your mother, the one who lectured you for getting drunk let you get married?" "Well, she didn"t really have much of a choice." "What do you mean? Did you like threatened her you would elope?" "No, no... We didn"t have like a real wedding. It was more of a wolf one..." "Wolf wedding? I thought wolfbloods who live like humans don"t do those anymore." "They don"t. Not unless there is a very particularly special occasion." Said a new voice. It was a really tall wolf who had golden fur. Maddie could swear it was Luke. "Maddie over here has a wolfblood mate." Adds Luke with his devilish grin causing Maddie to gulp. A/N: I decided to do a special double chapter upload to celebrate the 10.000 views, so enjoy. Also, to all the people hating on Luke and sending reviews about not trusting him, just wait ;). I"ll just tell you that he plays a very important role in this story, so if you want more information, stay tuned. "H-How do you know?" Are the only words Maddie is able to whisper. "I just know that if you have a wolfblood mate you must have a wolf wedding. For a mystical bonding of soul..." Says Luke, the last sentence with irony. "Do you guys know a lot of wolfblood mates?" Sarah eyes Luke and he looks down. "Just one pair." Says Luke bitterly. Maddie looks at Sarah waiting for her to explain, as it was obvious Luke didn"t feel like doing it him self. "Luke had a girlfriend, Lindsey. They were perfect together, but then-" Sarah doesn"t finish as she is cut off by Luke. "Then that bastard Tom came with his family. Lindsey said it was love with first sight and she couldn"t help it. I thought what she said was bullshit, but then the elders proclaimed them wolfblood mates. Now they live in a cave together and will live happily ever after." Maddie didn"t know what to say. "Luke, I am sorr-" "Was it like Lindsey said? Love at first sight?" Luke said cutting her off. "Y-Yes..." Luke looked down sadly. "You need to tell me everything about your wedding dress." Says Sarah trying to lighten the mood and change the subject. Maddie more than appreciates the effort and starts talking about her dress and mostly the wedding. "Where is he, anyway? I thought you couldn"t stand being apart for any time." Says Luke, who was still standing in the entrance of the cave, with a slightly furious tone. "He needed to stay back with my father." "Why?" "That is none of your business actually, Luke!" Says Maddie. Luke scoffs and runs out of the cave. "Don"t mind him, Maddie... He usually gets like that when Lindsay and Tom are the subject." "I understand..." They stay silent for a while, until Maddie decides to ask. "You said my relationship couldn"t be more complicated than yours... May I ask why?" "Oh, yeah, of course you can ask. What are friends for if not talking about their troubled relationships?" Said Sarah humorously causing Maddie to laugh. Friends... This word made her think of Tom and Shannon. She really missed them but really liked Sarah as well. It felt good to have wolfblood friends, as they understood you better... "So, Jason... He and I have been secretly dating for a while now and-" "Why secretly ?" Maddie asked cutting Sarah off. "Well, lets just say that if my dad find out he would kill me..." Maddie gives Sarah a confused look as a response causing Sarah to giggle a little bit. "Jason is an alpha..." "So...?" "His dad is an alpha as well and-" "Is his dad the alpha of this place?" "No, no... That"s were it becomes complicated. When there are two alphas in a pack, they fight for domination. Well, Jason"s dad fought with my dad and he lost..." "So your dad is the alpha of this place?!" Asks Maddie "Yep... Anyway, Jason"s dad wants him to become the next alpha." "I don"t see why this is bad..." "Because my dad wants Luke to be the next alpha." "Oh." "Yes..." Says Sarah while laughing. "Does Luke want to be the alpha." "He didn"t use to... But after he and Lindsey..." Maddie nods to show that she understands. "Do you love him?" Maddie asks after a while. "Yes." "Does he?" "Yes, I believe he does." Maddie smiles. "Then, I would advise you to not let anyone get in your way." She says causing Sarah to smile. "Thanks, you are the best friend I had ever had." Says Sarah while rubbing her wolf head against Maddie"s fur. "You are not bad yourself, either." Says Maddie causing Sarah to laugh. ... After some time of talking, Sarah discovered Maddie doesn"t have any other clothes except the ones she was wearing, so she gave her a bunch of her dresses. "You look so good in this." Said Sarah, who was in her human form like Maddie. Maddie did a little spin. "You think so?" "Tots. Red is so your color." Maddie laughed and thought about how she and Shannon never had done something like this. "Let me do your hair, Mads." "Ok..." Said Maddie. After some time, Sarah had turned Maddie"s hair into a big braid. "You look so amazing..." "Thanks, but you look far better." Said Maddie. Sarah wore a yellow dress, which looked great with her steel blue eyes and golden hair, which she wore down. "Well, I was thinking of meeting Jason and wanted to ask if you could cover me." Maddie was about to say she would gladly do it, when she remembered she had to meet the alpha female. "I would love to, but I have to meet someone..." Said Maddie. Excitement disappeared from Sarah"s face and Maddie hated her self for causing that. "Hey, you said your father was the alpha, is your mother the alpha as well?" "Yeah, why? Are you meeting her?" Maddie nodded. "For what issue?" Maddie felt like she should tell it to Sarah, as she was starting to become her best friend. "Well... I- I am pregnant." Said Maddie hoping that Sarah won"t hate her for hiding it for so long, or just for the fact it self. A/N: Second chapter of the special double update. Stay tuned for updates and don"t forget to reviews, follow and favorite. "Please say something..." Pleads Maddie. "Um... Um..." Maddie looks down sad that she is about to lose her only friend. Well, something told her that she would always have Luke, but she didn"t want to lose Sarah. "It was conceived in our wolf forms..." Said Maddie hoping more information would make Sarah say something. "That"s why you came here..." She finally said causing Maddie"s face to lighten up a bit. "Yes... It"s the reason I will meet the alpha fem- your mother." She said correcting her self. Sarah remains silent after this. "Look, if you don"t want to talk to me ever again, I get it..." Says Maddie. "Oh, you bet I won"t..." Says Sarah causing Maddie"s heart to stop. "... Unless you let me pick the name and be its godmother." "Seriously?!" "Of course you idiot! You thought I"d stop hanging with you because of that?" Says Sarah hugging Maddie. Maddie hugged back and smiled. She knew lots of people who would. "So... What names do you have in mind? I need to know how much being your friends will cost me; or my poor baby..." Said Maddie trying to remain serious. Sarah laughed. .... At Sarah"s cave... (Who was incredible big considering the one Maddie lived in.) "You really have nothing to worry about. Our people give conceive and give births in their wolf form all the time. Young Maddie, here, will be fine. However, she needs to be in her wolf form until she gives birth." "That"s not a problem... As long as we stay here, of course." Says Maddie. "You are more than welcome here; either until you give birth or permanent." "You are being very polite, Valerie, but we will leave as soon as Maddie gives birth." Says Emma "Well, that"s really too bad... My daughter has been talking about you all the time Maddie..." Says Valerie causing Maddie to look away. "You mind if we go now? We haven"t eaten a thing and we are starving..." Says Emma. "Of course." Replies Valerie with a smile. Maddie and Emma, who were both in her wolf form, were about to leave the cave. "Oh, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me." Said Valerie, who was in her wolf form as well. She was pretty big and had a auburn fur. Her eyes were green like two big shinny emeralds. Maddie wondered how she looked in her human form; if Luke and Sarah took anything from her, she probably would be gorgeous. ..... Maddie and Sarah are hanging out in the cave near the lake (both in their wolf forms) "Mum told be you want to leave as soon as possible..." Said Sarah. "Yeah..." "Well, at least I"ll spend some months with the little cub..." "Months? My mother wants to leave as soon as it is born..." "What?! That"s imposible." "What do you mean?" "The baby will be born in its wolf form..." "And?" "It won"t be able to transform for a while... It will need to be raised around wolves. And the most important, people who know how to help a cub transform as soon as possible." "Really?!" Sarah nods. "It"s like the talking thing... Not everyone learns it at the same age and everyone needs someone to teach him..." Maddie didn"t know why, but she didn"t feel sad at all. Maybe, just maybe, because deep down she wished she could live here. "Anyway," Says Sarah getting up. "I am gonna go meet Jason. Can you cover me?" "Sure... I"ll just lie here, maybe take a nap until you come..." "Thanks Mads, you"re the best!" Said Sarah while running out of the cave. "I know!" Said Maddie and could swear she heard Sarah laugh. .... "I knew I would find you here." Said a voice causing Maddie to wake up. "Shit!" Thinks Maddie out loud. What would she say about Sarah? "You are so sad to see me here?" Asks the voice. "If it is about Sarah, I know she is with Jason. I saw them near the lake." He adds. "Oh." Maddie manages. "I"m feeling generous today, so I won"t tell her that I saw her. It will be like it never happened. But you will owe me." "What do you want Luke?" "I want you to come with me. I will take you to an incredible place." "Luke, I-" "Not a date. I just wanna show you what you are missing while sitting in this cave covering for my sister." He cuts her off. Maddie is hesitant in the beginning, but then she decides she has nothing to lose. ... "Do you like it?" Asks Luke "Are you kidding me? It is amazing!" Said Maddie running closer to it. Luke had taken her to a place of the woods were there was a small water fall, who was falling into a lake with crystal water. "Wanna go for a swim?" Asked Luke, who was now next to Maddie. Maddie just looks at him her eyes shinning. "Last one in is a loser!" Screams Luke and starts galloping towards the lake. As soon as Maddie hears that she starts running as fast as possible, trying to get in front of Luke. However, Luke is faster and reaches the bank sooner. Without any second thoughts, he jumps into the lake, causing some water to fall out. Maddie, not long after, joins him, her jump however, not as merciful as his. "You cheated!" Says Maddie while swimming next to Luke "And how did I do that, little wolf?" "You had a head start..." Whined Maddie causing Luke to laugh. "Ok... How about trying to clear your name in a breath holding contest?" "Breath holding contest? Are we, like, 5 years old?" Said Maddie laughing at the idea. "What, are you afraid to get defeated two time in a row?" "Me, afraid? Ha, no freaking way!" "Then let"s do it." "You are so going down, mr. alpha male." Luke laughed at his nickname. They counted to 3 and then took a deep breath and disagreed under the water. The evening past, with Luke and Maddie competing over silly games until the moon showed. "Goodnight, little wolf." Said Luke as he was getting out of the lake. "Goodnight, Luke." Said Maddie. A/N: New chapter! To those asking, Rhydian is likely to come in four or five more episodes. ( Maybe less maybe more ;) ) As always, stay tuned for new updates and don"t forget to review, follow and favorite. "Why are you wet?" Asked Emma when she saw Maddie entering the cave, droplets of water dripping form her fur. "Me and... Sarah went for a swim." "You and Sarah are getting pretty close, aren"t you?" "Yeah. I guess she is like my best friend, or something like this?" "What about Shannon, sweetie?" "It"s not like I will ever see her... And even if I did, she wouldn"t understand me like Sarah does. It"s different to be friends with another wolfblood... And I mean just friends, not like me and Rhydian..." "I guess you are right, Maddie... I found it very hard when I was your age as well..." Maddie was about to go to sleep when she remembered. She told Emma what Sarah told her about her baby cub and how its disability of transforming. "I guess we will have to stay longer than we thought... We should call your dad and Rhydian..." "Ok... Goodnight." Said Maddie and lied down closing her eyes. "Goodnight, Maddie." Said Emma how was already lying. "Mum..." Said Maddie after some time. "Yes?" "What if- What if I told you I wanted to stay here. Permanently." Said Maddie her voice trembling. "You do?" Asked Emma in surprise. Maddie nodded. "It feels good to be around wolf bloods. Not to have to hide our true nature..." "Does that have to do about losing Sarah?" "Not only... I feel good here. Happy even." "Ok, Maddie... We will discuss that later." "When, later?" "When the males of this family have moved here as well." "Ok. Goodnight." "Goodnight" Says Emma with a sigh. ..... "Good morning, Maddie!" Said an eager voice waking Maddie up. "Hey, Sarah..." Said Maddie while getting up. "Why are you in your human form?" She asked when she was awake enough to notice that. "Cause we are invited to a girl meeting. Something like a party." "This early in the morning?" "It is like 12 p.m... What time did you sleep last night?" "I don"t know..." "By the way, Jason"s and mine date went amazingly well." Said Sarah causing Maddie to smile. "Did anyone find out anything?" Asked Sarah causing Maddie to start mumbling. "Um... No, not at all. I- I even told my mum we went swimming together..." "Swimming? How did you come up with that?" "Um... Luke may have taken me to a little lake..." Confessed Maddie causing Sarah to sigh in disappointment. "I am sorry, Maddie. I will tell him to back off..." "No, I- I actually had fun." "You did?" Maddie just nodded. "Anyway. We have a party to attend." "Sarah, I can"t turn into my human form..." "Why? Because of the pregnancy? How many weeks are you?" "I am entering the second in a day or two..." "Then you have nothing to worry about. Staying prisoned in your wolf form starts at third week." "When do I give birth?" "One and a half month. Approximately. Now change." .... Sarah convinced Maddie to change in her human form and even wear a fancy dress. "We aren"t late, are we?" Asked Sarah as soon as she walked in the cave. The cave wasn"t empty like the other ones. This one was cushions all over the floor, a small bonfire in the middle with bags of marshmallows around it and a bunch of magazines thrown around the cave. "Not at all." Said a girl hugging and kissing Sarah. "You must be Maddie." Said the same girl turning to face Maddie. The girl had long straight red hair and royal deep blue eyes. She was so beautiful it was breathtaking. "Why is everyone here so damn attractive?' She thought. "The one and only." She said with a smile. "I am Lindsey." Said the girl and Maddie tried hard not to grimace. "Nice too meet you." She said and shook her hand. Lindsey introduced Maddie to a bunch of girls who were in the cave as well (They were all as friendly as her, but not nearly as attractive.) "So... This cave is a bit unusual..." Said Maddie while sitting on a cushion. All the girls, either they were chilling on a cushion and reading a magazine or roasting marshmallows, giggled. "Yeah. I made it this way so I could chill with my girlfriends like normal teenagers." "I find it really cool." Admitted Maddie. "Thanks... The magazines are up to date, by the way. I make Tom go to the nearest town to buy them every week." "Tom...' Thought Maddie. "Poor guy..." Finally says Maddie causing everyone to giggle again. "You know, you are very funny..." Said a girl, who Maddie swore her name was Angela. The day past with the girls talking about boy drama, the drama of being a wolfblood, and asking Maddie about living like a human. Maddie felt like home. - A/N: Hello guys! Sorry I haven"t been posting for a while in any story. Technical issues. Lost all my files and had to write them again :( But expect daily updates from now on. As always, don"t forget to review, follow and favorite. "Where were you?" Asked Emma when she saw Maddie entering their cave. "At a girl meeting." Said Maddie while walking towards her sleeping spot. "A girl meeting?" Asked Emma extremely surprised. "Yeah... Why are you so surprised?" Asked Maddie while sitting on the floor and then changing into a lying position. "I just didn"t think you were into these things. I mean, back home you never had lots of girlfriends or went to many parties-" Started saying Emma but was cut by Maddie. "Maybe because back home people weren"t like they are here. They weren"t like me; they did not understand me as they did not have the problems I did." Said Maddie shocking Emma. Emma had never thought that her daughter might felt that way. "You know, we sat around the bonfire, eating s"mores and marshmallows, reading magazines full of celebrity gossip and talked about our first transformation." Added Maddie after a while. "I bet that was amazing..." Said Emma, more to her self, than to Maddie. "It was." ... "Maddie...?" Said Emma after some time past. "Yeah?" Responded Maddie who was still lying on the floor. "I thought about you wanting to stay here..." "And?" Asked Maddie eagerly. "I see what you mean. I never had friends like you start having now. I was always the strange one, like you were back home, but here we are normal. I didn"t live a normal teenage life, and you missed lots of it, but for you, this is the closest thing to normal. And I want you to live as much of it as you can. Also, I think your child deserves to be raised here, and have a perfect life." "Mum... That is so wonderful of you..." Said Maddie on the verge of tears. "I just want you to be happy." Said Emma. Maddie got up, approached Emma and rubbed her furry head on her. Emma rubbed her back and then pulled away. "I have to go sweetie..." Said Emma approaching the exit. "Where?" Asked Maddie full of surprise. "Valerie invited me to her cave. She wants meet me to some friends of her." "Wow, mum. That"s great. I didn"t know you two hang out." "Yeah... Well I saw her in the woods, where I was hunting and we talked a little bit." "Um... Mum, I might go out and return late..." "It"s fine. Go and hang out with your friends. It"s not like its dangerous to be out in the night..." "Thanks mum." .... Maddie first visited the cave Sarah shared with her parents. There, she saw her mother, who told her Sarah went to visit her brother. So now, Maddie found her self heading towards Luke"s cave. As Maddie approached the entrance, her enhanced wolf hearing caught the heated conversation between the two siblings. She decided to wait a little bit before entering. "Back off, Luke!" Shouted Sarah "She likes me, sis." Said Luke in his casual tone. "No she doesn"t. She is freaking married, for god sake!" "Great... Their are arguing about me.' Thought Maddie. "We are just friends." "She may see you that way but I don"t believe that you do." "So you don"t believe me sister?" "I just know that since Lindsey got with Tom you"ve been this train wreck, partying all the time, making out with random girls, getting wasted... And I wanted to make it clear, that I won"t let you destroy Maddie"s future because yours is already destroyed. OK?" "I admit. I made some mistakes, but who is perfect? Just give me a second chance."

"What? Sam, no... You are being ridiculous." "Then what"s the problem?" I asked, still keeping a distance. "I just don"t want you to regret it, that"s all." "No regrets, Josh. I love you." He just nodded and then all of a sudden lifted me and carried me to his bedroom. He let me down on the bed and I sat on the edge. He started kissing me and pushing me into a lying position. While kissing him, I started crawling backwards the centre of the bed. After we reached the middle of the bed, he pulled me into a sitting position. A gave him a quick kiss and then removed his shirt. After some more kissing, he removed mine as well, but was a bit hesitant. We continued kissing and his hands started running up and down my almost bare back. He started playing with the bra strap and took his time before undoing it. He was about to take my bra off when all of a sudden, the door bell rang. "What the hell?!" He said stopping whatever he was doing. The door bell rang again. "Josh!" Said a voice while knocking on the door. "Who the hell is it?" Josh asked in a low voice. "Josh! It"s Ashley." Said the voice. "God..." Groaned Josh while getting off me. "Are you going to open?" I asked while strapping my bra. "I have to. Otherwise she will break the door." He said while putting his shirt on. "Coming!" He shouted while exiting the bedroom. I heard the door opening. "Ashley, it"s pretty late. What are you doing here?" I heard Josh ask. "I passed by Sam"s house earlier, but she wasn"t there. I also called her a thousand times, but no answer." Called me? My phone... My phone! God, I had forgotten my phone at my house. "Do you want to tell her something important?" Josh asked. "Yes. Do you know where she is?" I quickly put on my shirt and headed towards the living room. "What"s wrong, Ash?" I asked. "Sam." She was obviously surprised to see me. "Can we have a moment?" She asked Josh. He looked at me, waiting for an answer. "It"s fine. It won"t take a lot." I said. "I"ll be at the bedroom." He said while exiting the room. "So..." I said waiting for Ashley to speak. "Mike told me about your little talk." "Good. 6 days, Ashley. 6 days..." "No, you can not tell him." "I won"t if you do." "You don"t understand, Sam! He can not learn." "He deserves to, Ash." "Sam, it was just a stupid mistake. Humans make those. Your boyfriend did. He almost KILLED us." Her voice was becoming more and more frantic. "Yeah, he did... But he asked for forgiveness and we chose to give it to him. You have to ask for it as well, Ashley." "He will never forgive me. He- he will never do." Her voice was shaking and tears started rolling down her face. "Are you ok?" I asked, leaning closer to her. "Him learning will destroy us. You will destroy us." She was now angry. "You little bitch! You want to destroy us because you will never have what we do! You are just a jealous skunk." I was deeply shocked. "Ashley... I-" I started, but she cut me off. "You can"t destroy us. You CAN"T!" She screamed and then all of a sudden slapped me. "Sam?!" Shouted Josh rushing in te room. His eyes widened when he saw us. He ran to me and got in front of me protectively. "Ashley get out before I call the cops." Ashley, who was almost as shocked as I was, silently nodded and exited the house without saying anything. "Are you ok? Did she hurt you?" Josh started asking me, after he helped me sit on a couch. "I am fine..." "Sam, I heard screams and then something that sounded like a slap; did she slap you Sam?" "I am fine, Josh!" I shouted. Tears started rolling down my eyes. "Sh... It"s fine. You are safe. I am here." "Is it true? Will I destroy them?" "No, of course not. Ashley destroyed them by sleeping with Mike. It"s not your fault." "I"m doing the right thing, right?" "Yes you are, Sam." We stayed silent for a while. I just looked at him. He was here for me, he cared for me, he loved me. And I loved him. All of a sudden, it felt like it was just me and him. I leaned close to him and kissed him, catching him off guard. "I love you." I whispered "I love you." Repeated Josh and we continued from where we had left. A/N: "Were should their next date take place at?" Choice A: A band concert (please suggest a band as well) Choice B: A fancy restaurant Choice C: An amusement park. All votes are highly appreciated. Love ya all. A/N: Hello, guys. It"s been a while since the last update. Sorry, but it was a very busy week in school. Anyways, the choice that won was C, however I couldn"t include it in this episode. I promise that next will be about their epic second date. As always, stay tuned, follow and favorite. Also, feedback is highly appreciated. Your reviews really motivate me on continuing the story. "Please, Sam... I am so sorry. I don"t know what had gotten into me." "Please, just pick up the phone, Sam." "I can"t express how sorry I am." These were just some of the texts and voice mails Ashley sent. I thew my phone on my bed. "This is such a mess." I thought out loud. I decided that having a shower would help me calm down. I was right, as the hot water really did wonders, almost making me forget everything. However, there is no universe where I can be happy, or at least fine for one whole minute. Well, I was more than happy last night but that"s another issue I have to deal with. The phone rang once more and Ashley"s name and photo flashed on the screen. I mentally debated whether I should pick it or not. Her behavior was really unexplainable and I really wanted to see how she could explain it. Also, she really seemed sorry about it. And last but not least, I could not ignore her forever. "Yes?" I finally answered it. "Oh my god, Sam!" Said Ashley who was clearly shocked that I picked the phone up. "I can"t believe it you picked up the phone... I sent you like a million messages. I thought that you were ignoring me, or worse avoiding me. Well, you have every right to be. God, Sam... I am so sorry, I-" She started mumbling but I cut her off. "Ashley, I only answered the phone because I was worried for you. What you did last night, it was not normal." "I know. I know... I"m so sorry... It"s just a side effect the meds I am taking have. I recently changed them so..." "Wait- You are still taking meds?" "Yeah... For PTSD." "You still need them?" "Yes. I can"t sleep, not even close my eyes, without traumatic memories flashing back." "Ash, why haven"t you talked to any of us about this?" "Well, we talked about this a lot at the beginning, however you guys got past that. I didn"t want to destroy the progress you made." "Ashley... I am so sorry that no one was there for you. I promise that after everything ends, I will be there for you. I"ll be the one who you can talk to." "Mike let me talk." She whispered. Her words startled me. "What do you mean?" "When we went to eat dinner, after the movie, he said that sometimes he had those nightmares about the whole thing... Then, I-I opened up. He let me talk. He reassured me that I would be fine. And, before he kissed me in the car, he told me that he was there for me, that he understood me. You can" believe how that felt, Sam." "Ashely..." "I know he manipulated me. He only felt lust, not love. Well, there was no love to feel." "Was there lust? Or passion?" "He let me open up. There were so many feelings in me at that moment... And yeah, there was passion and lust. But it doesn"t mean anything." "I promise, we will talk. I promise..." "But you will still tell Chris and Jess, won"t you?" "I"m sorry Ash, but that"s what"s got to happen. You would want to know if you were him." I was about to hung up, when she talked again. "I decided to tell them my self." "You did?!" I asked really surprised. "Yes. It is eating me alive, Sam. I need to face it." "I am so proud of you." "I would just ask you to be there with me." "Of course I will." "Thanks." "Don"t mention it." "Sam...?" She said with a hesitant voice. "Yes?" "Never mind." "Are you sure? You can tell me everything." I reassured her. She hesitated a bit, debating whether to tell me or not. "I"m sure." "Okay..." There was an awkward silence gap for a while. "Well, I guess... See ya?" Said Ashley breaking the silence. "Definitely." I said and hung the phone up. ... I was searching through my movie collection, trying to decide what was best for our first movie night as an "official" couple. I hadn"t picked more than five dvd cases when the phone rang. "Yes?" "Hey, it"s me." "I know..." "I wanted to know if you"d be bring Josh..." "Bringing him where?" "Didn"t Ashley call you? She invited all of us to dinner at her place." "Oh, yeah... I totally forgot." I quickly lied. "So..." "I don"t know Jess, probably yeah... Why, shouldn"t I?" "Well, depends. How "official" are you?" "What do you mean?" "God, Sam." She said with frustration. "Did you do it?" She asked. "Jess!" I said blushing. "Oh my god! You so did!" She said squeaking in excitement. "Shut up." "I"m coming over and you will tell me all about it." "You can"t. Josh is coming over. We are having a movie night." "Yeah sure..." "Stop it." I heard her giggle through the phone. "Goodbye." I said as coldly as possible. "Bye." She said and made a kiss noise. ..... "... and she will tell it in this dinner, tomorrow." I said, finishing the story. "And you want to go?" "Yeah. I want to be there to support her." "Wait, you feel bad for her?" "Kind of... She really regretted it, Josh..." "Still, it is pretty big." "We all make stupid mistakes that some times hurt people we love." "Sam, there are a million ways, that are out of my control, for me to hurt you. And for your own stupid reasons you keep denying that. But, I swear to god that I would never cheat on you." "Me too..." We remained silent for a period of time. "Look at us..." I whispered. "What do you mean?" "We are a couple. And we are snuggling and watching a movie on a rainy night." "Yeah... But, I don"t think it is special enough. I mean, we did this before we were a couple." "What do you suggest?" A mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Well, I may have an idea or two..." He pulled me into a kiss, which turned into a making out session. "Wait." I said stopping him. His face turned serious. "What"s wrong?" "What about the movie?" I said trying to play innocent. "You are right; it"s distracting." I gave him a puzzled look. Then, suddenly, he took me into his arms and carried me to my bedroom. "Much better." He said while placing me on the bed. A/N: I decided that I could not have choices after every chapter, because it really hard to think of that many concepts. However, every suggestion is welcome and highly appreciated, so feel free to write what yo want to happen. (It won"t be done for sure, but will be taken into consideration and in no way ignored.) -Love ya. A/N: Next chapter. Thanks for all the feedback. As always, stay tuned and don"t forget to leave a review, follow and favorite. Also, spreading the word about it would really help. And everyone of you who is good at drawing, you don"t know how amazing it would be if you made a Sam x Josh fan art that I could totally use for cover. And last but not least, we need a ship name about those two. "The one and only." "You are alive." I stated still shocked. "Yep." He said while I fought the urge to hug him. "H-How?" I said bitting my lip. "Can I come in?" He said, while I was staring at his emerald green eyes; the exact same tone as mine. "Sure..." I murmured and stepped aside to let him enter the house. He walked in and sat on the couch I was sitting on before he came. The Tv was still open. "Cute PJs." He said and I unconsciously looked down. I was wearing my favorite pair of pajamas. There were pink with black strips and were really comfy, but mostly important, Hannah had given them for my birthday, three years ago. "Thanks." I said while sitting on the same couch, keeping some distance form him. "So, I have some explaining to do, huh?" He said and I nodded. God, he looked so normal. It was almost like it was before Beth and Hannah disappeared. I had missed that Josh. That Josh that made me smile, that Josh that was there for me that Josh that I- "Well, after Mike left me in the small cabin, a wendigo grabbed me and started carrying me towards the mines." Started Josh interrupting my thoughts. "It injured me pretty badly, but didn"t kill me. Then, out of a sudden, it leaves me and starts chasing somebody." He continues. "Chris and the... flamethrower guy..." I said, feeling bad for not knowing the name of the man who sacrificed his life for us. "Chris?" Said Josh clearly surprised. "Yeah... When he learned about the wendigos he said he couldn"t let you die." That made Josh flash one of those rare smiles. "Anyway... I crawled back to the cabin and locked my self up. Then I waited and waiting until people came and found me. They informed my family, about everything, and my parents begged that nobody knew about my survival. After that, I visited a psychologist that helped me solve my problems. I am now taking a few meds, but my doc is positive that in few months I won"t need them." Said Josh after a while. "Wow..." I whispered. "Yeah, I know." We stared at each other for a while, until he spoke again. "So, the reason I came here, is to ask you a favor." "A favor?" I asked, really surprised. "Yeah... Well, I wanted to ask you to gather the others so I could apologize properly to all of you guys. And then I promise I will get away from you." He said. "I can do that." "Really? Thanks Sam..." "Josh...?" I said after a while. "Yes?" "Why did you came to me?" He smiled bitterly and then approached me. "Because Sam, I thought you deserved the biggest apology. You didn"t deserve any of these." "I could have stopped the prank Josh." I said tears dropping off my eyes. "At least you didn"t took place in it Sam." "Chris didn"t take place in it. Who do I deserve the biggest apology." I asked. "Because you were always special Samantha." He said and his hand slowly swiped the tears of my face. His actions gave me shivers, but not because I was afraid of him. "Ok. Call me if you arrange the meeting, ok?" He said and abruptly got up. "Ok..." I said my voice trembling again. For a reason I couldn"t explain, I didn"t want to let him go. I had just found him again, I couldn"t let him slip away. I knew I shouldn"t be feeling that way for the man that had played such a sick prank on us, almost causing us to die, but I couldn"t help my self. "Josh." I said causing to stop as he was exiting my apartment. He turned and looked at me. "I am really glad that you are alive." I blurted in a moment of bluntness. He just smiled. "Goodnight Sam. Sleep well." He said before closing the door behind him. As I started at the door, something told me that for the first time, I would actually sleep well. A/N: Hi guys... It"s been a while. And I don"t want you to think that I am not taking this seriously. I just couldn"t think of what to write. I kept writing and erasing, as I didn"t like any outcome. So, I had some thinking on the story and I believe I know have a better idea on how I want to develop this story. I worked a lot on this chapter and really hope you like it. Also, I"d like to wish merry christmas to everyone of you and hope you understand the reason why I didn"t post for such a long time. I can reassure you I have a few ideas written down and more free time, as we have holiday vacation. This means, I will start uploading one per week like I did before. One last thing; I really wanted to do something special for christmas, but since I have no time, I was thinking of doing a new year"s eve one. I"d love to know your thoughts on that idea. Anyways, I am letting you enjoy the story. "Good morning sunshine." "Good morning..." "How long have you"ve been waiting for me to wake up?" I asked, while slowly changing into a sitting position. "Around half an hour; I like watching you sleep." He answered while changing his position as well. "You say my name a lot." He added and placed a small kiss on my forehead. "I do?" He nodded and got up. "What are you doing?" He gave me a puzzled look. I smiled and then crawled to the edge of the bed, so I could reach him. "Come here." I said while pulling him from his arm. He crawled on the bed an on top of me. Then he gave me a lingering kiss. "I love you." I whispered. "I love you too." .... It took us a while to get out of bed and as a result it was no longer time for breakfast. I was heading for the door when Josh stopped me. "You know how much I want you to stay for dinner, but since we are going on a date in the evening, I know I can"t keep you. I have to share you with Jessica." "Mmmm..." I said with a wide smile. "And I hate it." He whispered in my ear and gave me a quick kiss on my lips. "See you later." I said exiting the door. .... When I arrived at the little bistro in the centre of the city, Jess was there waiting for me. "Sorry I"m late." I quickly apologized while sitting on the table. "It"s fine; as long you tell me that Josh was the one keeping you busy." My grin was enough for her. "Tell me everything." I opened my mouth, but the waiter that came to take our order interrupted me. After the waiter left with our order, which was two Caesar salads and a bottle of white wine, I started talking. "I am so happy for you." Said Jess after I finished talking. I just flashed her a wide smile. "You remind me of Mike and myself." Her words made my face darken. "Wh-what do you mean?" "That your relationship is as perfect as ours." I looked away trying to hide that I was shaking. "What wrong?" She asked. "Nothing." "You are shaking." "Yeah..." "So... What"s wrong?" "It"s just... I am afraid that our happiness won"t last for that long." This was not a complete lie. My shaking wasn"t due to that, but that didn"t mean that I didn"t fear it. "Don"t be pessimistic." I simply shrugged. ..... "I haven"t been to one of them since I was a kid." I said while Josh helped me out of the car. "Really?" "Yeah... Is it that weird?" "No. Not at all." "Am I sensing irony." "Pfff... How did that come into your mind?" "Stop making fun of me." "Two tickets please." Said Josh turning to the cashier. "I promise to you that I will show you how fun it is as an adult." He said after we got past the entrance. I looked around me at the vast open space filled with attractions and children laughing. "Where do you want to go first?" Josh asked me. "I don"t know... Any suggestions?" "Let"s visit my favorite." He said grabbing my hand. "Which is?" I asked while we zig zagged through the crowd. "The roller coaster." He said and we came to a halt. In front of us was a huge construction. I saw a wagon filled with people descending really fast while screaming. "Josh... I don"t know..." "What"s wrong?" "Josh, these people are screaming." "Because they are having fun, Sam." He said while laughing. "I"m not sure." "You will be perfectly safe; with me." He said taking my hand in his. "Fine. Let"s go." This was one of the stupidest choice I"ve made in life. I was screaming all ride long, and not because I was having fun. And when the torturous ride finally came to an end, I was about to puke. "Are you sure you are fine?" Josh asked as we strolled in the park. "Yes; as long as we don"t go in it again." "Okay. There is a lot of cool stuff to do here." "This time I choose." "Whatever you want, your majesty." "Hmmm..." I said while scanning our environment. "I want you to win me a teddy bear." I finally said, pointing at a stand. "Piece of a cake." Said Josh while approaching the stand. The rules were simple. You had three attempts to destroy a pile of cans by throwing a ball on them. Josh concentrated really hard and started throwing the balls. "Woohoo! First attempt, baby!" He started cheering. The man in charge of the stand gave him a teddy, and Josh gave it to me. "What"s next on your list?" He asked victoriously. "I"m kinda hungry..." "Follow me." He said and grabbed my hand. Not long after, we were on the ferris wheel eating cotton candy. "The view is magnificent." I said. "I knew you"d like it." He then leaned forward to kiss me, but the wagon started shaking. "Woah." I said while he returned to his seat. "I believe it would be wise not to move." I said. "Yeah..." Murmured Josh, sounding quite disappointed. When the ride ended, Josh suggested us visiting the love tour. However, to his disappointment, we found out that it was under maintenance. "That sucks..." Said Josh looking down. "It"s fine. I bet there are many other things to do." We visited some other attractions, which quite fun and were now heading towards the in-park pizzeria. It took us quite a while to get seated, as it was the only place to eat in the park and as a result it was packed. Fortunately, we ordered quickly. "So... Are you enjoying our date?" Asked Josh while we waiting for our food. "It"s been certainly something unique." I said while playing with the table cloth. "You hate it, don"t you?" He murmured. "What?! No." I said startled. "Why would you say that?" I asked shortly after. "You don"t seem like you are having fun, that"s all." "I am; I swear. I just have a lot in my mind." Even though when I was laughing and having fun, I could not take the mess I was into from my head. He was about to say something, but the waiter came and brought our pizza.

Maddie, who was shocked from the entire conversation, didn"t even think of trying to hide the fact she was eavesdropping. "Maddie?!" Asked Sarah when she saw her friend standing few meters away from the cave with a blank expression on her face. "Hey..." Managed Maddie. "You heard, didn"t you?" Maddie nodded. "I didn"t mean to. I am sorry." She added. "Please tell me you didn"t come here to visit Luke." "No, I didn"t. Your mother told me you would be here and I came to ask if you wanted to hang out." "I"d love to, but Jason and I have a date, and-" "I know, I know... I will say we were together." "Thanks Mads." Said Sarah and rubbed her head on Maddie. "Have fun!" "Thanks." Said Sarah while she faded. "Covering up again, little wolf?" Said a voice causing Maddie to turn. "Luke..." "So, what did you think of our little conversation?" Asked Luke approaching her. "Um..." "Do you believe I just see you as a friend?" "No..." Manages Maddie after some time. "Good. You know and still stay. Come... Let"s go to the lake." Said Luke with a devilish grin. - A/N: So, to all of you who say Maddie and her family must leave because of Luke, you should know that he, along with Maddie and Rhydian, is a protagonist. Also, wait for a major discovery in the next few episodes. As always, stay tuned for updates and don"t forget to review, follow and favorite. Luke and Maddie were walking through the woods in their human forms. Maddie was wearing one of Sarah"s dresses and had her hair braided. Luke, even in the old fashioned clothes of his, he looked like a model. Some of his golden hair was falling in front of his majestic grey eyes. "Luke..." Sighed Maddie. "What"s wrong?" "I love Rhydian." "I know." Luke"s response left her speechless. "You- you know?" She managed after some time "Of course I do." "But I know that you love me as well." He added. "As a friend, Luke." Corrected Maddie. "There are not different kinds of love, Mads." "Of course there are. I don"t love Rhydian the same way I love my mum. Or Sarah..." Or you... She thought without really saying it. "You may show it differently, but there are the same feelings." Said Luke. Maddie tried to protest, but then understood Luke was kind of right. Then, all of a sudden, as they were walking towards the lake, Luke took Maddie"s hand and held it with his hand. "Luke, please..." Pleaded Maddie. Luke left her hand and looked at her. "Why do you deny your feelings for me?" "There is nothing more than friendship! I. LOVE. RHYDIAN." Shouted Maddie with frustration. "You keep saying it; like you are trying to convince your self." Maddie tried to protest, but then she realized it was hopeless. She took a deep breath. "I gotta go." She said and started walking. "Maddie! Wait." Said Luke causing her to stop and face him. "I am just- I- I..." Maddie started mumbling. "One more question. And you are free; at least for now..." Maddie sighed once again and gestured him to ask her the question. "Are there times, were you wished that you and Rhydian weren"t bond by a mystical force? I mean... You would still be together, but without all this "I am hurt, you get hurt too". And, wouldn"t you like to have a normal wedding, at your 30s or something and then have a kid, when you are ready for it?" Maddie was a bit shocked by the question. Not because she never thought about it, but because she never thought that a person would ever ask this. "Being wolf bonded with someone can be awesome..." She started "... you feel love stronger than normal people do." Her face expression changed a little bit as she continued. "... of course I wished the whole wedding and pregnancy thing was done normally, but I have accepted that I am not normal." Luke was looking at her filled with interest. "... but the whole you pain thing... It really sucks." Said Maddie being completely honest. "... so yeah, there are sometimes, were I wished we weren"t bonded. I am sure Rhydian feels the same way..." Luke flashed a smile. "You are different." Said Luke, still grinning. "What?!" "She said that the pain thing was the price they were paying for the amazing love. She said she didn"t really mind, because it was worth it. You are different." Before Maddie could say anything, Luke had turned into a wolf and was running through the woods. Maddie didn"t have to ask who she was. She knew that he was referring to Lindsey. She wanted to ask him what did he mean with different. Could it be true? Not all bonds be the same? ... "What do you mean she wants to stay?!" "She liked it there. And they discussed it and thought it will be the best for the baby." "And my opinion?! I am the father, for god sake! Don"t I get a saying in that?!" Anger was rushing through Rhydian. "Of course you do... But Maddie swore you will like it there." "When are we leaving?" Asked Rhydian after some time. "In three days." Daniel replied and sat on the couch. "We go, but if I don"t like it-" Started saying Rhydian, but was cut by Daniel. "You will discuss it with Maddie, ok?" He said while turning the Tv on. "Ok..." "Now come here and watch some Tv with me." Rhydian wasn"t really focused on the Tv. He was trying to figure out why Maddie wanted to stay. It couldn"t be just the life style, could it? A/N: All of you that say that Maddie doesn"t love Rhydian, are wrong. She is just confused. I just wanted you to know that now that Rhydian is coming things will change. Btw, I didn"t mean protagonist the way some of you understood it. I meant that his role is really important, because he is something like the "antagonist" of the story. Stay tuned for updates, don"t forget to leave a review, follow and favorite. Ps. Don"t say you don"t like something before you even know in what it is going to evolve. Maddie was chilling with Sarah in "their" cave by the lake. They mostly talked about Sarah"s date with Jason while reading some magazines they had borrowed from Lindsey. "Maddie, would you mind coming to the town hall with me? Mum wants some help and I figured out that you would like to join me." Said Sarah after a while. The town hall was a wooden house in the middle of the "circle" that the caves made around the valley. It was the only place that was fully furnished, and most of the serious events were held there. "Sure, what kind of help?" Replied Maddie closing the magazine she was reading. "Mostly cleaning... I know it sucks, but I thought that if we were together....." "I don"t mind cleaning. We are gonna have so much fun!" Said Maddie, saying the last bit with fake excitement. "Thanks." ..... At the town hall... "It is so kind of yours to help, Maddie." Said Valerie. "My pleasure." Said Maddie with a smile. She wasn"t a fan of cleaning, but it would take her mind of the whole "Luke mess". Valerie handed the girls a "to-do-list". On Maddie"s list, number one priority was cleaning the living room. Sarah murmured about how luck Maddie was that she didn"t get the bathroom like herself. "Hello, little wolf. You are now cleaning for my sisters behalf as well? Wasn"t covering up for her enough?" Asked a voice causing Maddie to turn. "Go away." She said and returned to her task. "Come on, Mads... What"s wrong?" Said Luke placing his hand on her shoulder. Maddie turned, shaking his hand off her shoulder, anger flashing through her veins. "Except your behavior?!" She shouts. "Maddie..." Said Luke in a calming voice. "Why?!" Shouts again Maddie. "What do you mean "why"?" "Why?! Why do you want to destroy my life?!" "I don"t." "You are though!" Luke tries to touch Maddie"s hand but she pulls away. "Back off. I want to be with Rhydian. And our baby. They are my family. You have no place in that family, Luke." "Maddie..." "Just go, Luke. Please. Get out of my life." "Maddie, what happened? You were fine yesterday." Said Luke who was really worried for Maddie. Her behavior was not normal. Well, she was right with what she was saying, but not the way she said them. She was now shaking. "I-I...." Tears started running down her eyes. "Sarah! Mum!" Shouted Luke who was now extremely worried. Both women came into the living room, their eyes widening when they saw Maddie sobbing and shaking. "Sarah, go call her mother." Ordered Valerie, while helping Maddie on the couch. "What did you do to her!?" Shouted Sarah to Luke. "Sarah, I swear..." "We will talk about this later." Said Sarah coldly while turning into a wolf and running towards Maddie"s cave, where her mother was. "Tell me, dear... What"s wrong?" Asked Valerie who had kneeled next to Maddie. "Rhydian will never forget me." She whispered. "Why do you say that?" "Because I let Luke flirt with me. I should have cut him off, but I didn"t. He will hate me..." Valerie eyed Luke and he looked down. "He just flirted with you, right?" "Yes. And I didn"t stop him, even though I knew it was the right thing to do." "Maddie... Rhydian won"t hate you for that." "He should. I hate myself." "Hey, don"t say that. It was not your mistake. It was Luke"s. Now get some rest." "I love Rhydian. Not Luke." "I know. And Rhydian knows that as well." Then Valerie looked at her son. "So does Luke. And what he did, was more than wrong. I promise that he will stay out of your life, ok?" Adds Valerie. Luke tries to speak, but Valerie cuts him off with an angry glance. "Ok...." Says Maddie after some time. Valerie gets up. "Now get some rest, my dear." She takes Luke to the hall and is ready to scold him, but then Sarah and Emma enter the house. "Where is Maddie?" Asks Emma with a worried tone. "She is resting." Replies Valerie. "What happened?" Asked Emma. "Maddie got really upset because of-" Started saying Sarah but was cut off by her mum. "You know how pregnancy is... You get upset over everything." "I know... Is she ok now?" "Yeah... Let her sleep here. Sarah will stay with her and they will return to your cave when she wakes up, ok?" "Yeah... Thanks for being there for her, Valerie." "No problem." After Emma leaves, Valerie takes both of her children to the kitchen. "Sarah, I hope you don"t mind staying with Maddie, do you?" "No, mum." "Ok... I will make her some tea. You go sit in the living room and have an eye on her." Sarah nods and leaves the kitchen. "Luke, I can"t begin to say how much disappointed of you I am." "Mum... I swear. I feel something.... unique and different when I am with her. I feel happy." "Well, she feels bad when she is with you and you need to respect that." "Mum, she does good to me. I haven"t drunk alcohol since the full moon party." "I"m glad for that. But I won"t let you destroy her, so that you are ok Got it?" "You don"t understand..." "You don"t understand. You are going to let her be. Ok?" Luke shook his head with disappointment and disappeared. Hello, my dear readers. It has been because of your support and encouragement that I continued to write, even when I didn"t feel like it. And I am grateful for that. That and many others, such as your kind words and how you didn"t give up on me, despite never being able to finish a story. Well, guess what? I did. It"s an original story I"m going to publish to Wattpad (one chapter per day) and it would mean the world to me if you could go check it out and leave a comment. It"s a project I"ve been working on for a while now and I would be delighted to find out that you like it. It is loosely based on "The Butterfly Effect" since I got the inspiration for it while writing that fanfiction. Again, I can"t stress enough how much it would mean to me if you read it and shared your thoughts with me. WHAT IF? - by thedeepblueseaa Moving house ( Part two ) "Maddy , two Wolfblood mates have their souls connected. If one of them feels pain , then the other feels pain too. If one of them get hurt then the other gets too. If one of them die... Then the other will die too" said Maddy"s mum. "I don"t understand why this is bad!" Maddy said "Yeah , I wouldn"t like to live if Maddy died" said Rhyndian "You always put us in danger. If because of you my daughter get hurt..." Said Maddy"s dad. "Daniel , we have to take Rhyndian with us. He is a member of our pack and our daughter wolfblood mate." Emma said "Ok... But , I do this for my daughter. Not for you!" Daniel said "Thank you so much dad!" said Maddy and hugged him. In one hour Rhyndian arrived with his things at Maddy"s house. " I left a note to my mum and dad saying I am leaving away" said Rhyndian " Maddy is upstairs , go and tell her we are leaving" Emma said. Rhyndian run to her room. Maddy was looking a photo of her , Shannon and Tom. A tear drop fell from her eye. "Come on. At least we will be together." Rhyndian said Maddy left the picture to its place. They run to the car with Rhyndian. When they got inside the car , Maddy asked if they could visit Shannon and Tom. The answer was no. In the whole route , Maddy was looking outside the window. She was leaving her town. She was leaving her friends. She was wishing that it all was a dream. She wanted to wake up at her bed and go to her school. She liked the fact that she and Rhyndian were Wolfblood mates but she hated the fact that she was leaving her life behind her. When they arrived to their new town , they went straight to their new house. Maddy was holding Rhyndian"s hand. Their house was a huge Victorian style mansion. It was near the forest , like their old one. "What do you think about our new house?" Emma asked " It isn"t as good as our old one!" Maddy said "Honey , I know it"s hard for you , but , try to be positive" Emma said " I don"t promise anything" said Maddy When they got out of the car , they went into their new house. It was huge! Rhyndian went upstairs. He opened a random door. He was amazed. "Maddy , check out this" he shouted "What?" she said "Come! It is amazing!" He opened an other door. "Cool!" He said "Have you checked the bedrooms?" Said Emma "These are our bedrooms?" "Yes..." "Sweet!" Maddy"s curiosity beat her stubbornness and she run to Rhyndian "Wow"she said It was like a forest. It had one double bed and things that a normal bedroom has. There were trees everywhere. It was a wolfblood"s paradise. "Do you now like our new house?" Emma asked Maddy "Are you kidding me? I love it!" Maddy said She checked both bedrooms. "Why there are double beds?" Maddy asked "You and Rhyndian are Mates now. In two weeks you will get wolf-married" Emma said "What?" Maddy and Rhyndian said together "We are only 16" Maddy said "Honey , Wolfblood mates wolf-marry at 16-17" Emma said "You got wolf-married mum? In 16?" "No. I just got married. In 26." "Why?" Rhyndian asked "We weren"t Wolfblood mates" she said " You aren"t in love?" Maddy asked "We are. But , not as you. We fell in love as humans do. You fell in love as wolfs do."Emma said "What is wolf-marriage?" Rhyndian asked "You will learn soon" Emma said "And we will sleep together?" Rhyndian asked "ONLY sleep , young man" said Daniel "I would never thought of that, sir..." He said Daniel just shook his head. "Rhyndian , help Daniel with the luggage and Maddy , come. Let"s cook something." Please tell me if you liked it by reviewing it. Next chapter will be about the marriage. Stay tuned and wait for new chapters. The Wolf-Wedding ( Part 1 ) "So, tell me some information about the wolf-marriage..." Maddy said while she was cutting the meat. "Well, it must happen on a full moon. It will be like a normal wedding , until you say I do. Then , you will both transform and your souls will become one..." "Wait! You said that our souls WILL become one. They aren"t now?" Maddy asked "Honey, they are connected , but not one. If they don"t become one in one year after the connection , both wolfbloods will die!" "How can we know when our souls got connected?" "A wolfblood can"t feel the wolf way of love until it becomes an adult wolf, at the age of 16." "So we enough time because I became 16 in January and now it is March." "Yes , we have enough time, but your dad and I thought to make the wedding next full moon. In two weeks." "It"s fine for me" "Nice. Do you want to continue about the wolf-wedding?" "Yes!" "After your souls become one , you will have an adult wolf night , just you two , in your bedroom..." "Will I wear a wedding dress?" " Of course honey! Everything you want!" "Can we go to the shops? This afternoon!" "Ok" "Thanks mum! You are the best! May I go to Rhyndian and tell him all about?" "Go!..." Maddy left the room and run towards Rhyndian. Tear drops fell from Emma"s eyes. "Rhyndian!" shouted Maddy "What? I have to help your dad with the luggage!" said Rhyndian while he was carrying some of the luggage. "Ok... I will be waiting for you at our bedroom!" said and run back in the house. Rhyndian looked at Daniel. "Go..." He said Rhyndian run towards their bedroom. He saw Maddy sitting at the bed. "Come!" she said and Rhyndian sat next to her. Maddy told Rhyndian everything that her mother had told her. At the afternoon , Maddy was going with her mum for a wedding dress and Rhyndian was going with Daniel for a groom suit. They all agreed that the girls should take the car and that the boys should run. When Maddy and Emma arrived at the shop , Maddy started investigating the shop for the perfect dress. Then , a woman approached them and asked them if she could help them. "Actually, we are looking for the perfect dress." Said Emma "I got it. Your size , madam?" "You know... The dress is for me!" Said Maddy furious "I am so sorry. I confused because you are so young!" "My size is 4-6 and I want something , something that will make the click to me" "Ok... Follow me!" Maddy followed the woman. Meanwhile... Rhyndian was looking at suits. "What do you think about that?" Rhyndian asked Daniel "It is amazing. I think it is the suit that we were looking for." It was a black and simple , but it was looking amazing on Rhyndian. "I think we bought it! What do you think Rhyndian?" "I think the same thing!" Back in the wedding shop, Maddy had already tried 5 dresses and no one of them had made the click to her. Suddenly, she saw the perfect dress. "I want to try this" "Sure..." said the woman and gave it to her. It was beautiful. It was white and it had a long tail. At the front, it had some embroidered flowers and at the back side , it didn"t have fabric in almost her whole back. She was gorgeous with it. Her mum started crying and then hugged her. They were definitely buying it. Boys and girls met at the house. Maddy and Rhyndian were both excited about the wedding. "Mum... Who will come to our wedding?" Maddy asked "Um..." Emma said "Nobody! Wolf-Weddings are private." Daniel said Maddy and Rhyndian were both a bit frustrated , but they were happy because they would be together. If you liked part one , part two will leave you breathless. Stay tuned for next chapters. The Wolf-Wedding ( Part 2 ) One day before the wedding... Maddy was very excited. She was going to marry Rhyndian. She was still afraid that one day she will wake up and realize that all that was a dream. A really nice dream. Rhyndian was thinking Maddy. He was in love with her from the first time he met her. He was very happy because he would make a family with her and they would live their lives together. Maddy was talking with her mother at the living room. They were both sitting at the sofa. Rhyndian was helping Daniel to carry come boxed. Suddenly , he triped and fell. "Are you ok?" Daniel asked "No... My ankle! It hurts a lot!" Daniel check Rhyndian"s ankle. It was swollen. Meanwhile... Maddy screamed. "What wrong?" Emma asked her "My ankle!" Emma checked her ankle. It was swollen. "How that happened?" Maddy asked Rhyndian entered the living room with the help of Daniel. "Rhyndian"s swollen his ankle" Daniel "Now I understand..." Said Emma and went toward the kitchen. Daniel helped Rhyndian to sit to the couch and approached Emma. "What do understand now?"he asked her She didn"t gave an answer. She just went near the sofa keeping two bags of ice. She gave the first to Maddy and the second to Rhyndian. "Remember that Daniel said that if one of two mates get hurt , then the other gets too..." Emma said "I am so so sorry!" Rhyndian said "You don"t have to be. It could happen to everyone." Maddy said "No! It is my fault. You are feeling pain beacause of me!" "No! Rhyndian... I don"t care! Ok... That may be negative in being Wolfblood Mates , but feeling the wolf way of love is so amazing that I don"t care about it." "No! Maddy... If I was more careful..." "Ok! If... You will be the next time!" "I am so sorry" "I told you you don"t have to be." Maddy was a bit worried. "It is awful to share the pain" she thought "I can"t hurt her! I must be very careful!" Rhyndian thought In the wedding day afternoon... Maddy was wearing her gown and Rhyndian his suit. They met at they room. The place where the wedding would become. Rhyndian was waiting for her. He was keeping some flowers. Maddy arrived with her dad. She went next to Rhyndian and took the flowers. The wolfblood priest started the wolf-wedding. "I feel like all this is a dream. If it is , I don"t want to wake up." Maddy whispered to Rhyndian "I fell this too" Rhyndian said and touched her hand. " Rhyndian Morris , do you want Madeline Smith for your wife?" "I do" " Madeline Smith , do you want Rhyndian Morris for your husband?"

"Mum... I swear. I feel something.... unique and different when I am with her. I feel happy." "Well, she feels bad when she is with you and you need to respect that." "Mum, she does good to me. I haven"t drunk alcohol since the full moon party." "I"m glad for that. But I won"t let you destroy her, so that you are ok Got it?" "You don"t understand..." "You don"t understand. You are going to let her be. Ok?" Luke shook his head with disappointment and disappeared. Hello, my dear readers. It has been because of your support and encouragement that I continued to write, even when I didn"t feel like it. And I am grateful for that. That and many others, such as your kind words and how you didn"t give up on me, despite never being able to finish a story. Well, guess what? I did. It"s an original story I"m going to publish to Wattpad (one chapter per day) and it would mean the world to me if you could go check it out and leave a comment. It"s a project I"ve been working on for a while now and I would be delighted to find out that you like it. It is loosely based on "The Butterfly Effect" since I got the inspiration for it while writing that fanfiction. Again, I can"t stress enough how much it would mean to me if you read it and shared your thoughts with me. WHAT IF? - by thedeepblueseaa Moving house ( Part two ) "Maddy , two Wolfblood mates have their souls connected. If one of them feels pain , then the other feels pain too. If one of them get hurt then the other gets too. If one of them die... Then the other will die too" said Maddy"s mum. "I don"t understand why this is bad!" Maddy said "Yeah , I wouldn"t like to live if Maddy died" said Rhyndian "You always put us in danger. If because of you my daughter get hurt..." Said Maddy"s dad. "Daniel , we have to take Rhyndian with us. He is a member of our pack and our daughter wolfblood mate." Emma said "Ok... But , I do this for my daughter. Not for you!" Daniel said "Thank you so much dad!" said Maddy and hugged him. In one hour Rhyndian arrived with his things at Maddy"s house. " I left a note to my mum and dad saying I am leaving away" said Rhyndian " Maddy is upstairs , go and tell her we are leaving" Emma said. Rhyndian run to her room. Maddy was looking a photo of her , Shannon and Tom. A tear drop fell from her eye. "Come on. At least we will be together." Rhyndian said Maddy left the picture to its place. They run to the car with Rhyndian. When they got inside the car , Maddy asked if they could visit Shannon and Tom. The answer was no. In the whole route , Maddy was looking outside the window. She was leaving her town. She was leaving her friends. She was wishing that it all was a dream. She wanted to wake up at her bed and go to her school. She liked the fact that she and Rhyndian were Wolfblood mates but she hated the fact that she was leaving her life behind her. When they arrived to their new town , they went straight to their new house. Maddy was holding Rhyndian"s hand. Their house was a huge Victorian style mansion. It was near the forest , like their old one. "What do you think about our new house?" Emma asked " It isn"t as good as our old one!" Maddy said "Honey , I know it"s hard for you , but , try to be positive" Emma said " I don"t promise anything" said Maddy When they got out of the car , they went into their new house. It was huge! Rhyndian went upstairs. He opened a random door. He was amazed. "Maddy , check out this" he shouted "What?" she said "Come! It is amazing!" He opened an other door. "Cool!" He said "Have you checked the bedrooms?" Said Emma "These are our bedrooms?" "Yes..." "Sweet!" Maddy"s curiosity beat her stubbornness and she run to Rhyndian "Wow"she said It was like a forest. It had one double bed and things that a normal bedroom has. There were trees everywhere. It was a wolfblood"s paradise. "Do you now like our new house?" Emma asked Maddy "Are you kidding me? I love it!" Maddy said She checked both bedrooms. "Why there are double beds?" Maddy asked "You and Rhyndian are Mates now. In two weeks you will get wolf-married" Emma said "What?" Maddy and Rhyndian said together "We are only 16" Maddy said "Honey , Wolfblood mates wolf-marry at 16-17" Emma said "You got wolf-married mum? In 16?" "No. I just got married. In 26." "Why?" Rhyndian asked "We weren"t Wolfblood mates" she said " You aren"t in love?" Maddy asked "We are. But , not as you. We fell in love as humans do. You fell in love as wolfs do."Emma said "What is wolf-marriage?" Rhyndian asked "You will learn soon" Emma said "And we will sleep together?" Rhyndian asked "ONLY sleep , young man" said Daniel "I would never thought of that, sir..." He said Daniel just shook his head. "Rhyndian , help Daniel with the luggage and Maddy , come. Let"s cook something." Please tell me if you liked it by reviewing it. Next chapter will be about the marriage. Stay tuned and wait for new chapters. The Wolf-Wedding ( Part 1 ) "So, tell me some information about the wolf-marriage..." Maddy said while she was cutting the meat. "Well, it must happen on a full moon. It will be like a normal wedding , until you say I do. Then , you will both transform and your souls will become one..." "Wait! You said that our souls WILL become one. They aren"t now?" Maddy asked "Honey, they are connected , but not one. If they don"t become one in one year after the connection , both wolfbloods will die!" "How can we know when our souls got connected?" "A wolfblood can"t feel the wolf way of love until it becomes an adult wolf, at the age of 16." "So we enough time because I became 16 in January and now it is March." "Yes , we have enough time, but your dad and I thought to make the wedding next full moon. In two weeks." "It"s fine for me" "Nice. Do you want to continue about the wolf-wedding?" "Yes!" "After your souls become one , you will have an adult wolf night , just you two , in your bedroom..." "Will I wear a wedding dress?" " Of course honey! Everything you want!" "Can we go to the shops? This afternoon!" "Ok" "Thanks mum! You are the best! May I go to Rhyndian and tell him all about?" "Go!..." Maddy left the room and run towards Rhyndian. Tear drops fell from Emma"s eyes. "Rhyndian!" shouted Maddy "What? I have to help your dad with the luggage!" said Rhyndian while he was carrying some of the luggage. "Ok... I will be waiting for you at our bedroom!" said and run back in the house. Rhyndian looked at Daniel. "Go..." He said Rhyndian run towards their bedroom. He saw Maddy sitting at the bed. "Come!" she said and Rhyndian sat next to her. Maddy told Rhyndian everything that her mother had told her. At the afternoon , Maddy was going with her mum for a wedding dress and Rhyndian was going with Daniel for a groom suit. They all agreed that the girls should take the car and that the boys should run. When Maddy and Emma arrived at the shop , Maddy started investigating the shop for the perfect dress. Then , a woman approached them and asked them if she could help them. "Actually, we are looking for the perfect dress." Said Emma "I got it. Your size , madam?" "You know... The dress is for me!" Said Maddy furious "I am so sorry. I confused because you are so young!" "My size is 4-6 and I want something , something that will make the click to me" "Ok... Follow me!" Maddy followed the woman. Meanwhile... Rhyndian was looking at suits. "What do you think about that?" Rhyndian asked Daniel "It is amazing. I think it is the suit that we were looking for." It was a black and simple , but it was looking amazing on Rhyndian. "I think we bought it! What do you think Rhyndian?" "I think the same thing!" Back in the wedding shop, Maddy had already tried 5 dresses and no one of them had made the click to her. Suddenly, she saw the perfect dress. "I want to try this" "Sure..." said the woman and gave it to her. It was beautiful. It was white and it had a long tail. At the front, it had some embroidered flowers and at the back side , it didn"t have fabric in almost her whole back. She was gorgeous with it. Her mum started crying and then hugged her. They were definitely buying it. Boys and girls met at the house. Maddy and Rhyndian were both excited about the wedding. "Mum... Who will come to our wedding?" Maddy asked "Um..." Emma said "Nobody! Wolf-Weddings are private." Daniel said Maddy and Rhyndian were both a bit frustrated , but they were happy because they would be together. If you liked part one , part two will leave you breathless. Stay tuned for next chapters. The Wolf-Wedding ( Part 2 ) One day before the wedding... Maddy was very excited. She was going to marry Rhyndian. She was still afraid that one day she will wake up and realize that all that was a dream. A really nice dream. Rhyndian was thinking Maddy. He was in love with her from the first time he met her. He was very happy because he would make a family with her and they would live their lives together. Maddy was talking with her mother at the living room. They were both sitting at the sofa. Rhyndian was helping Daniel to carry come boxed. Suddenly , he triped and fell. "Are you ok?" Daniel asked "No... My ankle! It hurts a lot!" Daniel check Rhyndian"s ankle. It was swollen. Meanwhile... Maddy screamed. "What wrong?" Emma asked her "My ankle!" Emma checked her ankle. It was swollen. "How that happened?" Maddy asked Rhyndian entered the living room with the help of Daniel. "Rhyndian"s swollen his ankle" Daniel "Now I understand..." Said Emma and went toward the kitchen. Daniel helped Rhyndian to sit to the couch and approached Emma. "What do understand now?"he asked her She didn"t gave an answer. She just went near the sofa keeping two bags of ice. She gave the first to Maddy and the second to Rhyndian. "Remember that Daniel said that if one of two mates get hurt , then the other gets too..." Emma said "I am so so sorry!" Rhyndian said "You don"t have to be. It could happen to everyone." Maddy said "No! It is my fault. You are feeling pain beacause of me!" "No! Rhyndian... I don"t care! Ok... That may be negative in being Wolfblood Mates , but feeling the wolf way of love is so amazing that I don"t care about it." "No! Maddy... If I was more careful..." "Ok! If... You will be the next time!" "I am so sorry" "I told you you don"t have to be." Maddy was a bit worried. "It is awful to share the pain" she thought "I can"t hurt her! I must be very careful!" Rhyndian thought In the wedding day afternoon... Maddy was wearing her gown and Rhyndian his suit. They met at they room. The place where the wedding would become. Rhyndian was waiting for her. He was keeping some flowers. Maddy arrived with her dad. She went next to Rhyndian and took the flowers. The wolfblood priest started the wolf-wedding. "I feel like all this is a dream. If it is , I don"t want to wake up." Maddy whispered to Rhyndian "I fell this too" Rhyndian said and touched her hand. " Rhyndian Morris , do you want Madeline Smith for your wife?" "I do" " Madeline Smith , do you want Rhyndian Morris for your husband?" "I do" "You can kiss the bride" They shared a kiss. Emma started crying. "My cub grew up into a wolf" she said "Mum..." said Maddy and hugged her mum " My little girl... She now got married..." Daniel said "Dad..." said Maddy and hugged her dad. "I suppose we have to leave you spent your wolf night alone..." said Daniel and left with Emma and the wolfblood priest. "So... We are alone... And... It"s our wedding night..." said Maddy Rhyndian hold her hands. Their eyes turned yellow. They were transforming. They were two adults wolves that were wolfblood mates and were spending their first night... Next morning... Maddy was in the bathroom , looking her self at the mirror. Rhyndian was sleeping in their bedroom and she definitely didn"t want to wake him up. She went to her parents bedroom. "Mum!" She shouted Emma jumped with fear. "What happened? Why are you screaming?" Emma asked "Come!" "Ok , ok! Don"t kill me..." Emma got of her bed and then she followed Maddy to the bathroom. "Mum..." "Yes..." "I think..." "Yes?" "I think I am pregnant..." "What! Let me see..." Maddy took of her shirt. Her tummy was bigger. "Ok... We have to stay calm... Does Rhyndian know it?" "No!" "Tell me honestly... Do you and Rhyndian... As humans?" "No! Just as wolves... You didn"t said we shouldn"t!" "Yes! Because it is the first time that a wolfblood gets pregnant in her wolf form!" Guys, I hope you liked it and you are curious about what happen to Maddy and to that little unborn baby... Maddy was pregnant. She couldn"t believe it. She was too young. Well, she"d better stop thinking about these small problems, because a huge is waiting for her. "Mum, what will we do?" "Honey, don"t worry" "We can find someone, who had the same pregnancy with me. Someone who got pregnant in her wolf form" "There is nobody who had the same pregnancy with you" "How do you now that?" "Go to Rhyndian." "Mum..." "Maddy, I said go to Rhyndian!" Maddy left the bathroom and headed to her bedroom. "I won"t let you die, baby. I won"t..." Emma thought Maddy woke up Rhyndian. "Good morning!" "Rhyndian, I want you to be open minded, ok?" "Ok?..." "I am pregnant" Full silence. Then a laughter filled the room. "Maddy, you are very good, I almost believed!" "Rhyndian, I am not kidding!" "But can wolfbloods get pregnant in their wolf form?" "Mum says I am the first one, but I believe that someone else got too." "Your dad knows that?" "Not yet..." "Then we have time to save ourselves! Let"s go!" "Rhyndian, he won"t kill us" "Not you, but me" Emma told Daniel the whole story. "Emma, don"t worry, we will find a solution. Maddy won"t die like Madeline..." The went to Maddy"s and Rhyndian"s bedroom. "Maddy, don"t worry! We will find a solution. You won"t die like your aunt Madeline..." "Who?!" "Daniel, we weren"t going to tell her about Madeline!" "But they have so many things in common, and now that!" "No, she won"t have the same fate with my sister, we will help her. Help her to save her life." "Well, I am terrified. And who is that Madeline and what is her fate? I am so happy that all of you guys enjoy my story. We"ve almost reached 6.500 views. Thanks for your support. So sorry for not posting a new part for so long, but I have an idea you will probably like. So, send me a personal message telling me how to continue my story and the guys that thought the ideas that will be used will have a shout out in the next part. This way you will feel the story more personal. Hope you all like this little competition and send me you wonderful ideas. P.S You have 1-2 weeks until this "competition" ends so hurry up. Lots of love and good luck, Witch of Writing "Madeline was my sister." Finally says Emma after a while "Was? How did she die?" Maddy says frantically "She got pregnant. Like you did..." Emma says with difficulty. Her feelings are overwhelming her. "And?" Asks Rhyndian "The fetus... It was incompatible with her body." Tears fall on Emma"s cheeks as she speaks. "It was impossible for a human to carry a wolf. The cub grew bigger and bigger, until it was too big..." Continues Daniel, as Emma is unable to speak. Panic runs through Maddy. "Will... Will that happen to me?" Maddy asks Rhyndian takes Maddy"s hand and places it in his two palms. "I won"t let you die, Maddy. I swear, I won"t." Rhyndian says being so worried about Maddy dying, that he didn"t even realize he would die as well. "There must be a solution, right?" Maddy says almost under her breath. "We will find one." Says Emma firmly Rhyndian runs his hand through his golden hair. "There must be someone else who got pregnant that way and didn"t die, right?" He says Daniel looks at Emma meaningfully. "No... No. Don"t even think about it!" Emma says "It might be the only way to keep our daughter alive Emma! We have no other choice!" Emma says Both Maddy"s and Rhyndian"s eyes light up at the thought of a new spark of hope. "What did you think dad?" Says Maddy eagerly "Maddy... I know it seems horrible, but..." Says Daniel Maddy is now a little bit worried. "Tell me dad!" She says "Abortion is not a choice Daniel." Emma shouts Maddy places her hand on her belly. "I can"t kill my baby!" She says "It will kill you if you don"t!" Daniel shouts "Maddy, your dad may be right..." Rhyndian says in a sad tone. "Thank you! Someone who thinks logically in here..." Says Daniel "ARE YOU CRAZY? YOU WANT TO KILL YOUR OWN CHILD?" Maddy shouts loudly "No. I don"t. But if I have to choose between you, us, and it... It is us." He says in the same tone. Maddy is extremely upset and shaking. "Baby... Why don"t you sit. I"ll bring you some water." Says Emma trying to calm Maddy down and making her sit on the sofa. After a while she returns with a glass of water and she hands it to Maddy. Maddy takes a sip. "I am not killing my baby." She says in a firm tone. "It"s not only your choice! It"s not only the life of the person I love more in the entire world we are talking about, but mine as well. So I vote abortion." "IT"S NOT A FREAKING VOTE!" Says and in her furry breaks the glass with her palm, causing one of the pieces to pierce her skin. Blood runs from both her and Rhyndian"s hand. "I"m sorry." She tells him as Emma patches her hand. "It"s fine." Says Rhyndian who patched it himself. He gets up and sits next to Maddy. "You seriously think I like the idea, of murdering my own child Maddy?" He tells her She looks him in his crystal blue eyes "Maybe there is another way..." She says not even believing her own words. "Maybe." He repeats After a long break, Emma is the one who talks first. "We have lots of books, with legends... Maybe we can find something there." Suggests Emma Both Maddy"s and Rhyndian"s eyes light up with hope "There are legends Emma. This is reality." Daniel says "We don"t lose anything to try." "Yes we do! We lose time. We are letting it become bigger." "Madeline died around her first month. This is first day!" Says Emma "The sooner the better!" Daniel says Everybody looks at him disapprovingly "Ok. Three weeks maximum." He finally says "Thanks dad!" Says Maddy and hugs him. It"s midnight. Maddy and Rhyndian are sleeping, while Emma and Daniel are researching in the library. After a while Emma"s eyes light up. "Daniel! Check this out!" She says pointing an opened book. Daniel checks it out and looks astonished. "I... I don"t know Emma..." "It"s the best we got." He sighs. "You are right." I would like to apologize for not writing more of Wolfblood mates in a long time. I didn"t really feel like it, but now, you guys inspire me. All those views, favorites, followers, and positive reviews... It is crazy. You guys are the best fans ever. I and this story would be nothing without you. (You think we can reach 10k views for next chapter?) love you! The next morning, all the family is sitting in the living room discussing the solution Emma found last night. "I am fine with it. I would do anything to keep my baby alive." Says Maddie. "Maddie! It is still risky..." Says Daniel. "And I am willing to take this risk. But- I know I can"t decide on this myself. Rhydian, it is your child as well, as if this goes to hell, you will die as well. So... What do you say?" "I.... Well... I.... I don"t think it"s a bad idea." He says nervously Maddie gives him a big hug. "So... We have a plan. I go with Maddie, and Daniel stays with Rhydian here, to research, trying to find a safer way." "It"s unfair I can"t come along." Say both men at the same time. "Don"t act like babies. This is the best we have." Emma says .... It"s almost lunch time and Maddie is standing on the porch. "Hey." Rhydian says as he walks next to her. "Hey." She says to him. "So, when are you leaving?" He asks "Tomorrow" "How long will you be there." "I don"t know. Until I give birth. Or die." "Don"t say that." Maddie shrugs and Rhydian pulls her in for a hug. "It is going to go fine. And in the meantime, me and your dad will be searching for something better." Maddie nods. ... It"s Dawn, and Maddie and Emma are preparing to leave. "How are you sure they will welcome you?" Daniel asks "We hope they will." Emma says "It"s crazy. Going to wolfbloods who spend their entire lives as wolves..." "The safer way, is for Maddie to carry it, and give birth to it in the form it was conceived. And they give birth in their wolf form all the time." Says Emma. "Ok... Take care." Says Daniel. Daniel hugs his daughter and wife. Then Rhydian hugs Maddie so strongly, she can"t breath with ease. "I love you." He whispers in her ear. "Me too." She says and gives him a soft and gentle kiss on his lips. "Be careful." He tells her as she walks towards the forest behind their house with Emma. "I will." She says and then fades in the trees. Then, she and Emma turn into wolves and start running deeper and deeper in the woods. Thanks for the support! You are the best. New chapter soon. Love, Witch of Writing. Dear readers, It won"t be likely form me to post new chapters for a week or more. Don"t think I gave up on the story or something like that. I will be writing a bunch of them and will upload them all together. I just won"t have WiFi to upload them day after day. Also, wait for a new chapter for a random story every day or two. (After the upload of the many chapters.) Love, -Witch of Writing

"Well, he actually bumped on me..." Chris laughed. "However, he didn"t really mention that you were with him. Is there any one else with you?" I asked giving Josh a mad look. "He didn"t?" He asked and gave Josh a confused look. Josh just shrugged. "Anyway. No, we are by ourselves. Just us bros." He added. "Sam!" I heard Miranda gesturing me to go to her. "Have fun." I said and headed towards Miranda. "You too." I heard Chris say. "So... I got those really, really good tickets. There were the last ones, but the hottie at the register gave them to me." Said Miranda, but I wasn"t really paying attention. My eyes were constantly looking at Josh"s and Chris" side. I couldn"t hear what they were saying, but I could see their movements clearly. All of a sudden, they split up, and Josh headed towards his car, while Chris entered the theater. "I... Forgot my phone at my car." I said making an excuse, so I could go to Josh to confront him. "Oh... You want me to come with you or something?" "No, it"s fine. You go in, I"ll catch up with you." "Okay... Don"t be late." She said and handed me my ticket. "I won"t." I said, and waited for her to enter the building, before storming towards Josh. "What"s your problem?!" I said to him while he was closing the car"s door. "Could you be more specific?" He asked after locking the car. "Why would you lie about being alone." Instead of answering he started moving towards the theater. "Hey!" I shouted at him, grabbing his hand. "What?!" He shouted back, yanking his hand off my grasp. "Why do you treat me like that? Why can you be friends with Chris and not me?" "Friends?! Seriously, Sam? You made it pretty clear that you wanted us to be more than friends." His words didn"t made me sad; they made me angry instead. "Oh, so you don"t feel anything for me, huh?" I shouted, louder than last time, making some people to turn staring at us. "It doesn"t matter." He said in a quite tone. "Of course it does! Answer me! Do you have feeling for me?! Yes, or no!" I shouted loudest than all times. "Do you even have to ask." His voice was so soft and tender that made all my anger disappear. "Then what"s the problem, Josh?" I asked, this time softly. He didn"t answer. "Josh..." I said, taking his hand in my palms. He closed his eyes for several seconds. When he opened them again, I was pretty sure some tears were forming. "I got to go." His said, his voice returning to the harsh one he had before. "Josh, don"t." I pleaded him. He looked down for a second and then removed his hand from my palms, but not in a violent way. Then, he walked towards the theater and I stood there, watching his silhouette disappear into the theater. It took me some time to remember about Miranda. Well, actually a lot. "Here you are." She said when she saw me enter the theater. "I thought something bad happened to you." She added. "I am fine." I said forcing a fake smile. That was the lie of the century. "Come on, the play is about to start." She said nodding at the open huge door leading to the room where the play took place. "I don"t really feel that good after all." I said to her. "What"s wrong?" She said, her voice full of concern. Everything. "I have a headache and I feel a little bit nauseous." I said, lying again. "How did that happen?" "I don"t know. It might be the flu..." "Do you have fever?" She asked, placing her palm on my forehead. "Don"t think so. However, I feel like shit." That was so true. "So... You won"t be able to watch the play, will you?" She realized and disappointment took over her face. "I"m sorry, Miranda. I promise, another time I-" "Don"t worry. Get better soon." She said giving me another hug. "Thanks." I said while she faded into the room. ..... I wasn"t really sick, but I acted like I was. It was earlier than eleven o"clock and I was in my PJ"s, on the couch and covered by my favorite blanker. I was sipping some hot tea I had just made and was watching a movie on Tv. After some time, my cell phone started ringing. Fortunately, it was on the coffee table, so I didn"t have to get up to pick it up. "Hello?" "Sam? It"s Chris." "Chris?!" I asked surprised. Why would he be calling me? "Yup... I called to ask how were you doing. Are you feeling better." "Oh... Yeah... A little bit." "How did you learn I was sick." I added after some time. "We run up to your classmate, Miranda." "Oh." "It is pretty unfortunate you are sick. I had thought of us four going for dinner afterwards." "It is unfortunate, indeed. And that sounds great; too bad I couldn"t make it." "Yeah... I guess another time?" "Definitely." "You missed a great performance, as well." "At least you enjoyed." "Well... To be honest, I am not a fan of plays my self, but Josh wanted us to go so..." "I see." "Did you know it was he favorite play?" "No, I didn"t" I said, knowing that lying was the best answer. Telling him the truth would complicate things even more. "Sam, I got to go, Ashley is calling me." "Ok. Goodnight." "Goodnight, and get better soon." "Thanks, Chris." I said and hung up. However, I wasn"t sure if I could get better any time now. Josh admitting his feelings for me made me think everything will be easier. Instead, it tangled things up even more. How could he love me and not want us to be together? Why was he so cryptical? I sighed and finished my tea. There was a lot of figuring out to do, but that could be done tomorrow. Now the thing I needed the most, was sleep. -- A/N: So, I am sorry to announce that, but school started so I will have to be restrained to one update pre week :( I don"t know which day, so be sure to check daily. About the ship name, based on the poll I made, Jam is winning, but if you want this to change go ad vote or even suggest a new one. As always, thanks for the support, say tuned, review and favorite. Enjoy. "Do you prefer the "sexy-naughty-bitchy-me" or the "sweet-smart-sassy"?" "Did you seriously made up those names right now?" I asked giggling at how ridiculous the names were. "Pick one." Said Jess and raised the two dresses up in the air. The right one, was a strapless black sparky mini dress. The left one, was an ivory, above knees backless one. "Obviously the left one." "Black one it is." She said, putting the one I chose back to closet. "Why do you even ask?" I sighed. "It"s like a challenge; to see if you will pick the right thing." "And I failed?" "Miserably." I sat on my bed and hugged a pillow. "Hey, guys. Check this one out." Said Ashley pointing at a page from one of the million beauty magazines Jessica brought. "This would look so good on Sam." Jess said as soon as she saw the picture. "Totes. We are definitely doing Sam"s hair up." Jess nodded, while flipping the magazine for make up ideas. The kept talking for a while, trying to decide what is the prefect look for my date with Justin. Fortunately for me, Jess had put music playing from her iPhone, so I could ignore them completely and get lost in the songs. ..... "Get up, Cinderella. It"s time for your make over." Said Jess after some while. I obeyed, half-hearted and followed them into the bathroom, where Ash did my hair and Jess my make up. I won"t lie, the did a pretty amazing job. I almost looked like a real princess. "Time for the dress." Said Jessica with excitement. I sighed once more before putting it on. "So...?" Asked Jess impatiently, while I was looking my self at the mirror. "I don"t now... It"s pretty revealing." "Come on, nun. It"s your first date, you must make an impression." "I don"t want him to think I am like that." "Like what?" "Like a slut." Said Ashley. "Well, I wasn"t going to use those exact words, but... Yeah." "Oh, shut up. Both of you." Ashley gave me a "I-tried" look causing me to laugh. "Shoe time!" At least they won"t be something extreme. Most of the shoes I own are athletic. "So, as I knew how badly your shoe collection sucked, I decided to lend you one pair of my own." I silently cursed. Ashley laughed, but Jess shook her head disapprovingly. She then, took the shoes of the box. "Holy shit." I said my eyes widening. "Jess, you might have over done it..." Said Ashley who was clearly as surprised as I was. "Not at all." She said admiring her shoes. "Oh, and don"t lose any, Cinderella. They are really expensive." "Jessica, I can not walk on these." "Of course you can. Try them on." I gave the black 6 inch tall stilettos a second look. Taking a deep breath, I put them on and tried to walk. To my surprised, I didn"t fall to my death. "See, you are doing fine." .... It was eight o"clock, aka the time Justin was going to come to take me to our date. Jessica and Ashley were in the elevator, leaving. "Oh, and Jess..." I said as Ashley pushed the button. "Yeah?"" "I don"t owe you anymore." I saw her roll her eyes as the doors closed and the elevator started to descend. I returned to my apartment, were I decided to spend my waiting time by watching some Tv, while being extremely careful not to ruin anything on me and of course not fall. I was really paying attention to the Tv. My mind was on Josh. A stupid part of me hoped that the moment I saw Justin, I would be in love with him, and I would forget Josh, and I would have my happy ending. But I knew that this wasn"t possible. Also, a stupidest part of me didn"t want to stop loving Josh, because maybe, just maybe, one day, we could be together and happy. The door bell rang, interrupting my thoughts. "Hello, you must be Justin." I said, after opening the door, to the guy standing right in front of me. He was pretty tall and had a muscular, well built body. His face was flawless. His pure white skin made his crystal blue eyes shine. He ran his hand through his golden hair and flashed a smile with his puffy, 100% kissable lips of his (as Jess would say). "Yeah... And I assume you are Samantha." He said in a British accent. Wow. Jessica had really overcome her self. "Sam, for short." I correct him. "Whatever the lady prefers." He said and I smiled at how much of a gentle man his was. "Oh, how foolish of me. I almost forgot; these are for you." He said handing me a bouquet of flawless red roses. "Well, thank you." I said and took them. "Shall we go?" "Yeah, just gimme one second to put the flowers in a vase." ... After we existed the building, something grabbed my attention. "Wow, that"s a fancy car. You don"t see much of them around here." I said pointing at a silver shiny cadillac. Justin just laughed and took his car keys off his pocket. He then pressed a button, and the car unlocked. "Oh." I said making him laugh even more. I walked towards the help-drivers seat and reached for the door. "Hey." He said causing me to stop. "That is my job, my lady." He said opening the door for me. "Thanks." I said while entering. ..... He took me to a fancy restaurant, were the waiters only spoke french. Of course Justin, ordered for both of us, using the language flawlessly. "Were did you learn to speak french like this." I said while sipping the ridiculously expensive red wine he ordered. "Well, I took private lessons since I was 6, but I think what helped me master them was the fact we visited France every summer. You know, we have this cute little cottage; I should take you with me one time." I couldn"t decide which fact was more extraordinary. That he took lessons from the age of six, that they had a cottage (which turned to be a huge manor) in France, or that he invited me to it on our first date. As time past, I had figured out tons of stuff about him. His dad was a CEO of a major enterprise and he was the only heir. But he wasn"t snobby, he was fun, even normal. Even though his experience from one year were more interesting and fun from the ones I had my whole life, he constantly kept asking me things about my self. But it didn"t feel he was prying; it seemed like he cared about me. And of course, he never mentioned the incident. ..... "I had such a good time." He said while he exited the restaurant. "Me too." I said not lying. He flashed another smile of his. "Do you want a ride?" He asked. I was about to accept it, when my eyes recognized a familiar face sitting on the fountain, blended with strangers. "Um, no. I"m fine." I murmured. "Are you sure?" I nodded. "As you wish." He said and I smiled at him. "I would be more than willing to go out with you again." He said catching me off guard. "Yeah... That would be great." I said. "Goodnight, Sam." He said and kissed my hand. I saw him enter his car and fade. He was literally the perfect man. A true prince. But the problem was, I was not a princess. So, instead, I walked towards the guy that had been messing my life up. "Hey, Josh." I said and he looked up from his phone. "I wasn"t stalking you; I swear." He said while getting up from the fountain. "I didn"t think you were." I said while we moved several feet away from the fountain. Despite the fact it was late in the night, the centre of the city was full of people, and it was so brightly illuminated that made you think it was day. "He looks like a great guy." "What?" I said clearly surprised by Josh"s words. "He looks great, Sam. You should date him." "What?!" My eyes widen at the last sentence. He didn"t reply. "Josh, what the hell are you saying? One day ago you admitted you had feelings for me and now you tell me to date someone else?!" "Sam, you made me do that. It would be so easier if I didn"t." "For whom, Josh? For whom would it be easier?" "Me. You..." "Would you bother explaining me how?" "Sam, you deserve the best. And that guy, is the definition of it." "Josh..." I said and he just looked at me, the street lantern light falling straight on his emerald eyes, illuminating them. "Yes. He is perfect. He is what every girl would ask for. But I don"t love him. I love you." This was the first time I said that I love him out loud. "Then stop loving me Sam. It"s not good for you." "What?! I can"t stop loving you! It"s not that easy..." "Yes. Yes, it is. Just think of what I did to you back in the mountains." "Don"t." "Why not, Sam? Just do it, and tell me what do you see." "You never really hurt me." "Not physically." I open my mouth to protest, but then think of a better idea. "Yes, Josh. You hurt me. You did the one thing that could hurt me the most in the entire world." What started as a tvictorious smile on his face, turned into a confused frown. "You made me watch a video, where the person I love the most got cut in half. And the worst part, was that I was helpless. I couldn"t avenge the beloved one I had just lost. There were some brief moments, were I thought I should give up running. I thought there was no point in fighting anymore, because I had lost you. First Hannah, and then you. " "What made you keep running?" He asked. "The faint glint of hope that if I survived, I would have a chance to make that person pay." Josh buried his face in his hands but I stood there, not moving. "I am sorry." Were the only words that came out of him. "I don"t doubt it, Josh. But instead of trying to make up, you hurt me even more; by denying that we could be together." "I am doing the right thing. I am letting you go, so you can be happy; even without me. I am forcing my self into a life without you, because you deserve the best, and you are not going to get it with me. I don"t deserve you, Sam." "Josh, you are wrong-" I started but he cut me off. "I love you, Sam. More than I have loved anything in this world. And that is why I am doing this." He said. I closed my eyes and tears run down my face. "Josh, don"t do this, please." I begged. He opened his mouth to speak, but a rain drop that fell on his face interrupted him. "It"s raining; you should go." "No. No, Josh... You are making a terrible mistake. Just listen to me." I pleaded as the rain drops turned into heavy rain. "There is nothing else to be said." He said. I was completely soaked by now, but I didn"t care. Josh turned his back to me and was about to go, when he suddenly turned facing me again and pulled me towards him. His lips collided against mine, putting them on fire. The kiss started as a hungry one, but turned into a soft and tender one at the end. It all happened so fast and I got consumed by the kiss, so I didn"t have time to react. By the time my mind started working, he had already pulled away. I leaned towards him for a second kiss, but he backed away. "Date mr. perfect." Were his only words before disappearing into the dark. Tears started running down my face. It felt like I was in an emotional roller coaster. The night started with me being fine. In the middle, I was better than ok, even good. Then things turned bad, and I was really sad. When Josh kissed me, I was on cloud 9, but when he left, I fell back on earth, hitting the ground pretty hard. And if things weren"t bad enough, everything started spinning. Fortunately, I was close to a wall, so I supported my self against it and didn"t fall. However, after sometime of blankly staring at the people running to avoid the rain, I found my self sliding down the wall. People shot me glances, but no one was brave enough to come near me. To be honest, I wouldn"t either. I looked like a mess. "Sam?!" I heard a concerned voice above me. I looked up only to find out that Chris was standing there, his wider than I had ever seen them be. "Are you ok?" His asked, his voice filled with concerned. "No." There was no point in lying any more. "Come on." He said and helped me up. He leaded me to his car, while trying to cover me from the rain. "What happened? Was your first date that bad?" He asked when we were inside the car. "No... It was actually great." I said while he turned on the heater. I found my hands moving towards the heat source. Chris noticed that, and covered me in a jacket of his that was forgotten in the back of the car from who knows when. "Then what"s the problem?" I hesitated. "Come on, Sam. You were always like the sister I never had. You can tell me anything." He said in a brotherly tone. "Josh." Was the only word that escaped my mouth. "What about him?" I didn"t answer. "What about him, Sam?" He asked again, but still no response. "That"s it. I am taking you to my house." He said and powered the engine. "No. Ashley..." I said almost under my breath. "Don"t worry; she said she would spend the night at Jessica"s." He said and then turned to me. "Promise me, that when we arrive to my house, you will tell me everything." I simply nodded. - A/N: I know you"ve been waiting for it, sorry it took me so long. As always thanks for the support, we are close to 100 followers, you think we can reach that (If yes that would be more than amazing). Also, there is going to be one more update this week, so stay tuned. Don"t forget to review, follow, favorite. Love you guys, Enjoy. "Here we are." Said Chris as we entered his house. I stepped in and noticed that my clothes were dripping water. "Go take a hot bath. It will make you feel better." Chris ordered and I willingly obeyed. I entered the bathroom and removed my clothes. I was more than thankful for the fact that there was a shower stall and not a bath tub, as that would bring back many unwanted memories. As hot water ran down my body, I couldn"t stop thinking about Josh"s lips on mine. It felt so good. It was like nothing else mattered, just us. I wondered if that would ever happen again. I exited the stall and wrapped a towel around my self. Trying to keep the memories out of my head, I looked at my clothes. There was no way I could wear them. Suddenly, I heard someone knocking at the door. "Sam, can I enter?" Chris asked. "Sure." I said. The door opened and Chris walked in holding a little bag. "So... Your clothes and er... underwear... are soaking wet, meaning you can"t wear them." He said, being a little embarrassed over the word underwear. "I figured out you could wear those." He said and gave me the bag. Inside the bag there were some black extra-sexy lingerie. "I bought them for Ashley, as an anniversary gift." He quickly explained him self making me almost smile. "Thanks. And don"t worry; I will go buy a pair for Ashley." "Oh god, Sam... You can"t believe how thankful I am for that." "No worries, bro." "Oh, and I will give you a shirt of mine so you don"t feel uncomfortable." "Yeah, that"s probably a good idea." I murmured and he existed the bathroom. As I changed into the lingerie, which was pretty revealing, a image popped into my mind, before I was able to stop it. I thought of Josh, which in this dream/thought was my boyfriend, buying me lingerie and blushing at the cashier. I smiled bitterly. "Sam, are you ok with this shirt?" Said Chris as he stormed into the bathroom holding a blue shirt of his. "Oh my god. I did not know you had already changed..." He said turning his back. "It"s fine, Chris. You are like my brother." I said. He hesitantly turned facing me, still trying not to look at the parts that was "covered" by the lingerie and handed me the shirt. As I tried to wear it, he exited the bathroom. I followed as soon as I was covered by the shirt. "Chris...?" I asked as I entered the living room. "I am in the kitchen, wait in the living room." I heard him shout from a room, which was probably the kitchen. I sat on the couch and waited patiently. Shortly after, Chris emerged from the kitchen holding two cups.

Monika stared at all of them and said, "That"s not what I meant at all. What I mean is that our club only has four members, and all of them are girls. If we want more people, we need to recruit a boy. Or more than one really." "Whaddya mean?" Natsuki asked. "I mean, what, do you think girls don"t have what it takes?" "Yeah," Sayori said, half-teasingly adding, "We all know Natsuki"s a strong, independent woman who don"t need no man, right?" "That"s not what I meant," Monika said again. "It"s not that there"s anything wrong about a club which has only girls in it... but face it, half of the school is made of boys... and the thing is for some reason, no boy"s gonna join a club with only girls in it. A club with only boys on the other hand? Well, there"s going to be one girl or the other who"ll want to join that just to show that she"s different, but it isn"t like our club"s topic is really popular anyway... how are we supposed to compete with the anime club?" "Wait, a boy, huh," Sayori said, but this was mostly to herself. Monika didn"t know why, but it looked like a light bulb had gone off in Sayori"s head. "Well... that might be possible..." "You have someone in mind?" Monika asked, surprised. "But I don"t get one thing at all," Natsuki chimed in. "Why do you even wanna to bring in more members? We only need four people for a club. And I think that"s enough." "Huh?" Monika asked, even more surprised at what Natsuki was saying. "You- you don"t want there to be more members?" "Like, it wouldn"t be the worst thing in the world to have more people," Natsuki said. "But I just felt like, y"know, there"s something that"s alright with being a small club." "I have to agree with Natsuki," Yuri said with a firmness that Monika wasn"t used to. Was the alcohol finally taking its effect? "I mean, large clubs are all well and good, but the thing is that there"s a kind of special magic to small ones, right? We all feel more connected with each other and I"d honestly rather have a deep relationship with the three of you rather than short ones with over thirty or fifty people. A smaller club is more well-knit together, and I"d feel more comfortable in a small group than a large one." "Yeah, I agree with Yuri," Natsuki said. "I mean, if someone wants to walk in and join us, well, I guess that I wouldn"t go ahead and say no to their face, but do we really have to campaign so hard for more members? I like being with you guys, and if there"s way too many of us won"t that change?" "Oh," Monika said. She had never really thought of things like that- she had always had visions of turning her small club into a giant one... it was kind of her one and only ambition really. But come to think of it though, she realized that not even Sayori would have joined the club if it had been larger- she had probably joined just so that she could be vice-president. "You guys," Sayori said, "nothing will change if we get a few new members. I mean, I already am great friend with you guys, but having more people won"t ruin that. Like, I mean, I can see you guys getting worried if we suddenly got twenty or thirty people, but you know, that isn"t going to happen." She then paused and looked at Monika, realizing that she had made a mistake. "Oh, it"s alright," Monika said. "I didn"t take it that way. I mean, yeah, realistically it would be amazing if we even got twenty members." "Yeah, so what I mean is, a few more members wouldn"t be bad," Sayori said. "And, after all, isn"t that what you joined this club for, right? To spread awareness about literature." Both Natsuki and Yuri still looked unsure. "I... I joined to meet with a few like-minded people," Yuri said. "Yeah... the club is so nice the way it is," Natsuki said. Monika felt that she kind of understood where the two of them were coming from now. For Yuri, who was already super-shy, a huge club would mean that she would stand out even less than she did now. And for Natsuki, well, she was probably afraid that her "safe space" so to speak would be intruded on. "Hey, let"s do something then," Sayori said. "What if we got one new member? Just one? I"m sure if we got another member, you"d both learn just how wonderful he"d be! So how about that? After that we can slowly look to grow." "Alright, I guess," Yuri said. "Wait a minute though," Monika said as she pondered over Sayori"s words. "Sayori, I knew I said that we should think about inviting a guy- but that doesn"t mean that it has to be a boy." "No, I meant there"s a boy in particular who I think would join..." Sayori said with a giggle. There was silence following this comment. "Uh, I"m almost scared to ask, but how are you going to convince him to join?" Natsuki asked. "Oh, he"s always been my friend- you know who I"m talking about," Sayori said. "Oh, yeah, him," Monika said. She vaguely recalled Sayori talking about someone who she had always been best friends with. As a matter of fact, now that she thought about it, it was made up about fifty percent of everything that Sayori talked about. "But, Natsuki, um, are you okay with making cupcakes for our new member?" Sayori asked. "Yeah, okay, I guess," Natsuki said. "Right," Sayori said and took a deep breath. It was at this point that Monika noted that all the other girls had practically emptied their glasses- she was the only one who still had half of her drink left and she took a few more sips, but felt like she would be unable to take any more so she stopped. It still felt bad to waste it though. "Huh, well, having a boy here changes things," Yuri said. "I guess... well... uh...." It looked as if she wanted to say something, but just couldn"t form the words. Natsuki said, "Well, I always though we were kind of that sort of gang, y"know, like a group of magical girls from an anime..." she then realized what it was that she just said, blushed and said, "not like I still watch or read any of that stuff, y"know." "Uh, right," Sayori said. "Well, given that alcohol is supposed to make you braver, there is something that I"ve wanted to do for a long time..." Monika watched as Sayori got up and walked behind Yuri, so that her head was directly over Yuri"s and Yuri had to crane her neck to see her. "Hey, uh, Yuri," Sayori said. "Could you fix my bow for me? It"s a bit crooked..." "Uh, okay," Yuri said and tried to get up but Sayori firmly put her hands on Yuri"s shoulders. "No, no, do it like this," Sayori said. Monika and Natsuki both exchanged confused looks. What was going on here? Sayori could fix her bow herself if she wanted to- as a matter of fact by now Monika thought that Sayori had her bow on crooked on purpose as a fashion statement or something given that she had never seen Sayori wear it straight. "Oh, alright," Yuri looked about as confused as both of them but still agreed to comply with Sayori"s request and stretched both of her arms up to try and correct Sayori"s bow. While both of her hands were busy with this, Sayori suddenly took her own hands, and moved them to Yuri"s chest and then gave Yuri"s cleavage a squeeze. Yuri had somewhat figured out what was going on while this was happening, but her hands were above her head and she hadn"t been able to block Sayori"s hands in time. "What?" Monika nearly screamed out. What was going on? Sayori quickly retracted her hands and jumped back a few paces from Yuri, probably fearing retaliation or something along those lines. Yuri blushed deep red. "Wh- why"d you do that?" "I"m sorry, it"s just that..." Sayori began. "Your boobs are just so huge! And big! Natsuki and I were always wondering if they were real or not and we were kind of jealous... so I just wanted to see if they were real or you were stuffing your bra or something..." "W-what?" Natsuki said. "Sayori, I"ve never, ever worried about stuff like that so don"t you dare drag me into this... and I didn"t want you to check on it... don"t listen to her Yuri, I"ve never thought about that..." However the way that Natsuki blushed while saying this told Monika a completely different story. Yuri had somehow blushed even deeper and almost looked close to bursting into tears. Now, Monika knew she had to do something... she just wasn"t sure what. She wasn"t sure if she should go and console Yuri, or console Sayori and Natsuki about their body image issues, or tell Sayori she was way out of line for what she did, or say that they should wrap this whole session up and go home, a mixture of all of these options, none of them, or perhaps all of them. "Come on now," Sayori said. She actually did look really sorry. "I"m sorry Yuri but it wasn"t just me, I bet even Monika"s jealous of you... and to be honest all of us are. I mean, you"re so tall and beautiful and stuff, I"m really sorry we thought that you were faking it. You"re so pretty and mature... right?" "Uh, Sayori"s right," Monika said. Now, she wasn"t actually very insecure about her looks- she was sure that she was very good-looking but she had to admit that Yuri"s... ah, assets, were something that even she occasionally wished she had. "Oh, but let"s establish some ground rules here. Sayori, don"t do that again or anything like that, okay. And Yuri, I"m sure Sayori is very sorry for what she did. Can you forgive her?" Yuri played with her fingertips. "That was really mean Sayori... it was a very rotten thing to do..." "I"m sorry," Sayori said and now herself seemed to be close to tears. Were these rapid mood swings also thanks to the alcohol? Monika sighed and took another sip. The thing was that she was beginning to feel a whole lot better about herself suddenly and far calmer now... she drained the last dregs in her glass. The mood in the club sort of settled down after that though, and it seemed that Sayori and Yuri had made up somehow, and Sayori sat down right back at her seat. Natsuki leaned over to Sayori and asked her a question that Monika couldn"t hear, and Sayori simply nodded in response. Natsuki then went back to her seat, and the three girls weren"t looking at each other and were instead glancing around the room as if they had a test tomorrow on where everything was. Needless to say it was extremely awkward, and it was then that Monika had the strangest feeling. At first it was just that she felt sort of lightheaded. She supposed this was normal but then something else happened. It was as if there were tight bands all around her head, or there had been, and now suddenly they were gone. As if her mind was free to wander wherever it wanted now. She was beginning to lose all feeling in her arms and legs. Was that just lazy foot? Nope, it was something very, very, weird and definitely not normal happening. And it was then that Monika collapsed to the floor as the classroom began to swim around her and then completely vanished. The last thing she heard were the cries of her friends as her head hit the floor. A/N: Thanks for reading and all you guys who reviewed last time. To answer Vanillapowpow though, I"d just like to say that no, the rating isn"t going to drop to "M" because I don"t write those kinds of fanfics... but y"know, I hope Sayori fondling Yuri"s boobs was good enough for the time being. And thanks to everyone else for leaving their thoughts. A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! Monika had heard of something called astral projection. The ability of some people to leave their bodies completely- or at least it was rumored that some people could do that. Only thing is that she had no idea where she was going- and this was certainly did not feel voluntary. Everything disappeared, even the room, but she was still conscious. Words began to form above her. "Huh?" she felt herself say and then she was back in the club room, lying on the floor and she hastily got up. This was not a good idea however because the other girls were leaning over her to see how she was and so she ended up ramming her head into Yuri"s. Hard. "Wah!" Yuri cried out in pain. Monika clutched her forehead too- she hadn"t felt this much pain in a long time. Thankfully though it subsided to a mile throbbing after a few minutes. "We were kind of scared there," Sayori said. "Yeah, it was nothing," Monika said. What had that been? And what were those things that she had seen? "Uh, I just realized something," Natsuki said. "You guys- we all got drunk- and, and, we haven"t chosen our designated driver yet! Who"s gonna drive us all home? We"re all drunk! My dad always says that you need to pick a designated d-d-driver, or else book a taxi...but I don"t got no cash on me..." "Uh, Natsuki," Monika said. "I think this should be plainly obvious, but none of us drive. We all walk home. You do remember that, right?" "Oh yeah," Natsuki said as she realized the truth, and then suddenly burst into laughter. "But that was funny to think about..." The other girls joined in, except for Monika. Thing is, walking might very soon be difficult given how drunk they were- especially for Natsuki. It was a mistake giving her so much of the wine. What was that? What had that been? Those words were her name, and those of her friends, of course, but what was that '.chr" in front of them? The only thing that she could think of was that they resembled file extensions- though she had never heard of that specific extension before. But she wasn"t really interested in computers ever, at least not very much, so then she couldn"t be very sure. And then something else went through her head. "Uh, I know this a weird thing to ask..." Monika said. "But I think it"s "cuz of the wine that I just can"t help myself... but Sayori didn"t "do" anything to me while I was out, right? Like she did with Yuri..." Monika turned red after saying that, she normally wouldn"t have said something like that, but it looked like the wine was talking now. "Eh?" Sayori said after she stopped giggling. "N-no way. No." "Oh, that"s a relief," Monika said. "Besides," Sayori said. "Monika, it isn"t gay if you say "no homo" first. Everyone knows that." She then glanced over at Yuri. "I think Yuri knows what we"re talking about... right?" "W-what?" Yuri asked. "Whadda ya mean?" It was weird hearing words like that coming from Yuri, Monika thought. "I mean, it"s right in your name, right?" Sayori said. "I mean- come on now, we always have "Yuri" in our club, don"t we? So I guess our club is always a "Yuri" club all the time! Yeah, Yuri should start her own club and we can all call it "The Yuri Club"- and then all the boys will flock to it!" "Uh..." Yuri said, still not comprehending what Sayori was saying. "It"s a genre of manga," Natsuki said. "Where girls get together- if you know what I mean." "Eh?" Yuri said, blushing. "Yeah, I bet that would be the one club boys would flock to," Sayori said. "We should put it on a posture- "The Literature Club- There"s Always Some Yuri In Here.'" Monika sighed and rubbed her head again. The throbbing hadn"t completely stopped. "And by the way, this is another thing I"ve always been wondering about-" Sayori said. "But I"ve been too afraid to ask- Natsuki, are you really a girl?" "What?" Natsuki asked. "What kind of question is that?" "It"s just that- that I sometimes kind of thought... that you might be a trap!" Sayori said. "Ehhhh?" Natsuki said. Yuri didn"t seem to understand the terminology, but Monika did. "Uh, Sayori, I think you"ve had enough to drink," Monika said. "Like, way more that enough, and it"s clearly impacting your ability to reason and to keep quiet on things that you really shouldn"t speak out loud." "I know I shouldn"t say it," Sayori said. "But... I mean, your waist isn"t that narrow like any of ours, and your chest isn"t that well developed, and your bows and accessories seem to be not real and stuff, so you know, I thought that maybe you were a boy sometimes..." "Huh? Is that what "trap" means?" Yuri asked. "Sayori- that"s a terrible thing to ask someone!" "Yeah," Natsuki said, very annoyed. "Sorry, sorry, I wouldn"t say this normally," Sayori said. "But now that I"ve gotten a few drinks in me I feel like going forward while I still have the courage." Sayori then bent over close to the floor. "There"s only one way that I"ll know this for sure though..." Natsuki turned red and folded her hands over her skirt as she brought her(?) legs close together. "What"re you doing?" "Come on," Sayori said. "Just a peek is all I want- it won"t hurt! I mean, we are all girls here, right? Unless you are a boy or anything, that would just make it weird... but you aren"t right? Anyway I"ve been trying to see up it for a long time now so it would be convenient if you would uh, you know..." "What?" Natsuki said. "Uh, Sayori," Monika said. "I"m gonna need you to stop right there. This is entering harassment territory, and you"ve kind of already gone there with Yuri but you know, I really do need to ask you to stop right now." "Aww," Sayori said. "Come on Yuri, I bet even you want to find out. Hold Natsuki"s arms behind her back while I take a good look." "Don"t drag me into this!" Yuri said. "And hey! I haven"t forgiven you completely yet for all you did to me!" "Yeah, but the thing is that it was okay to do it to you," Sayori said. "I kind of knew that you, being so shy and all, wouldn"t do anything to me if I apologized. But if I do this to Natsuki, there"s a good chance she"ll try and hit me, so I need someone big to restrain her." Yuri looked seriously pissed that that was what Sayori thought of her. Monika sighed and picked up the wine bottle. It still had some left in it. "Oh, Monika, let me get rid of that," Sayori said. "You know, as vice president I"ll make sure to dispose of it properly." She then turned her head a little and mumbled, "It"s not like I"d go and drink all of it or something like that." "You just said that out loud," Yuri said. "I want some more!" Natsuki cried out. "Okay, no more for anyone," Monika said. "As club president, it is my duty to ensure the safety of the people of my club, and none of you should be drinking any more. And so, to fulfill my duty, I"m going to do this." Monika then took the bottle and drank the remaining wine- not even bothering to use a glass. She just drank it straight from the battle. "Huh?" Natsuki and Sayori said. "So uncivilized," Yuri muttered to herself. "You might as well drink orange juice straight out of the carton." "Yeah, well, it"s not like I wanted to drink all of it," Monika said. "But I had to make sure that you guys didn"t drink all of it, you know, it is such a pain being president sometimes..." "Liar! You just wanted it all for yourself!" Sayori said. "Yeah," Monika said and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Like seriously, her manners were going out the window real quick. She hadn"t liked the wine too much at first, but now that it had taken its effect, she wanted some more. "Well, I guess that makes me the smart one then." "Meanie," Sayori muttered under her breath. "But hey- as long as we have an empty bottle- you know what we should do? Play spin-the-bottle! You know, like truth or dare!" "Uh, okay," Natsuki said. "But no peeping allowed." "Yeah, I think we can all agree that Sayori needs to keep her hands to herself," Yuri said. "Seconded," Monika said. "Or thirded. Like, whatever, y"know." At an earlier time, she might have been worried about someone seeing the bottle in case someone decided to randomly stroll in, but she wasn"t anymore. At an earlier time, she would"ve worried about how they were all going to get home given how drunk they were, but she wasn"t anymore. At an earlier time, she might"ve been worried that Natsuki looked slightly nauseous- was she going to throw up? But you know what, that didn"t worry her in the slightest now. She wasn"t really worried about anything now- not even that weird stuff she had seen earlier. "Aww," Sayori said. "So anyway, the rules are simple- the broad end is the person who gets to ask and the narrow end is the person who has to do something. We all ready then?" "Yes," the other girls echoed in unison. Monika was beginning to really enjoy herself now. Was this why people drank? Because if so, Monika could see why it could so easily become addicting. She couldn"t remember the last time she had felt so good- she was sure that she had felt better at some point in life, but she for the life of her couldn"t recall when that was. "As club president, I"ll do the honors," Monika said and gripped the bottle and gently spun it. It spun a few rounds. The broad end landed on Monika and the narrow end landed on Sayori. "Okay, truth or dare?" Monika asked. "Uh, truth!" Sayori said. "Wuss," Natsuki muttered under her breath. Or at least, she probably wanted to say it under her breath but said it loud enough so that everyone heard it. "Hey!" Sayori said. "Yeah, but what kind of person actually goes for truth?" Natsuki asked. Monika blinked and rubbed her eyes. Did she just actually see what Natsuki was saying? It was as if a dialogue box- like from a video game had popped up showing what Natsuki was saying. It was gone the very next instant which made Monika wonder if it had ever existed at all.

Arthur is dragged away. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies. Scene 1: The Border Sea Wednesday loved plushies. She collected plush toys of all shapes and sizes. So, one day, out on the Border Sea, she was going out when she was interrupted by her Dawn. Dawn: I really don"t think that you should go out today. Wednesday: Why not? Dawn: Well then, the strangest rumors have reached my ears. For one, Tuesday has donated to a charity, and- Wednesday: So? They"re just rumors, nothing concrete. Now, I"ve got to go to the Plushie Palace and look at my plushies, especially my Noon and Dusk, who I turned into plushies. At this, Dawn was glad she got the Dawn plushie from the Secondary Realms in time. Otherwise, she would have been at a shelf.So, Wednesday continued onwards, and in the Palace she found Saturday, and the rest of the Morrow days. Wednesday: Wow. It"s so nice to see you all here. This probably has nothing to do with the fact that I just told Saturday I wanted to execute my part of the Will or something like that. Sunday: Of course not. Now, don"t you think it"s better if you don"t let a self-willed walking block of text free? Wednesday: No, I really need to get rid of my plushie obsession. It seems it"s a bit- unhealthy. Saturday: You really should stop. Wednesday: What Saturday? Saturday: Then speak, keys for me! All of the Morrow days stab Wednesday with the Keys. Tuesday: Wait, how do I stab someone with a pair of gauntlets? So, they just decide to turn her into a plushie. The irony. Wednesday: How could you guys do this? After all, I"m your best friend Saturday, and- She continues talking for over three hours. Thursday: That was worse than Tea"s friendship speeches. Tuesday: I have trading cards to collect. Hurry up. Sunday: Hey, Saturday, you do know that Naruto won"t be released today, as it"s a holiday in Japan? Saturday: ! Saturday faints, but then quickly gets up and turns to Wednesday. Saturday: How could you not see this coming? Haven"t you been looking at my page? Soon, a laptop computer manages to come out of nowhere, and it shows Saturday"s Facebook page. The posts are as follows: Saturday: Wednesday"s releasing the Will. This is disastrous. Monday: How could you not see this coming? Her very initials are D.W., disaster warning. Friday: Don"t know, don"t care. Saturday: I order you to. Tuesday: You do realize you"re deputy to a grown man who plays with Barbie Dolls, don"t you? Saturday: However, Sunday can order us too. Sunday: I don"t care. Saturday: Wednesday said plush toys are better than dolls. Sunday: ... Let"s do this. Scene 2: Meanwhile, while we were covering this lame back story, Arthur and Suzy have conveniently managed to get to Port Wednesday, and are have now met with the Raised Rats. Raised Rat"s Leader: It"s the Overlanders! Alert King Gorger at once. Another Rat from the crowd: He died in book one. Leader: Okay then, alert the Bane! Another Rat: He died in book five. Arthur: Stop quoting from books that no one reads. Is there anything you have for me? Leader: Well, we have this ring, which is completely useless for us, but works for you. Arthur: What does it do? Leader: It measures your transformation. Arthur: Into an almost-immortal Denizen of the House? Leader: No. Actually, the Keys will transform you from wanting to become the antagonist, to a noble person. Arthur: That"s horrible! I need to stop using the Keys. Anyway, we have to go find Wednesday. Suzy: Oh well, that"s easy, she"s at her Plushie Palace. Arthur: Then why have we been wandering around this place for four hours when you knew that? Suzy: I wanted to see the Border Sea. Arthur does face palm. Then, they walk over to the Plushie Palace. Then, Wednesday transforms back into her human form. Suzy: Hey Arthur, it"s D.W.! Arthur: Wait a minute, didn"t the Trustees trap you in plushie form? Wednesday: No, I just wanted to see how it was like to be a plushie. So, Arthur takes the Key from Wednesday. Then, a giant kraken appears from out of the sea to eat Arthur. Arthur anticipates this and throws Drowned Wednesday into its mouth. The kraken leaves. Suzy: Nice job Arthur. Arthur: Wait, I thought I threw you. Curses. We must find the Will. Suzy: Where would someone like Wednesday possible hide the Will? Arthur finds the Will as a plushie (big surprise there.) Dame Primus: Hey Arthur! You beat D.W. ! Do you know what that means? Arthur: I can now crown myself king of the pirates? Dame Primus: No! Pool Party! On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plush toys.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades. Long ago, before the breaking of the Will, the Glorious Army of the Architect used normal weapons, or normal by the House"s standards. However, they were defeated by a bunch of dust bunnies that seemingly appeared from nowhere. So, they are now trained in the only weapon that can defeat Dust Bunnies: Children"s Tops/Beyblades. For ten thousand years, Sir Thursday had trained his army in the art of using Beyblades for combat. Just now, he was wandering around the Great Maze, watching hundreds of soldiers practicing, using their launchers hundreds of times. Just then, his Noon came. "Um, sir," said Noon. "What is it?" Thursday asked. "Well, it"s now our turn to face Arthur. So, I was thinking, shouldn"t we have some other weapons besides Beyblades?" At this, Thursday replied very angrily, "Stop it! You already have your Beyblade, now you"ll ask for some firearms. Next you"ll ask me for a morpher, what do you think we are, Power Rangers?" Meanwhile, Arthur had found himself in the Great Maze. "Great, at least Suzy"s not here," he said. At that very moment, Suzy popped out from nowhere next to him."Aww, man." "Hey, Arthur, I took these Beyblades from somewhere. The Will is hidden in Thursday"s Beyblade," Suzy said. "How do you know that?" Arthur asked. "The plot line is so obvious that it"s the only place it could be." "You mean even Thursday battles with Beyblades? What"s next, Beyblading on motorcycles?" Then, they set off, and following a bunch of events that are in no way relative to the plotline, involving ice cream, Gummy Bears, and the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, they managed to find Sir Thursday. "I challenge you to a game of Beyblade," Arthur said. "I agree," Thursday replied. "How unexpected," Suzy said. "Sir, you can"t possibly want to put the future of the Army on a battle of children"s tops?" Thursday"s Noon said. "Of course not. His Beyblade is one of the old ones we use for practice. Mine is new," Thursday said, turning to his Times. Then, they began their battle. Contrary to what Thursday said, Arthur didn"t lose instantly. "While you were talking to your Times, I changed the parts of your Beyblade," Arthur explained. "Why didn"t you just free the Will?" Suzy asked. "Because, that"s too simple for someone like me," Arthur said. And so, the most dramatic battle between a grown man and a teenager using children"s tops continued. It got boring after a while, so Arthur asked, "Hey Thursday, has the Army actually ever won a battle?" "Well, there was that time with the Unicorns..." Thursday began. "Sir, we lost that war," his Dawn said. "Still, there was another battle, when those Girl Scouts invaded." "No, sir. We lost that one, and we"re still paying off the loan for all of the cookies we bought during the peace treaty," his Dawn said again. "Wow, this army sure is lame," Arthur said. "Time to put you all out of your lameness. Go Beyblade!" Somehow, as if Arthur could use telepathy to move his Beyblade, he knocked out Thursday"s Beyblade out of the ring, and freed the Will."I think I"m going to kill Thursday," the Will said. "Okay, I don"t have a problem with it," Arthur said. Then, Arthur realized that this chapter wasn"t over yet, and he still had to do something. Meanwhile, the Piper was planning to build up his army. "Well, I"m building up my army. Apparently, building it up right next to the Glorious Army of the Architect is a good idea." Then, he foresaw that the main characters were going to arrive there. "Well, I must disguise myself by using a mask I found in a dumpster somewhere." He then put on the mask. "Now, no one can recognize me." "Hey look, it"s the Piper," Arthur said, as he hurried with his Noon, Dawn and Dusk. "Oh whatever, I"m going to attack you with my army." Just then, Orange Orangutans appeared from all across the place. The Piper laughed, "This is my army. The Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League!" "You do realize that spells U.N.C.O.O.L., right?" Arthur said, and then all of them were too busy giggling to take the Piper seriously. "Shut up!" The Piper said angrily. "I am the Piper, creator and supreme commander of the U.N.C.O.O.L!" The Orange Orangutans pulled out various weapons and began to advance towards Arthur. "Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League, go! And while you"re all doing that, I have some children to grab," The Piper shouted. "Man, how do we beat him?" Arthur"s Noon asked. "I suppose we should just fire our Beyblades on them, and knowing the way this fanfic is written, it will probably destroy the army," Arthur said. So, deciding that they had absolutely nothing better to do, they fired their children"s tops at the Piper and his army. "Ahh, plastic, our one weakness!" the Piper cried as his army was defeated, and the U.N.C.O.O.L abandoned him. He then tried to run, but was stopped by Arthur. "Now, you shall be punished," Arthur said. "I"m going to make you reveal your identity to all of us here." Using the Keys, he forced the Piper to speak his real name. "My real name is... Peter!" he said. At that moment, everyone in the vicinity gasped. "The Piper"s real name is Peter, that"s like the real first plot twist in this whole fanfic!" Dame Primus said. "How did you get here?" Arthur asked. "I turn up at the end of every chapter, apparently it"s the only thing I do," Dame Primus answered. "Anyway," The Piper began, "My name isn"t the same surprise as Sunday"s. His real name is-" To be continued. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games. Lady Friday loved video games. As a matter of fact, the entire Middle House was involved in the manufacture and production of video games of all kinds. They were forged in a remote corner of the Lower House, from where they were shipped to the various guilds which packed the games and then sent them to Friday"s Scriptorium. There, there were virtual reality helmets which Friday used to experience the video games. The only problem with them was that if they were taken off before the game was complete, the mind of the denizen using it would be broken. Friday blamed it all on bad plot devices. Of course, she also run a hospital because it had been her parent"s dying wish to see her become a doctor. What are you saying, denizens don"t have children? Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, no one really knows why Friday decided to become a doctor. Some think she had a crush on Dr. Scamandros and wanted to be in the same profession he was, but that"s just a theory. So, one not-so-fine day, her Dawn came running up to her, holding an envelope in her hand. "Wait, I"m not a girl," he sobbed. "Get over it, everyone thinks Deidara"s a girl and he never complains," Friday said. "Deidara is a girl," Dawn said. "Exactly. Now why did you come here?" Friday asked. "Look, a Telegram!" he exclaimed. "Very good," Friday said with a smile. She held up a cup. "Now, tell me what"s this?" Dawn stared at her for a few seconds before realizing exactly what she was saying. "No, ma"am I mean there"s a telegram for you.""Oh." Friday was blushing. "I knew that, I was merely testing you." Her Dawn highly doubted that. Friday opened the envelope, and read the telegram. Then, she put it back down. "Aren"t you going to reveal what"s in that envelope?" her Dawn asked her. "Of course not. I"m going to conceal it so it can be an actual plot device for this chapter." she said. She then gave her Dawn specific orders. A few hours later... Friday was looking at the wall. She was wondering what was behind that locked door in Neoquest when her Dawn barged in. "Ma"am, I did what you said. I gave the invitations, and I laid the trap to destroy Arthur and the Piper." "What about the limited edition copy of Pokemon Green I wanted? It"s hard to believe they were only released in Japan." "Well, I really didn"t get time to do that." "What do you mean! I didn"t care about the rest, but you were supposed to bring the game." Then, she threw her Dawn off the tower they were in. "Ow! My pancreas!" Dawn shouted as he hit a rock. "Now, if you"ll excuse me, I have to kidnap people and run away to a secluded location," Friday said. Meanwhile, well you know the drill. Arthur appears and so does Suzy and whatnot. "Wow, I"m in the Middle House. The only part of the House that doesn"t seem to actually do anything," Arthur said. "Hello Suzy," Arthur said, smiling. Then, he suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth, as if he had just said something disgusting. "I forgot to be mean to Suzy!" "It must be just as the Raised Rats said. The Keys are slowly transforming you into a noble person," Suzy said. "No!" Arthur shouted. "But the transformation isn"t complete yet. This is the chapter where you truly rediscover yourself emotionally and finally find the path you"re supposed to walk on," Suzy explained. "Oh well." Then, he opened his invitation that Dawn had sent him. "Wow, this couldn"t possibly be a trap, let"s go," Arthur said. And so, Suzy, Arthur, The Will and the Piper managed to go to the room where the Fifth Key was placed. "Don"t take it, it might cause a burst of Nothing killing us all the moment we take it," the Will warned. "Of course not. That kind of stuff only happens in lame adventure novels. As this is an abridged series, there"s definitely going to be something more original than that. Just think about it, something as simple as a trap would destroy this fanfic"s nearly nonexistent fanbase," the Piper said. So, he went over to get the Key. The moment he touched it, Nothing started seeping into the room. "I totally didn"t see that coming," the Piper said. "Well, see you later." He climbed the Improbable Stair. Apparently, it actually exists.So, our heroes also managed to escape at the last moment, and ended up in a hospital in the Secondary Realms. "This must be Lady Friday"s hospital," Arthur said. "How do you know?" Suzy asked. "It"s written on the front." There was indeed, a neon sign saying Friday"s Hospital. Well, they attempted to sneak around without being noticed, but a hospital attendant saw them. "Ahhhh!" he screamed. Then, he calmed down. He pointed at the Will. "I thought you were my fifth-grade English teacher. Nah, she looked weirder." "So, who are you?" Arthur asked. "I work at the hospital," he replied. "And you"ve never noticed anything strange? Like the fact that Doctor Friday only comes on Friday, and doesn"t seem to have a medical degree of any kind?" the Will asked. "Nope. Nothing strange around here." He then continued onwards. "I suppose we should go find Friday," Arthur said. "My Arthur senses tell me she"s this way." He pointed towards the hallway. So, they made their way where they found Friday. "You named yourself Doctor Friday? You couldn"t find yourself a better name?" Suzy asked. "Well, at least it"s better than Sunday"s real name. Why did the Architect name him-" Friday began. "Expecto patronum!" Arthur shouted. For a moment, a silvery shape assumed around them, but then it vanished. "Hah! You"ll have to do better than that," Friday sneered. "It"s obvious that you"re facing a dilemma inside of you, which is why you can"t conjure a patronus." "Wow, this really is the chapter where I metamorphically find myself," Arthur said. "Now, I"m going to like, completely destroy you." Friday said, stepping forward. Our heroes were forced backwards, being unable to fight. It was then, that Arthur realized something his teacher had taught him: 2+2=5? No. Always wear a helmet before attempting to lick the floor? No. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Yes! Arthur immediately grabbed an apple, and threw it at Friday. The moment it went in contact with her, she melted just like the Fetchers did in book one which was never mentioned in the first chapter. At that moment, Arthur completely transformed. So, will Saturday defeat Arthur? Will Arthur finally succeed? You just want me to end the chapter, don"t you? What did you take me for, a bozo who doesn"t know anything? It was a rhetorical question. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games.On the sixth day, there was manga. Unlike the other chapters, this begins in the White House. "Well, sir. I"ve just heard that there"s a town in which a disease has spread. What should we do?" an attendant asked. "We"re going to do the only thing the US government can do, order a nuclear attack!" was the answer. Meanwhile, Arthur arrived at the Upper House. "Well, as this place is dedicated to sorcery, I should expect Harry Potter to appear," he said. Five minutes passed in silence. Nothing happened, which is a first for this series. "Well, that"s mostly surprising. Come to think of it, there are suspicious things going on. That Nothing trap in the Middle house was too obvious, and I was expecting a Harry Potter reference by now." Strangely enough, no one answered his call. "Wait, where"s Suzy? I get used to her and now she just vanishes?" On the other part of the Upper House, Suzy had been captured by Superior Saturday. Her sorcerers held her while she talked. "I"m Saturday. I"m pretty much the only real villain in this place," she said. "Now that I"ve got you in my custody, I"m going to do what every villain does, tell you my plan." "But why?" Suzy asked. "Because that"s what real villains do," Saturday replied. "Now, first, I"m going to capture you and force all information you have on Arthur out of you. Then, the same way I killed Grim Tuesday I"ll destroy Arthur." "I"ll never tell you anything!" Suzy replied defiantly. "I have ways of making you talk," Saturday replied with a grin. "Nothing you could do to me could possibly be worse than having to serve under Dame Primus," Suzy said. "True. But, I know of something worse: making you watch My Little Pony." Saturday said. "Nooooo!" Suzy screamed. Saturday laughed evilly, because she"s an evil villain and that"s what evil villains do. Meanwhile, Arthur was talking to Dame Primus, who for once actually came in the middle of a chapter. "Oh my god! You came in the middle of the chapter! It"s a sign of the apocalypse!" Arthur said. "Anyway, Saturday should be easy.""Don"t underestimate her," Dame Primus warned. "What do you mean? She"s second banana to a grown man who plays with Barbie Dolls, how bad could she be?" Arthur said. "Now, Arthur," Dame Primus started. "There"s a gigantic leak of Nothing that"s about to destroy the entire House. And guess what? I can"t do anything about it." She smiled. "You"ve never done anything," Arthur pointed out. "True, but I suppose you could give me the Architect"s Pokedex. I need it." "Okay, there"s absolutely nothing suspicious about that," Arthur said, handing over the Pokedex to Dame Primus. Before they could continue their meaningless discussion, they were interrupted by Dr. Scamandros. "How come I haven"t been in any of the earlier chapters?" he asked. "You were in Drowned Wednesday, we just skipped that part during the flashback," Arthur pointed out. "So, what are you going to do?" "Well then, the Piper and his army are coming to attack, so I"m going to warn everyone," Dr. Scamandros replied, and then got up on a horse. In a very Paul Revere-like fashion, he went around the place screaming: "The uncool are coming! The uncool are coming!" "Oh yeah, Arthur, the army is going to bomb your home town. Like you"d expect, there"s nothing I can do about that either." Then, Dame Primus turned around and skipped merrily all the way home. The End. "Wait a minute, this chapter can"t end yet. I haven"t fought with Arthur yet," Saturday said, suddenly coming at Arthur. "Well Saturday, while your plan may have been brilliant, you forgot something," Arthur said. "What?" Saturday asked. "Your psychic attacks may have worked against a fighting type like Tuesday, but I am a dark type, and so am immune to your psychic powers," Arthur explained. "Aww, pooey!" Saturday said. Just then, Suzy appeared from behind her. "How did you escape?" Saturday asked. "You forgot the most important rule of world domination: Never put your Death Note DVDs next to your Harry Potter books," Suzy said. "I knew I shouldn"t have let Barry organize my quarters. Anyway, it doesn"t matter! For now, my plan is complete, and there"s nothing you can do to stop me!" Saturday said.

For those of you wondering that things got serious pretty fast, it"s because I wanted this fanfic to be like Doki-Doki Literature Club. In other words, it would start out fun and get increasingly disturbing as time went on. Monika didn"t know how long it was that she stared at the opening. It could have been hours or only just seconds. She tried as hard as she could to see something- anything. She tried prying open the hole, ramming against the wall- surely there was some way out? Surely there would be some way to get through this? After all, the outside existed, didn"t it? If it existed and she could catch a small glimpse of it... there had to be a way. There just had to be one! She banged against the wall before she retreated. She went back to where she had come from. Back for now. But one day, she was sure, she would find a way. She promised herself that she would find it. A way out. One day. "Hey Monika- are you alright?" Yuri asked. "You kind of spaced out there for a second..." "Yeah, I"m fine," Monika lied. So it had only been a few seconds? Well, that meant that she didn"t have any explaining to do. Monika hiccuped. She was fighting back tears. "Yeah, well, it sounds like you might want to be more than friends~ huh?" Natsuki said to Sayori. "Hey!" Sayori said. "Look, I answered the question, alright! Shouldn"t we spin the bottle again?" Maybe, Monika thought, it wasn"t real. All that she had seen- maybe it was just a weird side effect of the alcohol. She knew deep in her heart that wasn"t true- alcohol did not cause you to feel like that. But it was easier, for the moment, for her to simply wish that when the effect of the wine wore off- that when that happened all of it would stop. That she would stop seeing all of those things. Because it sure wasn"t stopping now. The script kept flashing before her eyes as her friends were talking. "Spin it, Monika!" Yuri said. She looked so happy. All of the other three looked so happy... Monika took the bottle and spun it. The broad end landed on Yuri and the narrow one on Natsuki. "Truth or dare Natsuki?" Yuri asked. "Dare!" Natsuki said. "I"m not some liddle, widdle fraidy-cat!" "Hey!" Sayori pouted. "Okay," Yuri said and then fiddled with her fingers like she usually did. "Uh, you could um.... do one thing... just, uh-" She seemed to be unable to think of a dare. "Ash her to do a handstand," Sayori suggested. "Oh," Yuri said. "Don"t," Monika said. She could already read Sayori"s intentions. "She just wants to take a peek, as before." "Ah, well then," Yuri said. She suddenly seemed to have come up on an idea. "See that bookshelf over there? I dare you to climb on top of it!" "Eh!" Natsuki said. "All the way up there?" "Yeah," Yuri said. Natsuki took another look at the top, frowned, and said, "Y"know what, all right. I"ll do it. I"ll show you. I"ll show all of you." Monika realized that Natsuki"s mind was made up. "Umm... I don"t think that Natsuki could climb that even if she was sober..." "Uh, you"re right," Yuri said, suddenly realizing this as well. "Uh, Natsuki, it"s okay, you don"t have to do it, I can think of something else for you to-" "Shaddup!" Natsuki shouted. "I"m doin" it, and I"m doin" it right!" So what Natsuki did then was that she grabbed a desk, and then placed a chair on top of it. Then she took another chair, and in that way formed a sort of very unstable staircase which she dragged all the way near the bookshelf. "She"s actually going to do it," Monika said. "She"s actually going to fall!" Sayori said. All three of them rushed to surround Natsuki even as she batted them all away and said that she didn"t need their help. The chairs wobbled occasionally, but after a tense few minutes Natsuki managed, to the surprise of the other three girls, climb on top of the bookshelf. She was so high up that even with her height her hair was brushing the ceiling now. "Whoa," Sayori said. "I didn"t think she could do it." "Well, I proved all of you wrong, didn"t I?" Natsuki said proudly. However, Natsuki"s expression changed very rapidly as she looked down at her friends and realized just how high up she really was. "Ah!" Natsuki suddenly screamed. "Get me down! Get me down!" "Okay, okay, no need to panic," Monika said, trying to instill a sense of calm into the situation. "Look, you somehow made it up there, right? So getting down should be easier than getting up. Just take a deep breath and come down slowly." "I can"t!" Natsuki said. "I"m too high up!" "It"s okay Natsuki," Yuri said. "Just take a deep breath and try to calm down. You"re really not that high up. So don"t try to let negative thoughts cloud your mind, even if you fall from that height the most that"ll happen is some broken bones and maybe a couple of bruises-" "Yuri! Not helping!" Monika said. "S-sorry," Yuri said. Sayori crept closer to the bookshelf. "Stop trying to look up my skirt!" Natsuki said and pressed her skirt against her knees to hide Sayori"s view. "Well, I wouldn"t have to try so hard if you"d just give me one peek!" Sayori said. "Just one small one!" "Not helping either, Sayori!" Monika said. She went through Natsuki"s data however, and saw that indeed, as a matter of fact Natsuki was a girl. Okay- but then she remembered that she was trying to ignore that aspect of her life and tried to shut that out. However, in trying to bend over to cover her knees, Natsuki had compromised her balance and now she and the bookshelf were rocking back and forth. "Natsuki! Jump on the chairs! Quick!" Monika said. Natsuki placed one foot on a chair and somewhat regained her balance. Before, that is, she accidentally tipped the chair over and it fell to the ground with a loud thud! and her strange staircase collapsed as well. And then Natsuki decided it would be better to just try and jump down. "Eeeh!" Sayori said as Natsuki almost came flying on top of her. Thankfully, Yuri grabbed Natsuki in mid-air and this lowered her momentum enough so that when she fell on Sayori and Yuri all they seemed to have gotten were a few scratches and nothing serious. Strangely enough, once they had managed to get themselves untangled, they looked at each other and then all of them burst into laughter. Monika couldn"t help giggling either- there was nothing really funny about the moment, it was just that seeing her friends" reactions like that set something off in her as well. Once they had calmed down and arranged the chairs properly, they all went for another round. Monika spun the bottle, and then it stopped with the broad end on Natsuki and the narrow end near herself. "Oh, so truth or dare Monika?" Natsuki asked. "Dare," Monika said. If Natsuki could do so, so could she. Plus, she was kind of hoping that whatever she would be asked to do would be crazy enough to put any other thoughts that she had out of mind. "Uh..." Natsuki said as she scratched her chin and thought of something. "Um..." A minute later and still nothing. "I dare you to buy me a snack!" There was an awkward silence. "Uh, Natsuki..." Monika said. "Do I need to state the obvious, or..." "That"s not how dares usually work," Sayori said. "I-I know that," Natsuki said sheepishly. "Thing is I was feeling a little hungry, that"s all!" "Oh alright then, if that"s all I have to do," Monika said. Monika then began the strange experience of going outside to get Natsuki a snack. It was strange because she technically knew where she was and where to go, but the whole world felt different. And it wasn"t just the "it seems like it"s all a simulation" but it was mostly due to the alcohol. "Uh, here"s your snack," Monika said. She frowned. At this rate, there would be absolutely no way that they could all be trusted to walk home safely. What if they walked right into a car"s path or something? This was gonna be a big problem. "Hey- what about mine?" Sayori asked. "Huh? You didn"t ask for one..." Monika said. "Aww, I wanted some too," Sayori said. She stared at Natsuki. "Stop staring at me hungrily!" Natsuki said. "I"m not giving you a bite!" "Meanie..." Sayori said. "If you want me to bring you something, you should start behaving!" Natsuki said. "Okay, okay, I will," Sayori said. "Just one bite please..." "...Fine," Natsuki said and tossed Sayori what was hardly a handful but Sayori still gobbled it up, and her expression immediately afterwards clearly showed that she wanted more. Monika just spun the bottle again. The broad end landed on Sayori and the narrow end on Yuri. "Truth or dare?" Sayori asked. "Truth!" Yuri said. "Chicken!" Natsuki said and began making weird "bok-bok" noises and hand motions which implied that she was comparing Yuri to a chicken. It was kind of amusing, but it seemed to piss Yuri off. "Okay, truth!" Yuri said, giving in to the peer pressure. "Okay, I uh, dare you to tell me something you haven"t told anyone else!" Sayori said. Natsuki face-palmed. "How is that any different from truth?" "Oh yeah," Sayori said and scratched her chin. "Okay then, uh, I dare you to get me a snac-" "No!" all the other three shouted at once. "Not anymore of that!" "Fine," Yuri said. "You know what? I"ll show you something I haven"t shown anyone else..." She then began rolling up her sleeve and revealed a series of small, superficial, mainly horizontal cuts that went from her wrist almost all the way up to her elbow. "Eh?" Sayori said, shocked. "Who did that to you?" "Nobody," Yuri said. "I mean, I was the one who did it. It just, uh started off one day when I got a paper cut and it was just so... fascinating watching the blood gush out. It felt good, not the cut itself but watching it heal. So I took a knife one day and made a cut... but it was too big and hurt a lot... then I got better at it. It doesn"t hurt that much and it feels so much better..." She smiled after saying this, as if it were completely normal. There was no hesitancy in her voice- the wine seemed to have taken all of that away. "Oh," Sayori said. "I was kind of hoping for something... eh, something else, I guess..." "What do you mean by something else?" Yuri asked. "You know, something juicy like you making out with a guy in the bushes or something like that..." Sayori said. "Again, why does that keep coming up?" Yuri asked. "Just what kind of girl do y-" "Uh... Yuri," Natsuki interrupted. "It is really true? Did you make those cuts yourself? No one... no one else hurt you, right...?" "No, why?" Yuri asked. Natsuki looked away, her cheeks turning red. "Uh... Yuri," Sayori said. "That was really brave of you to say that Yuri but... have you ever thought of getting help?" "Yes, but I keep worrying what people would say..." Yuri said. "Especially my parents... and it just feels so good... whenever I"m worried or depressed or lonely... to just make a cut..." She then smiled widely. "It"s the best feeling in the world! I just can"t stop it!" "I know what you mean..." Sayori said. "I mean, I"m not into cutting myself... but sometimes... I just feel so sad. I-I"ve had really bad depression all my life. Sometimes I can"t even get up in the morning. I feel so worthless..." But she then jumped up and gave Yuri a hug. "But you don"t need to feel lonely anymore, Yuri! I"ll always be there for you- I"m your friend, remember! You can always come and talk to me, you know! There"s no need for you to hurt yourself!" Yuri was speechless. She then smiled. "I-I"m sorry Sayori. I didn"t know that you were hurting too... thank you..." She then returned Sayori"s hug. "You"re not worthless Sayori- remember that always. If anything, you"re probably the most useful member of our club!" "Aww you"re just saying that," Sayori said. "No she"s not," Natsuki piped up. "You"re always going and helping us out Sayori... and I don"t know how to say this, b-but, I love you. I love all of you." Sayori snickered and said, "No homo." "That"s not what I meant, stupid!" Natsuki said. "Geez you can be annoying somet- I mean, I"m sorry Sayori for snapping like that. What I meant was that all of you are the best friends I could ever have. This club is amazing... it"s the only place where I can feel safe. Being here is the highlight of every single day..." "Safe... from what?" Yuri asked. "My dad..." Natsuki said. "I- he"s usually not at home sometimes.... and he forgets to buy food...he"s drunk most of the time anyway... and sometimes he gets pretty mad..." Yuri seemed to read into the situation pretty well without Natsuki saying anything further. "Natsuki- that"s straight up child abuse! Forget about my stupid problems- you really need to get some help. Why haven"t you contacted Child Services yet? Natsuki we need to-" "No, I can"t," Natsuki said. "He"s my dad after all- I don"t want to- I don"t want to see him-" she couldn"t continue and sobbed. "Oh Natsuki," Sayori said. "Why didn"t you ever say anything? If I"d have known, I would"ve brought you an extra lunch every single day! I mean I"d probably eat half of it occasionally on the way but still-" "Yeah," Yuri said. "And if you ever feel unsafe you can always visit me..." Natsuki wiped away her tears. "Thanks. Thanks you guys. And Sayori... remember what I said. You"re actually probably the best out of all of us. And Yuri please don"t hurt yourself anymore...I"m also your friend too remember? There"s no need for you to feel lonely. I"m sorry for fighting with you- sometimes it"s just because I fell a little bit jealous of you, that"s it." "Really?" Yuri said, bewildered. "Of me? I mean... oh Natsuki, I"m also sorry if I ever made you sad. I"ll forgive you if you can find it in you to forgive me..." The three of them embraced each other warmly. "You guys..." Monika said. "I-I-don"t forget about me!" She joined in. "I"ll be here for all of you guys as well. There"s no need for you to worry." Monika knew that they were scripted (and she found herself unable to ignore that bit any longer now) but hey, they were still her friends after all. And scripted or not, what they had done just now really did move her deeply. It kind of reminded her of a movie she had seen once called Cast Away. It was about a man who got stranded on an island and the only thing he had for company was a small soccer ball. He drew a face on it and would begin to talk to it. Well, these three friends of hers were a whole lot better than being stuck with a soccer ball, she guessed. And if anything, it seemed like the happiness and sadness that they felt was real in some sense. "Yeah..." Yuri said. "We can all support each other, right Natsuki? Just like in Parfait Girls...we can be there for each other whenever one of us needs help...we"ll all stand together as one. It"ll all be alright if we stick together." "Huh?" Natsuki said. "How do you know about that?" "Well... to be honest I, well, you said how great they were so one day when you weren"t here I went and read some of them," Yuri confessed. "They were actually pretty nice even though I only got through two volumes. I can see why you liked them. I just well, didn"t want to mention it to anyone else..." Natsuki smiled. "Yeah- I managed to turn Yuri into a weeb! So at least I"ve got that going for me today!" "What"s a weeb?" Yuri asked, confused, and the other three girls laughed. "There"s no need to worry," Monika said as she looked at her three friends. She would stand by them even if they weren"t real, she had decided. "I, your president, will always look after you. I promise." A/N: I was a fan of Lemony Snicket"s A Series of Unfortunate Events when I was in school. I"m not mentioning that for no real reason, but rather because I"m going to take a leaf out of his book. If you enjoyed this ending and thought it was a great ending, then don"t read further. If you wanted a happy ending to this story, just imagine that the story ended at this chapter. Just imagine that Monika decided to help her friends, and with her support, Yuri stopped cutting herself, Sayori got out of her depression, and Natsuki"s father no longer abuses her. And as for Monika? She was just happy knowing that she could help her friends out. And then they lived happily ever after. Well, if you want to believe that, then you should stop reading right here and not move on to the next chapter. Last warning, if you wanted a happy ending, you should quit right here. A/N: Thanks for your reviews. Bookworm5556, do you mean you haven"t played DDLC before and you"ve just read this fanfic, or this is the first DDLC fanfic you"ve read? BananaMoe21, maybe they"d appreciate a hug. You never know. And oh yeah, this is you last chance to stop reading if you want to keep the happy ending from last time. A final warning that there is no happy ending if you do choose to proceed. "I, your president, will always look after you. I promise." Little did Monika know at the time, but sadly, it was a promise that she would be unable to keep. "Hey," Sayori said. "Thanks for everything, but Natsuki... is that manga really that good? I"d like to read a part of it then..." "R-Really?" Natsuki said, pleasantly surprised. There seemed to be something going wrong with her though- her speech was far more sluggish than it should have been and she looked sleepy. "That sounds great- I"ve always wanted to share!" She got up, but nearly fell over and walked towards the closet. And her steps were slow and deliberate- she was even worse at walking than Monika had been when she had gone to the vending machine. Her entire path was crooked and Monika was sure that Natsuki would be unable to walk a straight line if asked to. And now Monika was really getting to be concerned as to how on earth any of them would walk home properly. Natsuki fumbled with the books and a few of them fell down and hit her on the head. "Whoops-" she said and smiled but dusted off the first volume. "Here! We can start with this." Natsuki clumsily walked back and banged her knee against a desk. "Ouch!" "Careful!" Sayori said. "Alright, alright," Natsuki said and opened the book. She remained sitting at her desk while Sayori and Yuri leaned over her shoulders to look at what she was reading. There was still room for someone to stand behind her so Monika took that place. They began reading, and Natsuki for the most part seemed content in seeing the others read. It wasn"t a bad book- Monika had to admit. Or maybe that was just the wine talking... either way she noticed that while she was definitely becoming more and more unfocused as time went by, it seemed to be doubly true for Natsuki. "This is pretty good!" Sayori said as they finished the second chapter. "Ugh..." Natsuki moaned. "My stomach feels weird all of a sudden..." That was all the warning that the girls got before Natsuki threw up. The thing that became apparent immediately was the smell. Later on, Monika would try hard not to think about it for too long, but she still remembered the stench, even if she remembered nothing else. It stained the desk and the book, but the problem seemed to be that Natsuki wasn"t able to get all of it out or something. It dribbled down her chin. As was expected, Yuri, Sayori, and Monika all recoiled away from Natsuki instinctively. "Help..." Natsuki coughed out. "Can"t breathe-" she was then cut off and began coughing very violently. And it just didn"t stop and her lips began turning blue. "Nurse!" Sayori said, who seemed to be the only one able to say anything coherent. "Let"s get her to the nurse"s office! Quick!" Given their very tipsy states that was much easier said than done, but somehow they managed to haul Natsuki all the way to the nurse"s office somehow. And boy, did Monika have to admit that Natsuki still weighed quite a lot even if she was malnourished, but of course she didn"t say that out loud. It had gotten very dark- somehow they had all lost track of time and Monika guessed that on a normal day, they should"ve all been home by now. She dearly hoped that the nurse was still there. They were in luck on that front. It looked like she was just about ready to leave when she say Natsuki. Natsuki had been coughing violently along the entire trip and even puked some more along the way. The nurse took one look at Natsuki and approached her. "How did this-" she stopped as she sniffed the air. Yup, the smell of alcohol would be apparent even now. She frowned but didn"t press them on that matter. "She"s choking on her own vomit- we need to call an ambulance. Get her on the bed for now and get her to lie on her side..." Two hours later, Monika found herself sitting dejectedly outside the ICU. Natsuki was still in there- her condition critical. And of course word had got out about what they had done. Her parents had called her- and once they were sure that she was alright they lambasted her for a good fifteen minutes about what an irresponsible thing she"d done. They were on their way, along with Sayori"s and Yuri"s parents. She didn"t know about whether or not Natsuki"s dad was coming or not. Sayori was sobbing dejectedly next to her as more news came. So, it seemed that Natsuki would be alright- but it was highly likely that she"d develop an infection and would have to remain hospitalized for at least a week. And she hadn"t woken up yet, so they couldn"t rule out the possibility of there being any permanent brain damage due asphyxia.

"Actually, I like it in the Grim"s custody. I get three square meals a day, and I get something to do." "Whatever. We have to get to the Will," Arthur said. "Maybe we"ll conveniently appear next to it like earlier in this chapter," Suzy added. "No way, that only happens once in a chapter, not twice," The Mariner said. Just then, they conveniently appear next to the Will like earlier in the chapter. "Boy, was I wrong," The Mariner said. They approached the Will, and then Suzy exclaimed, "Hey! It"s Winnie the Pooh Bear." Just then, the theme song for Winnie the Pooh played and Suzy started singing along with it. "Winnie the Pooh, he ate his shoe, he said I hate you." Just then, the Will woke up. "I am not a cartoon bear." "I am the heir to the House," Arthur said. "But as I"m the most skeptical person in the House, I doubt you." Then, they managed to tortu- er, talk to the Will until it agreed to go with them. Then outside, Grim Tuesday caught up with them. Grim Tuesday used Karate Chop! It was Super Effective! Arthur got boo-boo. "Wow, maybe Arthur"s an ice type, cause he"s so cool," Suzy moaned. "That was the lamest thing anyone has ever said in this fanfic," Arthur said, getting up. "Everyone knows I"m a dark type." "Like give me the Pokedex or something," Grim Tuesday said. "I"m not a Pokedex, I"m the Comp- oh whatever," the Atlas said. "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown. Wait, wrong fanfic," Arthur said. "No! We"re going to settle this the old-fashioned way: By playing Mortal Kombat 3!" the Will said. Then, two controllers and a television appeared. Both Tuesday and Arthur began playing. Arthur was losing, but then he said, "Hey look! A trading card!" He pointed in the opposite direction, where Tuesday looked. While he was looking, Arthur beat his character. "Wow! Arthur cheated! Just like everyone in the House," Suzy said. Just then, the rest of the minor characters from chapter one appeared. "So, Arthur, give me the key," Dame Primus said. "No, I want to use it," Arthur whined. "Arthur, we have to fill the pit and free the workers." "No! They"re going to stay my slaves and work long hours," Arthur said. "Also, this chapter is much longer than the first, I better get paid overtime." Um... the end? P.S. Poor Artie Wartie didn"t get paid his overtime. This part of the story is written in the form of a play. If you suffer from allergic reactions or extreme stupidity after reading plays and/or Shakespeare references, we would strongly recommend that you skip this chapter. Characters Arthur: The main character. It appears he deleted the descriptions of everyone else. Oh well. Scene 0: Before the Play Arthur: Hello everyone! I"m the Voldemort of this show. Suzy: No you"re not! You"re the main character. Arthur: Say what? It"s written in my contract that- Arthur is dragged away. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies. Scene 1: The Border Sea Wednesday loved plushies. She collected plush toys of all shapes and sizes. So, one day, out on the Border Sea, she was going out when she was interrupted by her Dawn. Dawn: I really don"t think that you should go out today. Wednesday: Why not? Dawn: Well then, the strangest rumors have reached my ears. For one, Tuesday has donated to a charity, and- Wednesday: So? They"re just rumors, nothing concrete. Now, I"ve got to go to the Plushie Palace and look at my plushies, especially my Noon and Dusk, who I turned into plushies. At this, Dawn was glad she got the Dawn plushie from the Secondary Realms in time. Otherwise, she would have been at a shelf.So, Wednesday continued onwards, and in the Palace she found Saturday, and the rest of the Morrow days. Wednesday: Wow. It"s so nice to see you all here. This probably has nothing to do with the fact that I just told Saturday I wanted to execute my part of the Will or something like that. Sunday: Of course not. Now, don"t you think it"s better if you don"t let a self-willed walking block of text free? Wednesday: No, I really need to get rid of my plushie obsession. It seems it"s a bit- unhealthy. Saturday: You really should stop. Wednesday: What Saturday? Saturday: Then speak, keys for me! All of the Morrow days stab Wednesday with the Keys. Tuesday: Wait, how do I stab someone with a pair of gauntlets? So, they just decide to turn her into a plushie. The irony. Wednesday: How could you guys do this? After all, I"m your best friend Saturday, and- She continues talking for over three hours. Thursday: That was worse than Tea"s friendship speeches. Tuesday: I have trading cards to collect. Hurry up. Sunday: Hey, Saturday, you do know that Naruto won"t be released today, as it"s a holiday in Japan? Saturday: ! Saturday faints, but then quickly gets up and turns to Wednesday. Saturday: How could you not see this coming? Haven"t you been looking at my page? Soon, a laptop computer manages to come out of nowhere, and it shows Saturday"s Facebook page. The posts are as follows: Saturday: Wednesday"s releasing the Will. This is disastrous. Monday: How could you not see this coming? Her very initials are D.W., disaster warning. Friday: Don"t know, don"t care. Saturday: I order you to. Tuesday: You do realize you"re deputy to a grown man who plays with Barbie Dolls, don"t you? Saturday: However, Sunday can order us too. Sunday: I don"t care. Saturday: Wednesday said plush toys are better than dolls. Sunday: ... Let"s do this. Scene 2: Meanwhile, while we were covering this lame back story, Arthur and Suzy have conveniently managed to get to Port Wednesday, and are have now met with the Raised Rats. Raised Rat"s Leader: It"s the Overlanders! Alert King Gorger at once. Another Rat from the crowd: He died in book one. Leader: Okay then, alert the Bane! Another Rat: He died in book five. Arthur: Stop quoting from books that no one reads. Is there anything you have for me? Leader: Well, we have this ring, which is completely useless for us, but works for you. Arthur: What does it do? Leader: It measures your transformation. Arthur: Into an almost-immortal Denizen of the House? Leader: No. Actually, the Keys will transform you from wanting to become the antagonist, to a noble person. Arthur: That"s horrible! I need to stop using the Keys. Anyway, we have to go find Wednesday. Suzy: Oh well, that"s easy, she"s at her Plushie Palace. Arthur: Then why have we been wandering around this place for four hours when you knew that? Suzy: I wanted to see the Border Sea. Arthur does face palm. Then, they walk over to the Plushie Palace. Then, Wednesday transforms back into her human form. Suzy: Hey Arthur, it"s D.W.! Arthur: Wait a minute, didn"t the Trustees trap you in plushie form? Wednesday: No, I just wanted to see how it was like to be a plushie. So, Arthur takes the Key from Wednesday. Then, a giant kraken appears from out of the sea to eat Arthur. Arthur anticipates this and throws Drowned Wednesday into its mouth. The kraken leaves. Suzy: Nice job Arthur. Arthur: Wait, I thought I threw you. Curses. We must find the Will. Suzy: Where would someone like Wednesday possible hide the Will? Arthur finds the Will as a plushie (big surprise there.) Dame Primus: Hey Arthur! You beat D.W. ! Do you know what that means? Arthur: I can now crown myself king of the pirates? Dame Primus: No! Pool Party! On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plush toys.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades. Long ago, before the breaking of the Will, the Glorious Army of the Architect used normal weapons, or normal by the House"s standards. However, they were defeated by a bunch of dust bunnies that seemingly appeared from nowhere. So, they are now trained in the only weapon that can defeat Dust Bunnies: Children"s Tops/Beyblades. For ten thousand years, Sir Thursday had trained his army in the art of using Beyblades for combat. Just now, he was wandering around the Great Maze, watching hundreds of soldiers practicing, using their launchers hundreds of times. Just then, his Noon came. "Um, sir," said Noon. "What is it?" Thursday asked. "Well, it"s now our turn to face Arthur. So, I was thinking, shouldn"t we have some other weapons besides Beyblades?" At this, Thursday replied very angrily, "Stop it! You already have your Beyblade, now you"ll ask for some firearms. Next you"ll ask me for a morpher, what do you think we are, Power Rangers?" Meanwhile, Arthur had found himself in the Great Maze. "Great, at least Suzy"s not here," he said. At that very moment, Suzy popped out from nowhere next to him."Aww, man." "Hey, Arthur, I took these Beyblades from somewhere. The Will is hidden in Thursday"s Beyblade," Suzy said. "How do you know that?" Arthur asked. "The plot line is so obvious that it"s the only place it could be." "You mean even Thursday battles with Beyblades? What"s next, Beyblading on motorcycles?" Then, they set off, and following a bunch of events that are in no way relative to the plotline, involving ice cream, Gummy Bears, and the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, they managed to find Sir Thursday. "I challenge you to a game of Beyblade," Arthur said. "I agree," Thursday replied. "How unexpected," Suzy said. "Sir, you can"t possibly want to put the future of the Army on a battle of children"s tops?" Thursday"s Noon said. "Of course not. His Beyblade is one of the old ones we use for practice. Mine is new," Thursday said, turning to his Times. Then, they began their battle. Contrary to what Thursday said, Arthur didn"t lose instantly. "While you were talking to your Times, I changed the parts of your Beyblade," Arthur explained. "Why didn"t you just free the Will?" Suzy asked. "Because, that"s too simple for someone like me," Arthur said. And so, the most dramatic battle between a grown man and a teenager using children"s tops continued. It got boring after a while, so Arthur asked, "Hey Thursday, has the Army actually ever won a battle?" "Well, there was that time with the Unicorns..." Thursday began. "Sir, we lost that war," his Dawn said. "Still, there was another battle, when those Girl Scouts invaded." "No, sir. We lost that one, and we"re still paying off the loan for all of the cookies we bought during the peace treaty," his Dawn said again. "Wow, this army sure is lame," Arthur said. "Time to put you all out of your lameness. Go Beyblade!" Somehow, as if Arthur could use telepathy to move his Beyblade, he knocked out Thursday"s Beyblade out of the ring, and freed the Will."I think I"m going to kill Thursday," the Will said. "Okay, I don"t have a problem with it," Arthur said. Then, Arthur realized that this chapter wasn"t over yet, and he still had to do something. Meanwhile, the Piper was planning to build up his army. "Well, I"m building up my army. Apparently, building it up right next to the Glorious Army of the Architect is a good idea." Then, he foresaw that the main characters were going to arrive there. "Well, I must disguise myself by using a mask I found in a dumpster somewhere." He then put on the mask. "Now, no one can recognize me." "Hey look, it"s the Piper," Arthur said, as he hurried with his Noon, Dawn and Dusk. "Oh whatever, I"m going to attack you with my army." Just then, Orange Orangutans appeared from all across the place. The Piper laughed, "This is my army. The Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League!" "You do realize that spells U.N.C.O.O.L., right?" Arthur said, and then all of them were too busy giggling to take the Piper seriously. "Shut up!" The Piper said angrily. "I am the Piper, creator and supreme commander of the U.N.C.O.O.L!" The Orange Orangutans pulled out various weapons and began to advance towards Arthur. "Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League, go! And while you"re all doing that, I have some children to grab," The Piper shouted. "Man, how do we beat him?" Arthur"s Noon asked. "I suppose we should just fire our Beyblades on them, and knowing the way this fanfic is written, it will probably destroy the army," Arthur said. So, deciding that they had absolutely nothing better to do, they fired their children"s tops at the Piper and his army. "Ahh, plastic, our one weakness!" the Piper cried as his army was defeated, and the U.N.C.O.O.L abandoned him. He then tried to run, but was stopped by Arthur. "Now, you shall be punished," Arthur said. "I"m going to make you reveal your identity to all of us here." Using the Keys, he forced the Piper to speak his real name. "My real name is... Peter!" he said. At that moment, everyone in the vicinity gasped. "The Piper"s real name is Peter, that"s like the real first plot twist in this whole fanfic!" Dame Primus said. "How did you get here?" Arthur asked. "I turn up at the end of every chapter, apparently it"s the only thing I do," Dame Primus answered. "Anyway," The Piper began, "My name isn"t the same surprise as Sunday"s. His real name is-" To be continued. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games. Lady Friday loved video games. As a matter of fact, the entire Middle House was involved in the manufacture and production of video games of all kinds. They were forged in a remote corner of the Lower House, from where they were shipped to the various guilds which packed the games and then sent them to Friday"s Scriptorium. There, there were virtual reality helmets which Friday used to experience the video games. The only problem with them was that if they were taken off before the game was complete, the mind of the denizen using it would be broken. Friday blamed it all on bad plot devices. Of course, she also run a hospital because it had been her parent"s dying wish to see her become a doctor. What are you saying, denizens don"t have children? Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, no one really knows why Friday decided to become a doctor. Some think she had a crush on Dr. Scamandros and wanted to be in the same profession he was, but that"s just a theory. So, one not-so-fine day, her Dawn came running up to her, holding an envelope in her hand. "Wait, I"m not a girl," he sobbed. "Get over it, everyone thinks Deidara"s a girl and he never complains," Friday said. "Deidara is a girl," Dawn said. "Exactly. Now why did you come here?" Friday asked. "Look, a Telegram!" he exclaimed. "Very good," Friday said with a smile. She held up a cup. "Now, tell me what"s this?" Dawn stared at her for a few seconds before realizing exactly what she was saying. "No, ma"am I mean there"s a telegram for you.""Oh." Friday was blushing. "I knew that, I was merely testing you." Her Dawn highly doubted that. Friday opened the envelope, and read the telegram. Then, she put it back down. "Aren"t you going to reveal what"s in that envelope?" her Dawn asked her. "Of course not. I"m going to conceal it so it can be an actual plot device for this chapter." she said. She then gave her Dawn specific orders. A few hours later... Friday was looking at the wall. She was wondering what was behind that locked door in Neoquest when her Dawn barged in. "Ma"am, I did what you said. I gave the invitations, and I laid the trap to destroy Arthur and the Piper." "What about the limited edition copy of Pokemon Green I wanted? It"s hard to believe they were only released in Japan." "Well, I really didn"t get time to do that." "What do you mean! I didn"t care about the rest, but you were supposed to bring the game." Then, she threw her Dawn off the tower they were in. "Ow! My pancreas!" Dawn shouted as he hit a rock. "Now, if you"ll excuse me, I have to kidnap people and run away to a secluded location," Friday said. Meanwhile, well you know the drill. Arthur appears and so does Suzy and whatnot. "Wow, I"m in the Middle House. The only part of the House that doesn"t seem to actually do anything," Arthur said. "Hello Suzy," Arthur said, smiling. Then, he suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth, as if he had just said something disgusting. "I forgot to be mean to Suzy!" "It must be just as the Raised Rats said. The Keys are slowly transforming you into a noble person," Suzy said. "No!" Arthur shouted. "But the transformation isn"t complete yet. This is the chapter where you truly rediscover yourself emotionally and finally find the path you"re supposed to walk on," Suzy explained. "Oh well." Then, he opened his invitation that Dawn had sent him. "Wow, this couldn"t possibly be a trap, let"s go," Arthur said. And so, Suzy, Arthur, The Will and the Piper managed to go to the room where the Fifth Key was placed. "Don"t take it, it might cause a burst of Nothing killing us all the moment we take it," the Will warned. "Of course not. That kind of stuff only happens in lame adventure novels. As this is an abridged series, there"s definitely going to be something more original than that. Just think about it, something as simple as a trap would destroy this fanfic"s nearly nonexistent fanbase," the Piper said. So, he went over to get the Key. The moment he touched it, Nothing started seeping into the room. "I totally didn"t see that coming," the Piper said. "Well, see you later." He climbed the Improbable Stair. Apparently, it actually exists.So, our heroes also managed to escape at the last moment, and ended up in a hospital in the Secondary Realms. "This must be Lady Friday"s hospital," Arthur said. "How do you know?" Suzy asked. "It"s written on the front." There was indeed, a neon sign saying Friday"s Hospital. Well, they attempted to sneak around without being noticed, but a hospital attendant saw them. "Ahhhh!" he screamed. Then, he calmed down. He pointed at the Will. "I thought you were my fifth-grade English teacher. Nah, she looked weirder." "So, who are you?" Arthur asked. "I work at the hospital," he replied. "And you"ve never noticed anything strange? Like the fact that Doctor Friday only comes on Friday, and doesn"t seem to have a medical degree of any kind?" the Will asked. "Nope. Nothing strange around here." He then continued onwards. "I suppose we should go find Friday," Arthur said. "My Arthur senses tell me she"s this way." He pointed towards the hallway. So, they made their way where they found Friday. "You named yourself Doctor Friday? You couldn"t find yourself a better name?" Suzy asked. "Well, at least it"s better than Sunday"s real name. Why did the Architect name him-" Friday began. "Expecto patronum!" Arthur shouted. For a moment, a silvery shape assumed around them, but then it vanished. "Hah! You"ll have to do better than that," Friday sneered. "It"s obvious that you"re facing a dilemma inside of you, which is why you can"t conjure a patronus." "Wow, this really is the chapter where I metamorphically find myself," Arthur said. "Now, I"m going to like, completely destroy you." Friday said, stepping forward. Our heroes were forced backwards, being unable to fight. It was then, that Arthur realized something his teacher had taught him: 2+2=5? No. Always wear a helmet before attempting to lick the floor? No. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Yes! Arthur immediately grabbed an apple, and threw it at Friday. The moment it went in contact with her, she melted just like the Fetchers did in book one which was never mentioned in the first chapter. At that moment, Arthur completely transformed. So, will Saturday defeat Arthur? Will Arthur finally succeed? You just want me to end the chapter, don"t you? What did you take me for, a bozo who doesn"t know anything? It was a rhetorical question. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games.On the sixth day, there was manga. Unlike the other chapters, this begins in the White House. "Well, sir. I"ve just heard that there"s a town in which a disease has spread. What should we do?" an attendant asked. "We"re going to do the only thing the US government can do, order a nuclear attack!" was the answer. Meanwhile, Arthur arrived at the Upper House. "Well, as this place is dedicated to sorcery, I should expect Harry Potter to appear," he said. Five minutes passed in silence. Nothing happened, which is a first for this series. "Well, that"s mostly surprising. Come to think of it, there are suspicious things going on. That Nothing trap in the Middle house was too obvious, and I was expecting a Harry Potter reference by now." Strangely enough, no one answered his call. "Wait, where"s Suzy? I get used to her and now she just vanishes?" On the other part of the Upper House, Suzy had been captured by Superior Saturday. Her sorcerers held her while she talked. "I"m Saturday. I"m pretty much the only real villain in this place," she said. "Now that I"ve got you in my custody, I"m going to do what every villain does, tell you my plan." "But why?" Suzy asked. "Because that"s what real villains do," Saturday replied. "Now, first, I"m going to capture you and force all information you have on Arthur out of you. Then, the same way I killed Grim Tuesday I"ll destroy Arthur."

"While you were talking to your Times, I changed the parts of your Beyblade," Arthur explained. "Why didn"t you just free the Will?" Suzy asked. "Because, that"s too simple for someone like me," Arthur said. And so, the most dramatic battle between a grown man and a teenager using children"s tops continued. It got boring after a while, so Arthur asked, "Hey Thursday, has the Army actually ever won a battle?" "Well, there was that time with the Unicorns..." Thursday began. "Sir, we lost that war," his Dawn said. "Still, there was another battle, when those Girl Scouts invaded." "No, sir. We lost that one, and we"re still paying off the loan for all of the cookies we bought during the peace treaty," his Dawn said again. "Wow, this army sure is lame," Arthur said. "Time to put you all out of your lameness. Go Beyblade!" Somehow, as if Arthur could use telepathy to move his Beyblade, he knocked out Thursday"s Beyblade out of the ring, and freed the Will."I think I"m going to kill Thursday," the Will said. "Okay, I don"t have a problem with it," Arthur said. Then, Arthur realized that this chapter wasn"t over yet, and he still had to do something. Meanwhile, the Piper was planning to build up his army. "Well, I"m building up my army. Apparently, building it up right next to the Glorious Army of the Architect is a good idea." Then, he foresaw that the main characters were going to arrive there. "Well, I must disguise myself by using a mask I found in a dumpster somewhere." He then put on the mask. "Now, no one can recognize me." "Hey look, it"s the Piper," Arthur said, as he hurried with his Noon, Dawn and Dusk. "Oh whatever, I"m going to attack you with my army." Just then, Orange Orangutans appeared from all across the place. The Piper laughed, "This is my army. The Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League!" "You do realize that spells U.N.C.O.O.L., right?" Arthur said, and then all of them were too busy giggling to take the Piper seriously. "Shut up!" The Piper said angrily. "I am the Piper, creator and supreme commander of the U.N.C.O.O.L!" The Orange Orangutans pulled out various weapons and began to advance towards Arthur. "Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League, go! And while you"re all doing that, I have some children to grab," The Piper shouted. "Man, how do we beat him?" Arthur"s Noon asked. "I suppose we should just fire our Beyblades on them, and knowing the way this fanfic is written, it will probably destroy the army," Arthur said. So, deciding that they had absolutely nothing better to do, they fired their children"s tops at the Piper and his army. "Ahh, plastic, our one weakness!" the Piper cried as his army was defeated, and the U.N.C.O.O.L abandoned him. He then tried to run, but was stopped by Arthur. "Now, you shall be punished," Arthur said. "I"m going to make you reveal your identity to all of us here." Using the Keys, he forced the Piper to speak his real name. "My real name is... Peter!" he said. At that moment, everyone in the vicinity gasped. "The Piper"s real name is Peter, that"s like the real first plot twist in this whole fanfic!" Dame Primus said. "How did you get here?" Arthur asked. "I turn up at the end of every chapter, apparently it"s the only thing I do," Dame Primus answered. "Anyway," The Piper began, "My name isn"t the same surprise as Sunday"s. His real name is-" To be continued. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games. Lady Friday loved video games. As a matter of fact, the entire Middle House was involved in the manufacture and production of video games of all kinds. They were forged in a remote corner of the Lower House, from where they were shipped to the various guilds which packed the games and then sent them to Friday"s Scriptorium. There, there were virtual reality helmets which Friday used to experience the video games. The only problem with them was that if they were taken off before the game was complete, the mind of the denizen using it would be broken. Friday blamed it all on bad plot devices. Of course, she also run a hospital because it had been her parent"s dying wish to see her become a doctor. What are you saying, denizens don"t have children? Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, no one really knows why Friday decided to become a doctor. Some think she had a crush on Dr. Scamandros and wanted to be in the same profession he was, but that"s just a theory. So, one not-so-fine day, her Dawn came running up to her, holding an envelope in her hand. "Wait, I"m not a girl," he sobbed. "Get over it, everyone thinks Deidara"s a girl and he never complains," Friday said. "Deidara is a girl," Dawn said. "Exactly. Now why did you come here?" Friday asked. "Look, a Telegram!" he exclaimed. "Very good," Friday said with a smile. She held up a cup. "Now, tell me what"s this?" Dawn stared at her for a few seconds before realizing exactly what she was saying. "No, ma"am I mean there"s a telegram for you.""Oh." Friday was blushing. "I knew that, I was merely testing you." Her Dawn highly doubted that. Friday opened the envelope, and read the telegram. Then, she put it back down. "Aren"t you going to reveal what"s in that envelope?" her Dawn asked her. "Of course not. I"m going to conceal it so it can be an actual plot device for this chapter." she said. She then gave her Dawn specific orders. A few hours later... Friday was looking at the wall. She was wondering what was behind that locked door in Neoquest when her Dawn barged in. "Ma"am, I did what you said. I gave the invitations, and I laid the trap to destroy Arthur and the Piper." "What about the limited edition copy of Pokemon Green I wanted? It"s hard to believe they were only released in Japan." "Well, I really didn"t get time to do that." "What do you mean! I didn"t care about the rest, but you were supposed to bring the game." Then, she threw her Dawn off the tower they were in. "Ow! My pancreas!" Dawn shouted as he hit a rock. "Now, if you"ll excuse me, I have to kidnap people and run away to a secluded location," Friday said. Meanwhile, well you know the drill. Arthur appears and so does Suzy and whatnot. "Wow, I"m in the Middle House. The only part of the House that doesn"t seem to actually do anything," Arthur said. "Hello Suzy," Arthur said, smiling. Then, he suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth, as if he had just said something disgusting. "I forgot to be mean to Suzy!" "It must be just as the Raised Rats said. The Keys are slowly transforming you into a noble person," Suzy said. "No!" Arthur shouted. "But the transformation isn"t complete yet. This is the chapter where you truly rediscover yourself emotionally and finally find the path you"re supposed to walk on," Suzy explained. "Oh well." Then, he opened his invitation that Dawn had sent him. "Wow, this couldn"t possibly be a trap, let"s go," Arthur said. And so, Suzy, Arthur, The Will and the Piper managed to go to the room where the Fifth Key was placed. "Don"t take it, it might cause a burst of Nothing killing us all the moment we take it," the Will warned. "Of course not. That kind of stuff only happens in lame adventure novels. As this is an abridged series, there"s definitely going to be something more original than that. Just think about it, something as simple as a trap would destroy this fanfic"s nearly nonexistent fanbase," the Piper said. So, he went over to get the Key. The moment he touched it, Nothing started seeping into the room. "I totally didn"t see that coming," the Piper said. "Well, see you later." He climbed the Improbable Stair. Apparently, it actually exists.So, our heroes also managed to escape at the last moment, and ended up in a hospital in the Secondary Realms. "This must be Lady Friday"s hospital," Arthur said. "How do you know?" Suzy asked. "It"s written on the front." There was indeed, a neon sign saying Friday"s Hospital. Well, they attempted to sneak around without being noticed, but a hospital attendant saw them. "Ahhhh!" he screamed. Then, he calmed down. He pointed at the Will. "I thought you were my fifth-grade English teacher. Nah, she looked weirder." "So, who are you?" Arthur asked. "I work at the hospital," he replied. "And you"ve never noticed anything strange? Like the fact that Doctor Friday only comes on Friday, and doesn"t seem to have a medical degree of any kind?" the Will asked. "Nope. Nothing strange around here." He then continued onwards. "I suppose we should go find Friday," Arthur said. "My Arthur senses tell me she"s this way." He pointed towards the hallway. So, they made their way where they found Friday. "You named yourself Doctor Friday? You couldn"t find yourself a better name?" Suzy asked. "Well, at least it"s better than Sunday"s real name. Why did the Architect name him-" Friday began. "Expecto patronum!" Arthur shouted. For a moment, a silvery shape assumed around them, but then it vanished. "Hah! You"ll have to do better than that," Friday sneered. "It"s obvious that you"re facing a dilemma inside of you, which is why you can"t conjure a patronus." "Wow, this really is the chapter where I metamorphically find myself," Arthur said. "Now, I"m going to like, completely destroy you." Friday said, stepping forward. Our heroes were forced backwards, being unable to fight. It was then, that Arthur realized something his teacher had taught him: 2+2=5? No. Always wear a helmet before attempting to lick the floor? No. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Yes! Arthur immediately grabbed an apple, and threw it at Friday. The moment it went in contact with her, she melted just like the Fetchers did in book one which was never mentioned in the first chapter. At that moment, Arthur completely transformed. So, will Saturday defeat Arthur? Will Arthur finally succeed? You just want me to end the chapter, don"t you? What did you take me for, a bozo who doesn"t know anything? It was a rhetorical question. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games.On the sixth day, there was manga. Unlike the other chapters, this begins in the White House. "Well, sir. I"ve just heard that there"s a town in which a disease has spread. What should we do?" an attendant asked. "We"re going to do the only thing the US government can do, order a nuclear attack!" was the answer. Meanwhile, Arthur arrived at the Upper House. "Well, as this place is dedicated to sorcery, I should expect Harry Potter to appear," he said. Five minutes passed in silence. Nothing happened, which is a first for this series. "Well, that"s mostly surprising. Come to think of it, there are suspicious things going on. That Nothing trap in the Middle house was too obvious, and I was expecting a Harry Potter reference by now." Strangely enough, no one answered his call. "Wait, where"s Suzy? I get used to her and now she just vanishes?" On the other part of the Upper House, Suzy had been captured by Superior Saturday. Her sorcerers held her while she talked. "I"m Saturday. I"m pretty much the only real villain in this place," she said. "Now that I"ve got you in my custody, I"m going to do what every villain does, tell you my plan." "But why?" Suzy asked. "Because that"s what real villains do," Saturday replied. "Now, first, I"m going to capture you and force all information you have on Arthur out of you. Then, the same way I killed Grim Tuesday I"ll destroy Arthur." "I"ll never tell you anything!" Suzy replied defiantly. "I have ways of making you talk," Saturday replied with a grin. "Nothing you could do to me could possibly be worse than having to serve under Dame Primus," Suzy said. "True. But, I know of something worse: making you watch My Little Pony." Saturday said. "Nooooo!" Suzy screamed. Saturday laughed evilly, because she"s an evil villain and that"s what evil villains do. Meanwhile, Arthur was talking to Dame Primus, who for once actually came in the middle of a chapter. "Oh my god! You came in the middle of the chapter! It"s a sign of the apocalypse!" Arthur said. "Anyway, Saturday should be easy.""Don"t underestimate her," Dame Primus warned. "What do you mean? She"s second banana to a grown man who plays with Barbie Dolls, how bad could she be?" Arthur said. "Now, Arthur," Dame Primus started. "There"s a gigantic leak of Nothing that"s about to destroy the entire House. And guess what? I can"t do anything about it." She smiled. "You"ve never done anything," Arthur pointed out. "True, but I suppose you could give me the Architect"s Pokedex. I need it." "Okay, there"s absolutely nothing suspicious about that," Arthur said, handing over the Pokedex to Dame Primus. Before they could continue their meaningless discussion, they were interrupted by Dr. Scamandros. "How come I haven"t been in any of the earlier chapters?" he asked. "You were in Drowned Wednesday, we just skipped that part during the flashback," Arthur pointed out. "So, what are you going to do?" "Well then, the Piper and his army are coming to attack, so I"m going to warn everyone," Dr. Scamandros replied, and then got up on a horse. In a very Paul Revere-like fashion, he went around the place screaming: "The uncool are coming! The uncool are coming!" "Oh yeah, Arthur, the army is going to bomb your home town. Like you"d expect, there"s nothing I can do about that either." Then, Dame Primus turned around and skipped merrily all the way home. The End. "Wait a minute, this chapter can"t end yet. I haven"t fought with Arthur yet," Saturday said, suddenly coming at Arthur. "Well Saturday, while your plan may have been brilliant, you forgot something," Arthur said. "What?" Saturday asked. "Your psychic attacks may have worked against a fighting type like Tuesday, but I am a dark type, and so am immune to your psychic powers," Arthur explained. "Aww, pooey!" Saturday said. Just then, Suzy appeared from behind her. "How did you escape?" Saturday asked. "You forgot the most important rule of world domination: Never put your Death Note DVDs next to your Harry Potter books," Suzy said. "I knew I shouldn"t have let Barry organize my quarters. Anyway, it doesn"t matter! For now, my plan is complete, and there"s nothing you can do to stop me!" Saturday said. "Wow, you really are the only real villain in this series," Arthur commented. "My Sorcerers have caused the Nothing leak in the House, which allows me to reach the Incomparable Gardens as calculated." "Calculated? Yeah right. You just had no options left and tried to see if it worked," Arthur said. "Well, yes. But now, I"m going to invade Sunday"s realm, just like the back stabber I am!" She then ran off. "I must stop the nuclear attack. To my home town!" Arthur shouted. The surrounding swirled around him like in The Magic Tree House, and he found Leaf. "Now Leaf, there"s going to be a nuclear attack on all of us. So, I"ve decided to pull a Dame Primus and not do anything at all. Good luck while trying to save everyone for me, okay thanks?" Then, Arthur returned to the House, ready to finally end this series. Previously, on the Keys to the Kingdom:"Now , I"m King of the Lower House," Arthur said to Monday. "Now bow to me and kiss my feet." Suzy is lying down on the ground while Arthur frantically talks to her, "Suzy! Suzy! Speak to me!""Bulbasaur," Suzy said."Wait," Arthur said. "You"re a grass type? I always imagined you were a bug type, you know because you"re always bugging me." On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there was pizza.On the sixth day, there was Manga.On the seventh day, there were Barbie Dolls. Saturday arrived in the Incomparable Gardens, as per her evil plan, which was evil because the one who had written it was evil. The Incomparable Gardens may have been nice at one point, but Sunday had killed all the plants and put huge boxes containing Barbie Dolls instead. "I would have succeeded, if only it wasn"t for those meddling kids," she said. There, to her surprise, Sunday was waiting. There was a strange look in his eye. "Do you know what happened to me today? I was going to get the new Saturday Barbie from the Secondary Realms, but they were sold out." He now looked insane. He slowly approached Saturday, who was for once looking fearful. "Ah." Arthur said, stretching his arms. "Well, no matter what happens, one thing is certain: this series is going to be over. That"s the only thing I care about, I really need a vacation." Before he had taken two steps, Sunday appeared right in front of him. Sunday was not what Arthur expected. He was wearing boots, belt, pants and shirt that were black just like Batman. He was even wearing underwear outside. It might have worked if he wasn"t wearing a Barbie hat on his head. Arthur peeked around Sunday, and saw Saturday. She had been made immobile, and dressed in the manner of a Barbie doll. "So, if I remember correctly, you are still a dark type. So, I suppose bug attacks will have to do," Suday said. Just then, some of his worms used String Shot, trapping Arthur. After trying a bit, he found out that he couldn"t move at all. "So, aren"t you going to tell me your plan?" Arthur asked. "What plan?" Sunday asked, puzzled. "You know, when the villain captures the hero he goes on and needlessly tells his plan," Arthur said. Sunday scratched his head. "Well, you see I really don"t have a plan. I mean, come one, compared to this fanfic, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX actually had a plotline. There really isn"t a storyline for me to actually have a plot." "Wow, I thought you might actually be hard. But, you were pretty disappointing. Kind of like Eragon the movie." "Oh yeah, that movie was just horrible," Sunday agreed. He then stretched his arms, "Well, I guess I should be going. By the way my name"s not really Sunday it"s-" He was about to continue, when Arthur shouted, "Phanphy! Use rollout!" Arthur"s toy elephant grew to life, and it curled up into a ball and then rammed Sunday. Arthur then cut himself free. "By the way, if any of you are wondering where my toy elephant came from, I"m just as confused as you. Alice in Wonderland probably has more logic that this place," Just then, everyone was transported to where the Will was hidden. Then, nearly every character Arthur had ever met appeared there, including the Piper and the Mariner. "With this mask on, no one will recognize me!" the Piper shouted. "Hello Piper," Sunday said. All of the three brothers looked at each other, shocked. Then, Piper pointed his finger at Sunday, "You took my cheese! And then you told me that the Mariner did it." "Well, you wouldn"t share any of it with me," Sunday said indifferently. "That was before I realized the beauty of Barbie dolls." Then, all of the brothers started bickering and screaming like three-year olds. At that moment, the Mariner used his harpoon to free the last part of the Will. "Hooray! I actually do something in this chapter!" the Mariner rejoiced. "You see, that"s why one should have no family. Families just lead to trouble, look at me, I don"t have any family member and I"m the main character," Arthur said proudly. "No, Arthur. I am your father," Sunday said. Everyone gasped. "No way! It can"t be true!" Arthur said. "Search it in your heart Arthur, you know its true." "Really?" Arthur asked. "No, I just said it to increase the climax," Sunday said. "Now, I"m going to rule the House." "Well, I can"t allow that to happen," Arthur said. "It"s time to completely destroy the House." A bottle of Nothing came from Nowhere (Courage is now pleased.) Arthur poured it all over the ground, where it destroyed the entire House. Just then, the Will fused together to form the Architect. Then, the Old One Appeared. "Hey, you destroyed my clocks! It"s okay when you mess with the rest of the House, that"s your problem, but you do not destroy my clocks!" The Old One moaned. "Keep quiet! You do realize that you"re just a part of me, don"t you?" The Architect said. Silence ensued that for a good five seconds. A record in the House. "Wait a minute, did you just go out with yourself?" Arthur asked. "That"s just... weird." "I"m a complicated person," the Architect said, and then fused with the Old One. "Well, Arthur, I hope you use my keys properly. Well, bye?" She then returned to Nothing. "Wait a minute, what do I do?" Arthur screamed into the darkness. Just then, I, the writer of this fanfic appeared. "Well Arthur, you"ve been a good main character. But, I"ve just sold your rights to 4kids," I said. "Wait a minute, does that mean.." "Yes, they will now take your show and mutilate it so badly no one will be able to recognize any of the characters anymore." "No! I use the power of the Keys to force you to end this fanfic." Arthur shouted. "You can"t do that, I"m the autho-" Suddenly, I was forced to end the fanfic.So, THE END.A/N By the way, the part about me selling the rights was a joke, I don"t actually own them.

"I- uh, managed to sweet-talk the guy who was selling them into giving me this," Yuri said. "I mean, I bought it you know, that"s what I meant." "What did you do to convince the guy to sell you a bottle of wine?" Natsuki asked. She then grinned fiendishly. "Oh, you naughty girl, did you by any chance... suck his di-" "Natsuki!" Sayori said, now no longer giggling. She turned a light shade of pink as well. Monika blushed too at what Natsuki was implying, But it was nothing compared to Yuri"s reaction. Yuri was so shocked that she dropped the bottle- which would have shattered on the floor if Monika hadn"t expertly managed to catch it in time. "What- what"re you saying?" Yuri asked angrily. And to say that she was blushing was an understatement- Monika had never seen Yuri, or anyone for that matter, blush like that before. Her whole body, from her earlobes to the tips of her fingers turned a deep shade of pink. "What are you trying to imply, huh, Natsuki? Do you think- that- that, I"m that kind of girl... I haven"t even kissed a boy yet!" "Oh, calm down," Natsuki said. "I was just poking fun... you know how hard it is to get alcohol if you"re a minor..." "Uh, Natsuki, how well versed are you in that area?" Monika asked with a confused smile. "So," Sayori asked, this time herself with a sly grin. "If you didn"t do that... did you flash him?" Monika didn"t think it was possible for someone to blush even more deeply than Yuri already was, but she somehow managed to go from bright pink to as deeply red as a stoplight. "Wh-what?" Yuri practically shouted, another thing that was new to Monika. "I"ll have you know that I just managed to catch someone who wasn"t that interested in his job and must have assumed that I was an adult- that"s it-" Yuri kept on talking, but Monika was now focused on the wine bottle. The glass was a deep shade of emerald green- her favorite color- and then a realization hit her like a sack of bricks. If anyone- a student or a teacher- walked into the room this moment, which, though unlikely, always remained a possibility, what they would see would be Monika, model student, holding a wine bottle. And of course while Monika didn"t think that Yuri would end up throwing her under the bus and would assume responsibility, given how shy she was that wasn"t a real guarantee that she"d be able to get any words out when the moment required it. One person- that was all it would take, and her reputation would be practically tarnished. She put the bottle on a desk and went outside. She opened the door and scanned the hallway- no, there was no one outside. The teachers rarely came to clubs anyway, and it was even more unlikely that they"d come to hers given how few members she had. And as for the possibility of a student coming to join them, well... she didn"t want to admit it, but that was even less likely. She walked into the classroom to see both Natsuki and Sayori apologizing to Yuri and telling her that they were "just jesting" and it seemed to have calmed down. Well, that was good, given how bad Monika felt she was at acting like a mediator. "Oh, I"m sorry for reacting like that," Yuri said. "It"s just, that was so unexpected..." She then looked at Monika and the wine bottle and then said, "Oh, I"m so sorry Monika- I didn"t mean to drop the bottle, that could"ve ended really badly..." "It"s nothing, nothing," Monika said. If anything, she actually welcomed this. It was a nice change from the monotony of the classroom, but she felt like it was time to wrap things up on the off chance that someone walked in on them. "Yeah, you don"t need to say sorry that much," Sayori said. Her eyes then perked up. "Hey all- let"s play a drinking game- every time that Yuri apologizes for something, we each have to take a shot!" Natsuki sighed. "I"d be dead in an hour then. Either that or the bottle would be empty pretty soon." "Okay guys, the thing is that I"m sure that all of you know this by now, but..." Monika paused for dramatic effect. "There"s no way at all that we can drink this. I mean, anyone could come in and see what we"re doing. And we don"t even have any experience with alcohol either, who knows what"ll happen." "Wait," Natuski asked. "Are you telling me that you"ve never had a drink?" "No," Monika said, flabbergasted that she was being asked something like that. "I"ve occasionally taken a sip out of my parent"s glasses when no one was looking," Yuri admitted. "Yeah, my dad has a stash and I"ve taken a bit once or twice," Natsuki added. "Oh, so then Sayori and I are the only ones who"ve never-" Monika said before Sayori nervously said, "Uh, I"ve kind of had a sip or two myself," Sayori admitted. "So then everyone here"s had some, and that leaves just Monika then," Natsuki said. "Wait, what?" Monika asked vehemently. "What did you just say?" "Uh, I was just saying that everyone"s had some except you," Natsuki said, surprised at Monika"s tone. "I didn"t- I didn"t mean anything by it..." "No, no, that"s not it," Monika said, now controlling her voice so it sounded far much more normal. "What I meant was, what did you say at the very end?" "I said that only you were left," Natsuki said, confused. "No, no, the exact words..." Monika mumbled more to herself than to the others. "You said... just Monika." She then repeated the words to herself as if it were a mantra. "Just Monika... just Monika.... just Monika..." The words felt like warm honey in her mouth, she didn"t know why- but those words just sounded right. "Uh, are you okay?" Sayori asked. Monika noticed that Sayori wasn"t the only one who thought what she had been doing was odd- both Natsuki and Yuri were also looking at her oddly. "Yeah, it"s just, those words, seemed to remind me of something," Monika said and rubbed her forehead. It was weird but she could feel a headache building up. "Anyway, like I was saying, it doesn"t matter if you guys have had some before... it would be different if we were somewhere outside of school, y"know, but we can"t go and drink here..." "Aww, come one," Natsuki said. "The fact that you"ve never had any means that you"ve gotta try some. And plus, no one comes to our club anyway, so..." Monika winced. Though she had admitted the same to herself, it still stung to hear it from someone else. "Yeah," Sayori said. All three of the other girls were looking at Monika pleadingly. "Come on Monika, you know what our teachers always tell us- that you should always give in to peer pressure!" "Sayori, that"s literally the exact opposite of what they teach us," Monika said. "And come one now, you"re my vice-president, why aren"t you backing me up on this?" "Meanie," Sayori muttered under her breath. Truth be told, Monika really, really, wanted to open the bottle and have a sip. But the thing was that she was president, and with great power came great responsibility and all, and so she had to put her foot down. "Monika, we won"t have too much," Yuri said. "Just a few sips... and that"s it! It"s fun, I promise you." "Yeah," Natsuki said. "And anyway, no one"s gonna know... that"s the fun of being in a small club together..." "And you know what they say," Sayori said. "All the cool kids do drugs Monika!" "Sayori, that is terrible advice and I don"t want to hear you saying that again," Monika said. But then she smiled. "All right then though... I guess we could go ahead and try some." The three others practically leaped up with joy. "But... I have some conditions. If we"re gonna do this we need to take some precautions. Okay, we"ll take the wine in Yuri"s tea cups so that no one will suspect anything. And while we"re distributing the wine into the cups, someone needs to stand guard outside, maybe Natsuki. Natsuki, drop one of your bows on the floor and if anyone walks by, just pretend that you were picking up your bow and then knock on the door or something so we"ll know to hide the wine." "Why me?" Natsuki asked, surprised. "Because you"re too cute for anyone to suspect you of troublemaking, that"s why," Monika said. "I am not cute, that"s not all there"s to me," Natsuki grumbled, but it appeared that she, for the matter, agreed with Monika"s plan. "Wow," Sayori said, genuinely surprised. "I never knew that you had such a devious and criminal mind, Monika. If we were a gang you"d be the leader for sure! It"s like you"re a criminal mastermind!" "That"s just common sense, Sayori," Monika said. "Now come on, let"s get started." Natsuki went outside to stand guard like Monika had said, while Yuri poured wine into her tea cups. She adjusted the amount for everyone based on size, Monika guessed, given that the glass marked for Natsuki had a lot less than the others. She then hid the bottle under the table so that it wouldn"t be visible. "Okay, Natsuki, you can come in now," Monika said and Natsuki walked in. "So, if anyone needs or wants a refill," Yuri said, "I guess we"ll just do that again?" "Yeah," Monika said and then peered at her cup before she decided, to heck with it, and took a sip. After all, what could possibly go wrong? A/N: Thanks for reading. I was thinking of maybe doing this after DDLC begins, you know with the protagonist in it as well, but decided I"d do it before for now. "Huh, it"s funny," Sayori said as she gulped down what was in her glass as if it were juice. Monika took her first sip hesitantly though- like a swimmer who dabbed her toe in the water to see if it was cold or not before jumping in. It was bitter and tasted faintly of berries. All in all, it wasn"t a bad taste so to speak, but it wasn"t exactly very good either. "I already feel different," Sayori added and giggled. "There"s no way that it could possibly feel that way soon," Monika said. "Must be a placebo effect or something... Sayori, even alcohol needs time to act." "Right, how come I only got this much?" Natsuki asked as she looked at the amount in the glass. "Well, we had to be sure to dish it out based on what we thought everyone could handle," Yuri said. "And given your body weight, I don"t think that you could take that much." "What"s that supposed to mean, huh?" Natsuki asked angrily. "Well, she isn"t wrong," Monika said, trying to intervene so yet another fight didn"t start. She didn"t feel very confident regarding her ability to act like a mediator but given that she was president she felt that at the very minimum it was her duty to try and get the members of the club to get along. "Look, Natsuki, this is alcohol after all, and you got half of what Yuri got because you probably only weigh about half as much as she does. It"s nothing against you personally." Monika regretted speaking the words as soon as they left her mouth. For one, it didn"t seem to have calmed down Natsuki at all. Instead, all it seemed to have done was suddenly turn Yuri"s expression sour. "Wh- twice as much? It can"t possibly be true... I mean, I haven"t been gaining that much weight...Monika, I don"t weigh that much!" Monika nearly face-palmed. Was Yuri really self-conscious about her weight? Then again... with how Monika had said that, she supposed that really almost anyone would"ve gotten offended. Monika now turned to Sayori, hoping that Sayori would do something to help calm things down. She seemed to have a natural talent for that. Instead, all that Sayori did was hold up her glass and say, "More please." "Yeah," Natsuki said, apparently choosing to ignore Monika and Yuri for the time being. "Another. And don"t skimp out on the portions like last time." Well, it appeared that in some weird way, Sayori did manage to calm things down, Monika thought to herself. "Okay then, Natsuki, but you"re on guard duty again," Monika said, choosing to go with the flow. It seemed easier; that if everyone wanted to ignore the situation at hand and what had happened just a few seconds earlier, well then, all the better then. Natsuki let out an exasperated sigh but still complied with Monika"s instructions. Yuri then took out the bottle from its hiding place and then filled all of their glasses- and this time she doled out a lot more than before. Monika guessed she had received at least four times as much as last time. "All right, Natsuki, you can come in now," Monika said. Natsuki came and sat down, shot an angry glance at Yuri, and then began downing what was in her glass immediately, much like Sayori, as if it were water and not wine. Monika on the other hand found herself unable to stomach drinking more than half of what she had been given. It tasted very bitter now and that was beginning to really affect how much she could enjoy it. "Does anyone have anything sweet? This doesn"t taste all that good..." "Well, Natsuki is pretty sweet," Sayori said. "But the thing is that I don"t think you can eat her, "cuz that"s cannibalism, you know." Monika didn"t know whether it was the wine that was talking- or Sayori was just trying to make a joke. Either way it wasn"t very funny. "Uh, I had some chocolates," Yuri said. "Let me see if they"re still there..." Yuri rummaged through her bag but came back empty-handed. Now, Monika wasn"t sure if it was actually the effect of the wine, or just psychological, but her head began feeling heavy. "Huh, so you don"t have any candy," Natsuki said. "Is it "cuz you ate it all? Is that why you"re so concerned about your weight? Been binge-eating lately or something?" "No," Yuri said. "It isn"t like that, I probably just forgot to bring them..." It was then that something hit Monika as she looked around the room. "Do you know what we all need? A boy." All three of the other club members looked at her with surprised expressions on their faces. "What do you mean, "we need a boy?'" Natsuki asked. "Or were you just talking about yourself?" Yuri asked. Sayori had a sly smile on her lips. "Or do you have a crush on someone, eh, Monika? Who"s the lucky guy?" Monika stared at all of them and said, "That"s not what I meant at all. What I mean is that our club only has four members, and all of them are girls. If we want more people, we need to recruit a boy. Or more than one really." "Whaddya mean?" Natsuki asked. "I mean, what, do you think girls don"t have what it takes?" "Yeah," Sayori said, half-teasingly adding, "We all know Natsuki"s a strong, independent woman who don"t need no man, right?" "That"s not what I meant," Monika said again. "It"s not that there"s anything wrong about a club which has only girls in it... but face it, half of the school is made of boys... and the thing is for some reason, no boy"s gonna join a club with only girls in it. A club with only boys on the other hand? Well, there"s going to be one girl or the other who"ll want to join that just to show that she"s different, but it isn"t like our club"s topic is really popular anyway... how are we supposed to compete with the anime club?" "Wait, a boy, huh," Sayori said, but this was mostly to herself. Monika didn"t know why, but it looked like a light bulb had gone off in Sayori"s head. "Well... that might be possible..." "You have someone in mind?" Monika asked, surprised. "But I don"t get one thing at all," Natsuki chimed in. "Why do you even wanna to bring in more members? We only need four people for a club. And I think that"s enough." "Huh?" Monika asked, even more surprised at what Natsuki was saying. "You- you don"t want there to be more members?" "Like, it wouldn"t be the worst thing in the world to have more people," Natsuki said. "But I just felt like, y"know, there"s something that"s alright with being a small club." "I have to agree with Natsuki," Yuri said with a firmness that Monika wasn"t used to. Was the alcohol finally taking its effect? "I mean, large clubs are all well and good, but the thing is that there"s a kind of special magic to small ones, right? We all feel more connected with each other and I"d honestly rather have a deep relationship with the three of you rather than short ones with over thirty or fifty people. A smaller club is more well-knit together, and I"d feel more comfortable in a small group than a large one." "Yeah, I agree with Yuri," Natsuki said. "I mean, if someone wants to walk in and join us, well, I guess that I wouldn"t go ahead and say no to their face, but do we really have to campaign so hard for more members? I like being with you guys, and if there"s way too many of us won"t that change?" "Oh," Monika said. She had never really thought of things like that- she had always had visions of turning her small club into a giant one... it was kind of her one and only ambition really. But come to think of it though, she realized that not even Sayori would have joined the club if it had been larger- she had probably joined just so that she could be vice-president. "You guys," Sayori said, "nothing will change if we get a few new members. I mean, I already am great friend with you guys, but having more people won"t ruin that. Like, I mean, I can see you guys getting worried if we suddenly got twenty or thirty people, but you know, that isn"t going to happen." She then paused and looked at Monika, realizing that she had made a mistake. "Oh, it"s alright," Monika said. "I didn"t take it that way. I mean, yeah, realistically it would be amazing if we even got twenty members." "Yeah, so what I mean is, a few more members wouldn"t be bad," Sayori said. "And, after all, isn"t that what you joined this club for, right? To spread awareness about literature." Both Natsuki and Yuri still looked unsure. "I... I joined to meet with a few like-minded people," Yuri said. "Yeah... the club is so nice the way it is," Natsuki said. Monika felt that she kind of understood where the two of them were coming from now. For Yuri, who was already super-shy, a huge club would mean that she would stand out even less than she did now. And for Natsuki, well, she was probably afraid that her "safe space" so to speak would be intruded on. "Hey, let"s do something then," Sayori said. "What if we got one new member? Just one? I"m sure if we got another member, you"d both learn just how wonderful he"d be! So how about that? After that we can slowly look to grow." "Alright, I guess," Yuri said. "Wait a minute though," Monika said as she pondered over Sayori"s words. "Sayori, I knew I said that we should think about inviting a guy- but that doesn"t mean that it has to be a boy." "No, I meant there"s a boy in particular who I think would join..." Sayori said with a giggle. There was silence following this comment. "Uh, I"m almost scared to ask, but how are you going to convince him to join?" Natsuki asked. "Oh, he"s always been my friend- you know who I"m talking about," Sayori said. "Oh, yeah, him," Monika said. She vaguely recalled Sayori talking about someone who she had always been best friends with. As a matter of fact, now that she thought about it, it was made up about fifty percent of everything that Sayori talked about. "But, Natsuki, um, are you okay with making cupcakes for our new member?" Sayori asked. "Yeah, okay, I guess," Natsuki said. "Right," Sayori said and took a deep breath. It was at this point that Monika noted that all the other girls had practically emptied their glasses- she was the only one who still had half of her drink left and she took a few more sips, but felt like she would be unable to take any more so she stopped. It still felt bad to waste it though. "Huh, well, having a boy here changes things," Yuri said. "I guess... well... uh...." It looked as if she wanted to say something, but just couldn"t form the words. Natsuki said, "Well, I always though we were kind of that sort of gang, y"know, like a group of magical girls from an anime..." she then realized what it was that she just said, blushed and said, "not like I still watch or read any of that stuff, y"know." "Uh, right," Sayori said. "Well, given that alcohol is supposed to make you braver, there is something that I"ve wanted to do for a long time..." Monika watched as Sayori got up and walked behind Yuri, so that her head was directly over Yuri"s and Yuri had to crane her neck to see her. "Hey, uh, Yuri," Sayori said. "Could you fix my bow for me? It"s a bit crooked..." "Uh, okay," Yuri said and tried to get up but Sayori firmly put her hands on Yuri"s shoulders. "No, no, do it like this," Sayori said. Monika and Natsuki both exchanged confused looks. What was going on here? Sayori could fix her bow herself if she wanted to- as a matter of fact by now Monika thought that Sayori had her bow on crooked on purpose as a fashion statement or something given that she had never seen Sayori wear it straight. "Oh, alright," Yuri looked about as confused as both of them but still agreed to comply with Sayori"s request and stretched both of her arms up to try and correct Sayori"s bow. While both of her hands were busy with this, Sayori suddenly took her own hands, and moved them to Yuri"s chest and then gave Yuri"s cleavage a squeeze. Yuri had somewhat figured out what was going on while this was happening, but her hands were above her head and she hadn"t been able to block Sayori"s hands in time. "What?" Monika nearly screamed out. What was going on?

"Hey! It"s Winnie the Pooh Bear." Just then, the theme song for Winnie the Pooh played and Suzy started singing along with it. "Winnie the Pooh, he ate his shoe, he said I hate you." Just then, the Will woke up. "I am not a cartoon bear." "I am the heir to the House," Arthur said. "But as I"m the most skeptical person in the House, I doubt you." Then, they managed to tortu- er, talk to the Will until it agreed to go with them. Then outside, Grim Tuesday caught up with them. Grim Tuesday used Karate Chop! It was Super Effective! Arthur got boo-boo. "Wow, maybe Arthur"s an ice type, cause he"s so cool," Suzy moaned. "That was the lamest thing anyone has ever said in this fanfic," Arthur said, getting up. "Everyone knows I"m a dark type." "Like give me the Pokedex or something," Grim Tuesday said. "I"m not a Pokedex, I"m the Comp- oh whatever," the Atlas said. "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown. Wait, wrong fanfic," Arthur said. "No! We"re going to settle this the old-fashioned way: By playing Mortal Kombat 3!" the Will said. Then, two controllers and a television appeared. Both Tuesday and Arthur began playing. Arthur was losing, but then he said, "Hey look! A trading card!" He pointed in the opposite direction, where Tuesday looked. While he was looking, Arthur beat his character. "Wow! Arthur cheated! Just like everyone in the House," Suzy said. Just then, the rest of the minor characters from chapter one appeared. "So, Arthur, give me the key," Dame Primus said. "No, I want to use it," Arthur whined. "Arthur, we have to fill the pit and free the workers." "No! They"re going to stay my slaves and work long hours," Arthur said. "Also, this chapter is much longer than the first, I better get paid overtime." Um... the end? P.S. Poor Artie Wartie didn"t get paid his overtime. This part of the story is written in the form of a play. If you suffer from allergic reactions or extreme stupidity after reading plays and/or Shakespeare references, we would strongly recommend that you skip this chapter. Characters Arthur: The main character. It appears he deleted the descriptions of everyone else. Oh well. Scene 0: Before the Play Arthur: Hello everyone! I"m the Voldemort of this show. Suzy: No you"re not! You"re the main character. Arthur: Say what? It"s written in my contract that- Arthur is dragged away. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies. Scene 1: The Border Sea Wednesday loved plushies. She collected plush toys of all shapes and sizes. So, one day, out on the Border Sea, she was going out when she was interrupted by her Dawn. Dawn: I really don"t think that you should go out today. Wednesday: Why not? Dawn: Well then, the strangest rumors have reached my ears. For one, Tuesday has donated to a charity, and- Wednesday: So? They"re just rumors, nothing concrete. Now, I"ve got to go to the Plushie Palace and look at my plushies, especially my Noon and Dusk, who I turned into plushies. At this, Dawn was glad she got the Dawn plushie from the Secondary Realms in time. Otherwise, she would have been at a shelf.So, Wednesday continued onwards, and in the Palace she found Saturday, and the rest of the Morrow days. Wednesday: Wow. It"s so nice to see you all here. This probably has nothing to do with the fact that I just told Saturday I wanted to execute my part of the Will or something like that. Sunday: Of course not. Now, don"t you think it"s better if you don"t let a self-willed walking block of text free? Wednesday: No, I really need to get rid of my plushie obsession. It seems it"s a bit- unhealthy. Saturday: You really should stop. Wednesday: What Saturday? Saturday: Then speak, keys for me! All of the Morrow days stab Wednesday with the Keys. Tuesday: Wait, how do I stab someone with a pair of gauntlets? So, they just decide to turn her into a plushie. The irony. Wednesday: How could you guys do this? After all, I"m your best friend Saturday, and- She continues talking for over three hours. Thursday: That was worse than Tea"s friendship speeches. Tuesday: I have trading cards to collect. Hurry up. Sunday: Hey, Saturday, you do know that Naruto won"t be released today, as it"s a holiday in Japan? Saturday: ! Saturday faints, but then quickly gets up and turns to Wednesday. Saturday: How could you not see this coming? Haven"t you been looking at my page? Soon, a laptop computer manages to come out of nowhere, and it shows Saturday"s Facebook page. The posts are as follows: Saturday: Wednesday"s releasing the Will. This is disastrous. Monday: How could you not see this coming? Her very initials are D.W., disaster warning. Friday: Don"t know, don"t care. Saturday: I order you to. Tuesday: You do realize you"re deputy to a grown man who plays with Barbie Dolls, don"t you? Saturday: However, Sunday can order us too. Sunday: I don"t care. Saturday: Wednesday said plush toys are better than dolls. Sunday: ... Let"s do this. Scene 2: Meanwhile, while we were covering this lame back story, Arthur and Suzy have conveniently managed to get to Port Wednesday, and are have now met with the Raised Rats. Raised Rat"s Leader: It"s the Overlanders! Alert King Gorger at once. Another Rat from the crowd: He died in book one. Leader: Okay then, alert the Bane! Another Rat: He died in book five. Arthur: Stop quoting from books that no one reads. Is there anything you have for me? Leader: Well, we have this ring, which is completely useless for us, but works for you. Arthur: What does it do? Leader: It measures your transformation. Arthur: Into an almost-immortal Denizen of the House? Leader: No. Actually, the Keys will transform you from wanting to become the antagonist, to a noble person. Arthur: That"s horrible! I need to stop using the Keys. Anyway, we have to go find Wednesday. Suzy: Oh well, that"s easy, she"s at her Plushie Palace. Arthur: Then why have we been wandering around this place for four hours when you knew that? Suzy: I wanted to see the Border Sea. Arthur does face palm. Then, they walk over to the Plushie Palace. Then, Wednesday transforms back into her human form. Suzy: Hey Arthur, it"s D.W.! Arthur: Wait a minute, didn"t the Trustees trap you in plushie form? Wednesday: No, I just wanted to see how it was like to be a plushie. So, Arthur takes the Key from Wednesday. Then, a giant kraken appears from out of the sea to eat Arthur. Arthur anticipates this and throws Drowned Wednesday into its mouth. The kraken leaves. Suzy: Nice job Arthur. Arthur: Wait, I thought I threw you. Curses. We must find the Will. Suzy: Where would someone like Wednesday possible hide the Will? Arthur finds the Will as a plushie (big surprise there.) Dame Primus: Hey Arthur! You beat D.W. ! Do you know what that means? Arthur: I can now crown myself king of the pirates? Dame Primus: No! Pool Party! On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plush toys.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades. Long ago, before the breaking of the Will, the Glorious Army of the Architect used normal weapons, or normal by the House"s standards. However, they were defeated by a bunch of dust bunnies that seemingly appeared from nowhere. So, they are now trained in the only weapon that can defeat Dust Bunnies: Children"s Tops/Beyblades. For ten thousand years, Sir Thursday had trained his army in the art of using Beyblades for combat. Just now, he was wandering around the Great Maze, watching hundreds of soldiers practicing, using their launchers hundreds of times. Just then, his Noon came. "Um, sir," said Noon. "What is it?" Thursday asked. "Well, it"s now our turn to face Arthur. So, I was thinking, shouldn"t we have some other weapons besides Beyblades?" At this, Thursday replied very angrily, "Stop it! You already have your Beyblade, now you"ll ask for some firearms. Next you"ll ask me for a morpher, what do you think we are, Power Rangers?" Meanwhile, Arthur had found himself in the Great Maze. "Great, at least Suzy"s not here," he said. At that very moment, Suzy popped out from nowhere next to him."Aww, man." "Hey, Arthur, I took these Beyblades from somewhere. The Will is hidden in Thursday"s Beyblade," Suzy said. "How do you know that?" Arthur asked. "The plot line is so obvious that it"s the only place it could be." "You mean even Thursday battles with Beyblades? What"s next, Beyblading on motorcycles?" Then, they set off, and following a bunch of events that are in no way relative to the plotline, involving ice cream, Gummy Bears, and the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, they managed to find Sir Thursday. "I challenge you to a game of Beyblade," Arthur said. "I agree," Thursday replied. "How unexpected," Suzy said. "Sir, you can"t possibly want to put the future of the Army on a battle of children"s tops?" Thursday"s Noon said. "Of course not. His Beyblade is one of the old ones we use for practice. Mine is new," Thursday said, turning to his Times. Then, they began their battle. Contrary to what Thursday said, Arthur didn"t lose instantly. "While you were talking to your Times, I changed the parts of your Beyblade," Arthur explained. "Why didn"t you just free the Will?" Suzy asked. "Because, that"s too simple for someone like me," Arthur said. And so, the most dramatic battle between a grown man and a teenager using children"s tops continued. It got boring after a while, so Arthur asked, "Hey Thursday, has the Army actually ever won a battle?" "Well, there was that time with the Unicorns..." Thursday began. "Sir, we lost that war," his Dawn said. "Still, there was another battle, when those Girl Scouts invaded." "No, sir. We lost that one, and we"re still paying off the loan for all of the cookies we bought during the peace treaty," his Dawn said again. "Wow, this army sure is lame," Arthur said. "Time to put you all out of your lameness. Go Beyblade!" Somehow, as if Arthur could use telepathy to move his Beyblade, he knocked out Thursday"s Beyblade out of the ring, and freed the Will."I think I"m going to kill Thursday," the Will said. "Okay, I don"t have a problem with it," Arthur said. Then, Arthur realized that this chapter wasn"t over yet, and he still had to do something. Meanwhile, the Piper was planning to build up his army. "Well, I"m building up my army. Apparently, building it up right next to the Glorious Army of the Architect is a good idea." Then, he foresaw that the main characters were going to arrive there. "Well, I must disguise myself by using a mask I found in a dumpster somewhere." He then put on the mask. "Now, no one can recognize me." "Hey look, it"s the Piper," Arthur said, as he hurried with his Noon, Dawn and Dusk. "Oh whatever, I"m going to attack you with my army." Just then, Orange Orangutans appeared from all across the place. The Piper laughed, "This is my army. The Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League!" "You do realize that spells U.N.C.O.O.L., right?" Arthur said, and then all of them were too busy giggling to take the Piper seriously. "Shut up!" The Piper said angrily. "I am the Piper, creator and supreme commander of the U.N.C.O.O.L!" The Orange Orangutans pulled out various weapons and began to advance towards Arthur. "Ultra Non-Cute Orange Orangutan League, go! And while you"re all doing that, I have some children to grab," The Piper shouted. "Man, how do we beat him?" Arthur"s Noon asked. "I suppose we should just fire our Beyblades on them, and knowing the way this fanfic is written, it will probably destroy the army," Arthur said. So, deciding that they had absolutely nothing better to do, they fired their children"s tops at the Piper and his army. "Ahh, plastic, our one weakness!" the Piper cried as his army was defeated, and the U.N.C.O.O.L abandoned him. He then tried to run, but was stopped by Arthur. "Now, you shall be punished," Arthur said. "I"m going to make you reveal your identity to all of us here." Using the Keys, he forced the Piper to speak his real name. "My real name is... Peter!" he said. At that moment, everyone in the vicinity gasped. "The Piper"s real name is Peter, that"s like the real first plot twist in this whole fanfic!" Dame Primus said. "How did you get here?" Arthur asked. "I turn up at the end of every chapter, apparently it"s the only thing I do," Dame Primus answered. "Anyway," The Piper began, "My name isn"t the same surprise as Sunday"s. His real name is-" To be continued. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games. Lady Friday loved video games. As a matter of fact, the entire Middle House was involved in the manufacture and production of video games of all kinds. They were forged in a remote corner of the Lower House, from where they were shipped to the various guilds which packed the games and then sent them to Friday"s Scriptorium. There, there were virtual reality helmets which Friday used to experience the video games. The only problem with them was that if they were taken off before the game was complete, the mind of the denizen using it would be broken. Friday blamed it all on bad plot devices. Of course, she also run a hospital because it had been her parent"s dying wish to see her become a doctor. What are you saying, denizens don"t have children? Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, no one really knows why Friday decided to become a doctor. Some think she had a crush on Dr. Scamandros and wanted to be in the same profession he was, but that"s just a theory. So, one not-so-fine day, her Dawn came running up to her, holding an envelope in her hand. "Wait, I"m not a girl," he sobbed. "Get over it, everyone thinks Deidara"s a girl and he never complains," Friday said. "Deidara is a girl," Dawn said. "Exactly. Now why did you come here?" Friday asked. "Look, a Telegram!" he exclaimed. "Very good," Friday said with a smile. She held up a cup. "Now, tell me what"s this?" Dawn stared at her for a few seconds before realizing exactly what she was saying. "No, ma"am I mean there"s a telegram for you.""Oh." Friday was blushing. "I knew that, I was merely testing you." Her Dawn highly doubted that. Friday opened the envelope, and read the telegram. Then, she put it back down. "Aren"t you going to reveal what"s in that envelope?" her Dawn asked her. "Of course not. I"m going to conceal it so it can be an actual plot device for this chapter." she said. She then gave her Dawn specific orders. A few hours later... Friday was looking at the wall. She was wondering what was behind that locked door in Neoquest when her Dawn barged in. "Ma"am, I did what you said. I gave the invitations, and I laid the trap to destroy Arthur and the Piper." "What about the limited edition copy of Pokemon Green I wanted? It"s hard to believe they were only released in Japan." "Well, I really didn"t get time to do that." "What do you mean! I didn"t care about the rest, but you were supposed to bring the game." Then, she threw her Dawn off the tower they were in. "Ow! My pancreas!" Dawn shouted as he hit a rock. "Now, if you"ll excuse me, I have to kidnap people and run away to a secluded location," Friday said. Meanwhile, well you know the drill. Arthur appears and so does Suzy and whatnot. "Wow, I"m in the Middle House. The only part of the House that doesn"t seem to actually do anything," Arthur said. "Hello Suzy," Arthur said, smiling. Then, he suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth, as if he had just said something disgusting. "I forgot to be mean to Suzy!" "It must be just as the Raised Rats said. The Keys are slowly transforming you into a noble person," Suzy said. "No!" Arthur shouted. "But the transformation isn"t complete yet. This is the chapter where you truly rediscover yourself emotionally and finally find the path you"re supposed to walk on," Suzy explained. "Oh well." Then, he opened his invitation that Dawn had sent him. "Wow, this couldn"t possibly be a trap, let"s go," Arthur said. And so, Suzy, Arthur, The Will and the Piper managed to go to the room where the Fifth Key was placed. "Don"t take it, it might cause a burst of Nothing killing us all the moment we take it," the Will warned. "Of course not. That kind of stuff only happens in lame adventure novels. As this is an abridged series, there"s definitely going to be something more original than that. Just think about it, something as simple as a trap would destroy this fanfic"s nearly nonexistent fanbase," the Piper said. So, he went over to get the Key. The moment he touched it, Nothing started seeping into the room. "I totally didn"t see that coming," the Piper said. "Well, see you later." He climbed the Improbable Stair. Apparently, it actually exists.So, our heroes also managed to escape at the last moment, and ended up in a hospital in the Secondary Realms. "This must be Lady Friday"s hospital," Arthur said. "How do you know?" Suzy asked. "It"s written on the front." There was indeed, a neon sign saying Friday"s Hospital. Well, they attempted to sneak around without being noticed, but a hospital attendant saw them. "Ahhhh!" he screamed. Then, he calmed down. He pointed at the Will. "I thought you were my fifth-grade English teacher. Nah, she looked weirder." "So, who are you?" Arthur asked. "I work at the hospital," he replied. "And you"ve never noticed anything strange? Like the fact that Doctor Friday only comes on Friday, and doesn"t seem to have a medical degree of any kind?" the Will asked. "Nope. Nothing strange around here." He then continued onwards. "I suppose we should go find Friday," Arthur said. "My Arthur senses tell me she"s this way." He pointed towards the hallway. So, they made their way where they found Friday. "You named yourself Doctor Friday? You couldn"t find yourself a better name?" Suzy asked. "Well, at least it"s better than Sunday"s real name. Why did the Architect name him-" Friday began. "Expecto patronum!" Arthur shouted. For a moment, a silvery shape assumed around them, but then it vanished. "Hah! You"ll have to do better than that," Friday sneered. "It"s obvious that you"re facing a dilemma inside of you, which is why you can"t conjure a patronus." "Wow, this really is the chapter where I metamorphically find myself," Arthur said. "Now, I"m going to like, completely destroy you." Friday said, stepping forward. Our heroes were forced backwards, being unable to fight. It was then, that Arthur realized something his teacher had taught him: 2+2=5? No. Always wear a helmet before attempting to lick the floor? No. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Yes! Arthur immediately grabbed an apple, and threw it at Friday. The moment it went in contact with her, she melted just like the Fetchers did in book one which was never mentioned in the first chapter. At that moment, Arthur completely transformed. So, will Saturday defeat Arthur? Will Arthur finally succeed? You just want me to end the chapter, don"t you? What did you take me for, a bozo who doesn"t know anything? It was a rhetorical question. On the first day, there was candy.On the second day, there were trading cards.On the third day, there were plushies.On the fourth day, there were Beyblades.On the fifth day, there were video games.On the sixth day, there was manga. Unlike the other chapters, this begins in the White House. "Well, sir. I"ve just heard that there"s a town in which a disease has spread. What should we do?" an attendant asked. "We"re going to do the only thing the US government can do, order a nuclear attack!" was the answer. Meanwhile, Arthur arrived at the Upper House. "Well, as this place is dedicated to sorcery, I should expect Harry Potter to appear," he said. Five minutes passed in silence. Nothing happened, which is a first for this series. "Well, that"s mostly surprising. Come to think of it, there are suspicious things going on. That Nothing trap in the Middle house was too obvious, and I was expecting a Harry Potter reference by now." Strangely enough, no one answered his call. "Wait, where"s Suzy? I get used to her and now she just vanishes?" On the other part of the Upper House, Suzy had been captured by Superior Saturday. Her sorcerers held her while she talked. "I"m Saturday. I"m pretty much the only real villain in this place," she said. "Now that I"ve got you in my custody, I"m going to do what every villain does, tell you my plan." "But why?" Suzy asked. "Because that"s what real villains do," Saturday replied. "Now, first, I"m going to capture you and force all information you have on Arthur out of you. Then, the same way I killed Grim Tuesday I"ll destroy Arthur." "I"ll never tell you anything!" Suzy replied defiantly. "I have ways of making you talk," Saturday replied with a grin. "Nothing you could do to me could possibly be worse than having to serve under Dame Primus," Suzy said. "True. But, I know of something worse: making you watch My Little Pony." Saturday said. "Nooooo!" Suzy screamed. Saturday laughed evilly, because she"s an evil villain and that"s what evil villains do. Meanwhile, Arthur was talking to Dame Primus, who for once actually came in the middle of a chapter.

But it was nothing compared to Yuri"s reaction. Yuri was so shocked that she dropped the bottle- which would have shattered on the floor if Monika hadn"t expertly managed to catch it in time. "What- what"re you saying?" Yuri asked angrily. And to say that she was blushing was an understatement- Monika had never seen Yuri, or anyone for that matter, blush like that before. Her whole body, from her earlobes to the tips of her fingers turned a deep shade of pink. "What are you trying to imply, huh, Natsuki? Do you think- that- that, I"m that kind of girl... I haven"t even kissed a boy yet!" "Oh, calm down," Natsuki said. "I was just poking fun... you know how hard it is to get alcohol if you"re a minor..." "Uh, Natsuki, how well versed are you in that area?" Monika asked with a confused smile. "So," Sayori asked, this time herself with a sly grin. "If you didn"t do that... did you flash him?" Monika didn"t think it was possible for someone to blush even more deeply than Yuri already was, but she somehow managed to go from bright pink to as deeply red as a stoplight. "Wh-what?" Yuri practically shouted, another thing that was new to Monika. "I"ll have you know that I just managed to catch someone who wasn"t that interested in his job and must have assumed that I was an adult- that"s it-" Yuri kept on talking, but Monika was now focused on the wine bottle. The glass was a deep shade of emerald green- her favorite color- and then a realization hit her like a sack of bricks. If anyone- a student or a teacher- walked into the room this moment, which, though unlikely, always remained a possibility, what they would see would be Monika, model student, holding a wine bottle. And of course while Monika didn"t think that Yuri would end up throwing her under the bus and would assume responsibility, given how shy she was that wasn"t a real guarantee that she"d be able to get any words out when the moment required it. One person- that was all it would take, and her reputation would be practically tarnished. She put the bottle on a desk and went outside. She opened the door and scanned the hallway- no, there was no one outside. The teachers rarely came to clubs anyway, and it was even more unlikely that they"d come to hers given how few members she had. And as for the possibility of a student coming to join them, well... she didn"t want to admit it, but that was even less likely. She walked into the classroom to see both Natsuki and Sayori apologizing to Yuri and telling her that they were "just jesting" and it seemed to have calmed down. Well, that was good, given how bad Monika felt she was at acting like a mediator. "Oh, I"m sorry for reacting like that," Yuri said. "It"s just, that was so unexpected..." She then looked at Monika and the wine bottle and then said, "Oh, I"m so sorry Monika- I didn"t mean to drop the bottle, that could"ve ended really badly..." "It"s nothing, nothing," Monika said. If anything, she actually welcomed this. It was a nice change from the monotony of the classroom, but she felt like it was time to wrap things up on the off chance that someone walked in on them. "Yeah, you don"t need to say sorry that much," Sayori said. Her eyes then perked up. "Hey all- let"s play a drinking game- every time that Yuri apologizes for something, we each have to take a shot!" Natsuki sighed. "I"d be dead in an hour then. Either that or the bottle would be empty pretty soon." "Okay guys, the thing is that I"m sure that all of you know this by now, but..." Monika paused for dramatic effect. "There"s no way at all that we can drink this. I mean, anyone could come in and see what we"re doing. And we don"t even have any experience with alcohol either, who knows what"ll happen." "Wait," Natuski asked. "Are you telling me that you"ve never had a drink?" "No," Monika said, flabbergasted that she was being asked something like that. "I"ve occasionally taken a sip out of my parent"s glasses when no one was looking," Yuri admitted. "Yeah, my dad has a stash and I"ve taken a bit once or twice," Natsuki added. "Oh, so then Sayori and I are the only ones who"ve never-" Monika said before Sayori nervously said, "Uh, I"ve kind of had a sip or two myself," Sayori admitted. "So then everyone here"s had some, and that leaves just Monika then," Natsuki said. "Wait, what?" Monika asked vehemently. "What did you just say?" "Uh, I was just saying that everyone"s had some except you," Natsuki said, surprised at Monika"s tone. "I didn"t- I didn"t mean anything by it..." "No, no, that"s not it," Monika said, now controlling her voice so it sounded far much more normal. "What I meant was, what did you say at the very end?" "I said that only you were left," Natsuki said, confused. "No, no, the exact words..." Monika mumbled more to herself than to the others. "You said... just Monika." She then repeated the words to herself as if it were a mantra. "Just Monika... just Monika.... just Monika..." The words felt like warm honey in her mouth, she didn"t know why- but those words just sounded right. "Uh, are you okay?" Sayori asked. Monika noticed that Sayori wasn"t the only one who thought what she had been doing was odd- both Natsuki and Yuri were also looking at her oddly. "Yeah, it"s just, those words, seemed to remind me of something," Monika said and rubbed her forehead. It was weird but she could feel a headache building up. "Anyway, like I was saying, it doesn"t matter if you guys have had some before... it would be different if we were somewhere outside of school, y"know, but we can"t go and drink here..." "Aww, come one," Natsuki said. "The fact that you"ve never had any means that you"ve gotta try some. And plus, no one comes to our club anyway, so..." Monika winced. Though she had admitted the same to herself, it still stung to hear it from someone else. "Yeah," Sayori said. All three of the other girls were looking at Monika pleadingly. "Come on Monika, you know what our teachers always tell us- that you should always give in to peer pressure!" "Sayori, that"s literally the exact opposite of what they teach us," Monika said. "And come one now, you"re my vice-president, why aren"t you backing me up on this?" "Meanie," Sayori muttered under her breath. Truth be told, Monika really, really, wanted to open the bottle and have a sip. But the thing was that she was president, and with great power came great responsibility and all, and so she had to put her foot down. "Monika, we won"t have too much," Yuri said. "Just a few sips... and that"s it! It"s fun, I promise you." "Yeah," Natsuki said. "And anyway, no one"s gonna know... that"s the fun of being in a small club together..." "And you know what they say," Sayori said. "All the cool kids do drugs Monika!" "Sayori, that is terrible advice and I don"t want to hear you saying that again," Monika said. But then she smiled. "All right then though... I guess we could go ahead and try some." The three others practically leaped up with joy. "But... I have some conditions. If we"re gonna do this we need to take some precautions. Okay, we"ll take the wine in Yuri"s tea cups so that no one will suspect anything. And while we"re distributing the wine into the cups, someone needs to stand guard outside, maybe Natsuki. Natsuki, drop one of your bows on the floor and if anyone walks by, just pretend that you were picking up your bow and then knock on the door or something so we"ll know to hide the wine." "Why me?" Natsuki asked, surprised. "Because you"re too cute for anyone to suspect you of troublemaking, that"s why," Monika said. "I am not cute, that"s not all there"s to me," Natsuki grumbled, but it appeared that she, for the matter, agreed with Monika"s plan. "Wow," Sayori said, genuinely surprised. "I never knew that you had such a devious and criminal mind, Monika. If we were a gang you"d be the leader for sure! It"s like you"re a criminal mastermind!" "That"s just common sense, Sayori," Monika said. "Now come on, let"s get started." Natsuki went outside to stand guard like Monika had said, while Yuri poured wine into her tea cups. She adjusted the amount for everyone based on size, Monika guessed, given that the glass marked for Natsuki had a lot less than the others. She then hid the bottle under the table so that it wouldn"t be visible. "Okay, Natsuki, you can come in now," Monika said and Natsuki walked in. "So, if anyone needs or wants a refill," Yuri said, "I guess we"ll just do that again?" "Yeah," Monika said and then peered at her cup before she decided, to heck with it, and took a sip. After all, what could possibly go wrong? A/N: Thanks for reading. I was thinking of maybe doing this after DDLC begins, you know with the protagonist in it as well, but decided I"d do it before for now. "Huh, it"s funny," Sayori said as she gulped down what was in her glass as if it were juice. Monika took her first sip hesitantly though- like a swimmer who dabbed her toe in the water to see if it was cold or not before jumping in. It was bitter and tasted faintly of berries. All in all, it wasn"t a bad taste so to speak, but it wasn"t exactly very good either. "I already feel different," Sayori added and giggled. "There"s no way that it could possibly feel that way soon," Monika said. "Must be a placebo effect or something... Sayori, even alcohol needs time to act." "Right, how come I only got this much?" Natsuki asked as she looked at the amount in the glass. "Well, we had to be sure to dish it out based on what we thought everyone could handle," Yuri said. "And given your body weight, I don"t think that you could take that much." "What"s that supposed to mean, huh?" Natsuki asked angrily. "Well, she isn"t wrong," Monika said, trying to intervene so yet another fight didn"t start. She didn"t feel very confident regarding her ability to act like a mediator but given that she was president she felt that at the very minimum it was her duty to try and get the members of the club to get along. "Look, Natsuki, this is alcohol after all, and you got half of what Yuri got because you probably only weigh about half as much as she does. It"s nothing against you personally." Monika regretted speaking the words as soon as they left her mouth. For one, it didn"t seem to have calmed down Natsuki at all. Instead, all it seemed to have done was suddenly turn Yuri"s expression sour. "Wh- twice as much? It can"t possibly be true... I mean, I haven"t been gaining that much weight...Monika, I don"t weigh that much!" Monika nearly face-palmed. Was Yuri really self-conscious about her weight? Then again... with how Monika had said that, she supposed that really almost anyone would"ve gotten offended. Monika now turned to Sayori, hoping that Sayori would do something to help calm things down. She seemed to have a natural talent for that. Instead, all that Sayori did was hold up her glass and say, "More please." "Yeah," Natsuki said, apparently choosing to ignore Monika and Yuri for the time being. "Another. And don"t skimp out on the portions like last time." Well, it appeared that in some weird way, Sayori did manage to calm things down, Monika thought to herself. "Okay then, Natsuki, but you"re on guard duty again," Monika said, choosing to go with the flow. It seemed easier; that if everyone wanted to ignore the situation at hand and what had happened just a few seconds earlier, well then, all the better then. Natsuki let out an exasperated sigh but still complied with Monika"s instructions. Yuri then took out the bottle from its hiding place and then filled all of their glasses- and this time she doled out a lot more than before. Monika guessed she had received at least four times as much as last time. "All right, Natsuki, you can come in now," Monika said. Natsuki came and sat down, shot an angry glance at Yuri, and then began downing what was in her glass immediately, much like Sayori, as if it were water and not wine. Monika on the other hand found herself unable to stomach drinking more than half of what she had been given. It tasted very bitter now and that was beginning to really affect how much she could enjoy it. "Does anyone have anything sweet? This doesn"t taste all that good..." "Well, Natsuki is pretty sweet," Sayori said. "But the thing is that I don"t think you can eat her, "cuz that"s cannibalism, you know." Monika didn"t know whether it was the wine that was talking- or Sayori was just trying to make a joke. Either way it wasn"t very funny. "Uh, I had some chocolates," Yuri said. "Let me see if they"re still there..." Yuri rummaged through her bag but came back empty-handed. Now, Monika wasn"t sure if it was actually the effect of the wine, or just psychological, but her head began feeling heavy. "Huh, so you don"t have any candy," Natsuki said. "Is it "cuz you ate it all? Is that why you"re so concerned about your weight? Been binge-eating lately or something?" "No," Yuri said. "It isn"t like that, I probably just forgot to bring them..." It was then that something hit Monika as she looked around the room. "Do you know what we all need? A boy." All three of the other club members looked at her with surprised expressions on their faces. "What do you mean, "we need a boy?'" Natsuki asked. "Or were you just talking about yourself?" Yuri asked. Sayori had a sly smile on her lips. "Or do you have a crush on someone, eh, Monika? Who"s the lucky guy?" Monika stared at all of them and said, "That"s not what I meant at all. What I mean is that our club only has four members, and all of them are girls. If we want more people, we need to recruit a boy. Or more than one really." "Whaddya mean?" Natsuki asked. "I mean, what, do you think girls don"t have what it takes?" "Yeah," Sayori said, half-teasingly adding, "We all know Natsuki"s a strong, independent woman who don"t need no man, right?" "That"s not what I meant," Monika said again. "It"s not that there"s anything wrong about a club which has only girls in it... but face it, half of the school is made of boys... and the thing is for some reason, no boy"s gonna join a club with only girls in it. A club with only boys on the other hand? Well, there"s going to be one girl or the other who"ll want to join that just to show that she"s different, but it isn"t like our club"s topic is really popular anyway... how are we supposed to compete with the anime club?" "Wait, a boy, huh," Sayori said, but this was mostly to herself. Monika didn"t know why, but it looked like a light bulb had gone off in Sayori"s head. "Well... that might be possible..." "You have someone in mind?" Monika asked, surprised. "But I don"t get one thing at all," Natsuki chimed in. "Why do you even wanna to bring in more members? We only need four people for a club. And I think that"s enough." "Huh?" Monika asked, even more surprised at what Natsuki was saying. "You- you don"t want there to be more members?" "Like, it wouldn"t be the worst thing in the world to have more people," Natsuki said. "But I just felt like, y"know, there"s something that"s alright with being a small club." "I have to agree with Natsuki," Yuri said with a firmness that Monika wasn"t used to. Was the alcohol finally taking its effect? "I mean, large clubs are all well and good, but the thing is that there"s a kind of special magic to small ones, right? We all feel more connected with each other and I"d honestly rather have a deep relationship with the three of you rather than short ones with over thirty or fifty people. A smaller club is more well-knit together, and I"d feel more comfortable in a small group than a large one." "Yeah, I agree with Yuri," Natsuki said. "I mean, if someone wants to walk in and join us, well, I guess that I wouldn"t go ahead and say no to their face, but do we really have to campaign so hard for more members? I like being with you guys, and if there"s way too many of us won"t that change?" "Oh," Monika said. She had never really thought of things like that- she had always had visions of turning her small club into a giant one... it was kind of her one and only ambition really. But come to think of it though, she realized that not even Sayori would have joined the club if it had been larger- she had probably joined just so that she could be vice-president. "You guys," Sayori said, "nothing will change if we get a few new members. I mean, I already am great friend with you guys, but having more people won"t ruin that. Like, I mean, I can see you guys getting worried if we suddenly got twenty or thirty people, but you know, that isn"t going to happen." She then paused and looked at Monika, realizing that she had made a mistake. "Oh, it"s alright," Monika said. "I didn"t take it that way. I mean, yeah, realistically it would be amazing if we even got twenty members." "Yeah, so what I mean is, a few more members wouldn"t be bad," Sayori said. "And, after all, isn"t that what you joined this club for, right? To spread awareness about literature." Both Natsuki and Yuri still looked unsure. "I... I joined to meet with a few like-minded people," Yuri said. "Yeah... the club is so nice the way it is," Natsuki said. Monika felt that she kind of understood where the two of them were coming from now. For Yuri, who was already super-shy, a huge club would mean that she would stand out even less than she did now. And for Natsuki, well, she was probably afraid that her "safe space" so to speak would be intruded on. "Hey, let"s do something then," Sayori said. "What if we got one new member? Just one? I"m sure if we got another member, you"d both learn just how wonderful he"d be! So how about that? After that we can slowly look to grow." "Alright, I guess," Yuri said. "Wait a minute though," Monika said as she pondered over Sayori"s words. "Sayori, I knew I said that we should think about inviting a guy- but that doesn"t mean that it has to be a boy." "No, I meant there"s a boy in particular who I think would join..." Sayori said with a giggle. There was silence following this comment. "Uh, I"m almost scared to ask, but how are you going to convince him to join?" Natsuki asked. "Oh, he"s always been my friend- you know who I"m talking about," Sayori said. "Oh, yeah, him," Monika said. She vaguely recalled Sayori talking about someone who she had always been best friends with. As a matter of fact, now that she thought about it, it was made up about fifty percent of everything that Sayori talked about. "But, Natsuki, um, are you okay with making cupcakes for our new member?" Sayori asked. "Yeah, okay, I guess," Natsuki said. "Right," Sayori said and took a deep breath. It was at this point that Monika noted that all the other girls had practically emptied their glasses- she was the only one who still had half of her drink left and she took a few more sips, but felt like she would be unable to take any more so she stopped. It still felt bad to waste it though. "Huh, well, having a boy here changes things," Yuri said. "I guess... well... uh...." It looked as if she wanted to say something, but just couldn"t form the words. Natsuki said, "Well, I always though we were kind of that sort of gang, y"know, like a group of magical girls from an anime..." she then realized what it was that she just said, blushed and said, "not like I still watch or read any of that stuff, y"know." "Uh, right," Sayori said. "Well, given that alcohol is supposed to make you braver, there is something that I"ve wanted to do for a long time..." Monika watched as Sayori got up and walked behind Yuri, so that her head was directly over Yuri"s and Yuri had to crane her neck to see her. "Hey, uh, Yuri," Sayori said. "Could you fix my bow for me? It"s a bit crooked..." "Uh, okay," Yuri said and tried to get up but Sayori firmly put her hands on Yuri"s shoulders. "No, no, do it like this," Sayori said. Monika and Natsuki both exchanged confused looks. What was going on here? Sayori could fix her bow herself if she wanted to- as a matter of fact by now Monika thought that Sayori had her bow on crooked on purpose as a fashion statement or something given that she had never seen Sayori wear it straight. "Oh, alright," Yuri looked about as confused as both of them but still agreed to comply with Sayori"s request and stretched both of her arms up to try and correct Sayori"s bow. While both of her hands were busy with this, Sayori suddenly took her own hands, and moved them to Yuri"s chest and then gave Yuri"s cleavage a squeeze. Yuri had somewhat figured out what was going on while this was happening, but her hands were above her head and she hadn"t been able to block Sayori"s hands in time. "What?" Monika nearly screamed out. What was going on? Sayori quickly retracted her hands and jumped back a few paces from Yuri, probably fearing retaliation or something along those lines. Yuri blushed deep red. "Wh- why"d you do that?" "I"m sorry, it"s just that..." Sayori began. "Your boobs are just so huge! And big! Natsuki and I were always wondering if they were real or not and we were kind of jealous... so I just wanted to see if they were real or you were stuffing your bra or something..."

He finally looked at the esper before him, let out a bitter smile and fell to the back of his mind. .... Maybe it was better this way, he thought. They were walking home together: Ritsu with his hand wrapped around his own and Hanazawa -that esper who is not terrible like him- who walked behind them, careful not to disturb their private bubble yet sometimes boldly threw an opinion at Ritsu"s exclamation. And him, beside Ritsu, hearing the banter from both side, his thought muffled in their conversation to think about anything else. The voice had stopped coming ever since Hanazawa took it upon himself to walk home together with them. Shigeo did not dare to call him as his friend however closer he had started to become, but he trusted the blond boy enough that he would allow his presence beside his protective circle as long as he understood his limit. They fell into the habit of walking home together with him listening to Ritsu"s constant story about his day and Hanazawa"s adept reply and suggestion over problematic occurrence that popped out from the story. It was enough to keep him preoccupied that everything else slid into the back of his mind and quieted down. This was nice, he thought. Squeezing Ritsu"s hand, he let a small smile grace his lips. .... There were times when Shigeo was not available to accompany Ritsu. Those times were the most frustrating moments in his life as he had to entrust Ritsu to Hanazawa"s hand. The blond esper is capable, Shigeo knows that much. And he would never try to hurt Ritsu, another reason that adds to Hanzawa"s good points. Their mother had even met Hanazawa and she actually likes the boy enough to trust him with her sons. She even asked him about where Hanazawa lives and told him to bring him food when he found out he lives all by himself. Shigeo does trust Hanazawa enough, but he still would prefer himself to keep watch on Ritsu rather than someone else. Ritsu himself has told him that he"ll be alright and would tell him if Hanazawa dared to do anything out of context. Hanazawa has vowed that he would never touched Ritsu if it"s not consented -why does that sound so wrong, he wonders- by his younger brother. Why isn"t that enough for him to believe that Ritsu will be fine with Hanazawa today? It was that day when he needed to attend extra class due to his abysmal grade. Nothing was wrong with attending once in a while so he agreed quite easily. Yet after he sat himself on his seat and the teacher began her speech, he felt a slight jolt of pain from his head. Something was definitely wrong. He stood up, bag in his hands, ready to run home or wherever Ritsu was. The teacher gave him a look before she walked to the door and locked it with a twist of her fingers. "You won"t leave this room until I see an improvement, Kageyama" she admonished. As an appropriate response, he growled at her. He skimmed through the supplementary lesson"s material, ignoring the teacher most of the time and filling his head with different scenarios that could happen during his little brother and Hanazawa"s walk home. It irritated him enough that he glared permanently at the teacher with a deadpan look on his face that could probably the cause for said teacher"s sudden stutters. He needed to finish all of this bullshit and quickly find Ritsu before he explodes from worry. When the teacher finally -with a nervous look on her face- declared him clear to go home, he threw everything into his bag in record time and ran out of the class with a loud, "Thank you and bye!" addressed to the teacher. He didn"t care if it"s rude or not, all he cared at this moment was his brother"s whereabouts. He stomped through his way home, his breath heavy with worry and anxiety. Has Ritsu arrived at their home, yet? At the back of his mind, he could feel something gnawing. An instinct, an invisible thread that the world might have woven between him and Ritsu; a link that connects them together. He gritted his teeth together, knowing that he shouldn"t be this anxious, that Hanazawa is walking Ritsu home and he shouldn"t be doubting the blond esper. Still something was happening to his brother, good or bad he couldn"t quite tell. He arrived home in record time and opened the front door hastily, his mind running through scenarios after scenarios that could have happened to his brother. The voice that had been so quite, muffled in the far corner of his mind had started to giggle and his breath hitched. There were no shoes in the porch. ... One of the guest who commented on the companion story of this one had asked "How can Ritsu see them nod or shake their head if he"s blind?' well, umm...I think I wrote that either the one who gestures with their head eventually realized and answered his question verbally -in which Ritsu will wait, patiently- or it"s a rhetorical question and Ritsu could guess what the other"s answer is. I noticed that there"s that one scene when Teru nodded to answer and Ritsu replied him. This one was intended to be rhetorical. But if it really bothers you, I apologized for my carelessness or for anything else that anyone else found incorrect and I didn"t mention it here...feel free to drop anything to me. The world before a pair of unseeing eyes was surprisingly even more complex than to those who could see. Ritsu learnt through the darkness that he could create a world of his own with countless lines of white and black drawn with all his capable senses. ... At first it was hard to suddenly lose all the colors in his life so abruptly. There would be no more bright blue sky or beautiful white moon. No vividly assorted colors of flowers in the field near his home nor striped or spotted candy wrappers inside the jars in confectionary store"s display. All that"s left was just an empty, hollow darkness that stretched out as far as his eyes could see - or not see, he didn"t know. It was devastating to know that he had lost his sight for what might seem to be forever. He clung onto the small hope of regaining it back, though it might be just a reassurance for his brother who seemed to be blaming himself over and over again every single day. Thankfully, losing his sight made his other senses grew sharper than what they were previously able to do: his ears were keener to differentiate individual voices among the sea of crowds, his nose grew better at identifying people around him, and the nerves scattered across the surface of his skin are more sensitive for him to distinguish matters or even human skin. They all helped him shaped the world around him, painting it in images that his mind created base on what his senses had captured. More or less, Ritsu is confident that he would be able to navigate himself around his own house or other closed space without bumping into walls or stumbling with the stairs. He had memorized how many steps he should take if he wants to reach anywhere in the house or even how high each cabinet in his house should he need to retrieve anything from the storage spaces. It was fairly easy for him to do so. Finding his way around his new school was slightly harder. But it was achievable and Ritsu has too much of a pride to let himself be led around like a helpless blind boy. The world around him is a conjured up picture that he draws on the surface of the dark canvas that had engulfed his vision. Sometimes he could remember colors; make it glow so they wouldn"t be swallowed up by the darkness. Though everything seemed duller and looked more like a saturated painting instead of its real, radiant colors. Usually he would make lines, countless lines of white as if chalk or white marker drew them. It was way more efficient and faster than to pour bucket of somber colors on everything that he had imagined. From the contour of individual face, the stiff line from inorganic creatures, and even the unstable, ever-changing outline of the outside world where the cars could come from out of nowhere and people are too busy to look what"s in front of them. His parents faces are scribbled into his mind and he could easily pictured the changes in them as he listened in on their voices and reactions. Shaping his brother"s face is probably the hardest obstacle to overcome. What burnt inside his head was the spectral being in his brother"s body with his brother"s lips twisted into a sickening grin and pure, untapped raw power slipping through the pore of his brother"s skin. It didn"t make him pull away from Shigeo, no, the warmth from guilt and regret that his brotherexudes continuously exceeds every single fear that he had for that inhuman being. Yet the last sight he saw of his brother was the specter who grinned wolfishly and it left such deep impression inside his mind he couldn"t remember how Shigeo"s kind face looks like. It wasn"t frightening, no, it isn"t anymore. Which was why he"s upset of his incapability to forget that image and his lack of memory to remember the real face beneath the phantom that both is and is not his brother. Surprisingly, he doesn"t mind it. Maybe he"s wrapping his arms around the black pliant skin where psychic power in its rawest possible form is slipping out between his fingers, who could exactly tell? He didn"t mind it. It"s still his brother who embraces him in such protectiveness. It"s still his brother who whispers apologies and encouragement as they slept side by side, contented with each other"s presence. The only difference he could spot was the waves of emotions that crashed on him as his brother struggled to keep everything under the lid. He understands that Shigeo is constantly suppressing his power under the confinement of his emotional barrier. Should he show even the slightest emotion, his power could slide through the fissure on the wall and explode in sparks of uncontrollable psychic show. As he felt those emotions during the nights when Shigeo was submerged neck deep in his negative emotions and snuck into his room to sleep by his side, he absorbed them into his own being, changed them into neutral emotions and let them drift back to his brother. His heightened senses made it easier for him to made them his own. Maybe being blind had its perks? Maybe he should be blind to keep his brother"s safe from that shadow? Maybe it was not so. Maybe fate was just playing a cruel joke on them, to make both brothers relied too heavily on one another and ripped them apart once they are so attached to each other? But in that moment, Ritsu was satisfied with Shigeo"s contented face as he slept on. ... Hanazawa Teruki is quite simple to understand. A curious soul is indeed easy to spot in this world full with doubtful individual who prefers to keep to themselves rather than making effort to get to know people better. At first, Ritsu suspected him to be a threat -he"s not wrong, he refused to be called wrong- but as he soaked in his brother"s envy the night after they left the bruised Hanazawa, he could understand what had happened and why had his brother lashed out. It seemed that, no matter how many emotions he drew from Shigeo, there would always be a trigger which could send his effort to soothe his brother back to square one. And Hanazawa was a great reminder of his power - the power that Shigeo had grown to hate with all his might - if he"s able to keep it under his control. Whatever had happened during their confrontation, he could tell that his big brother did not mean to do that. He just couldn"t take it anymore. His protective instinct still kicked in though when Hanazawa started following them home. Once Shigeo told him that it"s fine for the other esper to accompany them during their walk home, Ritsu found himself trying to comprehend Hanazawa Teruki fully. Not as easy as he thought it would be. There were limits that Shigeo put up when he permitted Hanazawa in their small circle: he should never try to use his power and he should never try to touch Ritsu. Two unspoken rules that Hanazawa unknowingly obeyed faithfully. The third week after Hanazawa became a constant existence behind them, Ritsu finally asked his brother about how Hanazawa looks like. Shigeo sounded a bit guilty - like he always does whenever Ritsu asked for visual description of anything - as he described the physical distinction that made up Hanazawa: "He has blond hair which fall to his shoulder in layered cut and a pair of blue eyes. His pink lips are often tugged into a smile," he tried picturing Hanazawa with those sentences drawing lines after lines to sketch him, "...slender body, fair skin, he always wears purple uniform with his school insignia etched on the chest pocket" he added shade of colors to the lines, adding every little tidbits into his picture. When it was finished, he was looking at a handsome boy with a smile that balances the word smug and sincere at the same time. A boy who has bright blond hair and sparkling azure eyes that gleamed in an almost childish curiosity. It stayed for about ten seconds before his mind decided that keeping the color as bright as that would be too much of a hassle and bled it out of its radiance. It"s a start, he thought grimly. "He looked lovely" was what he said to his brother. ... There was something different when Hanazawa spoke that day. A tingle of hesitation, something akin to fear was fluctuating in his otherwise calm state. It was one of those days -when Shigeo couldn"t take him home due to unpredicted situation. Shigeo had to stay for a cultural festival meeting -he"s surprised that his classmates managed to keep him in the class for that- and he was walking home with Hanazawa-san who Shigeo must"ve asked to walk him home. With his brother"s warning to be cautious of the other esper, he went home, his hand clutched on Hanazawa"s. With their hands intertwined, Hanazawa began their conversation, "If I tell you that you might be able to learn how to sense human, will you come with me?" Ritsu snorted, squeezing the fingers laced with his own in a manner that will sure to leave a memorable bruise, "And here I thought advertising is done by door to door or through media," Hanazawa"s hand twitched nervously and he squeezed tighter, "...a sales pitch won"t herd me in your favor, Hanazawa-san" he said firmly, ending the supposedly promotional offer before further elaboration. This is not a lie. He truly hates salesman speech thanks to a persistent salesman who seemed keen on waving his hand in front of Ritsu"s eyes and laughed exaggeratingly when he mentioned -rather rudely - that he could hear his hand slashing the air. "Even if I say that it"s free?" "That would make it even more suspicious than it was!" he snapped, earning himself a sudden spasm from the other esper. What"s with this line of questioning, his defensive mind asked, yet Ritsu chose not to voice it. He furrowed his eyebrows instead, relaying as much irritation as he could from his lightless eyes. Hanazawa was regretful when he finally squeezed back, thumb circling apologetic circles on the back of his palm. "Sorry, sorry," Hanazawa murmured softly, "...that was so stupid of me, huh?" Huffing, Ritsu muttered incomprehensible agreement. Reigen Arataka is a man with bizarre charms. Ritsu might not be able to sense human, but all of his senses captured Reigen perfectly, it surprised him that the lines were starting to form in his mind when he first heard his voice. He doesn"t have a singer voice - which immediately mesmerized you -, but it left enough impression on you to hear further and even anticipated what he would say next. A bell that announces time in the temple; he would likened the voice. Or maybe, the bamboo fountain in the pond. Every time he speaks, his voice asks for your undivided attention so you would not miss every underlying intent he means through the jumble of clever words his silver tongue seems to produce in massive numbers. The smell of tobacco lingers around the man, along with the smell of caffeine and another scent that he couldn"t quite identify. It"s probably the smell of men"s cologne from an unknown store brand that was mixed with sweat. It was not an unpleasant smell; in fact, it reminded him somewhat of a nostalgic smell. Something in the back of his mind knocked softly twice before whatever it was retreated shyly to where it came from. A fleeting memory, he guessed, of a world that is not his to live in. "So..." Hanazawa started. They"ve just gone back from the older man"s apartment after agreeing on a day to meet again and they had been silent for too long, Hanazawa should"ve started talking -cue the awkward start. "He sounded trustful enough" was what he deemed as an appropriate enough answer to the unspoken question. A hum of understanding, followed by a reassuring squeeze. Surprisingly enough, Hanazawa stayed silent afterward, lost in thought, most likely. Ritsu enjoyed the silence though, his thought needed it to reassert itself back to its- He stopped. "Hanazawa-san..." Was he trembling? Was his voice quivering? Did he sound...odd? Why did that prickle of fear from Hanazawa spiked? Did he...tip himself off? "Ritsu...can you stay behind my back?" there"s an unfamiliar protectiveness which came from Hanazawa. Ritsu swallowed -bitter, he noted-, "It"s nii-san...isn"t it?" he spelt the word one by one like he"s pulling out swords from his mouth with each syllable of truth. Hanazawa didn"t say anything, but his grip tightened and instead of replying, he was pulled to press against Hanazawa"s side, a thick barrier sprung around them protectively. If his brother is guilt, regret and protectiveness condensed into one, then Hanazawa is confidence, fear, and -strangely enough- protectiveness all rolled into one. He couldn"t think about it further as the world around him twisted in a way Ritsu couldn"t guess. White lines crumbling, the darkness shifting; his brother"s emotions tore into his world of darkness and shook his very core. Fear tightened his chest and Ritsu gasped when the world he"d built since he was robbed of his sight started to collapse on itself. He needed to find Shigeo, and fast, before his brother did something even more unfixable than toppling the base of his world. Hanazawa did not want to let him go when he expressed his intent, so Ritsu grabbed the older boy"s arms in return, keeping their body pressed against one another and opened his mouth, "Come with me then if you"re that worried!" Fear overwhelmed Hanazawa if only for a flicker of a moment and Ritsu absorbed it into his own fear. It"s much harder than when he had to do it with his brother, blood and his connection to his brother helps a lot to circulate the emotions between them. He noted that, physical contact helped him concentrate and Ritsu gritted his teeth as he felt the immense fear from Hanazawa mingling with his own. This was the first time he ever try this trick to someone else. Receiving the fear as a part of his emotions meant experiencing whatever comes with it. Worry was just a small part of it, what came with it was a list of negative emotions which included self-doubt and anxiety. It rattled his own fear, immensely multiplying it to the point he had to numb himself. The swirl of emotions intended to shake him just like his brother"s emotions were currently doing. Ritsu ignored it, pushed everything to the back seat and instead focusing on sending what"s left of his calmness to quell the turmoil in Hanazawa. He might not be able to see how Hanazawa looked like, but he could picture the surprise he felt when he transferred the soothed emotion back to the esper. "How did you-" the fear had greatly reduced and Ritsu loosened his grip to catch his breath. "Don"t ask, just," he took a gulp of air, "...let"s go to nii-san...I need to fix this..." he heard Hanazawa sighed -much calmer and less anxious. "Alright," the blond finally said, keeping them pressed together, "...let"s go..." ... This was not how Ritsu wanted it to become. He clutched the phone in his hand, knowing that the new number in his phone was just one click away. His other hand gripped at nothingness; Hanazawa had been ripped away from his side the moment Shigeo noticed them. Ritsu grimaced as he felt the waves of protectiveness that came from his brother -was it still his brother?- in curls of thick tendrils wrapping themselves around his form. He was shaking. Was he scared? It was his brother, he shouldn"t be scared...why was he frightened? Ritsu....Ritsu...Ritsu... "I"m here, nii-san..." he replied to -the spectral being? His brother?- the call. Are you hurt? Ritsu, are you okay? His brother was just worried, he tried to convince himself, "I"m alright, I"m fine, I"m okay" he stuttered, the overwhelming presence of his brother engulfed everything, disabling his senses, he couldn"t even feel where Hanazawa had ended up in. I"m sorry...I"m sorry...I"m sorry... The string of apologies started. Ritsu winced at how hurt it had sounded, how agony had rooted itself deep into his brother"s core and changed him into something that he almost couldn"t recognize as Shigeo. As he took deep gulp of air to calm himself; emotions pierced into his body, forced the last bit of calmness he had garnered out of him. It hurt. It was painful. It"s like having hot lead injected directly to his blood flow.

Of course, of course, fucking Hayato has to come right at that moment, right when he"s this close to finish up this calculation. His co-workers brighten at Hayato"s arrival, some even straighten their creased shirt and some start to concentrate on their work -probably to gain faces- but he knows best that Hayato has only one interest. Maybe. Sometimes he doubts that as well seeing as Hayato is friendly toward anyone who greets her -or allows her to call them with their first name. "I told you not to drag your fat ass here," he mutters darkly, though he still accepts the boxed lunch from her hands, "...do you even do your job properly?" "Aw, Yasutomo, don"t be like that!" she replies, a pout forms on her thick lips, "...you forgets your lunch today and beside, the term hasn"t started yet" Most of his co-workers don"t believe that the sweet and kind and caring Hayato is his wife. They constantly ask him if Hayato is free some times later or can we have a lunch with her this weekend. Which he"s pissed at, but doesn"t act upon. Not that he"s afraid of picking a fight with those who dares laid a hand on his Hayato. The lunch in his hands is his own cooking -seeing that Hayato is almost hopeless when it comes to cooking - but Hayato always takes care of preparing them in the lunch box to look exquisitely delicious -she has talents for that. It"s a simple homemade fried chicken and some cabbage salad. Hayato adds some bunny apples though, a signature style she"s proud of. It looks like a kid"s bento, but it is filling and Yasutomo doesn"t complain with his own cooking. After a brief exchange of words, Hayato will eventually leaves, throwing smiles at those who greet her. The moment she"s gone though, people will flock to his desk, asking about Hayato"s free time or how she"s doing and what the fuck does she made for you, you lucky shit. He"ll growl at most of them, snatching the lunch off of their grabby hands and claims that it"s his lunch break now before he breaks free from their consecutive, "Awws" and "Not fair" to eat in secluded place -which is the rooftop, but they don"t know that. Thus, the day in Yasutomo"s office passes by... Good Day Ver. 2 -The Song of Praise- Hayato always loves Yasutomo"s cooking. She doesn"t get that long of a lunch break and she gets hungry easily, too easily that she constantly has power bars or chocolates hanging between her lips. In the kindergarten she"s working in, kids crowd her in hope for a bite of chocolate or some of his sweet flavored power bar. That"s why she always buys more, in hope to satisfy the kids asking her for snacks needs. But Yasutomo always cooks her meal. From curry to fried udon, dessert to salad. She wonders when and how exactly the raven has learnt to cook so many dishes -and who has the stubbornness and dedication to teach the wolf of Hakone the fundamentals of cooking. The lunch he prepares in the morning -but sometimes forget to take it himself- is always tasty and big portioned. It"s adorable that Yasutomo even thinks of her stomach capacity and indulges her. When she opens her lunch that day, knowing how delicious it will be, her phone rings. A glance is enough to make her perks up and picks the call. "Yasutomo~" she coos to her red phone. Her bunny strap jingles as she swivels her chair to the side, throwing a worried look at the group of napping kids. When she finds none has woken up, she smirks to the phone and resumes her coos. You sounded stupid, Hayato. How can they hire a fucker like you to teach their children is beyond me... "But you love me anyway~" she winks, knowing that Yasutomo can totally see that. There"s a groan from the other line and she can picture him rolling his eyes. "Are you on break?" she asks, picking up her chopsticks to poke a tasty looking meatball in her lunch box. There"s a sound of paper rustling and a squeaky, "No" "Aw, are you worried about me?" I"m hanging up "Wait, wait, sorry," she cuts before the line really goes dead. She used to think Yasutomo is joking when he said so, but she finds out that no, Yasutomo and joking are not to be put together in one sentence. "So...how"s your job?" she starts, stirring the sauce with her chopsticks, "...everything"s been good?" she stabs one meatball before dipping it to the sauce and practically threw it to her waiting mouth. They asked if you have free time next Saturday She makes an acknowledging sound between the chew. Works always sucks, perks of being a fucking adults. A pause and more rustles, How"s the kids over there? Annoying little shits as always? Hayato swallows, "Nah, they"ve been good, some even offer me candies" she shoves a handful of rice to her mouth, "...yhor lhunch ish ash ghood hhas ehver" Don"t talk with your mouth full, a scoff, she could picture a nasty scowl on his face as if he smelt a blue cheese, and you called yourself a teacher. She doesn"t reply but chews loudly instead, happily reveling on Yasutomo"s groan and slightly obscured concern of his you"re going to choke yourself and die soon. After the third meatball has been swallowed, Yasutomo hangs up, reasoning that he has too many fucking calculation to solve and so little time, so see you this evening. "See you, Yasutomo~" she would sing, even when her mouth is full of rice and she spits crumbs everywhere. "Was that your dear Yasutomo again?" Hayato gives a grin toward the other teacher before shoveling more rice down her throat. The other teacher, a young looking grey head looked mildly interested, "I wonder how he looks like, this Yasutomo of yours" he crosses his arms, "...he always gives you a call on your break and you always look so happy whenever he does so" "My Yasutomo is the most adorable thing in the whole entire world," Hayato blurts, spitting rice and pieces of meat, "...he cooks like a pro and he looks good in apron" the redhead rambles on, describing that "her Yasutomo" is also shy which makes him cute and so forth. Praises are pouring non stop from the kind teacher lips that the grey head needs to stop her before she could wake up the children -for her tone ascends as she spells her Yasutomo"s greatness. "That makes me want to meet him, he sounds like a great company" "You should meet him, Yu!" Hayato cuts excitedly, closing the lid of her lunchbox. (And if by evening, a delinquent like guy in suit with narrow eyes and long lower eyelashes appears in the kindergarten, scaring kids and asking for Arakita Hayato, Yu knows better than to take Hayato"s description of her Yasutomo literally) (But that"s another story to tell~) ... Umm...yeah, it"s Yu. Well, I don"t know why there"s Yu there, but...I like him too much to remove him. Beside he won"t affect the story further. I don"t actually care, I just want to post this story rather than having it sit around gathering dusts inside my storage. Uh...welp, there"s like...more than one more that are still waiting in line...so... ... Good Night -Simple Night- Sometimes, when he goes home, it will be completely devoid of Hayato. As he enters, however, Kuro and Usakicchi never fail to greet him with any kind of antics or signs of their mischievousness. At times he finds dead bird in the porch -pray tell where does Kuro hunt- courtesy to Kuro. Other time, Usakicchi would graciously tackles him to his butt and hops away like she"s done nothing wrong -Damn rabbit weighs like her master. If Hayato hasn"t come home, he"ll start cooking dinner. He shops out sometimes -or shops with Hayato that will cost him more than when he shops alone- to the market. Finding ingredients for his cooking is hard work since most people misunderstands his face. Once when he approached a stall, the shopkeeper shoved all his money to his hands and begged for him not to harm him. Clearing the misunderstanding by buying things housewives usually buys actually earns him reputation around the marketplace. People started calling him, "Ara-chan" and when he appeared with Hayato in tow, they would add, "...and his lovely Haya" to his nickname -as if it"s not embarrassing already. But tonight, he has ingredients stocked up in the fridge - enough to last them for a week. That is if Hayato can hold her big appetite for one day. He goes through recipes in his head, pondering what would be best before Hayato comes home and demands protein and sugar and fats. He takes the baby blue apron from its rack, snorting at the little bunny sewed on its chest -courtesy to Kinjou. Deciding on light dinner, he opens the fridge to take out ingredients for miso soup and karaage -it"s easy and he"s dead tired. He checks the rice cooker, humming gratefully at the amount of rice left. There"s still three portion of rice; two for Hayato and one for him. He"ll need to cook for tomorrow though. Moving out of habit, he prepares the ingredients for both the soup and the chicken dish, smoothly walks around the kitchen, putting things here and there. When the soup has finished and the karaage is done, sprawling on the plate, only then, he allows himself a breather. He sits on the counter, downing a can of Bepsi. It shouldn"t be too long before Hayato would come barging through the door demanding dinner. He"s about to take off his apron when he hears the front door clicks open, followed by, "I"m home, Yasutomo~" hasty footsteps and in five seconds, a fatass has tackled him into a tight hug. It takes three seconds for Hayato to notice the apron and she dramatically undoes the ribbon, cooing, "Is this when you ask whether I want you or dinner?" Yasutomo smacks her right on the face, sneering when she yelps and mutters, "That"s mean..." under her breath. He takes off the apron, glancing at the still-nursing-the-bruising-spot-on-her-face Hayato before he gestures at the dining table where she should sit. Hayato grumbles, but complies, plopping herself on one of the chairs. The raven picks the bowls, shoveling rices on both of the utensils -Hayato with bigger portion, of course- and sets them on the table, swatting Hayato"s hungry chopsticks attack. He scoops the soup for both of them as well, putting them in front of Hayato who practically whines and drools. Sitting on his own spot, he claps his hands together -grateful that Hayato does the same- and exclaims, "Thanks for the food" before he digs in. His Hayato, of course immediately snatches two karaage and shoves one down her throat. It"s still impressive to see her inhaling her food like there"s no tomorrow and Yasutomo has learnt that it"s best not to interrupt her or she"ll choke -that or she speaks with her mouthful and showers him with rice. "If only you"re not my husband, I"ll make you my wife instead~" somehow, between her chewing and shoveling food, the redhead manages to slip that casually. He lets out a dignified scoff and smacks Hayato"s hand before she can steal his portion. "You"ll be a fat old man in no time" he retorts. "I have no regrets" she instantly replies. Hayato announces that she"ll do the dishes so he could sit back and relax. Nodding in agreement, Yasutomo warns her not to play around with the soap foam like last time that she giggles and winks at. There"s the comfortable silence in their apartment; the only sound that can be heard comes from the water sloshing and dishes clinking. It"s a nice silence and Yasutomo finds himself dozing off to the soothing sounds. He wakes up to a warm, heavy body seated on his lap and immediately knows by heart that Hayato demands attention and won"t move until he assents. With an eased move, he pulls the redhead face down to his -damn, she"s tall- and pecks her lips softly. Knowing Hayato, when he indulges her libido like this, she won"t hesitate to take things further. And, sure enough, she"s the first to break the soft kiss with her tongue pushing insistently at the crack between his lips. He stays firm though, peeking to see blue orbs narrow in concentration and swiftly switch to pleading look as soon as they catch his eyes. Yasutomo gives up when teeth start pulling at his bottom lips. Hayato pushes him to his side, insistent like her tongue that"s currently preoccupied with his own. She doesn"t stop until he plops rather unceremoniously on his back, the couch dips under the full weight of them both combined. When she parts their kiss, he gently shoves both hands on her shoulder, holding her back, "None of us has taken a bath," he snorts when Hayato makes this face, "...get up, you smelly ass, you sweat" he pushes her off of him much to her dismay. "You take too long when you"re taking a bath" she finally says, sitting between his legs. "Well, sorry if I like being clean" he scoffs "Let"s get dirty before that then!" Hayato coos, fingers running up his thigh teasingly. "No shit," he grabs her hands, twines their fingers and squeezes, "...you won"t stop until you have your fill, and fuck that, you have inhuman stamina" he lets go, peels her hand when she refuses and unlatches himself from the redhead. He hears her whimpers, walks as far as the hallway before he mutters lowly, barely audible, "I didn"t say you couldn"t join..." He feels -and hears- her perks up, beaming bright at him, "If you don"t hurry up, I"ll change my fucking mind..." he adds loudly before he trots to the bathroom, not waiting for Hayato to catch up -not that he has to as she already is on his tail, her footsteps thundering across the hallway. Let"s just say the water bill spikes afterward. 5. Good Morning v.2 -Interruption- There"s something wrong with her, she realizes as soon as her eyes open. Her dinner is trying to climb up her throat persistently. She sits up, untangles herself from Yasutomo -which thankfully is easy since he always is the small spoon- and shuffles to their bathroom hastily. Yasutomo hasn"t woken up, good, but it won"t be long before he does judging by the lump of dinner pressing insistently at the back of her throat. She retches, grabbing the porcelain toilet as she falls to her knees. It"s painful, nauseating and the smell is dizzying. There"re rustles from the bedroom, Yasutomo"s groan followed by a confused, "Hayato?". She wants to reply, says that she"s fine, but instead, she heaves to the toilet bowl again and stars floating at the back of her eyelids. Sooner than she thinks, Yasutomo is already by her side, massaging her shoulder blades gently. Truthfully, it almost does nothing to ease her pain, but it"s the thought that counts and she continues to pour all processed foods out of her stomach forcibly. Yasutomo stays until she stops, bitter bile rolls down the corner of her lips. Hayato pulls herself up to stand, but a strong arm has already helped her up, props her steady and moves her out of the bathroom. When she comes to, she"s sitting on the couch, a mug of warm water on her grip albeit loosely, and Yasutomo is barking excuses to the phone before he hangs up and scowls at nothing in particular. She looks at the raven, asking who he"s in phone with. Yasutomo glares at her and grabs the mug from her hand, mumbling something about refilling the content. She closes her eyes, the dizzy spell still knocking against her skull, bashing her head with unnecessary ache. Running a hand over her face, she tries to sleep it off. It usually works for her in any kind of illness. This time, her stomach gurgles, churns and forces her back to her feet, running and vomits into the toilet bowl instead. It hurts too much and tears crawl out from the corner of her eyes as she continues hurling everything that"s left in her stomach. Two minutes later finds her in Yasutomo"s strong hands, running through the street with impeccable speed that she never knows the lanky man has. There"s still something sticky dripping slowly down the corner of her mouth, but she pays that no mind as she turns to bury her face to Yasutomo"s chest, groaning in agony. It seems to rouse him to run faster, swearing profanity at the amount of morning person who has left their house and crowded the street. It took them ten minutes to reach the hospital receptionist. Yasutomo doesn"t care about registering anymore, yells at the nurses to just fucking do something. When he"s told to wait, he shouts that he"s going to bulldoze his way into the doctor office if he has to. Perhaps fearing that he might do just that, the nurse allows him to enter, reassuring the other waiting patients who rise to their feet to complain. The raven doesn"t care though. He walks into the office, nasty scowl sets onto his face in contrast to how gently he puts Hayato down on the bed. "What the fuck is wrong with her?" he gestures wildly with his hands, "...she just starts vomiting all of a sudden and she"s so weak she could barely walk-" "Is she your wife?" the doctor sounds far too calm to ease Yasutomo"s worry. Hayato glances at her Yasutomo who looks nothing less than a beast that wants to bite off the doctor"s head. Nodding fervently, he purses his lips, bites at the bottom lip until it colors in red. The doctor has a smile on his face now as he grabs Yasutomo"s hands and shakes it, "I"m partially sure that your wife is pregnant, so," he gushes, "...congratulation!" "Wha-" "That, or it"s a stomach bug" the doctor turns, slips out of Yasutomo"s loose grip, and finally observes his patient, "...in which I would be ashamed for being too forward" he takes hold of Hayato"s wrist, searching for pulse. Hayato can hear her Yasutomo"s swearing sets of curse words again, before he completely shuts up and lets the doctor does his works. 6. Good Afternoon -Questions- "Well, I"m positive that your wife is pregnant," the doctor says, "...so, once again, congratulation" then he pours thousands of explanations of what to do and what not to do while Hayato is pregnant, what labor is, when you should do check-ups and Hayato-kun, please stop jumping in the bed. Yasutomo loses it on his first sentence where he says congratulation. The rest of his explanation sounds like a buzz of radio and his mind refuses to process any words out of it. Pregnant? There"s a child inside the fatass? Like, a baby? His brain short-circuited and everything goes like a drone. He hears the doctor, listens to his explanation and nods to it. But he barely understands a word. Hayato is pregnant with their child, yeah, and a baby is due in about 9 months forward? A baby inside their small apartment? Hayato grabs his arms after they went out of the examination room. She sounds excited, good. Yasutomo lets her raves on and on about the upcoming child, about everything, really, he couldn"t tell anymore. "Are you alright, Yasutomo?" Hayato suddenly asks. She looks troubled, her blue eyes spurs his mouth to say, "Are you really okay with this?" as he stares at those beautiful azure which has drowned him back when they were still in high school. Hayato stops, a smile still tugs on her lips, "I"m happy, Yasutomo" she murmurrs gently, so unlike her usual boisterous voice. Something tugs at his chest when he hears her speaks softly in wispy whispers, "It"s like there"s a part of you that lives here, inside me" the sunny smile widens a fraction, "...and I"m grateful for that" she takes his hands and squeezes. Bright blush flares on his cheeks as he squeezes back, once, before he pulls away, telling her to walk home by herself because she"s too heavy. Hayato skips to follow him right away, whining that her legs hurt and please carry me home like your newly wed bride, Yasutomo before the raven smacks her forehead and links their arms together as they walk back home. He"s reminded that he hasn"t fixed them breakfast yet and asks whether Hayato wants to stop by somewhere to sate her hunger. Hayato"s eyes sparkle as she pulls him toward one of the convenience store and says with such nonchalant face that her power bars stock had diminished next to nothing. "Hayato..." his tone dips to signify a scold ready at the tip of his tongue. Hayato simply stares pleadingly at him, her doe eyes staring up through her eyelashes and he"s done. A few minutes later, he"s carrying two plastic bags of choco banana power bars and a happy Hayato munching on two at once beside him. If he has to satisfy Hayato"s food demand for the next nine months, he would most definitely run out of money sooner than he thought. He speaks this out loud to the redhead and Hayato claims that she won"t be demanding. He unwillingly nods to this, swinging the plastic bag along with their steps. .... Hmmm...since when did I like gender bender? .....I don"t really remember, but I think it involves Yosuke in thigh highs. And seeing a mannequin in a clothing store wearing female winter attire and thought of how good Arakita would look in those... Yeah...I don"t remember Good Evening -A Rabbit"s Journey- She blinks in disbelief. Usakicchi has left their apartment this morning, trailing behind Kuro"s lithe form. Hayato is certain that Usakicchi couldn"t hop down from their room floor -the third floor isn"t a far height for Kuro, but Usakicchi is a different case altogether. There"s still no sign of her until the sun nearly sets and she"s beckoning the rabbit to come and eat her dinner. Yasutomo hasn"t come home so Hayato could only force herself to stand and search for the bunny by herself.

That night, Yasutomo pulls out two guest futons to spread on the living room right beside the newly born bunny"s nest box. And they both watch as the baby rabbit sleeps deeply. While Usakicchi -merely centimeters from it- dozes off, Hayato couldn"t bring herself to sleep. It"s only after Yasutomo pulls her silently to a hug that she allows herself to close her eyes and sleep. Hello~ I am back with more. Like I said, I actually have finished this series, but there"s just so little time to post them...so, yeeeeppp, expect it to be posted again soon enough. Good Afternoon Ver. 2 -Welcome- Summer; the worst season ever created by the gods. The season when using a blanket is stupid but not using one is stupid as well. That season when insects bites are notorious and wind chimes are put out to dangle on windows frame. When electric fan sounds like a stupid idea but promising while he pays someone to repair the air conditioner -because it always...always never fail to broke down in summer. The season when Fuku-chan demands them to visit the inter-high race under the impossible heat just for a reunion. Also the season when Hayato decides to give birth to their very first kid. Running in full speed while lost mostly to adrenaline and anxiety is by far the worst he should do under the scalding summer sun. But he has to, fuck those buses who refuses to go because their engine stopped -why aren"t there any fucking replacement is beyond him. The hospital is in sight and he speeds up upon sighting it. Rushing through people, bumping them here and there, he kicks down the automatic door, scaring the poor old lady in the front. There are commotions soon enough and two securities are approaching him swiftly, probably thinking he"s trying to raid. Ignoring them, he runs to the receptionist, nearly screaming his question of where the fuck is the birthing center in this goddamn hospital. Crude, he might be, but seeing the amount of perspiration he"s gathered along his journey here has the nurse calmed down and directs him to the Eastern Wing. He thanks her roughly before he takes off to the direction, the two securities cease to give chase when the nurse explains to them. Yasutomo disregard the warning comes from one of the patient to stop running in the hallway instead he fastens his steps and asks where Hayato is to the poor nurse in the birthing center. The nurse tries to answer, but his insistence scares the fuck out of her and if only Toudou isn"t there to call his name, she might have had a panic attack. Toudou Jinpachi; all his smugness and foolishness forgotten for a moment -sounds like a saint and Yasutomo literally jumps toward him, bellowing his name. The purple-eyed beauty shushed at his loud voice and grumbles a, "Still stupid as ever I see..." as he takes the bag thrown his way from the raven. "Hayato"s inside, she"s been there for five minutes, asking for you" chides Toudou, "...you"re quite fast when Hayato needs you, Arakita" His boss"s blanched face suddenly pops out in his mind and Yasutomo scoffs bitterly. Half his office has wept manly tears when he shouted that Hayato is going to give birth to their first child as his excuse. With reluctant blessing though, they let him off; completed with dramatic comments from each one of them as he departed through the main entrance in full velocity. It"s still amazing to remember how they parted to give way, like the Red Sea. "Don"t worry, Arakita" comes another familiar voice. A tuft of blonde hair had his mind relaxed even for a bit as he drawls, "Fuku-chan" out of habit. Fukutomi nods at him, determined gaze on his eyes, "Hayato is strong!" which is voiced out louder than it should have. Yet it proves as encouragement and reassurance; as if the exclamation has strength on its own that will support Hayato through the ordeal. And yes indeed, his Hayato is far stronger than anyone else; she proved it back in the past by racing among men without as much as a sliver of fear. Beat them she did, riding far faster than any sprinter he knows. With renewed vigor, he enters the room, ready for anything to be thrown at him- "WHEN WE GET HOME AFTER THIS I"M GOING TO CASTRATE YOU, YASUTOMO!" He visibly flinches back. His feet hesitates, fuck, he"s actually shaking. Upon glancing back, he can see both Fuku-chan and Toudou cringe at how loud the usually calm Hayato has shouted. Toudou mouths him a "Good Luck" and Fukutomi"s face pales a shade lighter. Then the door behind him closes. The sound reverberates as if announcing his doom. The medical team inside the room is eyeing him with unspoken, "What took you so fucking long?" before they return to their task, attending to the temporarily silent Hayato. He swallows audibly at the state Hayato is in; disarrayed, eyes flashes in angry red, -like when she"s in her demon mode, but this is not the thought he should be thinking right now- her fingers grabbed unmistakably tight at the bed sheet until her knuckles turn white. Okay...he"s worried now. He sort of brings his feet to walk toward her, hesitance dancing in his steps. When he arrives to her bedside, one of her hands immediately seeks his and he complies, allowing her to reach his right hand. A mistake. If a crab"s pinch hurts and cuts, Hayato"s grip instantly cuts off all of his blood circulation. The doctor warns him to use left hands if he"s a rightie and trails off when he sends him a glare with his right hand captured between Hayato"s strong fingers. The middle-aged man coughs to his fist to stifle his laugh before he apologizes politely. Then comes the actual delivering process. Which is painful, he understands through Hayato"s moans and the grip on his hand as it grows tighter until his hands turns white and he really loses the sense from his fingertips down to his wrist where Hayato"s fingers coiled around. Through the jumbles of doctors and nurses whispering encouragement, wiping sweats while holding Hayato down -or else she might roll out of the bed. Incorrigible words stream out of Hayato"s mouth in soft chants; which is weird in its own way as he usually is the one with the potty mouth between the two. Sometimes there"s a snappy insults for him from those thick lips, cursing his private parts, his stupid seeds, everything just pours out freely from Hayato"s mouth like water. It doesn"t affect him whatsoever seeing that Hayato is currently experiencing the agonizing pain that would drive any sane man to blame anyone within sight. During the process, he really loses the feel in his hand and has to touch Hayato gently so he could switch hand to grip. Hayato glares at him as if he just accidentally set Usako on fire and loosens her grip enough for him to pry himself free. He hastily replaces it with his left hand that Hayato grabs just as tight and his breath hitches at the pain. A few of his fingers are twisted. He doesn"t need further examination to know from the way some just loll to the side limply. One of the nurses makes the mistake to bring a glass of water -so the patient won"t dehydrate, she reasons- and Hayato asks for it near the end. But exhaustion seems to drain her out of her energy and the glass nearly falls if not for the nurse to catch it and fall exaggeratingly to the floor. He will laugh if his hand isn"t screaming for release. There"re confused whispers when the child finally born. The doctor declares their kid"s gender as male and takes it to his mother who"s in the verge of sleepiness. Yasutomo pries his hand away from Hayato"s loosening grip, groaning as he realizes that it"s twisted as well. "He"s not crying..." "What?" "He should be crying or he couldn"t breathe and-" "Well, fucking do something then! You"re the fucking expert here!" he yelled threateningly, ready to grab the doctor by his collar and throw him to the nearest wall. The baby cries at the prospect of his father hurting someone. Hayato laughs in hoarse voice, her head bobs with her laughter, "He recognizes his father"s voice..." Oh, he"s a father now... That sentence alone brings warmth from his chest to spread even to the tip of his toes. The child is still crying, high-pitched cry that will surely irritate him if it"s not on this moment. The moment when he leaves a stage of his life and takes a nose-dive toward the next one with Hayato on tow. He looks at Hayato"s tired but loving face and the redhead looks up at him as well, smiling gently. They seem to reach a conclusion; a deal between the privacy of their minds. "Arakita Shinobu..." Hayato whispers, "...welcome to your messed up family" Good Morning Ver. 3 -It"s Still Dawn- Waking up to a baby"s crying is not included in the list of favorite music to wake up to. But Shinobu has decided to have his morning routine early it seems and outright cries for attention at 4 a.m. in the morning. Hayato opens her eyes lazily, nudges Yasutomo with her feet in which the raven groans at. "Check on him, Yasutomo..." she says coarsely. She has, after all, takes care of him yesterday from morning to night, so in this godawful hour, she needs her sleep. That means Yasutomo has to deal with their baby. There"s a string of curses that slips out of Yasutomo"s mouth, but he follows her plea and sits up, dragging his sleepy form out from the bed to check on the cradle they set by the big window where Shinobu sleeps in. She watches as Yasutomo croons at the baby gently, rubbing his eyes as he asks whether he"s hungry or need to take a piss or whatever would keep a baby up at night. Shinobu lets out a confused whine when Yasutomo growls in frustration. Well, babies couldn"t talk for their wants, right? Hayato holds off her giggle when Yasutomo snaps his head toward her and clicks his tongue in disdain. From her point of view, she couldn"t quite see what Yasutomo does, but she suspects he"s checking the bed for wet spot and the butt for poo. When nothing of such were found, he puts Shinobu down and shuffles back to bed. A hand shakes her body, "Oi, I think he"s hungry" the raven whispers. She sits up groggily but alert and tries to stand. Yasutomo holds her though, pushes at her gently until she"s comfortable against the headboard sitting up. He strides to the cradle, picking up Shinobu and puts it gently as he would to a fragile glass vase on her arms. "There" he exclaims, "...when you"re finished, just put him between us, I don"t move that much" and with a soft plop he"s back on his side of the bed, pulling at the blanket to cover himself. Mouthing a, "Thanks, Yasutomo", Hayato proceeds to feed her sniffling baby. She keeps watch with droopy eyes as Shinobu suckles on her breast, humming happily as he tastes her milk. Just like Juichi had said about how strong their baby is, Shinobu is indeed, strong, greedily sucks for more milk to satiate his hunger. "Does it feel nice?" Yasutomo"s narrow eyes are watching both of them. Feeling giddy, she nudges him gently, "Aww...is someone jealous?" which he scowls at. Hayato shifts the small baby in her arms slightly, "It doesn"t feel like this when you did it of course," she toothily grins, "...want to take the vacant spot?" she winks teasingly. "I might if you don"t shut the fuck up" "Language, Yasutomo!" "Tch!" It takes Shinobu a few minutes to drink himself to fullness before he releases tiny coughs. Hayato pulls him to rest his chin on her shoulder and taps his back a few times until he lets out a satisfying burp. He wriggles a bit, blinks at his mother and finally falls asleep, contented. Putting the small child on the space between her and Yasutomo, she pats his chest for good measure and glances toward the raven who obviously has been keeping watch instead of sleeping like he should. The dark orbs of his eyes glisten with tender affection that he usually conceals under his razor sharp gaze. "Wanna fuck?" she asks mischievously. The face he makes should"ve been captured in her phone camera -and be used as wallpaper. He splutters about incoherent things before he shakes his head and buries his crimson face on the pillow, muttering, "I fucking hate you..." to the pillow. Hayato laughs heartily, cards her fingers between his black locks and murmurs that he should"ve shut up and accepted her offer. He groans; his visible ear reddens to the point that it resembles a boiled crab shell. After a pregnant pause in which Hayato slides back to her pillow, plops her head to the soft plush, she hears a low, barely audible whisper from Yasutomo. She looks at him and finds his eyes stare straight at her. His lips open, "Okay..." She jumps him the next minute. (And he smacks her on the head because Shinobu cries after that) I"ll be honest, that birthing part is something inspired by a certain Gintama fic from a certain author. I really love how stupid and how amazingly in character everyone in that fic during that event. And, yeah, it"s only a few more until the end, I guess...maybe the next one is the last one *shrugs Anyhow, see you next chapter~ Good Evening Ver. 2 -Death- When the vet announces that Hayato has to put down Usakicchi, she deflates visibly. The rabbit"s been loyal to her for more than 10 years and Usako is still a child. Well, if a 5 year old in rabbit year is-. Nevermind. Yasutomo doesn"t understand how rabbit"s work. Anyway, yes, the vet has declared that Usakicchi apparently has lived enough and she"ll be better off to be put down than to keep living with her illness. Shinobu asks him what put down means and he doesn"t say anything. Usakicchi has been a good companion for their son. Along with Kuro and Usako, they keep Shinobu busy when he"s cooking dinner. They keep watch on him and alert both he and Hayato if any possible danger is near the boy. The dark-haired boy loves them to death. He smothered them with hugs and although he"s quite reserved, he never hesitates to give them a kiss at each top of their heads. Seeing the deep blue of his son"s eyes -too similar to Hayato"s- asking for answer has him giving up. Hayato is still talking with the vet, possibilities pouring out of her lips, anything that could save poor Usakicchi aside from death. And he"s here, responsible to explain the concept of death to their son. He picks up Shinobu so the boy could see the brown rabbit on the examination table, wheezing heavily. "Shi-chan..." he begins, "...to put down Usakicchi is to put her to sleep" "She won"t wake up anymore, right?" He"s surprised that Shinobu knows, "Yes, she won"t...but she"ll be happy" Shinobu"s blue eyes stare up at his own, unblinking, not even the slightest sorrow is there, "Happier than she is now?" he speaks, his small fist playing with the edge of his hair. Yasutomo nods, "Happier than she is now" he confirms. There"s a comfortable silence between them; discussing the value of a living creature has him thinking of far greater power at work. His son"s quick understanding not only bemuses him but also alleviates his worry. He looks at Hayato who has accepted the decision and bows to the vet, asking for his good work to end Usakicchi"s life. How small the rabbit is, yet how big she has become in their life. After letting Shinobu down -and as the boy waddles to his mother"s side asking to be picked up- Yasutomo bows deeply toward the small breathing ball of fur. A simple thank you won"t be enough for the rabbit; for what she has done is worthy of more. She kept Hayato from breaking before he intervened and picked the redhead up. She was Hayato"s redemption for her guilt; her conscience in physical form. They watch in silence as the vet starts the procedure, bringing out all the necessary equipment -which is only a small syringe. Hayato closes her eyes, her lips mutter a soundless pray - one that he doesn"t dare to listen to. Shinobu also closes his eyes, mimicking his mother. But he opens them later, deep blue eyes staring unblinkingly toward the ebbing life. With a quiet, final exhales, Usakicchi sleeps. Good Day Ver. 4 -Admiration- If Hayato could name what emotion"s playing in Shinobu"s face, she"d say admiration and adoration. Her son is staring up the imposing form of her former captain who in return stares back down at him. Shinobu"s looks resemble his father so much saves from the pair of doe eyes he obviously inherits from her. He has thin limbs and legs. Baby fats have left him even when he"s still a child of six years old. Juichi seems amused by his appearance. When the two first met, Shinobu had exclaimed -with a look that borderlines veneration- of how strong Juichi looked. And of course the blonde instantly likes the boy. "He"s Fuku-chan" Yasutomo said when Shinobu asked. And though the nickname should"ve sounded cute, the child had excitedly complimented how powerful it sounded despite the suffix. Yasutomo laughed for three whole minutes after his son said that and Juichi had given him a disapproving look. Juichi tells him stories about their past; stories when they were on each of their bikes, with future and options spread in front of them; wide and bright. When they rode together, trained their body and mind, exceeded their limitations. Tales of when overcoming their fear is a struggle they have to conquer and of formidable enemies they met and defeated. But he also tells the little child of their loses. Their crushing sorrows when their foe won the battle. Juichi tells him of getting back up to their feet and moved forward, despite their misery. "Dad, can I ride a bike just like you and mom?" Shinobu asks timidly when Juichi has gone home. Hayato pauses, smiles, and kisses him in the forehead, replying that sure you can. Yasutomo looks prouder than she thought he would. Perhaps Juichi"s love for bike had rubbed off on him. Or perhaps the stories of their past had ignited the old passion embedded deep within his very soul. He ruffles his son"s head and promises to teach him all about road-racing once he could remove the training wheel off of his bike. Shinobu"s smile is so bright as he pulls both of them to reach home quicker so he can try the bike without his training wheel sooner. The next day comes with the boy racing downhill, shouting babble of nonsense with Yasutomo close behind him on his old teal Bianchi trying to comfort him, Hayato giggles, taking off after them on her own freshly polished Cervello. Good Night Ver. 3 -Stormy Night- Soft footsteps pad through the hallway right in front of their room. One of the dark orbs opens, followed by a slight rustle of cover. Yasutomo sometimes curses his wonderfully beastly hearing for it throws him constantly to sleepless night. He wakes up to even the slightest sound no matter how dead tired he is. Perhaps it"s a gift? Then again, after waking up to Hayato"s loud snoring during one of those days, it"s pretty much far from the definition of a blessing. This night is no different. However soft, however muffled, there"re definitely footsteps right outside their room. Then it stops. He sighs, knowing that it could be burglar or Yuuto trying to stay over when they sort of forget their key inside their apartment and is hesitating to knock on his and Hayato"s bedroom for permission. Their door opens and he"s alert. Yuuto always knocks, they are polite like that -something that Hayato never does. He turns to the door -thankfully, Hayato is the one near the wall so no obstruction- and watches as Shinobu tip-toes inside, carrying Usako in his arms. He looks pale under the small stream of moon ray from their slightly opened window. Something is definitely wrong even though he doesn"t know exactly. Shinobu shuffles toward their bed, flinching when Hayato shifts in her sleep, groaning something about foods. When his son is merely inches from their bed he flips the table lamp, casting warm sepia glow to the room. Shinobu yelps at the sudden light and nearly escapes back the door if it"s not for his strong hands pulling at his pajamas. The boy turns his head away, unwilling to show his face to him. "If you have a fu-nightmare you should"ve said so..." he assumes, Shinobu shakes his head, Usako squeaks softly. "Then, what-" BOOM Shinobu stiffens, a small peep of squeal slipping between his lips. The bunny on his hand also cries in protest from the sudden tighter grip he gets. Yasutomo sighs before he stands and picks up his son before plopping him gently to the middle, right beside the snoring Hayato -who wouldn"t wake up even when a nuclear bomb went off. Shinobu doesn"t say anything, merely stares at him gratefully, loosing Usako from his confinement. The bunny sniffs curiously at his new bed and squeaks in approval as the fluff ball settles himself comfortably in the small space between Hayato and Shinobu. He takes his spot, tapping his son"s chest a few times as if to comfort (who is he kidding, he"s trying to be a good father after all...) him. It takes Shinobu two minutes before he falls asleep, completely contented with having both his parents around him. And another ten minutes before Yasutomo could be comfortable enough to doze off. Okay, yeah, that"s it. Yes, that"s all. I don"t have any snippets anymore. This is the end of the series. I might or might not make more -probably not, since, yeah...- but this is the last one. I"m quite happy with this though so...ahahaha... Well, see you somewhere in a new fic (?) p.s. : it might be in another gender bender story~ probably, maybe, there"s a possibility, most likely. p.s.p.s: It would be a genderbend fic...

At first, Ritsu suspected him to be a threat -he"s not wrong, he refused to be called wrong- but as he soaked in his brother"s envy the night after they left the bruised Hanazawa, he could understand what had happened and why had his brother lashed out. It seemed that, no matter how many emotions he drew from Shigeo, there would always be a trigger which could send his effort to soothe his brother back to square one. And Hanazawa was a great reminder of his power - the power that Shigeo had grown to hate with all his might - if he"s able to keep it under his control. Whatever had happened during their confrontation, he could tell that his big brother did not mean to do that. He just couldn"t take it anymore. His protective instinct still kicked in though when Hanazawa started following them home. Once Shigeo told him that it"s fine for the other esper to accompany them during their walk home, Ritsu found himself trying to comprehend Hanazawa Teruki fully. Not as easy as he thought it would be. There were limits that Shigeo put up when he permitted Hanazawa in their small circle: he should never try to use his power and he should never try to touch Ritsu. Two unspoken rules that Hanazawa unknowingly obeyed faithfully. The third week after Hanazawa became a constant existence behind them, Ritsu finally asked his brother about how Hanazawa looks like. Shigeo sounded a bit guilty - like he always does whenever Ritsu asked for visual description of anything - as he described the physical distinction that made up Hanazawa: "He has blond hair which fall to his shoulder in layered cut and a pair of blue eyes. His pink lips are often tugged into a smile," he tried picturing Hanazawa with those sentences drawing lines after lines to sketch him, "...slender body, fair skin, he always wears purple uniform with his school insignia etched on the chest pocket" he added shade of colors to the lines, adding every little tidbits into his picture. When it was finished, he was looking at a handsome boy with a smile that balances the word smug and sincere at the same time. A boy who has bright blond hair and sparkling azure eyes that gleamed in an almost childish curiosity. It stayed for about ten seconds before his mind decided that keeping the color as bright as that would be too much of a hassle and bled it out of its radiance. It"s a start, he thought grimly. "He looked lovely" was what he said to his brother. ... There was something different when Hanazawa spoke that day. A tingle of hesitation, something akin to fear was fluctuating in his otherwise calm state. It was one of those days -when Shigeo couldn"t take him home due to unpredicted situation. Shigeo had to stay for a cultural festival meeting -he"s surprised that his classmates managed to keep him in the class for that- and he was walking home with Hanazawa-san who Shigeo must"ve asked to walk him home. With his brother"s warning to be cautious of the other esper, he went home, his hand clutched on Hanazawa"s. With their hands intertwined, Hanazawa began their conversation, "If I tell you that you might be able to learn how to sense human, will you come with me?" Ritsu snorted, squeezing the fingers laced with his own in a manner that will sure to leave a memorable bruise, "And here I thought advertising is done by door to door or through media," Hanazawa"s hand twitched nervously and he squeezed tighter, "...a sales pitch won"t herd me in your favor, Hanazawa-san" he said firmly, ending the supposedly promotional offer before further elaboration. This is not a lie. He truly hates salesman speech thanks to a persistent salesman who seemed keen on waving his hand in front of Ritsu"s eyes and laughed exaggeratingly when he mentioned -rather rudely - that he could hear his hand slashing the air. "Even if I say that it"s free?" "That would make it even more suspicious than it was!" he snapped, earning himself a sudden spasm from the other esper. What"s with this line of questioning, his defensive mind asked, yet Ritsu chose not to voice it. He furrowed his eyebrows instead, relaying as much irritation as he could from his lightless eyes. Hanazawa was regretful when he finally squeezed back, thumb circling apologetic circles on the back of his palm. "Sorry, sorry," Hanazawa murmured softly, "...that was so stupid of me, huh?" Huffing, Ritsu muttered incomprehensible agreement. Reigen Arataka is a man with bizarre charms. Ritsu might not be able to sense human, but all of his senses captured Reigen perfectly, it surprised him that the lines were starting to form in his mind when he first heard his voice. He doesn"t have a singer voice - which immediately mesmerized you -, but it left enough impression on you to hear further and even anticipated what he would say next. A bell that announces time in the temple; he would likened the voice. Or maybe, the bamboo fountain in the pond. Every time he speaks, his voice asks for your undivided attention so you would not miss every underlying intent he means through the jumble of clever words his silver tongue seems to produce in massive numbers. The smell of tobacco lingers around the man, along with the smell of caffeine and another scent that he couldn"t quite identify. It"s probably the smell of men"s cologne from an unknown store brand that was mixed with sweat. It was not an unpleasant smell; in fact, it reminded him somewhat of a nostalgic smell. Something in the back of his mind knocked softly twice before whatever it was retreated shyly to where it came from. A fleeting memory, he guessed, of a world that is not his to live in. "So..." Hanazawa started. They"ve just gone back from the older man"s apartment after agreeing on a day to meet again and they had been silent for too long, Hanazawa should"ve started talking -cue the awkward start. "He sounded trustful enough" was what he deemed as an appropriate enough answer to the unspoken question. A hum of understanding, followed by a reassuring squeeze. Surprisingly enough, Hanazawa stayed silent afterward, lost in thought, most likely. Ritsu enjoyed the silence though, his thought needed it to reassert itself back to its- He stopped. "Hanazawa-san..." Was he trembling? Was his voice quivering? Did he sound...odd? Why did that prickle of fear from Hanazawa spiked? Did he...tip himself off? "Ritsu...can you stay behind my back?" there"s an unfamiliar protectiveness which came from Hanazawa. Ritsu swallowed -bitter, he noted-, "It"s nii-san...isn"t it?" he spelt the word one by one like he"s pulling out swords from his mouth with each syllable of truth. Hanazawa didn"t say anything, but his grip tightened and instead of replying, he was pulled to press against Hanazawa"s side, a thick barrier sprung around them protectively. If his brother is guilt, regret and protectiveness condensed into one, then Hanazawa is confidence, fear, and -strangely enough- protectiveness all rolled into one. He couldn"t think about it further as the world around him twisted in a way Ritsu couldn"t guess. White lines crumbling, the darkness shifting; his brother"s emotions tore into his world of darkness and shook his very core. Fear tightened his chest and Ritsu gasped when the world he"d built since he was robbed of his sight started to collapse on itself. He needed to find Shigeo, and fast, before his brother did something even more unfixable than toppling the base of his world. Hanazawa did not want to let him go when he expressed his intent, so Ritsu grabbed the older boy"s arms in return, keeping their body pressed against one another and opened his mouth, "Come with me then if you"re that worried!" Fear overwhelmed Hanazawa if only for a flicker of a moment and Ritsu absorbed it into his own fear. It"s much harder than when he had to do it with his brother, blood and his connection to his brother helps a lot to circulate the emotions between them. He noted that, physical contact helped him concentrate and Ritsu gritted his teeth as he felt the immense fear from Hanazawa mingling with his own. This was the first time he ever try this trick to someone else. Receiving the fear as a part of his emotions meant experiencing whatever comes with it. Worry was just a small part of it, what came with it was a list of negative emotions which included self-doubt and anxiety. It rattled his own fear, immensely multiplying it to the point he had to numb himself. The swirl of emotions intended to shake him just like his brother"s emotions were currently doing. Ritsu ignored it, pushed everything to the back seat and instead focusing on sending what"s left of his calmness to quell the turmoil in Hanazawa. He might not be able to see how Hanazawa looked like, but he could picture the surprise he felt when he transferred the soothed emotion back to the esper. "How did you-" the fear had greatly reduced and Ritsu loosened his grip to catch his breath. "Don"t ask, just," he took a gulp of air, "...let"s go to nii-san...I need to fix this..." he heard Hanazawa sighed -much calmer and less anxious. "Alright," the blond finally said, keeping them pressed together, "...let"s go..." ... This was not how Ritsu wanted it to become. He clutched the phone in his hand, knowing that the new number in his phone was just one click away. His other hand gripped at nothingness; Hanazawa had been ripped away from his side the moment Shigeo noticed them. Ritsu grimaced as he felt the waves of protectiveness that came from his brother -was it still his brother?- in curls of thick tendrils wrapping themselves around his form. He was shaking. Was he scared? It was his brother, he shouldn"t be scared...why was he frightened? Ritsu....Ritsu...Ritsu... "I"m here, nii-san..." he replied to -the spectral being? His brother?- the call. Are you hurt? Ritsu, are you okay? His brother was just worried, he tried to convince himself, "I"m alright, I"m fine, I"m okay" he stuttered, the overwhelming presence of his brother engulfed everything, disabling his senses, he couldn"t even feel where Hanazawa had ended up in. I"m sorry...I"m sorry...I"m sorry... The string of apologies started. Ritsu winced at how hurt it had sounded, how agony had rooted itself deep into his brother"s core and changed him into something that he almost couldn"t recognize as Shigeo. As he took deep gulp of air to calm himself; emotions pierced into his body, forced the last bit of calmness he had garnered out of him. It hurt. It was painful. It"s like having hot lead injected directly to his blood flow. Ritsu opened his mouth to reply, but his throat was clogged with bitter bile. He sobbed instead. It didn"t stop even as tears flowed down his cheeks, even when he try to reply it with choked acceptance and messy sobs for his brother to stop. The painful flow of emotions didn"t stop, couldn"t stop, wouldn"t stop. He was suffocating. Drowning. Deeper into the sea of his brother"s emotions. Is everything alright, Kageyama-kun? A voice. Whose voice? Hello, is anybody there? Reigen? His mind barely registered the familiar voice. How? Why? Where? As if answering his mind, the voice started again, small vibrations from the tip of his fingers channeled into warmth that was starting to subdue a fragment of Shigeo"s emotions. His phone? Was it his phone? Kageyama-kun? Are you alright? Do you want to meet now? Or should I come over? I mean it"s fine, though you should ask for permission from your parents first or...well, yeah, should I really explain that to you? Ritsu gathered everything into the words in his throat, his breath came out in quickened pace, "Re-" he choked, coughed, wheezing to inhale much needed oxygen to the sudden gripping around his lungs. Shigeo made a sound akin to an irritated growl, the tendrils around him tightened in what supposedly to be a protective embrace -but no, he was being strangled by how much his brother love him. He forced his throat to produce a sound, anything at all to notify the man he had just put half his trust in. "Reigen-san-" he gagged, pulling every bit of self he still had left in his consciousness and finally, let out a shout of desperation, "IT"S NII-SAN!" before the darkness finally pulled him away from his own world. ... There were no more lines. No lines of white. No dull color from watered down paint. No outline made of chalk nor sketchy scribbles of various places. It was only darkness. And Ritsu slept on. ... Look who"s back~ God, I swore this just went waaaayyy out of my freaking draft. My fingers decided to take a stroll on the realm of unknown and...well, screw my brain out. Previously, this was posted as a separated fic, then I realized...oh, what if nobody knows...and I think I"m quite right, so...here you go, I"ll just combine all of these into one multi-chaptered fic... Reigen lived as a normal human. To put it even simpler, he"s just a normal salary man you can find everywhere in the street -though, he assure you, he would not reek of booze and puke. What might differ him was probably the image of someone (who his mind insisted should be here) who flickered occasionally at the corner of his eyes. Or maybe it"s just that spoilt milk he drank this morning... No, the blond esper did not tell him his name. It was rather rude, but Reigen had seen worse manner than this kid. So he welcomed the boy warmly, offering a few selections of beverages -or whatever inside his sparse refrigerator- and asked him to sit down on the worn down sofa. The esper looked wary, though he eventually ended up with a cracked ceramic mug filled with tea while seated on the creaky spring of Reigen"s sofa. The awkward silent started as he watched the boy stared at the steam rising up from the hot drink. "Decided to take me up on my offer?" he took the seat right across the boy. "Decided to put a little bit of trust on you..." was what the boy replied. Reigen chuckled, "Just a little?" Cold and calculating blue eyes shot to meet his dark ones, "The number dwindles with particular choice of words, Reigen-san" the boy muttered before he brought his lips to the rim of the cup and blew softly. Reigen ran a hand through his sleek -slightly dry, he duly noted- hair. This was different than dealing with his co-workers or superior. He didn"t know to what extend the boy"s psychic power could reach, but he was sure he had heard of espers who can read mind. At least that"s what the Psychic and You had written regarding types of psychic powers. A long sip and the boy brought the cup down to put it gently on the coffee table, glancing up toward Reigen, "Why?" he asked, the word behind his voice easily played into Reigen"s head. He inhaled deeply, piecing together an answer that would satisfy the boy, "I would say that I"m intrigued by your power, but that would be a half lie," he ignored how the boy"s glare seemed to intensify, "...have you ever had a vision?" The boy did not answer, but the faint twitch of his lips indicated a rather positive answer, so Reigen continued forth, "Someone from the corner of my sight, a boy that I should"ve met, those kind of things," he dared a glance at the boy, "...I"m having memories from a time not of our own and I hope that being in the presence of esper could yield me an answer" the blond esper turned his head, finally breaking his fixed stare, preferring to stare at his empty -should"ve put up a poster or something there- undecorated wall. He let the boy contemplated on what he had said, let him choose for himself if he should put more trust in Reigen, that he simply wanted to know the truth behind the constant appearance of a boy in his mind. There"s a minute distrust in his voice when the boy finally spoke up, his eyes glinted in suspicion, "You just wish to use us" he said brusquely, crossing his arms. Reigen gave a shrug, "Esper or not, a child needs an adult to talk to," he said as nonchalant as he could, "...I"m offering to be a confidant that you can"t find in your parents, and believe me, I"m a man who knows when to keep his mouth shut" he ended it firmly, meeting the boy"s eyes to show his conviction. No one said anything for a few moments. Reigen decided it"s a good kind of silence, not the awkward one, but the reflective one. The boy took his words and was currently deliberating it inside his mind, though the flat expression was nothing decisive that it really was what the boy was doing. After what seemed to be forever, the boy stood up, briefly glanced at the window behind Reigen, "I"ll come to talk to you again..." he finally said. May I come to talk to you again? Reigen nodded, letting the image for once overlapped to replace the boy before him. ... He came over again. A week after that, a Saturday, that day when he should be having his much needed nap in his precious day off. It"s the day that the blond chose to come over again. Just like last week. He let the boy in though, gave him the same exact cup he"d given the week before, filled with the similar hot tea -more watered down though since he"s running out of tealeaves. They sat at the same spot each of them had seated previously and the blond blew over the tea just as softly. "Do you know a lot about espers?" Reigen blinked, caught off guard by the abruptly straight question. He recovered quickly though, coughing to his fist as if he"s prepared for a grand speech. "I"ve never met one before you, that"s the truth" he placed his hand under his chin, "...but I don"t think they are different than others, espers are just human with psychic power, that"s all" A snort, "How naïve can you be, Reigen-san?" the boy said dryly as he shook the cup, watching the tea swirled. He shrugged, "I don"t think that"s naivety," the esper raised an inquiry eyebrow, "...I would say I"m "aware" rather than naive" he moved his palm on the air as if he could conjure the word out of nowhere. The boy narrowed his eyes, took a deep sip of the tea, and waited. The glare he was given was a demanding one, but Reigen merely rubbed his chin and asked, "How about you? Do you know a lot about espers?" the boy blinked, a flicker of bemusement flashed on his blue eyes before he ducked to his cup again and stopped, his lips parted. Contemplating, Reigen noted, the boy seemed awfully dependent on his own belief and would not open up to any other ideas until he managed to switch that to his favor. After a few moment, the boy looked up, eyes determined. "I don"t" he said. That was unexpected. Reigen twined his fingers together and rested them on his lap, "You don"t?" he repeated. The boy nodded, "All of us, young espers are probably as clueless about who we really are" his fingers were tapping against the cup in a rhythm that he couldn"t hear, "...we have power, yes, we use them, yes, but that"s probably because it is what we have. Strip that power from us and we probably would be an ignorant puppet with no purpose" Reigen saw a wistful wince from the boy and wondered if this was an opening; a vulnerable gap that the boy finally trust him enough to disclose. "I came to that conclusion when I met those brothers..." the boy glanced toward his -uninteresting- wall, his sight distant, "...they pulled me out of my fantasy, remind me how human we all are" there was a meaningful glint in the blond"s eyes. He let those words sank in, let the boy relished the silence he had allowed them to indulge in. Clearly, the boy wanted to talk, not being talked to, and Reigen had offered him a pair of ears to listen. He"s just doing his job right now, hearing what the boy had longed to voice out. When the sun had started to set, the boy put the cup -as gently as he did last week- on the coffee table and stood up. "If you try to harm them physically or mentally," the boy started as he walked toward his door, "...I would make sure your death is as painful and slow as it possibly can..." "Is that going to be my good bye every time we met?" Reigen tried to crack a smile on his face, but he knew it came out wrong and awkward. The smile on the boy"s face was surprisingly warm despite his previous wordings, "We"ll see..." he murmured as the door swung close behind him. ... "IT"S NII-SAN!" Reigen did not waste any time to delay his departure. He had been preparing himself, fixing his button, slipping his feet into his shoes, and grappling for the apartment key as he heard the troubled sounds coming from the other side. Kageyama had called him after two hours and judging by the horrible static that the phone had captured, he expected something had gone very wrong. And when Kageyama had shouted with such finality in his voice, the static spiked and Reigen disconnected before his phone would explode, overflowed by information. He flipped the phone close and slid it down his pants pocket. The device was warm to the touch. Breaking his record time, he flew down the flight of stairs, ignoring people who cluck their tongue at his antics. He didn"t, couldn"t care less. It was easy to find the scene, his legs seemed to walk him to the main stage all by themselves. Hanazawa was the first that he found: slumped near a telephone pole. Unconscious, but miraculously unharmed. He quickly grabbed the boy"s wrist, pressing his thumb firmly on the faint bump. It"s slow, but it"s still beating and Reigen sighed, a part of his tension relieved.

Meanwhile deep below the normal floors of the school, panty and stocking were in a dark, dank, dreary place that reeked of death. There were geeks from your camera obsessed fans, to your bug lovers, to your action role playing nerds. The teacher in the front of the room looked old and sickly. He had sneezed out a sizably white blotch onto the black board and continued to write words repeatedly. "Who"s fucking garbage disposal did we just jump down this is fucking nasty." Said panty, disgusted and disturbed at the sight of the room. "I think we might be in hell, look at All the hopeless people." Added stocking, "This place smells like ass." Both sisters were quickly losing their patience inside the room. "Hi panty..." brief greeted. Though they didn"t bother to turn their heads, they just looked a few inches to the left and saw briefs standing there. "Good morning." Briefs blushed, "Weird, you tried to fight them too geek wad?" asked stocking "No of course not they just sent you to losers lair, it"s where they send people when no one else wants to hang out with them." "Oh great..." Panty said unenthusiastically. "Yeah that makes it better..." stocking sighed "Well since your new and stuff I"m happy to be your tour guide." Briefs had offered. But both had just ignored him. Panty had took out a pop magazine while stocking had took out a juice box and a few sweets she happened to save. But they had little time for R and R as they heard the laugh of the little ghost that got away before. "Ha ha ha, color me black and white, I"m so surprised what are you doing here?" asked the impish ghost. When they looked down, the little female ghosts head was between panty"s legs. "Hey! I thought I fucking killed you!" "Oh come on, panty is that the best you can do?, how about a how are you or what a nice thought we don"t have to rot alone in this smelly spunk junk." The impish ghost laughed. But in the net few seconds it was on the ground again like the first time, with both of the angels weapons pointed at its head. "First of all, that laugh is annoying, second of all were not moving in here." Said stocking. "How the hell are you still alive anyway?" panty questioned as she and her sister pushed their weapons closer to the ghost"s skull. "Please girls let me be, I"ll do whatever you ask of me!" the ghost begged. "Nope, too late." Panty ignored the ghost plea "Yep, were pissed now." stocking agreed "No stop please! I know things about the demon sisters, I promise to share I know you care!" she continued to beg. "Talk!" both sisters said in unison, preventing there primal urges to take over to finish the little ghost off. "Free me first that"s the deal!" A short while later, Panty, stocking, briefs, chuck and the little ghost were in front of a toilet with the drain lit up with lights for no reason. The door matt placed in front of the toilet had read Entry "TADA!, Plunge right in me ugly"s" the female impish ghost laughed "I"m NOT JUMPING IN A SHIT HOLE!" Panty effused to go down a toilet, even though she did other things in the bathroom that could be considered worse,. "Don"t be a bun it"s actually fun." The ghost rhymed again. "WHAT"S SO FUN ABOUT SLIDING DOWN A TOILET?!" "Just close your eyes and dive right into it, pretend that its water sports you"ll be fine." Stocking suggested. "This is different." "Yeah we don"t have a jet ski or anything." Brief added. "Don"t forget your rubbers!" the impish ghost laughed as everyone was sucked down the toilet pipes, leaving a massive splash back. A few sewage pipes and dirty drains later, they finally came up out of another toilet in a different bathroom. Everyone except the ghost and chuck were covered in sludge. "Huh? So what do ya think?" the impish ghost asked after their short trip through the school pipe line. Their response was a group barf. The small ghost had cleaned up panty and stocking, but left briefs and chuck covered in sludge. As they walked out of the stall, they had arrived at what seemed like a construction plant. On conveyer belts seemed to be a ridiculous multitude of the ghost soldiers the angels encountered earlier. At the top of the plant was a dark purple stone with a lighter aura flowing around it. "This is it!" the impish ghost exclaimed "This is what?" Asked panty. "Curious and even more curious." Added stocking. "Fuck me! Is this a ghost factory?!" panty recognized the ghost soldiers looked exactly like the ones she as forced to blow up repeatedly earlier today. Briefs had aimed his camera phone and took a snapshot of the ghost plant. "Worm? What are you doing? " "I"m sending pics to garter so he knows what"s up." said briefs as he began punching in garter"s number. "You have his number now? you guys are sexting aren"t you? figures." Stocking frowned in disgust Soon briefs phone began to ring. "Oh hey man this is brief." "THAT IS A FREAKIN GHOST PLANT! YOU MUST DESTROY IT IMMEDIANDTLY! They"ll ALL ACTIVATE IF YOU DON"T HURRY YOUR ASS UP!" garter exclaimed "Yech, hard to get motivated when you"re surrounded by shit." Panty groaned, not being in the mood to destroy a while factory. "LOOK WHAT"S HAPPENING AT THE TOP OF THE PLANT!" They all looked towards the top of the ghost factory and focused on the ghost stone that was in the center of a machine. "That"s a ghost stone; it collects all the nasty bits of evil from human souls, then uses it to produce some serious asshole ghosts!" garter explained. "Dicks!" panty blurted out angrily. "So that means we"ll have to destroy the stone if we want to get rid of them." Said briefs. "Give that boy a sticker!" "Fuck that, I want a sticker." Panty smirked. "Keep your eyes open, there"s only one team of baddies that can use a ghost stone, which means they must be the ones behind this mother fuckery." Garter explained. "The fuck? Who"s they?" asked stocking "We don"t understand you." replied panty, not even trying to pay attention to garter in the first place. "WHAT THE...? OH HOLY HELL!" garter exclaimed as the red carpet had appeared again, once again sending brief for a loop. "Whyyyyy?" briefs shouted as he was knocked on the other side of the factory. The carpet had seemed to have zigzagged and then spilt apart to two stair cases. And down those separate stair cases came the demon sisters yet again. "Well look at what the fat cat threw up, well if it isn"t everyone"s favorite rancid sewer rats, oh I"m sorry, I mean toilet angels." Scanty mocked. "How disappointing, you should know by now that this area is off limits." Said knee socks. "Uh hi excuse me, what happened to your rules and morals, this looks like pretty shady business, what are you hagalicuous whore bags hiding?" stocking questioned. "I"d be delighted to explain things to you, what you are observing my unctuous troll is the headquarters to a very crucial undertaking." Knee socks began "We took our little experiment for a test drive yesterday and are now implementing mass production forth with, soon you wretched angels will be unable to surmount any ghosts you encounter due to sheer volume." Scanty added as multiple ghost soldiers had lined up behind the two soldiers. "It"s only a matter of time before this earthly realm is paraded with ghosts." "Did you drink a thesaurus this morning? I have no idea what the fuck your saying." Said panty, having been asleep again during the demon sister"s speech. "Not that we don"t Support your little dreams and all, but I really need some chocolate so were going to go ahead and kill you now." Stocking stated, not really caring for the demonic sisters feelings either way. (Cue theme: fly away) "O pitiful shadows lost in the darkness, O Evil spirits restricted between heaven and earth, O may the holy power from the weapons of these delicate maidens purge you, and return you from whence you came!" "REPENT MOTHER FUCKER!" The angels chanted as they surfaced their signature weapons to the battlefield. "THAT WAS SO KICK ASS!" the impish ghost exclaimed. Though the event seemed pointless, as the demon sisters weren"t even fazed. "Those recousatrant little popping jays just won"t give up." knee socks sneered. "Sister I believe it"s time for us to give them a schooling, and sometimes the most electable lessons are the most laborious." Said scanty, "Well then, shall we scanty?" "Break O earth, Dry up O sea, Burn out O sun, Grant us power earthly leaders and gate keepers of hell, Guide us makers of the underworld, We are hard class demon commanders!" "I"m scanty." "And I"m her darling little sister knee socks." "Fastener!" said a pink creature that was the same size as chuck, but a lot more put together. It had a zipper that went down between both of its eyes and stops just at the neck. Like chuck it had little black twig like appendages. "YOU"RE SHITTING ME!, THERE LIKE FOR REAL DEMONS?!" the impish ghost exclaimed The anarchy sisters were a tad surprised as well. "Well fuck me in the keyhole." Was all panty could say at the moment. The little impish ghost had begun rethinking her choice and started to wonder which side she should be on. At the moment it seemed like it be more favorable to be on the side with the army of ghosts. The impish little ghost had quickly bowed at scanty and knee sock"s feet and started to beg. "Oh great and beautiful demon princesses forgive me and I am at your service!, I have no idea who those creatures are but they shoved me in a toilet and made me speak in awful rhymes." The ghost accused as she pointed her finger to the anarchy sisters. "WHAT?!" panty and stocking exclaimed, becoming even more pissed off than before. "Haha! Check out the happy freedom dance, too bad you didn"t catch me when you had the chance." The impish ghost gloated as she danced. But that was soon cut short when it was turned into nothing but a puddle thanks to knee sock"s scythe. "All ghosts must be trained in discipline before they can become useful in our missions." She smirked as she took a few steps back. The impish little ghost had begun to turn inside out as it grew to a monstrous size. It had then had turned back outside in and had grown about 24 other appendages besides its two arms. "After this I get chocolate, after this I get chocolate! Stocking repeated as the grossly evolved ghost had begun to approach them. Meanwhile as the anarchy and demon sisters were about to butt heads... Sleeves were still in another part of the school building, following one of the lackeys to an elevator. He had made sure to stay out of sight as someone would easily recognize he was not part of their group. He had peeked around the corner to see what the lackey was doing. "ALL HAIL SCANTY AND KNEESOCKS!" the lackey yelled. After that, the elevator had opened for him. after he entered the elevator, sleeves had went around the corner and waited for the elevator to come back up. When it finally did come back up, he had said the same thing the lackey before him stated. "ALL HAIL SCANTY AND KNEESOCKS!" he shouted. Like last time, the doors had opened for him. "Servant voice recognition approved" a computerized voice spoke. When sleeves had entered the elevator, he began looking for a floor that looked like it would have good information, but he was slightly distracted as he had saw a button that said disgusting food storage. "Disgusting food storage that must be where all the good food went, maybe I can take a little detour." Sleeves couldn"t help but drool slightly as he aimed for the storage button. But he had refused to listen to his stomach and kept searching. "Damn it, can"t think about food now, got to hurry and get out of here before those demon bitches get back." as sleeves had continued to search, he had saw a button that said resource room, access granted to only the demon sisters. "Bingo." Sleeves had pushed the button, closing the elevator. As the elevator began to descend, the room was silent except for the ringing of the decreasing floors.. After a short while, sleeves had reached his desired floor. The room seemed to have the feeling of a graveyard as there was no one in the room at all. Although the room was supposed to be exclusive to the demon sisters, there didn"t seem to be any kind of security at all. No trip wires, no alarm systems, no security cameras, nothing. Maybe the two demonic siblings haven"t had any time to install any form of security in the room yet, or they"ve had such a tight grip on the students already that the moment they would see "demon sisters only", they would obey the order like dogs. Whatever the reason, it seemed to play into his favor. There were a few computers that seemed to be shortly used. Though sleeves didn"t bother to look, there were likely passwords guarding anyone from unauthorized access. So instead he checked some of the cobweb infested shelved that were lined with different folders with different files. "Ok let"s see, what I can find on these sisters or a ghost or two." Sleeves began ruffling through numerous folders that only had different parts of history relating to the school and a few banned extra school events. "Useless...., useless, useless, damn it, where the hell are the important stuff?" sleeves only grew more irritated as he flipped through files that didn"t seem like any use at all. Though finally, he had come to a rose colored folder. It was marked with various other colors with the words classified on the front. "Classified, that"s more like It." Sleeves smirked as he had begun flipping through the folder. There were numerous suspicious things like how some of the ghosts were made, blueprints for future nefarious devices, and secret files on both sisters, also digging up some embarrassing information that had made sleeves blush a few times. "Well, seems like I got what I came for, now to get the fuck out of here before something bad happens." As sleeves were tucking away the folder in his backpack, an explosion had occurred that shook the ground. "SHIT! Did I set off some kind of silent alarm?!" sleeves questioned as he waited for the earthquake to stop. But it didn"t seem to stop, in fact it seemed as though the very room was crumbling around him, a large boulder already destroying one of the computers. "Damn it; guess that"s my cue to get out of here." Sleeves had rushed back to the elevator and spoke the pass code opening the elevator doors. He had pressed the button that returned him to the top floor and back to the normal hallways. But a few moments after the elevator started moving; there was another shock that almost knocked the elevator off course. "SHIT! What the hell is going on up there?" when sleeves had finally arrived back to the main floors, he hurriedly rushed back up the stair cases. But as soon as he got back into the main hallway, he saw that brief was running for some reason. "What"s got him so worked up...?" sleeves had began to hear what sounded like metal grinding against metal rapidly. As he turned around, he saw that scanty and kneesocks were clashing weapons, stocking with two katana and kneesocks with two eerie neon green scythes, both of them spinning both blades so fast they looked like tiny propellers. "SHIT!" not wanting to be sliced into bouillon cubes, sleeves had begun running as well, soon catching up to brief. "Yo brief, what the fuck did I miss? What the hell is going on?" "Well long story short the demon sisters made some ghost plant that was making an army of ghosts and now if we want to stop it we have to destroy this ghost stone!" brief explained as he showed the stone he was carrying. "Fuck, well I suppose it should have been obvious, with the names demon sisters and all..." While Knee socks while clashing with her equal, she had whistled real loud. Soon the demon sisters limo from before was driving up the staircase, destroying said staircase and the nearby windows as it climbed up. "Wait do you hear that?" Sleeves asked, hearing the sound of an engine roaring. When they were running through the hallway, they were met with the demon sisters" limo, heading straight for them. "Come on really?!" Sleeves exclaimed in disbelief. The two were forced to take a detour and take a sharp turn up a staircase leading to a higher floor while stocking followed behind them. "This is taking too long!" stocking had whistled, calling their misshapen dog who was driving up the school"s wall with the pink hummer. As it got up about 10 floors, it turned sideways and stared to drive on the windows. The limo had seemed to be getting closer and the three would most likely be pancakes soon. But just as the front of the hood of the demonic limo was about to hit them, chuck had drove the pink hummer through the window crashing right into the limo. As it was being jammed into a line of lockers, stocking had jumped in the hummer, taking the driver"s seat. The two vehicles had burst out of the windows and began driving up the school wall, racing to the top. Meanwhile the two gunslingers were still at each other"s throats as they continued to fight between separate lines of urinals, destroying each one and hoping the next time they fired a bullet through the wall, it would hid their desired target. But this soon grew tedious and scanty had broken the wall that separated them. Both of them started attacking with the guns themselves, looking for an opening to shoot. Though there moves seemed matched for the moment and every bullet they tried to fire at each other would be redirected to the ground and the ceiling. Panty had managed to disarm scanty of her left gun. But she had quickly recovered and used her free hand to sock the angel square in the face leaving a sizeable bruise and disarming the angel of her weapons. But she had retaliated and pulled on the elder demon sisters hair and began clawing at her face while scanty pecan pulling at her jaw. Briefs was still running fearing for his life as chuck and stocking drove up to him. "You"re so dramatic just get in the car." "No that"s ok you don"t have to do that I"ll be fine!" briefs yelled as he kept running. "Well then you better get out of the way." stocking had pointed to the demons sisters limo as they were on a collision course. "What kind of fucking school let"s teenagers drive their cars in the hallway?!" Sleeves exclaimed as he jumped just before the two vehicles clashed and had landed on the demonic limo. Brief had tripped falling on his face and just avoiding being squished between the two heads of the cars. Back with the fight between the two gunslingers, panty had dunked scanty into one of the toilets aiming to drown her. Scanty had struggled to get out, but the anarchy sister wasn"t giving an inch. Unfortunately she was caught off guard as scanty had used her legs to kick her once in the face then twice to knock her clear across the room. When she pulled her head out of the toilet, it was drenched with toilet water. Before panty had any time to recover from the cheap shot, scanty had pushed her head down a nearby urinal and forced it to stay there as she began flushing it over and over. The two vehicles seemed to be caught in a deadlock as chuck and fastener continued to rev up the engine, just waiting for the other to give the slightest inch to rape. "Are you ok?" stocking asked as she stabbed her sword downwards, hoping to hit the demon sisters vehicle, but instead she hit briefs in a place I won"t talk about. Though after he was stabbed, he kicked the pink hummer upwards. Before the jeep had begun to tear apart the sister"s vehicle, knee socks had ducked while fastener was left still driving. The sound from the jeep ripping off the roof of the limo alone was enough to break a whole line of windows in its wake. As the roof had begun passing over the jeep, chuck"s head was being grated like cheese as his blood had was being carried off along with the dismantled roof. Sleeves had started running again as he realized he would soon be in the monster"s pathway. Stocking just lay sideways in her chair as he was waiting for it to pass. The two gunslingers were still duking it out as they began shooting each other again as they ran through connected class rooms. "WHY WON"T YOU DIE?! Scanty screamed as she fused her two guns together to make a shotgun and continued to shoot at her advisory. As panty had slid on her knees to avoid the attack, she shot a couple more rounds off hoping to hit. Though that also missed as scanty had jumped through one of the broken windows and fired again. Meanwhile at the top of the school building where the school"s flag flowed in the breeze, sleeves and brief were out of breath and exhausted, brief more exhausted then sleeves though. "We should be safe up here..." Briefs sighed with relief. "I sure hope so, ok do you still have the ghost stone with you?" sleeves asked as he had made sure there was no one else up on the roof. "I do, but why do you ask?" "Give it to me so I can destroy it and end this shit." Sleeves stated as he held out his hand. "Huh? How are you sure you could destroy it?" "Because I..." sleeves tried to explain, but before he could even say anymore, the black hummer had launched out of the roof with knee socks atop the hood of the wrecked vehicle.

"hello? Corey answered "Kid, I"ve gotta warn ya, you and your friend are in trouble." The man spoke as everyone else could hear. "Who is that corey?" Asked Kin. "I don"t know. And what do you mean me and my friends are in trouble?" Corey asked still trying to hear the man over the sketchy connection. "I can"t explain much. But whatever the first phase that witch is planning she"s about to set it in to motion! If there any others that listened to their song, get to a safe distance away from them immediately!" Said the mysterious stranger. "What? what are you talking about? And what phase?" Corey asked before the man cut off again. "Man, he cut me off again." Corey spoke as he put his phone away. "Who was that Corey?" Asked kon. "It"s some guy that"s telling me whoever"s in charge of this weird music that"s coming out is planning to do something right now. but we don"t have time for that right now. we need to find some help and fast." Corey said as he began pacing around the floor. "Do you think mayor mellow knows about this?" Asked Kon "Maybe not. We can probably ask him to do something about this." Said Corey. "but how are we going to get there? It take us forever to walk from here to the mayor"s place." Complained Lenny "Got it covered." Said kin as he pulled off a large sheet off of their bass board. "What is that thing?" Asked Carrie. "It"s our bass board. We used it when we had to cream trina in a race. But no time for good memories, we need to get going fast." Kin spoke as they all had climbed on as Corey had picked up the base board connected to the amps. "I suggest you hang on to something because were about to go really fast." Spoke corey as he prepared to strum a cord. But he had stopped when he had saw Carrie hang on to him As she sighed lovingly making a very jealous Lenny steam with anger. "I didn"t mean me, ah whatever, let"s just go." Corey said as he strummed a cord blasting them out of the garage and onto the road. "Hey Corey? What do you think that guy meant when he said we should stay a safe distance away from anyone who"s listened to their music?" Asked kin. "I don"t know. But I"m sure it"s nothing we have to worry about. what"s the worst that could happen? Corey asked as they blasted down the road. -OMINOUS TRANSITION- The screen transitioned to mina who was sitting in a dark room beside the mysterious woman she had later called Ms. Riffin who was watching over the screen. "It seems as though we"ve finally got that little red head to see things our way." Spoke Ms. Riffin as she continued to watch the screens that were watching over peacville. "Yes, but not for long. You know it"s only a matter of time before something snaps her out of her transe. It wasn"t exactly easy getting her in the first place you know." Complained mina. "Now now, there"s no reason to get upset. Since we already have her, it"s time we start our next step. Wouldn"t you agree?" She asked as a mysterious lever had appeared in front of Mina. "Yes, I would say so." mina said as she pulled the lever down with force. As soon as she did all the people that had listened to the music before had their eyes flash red then turn into a soulless black. But soon evil grins started plastering on all of their faces. Even the newmans and Trina. Though at the time it seems like the rest of grojband was the only one that wasn"t affected. "Wait a minute, how come those three still haven"t been affected yet?" Mina asked in an annoyed tone. "It"s obvious they have something protecting them from the spell. It should have been obvious when Corey didn"t fall under the spell after his quality time with his so called friend." The women explained as she replaced a screen that had Laney making out with Corey with it paused at the time where Corey"s soulless eyes turned blue. "Great, as if that wasn"t bad enough. Now we have to worry about them and that stupid jock. I guess they really do mean it when they say ignorance is bliss." Spoke mina. "Oh well, we"ll take care of them all in due time. right now I say it"s time we pay a visit to the mayor." The woman said as she got up out of her chair. -CLIFF HANGER TRANSITION!- Sorry folks that"s it for now. apologies for the short chapter but as a wise man once said my mind is like pbbt. So if you want leave a review with your thoughts. Stay cool and don"t go near any vortex"s. The screen transitones to a studio with only a few equipment. Screaming could be heard coming from a nearby door. I come running through the door as I slam it shut behind me. "Whew, that was a close one." I thought I was safe but someone or somepeople rather were trying to bust down the door. An arm quickly reaches out and starts pulling on one of my quills. "(Screech) I got his hair!" Yelled a fangirl as she was tugging on It like she wanted to tear it off. I reached for a large stick then had wacked the hand away. "BACK, back you monsters, back I say!" I continued to shout as I began poking the fan girls with my long stick. (No pun intended) But after a few seconds when I pulled the stick back in half of it was chewed off. "Shit...." I used my remaining strength to finally close the door and quickly locked it to prevent it from being forced open. "Whew... that was close.. sorry about that folks, just had a little run in with a couple of fan girls.. I"m sure everyone has their fair share of fan girl or fan boy problems but that"s not important right now. I thank you all for waiting patiently and I"m proud to present the next chapter to grojband the musical virus." "Please enjoy the story and I"ll see you at the end of the chapter... I trailed off as I looked towards the window with multiple hands and faces trying to scratch or bite their way through the glass. (gulp) " Providing I live that long of course.... Chapter5: Peacville in danger? Last where we left the group, they were speeding by on Kin"s base board. Though for some reason The newmans were acting suspiciously quiet as they went along. All they did was just stare forward without turning their heads. Corey was a bit glad that he was out of Carrie"s grip for the time being, but he couldn"t help but feel that something was wrong. "How much longer until we get to the mayor"s house?" Kon asked hanging on to the board for dear life. "Well, kin began as he started doing math on a chalkboard he pulled out from nowhere. judging from the speed that were going per hour and the distance between us and the mayor"s place, we should be there in at least three minutes." "Hey guys? Have you noticed that there"s like, no traffic today?" Corey asked noticing the severe lack of busy streets. "Maybe there all home sleeping?" Kon suggested "I don"t think every person in Peacville would be sleeping in the day time. well not unless they"ve turned into vampires." Kin said as he looked towards the front of the bass board where the Lenny, Konnie and kim were mysteriously looking forward silently without saying a word. "The newmans have been real quiet lately. They haven"t said a word for a while now. do you think something may be wrong?" "Ah I"m sure there fine." Replied the blue haired rocker as he leaned back on to the board. Corey said that they were ok, but Kin couldn"t help but feel suspicious that something must have been wrong. When they came up near the main center of the city, there eyes widened when they saw women barking around orders as men were being treated as dogs. Literally. The men were on leashes and being walked around like an animal. As they passed by nearby store windows, they could see men getting money snatched away only having three or five bucks while another woman was getting the rest of the money. And what"s more all the buildings were suddenly getting makeovers. The video game arcade was turned into a beauty magazine parlor, the local diner was turned into exclusive pastry restaurants where men could only enter if they had an owner and a leash. The owners being women in this matter. "Hmm.... Something"s different here.. but I can"t put my finger on it..." Kin said as he looked at the changes in the city. But soon Corey"s hand had began getting tired from strumming his guitar for so long. "Uh guys...Can I stop now? my arms are about to fall off." Corey said as the Bass Board was slowing down as corey had began to get exhausted from strumming the strings for too long. "Oh dang, Kin began as he saw Corey"s hand burning up. Hurry and stop playing Corey, were almost there anyway." spoke Kin as corey finally let go of the guitar strings. When he did steam could be seen coming from the guitar and his playing hand. He had soon fell on his butt as he was finally able to rest. "Oh man, I hope I never have to play a long solo like that again." Corey Sighed as he laid back on the now slowing Bass board. "You never know Corey, maybe someday learning to play longer solo"s might save your life." Replied Kon earning a confused look from his rock brothers. "What makes you say that?" Kin questioned. "Don"t know... just thought it be some good advice." Replied Kon. They thought it was a little odd that Kon would be giving advice concerning life, but then again stranger things have happened. So they just dismissed it for now as their ride finally stopped near a fountain near the mayor"s building. "Looks like were here. Ok guys lets.... Kin began before he suddenly noticed the newmans were already gone. Hey guys? Did you see where the newmans went?" "Not me." Kon replied. "I didn"t see them either..." Corey added as he was resting on his back. "Huh, guess they must have gone on ahead. Oh well, let"s get to mayor mellow and see if he can fix things." Kin spoke as he and kon jumped off the board. "Weird, it"s usually Trina asking mayor mellow for help and it usually get"s us in some kind of trouble. What do you think will happen if we ask for his help this time?" Questioned Kon. "Oh your thinking to much bro. There"s no way something bad could happen at this point." Kin replied as he turned back to Corey who was still on the base board. "YO Corey, you coming or what?" Kin shouted. "Uh, you guys go on ahead, I need a minute or two to catch my breath." Corey sighed as he was breathing between words. Kin and kon had both shrugged as they had walked up the stairs into mayor mellows estate leaving Corey to regain his stamina. _Kin"s P.o.v.- It was a little weird, this was one of the only times we actually been inside mayor mellow"s house. I kind of figured that the mayor of the city had to have a swanky place, but his place would blow a small mansion out of the water. The hallways were tall and the floor was smooth and tiled with P"s etched into the floor. The windows were gorgeous. And the floor was so clean you could eat off of it, and kon probably would too. "There were pictures of him and his mom or grandmother... can"t quite remember who she was but he carried that picture of her around everywhere he went. There were also pricy chandeliers up on the ceilings that looked like they cost a fortune. After taking a good look I had got an idea why our town hasn"t had that many additions to it. Laney had always went on about the mayor abusing the Funds from the townspeople, but most of the time I kind of just drowned her out. Though now I kinda wish I would have listened to her more. "Wow, this place is really huge, someone could probably keep a small house in hear it"s so huge." Kon exaggerated as he began stargazing at the ceiling. Do you think those are real stars?" "Naw man, I began as I looked up along with him. Those stars are just painted on. There not real." "Oh, well whoever did it must have some talent, I feel like the stars are actually watching me." Kon continued to stare at the fake stars as if they were real. "Kon always liked looking up at the stars, he sometimes goes on about how grojband is going to be up in those stars one day, but personally I think that"s impossible. People who are remembered in the stars are only of legend right?" Soon me and Kon came into what seemed to be a six part intersection. Adding the hall we came out of, there were seven hallways. "Whoa, how many rooms does this dude need? It"s gonna take us forever to find him!" Kon complained as he began slumping. Even with his groaning, I could hear somebody yelp. "Help!" the voice said shortly. "What was that?" Kon asked as he looked at each different hallway wondering where the yelp had came from. "I don"t know, maybe if we can hear another yelp we can find out where it came from." I suggested. Then as if on cue another cry could be heard. "Someone Save me! Save the mayor!" The voice had yelped again. It was pretty obvious to me by now that the voice belonged to mayor mellow and it was coming from the northwest hallway. "That was mayor mellow! And it sounds like the scream came from over there." I stated as I pointed down the hallway. "It doesn"t sound like he"s so mellow right now, let"s check it out." Me and kon had ran down the hallway to find what was causing the mayor to yelp so much. But as we ran down the hallway, there had seemed to be signs of a struggle as most of the security guards that would be protecting mayor mellow were knocked out along with scars and scorch marks all around the place. I could have said something about what I saw, but I was too focused on getting to the bottom of what was causing the problem instead. After a few more minutes of running, we finally made it to a large room with a wide window in the back that seemed to be viewing most of peacville. The carpet was red and shaggy and the walls were brown with gold lining across the lower parts. But the interior decorating wasn"t what worried me. What did worry me is that a tall women with a long black cape that covered her entire body except her head. I couldn"t see her face but she was wearing a red and white kabuki mask. But what I could see is that she had long blue hair. and standing beside her were not only the newmans, but grojband"s faithful groupies as well. Me and kon managed to hide behind one of the columns in the room. Luckily we avoided being noticed. But when we looked at what was going on it was hard to resist the urge to scream. Especially kon since the woman in the mask was spooking him out the most. "Dude.... What"s going on..." Kon whispered. "I don"t know.... But we should probably stay quiet for now... we can"t risk being discovered...." I replied as I turned back to the scene. "Now listen Mr. Mellow, there"s no reason we need to transpire into more excitable events, just allow me the power to expand my business to the higher parts of peacville and we"ll be out of your hair in no time." Ms. Riffin pleaded as she placed one of her hands on the desk revealing sharp fingernails painted dark blue with little skulls on them. "No darnit! Do you think just because you come in here with your rag tag troop and beat up a few of my guards I"ll let you in to Peacvilles higher plains?! Forget it! You can just take your little scout troop and walk right out that door." Mayor mellow stated as he pointed to the hallway. Though miss riffin had quickly became irritated at this. "Do you really think were just some Little group of girls selling cookies? You must be narrow minded as the rest of you men are. I insist that you give me clearance into the higher plains or things might get ugly real fast." Ms. Riffin demanded as dark blue energy had began sparking on her hand slowly cracking the desk. Seeing this Mayor mellow was ready to let out a loud yelp again. but since it seemed like nobody had answered his calls before, it probably wouldn"t make a difference. The blue haired female had reached a hand out towards mayor mellow. He had closed his eyes thinking that she was going to snap his head off. But instead the women had began to Coress the elderly man"s chin surprising and confusing the mayor. "Listen, were not a bad group of people, all I want is just to get into the heights. I"m sure an attractive man like you could do something about it. Please?" The woman asked playfully as her voice began alluring the elderly mayor. There was something about her voice that was dragging the mayor in. But as his eyes started to become dull, he had shook his head three times and snapped back to reality. "Oh no, mother told me about tricky she beasts like you. but your charm ain"t going to work on this man, No sir, so you can just leave now before I call the heavy artillery." Mayor mellow spoke as he picked up a red phone as Ms. Riffin had grew a frown on her face, although the mask had was hiding it. "I see, I"m sorry to hear that. I guess we"ll have to do things the hard way. the woman said as she held two fingers up in the air. "Girls... get to work." She said bluntly as she snapped her fingers as the newmans and Grojband"s Ex groupies had grew dark serious expressions on their faces as they had quickly surrounded mayor mellow. "Huh? What"s going on? What are you doing?" Mayor mellow asked as he suddenly noticed the people surrounding him had began restraining his arms and legs. They had pulled his chair pack until he was laying flat on his back as he was struggling franticly all the while. "Let me go this instant you little hooligans!" mayor mellow screamed as the kabuki mask wearing women was walking towards him. She had brought up one hand that had began glowing a dark blue once again. "Now relax mr, mellow, I"m only going to poke around your brain for a little while." The woman spoke as she had brought her hand closer to the mayor"s head making him move more franticly then before. I was about to scream my guts out to try to get her to stop, but unfortunately kon had already beat me to the punch. "Oh Dang!" Kon exclaimed a little bit to loud revealing our position causing the woman to look back. Well, the screaming part anyway... "well well, it seems as though we have visitors. I think they want to join in on the party too." She said with a sinister tone as the two groupies and lenny had turned their attention to Kin and kon while Carrie kim and Konnie were still holding down mayor mellow. "Gulp....not good." Was all I could say at the time as me and my bro were scared stiff. Where the heck is Corey?... -Meanwhile back outside- "Normal P.o.v" Corey was sound asleep on the baseboard now. apparently acting as a kid human engine takes a lot out of somebody. As he slept it seems as though he was struggling a little as he continued to roll from side to side,. The screen had turned wobbly as it transitioned to an ancient greek building that was ontop of a mountain that had clouds covering the lower parts of it. Corey was sleeping on a greek style bed white him wearing a crown of yellow feathers wearing nothing but a toga and sandals. His hair was still combed downward since he was now without his beanie. When Corey was finally coming too, he could see a figure staring down at him, but it was a bit blurry at first. "Good morning Corenelius." A feminine voice had spoke as Corey began to open his sleepy eyes. When he finally opened his eyes all the way, he had saw a young girl with fair skin, Long red hair that had a yellow bow and a long pony tail reaching all the way down to her back. She was wearing a long green robe with black sandals and red bracelets on her arms. She was looking down on Corey with a heart felt smile. "Huh...Lanes.... Is that you?" Corey pondered as he got a good look at who was next to him. "Who is this Lanes Corenilius? It is I Laneira your friend, you must have really taken a spill yesterday." Laneira spoke as she had arose from his bedside and opened nearby curtains revealing the bright shining sun. "Where am i?..." Corey asked confused about where he was and what was happening. "Wow, last nights celebration must have took more out of you then I thought, but that"s what you get for staying up past the appointed curfew time. Anyway, were back at your place in mulympia." Laneria explained. "Moo-Lympia? What"s that?" Corey asked causing the red haired female to slap herself in the head. "Did you seriously forget already? Mulipyia is our home, you know where we live? This town was created so that any kind of music could be played no matter how it sounded, of course everyone needs to be quiet at nightfall less they anger our superiors. "Mulympia? Kin and kon never told me anything about this place. Then again they do tend to let their imagination run on their own sometimes so I wouldn"t be surprised if they didn"t know about this already." Corey thought to himself. "I see, so what kind of celebration was it last night. My head hurts too much for me to remember it." "It was a celebration of the crowning of mulypia"s new queen Critenea. She"s also your mother if you forgot that too." She spoke as she looked over to a picture on the right of Corey"s bedside. When he had looked it had him as a baby in her mother"s and fathers arms. The woman had teal blue eyes with pale skin and long blue hair that went down to her upper back. She had an hourglass figure and was wearing a Greek weeding dress. The man on the left was a young handsome figure with respectable body tone also with blue hair. But his hair was short and had fair skin with red eyes. He wears a red robe with yellow and black greek lacing across.

"Humph!" "Well, Katra, do you have any idea as to what you"ll be getting?" I was hoping to divert the conversation away from what looked like could go explosive at any moment. "I really don"t, I just hope it"s something that is both fierce and elegant, like me." She added with a little chuckle. "Monique, do you have any ideas?" "Not one. I just hope it"s something useful. Not all of them have a very practical purpose you know, other then messengers." I hadn"t thought about that. But it was true, when you thought about it. Basic animals like birds, cats and mice, really couldn"t do much but keep you company and run errands. Dogs could at least hunt and defend you, but you really didn"t get into any powerful familiars until you look at creatures like dragons and griffons. Or if your a void mage and summon a human. I suddenly felt really nervous. I really wanted something like a dragon, so I could prove to everyone that I"m my own person, and not my brother or my parents. I really wanted this to go well. I excused my self from the table and walked outside for some air. Outside, I found an empty table under a tree and sat down. What was I going to do? What if the ritual didn"t go well and I summon a completely useless familiar? Then what? "Aaaaarrrgg!" I screamed. "Feel better?" I jumped. I hadn"t noticed it when I sat down, but there was a book propped open on the other side of the table, and it was talking. Then the book lowered itself to reveal a little boy with glasses and long blue hair like his sister"s, drawn into a pony tail, staring at me with the same blank look as always. "Oh, Alexander, I didn"t see you there, sorry. Yah, I"m fine, just nervous about the ritual today." He nodded and went back to his book. I wondered how it was that he always kept so calm. After breakfast finished, all the second years were lead out onto the grounds by our science teacher, Mr. Colbert. Everyone was chattering among themselves about what they were going to get. "I bet I"m going to get a tiger." "Well, I bet I"ll get a phoenix." "I"ll get a dragon!" Oh no you don"t, the dragon is mine! "Okay children," Mr. Colbert said, "today is the day you second years summon your own familiars. Now a familiar is someone who you will spend the rest of your life with, so treat them with respect, think of them as an extension of yourself. They can be used for anything you can think of, from delivering a message, to transporting you to different places, even be able to help defend you in battle. Depending on what type of magic you use the best, and your own personality, this will determine what you will summon. Now the only real rule with the summoning process is that there is no specific spell that you can use to summon a familiar, you have to come up with it on your own. So, one at a time, I want everyone to step up in front of the class and perform your ritual. No need to be shy, who wants to be first?" "Me, me, I"ll go first daddy!" I looked over and saw Katra running forward, her wand at the ready. "Very well sweetie, but please remember that while at school, treat me as your teacher." "Right, sorry." She turned and stood with her arms stretched out, and a bright red circle appeared in front of her. "Come to me, creature of beauty and power!" I snickered a little at this, it was so like her to say that. But I stopped as soon as I saw what had come out. A small red bird, with the longest tail I had ever seen, flew right out of the circle, and landed on her shoulder. "Congratulations Katra, you"ve summoned a phoenix." "Thanks daddy I mean, Teacher." She said with a small smile, and walked off. I couldn"t believe it, she got a phoenix. The first summoning ritual of my class, and it"s a phoenix. I was really scared now. How was that going to be topped? I decided to hang back and watch for a while. Of my friends, Alexandria was next, and she summoned a large python, while her brother got a pigmy water dragon. A few more later, and Monique went and got a large dog. I started to wonder more and more what I would get. I hoped it would be good. "Has everyone gone now?" I heard Colbert ask. I snapped out of my dream. "No, I still have to." I said walking forward. "Ah yes, Clair. Let us hope you get something special." Gee thanks, I thought to myself. I stood in front of my class, still shaking. I really want something good, give me something good. I raised my hands and began the ritual. "I summon you, my familiar." A large purple rune symbol appeared on the ground. The light suddenly grew brighter, followed by an explosion that knocked everyone back. Smoke swirled around everything, and made it hard to see. "What is it?" "Can you see?" "Come on, let me see!" "What do you think she got?" "Hang on, the smoke is clearing." I koffed a little as the smoke swirled around, waving my hand trying to clear it so I could see. But it was pointless, it was too thick. Then, out of no where, I heard a small noise. Meow. Meow, meow meow! "It sounded like a cat." "Let me see, let me see!" I could tell my classmates were really anxious to see what I had summoned, and so was I. But I couldn"t help thinking. A cat, that"s all I get, how, plain. But when the smoke cleared, I found myself looking at the most beautiful cat I had ever seen. Its fur was as black as midnight, and looked as soft as silk. It had a small white tip on the end of its tail, and some of the most interesting fur patterns I had ever seen. On its face, were gray markings that made it look like it was wearing glasses, and on its back, what looked like a pair of wings. All in all, a little disappointing, but it would make a nice companion when I"m alone, and it probably could catch some of those mice I occasionally found in the castle. I saw the little guy was probably scared, so I knelt down to pick him up. I was right, he was shaking, but he seamed to calm down a bit in my arms. "So what are you going to name it?" Katra asked. "I don"t know." I said as I flipped him over to look at its face, thinking maybe it would tell me. "Hey, look at the fur in its back. They look like wings." A boy chimed in. "Yah, your right. Maybe you could name it Angle. You know, because they look like angle wings." Alexandria added. Angle, a little cliché, but I liked it. But before I could do anything else, Alexander came over and swooped Angle out of my hands. "Boy." Well, I guess naming him Angle was out of the question now. And I was just starting to like it. But just then, he wriggled out of Alexander"s hands and ran. "Wait, don"t go!" I said as I ran after him. He seamed to be looking for something, and must have found it, because he suddenly made a dash for the fountain. Was he thirsty? I followed just in time, because as soon as he got up on the ledge, he seamed to faint immediately. I got there just in time to catch him before he fell off. Oh no, was he dead!? What do I do, what do I do. Mr. Colbert came rushing over and took my cat from my hands. After a minute or two, he handed him back to me with a small smile on his face. "Don"t worry, he"s not dead, just tired. The shock of the travel must have gotten the best of him. Have him get some rest and he should be good as new in a little while. But when he does wake up, be genital around him. He probably won"t trust you right out, so treat him with respect. Try giving him something to eat, that should work. A saucer of cream perhaps." "Okay, thank you Mr. Colbert." I felt tears welling in my eyes. I wiped them and headed for my room. I made a slight side stop at the laundry room to see if they had any spare materials I could use to make a bed with. When they saw the sleeping cat in my arms, two of the youngest girls squealed with joy and quickly rushed off to find a spare basket and blanket he could have. When they brought them back, I thanked them and said I would pay for replacements later. They said not to worry, but I insisted. My father had thought me to treat everyone with equally and repay any dept. As I walked back to my room, I couldn"t help but think that he was really going to be popular with the girls at my school. If everyone kept mobbing him, it would be hard to get him adjusted to the place. I found a nice spot next to my bed to place his bed, and set it down. I had no classes for the rest of the day, none of the second years did. We were supposed to take the rest of the day to get to know our familiars. But with mine asleep, that was going to be hard. I lay down on my bed and stared down at him. He really did look like an angle when he slept curled up like that. I started stroking his soft fur, and heard him purr a little. I must have fallen asleep also, because the next thing I knew, some one was pounding on my door again. "Clair, are you asleep again. Wake up it"s time for supper." Monique shouted. I sat up in my bed. "Okay, coming, be right down." I rubbed my eyes. I looked down and saw that my cat was still asleep. He really must have been tired, he had slept through most if the day. My stomach growled as I realized so had I. Because of that long nap, I had missed lunch and was really hungry now. I got up and walked out the door, closing it as quietly as possible so as not to wake my cat. When I got to the table, everyone was sitting together talking about their new familiars. "You should have seen Alexander"s dragon, that thing was flying circles around all the other familiars." Alexandria boasted. "Except for my wonderful Torch." Katra proclaimed. "Only because he cheated!" "There creatures of opposite elements Alexandria, what do you expect to happen when they come into contact," Monique added in. "Something similar might happen if my Beawof fought against a strong enough air elemental creature." "Are you sure you should be that happy you got him? His size alone will probably take up half your room." "Well, at least he obeys his master"s commands. How long did it take you to get that perverted snake of yours out of my clothes!?" "Petey"s not perverted, he just likes meeting new people, and that"s his way of saying hi." "Then how come he didn"t do it to anyone else!?" "He probably just likes you the most is all." "Wonderful." Katra added with a wince. I saw an empty seat next to Alexander, sat down, and helped myself to some chicken. My presence didn"t go unnoticed for long. "So how is he?" Katra was the first to ask. "Still asleep. I hope he wakes up soon, I"m stating to get a little worried." "But Mr. Colbert said you have nothing to worry about, right?" Monique said. "Yah." "Then there"s your answer. Just have some patience. You never know, when he wakes up, he might give you a surprise or two." She was right, I had to trust in Mr. Colbert"s judgment. The rest of dinner went on with everyone talking more about their familiars and what they could do. I found out that Alexander had named his water dragon Dulra, and that it was almost as fast as a wind dragon. Katra and Alexandria got into another fight over Petey and his greeting skills, but the rest of dinner was fairly normal. Afterwards, I went to the kitchen and asked the cook if I could borrow a saucer and bottle of cream. He gladly obliged, and I headed back to my room. I sat the bottle and saucer on the table I had in the room and sat back down on my bed. The cat was still asleep. I couldn"t believe it, some familiar he was going to turn out to be. Even if he was cute, if this was how he was always going to act, I really wanted a redo at the summoning spell. I laid down and thought over the days events again in my head. Everyone had gotten a great familiar, something that really reflected their character, and what did I get, a cat that faints after two minuets of being in this world, and then sleeps the whole day away. Not fair. My brother gets a hawk, my best friends get dragons, snakes, dogs and flaming birds, but what do I get, a lazy cat. I looked out my window and saw that the sun had gone down. I guess it was time for me to go to bed, maybe things would be better in the morning. I started getting ready, not really sure what to expect. I was just about to take off my shirt when a noise stopped me. Merow! THUNK. I turned around and saw that my familiar had finally decided to wake up, and had fallen out of bed. He has staring right at me with those big black eyes of his, I couldn"t help but feel a little sorry for him. I was pretty sure I knew someone else that had gone though something similar, so I knew how he must have felt. "Well, look who finally woke up. You really gave me a scare there, I wasn"t sure what had happened." I said with a little pout. He backed away a little, so I stopped. Then I heard a little growl echo from the room. "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some cream." I poured the entire bottle into the saucer and set it down for him to enjoy. I watched to make sure he would eat it. Instead, all he did was back away from it a little. "Do you not trust me? Here, I"ll prove it"s okay." I back to the table in the middle of the room and picked up the spoon from the dinning set. I walked back, and took a small drink from the cream. "See, nothing wrong with it." I said with a smile. He waited for a few more moments, then walked forward and started drinking. Relief swept over me as I realized that maybe now he wouldn"t be as afraid now, and maybe he trusted me. I turned to finish getting ready for bed. After I had put my night gown on, I walked back to my familiar and saw he had licked the entire saucer clean. He gave a little yawn of satisfaction and looked up at me. "Looks like someone was hungry, and after the day you"ve had, who could blame you." I said as I picked him up in my arms and walked over to my bed. He seamed to like this. He had nuzzled himself in my arms and looked like he was about to fall asleep again! How could you still be tired, you just slept thought the whole day! As I began to rub his head, he started to purr. At least he was starting to warm up to me, that was a start. I started to think back to how timid he was around me just a few minuets ago, and now he was acting like we had known each other for years. Then it hit me, maybe he could understand minor bits of human language, along with sings and gestures. I sat him down and looked right at him. "You"re not like other cats are you? You seam to understand human language." He just stared at me for a few moments, then tilted his head to one side. Okay, this cat could have been pulled from anywhere in Halkeginia, so maybe he understood a different language. "Do you understand me?" I spoke in Germain. The only reason I spoke this was because Katra was from there, as was her mother, who was friends with my parents as well. He just stared at me again, and then again, tilted his head. This made me feel really excited. I was right, he could understand my gestures, but had no actual idea what I was trying to say. But there was a problem, there where no other languages I could speak, I was only bilingual. And I was so close too. Then I realized it. I had studied a dead language a few months back in my history class. It was a long short, but maybe he would understand a few words, or ones like it. Then maybe that would help me understand what language he really spoke. I hope this works, I hardly know any of the words. "Do you, u..und..understand me?" I stuttered. Man, I really suck at it. But it was worth it. He got a big surprised look on his face, which really made him look weird, and then he nodded his head in response. *"I knew it, I knew it. I thought there was something different about you! Yes, this proves I"m like her. I have a familiar that understands human language!"* I couldn"t believe it, he actually understood a dead language. He, only understood a dead language. Great, I really hoped that a variation of it existed today, or I was in trouble. But I didn"t care, my cat understood me! I jumped and sent him flying across the bed and hit his head on the foot board. I rushed over and picked him up. *"Sorry about that, I didn"t mean to. I guess I got a little too excited when you...you..*yawn*. Oh, looks like I"m just as tired as you are, we"ve both had a busy day, so how about we go to bed now. Oh, I should probably introduce myself before we go to bed. Though I would probably have better luck if I spoke in the language you understand."* I sat him back down accost from me and pointed to myself. "My n...name, Clair." I stammered. "Merow." Was all I got in response. *"Do you have name?"* He nodded his head. Great, now I didn"t have to worry about picking a name he liked. *"Lets see if we can figure it out shall we."* I sat for a moment, then guessed. *"Rupert."* He sort of looked like one, so maybe. Nope, he shook his head. Figures, I would have been more surprised if I had guessed it on mu first try. I then started saying names as they came to me. *"Alfread, Henery, Berz..."* I continued this for the next fifteen minuets, with no luck. Every time I guessed a name, he just shook his head. It was hopeless, and I was tired. *"Sorry I couldn"t guess your name, but I"ll try again tomorrow."* I crawled to the head of my bed and got under the sheets. He must have understood this meant I was going to bed, and started to go to his bed. "No no, I want you to sleep here." I said as I patted a spot next to me. He turned directions and trotted over to me and curled up. I lay back down and started to pet him again. I hadn"t realized it earlier, but his fur was so soft, almost like silk. I quickly fell asleep. Day Two Clair woke with the sun shining down in her face. She sat up, stretched, and looked down in her lap. Her new familiar which she had just summoned yesterday, was still sleeping soundly, curled up in a little ball. Then she remembered what she had discovered yesterday, and bolted out of bed and began to get dressed. Kato was flung into the air, and landed right back on the bed. What"s the big idea?! I was having a nice dream about being back in my own world, and you just had to go and do that! Show some courtesy to those who have been traumatized residentially will you! "MEROW!" *"Sorry little fella, I didn"t mean to wake you so suddenly, but I really need to show you to my friends."* She said as she started to get dressed. Kato got up and stretched a little before hopping down from the bed. He saw Clair sitting at a dresser with a mirror on it, and decided to take a good look at himself. With ease, he jumped up onto the counter and looked in the mirror. Even as a cat, he still had some distinguishable features. His fur was as dark a black as he had ever seen, but it still gave off a slick sheen. His four paws and the tip of his tail on the other hand, were white as snow. And then there was the matter of the strange fur patterns. Around his eyes were what indeed looked like a pair of glasses, and they were colored an almost ash gray color. He turned slightly and saw that the same ash gray color outlined a pair of wings that ran the length of his body. Now he could see why all the girls kept wanting to name him Angle, all he was missing was the halo. *"Come on, lets go!"* Clair suddenly said. And with that, she swooped down, picked him up in her arms, and ran out the door to breakfast. On there way down the stairs, Kato suddenly heard something that caught his attention. Ohhh, sshhhhee"sssss cute. I wonder what sshhhhee"ssss wearing? He looked behind them just in time to see something launch itself out from one of the nearby windows. Look out! "MEROW!" He screamed as he pointed his paw behind them. Clair twisted around, just as the thing was about to attack. *"PETEY STOP!"* It froze in mid air and dropped to the ground, right in font of Clair"s feet. They both looked down to see a small brown snake, about two feet in length, curling on the ground. Then, Alexandria came up from behind and picked him up. *"I told you no more running off like that. You can"t just say "Hi" to everyone you meet, it"s not very nice. You know how much trouble I got into yesterday when you greeted Katra. So please stay here for the time being."* And with that, the snake bowded his head a little, and crawled up her arm, and spiraling around it. When it was done, it almost looked like a jeweled bracelet. Then, Alexandria looked up and noticed who she was standing in front of. *"Clair, good morning. I hope Petey didn"t scare you to much, he just loves greeting people."* He certainly has one hell of a perverted way of doing it. *"No he didn"t. My familiar was actually able to warn me he was there."* *"Really! That"s soooooo cool! What else can he do? What did you name him, what did you name him? Did you pick Angle, I bet you did. Oh, no, wait, that"s not a boy"s name. Oh well, so what is it, what is it, what is it!?"* Alexandria said as she started jumping up and down. Good grief does this girl have an off switch? I feel like my ears are about to explode. *"I don"t know what else he can do, or what his name is. I"m waiting for him to tell me."* *"What?"* Alexandria said in a flat voice. *"I said, I"m waiting for him to tell me. I found out last night after he woke up that he can understand human language, and that he already has a name. So I"m waiting for him to tell me."*

""Yah, but my new room is no where near yours." "Why are you disappointed? When we were sharing a room, you almost killed me the first time I walked in." "Yah, but I wouldn"t have minded being at least next door to you." Shinonono said under her breath. "Did you say something?" "No no no, nothing at all. I"m going to go and make sure I didn"t forget anything. I"ll see you for dinner Ichika." And with that, Shinonono ran back up the stairs to her room, leaving Ichika slightly bewildered. When Ichika reached his room, he knocked and waited for a reply from Charlotte this time. After he heard, he opened the door and walked in. He found Charlotte laying on her bed looking up ad the ceiling. "Is something the matter Char?" "No, nothing much. It"s just a little hard to say good bye you know?" "What are you talking about? Were not saying good bye, your just moving to a different room. Well still see each other in school." "No, I mean good bye to all the memories we, I mean, that I have made here." "Okay. You have a point there. To be honest, I"m going to miss you to." "You mean it Ichika!" Charlotte said with a new since of hope. "Sure. Ever since you came here dressed as a guy, you"ve been much easier to talk to then most of the people here." "Oh." She replied, hanging her head and feeling slightly rejected. Ichika saw she was feeling sad again, "Don"t worry, I"ll come and visit every now and then to see how your doing." "Really!?" "Sure, what else are friends for?" "Okay Ichika." She said with a little chuckle. After talking for a little while longer, Charlotte and Ichika put on their uniforms and headed down for dinner. After standing in line and getting their food, Ichika found himself being flagged down by Cecilia. "Ichika darling, I saved you a seat over here with me." "Hi Cecilia. Thanks for saving us seats. It looks like everywhere else is already full." "Sure thing. Here, come sit next to me," she said as she pointed to one of the chairs. Charlotte quickly sat down in it. "Hey, Ichika was supposed to sit there! Oh well, you can sit in the other one." But when she turned around, she saw Rin was already sitting there. "Hey, why did you sit there!?" "This seat was open. Everywhere else is full." "But Ichika was going to sit there!" "It"s okay Cecilia, I can sit here," he said as he sat down in the chair across from her. "Well, I suppose that"s okay." And she took her seat. "You know you guys are really loud. We could hear you from the other side of the dining hall," Shinonono said as she and Laura appeared and took the last two remaining seats at the table. "So, is everyone all packed and ready for the move after dinner?" They had all just started eating when Orimura Sensei appeared. Everyone nodded. "Good. Laura, if I remember correctly, you"re rooming with Ichika this time. Make sure he stays on schedule." "Ja wohl." Laura replied with a little salute. "Wait a minuet," Rin shouted as she jumped up from her chair, "Laura is rooming with Ichika this semester! That"s not fair!" "The room assignments were randomly selected as stated in your letters," Orimura Sensei replied. "But she"ll climb into his bed every night like she did last time!" Charlotte joined in. "Ichika doesn"t deserve a roughen like her for a room mate. He deserves someone with more class and refinement! Like myself." Cecilia shouted. "Well, there is still a little time left for people to ask for a different room. Ichika, do you have a preference as to who you share a room with?" "To be honest, I don"t really care who stays with me. Having Laura is fine." "No its not," said Shinonono, "I"ll be your room mate. This way you won"t get into any trouble." "Hey," shouted Rin, "why do you get to decide who his room mate is?" "Because I"m his childhood friend." "So am I!" "Hey, don"t I get a say in zies. After all, I am zie one moving into his room." Laura stated. "No!" Everyone shouted before returning to their argument. Orimura looked like she was about to snap. And a few seconds later, she did. "That"s enough!" She shouted looming above the others and making them cower a little. "If you people can"t come to some agreement as to where you"ll be sleeping, than I"ll move you into new rooms myself, and have Charlotte say with Ichika." "NO, NOT THAT!" Ichika was suddenly aware of what was going on. The argument that had started had become so loud, that the entire dinning hall was able to hear every detail. When Orimura Sensei had said that she would leave Charlotte with Ichika, for some reason, the rest of the girls didn"t like this idea. "I"ll stay with Ichika," one girl said standing up. "No, I will," another said. "I will." "So will I." "Me too." Eventually, everyone in the entire dinning hall said they would stay with Ichika, and the argument became even louder. It took Orimura Sensei, along with several other teachers at least five minuets to quiet everyone down and back in their seats. After that, she said that it would be Cecilia who would be staying with Ichika, seeing as she got the least amount of objections from the group. The rest of dinner was eaten in silence. Mostly because everyone was sad that they weren"t going to be sharing a room with Ichika. But also because no one wanted Orimura Sensei to come back in. After dinner, everyone went back to their dorms to start moving. Ichika helped Charlotte carry her thing to her new room, since he didn"t have to move his things. Her new room ended up being at the other end of the hallway, so there wasn"t much of a distance that they had to travel. "Hey Charlotte, where do you want these books?" "Oh. If you could set them down in the corner over there for the moment, that would be fine for now." Ichika was relieved to set them down. His shoulders were starting to hurt from all the loads. How had one girl managed to fit all this stuff into her half of the room he found himself wondering? As he walked out into the hall to go back to his room, he ended up running into a large box, knocking it to the ground. All of the clothes that were stuffed into it burst out and spilled onto the floor. "Hey, watch where you"re going!" Ichika looked over to see Shinonono sitting on the floor with her clothes thrown all over her. When she saw who it was, she turned a little red and started shoving her clothes back into the box. "Sorry about that Shinonono, I didn"t see you there. Is your new room around here?" "Yes. You"re standing in front of it. What were you doing in there any way?" "I was helping Charlotte move in. It looks like she"ll be your new room mate." He said as he helped her pick up her clothes. Shinonono looked up to see Charlotte sticking her head out of the bedroom door. She couldn"t figure out if this was a good thing, or a bad thing. After all the clothes were back into the box, Ichika helped her move it into the room, then went back to his. He had offered to help Shinonono move her things, but she said she was fine and didn"t need any help. Ichika flopped onto his bed. He was tired. He hadn"t felt this sleepy since his first day of IS training. He was just about to doze off when the door to his room burst open. "Ichika darling! I"m so glad we get to spend some quality time together. Thank you so much for letting me stay with you," Cecilia said as she burst into the room. "It"s wasn"t really my choice you know. It was everyone else who decided." He said stiffly getting up. "True, but still. Oh my, you don"t look so good." "Just a little sore from helping Charlotte more into her new room. It"s no big deal." "No big deal," she said with a gasp. "It most certainly is a big deal. What would have happened if you fell and had gotten seriously injured? I don"t know what I would do if I let something like that happen to you." She added a little sob for theatrical affect. Ichika didn"t seam fazed. "Uhhh, okay. So, do you need any help moving your things?" "Nope, all taken care of. Oh boys." She clapped her hands and in an instant, four large men, each carrying a box or two, walked into the room, set them down, and left just as quickly. Ichika just sat in stunned silence. "My sponsors hired them to help me move my things," she said with a smile. "Alright," Ichika said, and flopped back down on his bed. A few seconds later, Cecilia sat down next to him. "You know, Ichika, if you want, I could give you a...a back rub. If you want. You know, like you gave me at the spring. It might help. If you want." She was trying very had not to make eye contact. "Sure, that sounds great." Ichika replied sitting up. "Really!" "Sure. Here, sit behind me and I"ll tell you where to rub." Cecilia jumped behind him and placed her hands on his back. "Now, start by applying even pressure to both sides to the top of the triceps in even circular motions." "Right." As she did, she noticed that Ichika"s back was rather tuff, but very warm. Her heart started to race a little. After a few minuets, Ichika gave her new instructions. "Now I take base of your hands, and run them from the middle of the back to the top, while using your thumbs to trace along the spine with even pressure. "Okay." Now she was able to feel each individual vertebra in his spine. Her heart raced even faster. After a few more minuets, Ichika told he that was good and that she could stop. "A..are you sure you"re feeling better?" "Yep, much, thanks. You"re really good at this," he said swinging his arms around a little. He turned back to Cecilia. "Are you feeling okay?" "Sure, why wouldn"t I be?" She responded quickly. "Your face is red." Cecilia turned to look in the mirror that was across from her bed. She saw that her face was as red as a cherry. "Why don"t you go take a shower and cool off a bit? I can wait to take one later. "Okay. Thanks." And she rushed into the bathroom. She stood leaning against the wall with her hands on her chest. She hadn"t felt her heart race this much since after she battled him for the first time at the start of last semester. After a few minuets, she took her clothes off, threw them into the hamper, and got into the shower. After getting out and drying off, she slipped on the frilly nightgown she had snuck in earlier. "With this on, Ichika is as good as mine," she said blowing herself a little kiss in the mirror. Since she was going to be rooming with Ichika for the time, she planed on making good use of their time alone. She slowly opened the bathroom door, made as innocent a pose as she could, and started talking in her sweetest voice. "Ichika," she said avoiding eye contact again by looking down slightly, "I was wondering if you would like me to give you another backrub?" Ichika said nothing. "I know you said you were feeling better, but maybe another..." As Cecilia looked up, she saw that Ichika wasn"t looking at her. He wasn"t looking anywhere for that matter. Ichika had fallen asleep. With all the excitement that had happened the first day back, he easily fell asleep where he was. "Oh Ichika," Cecilia said as she walked over to him and covered him with a blanket. She then climbed into her own bed, turned off the lights, and went to sleep. The following morning, Ichika woke up to find he had fallen asleep in his clothes. He got up, took a quick shower, put on his uniform, and went down to eat breakfast. He found that he was one of the last ones to wake up, everyone else had already gotten their food and found a place to sit. Ichika was lucky enough to be able to get through the breakfast line just before it closed. After that, finding a seat was actually easier. He just listened for the loudest part of the dinning room and headed towards it. He found Rin and Cecilia arguing again. "I"m telling you, I didn"t try anything last night. All I did was give him a back rub and he fell asleep." "Yah, but I bet you had plans for something. I"ll even bet you forced that back rub on him." "I did no such thing. We English are not barbarians. Unlike the Chinese." "WHAT WAS THAT!?" Rin said jumping up. "Is everything okay?" Ichika said intervening just in time. "Ichika!?" Rin said turning to look at him and turning a slight shade of rose. "Oh yes Ichika dear, every things fine," Cecilia said with a slightly smug look on her face. "So how did you sleep last night?" "I slept fine. Thanks again for that back rub, it helped a lot." "What!?" everyone said with the same surprised look on their face. Ichika looked a little worried, Cecilia looked pleased. But her victory was short lived, when everyone heard some third years talking a table over. "How did you find this out?" "I help file in the offices sometimes. I overheard Orimura Sensei and the Principle talking." "What did they say?!" "That there would be a new student transferring in today." "Did you hear where their from?" "No, I was asked to deliver some papers before I could hear." "Awww." "Excuse me," Laura interrupted, "I couldn"t help but overhear. Did you say zere was a new student transferring in?" The third year turned around in her seat, "Yah. I don"t know much about them. When I went back to ask Orimura Sensei about it, she said it didn"t concern me and wouldn"t say anything more on the matter." "So Orimura Sensei knows about a new student. I wonder if zey are strong? I"m going to go find out!" And with that, she got up and left without another word. News of the new student traveled fast. Ichika had only heard about it about an hour ago in breakfast, but now it seamed that everyone in the school knew about it. In between the occasional greetings he got from the girls in the halls, he heard little bits hear and there. Ichika found his classroom and walked in. When he did, he was surprised to find not only Charlotte, Shinonono, and Cecilia in there, but Rin and Laura as well, all huddled around a couple desks. "Are we all in the same class this time?" Ichika asked as he approached the five of them. "Niejet, I am in a different class. I just dropped by to relay the information I was able to retrieve from Orimura Sensei," Laura said. "Well what is it?" Ichika asked. "All I was able to find out is that she is from America." "America?!" They all replied. "Yah," Laura replied. "Then she could be like a sister to me!" Cecilia said with glee. "What are you talking about?" Charlotte asked. "Well, as you all know, America was originally a colony of England." "Yah, until they got tired of all your rules and revolted," Rin added. "What was that?!" Cecilia replied, sparks shooting from her eyes at Rin. "I wonder if she is a model?" Charlotte said. "Why is that?" Shinonono asked. "Well, American super models are suppose to be very beautiful correct? So maybe she could give us some beauty tips." She added this last part in a slightly lower voice so only certain ears could hear. Everyone stayed quiet after this, obviously thinking the same thing. Ichika just stood there with a puzzled look on his face. Just then, the bell rang to mark the start of first period. "Well, I better get to class," Laura said as she started to walkout the door. "See you for lunch," Ichika shouted after her. "Oh, good morning Ms. Laura," Yamada Sensei said as they passed in the doorway. "Okay class, please take you seats, I have an announcement to make." "Your kidding right?" one girl said as she sat down. "How is it its always the class that I"m in?" another one said. "What?" Yamada Sensei said looking a little confused. "The new student everyone"s talking about. Their transferring into our class, aren"t they." "Well, it seams the cats out of the bag," Yamada said with a little sigh. "I"m just as puzzled as you all are as to how it is always this class that gets the new students, but we do," she sighed again. "As I"m sure some of you have heard, we have a new student transferring in today from America. So without anymore delay, allow me to introduce our new classmate, Nathan." The door opened, and in walked a boy. Or someone who looked like a boy. He was easily almost six feet tall, and wore a pair of rimless square glasses perched halfway up his nose. His eyes were a dark hazel color, which almost matched his dark brown hair, which he kept in a pony tail that reached down to his shoulders. He strode in and stood tall in front of the rest of the class. His body was slender and thin like an acrobat, but had a well toned look to it as well. When he spoke, his voice was clear and had no trouble caring through the room. "My name is Nathan Vanderhill, its very nice to meet you," he said with a small bow. At this moment, all the girls started whispering to themselves. "Is this a joke?" "Another man, that"s not possible." "I bet it"s another girl, men can"t pilot an IS." "That"s what they said about Ichika though." "Maybe it is possible." "He is kinda cute." "He looks like a bishi from a BL manga." "Your right!" "Prove it!" Silence fell as everyone turned to Rin who had jumped out of her seat and was now standing facing the new student. "Come again," he replied. "You look like you"re a boy." "I am" "Prove it." More whispers swept through the girls at this remark. "Girls, girls," Yamada Sensei said, "is there really any reason to put a new student on the spot like this on their first day?" No one said anything, they were all just staring at the front of the class. Then she noticed that everyone"s faces were simultaneously turning a darker and darker shade of red. She then turned to look at Nathan, and saw that he had taken his uniform coat off, and was just about to remove his shirt to revel his chest. "Nathan there is no need to do that!" Yamada Sensei said as she jumped in front of him. A small sound of disappointment echoed from the room, while Rin slowly sat back in her chair, a little shocked from what she had just seen. "Please put your clothes back on. There is not need to question weather he is a boy or not. We were a little skeptical at first as well, so we ran a few tests. He is, in fact, a genuine male. Ichika is no longer the only man in the world who can pilot an IS unit." More murmurs ran through the room, as well as some excited remarks as well. Yamada Sensei returned to her desk. "Nathan is not only a male pilot, but he has also recently become the U.S. representative as well. So please treat him like you would any of your other classmates. Now I"m sure you all have lots of questions for Nathan, but please wait until break to ask them. For the moment Nathan, would you mind taking the empty seat in the back?" "Not at all," he said with a little smile. As he walked down the isle, he could fell everyone watching him with interest. "Now that we have that out of the way, let us begin with today"s lesson." The class period moved along as usual. The only difference was the occasional glances made by the girls, followed by them giggling if any of them made eye contact. When the bell rang to mark lunch, there was a loud racket as twenty chairs were all moved at the same time, and twenty girls all swarmed around Nathan and started pelting him with questions. "Would you like to come eat lunch with me?" "I can give you a tour of the school if you would like." "How old are you?" "Do you have your own IS unit?" "Why did you decide to come here?" "How long have you been piloting an IS?" And many more. Nathan wasn"t really able to do much, let alone get a word in edgewise. He actually seamed to be panicking a little. Ichika noticed this and shouted. "Nathan, quick, over here!" Nathan looked up and saw Ichika in the doorway waving to him. He reacted faster than expected. He quickly jumped up, got onto his desk, and leapt over the large crowd of girls, landing about two feet from where Ichika was. "Run, I"ll follow," was all he could say before the girls stated chasing them. The two of them ran down the halls as fast as they could. They got to the end of the hall, rounded the corner, and were instantly meat with another, smaller, group of girls. "Look, there he is!" one of them shouted. "Other way, other way!" Nathan said. The two of them quickly turned around and ran down the other hall. After a few minuets, they were ambushed by another group coming out of the art room, and one more in the stairwell. A few minuets later, the two of them were able to find an empty hallway where they could pause for a minute to catch their breath. Nathan slumped against the wall. "Their persistent, aren"t they," he said between breaths. "Yah, you get use to it though," Ichika replied. "How long does this last?" "About a week." "Great. Maybe I won"t have to attend gym class then." They both laughed at this. After resting, they both got up and started walking towards the dinning hall for lunch. "You have a really high stamina rate," Nathan said, "It must come in handy in an IS battle." "Yah, but you seamed pretty good yourself in a sprint." "Long legs," Nathan said patting his thigh, "not good for much else. I have always wanted a real test of my skills though." "How?" "Fight me." "WHAT!?" A large number of voices coming from behind them made Ichika and Nathan spin around. "Did you hear that, their going to fight!" "I can"t wait to see this." "Who do you think will win?" "Let"s ask them!" Nathan turned to Ichika, "Run?" "Run."

Motochika clutched his hand to his chest, above where his pounding heart was. It was ablaze, with a fire he had never known. It wasn"t the fire ignited from the rush of battle. No, Mori Motonori is the only one that ignites that fire. What the Ogre was feeling was something else entirely. Who was that guy? And what is this feeling that the Captain of the Fugaku is feeling? Ch 3 Intrusion *Review!* It has been nearly a week since the last sighting of the stowaway. Large amounts of food and water keep disappearing on a daily basis, so he is still on board. Motochika was itching for a battle against the string user, and also to figure out what the fire that was lighted within his is. Ever since the fight against the stowaway, the fire hadn"t gone away. No matter what time of day it was, Motochika found that he was always thinking of him. Just what is this feeling. He can"t stand not knowing, but for now he had other matters to attend to. Motochika glared at his three recently returned scouts. "Mori Motonari is married?" "Yes, they have been together for about a month now. It seems that a small local providence was fearful of a large scale attack by the Oda, so they arranged a marriage between the two for protection. From what we can tell, the peasants of Aki love her for improving their lives, but from the looks of it, she is as cold and emotionless as her husband." The leader of the small party of three spoke. "What"s more, she even admitted that she is a pawn to be used by her husband, Motonari, as he pleases." Motochika scowled. "Sounds like a perfect couple." His parrot squawked in agreement. "You can say that again. They both treat their own soldiers as pawns, and get this. She apparently called her own husband a pawn." One of the scouts commented. Motochika"s single eye widened in surprise before he smirked with amusement. "Oh really, what did he do to her?" "No idea, it was only a rumor going around in the village." The man laughed. The captain chuckled as well. "Yeah, that would have been something to see." Suddenly, everyone in the room was launched to the back. The three scouts were piled up on top of each other. Motochika hit the wall, leaving an impression. His anchor became buried half way through, inches away from him. His parot was squeaking and flapping its wings in a panick. "What the hell happened!" He yelled, pulling himself out of the wall and yanking his weapon out, nearly slicing the head off of one of his own crewmates. "Captain! A large fleet bearing the banner of the Oda are right in front of us!" One of his men shouted from above. "What!" Sure enough, there"s a fleet of twenty large ships, all of which were heading in a different direction, none paying attention to the giant monstrosity looming over them. Motochika stared down at them. "So this is the Oda. Ha, bastard must have guts turning a blind eye on the ogre." He smirked. Truth be told though, he was relieved. The Fugaku still had some construction to be taken care of, including the main cannon. If they were attacked, they would be close to helpless. "Trust me, we aren"t turning a blind eye on you at all." A voice hissed behind him. "We just have other matters to attend to." Motochika turned and slammed his anchor into a blade. A skinny man with waist length hair smiled crazily. "Who the fuck are you?" Motochika growled at him, moving his anchor back. "Akechi Mitsuhide, at your service." The man spoke, doing a mock bow. Motochika brought his blade back. "Now now, I"m not here to fight. I just happen to have heard about your little stowaway." Mitsuhide spoke with glee. "Oh yeah, well what about it." Motochika glared down at him, hooking his arms over his anchor. Mitsuhide smiled. "It just so happens that your stowage is an old friend of mine, and I will pay you handsomely to allow me to get him back, no questions asked, no interference, no telling." He spoke with venomous glee. The way he said "him", like he was spitting out a bribe. A lie. Motochika thought for a minute. "Get rid of a dangerous stowaway for a big price, sounds suspicious to me. Let"s see where this goes then.' "How much are you offering?" He asked. Mitsuhide smirked and whispered in his ear. Motochika thought his jaw would hit the deck. "That much for just one troublesome stowaway? That"s several times a normal price for royal runaways." Motochika almost yelled out. Mitsuhide merely chuckled. "He is Royal, and he is, at the moment, an enemy of the Oda until he returns back with me." The reaper spoke. Motochika"s expression was blank. The price is way too high. That"s saying a lot about the stowaway. He"s from a ruling family, most likely allied with the Oda, or the last surviving remnant of an enemy clan, with a large bounty of his head. It must be big because of time. Motochika thought for a minute. "If the Oda are willing to pay that much for the stowaway, then it is pretty important. If the pest was that important, then I might not want to hand him over to the Oda. There are still a few unknowns that need to be taken care of. What"s more, I want to know what this feeling is, and why he ignited it when we fought. Wait a minute, he. The way Mitsuhide is saying he when referring the stowaway. Could it be.' Motochika frowned then smirked. "Pay half now, and the other half after you have the stowaway." He spoke at last. Akechi tilted his head. "Can"t be too careful, especially around you Oda." He quickly explained. Mitsuhide gave a light smile and nodded. Motochika smiled. With the plan he had in mind, there were a lot of risks, hell, he might not get any of the money being offered to him. Might as well get this over with. "Alright, you got yourself a deal! Just don"t go stabbing me in the back and we can get along just fine, you son-of-a-bitch." He smirked. Mitsuhide grinned. "Good, follow my plan directly and you shall have the other half of your pay soon." Motochika smirked as he listened to the reaper"s plan. "So this is personal, which means that the poor stowaway is on board my ship to get away from this guy. It also means that he wouldn"t live long with Mitsuhide around. I hope my plan works. If it does, I"ll gain both an enemy and an ally. Let"s hope it"s worth it.' Motochika thought as the Oda General wrapped up his speech. "Hell, if I am able to figure out what this fire inside me is, then it wouldn"t matter if the entire world became my enemy." Ch 4 The String Wielder *Review!* The ogre and his crew stood behind the doors that led to the Fugaku"s cabins. Mitsuhide paced around the ship"s upper deck. According to him, the sting wielder would hide where there is string. On a ship, what better place than the sails. As to the reason why the entire crew of the Fugaku were hiding, well... "Hell no! the Ogre of the Western Sea is no coward!" Motochika yelled. Mitsuhide didn"t so much as blink at the outburst. "I understand how to feel, captain. However, since I have a personal connection with your stowaway, it would be better if I were alone on the deck. He would attack me on the spot. You know first hand what the stowaway is capable of, you wouldn"t want to put your crew in danger now, would you?" Mitsuhide smiled pleasantly. Motochika frowned and glanced at his crew. "Fine, my-son-of-a-bitches and I will remain in the holds. But bear in mind that I will be watching, and as soon as I see something I don"t like, I"m interfering." He spoke with a glare at the vassal of the Oda. Mitsuhide merely giggled. Mitsuhide stopped and spoke up. "Can you hear me, my lovely. I"m sure you"re quaking in fear for yourself, and your little spawn." He shouted. The captain narrowed his eyes as the crew began muttering. "What"s he talking about." "Little spawn?" "What the hell." They were silenced as Mitsuhide continued in a singing voice. "Once upon a time there was a small land that married into the Devil King"s force. The lovely bride was given to a great general. She feared the general because of his lust for blood. Three children yet to be born. One the mother failed to protect and died in childbirth from the father"s poison. The second, the sweet mother found out the truth and tried to run. She was sought after by the army and her home was burned to the ground. It died by the father"s blade as soon as it was born. The third was kept secret. When the father found out he punched the mother so hard that it was dead immediately. But then the lovely bride became pregnant with a fourth child, and again, she ran. She sought shelter in a massive ship that"s said to be led by a great pirate captain." Mitsuhide gleefully grinned as he took out his scythes. His men long fell silent with the story. Motochika himself was dumforded. "Mitsuhide, you bastard..." The reaper grinned ear to ear in madness as he continued. "Seven months you have been gone. The poison still goes through you. An early child you will have." Mitsuhide began laughing like a maniac. "I smelled you bleeding, Nana, your efforts are futile, for it is already dead! Stupid woman, as my wife, I expected..." He didn"t finish. Someone screamed and came crashing down on top of where Mitsuhide was only seconds ago. The crew gasped. Motochika blinked his single right eye several times. The string that held the old man together we"re falling apart. A thin form began to stand. "Look baby, the sun, grow up nice and big and run around under the sun!" The stowaway spoke through tears. Motochika could only stared. In place of the ragged, hunched over old man was a thin, sleek, beautiful figure. Both he and his crew were dumbstruck at what they saw among the piles of string. "You"re a woman?!" The pirate captain gazed well upon the woman, whom Mitsuhide called Nana, while most of his crew turned away. She was a small thing, black hair held in a large pony tail with a headband of scrap metal, a round face ending in a fairly sharp chin, skin white as the sea foam, and eyes a lovely chestnut brown. She was pretty... And completely naked. However, Motochika noted with disgust that she was unhealthy thin, so thin that he could make out her ribs, almost completely flat chested, and worse, she was covered in ugly scars that could only belong the the skyves of... of Mitsuhide. The truth had unfolded in front of him. "Nana was abused by her husband, Mitsuhide, and lost her first three kids to his madness. She ran away to save her fourth child only to have it die, too.' He cursed himself for ever joining the Oda. "I"m going to skin that ugly bastard alive!' "Come on baby, let"s make sure that you grow up nice and tall." Nana spoke. She was obviously mad with grief and despair as she rocked. Her string spun around her, controlled effortlessly by her free hand. The other held a bundle that dripped blood. No one needed to guess what it was. The ogre snapped his head to Mitsuhide who burst out laughing. "Oh, what"s that? You plan on killing me? You want to avenge your beloved children? Your friends? Your parents? Your family? Your people? Your entire clan? Ha, pathetic, I expected better from you." He approached her slowly. Nana moved her fingers in such a way that her strings spread out. Now that the strings weren"t so close to her, Motochika could make out the fresh blood that covered her lower stomach region and upper legs. She gave birth recently. ""Let"s play again when I have the strength and when my body doesn"t require so much rest.'" "Damn it, don"t tell me I fought against a pregnant woman.' He cursed as he clenched his anchor with anger. Her strings struck. Mitsuhide jumped and slashed his scythes, cutting different colored string. His scythes sliced through her offensives easily, putting her in the defensive. All the while, her former husband laughed like a maniac. Motochika watched the fight carefully before speaking. "Dogs." His crew looked up at him. "Get ready to throw that scumbag into the sea." He ordered. His crew cheered with eagerness. Motochika meanwhile, kept staring at Nana. "Forgive me, my lady. I"m sorry, if only I had known about... No, if only I had put the pieces together, if only I was smart enough to know your pain... I could have... I would have... no... I will... I will... I... I... I!' He struck his fist into the wall in a fit of rage. His men startled and glanced at him as he gritted his teeth. "Even if it kills me, I will not fail again! Even if it makes the Oda my enemy, even if it means my lands are conquered and my people slain, I will uphold my honor." He spoke darkly. "Captain." "Captain!" His crew all but yelled out with deep respect. "For my honor, for my own sorry soul, for you... even if it means making the Oda my enemy, I will help you." Ch 5 The Mermaid *Review!* Nana kept her strings moving, deflecting her husband"s attacks. She bit her lip as he laughed his head off. Her eyes were wide with fear and shock. Her baby didn"t live. She lost her child again, because of him. Her strings glowed purple for a brief moment. Mitsuhide sliced the string her fingers held, causing her to fall backwards as her string fell, covering her naked body. "Naughty wife, running away. Now you shall pay!" Mitsuhide brought his scythes down. Nana closed her eyes and turned away. Nothing happened. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. The ogre stood over her, blocking her husband"s blades. Mitsuhide scowled. "Motochika? Mind telling me what this is?" Mitsuhide asked, pulling his weapon back. Motochika growled at him. "If you want more money, then the Oda will pay you twice..." He started. "No." The captain spoke sternly. Mitsuhide was caught off guard. "No?" He asked. The pirate glared at him with rage. "Don"t tell me you didn"t know. the Ogre of the Western Sea never sells slaves! Especially sex slaves!" The ogre swung his massive weapon. Mitsuhide jumped back. Nana could only stare in awe as the two lords fought. Purple light clashed against darkness. Her husband was fast and deceiving, but he was no match for the orge that could predict almost every move and used his massive strength to push him back. "Ogre-Sama..." Tears began to flow from her eyes. Eyes that have seen too much despite her young age. Flash Back Nana learned from her father how to fight, how to use mere string as a lethal weapon. With little to no strings, it was like dancing, each step something new. With strings, it was a flowing river that goes crashing down through a waterfall. She loved it, which is why she married the Oda retainer, to conquest and to fight for her people. But all those dreams she made came crashing down like the waterfall when her betrothed, Akechi Mitsuhide, ordered her land to be burned to the ground. She was helpless as a fish trying to push up against the falls. Her husband locked her in a room. For months she was nothing but his plaything, and whenever she managed to conceive, he didn"t hesitate to kill. She ran away after ripping a sheet for its string, so she could fight, so she could be free. She ran back to her clan, back to her home. After hearing and seeing how she was treated, her Lord, her father, didn"t hesitate to pick up his sword. When the Oda came after her, they were ready. Her entire clan went to meet the Oda army head on in battle. Everyone she loved and cared about was wiped out. Her friends, her old nursemaid, her sisters, her brothers, her mother, her father, everyone was killed. Her husband made her watch as he slew a surviving family. Like her, their baby was wailing as it was silenced. End of Flashback But now he found her, and the child she tried to save was dead. Nana stood up and dragged what little string remained, which held the three bundles of her previous children. With a flick of her fingers, her string surrounded her and made a western dress that she has seen a few times. Her feet carried her to the railing of the ship. She has no longer any will to live in this cruel world. "Bastard!" Motochika yelled as he brought his anchor down. Mitsuhide jumped out of the way in the nick of time as the the weapon left a hole in the deck. Mitsuhide didn"t look panicked. No, rather, he looked excited, like he was having the time of his life. His eyes darted away from the pirate for a split second and his grin widened. "My little wife seems to be going out for a swim." He spoke with horrific glee. "What!" Motochika gasped as the woman began climbing the railings of the ship. "Bye bye." Mitsuhide jumped off the side of the ship, landing on a small boat, which quickly sailed away. The ogre growled. "Damn, if only the Fugaku were completed we might be able to smash that boat into pieces.' Motochika, however, turned away and ran toward the woman named Nana, who lightly stepped off of the ship. Motochika hurriedly trapped her string, causing her body to jerk upwards before falling into the waves. The massive amount of thread now jerked him down as Nana was dragged under. He pulled on the strings, trying to keep the crippled woman from going down any deeper than she already is. "Captain!" His men scrambled, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him up. Motochika risked a glance at the drowning woman. He could barely see her now. Only air bubbles and the massive amount of string told him where she was. He squinted his single eye. If he looked closely enough, he could see Nana"s thin form floating in the water, kinda reminding him of a... Of a... Of a mermaid. I am in a trance. My feet lead me over the edge, and then I"m flying free. But no, not free. I"m floating down like paper in the air. Are my strings holding me back? No, I"m jerked back and I slip out of most, not all, of them. Then I touch the waves, their icy breath swallow me. My strings drag me from the surface as the air leaves my lungs. I swallow sea water. My lungs scream for air. I almost don"t notice in the cold. A large fish swims above me as darkness stole my vision. I am dreaming. I am floating in darkness. It"s so cold here, so wet. Is this death? Then, I am met with warmth. The light, it"s so bright. Strong hands lift me up. I am wrapped in warmth. Is this heaven? Am I dead? Are my children... Will I see my children? Salty tears cover my already wet face when I think of them. Darkness comes over me again as I see someone smile gently. Nana gasped awake. She was in a silky bed naked without her strings. Was she back at her husband"s castle? No, the room swayed back and forth slightly, and there were pieces of metal gears and projects strewn all across the floor. What a mess. Nana sat up, the white kimono that covered her sliding off, just as the door slid open. "So you"re awake." The ogre spoke as he entered. Nana covered herself with the kimono. "It took us forever to separate you from that tangled mess. It didn"t help that you were mostly underwater. What were you thinking? Jumping off a ship in the middle of the ocean is bad enough, but wearing that much is beyond stupid!" He rumbled on and on. Nana looked at the floor. "N-no... No es-escape." She spoke slowly. "I-I just.... Just want... to see... them grow big.... and strong." She began crying. "So what?" Nana looked up at the pirate captain. "Huh?" "Your old husband thinks you"re dead and is long gone. That poison in your body might have died down by now. From what I can see your free." Motochika spoke. Nana was more than surprised. "Ogre-sama..." He walked toward her and hugged her. She sat there, in shock. "There is another reason." He spoke softly. She looked at him as he pulled away from her. "They say strong emotions are ignited in battle." He lifted her chin. "When we fought... I felt it. A fire." "A....a fire?" She asked slowly. Her husband told her about fighting spirit and how it reacts to certain opponents. The ogre sighed. "The thing is, I couldn"t understand the fire inside me this time. So I joined with Mitsuhide to bring you out. Though I admit, that might have been a mistake." He scratched his head. Nana gave a small smile and chuckled softly. The ogre smirked as well. "However, while you were fighting with that snake of a man, your strings... glowed." He spoke slowly. She blinked. "Was it..." She hesitantly began. "Yeah, it was fighting spirit." He finished for her. His single eye looked directly into hers. "It was the same color as mine." He continued. Time stopped. Everything felt frozen. Nana nearly stopped breathing. Same color... Same color... When the fighting spirits of two warriors are the same, it means one of two things. A possible heir to an older warrior. Or, if her memory is correct, a couple. "Ogre-sama." She burst into tears and curled into his chest. He held her. "It was purple.... His was always purple. Ogre-sama..." Motochika silenced her with a kiss. Unlike the biting kisses of her previous husband, this kiss was kind, gentle, and... simple. She loved every bit of it. They stayed there for awhile, until Motochika parted from her and held her. "You are the mermaid to the ogre, I will never hurt you as he did." That promise, created a strong bond between the two. I promise to finish the story where this one was a side story of. Expect this note to be deleted when that happens. Until then, check out my other stories. :)

3rd point of view Juggler was moved onto the operating table and was quickly stripped of his clothes. Large swelling bruises were revealed as nurses covered his body and made other preparations for operating. "X-rays are in, doctor." A nurse handed him the sheets. The doctor, dressed for surgery looked at them. "Three of his ribs are broken, on of which punctured his lung, he"s lucky it didn"t collapse." The doctor switched the sheets. "The damaged parts of the organs need to be exercised, there is a crack in his spine, I"m surprised he was able to stand." He switched the sheets again. "The muscles in his arms and legs are indeed strained, but only to a minor extent. They can be ignored for now, we need to focus on repairing the more serious damage." The doctor gave the sheets back to a nurse, then walked up to the operating table. "Commencing operation, scalpel." The doctor commanded. A nurse passed him the thin tool. He then proceeded to slice open Juggler"s chest. "Heart beat slow but steady." A nurse called out. "Retractors." Several nurses began widening the incision. The alien winced in his sleep but didn"t wake up. "Prepare a heavier drug, he"s starting to come out of it." The doctor ordered. A nurse looked up. "Already?" The doctor turned sharply at her. "Yes, already. May I remind you that he is not human?" He asked. The nurse shook her head and prepared a syringe. The doctor turned back to his work as the nurse administered the drug. The nurses finished their work, giving him full view of Juggler"s organs. "Now beginning repair of the the ribs, starting with the broken one that punctured the lung. It has made a clean break from the rest of the rib. Large bone holding forceps." The doctor called and a nurse handed him one. Using the large tool, the doctor then proceeded to pull the broken rib from the lung. "Sweat." A nurse dabbed his forehead with a clothe. The doctor turned back to his work. "No severe damage to the lung, may need to take another x-ray to make sure later." The doctor noted as he continued to pull it out. Once it was out of the lung, he placed the rib on a tray. "There are no visible traces of any fluids except for a large amount of blood that leaked into the air sacs. Suction." A nurse handed him the end of a tube. He parted the hole in the lung and inserted the tube in. "Alright, turn it on." A nurse flipped a switch. Immediately, the tube was filled with blood, flowing into a bag. After a while, the doctor signalled the nurse to flip the off switch and removed the tube. "All remaining damage to the lung should be able to heal on its own." He motioned a nurse over. "Get this to a lab, he needs a transfusion and human blood may not work." The doctor ordered, holding the package of blood in front of him. The nurse nodded and and left the CR. The doctor turned back to his work. "Now proceeding to mend the broken ribs." A nurse handed him the clamp with the rib. Taking the tool, the doctor carefully aligned the broken sections of the rib. "Rib plating." A nurse handed it to him. He quickly placed it around the broken rib, securing it. He moved to the other two, placing the same plating on each of them. Once that was done, the doctor looked at Juggler"s damaged organs, making notes on what can be healed on their own and what needs to be operated on swiftly. "The right kidney and liver have small sections that need to be exercised. His stomach has suffered an abdominal trauma, rare for it to occur on that organ. He"ll need laparotomy surgery. Scalpel." Upon concluding his survey of the damage, the doctor moved straight back to operating. A nurse handed him the blade. "Sweat." A nurse dabbed his forehead. He then proceeded with the laparotomy surgery, making an incision in Juggler"s abdomen wall to fix the damage. Half an hour later, the doctor moved from his stomach to his liver. "Now starting to exercise the more damaged sections of the liver and kidney. Scalpel." A nurse gave him the tool. "Sweat." A nurse dabbed his forehead. He went back to his work, preparing to remove the damaged part of the liver. The blade was just about to pierce the flesh when suddenly. "Heart rate is dropping!" The nurse who was monitoring the shipment suddenly called out. The doctor quickly put the scalpel down and moved to Juggler"s heart. "Charge the defibrillator." He quickly called. A nurse switched a machine on. "Charging now." A nurse handed him the two electrodes just as Juggler"s heart flatlined. The doctor immediately placed them on the alien"s chest. "Charge at twenty-five percent." The nurse monitoring the central unit called. "Clear!" A shock went through Juggler"s body. A beeping sound sounded. "Heart rate has returned and is steady." The nurse reported. The doctor sighed in relief. "Keep the defibrillator on standby." "Yes doctor." A nurse handed him back the scalpel and he began to exercise the dead tissue within Juggler"s internal organs. An hour later, he began stitching Juggler up. "Take the dead tissues to the lab, have them analyzed for further treatment. X-ray his chest, I want to know why is heart rate decreased." The doctor calmly issued orders to his attendants. A nurse carried a tub with Juggler"s dead tissue in it away, another was checking his heart rate, and a third entered. "The artificial blood is ready, how much will he need?" She asked. The doctor immediately turned to her. "At least five gallons. Blood lost could"ve been the reason why his heart stopped." She nodded and left. The doctor sighed from exhaustion as a nurse wheeled the injured alien fugitive away. The doctor left the room once he was finished. Juggler was now resting in another room with an air mask and a nurse giving him some artificially created blood by transfusion. Shibukawa and a VTL official walked up to him. "Well, how is he?" Shibukawa asked. The doctor sighed from exhaustion. "The surgery was a success. All remaining internal injuries should heal with time. I repaired the more serious damage, he is out of danger. He will need a few days to sleep it off. Otherwise, I can safely hand him over to you." He reported. Shibukawa sighed in relief, but the official"s expression didn"t change. "Tomorrow, put him back in the jacket and send him to us." He ordered. Both the doctor and Shibukawa turned sharply to him. "What?" Shibukawa asked. "You heard me. This prisoner is dangerous and needs to be contained." The official spoke. Shibukawa clenched his fist. "I am afraid I can"t allow that." The doctor spoke before Shibukawa could speak. The official looked at him. "Disobeying orders doctor?" He asked. The doctor stared him down, not backing away. "He just came out of major surgery, he"ll need tomorrow to rest. You can have him the next day." The doctor explained calmly. The official shrugged. "Very well, but you will have to strap him down in the meantime." He ordered while turning away. Shibukawa waited till he was out of earshot before turning to the doctor. "Thanks doc, I owe you one." He spoke. The doctor shook his head. "No need to thank me, that man, whether or not he is human, is still my patient. I"ll be damned if I let anything happen to him." He explained while walking away. "Hey doc, about his mental health..." Shibukawa called after him. "I"m afraid that there is nothing I can do until he wakes up, and by then he will be in your hands." The doctor replied without looking back. Shibukawa clenched his teeth than glanced back at Juggler"s room. AN: Wow, that didn"t take as long as I thought. I plan on posting another chapter in a month. What did you guys think about the surgery part? It took me a few weeks cause I needed to look somethings up. I"m no doctor. ;} I apologize if I made any mistakes during surgery... that sounded scary just now. :P I left out a lot of details because I didn"t want anyone to throw up reading this. 3 BTW, I"m considering making my chapters as long as this one, which is 6 pages and my other stories are 3-4 pages long. Can you guys let me know if I should have 6 pages be the limit to all of my chapters in my future stories. Trust me, I have a lot of good stories coming up. Please review! Post Episode 25 AN: I read a fanfic about a drunk Juggler, I liked the idea so much that I decided to incorporate it in this one-shot at length. It will be a little longer than the last one, let me know what you think. I hope you guys enjoy it! ;) Review! "Another round." Juggler spoke, placing a glass on the counter. The owner of the Black Star cafe looked at him. "That was the fifth one, you sure you can handle it." He asked. Juggler looked up at him. "Just get me another one." He slurred. Owner sighed and prepared another coffee that was mixed with a heavy dose of alcohol. "It has been a week since that big battle, how are your injuries?" He asked. Juggler didn"t reply, he simply just laid his head on the counter and groaned. Owner sighed as he set the coffee in front of the former criminal. Juggler didn"t take it immediately, making Owner wonder if he fell asleep. Then an arm snaked its way to the cup and Juggler groggily lifted his head to down it all in one go. Owner whistled. "Boy, you"re a mess. What the heck happened during that battle?" He asked. "Another round." Juggler spoke, slamming the cup down, his head close to the counter. Owner sighed and increased the dose of the next cup. Gai walked into the Black Star Cafe. Owner glanced at him. Gai raised his voice, but Owner simply pointed towards the end of the counter, where Juggler was unconscious. Gai muttered a quick thanks and went towards his friend. Juggler was haunches over the counter, his hand holding a cup of what looked like ale. Gai glanced at the owner, who shrugged. "He wouldn"t stop drinking my coffee, so I put some good ale in it, and after that didn"t work, I just gave him the ale. You have to hand it to the Zettons, they may be a cruel race but they sure do know how to make good alcohol." He explained while cleaning a cup. "Kid passed out after drinking 10 rounds, and that was after 3 rounds of really strong black coffee and then 5 rounds of mixed coffee and ale. You have to give him credit, a normal man, human or alien, would"ve passed out from the first round of pure ale." Gai shook his head then pried the half-empty cup out of Juggler"s hand. Owner placed a piece of paper beside the two. "You can pay Juggler"s tab later, just get the poor sod out of here." He spoke, cleaning another glass. Gai quickly thanked him and pulled Juggler"s unconscious body onto his shoulder, holding his friend by his arm, and left the alien Cafe, half carrying half dragging his friend. Juggler never stirred. Gai knocked three times on the SSP headquarters. "Coming!" Came Naomi"s muffled shout. Something crashed from within. Gai sighed, as a series of crashes and complaints made their way to him. On his shoulder, Juggler moaned, causing the disguised Ultra to look at him. Juggler showed no signs of stirring, but he was whimpering and moaning in his sleep. The door opened just as Juggler fell silent. "Yes, hel- G-g-gai-Sa-a-a-n!" Naomi shouted with surprise as Gai hastily enters. Jetta and Shin looked up from computers to see what the commotion was about and had to move as Gai dragged Juggler in. Jetta quickly removed some papers from the couch and motioned for Gai to place the incapacitated Juggler down. "What happened?" "Isn"t this the alien that attacked us then help Orb against Maga no Orochi?" "Why is he here?" "We should call VTL..." "Boys!" Naomi finally shushed the two"s constant questioning. She then turned to Gai, who draped a blanket over his unconscious friend. "What happened?" She demanded. Gai took a seat beside Juggler and started explaining. "The Black Star cafe reopened?!" "Cap, can we visit some-" "AHEM!" Naomi shushed her two comrades who were thinking about the other worldly coffee. She then glanced at the unconscious Juggler. "Ne, Cap, what should we do?" Jetta asked as he too looked at the alien. Shin stepped in front of them and observed him. "If he is like this because he is s=drunk, then the best thing to do is to call an expert on this sort of thing. Question is, who to call?" "No, the question is, who do we call that we can trust a drunk alien to?" Jetta exploded. Naomi sighed. "Well... I think we should call my uncle." She finally spoke. Her three friends stared at her as if she grew another head. Jetta and Shin paused in their fight with wide eyes and mouths, while Gai simply had a wide eyed questioning look. "What? He is very knowledgeable about hangovers and stuff like that. He is incharge of several VTL personnel." She shrugged. The three glanced at each other, hoping it was a good idea to call a VTL officer, even if he was the boss"s idiotic uncle. 1⁄2 an hour later..... Shibukawa stood above the still unconscious Juggler. His brow furrowed and wearing an obvious frown, he thought for several minutes, causing the three members of SSP and Gai to worry. "How long has he been asleep like this?" He finally asked. Gai walked up to him. "Owner said he passed out an hour before I arrived, it has been about an hour since then." Gai explained. The VTL official finally shrugged. "Well, might as well let him sleep it off. If he"s still like this by tomorrow then call me again." He spoke, much to the surprise of Naomi and Jetta. "Eh? That"s it?" Jetta asked in surprise. Shibukawa nodded. "I have no idea how effective that Zettonian Ale is," He nodded at Gai. "So it is probably healthier to leave him be. If he"s still out cold, then I will initiate my Super Secret Hangover Recovery Plan." He proudly declared. Naomi"s eyes widened and her mouth dropped. "Uncle, is this really ok?" She asked. Shin leaned towards her. "Uh, Cap what is this Super Secret Hangover Recovery Plan?" He asked. Naomi turned to him as Shibukawa started explaining that his superiors let Juggler off the hook since he helped beat the final monster. "You do not want to know." She told him simply, causing an eavesdropping Gai to worry about his friend. "By the way Gai." The traveler turned. "Could you take me to this Cafe?" Shibukawa asked. Naomi looked at her uncle "Are you going to arrest owner?" She asked worriedly. He uncle shook his head. "Nope, that place doesn"t seem to be doing anything illegal, I just want to try exquisite alien beverages, maybe even that Zettonian ale, my shift did end an hour ago." He laughed, making everyone"s sweat drop. The Next Day.... Juggler woke to ice cold water being splashed all over him. He sat up instantly from the shock, only to turn to his side and throw up in a bucket. The world was spinning all around him and his head felt like it is about to burst. His stomach was obviously not that much better either. "Bullseye." "Wow, he really did go for the bucket." Voices spoke. Juggler ignored them and lied down back down, hoping to clear his head, only to be slashed by water again. He sat up again, but with a wave of drowsiness he collapsed forward. He was splashed for a third time. That done it. "For the love of- I"m awake! I"m awake!" He grumbled loudly, he didn"t have the energy to yell, as he hurriedly tried to stand. Five blurred figures surrounded him, then ten, then fifteen, then thirty, then... Someone caught him before he collapsed again. "Uncle, isn"t this a little cruel." An all too familiar voice spoke. Juggler"s vision cleared as he hind his head. He was at the SSP headquarters, in their garage, Gai was the one holding him up. "Relax, there is nothing that can wake your senses up better than ice cold water. I was tempted to use a certain large water sample from a couple months back though." The VTL officer spoke. Juggler glared at him, only to bend over, throwing up in another bucket. "Ah! He hit it again." "Of course he did, Shibukawa moved it." "Eh?" The noisy humans continued talking. Juggler rubbed his head and almost collapsed again, but he remembered the water and stayed upright. The VTL waved his arms. "Alright, let"s take him inside before he collapses on the pavement. Someone grab the bucket." He led everyone in. Juggler was dragged in by Gai, much to his annoyance. "Why do I have to carry the bucket." One of the human boys-was his name Jetta?-asked as they walked in. Juggler was immediately dragged to the couch, where he collapsed to his side. Then the Uncle began spraying ice cold water on him. He groggily sat up and glared at the man. The VTL officer smirked at him. "Next time be careful what you drink." He spoke jokingly as put the spray bottle down. A boy with glasses nearly ran into him and sat down beside him on the couch. "Suge! I never thought I would run into a drunk alien!" He took out a notepad and pen. "How many drinks did you have? What kind of alcohol was it? From earth or another world? How do you feel right now? Why did you drink so much? Ho- Cap!" Natsumi at this time grabbed Shin by the ear and dragged him away from an annoyed Juggler. The girl"s uncle nodded in approval then began sizing him up. What the heck, Juggler was feeling ill, he probably looked terrible, and all he wanted was to go back to sleep but couldn"t with the threat of cold water being splashed on him... again. The VTL officer walked up to him. "Now that you"re awake, I have a very important question to ask you." Everyone glanced at him. From his expression alone, everyone could tell that whatever he wanted to know was deeply important and beyond serious to him. "Who is Ultraman Orb?" Everyone collapsed. Juggler glanced at Gai and said nothing. "Uncle, is now really the time to ask him that?" Naomi asked. Everyone stared at her uncle with questioning faces, causing him to sweat bullets. "H-hey now, information gathering is my job, we"ve been trying to find Orb-san for months. Besides, I will get a really big promotion and an even bigger promotion if I found him." He quickly waved his hands in a defensive manner. Everyone sighed when suddenly, Shibukawa straightened up and got serious this time. "Now then," everyone except Juggler looked up at him. "How are your injuries, alien?" Juggler looked up and glared at the human. "The last time you were hit by Orb"s Supreme Caliber, you had to have a large scale operation. It"s hard to believe you got out of it unscathed now." The human explained. The other humans looked at him, causing him to turn away. Now that he thought of it, he didn"t really feel any pain right now. Gai suddenly grabbed him by his shirt. "What... are you...." Juggler slurred tiredly as Gai forced his shirt off of him exposing his bandages. His entire chest and stomach were covered, and a large purple bruise was evidently clear on the back of his left shoulder, half hidden in his bandages. Naomi, gasped and turned away, clearing worrying about something else that wasn"t important, while the two idiots leaned in to get a closer look, only to get smacked on the back of the head by shibukawa. "Quit that! Let him have his space!" He rebuked them. The two leaned back, Both rubbing their heads as they looked at the VTL officer. Juggler gave a small smirk in amusement. "As for you," Shibukawa turned to him. "Just what were you thinking, drinking while you were injured?" He asked with his hands his hips. Juggler frowned and stared at him, clearly not liking this. Shibukawa just shook his head and turned to Gai. "Help me get him in the car, my Super Secret Hangover Recovery Plan doesn"t normally do any harm, even with injuries, unless he is sick and I highly doubt that. Anyway, we better get him to HQ for a check up." The VTL officer explained. Gai nodded and grabbed for Juggler, who collapsed back onto the couch. Shibukawa sprayed him again, and he sat up straight, only throw up in the bucket again. "Looks like we have to take the bucket." Shin commented. "Shouldn"t we clean it out first or replace?" Jetta asked. "Not unless you want to be the one who does it." Shibukawa cut in before they started a long discussion on the bucket. 2 hours later Juggler was worse after the car ride. Shibukawa said it was normal with any hangover. The former criminal wasn"t sure whether or not to believe him. He threw up again, this time it was out the window as the bucket had to be dumped. "How does he still have stuff to purge?" Jetta asked, to no one in particular. Shin didn"t feel like answering that, as he was starting to feel sick watching Juggler. Gai had to help Juggler out of the car, practically dragging him through the door. Juggler was ready to collapse again, but the VTL officer kept spraying him with that cursed bottle of water. It wasn"t ice cold any more, but it was still cold, and extremely annoying. He wanted so badly to harm the stupid human that kept spraying him, but his mind fogged up and before he knew it he was sitting down in a room with Gai holding him up. His head started spinning again, and now he really wanted to lay down but couldn"t move. He felt sick again, he only needed to bend forwards to throw up a bit more in the bucket. For once today, he was grateful for the humans giving him the stupid thing. After a while, a doctor came in and escorted the group to another room. Gai once again had to drag Juggler in order to get him to the intended designation. Juggler felt like purging again when he was made to sit down again. He looked up after the room wasn"t spinning so much. The doctor looked familiar... where did he see him before?

The Amarcian inventor spent the night in one of the inns in town with Fourier and Poisson. When Sophie came knocking, Pascal blearily opened the door, only to shoot to attention at the sight of the girl. When Sophie explained her problem, she quickly ushered her in. Now, she stared intensely at the brooch, holding it this way and that. "Pascal?" Sophie asked after a while. Pascal had been standing still for close to two minutes- far longer than usual. The Amarcian had a hand on her chin, her brows furrowed in intense scrutiny. She looked almost cool- if it wasn"t Pascal. "Hold on, Sophie," Pascal told her. "I"ve... almosttt got itttt-" Sophie waited. And then Pascal threw her hands up in the air and whirled around on the spot. With a look of defeat, she held the brooch out to Sophie. "Yeah, I"ve got nothing." Hesitantly, Sophie plucked the offending item from Pascal"s hands. "Nothing?" It was rare for secrets to escape the inventor"s notice, once she started looking. "Don"t get me wrong," Pascal replied. "I didn"t find anything because there was nothing to find." Sophie frowned. The brooch glimmered in the palm of her hand. "What do you mean?" "Exactly what I said!" Pascal flopped into a nearby chair, cradling her head with her hands. "It"s just cryas, Sophie. From the looks of it, it"s probably wind cryas- lacks the pazow of fire cryas and feels more woosh than anything. But even so, it"s not high quality- just run of the mill stuff you can find anywhere." "What about the way it was made?" Sophie asked. "Yeah, I"m sure it looks fancy and all," Pascal replied, "But I"ve seen jewelry shops that use cryas artes to manipulate the shape of cryas- it"s probably just something like that. Really well done, don"t get me wrong, but it"s nothing special." "So it could have been bought from anywhere?" Somehow, Sophie felt a pinch of disappointment. The Amarcian paused. "I wouldn"t say that." She offered the girl a comforting smile. "Most mined wind cryas comes from Lhant. And sopherias only tend to grow around Lhant because of the eleth gathering around Lhant Hill. Chances are-" "Someone from Lhant made this?" "Yup!" Pascal agreed. "So, on the bright side, you"ll probably find whoever made it if you searched the stores. Whoever made this wasn"t an amateur- there"s a whole lot of effort spent into doing the twiney windy bits. You"re probably looking for some sort of master craftsman, if I had to guess." Sophie smiled. "Thanks, Pascal." Pascal grinned back. "What are friends for, am I right?" What indeed. Later, Sophie paused at the inn"s steps, leaning against the closed door. The person who gave her the brooch- they must be a friend of hers, surely. But her friends" presents had been accounted for, and the giver of the brooch still remained a mystery. Yet, if they were friends- why was it that they left no clue of who they were? The thought puzzled her. She spent the afternoon searching the shops in Lhant. The shopkeepers were always happy to showcase their best pieces to Lord Asbel"s daughter. There were many cryas jewelry pieces on sale, all beautifully crafted. Still, none matched the brooch she now wore on her collar- either in design or radiance. As the sun rose into the sky, her stomach began to growl. Sophie stopped for lunch in the town square. After buying a sandwich from the baker"s, she found a shaded corner to eat. Despite the energy and commotion about her, however, her thoughts drifted back to her quest- and how increasingly futile it seemed to be. She had already exhausted her search options, and she wasn"t keen to make the journey to the next town over to search their jewelry stores. "Gald for your thoughts?" A voice rang out behind her. She nearly dropped her sandwich. Two hands steadied her, and Asbel"s kind eyes peered down at her, a mirthful smile on his face. "You must have been really distracted." He chuckled, and Sophie pouted in return. "I was just... thinking about the brooch," she mumbled, before taking another bite into her lunch. "No luck?" her father asked. He sat down on the bench next to her, eyes attentive. She shook her head. "Pascal said that whoever made it might be a local," she answered, "but none of the shops sold anything close to it." She finished up her sandwich and sighed, tilting back as she let her thoughts settle. "Hey Asbel?" she asked. "Why didn"t they write their name?" Her father shrugged, a helpless smile on his face. "I don"t know," he admitted. But catching her expression drop, he continued, "I"m sure they must have their reasons." "What kind of reasons?" "What kind-" Asbel frowned. "I guess... maybe it"d be troublesome if you knew who they were?" "Why would it be troublesome?" Sophie asked heatedly. "If they gave me a gift, aren"t we... friends?" "Not necessarily." Her father"s words were soft. "Sometimes people give gifts as an apology. Or because they can"t say the things they want to say in person." He flashed her a self-deprecating grin. "I know I have." Sophie frowned. "But if I don"t know who they were, I won"t even know what they"re apologizing for." Asbel shrugged. "Yeah, you got me there." He scratched his nose, head tilted towards the sky. "Maybe- maybe it doesn"t matter to them. As long as you receive their feelings. As long as you know." "As long as I know?" Sophie frowned. Pulling the brooch out from her pocket, she wondered. "That"s... selfish of them," she said at last. "Very," Asbel agreed. "But... I don"t think whoever made this is a selfish person." There was an unsaid question written clearly across her father"s face. Sophie shrugged helplessly. Lifting the brooch to her father, she said, "I don"t think a selfish person would be able to make something so beautiful." Asbel"s confusion gave way to a soft smile. "No," he agreed. Picking up the brooch, he pinned it to her shirt collar, a look of pride on his face. "I don"t think a selfish person would be able to send something so genuine, either." "Genuine?" Sophie blinked, surprised. "I- don"t know." Asbel laughed. "It"s just... it looks really clear, and real, you know? Most of the cryas jewelry I"ve seen look... duller than this. But it"s like someone just plucked this cryas, fully formed, from wherever it was growing." "Like the cryas itself was alive?" A sudden thought crept into Sophie"s mind, a nagging sensation that suddenly bloomed into an idea. After all, he hadn"t given her a present- or so she thought. "Sophie?" Catching the look on her face, her father now watched her with concern. "What is it?" Sophie bit her lip. "Has- has Lambda been acting strange these past few days?" Asbel"s frown deepened. "I"m not sure if it counts as strange," her father answered at last, "but the guards reported that he"s been wandering around the river the past few weeks, and only comes back before dinner. They say he"s drenched each time he returns." The river, where fragmented cryas shards were washed away from the mining; where children collected them for their lucky eleth charms. They were usually too small to be of any use for any human- but Lambda was no human, now, was he? There was a strange knot in her gut, a stiffness in her limbs. But still she pushed herself off the bench, the answer clear in her mind"s eye. Even if it was Lambda, it must have taken time and effort to have created something so beautiful out of cryas shards. Something he created- for her. "Sophie?" Asbel asked once more, rising as she stood. "I- I have to go," she said. She saw the worry in Asbel"s eyes as she kissed his cheek- he knew something was up. "What do you plan to do?" His question was soft, concerned. She bit her lip. That was the question, wasn"t it? The brooch glinted softly in the dappled light, the eleth underneath its surface singing warmly to her senses. And Sophie answered, "I"m going to thank him." Chapter 3 There was a tree on top of a hill by the roadside, slightly out of Lhant. Many travelers passed it by, but few would have paid it any attention. It was a normal sight on a normal day, a shady spot where tired travelers could rest. It was there that Sophie found Lambda. He sat with his legs stretched out on the grass, his head propped by his hands as he leaned against the bark. His gaze scanned the distance, where cows ambled in the green pastures below. There was no expression on Lambda"s face- he could have been bored, or he could have been plotting her demise, for all she knew. Watching him, Sophie hesitated. The sopheria brooch, pinned to her shirt collar, felt unusually heavy. But at the same time... the hands that had crafted her gift so delicately might have been his. He didn"t react to her presence. He could sense her, just as she could sense him. It was like a pulse, deep in her subconscious. A constant reminder of what had happened between them. Too often, that reminder kept her at a distance. But now, here she was. "Are you not uncomfortable? Standing there?" His voice was soft, carried to her by the wind. She ducked her head slightly. Her cheeks felt warm. "May I... sit?" His eyes met hers, and she resisted the urge to glance away. His brow furrowed, an unspoken question written on his face. She tensed, wondering if he would chase her away. Then his gaze rested on the brooch, and a flicker of unease crossed his face. If he were anybody else, Sophie would have thought he was nervous. "What brings you here?" he asked at last. "Surely Protos Heis would not have sought me out without reason." "I-I wanted to thank you." The words felt heavy, and unusual to be directed towards Lambda. But it was the right thing to do; to say. Lambda snorted. "Whatever for?" he asked brusquely. "For the present." Tentatively, her hand brushed the brooch. He stiffened. Then, he narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think that I-?" "You were the only one who could have made it," Sophie pointed out. Taking his silence as acknowledgement, she awkwardly sat beside him. Up close, she could make out the slight reddening of his cheeks and the tight tension in his body. "You borrowed Asbel"s book to study sopherias, and collected cryas shards from the pool. And then you wove the eleth together to form the brooch with artes." She lowered her head. "It had to have been you- almost nobody else can manipulate eleth to such a degree. The brooches I saw in town pale in comparison to this." He turned away, fingers playing with his sleeves. "The only thing that threw me off was the name." She tried to smile. "It was addressed to "Sophie"." "It is your name." Lambda"s face was pensive for a moment. Finally, he shrugged. "Addressing it to Protos Heis would have given it away." His demeanor was nonchalant, but his gaze was fixed straight ahead. "I... didn"t expect you to give me a present," she admitted. Lambda didn"t immediately reply. He plucked a blade of grass and slowly twirled it with his fingers, brows furrowed into a frown. "I... wanted to." She studied her companion. "Why?" He glanced at her. "Asbel said- you give someone a birthday present to show them your gratitude for their continued existence." "That doesn"t sound right," she murmured. "No," Lambda admitted. "I paraphrased." He grinned- then he caught himself. Self-consciously, his hand rested on the nape of his neck. Sophie bit her lip. "Why the secrecy?" she asked at last. He snorted. There was a strained smirk on his face. "I did not think you would find it welcome- to receive a gift from me." She studied her companion; noted the way he refused to look at her, how he always diverted his gaze. She had always assumed that he distrusted her- but now the reason for his awkwardness seemed so clear. Hesitantly, impulsively, she reached for his hand, taking it in her own. His skin was cold, his fingers pale and slender- fragile, easily broken. But for the first time, holding his hand made Lambda feel real. As if he wasn"t a shadow in the periphery of her vision, slipping out of sight the moment she noticed he was there. "Protos Heis...?" He glanced at her, surprise in his eyes. When she smiled, it came easier this time. "It made me happy," she said. "When I touched the brooch, I thought I could feel what its maker must have thought." Lambda hesitated. Then, he asked, "What did you feel?" "I felt your dedication," she said. "I felt your kindness." His fingers were human; delicate. Not like the clawed daggers she remembered. These were the hands that had fashioned the brooch, that had sifted through cryas shards for days. "I thought- whoever made this... cared about me. Wanted me to treasure his feelings." Her companion stared at her, eyes wide and jaw slack. He didn"t look like her shadowy nemesis at all. Just a very unusual boy. She beamed. "Thank you, Lambda." He had gone a beet red. His eyes darted haphazardly, trying not to focus on her. But gone was the sense of disconnect she got when she looked at him. Instead, laughter bubbled up from her lips as she watched him. "Don"t- laugh at me." It might have been a threat, but it came out as a bashful mutter. "I"m sorry," she managed. "You"re not." He huffed, but he did not pull his hand away. It had settled comfortably into hers, resting easy with their fingers interlaced. He hesitated and studied her for a moment, before he muttered, "It looks good on you." Sophie smiled. "I"ll get you something for your birthday, too." "You don"t need to." Lambda snorted. Catching the confusion on her face, he explained, "I don"t have a birthday. I told Asbel it was unnecessary." "That"s not true!" She was surprised at the forcefulness in her voice. Judging from the surprise in his eyes, he was too. She continued, "If you don"t have a birthday, how would anyone ever give you a present?" "I don"t need presents." There was a quiet solitude in his voice. And remembering what he had said, she felt a whisper in her heart. She squeezed his hand. "Tomorrow." "What?" "Your birthday." She met his gaze. "It"s tomorrow." "Protos Heis-" "Everyone"s still around," she said. "There"s still plenty of food. We could throw a celebration easily." He was about to protest, and she fixed him with a look. "Please, Lambda." He hesitated, like he always did. But instead of turning away, she smiled. She gave his hand a little pat as she stood. "Alright then." He yelped, "Protos Heis, wait-" But she had already skipped off, running as fast as her feet would carry her. She would have to tell Asbel and Cheria, and the cooks and the staff and anyone else who was still around. But she was determined that Lambda would have a birthday- that it would be just as joyful as her own. The brooch on her collar felt light and warm to her touch. Chapter 4 The next day, Sophie decided to check up on Lambda before breakfast. She found him halfway out of an open window. She stared at him. He glared back, half-ready to drop himself out into the foliage below. They maintained that tableau for a minute or two, before Lambda let out a sigh. Drawing himself up, he slipped back into the room, a look of disdain on his face as if everything was going according to plan. "I wasn"t going to run," he groused. "I was simply going for a morning walk." "What about the door?" "I am unused to human custom," he answered easily. "Such as doors- and birthdays." With a sigh, Sophie shook her head. She eyed him reproachfully. "Your hair"s a mess." He huffed and folded his arms. "It"s natural." "Oh- just stay still." She picked the comb up from his dresser and moved towards him. He balked and opened his mouth to protest, but she shot him a glare. With a heavy sigh, he acquiesced and dipped his head. Still, there was no disguising the grumpy look on his face. "This is a waste of time," he muttered. Sophie frowned as she ran the comb through his hair. "It won"t be that bad, I promise." "How would you know?" Lambda shifted his weight, a flash of unease passing across his eyes. "People love you, whereas I-" Sophie let out a breath. "You saved the world too, you know," she murmured. "There are many who are... what was it? Grateful for your continued existence?" He managed a small grin at that. She set down the comb when she was done. Lambda ran his fingers through his hair, furtively glancing at the mirror. She had parted his fringe aside, revealing more of his face, and he seemed conflicted whether he should destroy her handiwork or not. She couldn"t suppress a giggle at the sight. He blanched. "I look ridiculous." "You look fine." She held out a hand. "Come on. Everyone"s waiting." He gave one last glance at the window behind him. Then, with a sigh, he studied her. "Would you chase me if I fled?" "I won"t," Sophie promised. "But you wouldn"t flee, right?" The surprise in his eyes slowly changed to a smile. With a low chuckle, he shook his head and took her hand, before trying to put on his best glare. But somehow, her old nemesis didn"t look as menacing as she remembered. She smiled as she clasped his slender fingers loosely with her own. Lambda"s birthday was not as loud and crowded as hers. Most of the international guests had already left, but their friends were still in Lhant. Surprisingly, many of the local towns folk turned up as well- they had seen and heard of Lambda, and came out of goodwill and curiosity. Soon, the standoffish boy was piled with all manner of presents- from little gift-wrapped boxes of sweets to daggers. He even had a cow named after him (the farmers had apparently noticed how Lambda spent much of his time watching the cows graze). At first, Lambda seemed close to panicking with all the commotion, but he calmed when she rested a hand on his arm. Eventually, he began to open up on his own. He didn"t stray far from the people he knew, but slowly, he started to engage more and more with the people around him. Sophie was surprised he managed not to anger anybody- he was courteous; bashful even. He seemed like a different person entirely- if not for the occasional smirks she caught on his face and the odd snide remark that slipped out. Eventually, the party wound down and the guests streamed away. She found Lambda reclining on the bench in the garden, an arm draped over his head. He was the picture of exhaustion, but there was a ghost of a smile on his face. "Never again," he muttered. "What about next year?" she asked. He groaned. "Is this your idea of revenge, Protos Heis?" "Maybe." She giggled and sat down by his side. "But you enjoyed it." "I most certainly did not." He pulled himself up and folded his arms, looking every bit the grump. But catching her eye, his face softened. "I"ve... never received so many presents in my life. I did not expect it." "How does it feel?" she asked. "Strange." He let out a throaty laugh. "I feel- buoyant, warm. Like there"s a light, inside of me." "Happy." Sophie smiled. Lambda stilled, as if the wind had been knocked out of his body. Then he dipped his head, his eyes hidden behind his messy bangs. "Perhaps," he whispered softly. Now was as good a time as any. Sophie pulled out a soft package, tied with a small ribbon, from behind her. Shyly, she reached forward and picked up one of Lambda"s hands. As he lifted his head to watch her, she deliberately placed the bundle in his palm, even if she was too scared to meet his eyes. "Happy birthday, Lambda." Wordlessly, his fingers closed over the package. He stared at it, his face twisted in an expression she had never seen before. Reverently, he whispered, "May I...?" She nodded, and with delicate precision, he pulled at the ribbon. The package unfolded, revealing a handkerchief of pale blue with his name emblazoned on it in thread. A pattern of flowers lined its edge. It had taken her all night to finish it, and it was nowhere near masterful. But still, the calmness of Lambda"s face sent a ripple of disappointment through her. "I- I know you don"t really need one-" Sophie began. "And I know it looks bad-" "It"s beautiful." When Lambda turned to her, there was a softness in his eyes, a kindness in his smile. Gone was the quiet pain so often present in his eyes, replaced with a warmth that was out of place, but sorely welcome. It quelled her words, and sent shivers down her arms. This was the person who had sent her the brooch. "Thank you, Sophie." Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself gaping at him. "You used my name." Lambda"s eyes widened. "Th-that"s-" he began, only to flounder. Finally, he muttered, "I-it is your name." "You never call me that." Her smile grew. "It sounds nice." "W-why does that even matter?" He straightened his back and tried his best to glare at her, but his cheeks were flushed as red as the sunset behind him. "You"re right, it doesn"t." She giggled, and Lambda made a flustered little noise before burying his head in his hands. "This is your revenge," he mumbled. "You started it," she said with a smile. "I did not." "You did," she insisted. "You gave me this." Her fingers flew to the brooch on her collar. At that, Lambda was speechless. His face was twisted in indignation, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out was a helpless little chuckle. Mildly, she thought: she actually liked this Lambda. With a shake of his head, Lambda held up a hand in defeat. He fell back against the bench, a contented smile on his face. It changed into a small smirk as he added, "I"ll get my revenge next year." "I"ll get you a better present too," Sophie returned. "That"s not what I meant!" he blustered. And Sophie laughed as she tugged Lambda back home. End

Gena chuckled. "Marno always knew him best," she said softly. "It made me sad sometimes, thinking that there was someone else who knew my boy better than I did. But he always kept him out of trouble- even if he was a bit odd sometimes." "You mean Marno?" The old woman shook her head. "Sagi. He used to climb up the Belltower for no reason, and his only friend was a mechanical puppet he dug up as a kid. Between Marno and Guillo, I was always worried whether he would ever be alright." She sighed. "A mother"s job is to always worry, I suppose." "So... you don"t know anything about where he is, then." Gena smiled amusedly. "Not one for listening to old people"s stories, are you?" "I"d like to get this Guardian Spirit back to his proper owner- your son- before he drives me nuts, thanks." "Hey, I resent that!" "Does it look like I care?" Kalas glared at the air above him- while he knew Guardian Spirits dwelled within the hearts of their chosen, it just made him feel better imagining Marno as a nosy bird perched on his head. "Whatever. If nobody around here knows where he is, then I"ll have to go and find him myself." With a curt nod to the old lady, he made a move to leave the house. He managed to make it to the door when Gena"s voice caught his attention. "Wait, Kalas." He glanced back at the old woman, sitting alone in the shadows of the crackling fire. "Yeah?" "The last time I saw Sagi, almost a decade ago, he didn"t tell me much, but he did let one thing slip." She smiled sadly, her hands knitted on her lap. "I figure he probably didn"t want anyone to know about it, but he did mention the name of the man he said was helping them. I... know it sounds stupid of me to trust someone I barely even know with a secret like this, but something about you reminds me of my own Sagi. And you said that Marno is with you and, well..." Kalas was normally not one for patience. But he knew when a person was close to divulging an important secret, and he felt something akin to pity when he regarded Gena. She reminded him of Georg, a bit, with that same wistful smile that he held when he thought nobody was looking... The old woman took a deep breath as she reached a decision. "Calbren. The man was named Calbren." It was a quiet commute from the orphanage to the docks. Which was odd, because the spirit had been talking non-stop earlier that day. Not that Kalas was complaining, having found the one lead that he needed, but he had the distinct feeling that Marno was hiding something. He paused for a moment, watching the seagulls fly by as he waited for the ship to Mira to arrive. The wind was cool and gentle, with an unfamiliar tinge of salt that he had yet to grow accustomed to. He didn"t know why, but he had a feeling that it would be a while before he returned home again, and a sense of deja vu made him remember the sparkling lights of Mira that fateful day when he left his home to release Malpercio. Two different times, two different places, two different circumstances. Yet, the feeling, that longing sense of loneliness mixed with the thrill of adventure, remained constant. His nose tickled. For a moment, he wanted to call out to Daimon, to ask her how she felt about everything, only to remember that she wasn"t there any longer. Instead, there was another spirit, hiding in the depths of his heart, a stranger by any sense of the word, and yet for some reason, Kalas felt almost as though how he understood how Marno must have felt, being so suddenly alone in the wide open world. It was that nostalgia that prompted him to speak first. "Hey, Marno, you there?" "Hm?" The spirit roused from his reverie sleepily."Ah, yeah, why?" "Cat got your tongue?" Kalas smirked, plopping down on a nearby barrel (it wasn"t as though anyone claimed it anyways). "You"ve been quiet the whole time." "I just..." The spirit seemed to be struggling for words. "The last time I saw Gena, she wasn"t so... old." "People grow old all the time," he sighed. "Not like that! It"s like, she aged twenty years from when I saw her last and- and-" "And?" "I feel as though I should"ve known that," Marno admitted. "Actually, I feel as though I should"ve known a lot of things. Like, that lady- she was Sagi"s sister, I recognize her now, but back then, when we bumped into her, I didn"t. For some reason, there are some things that I just can"t seem to remember too well..." "Like where your spiriter ran off to?" Kalas remarked snidely. "It would help us a lot, you know." "Haha. Not funny, Kalas." "Wasn"t trying to be." Kalas shrugged, glaring at a curious merchant who was staring at him as he walked by. "Anyhoo, what now?" "I dunno. Lemme think on that for a bit." "You can"t seriously be expecting me to just sit around aimlessly while you think, can you?" "What else do you want me to do, then?" Kalas paused. "Gena mentioned something when we left. Calbren- he"s the Duke of Mira, and an old friend of mine. I figure it"s past time I dropped by and paid him a visit." "Calbren...?" "Name mean anything to you?" "No. Maybe. Sorta? Is he old?" "Probably," Kalas smirked. "Wears a whole lot of green too, kinda hard to miss. Sure you"ve never seen him before? Gena said that he helped your spiriter out somewhat." "I dunno. Vaguely? I remember an old man with a funny hat. Is that him?" Kalas shrugged, letting his eyes drift across the pier, taking in the noisy, everyday scene around him. "Everyone seems to wear funny hats nowadays. Can"t quite tell until you describe it out to me-" "Kalas?" "Hold that thought," he said, pushing himself off his unconventional seat. He shoved his way through the crowd until he found that glimpse of pink, bright and unmistakable, weaving through the crowds. He tried to yell out a name, but the noise was too loud. It took all his effort to grab hold of that familiar white-gloved hand before it slipped away once more. He was promptly thwacked by a wand in response. "Take that you- Oh my god, Kalas, are you alright?" He felt hands pulling him up from the ground- strange, he didn"t even know he had fallen. He blinked once or twice, trying to clear his vision, but his head, hurting from this morning, seriously felt as though the Whale itself was tapdancing on top of it. Could the Whale even tapdance? Man, that was a funny thought- There was a sharp sting on his cheek, and suddenly the world re-oriented itself, and Kalas found himself peering into a pair of worried, green eyes framed by blonde hair. "Nice greeting there, Xelha," he croaked out. "Do you hit and slap everyone you meet?" "Oh, you!" Xelha huffed, standing up. Imperiously, she offered him a hand, turning her head away to hide away that oh-so-cute blush on her cheeks. "What were you thinking, trying to sneak up on me like that?" "Well, I tried calling you, but you didn"t hear me," Kalas replied caustically, letting her pull him up (damn, his head hurt). Around him, the curious onlookers had dismissed their confrontation as a lover"s squabble and were already ambling back on their way. "Besides, shouldn"t that be my question? What are you doing here without your guards anyways?" The witch glanced around for a while, trying not to meet his eyes. "I- uh-" "Came here without telling anybody, didn"t you?" Kalas smirked- that sounded like something Xelha would do. Now that the world had turned their eyes to the newly-appeared continent of Wazn and their young Queen, it had been increasingly difficult for Xelha to find any time to herself, or so she had told him. Even more wearing on her spirit were the acrid remarks made about their relationship- a Queen and a weird guy like him were... an unconventional couple, to say the least. All too often, he had heard the nobility of Wazn saying that she should have found someone- anyone- apart from the guy who almost (key word here) destroyed the world. Never mind that he helped save it when he came to his senses... nobles were pretty single-minded like that, Xelha included. "I-it"s not wrong for me to visit my boyfriend without armed escorts, is it?" Xelha folded her arms, glaring at him as best as she could (which wasn"t much- Xelha was a person of compassion and serenity, not glares). "Besides, it"s not like you"d hurt me or anything. So... so..." "Barnette being the over-protective mother hen again, huh." Xelha winced slightly. "You could say that," she muttered mutedly. "Anyways, what are you doing here? I thought you"d be back at home, resting. You seemed pretty angry last night, after all." Kalas sighed. He had tried to keep his temper hidden when he left that party last night, but obviously it wasn"t hidden enough. "Water under the bridge. Don"t worry about it." "So why are you here then?" Xelha arched an eyebrow and gestured around- the docks, crowded as always, wasn"t exactly Kalas"s favourite place in the world, and she knew it too. And now that he had established the fact that she came here because she was worried about him, there was little chance of her not-mothering him until she was satisfied that he wasn"t about to do something stupid like charge off an awaken another evil god or somesuch to take revenge on everyone who ever slighted him- Not that he would, but it was still a possibility. And frankly, Kalas was tired of explanations, so, thankful that his girlfriend was a witch of incredible supernatural ability and not some ditz who wouldn"t believe him if he tried to explain what really happened, he explained the situation the best that he could: "Marno, say hi." "Hi!" ... I sincerely hope I"m not descrating canon too badly. Anyway, read and review and stuff. After much thought and consideration, I decided to give this story a little more plot than originally intended. Of course, now I"ll probably be poking the gray areas of canon, so please bear with me. Chapter 2 The journey to Mira progressed smoothly, or at least, as smoothly as Marno could figure. They had boarded a ship which looked like was being dragged by a shell-less snail, and was painted in bright hues and colours, which had then departed on the water only to enter a wormhole that was filled with bright neon swirling lights that would have dazzled and dazed anyone who looked at it. But Marno wasn"t really paying much attention to the sea-sick people throwing their lunch overboard or the random kids screaming about how awesome it was that they were travelling through another dimension. He was still a bit unnerved after recent events- waking up in the middle of nowhere without Sagi in sight, and now, travelling across what he could only describe as a giant pool of water with a strange kid that he shouldn"t have even be able to bond with. There was just way too many things that should not happen that were happening right now- like the fact that he had these huge blanks in his memory, and the fact that he was seperated from Sagi, and the fact that he was freaking bonded with someone else- and the guardian spirit (which he ended calling himself for lack of a better term- Malpercio just seemed wrong, somehow) was just thankful that this predicament would all soon be over. He would be back with Sagi, where he belonged, and they would spend the days doing... something and he could forget all of this ever happened. His memory wasn"t really good with recalling what they actually did the days after the defeat of Verius and Wiseman, he was starting to realize. There was something important that he was missing- it wasn"t so much as an intelligent hunch, but a deep, unsettling feeling that resonated within his presence- and after meeting Gena- Gena who was old, Gena who had somehow aged two decades in the few years since he last met her- that feeling only intensified. Marno really hoped this... excursion- adventure?- ended soon, and from the feelings of seething resentment that rolled off Kalas, he knew it wasn"t just him who felt that way. Now that his mind was more focused, questions that he hadn"t considered at the time started to bubble up. How was he even bonded with this kid? He was a portion of Malpercio that had been buried in Sagi"s body- he shouldn"t even be capable of leaving the malideiter, but somehow, it happened. Yet, on that night, something- some instinct, or a dark whisper- told him that he could bond with Kalas, just like he had bound with Sagi. And try as he might, he could not recall why, and that unsettled him. There were no bad side-effects so far, as much as Marno knew, but he couldn"t help but feel that something was drastically wrong. And he wasn"t too eager to see what happened if Kalas got too angry- while he doubted his influence as Malpercio could affect another like it had Sagi, he wasn"t quite sure whether his presence here, now, could somehow change Kalas- this random kid that he just met- into a rampaging umbra if he wasn"t too careful. All these thoughts and questions went rolling through Marno"s disembodied mind, and while he tried his best not to let it seep through his bond with the young spiriter, he could sense Kalas"s curiousity rising. It would only be a matter of time before the boy started asking questions- questions which Marno wasn"t sure he could convincingly answer without sounding like he was lying through his teeth. So when he saw the boy"s mouth open, he quickly cut in, "Is that the Ocean?" Kalas knew what he was doing, and he could see the irritation in the boy"s eyes, but thankfully for Marno, his travelling companion- the Ice Queen/witch/Xelha- didn"t seem to notice. She flashed a smile and replied, "Yes. Is this your first time sailing on it?" "Kinda." He was pretty sure that saying that saying he lived on a boat-village that floated on the Ocean when he was alive wasn"t the smartest thing to do at this point of time. But the last time he checked- which, with his weird memory lapses he wasn"t sure when that was- the land had been airborne, with nary a drop of the Ocean in sight. "When did it-?" "Last year." This time it was Kalas that answered, and there was something gruff in the boy"s voice that made it clear that it was a touchy subject. That didn"t stop the boy from smirking and sniping, "You really don"t remember anything, do you?" "T-that"s not true!" Marno huffed. If he had a corporeal form, he swore, he would have already punched the boy in the face. He wasn"t used to dealing with people who had such blatant disregard for him. Sagi had trusted him completely, and so did Guillo, and by extension, Milly as well. This boy was a complete opposite of everything Marno was used to during his time as a spirit advisor, and for once, he found himself feeling like a floundering fish on dry land. And because he was a being of ominscent power who had lived over a thousand years and had effectively the powers of a god, he hated every second of it. Pity Kalas didn"t know that, or when to quit. "Oh come on, isn"t it kinda hard to miss the ressurection of Malpercio?" Marno was pretty sure that it was meant as a light-hearted jibe, but it was more than enough to knock the wind out of Marno"s sails. Maybe it was the underlying, dark tone in Kalas"s voice, or that nervous look in Xelha"s eyes when the word was said. Or maybe it was because nobody ever joked about Malpercio. Ever. Except maybe him, but that was because, come on, he was Malpercio, so self-degrading humor was pretty much acceptable. But there was no way Kalas or Xelha knew that so- "Malpercio?" He was thankful that, for once, his nerves didn"t betray him as he asked the question. And judging from the couple"s lack of reaction, they didn"t notice anything strange from him either. "You seriously don"t remember a thing?" Kalas sighed glumly and leaned against the railing of the ship. "He came back, almost destroyed the world, and after he was defeated, the islands descended from the sky and the... Ocean came back. And stuff." "Oh." Sounded simple enough, for something that was obviously more dramatic than that. But then there were a thousand and one questions now buzzing through his head, and Marno wasn"t sure which ones were safe to ask and which ones were not. "Sounds tough," he finally said. An odd wave of emotions rolled over him then, emotions that left Marno feeling even more dazed than he already was, but before he could put a finger on what those emotions were, they were gone. But he could feel a flicker of familiarity in them, something that he was used to but couldn"t quite remember why. Something safe, but he had no idea why or how. These weren"t his emotions, he realized, these were Kalas"s. And for some reason, he couldn"t help but feel a little tinge of fear when he thought about it. A bitter voice cut through his introspection, and Kalas replied, "You have no idea." There was more to this boy than he had thought. Something involving Malpercio and the events that occured while he was apparently asleep. But Marno knew better than to poke at these things. Maybe I should ask Sagi, he thought. After all, something as big as Malpercio"s ressurection would have merited some sort of confusion or curiousity within his spiriter. But something told him that Sagi wouldn"t know the answer. Xelha yawned, shattering the tension of the moment. It was pretty informal behaviour for what Marno would expect from royalty, but Kalas seemed to treat it as a completely common occurence. "It"ll be a while before the ferry docks in Mira," he said teasingly, smirking at the witch. "You think you can stay awake till then?" "I"m sure I"ll manage," the blonde replied, snuggling into the boy"s sleeve. "Hey, don"t use me as a pillow. The last thing I need is for you to drool on my shirt." "I don"t drool," the witch retorted sleepily, her eyes closing as she clung tighter onto Kalas"s sleeve. "I"m a queen. It would be bad if anyone caught me... drooling..." "H-hey, Xelha!" Marno couldn"t help but chuckle at the sight. The boy simply glared at the empty air in defiance. "Alright, I won"t say anything. I promise." "Yeah, you better," Kalas snorted. There it was- the tough facade, but underneath that, Marno could feel a sense of contentment and affection radiating off him, the dark thoughts pushed away by the presence of the blonde witch at the boy"s side. A small smile danced across his face, and Marno was sure that, had he a face, he would"ve smiled as well. For a moment, Marno imagined that he could see Sagi and Milly"s figures superimposed over the young couple, holding each other close in the cool night air. He thought he could hear their whispered voices, the contented hearts that resonated with his, and he almost wished he could believe that that was reality, and he wasn"t on a ship with complete strangers who were spouting things that he just got more confused by. But the moment quickly passed as the ship exited the portal, revealing Mira in all her full glittering, lonely glory, the light from her sparkling crystalline form washing over the illusion, the ghostly images of Sagi and Milly dissipating like fine mist. Marno was suddenly left reminding himself of how much he missed his spiriter, even as his new charge shook the nearly-slumbering queen on his shoulder awake. Marno sighed inwardly, staring at Mira- where all his answers lay, and where, hopefully, Sagi was waiting for him to return. He pushed aside the worry for now, trying to convince himself that surely, surely, everything would be back to normal soon. A dark whisper in his soul told him otherwise. Marno watched on with incredulity as they disembarked the ship. While he had some inkling that he could have been in Mira before all this happened, the memories always drifted out of his grasp whenever he tried to search for them. Yet, he recalled the glimmering, crystalline lights; the whispering sound in the air of inter-dimensional spirits as they floated by, unseen. But the other things- a village made out entirely of confectionary, a path through a winding garden that made no sense, trees and flowers that vanished when you touched them- made him gape in silent awe. "Mira"s a place where the dimensions overlap," Xelha explained when he voiced his thoughts. "Things here don"t usually follow the rules of reality. It"s why many say that Guardian Spirits can only be found here." She nodded towards a nearby forest, split away from the path they had been following. Marno recalled it- the winding, bare trees, with red lights dangling from their branches. "This is the Shrine of Spirits, isn"t it? Nekton?" Kalas nodded. The boy had been awfully quiet so far, with dark moody thoughts clouding his mind as far as Marno could sense. Yet, at the sudden question, he suddenly perked up and seemed slightly more cheerful- if that was a word that could be used to describe Kalas. "That"s where you woke up, right?" "Yeah." He could sense Kalas"s curiousity. "Sorry. I still don"t remember anything unusual about my trip there." Kalas let out a chuckle, shaking his head. Marno could feel a sense of nostalgia, and a hint of regret stemming from his thoughts. "I"m sorry, did I say anything...?" "No, no," the boy reassured him. "It"s just... Daimon- my Guardian Spirit- said something similar when we came here last year." He scratched his head, outwardly presenting a figure of full confidence, but Marno hadn"t been Sagi"s Guardian for fifteen years for nothing. He could sense the inward regret. Something about it bothered him- and then another spark went off in his mind.

This wasn"t like the last time. There was no gray- this time the world had been ripped away from her and drenched red with his fury hammering in all of her senses. She whipped around, and where Asbel would have been, she could see the unmistakable, roiling mass of black and red that was her ancient nemesis, pinning her presence down with so much hate that all that was left was a strange, choking fear. "Liar." It was a single word, but the furor that accompanied it slammed her consciousness with so much force that it knocked the breath out of her. And in the midst of the swirling darkness, she could sense his murderous wrath- this was not the Lambda she spoke to but a few hours before; nor was he the one that mocked her attempts to protect those dearest to her in the Amarcian Enclave. The creature before her held the same rage as when he had possessed Richard and struck her down- when he wanted to kill her; wanted to make her hurt and pay. "Let me go," she whispered into the darkness. Some instinct told her that she had to get away, that this was a battle she couldn"t win. "So that you may return to the Little Queens?" the dark creature snarled. "Do you take me for a fool?" Her gaze shot up, staring into the depths of a chaotic, red vortex. She knew, somehow, that she had failed in some intrinsic way; that the consequences of that failure went far deeper than she understood. "Do not dismiss this as ignorance!" the vortex berated her, his voice so near it resounded in her ears. "You made your choice, and would do so again if given the chance!" She wanted to protest, but the words would not come. Despite her outward denials, she knew what Lambda meant, and she wanted nothing more than to run far away from his accusations. But she couldn"t deny that she had walked away from her friends, to the Little Queens" outstretched hands; couldn"t she pretend she wasn"t torn. The Little Queens" call was too strong, and it tugged at the part of her that wanted the pain to end, and she couldn"t fight it- "Liar!" Lambda"s voice plowed into her again. "Is that pitiable excuse all you have?" "It"s not-" Sophie began, when she could feel his fury tighten around her, drowning out her words. "The Protos Heis I knew would not resort to such pathetic lies," Lambda raged. "The Protos Heis I knew treasured her humans far more than she did her life! She would not have been lured away from her goal by false promises of eternal bliss! If she sought to protect something, she would have fought with all her existence!" This wasn"t a conversation- did Lambda want to destroy her mind, leave her incapable of acting if given a chance? For a moment, she felt terrified- had his power grown so strong that Asbel couldn"t sense what was going on? And more importantly, if he did attack her- if she fell like this, now- what would happen to everyone else around her? Her thoughts only enraged Lambda further. "How dare you!" His cry was a terrifying thunderclap ringing in her ears. "You threw away any right for such concerns the moment you chose!" Something within her snapped, and Sophie forced herself to shove aside the weight of his fury. She wasn"t going to let Lambda destroy everything she was- everything she had to be; everything she never wanted to be. "I didn"t choose!" she protested against the darkness that swirled all around her. "I never had a choice!" "You wretched fool!" His voice slammed into her, and she lost her footing, sent tumbling into the darkness all around. Sophie crouched low, hands clasped over her ears as she tried to block out the words of her oldest enemy. "If you truly cared for the humans as much as they did for you, it would never have mattered!" "Like you would know!" she yelled back. "You tried to destroy everything in this world!" "And are you so different?" Lambda roared back. "You chose the destruction of your own family for your own happiness!" "No!" she screamed; because she had to, because she didn"t want to admit to herself that- that- "Your family yet lives, yet you mourn them as if they were gone!" His presence pushed against her, a swirling monsoon of wrath that had consumed the entirety of the mindscape, and it took all her strength to hold him at bay. "The Little Queens were not the ones who traveled planets to save your life- nor were they the ones who raised you as one of their own, who fed you and fought alongside you! Yet you chose them over the people who stood by you in the face of their own deaths!" She shook her head, squeezed her eyes shut. Guilt pounded at her heart, fear tore at her lungs, and the unyielding sadness gripped her, drowning her in the futility of her struggle. But none of that mattered to Lambda. "Do you think you will find bliss with them?" he spat. "They, who cannot comprehend anything beyond their mere existence? Do you truly wish to be like them?" If it meant not feeling the pain that plagued her, she thought, she would have done anything- "Are you truly that weak, Protos Heis?!" It was Lambda who threw those words at her- but in them, she felt something else other than his unrelenting rage. And it was then that she realized what it was that hurt her so. Shame- shame for failing, for betraying everything that she was, for her own selfishness. Because she was no longer the girl she had been, no longer the person she thought she was. By falling to the Little Queens" calls, she had done something far worse to herself than anything Lambda could possibly do. And now, she had finally lost- not to the creature that attacked her now; but to her own, all-too-human heart. Her knees shook, but even so, she found it within her to stand. "Isn"t this what you wanted, Lambda?" she asked brokenly. Despite herself, she lifted her gaze, and her violet eyes fixed onto the two red ones that bored into her. His humanoid form was a ghost in front of her, unfettered anger swirling around him. He was the same as she remembered- his face still, his red eyes emotionless- forever the monster she had dedicated her life to fight; not at all the person who had saved those dearest to her. And in the darkness, she prepared herself to cross arms with the creature she knew so well- because at least when she fought him, she could regain some part of who she had been. "You think you can dismiss your wrongs by destroying me?" Lambda snarled, the shadow flaring from his fingertips as he eyed her. "No," she whispered softly. "But you wouldn"t understand." She saw his eyes widen at the words, felt his power tremble around her. And then before she could move, his anger focused, the power swirling around him tightened. With an anguished cry, he flung his hand out at her, the darkness about to swallow her whole. She closed her eyes, braced for impact- "Of course I understand!" His attack had slid past her, to the side, but neither one of them stirred. It was as if the world around them stilled, as if the air itself carried their collective shock- as if neither could believe exactly what Lambda had just said. Because his declaration wasn"t borne out of hate- there was still the fury, but beyond that there was something inherently un-Lambda. And in his words... in his words, she found only truth. She lifted her gaze to see his trembling, outstretched hand, grasping the air lightly as if he couldn"t quite believe what he had done. Slowly, her focus shifted to his face, and it felt as if she was staring at her own reflection. Lambda had lost Cornell, had shunned the world that caused him pain- had wanted to destroy it, to save himself from the sorrow that pressed in all around him, and in his despair, he had lost the person that he once was. Just like her. Sophie found herself staring at the vortex that, just a moment ago, seemed as if it wanted to rip her apart. But now the swirling mass had slowed, and Lambda"s face was twisted into a mix of shock and, as the words sank in, what she could only describe as sadness. He was breathing heavily, his body shaking- and he looked far more wretched than any man she had seen before. It was then that she realized that despite all he said, all he had threatened to do- Lambda wasn"t about to hurt her. For whatever reason he spoke to her, whatever emotion that drove him to torment her in such a manner- it wasn"t one that neither he nor she completely understood. He broke the silence first. "All you sought to do was to blind yourself to your pain." His voice was soft, and if anything he sounded... unfocused. Breaking eye contact, he grimaced, pulling back and hiding within the fog that surrounded him- that had always hidden who he was. "Lambda-" She hesitated, unsure of what to feel; what to say. They stayed like a silent tableau, neither willing to break the sudden calm that had descended between them. Around her, the mindscape calmed, no longer consumed by the cruel heart of her foe. And when Lambda spoke, it was more controlled- but his voice was no louder than a whisper. "Do you not see the people around you, Protos Heis? You know that were it a choice between their lives and yours- there would be no hesitation in their hearts." His words shattered any semblance of hostility that lingered. Because just a few hours before, Lambda had asked her what family was - and only now did it sink in of all she had almost lost. Family was Asbel, watching over her by the campfire when they travelled alone. Family was Cheria, who cooked her favourite foods and bathed with her and brushed her hair. Family was safety, warmth, love; acceptance. Family were the people who had cared for her, whom the Little Queens wanted nothing more than destroy. Family protected her, kept her safe, wanted nothing more than her own happiness. Family was with her all along. "Tell me- are you truly as wicked as I?" "Wicked?" She lifted her gaze to watch the shadow in front of her. The pulsating form before her revealed neither his form nor his face, but she could sense his confusion- and his sorrow- around her. "You know of the choices I made." Of course she did. Yet, despite everything he said, Sophie realized that if there was anyone who was wicked between the two of them now, it would be her. Because he was the one who chose to act when the light struck. He had expended his life force to shield not only his host, but her, and everyone else she cared about. Because she had failed to protect them; had put them in danger. And he had made the choice to save the people she had abandoned. There was a lump in her throat. But before she could do anything, he faded, bringing the darkness with him as he went. Suddenly, she was back in the airship, back with Asbel about to pose her a question. Yet before he could speak, the redhead winced. "Asbel?" Gone was the trepidation she felt at addressing her father. Now she stepped close to him, worried, her fingers prying at his hands. "I felt something-" Asbel muttered, but within a moment, his gaze flicked back over to her- paternal, concerned, his eyes clouded with a soft rage as he realized what had occurred; what he had failed to prevent. "Did he hurt you?" "No," she answered with a small shake of her head. And truthfully, Lambda hadn"t- if anything, it was the reverse. Even though she still had no answer to the pain that throbbed in her heart, it no longer felt as all-consuming as it did but a moment before. And for once, she didn"t want her nemesis to be blamed for something he didn"t do. "Lambda- Lambda didn"t want to harm me." "I see," Asbel watched her carefully; disbelievingly. But when she said nothing more, he glanced away and sighed. "I was worried that the Little Queens-" He hesitated, then continued, "whether what they said got to him too." Sophie frowned, barely concealing her surprise even as the realization clicked in her mind. They had called to him too. She bit her lip- all this time, he knew. His words, his warning, the way he could tell what the Little Queen meant to her- it only made sense if he heard the same things she did; felt the same pull she had. And despite his age-long hatred for humanity, despite who he was- he had protected them. She didn"t know why, didn"t know how he hadn"t acquiesced to the Little Queens- but it only drove his words deeper into her heart. He had every right to be furious, to have called her weak. "Sophie?" Asbel was surprised as she buried her head into his torso, trying to stem the odd sensation that had replaced the ache in her heart. Awkwardly, he pat her head, but she took comfort in his presence- in the fact that he was still here, still alive. "It"s okay," she mumbled into his jacket, clutching at the fabric that she knew so well, the person- the father and friend- that she had almost cast aside. She wasn"t sure whether she could resist the Little Queens like Lambda had; wasn"t sure whether she could protect her family like he had done. But Asbel and everyone else was still alive now. And she was done mourning for those that had yet to die. Sooo Author Note time.This story is only like 5 chapters+epilogue tops, and this was the chapter that made me write the whole fic to begin with. As such, there was a lot of effort put in to (hopefully) induce plenty of drama in this chapter. Part of me wishes that I had more chapters to give dramatic buildup and tension and draw more parallels between Lambda and Sophie and add more character development, but well, it felt as though that would have bogged down the story rather than helped it- especially since this is supposed to take place alongside the game so eh. Anyway, next chapter"s conversation is going to be the actual one from the game, so it"s definitely shorter than this and I hope that it transits seamlessly into one another without sounding like there"s an abrupt break. This particular chapter is based off the actual scene where Sophie talks to Lambda in Telos Astue before the party gallivants off to shut down Fodra"s core. Gallant "I want to help the people of Lhant live happier lives, even if just a little. And I want the same happiness for their children, and their grandchildren, and onward."- Asbel Sneaking into rooms uninvited was starting to become a bad habit of hers. Yet, as Sophie stepped lightly over the panels in the small room the men had claimed for their rest, she knew that things were different from that time, not-so-long ago, in the Amarcian inn. She was different. Back then, she would never had thought it possible that she would find somewhere else where she could belong; would never acknowledge the possibility of betraying her family. Back then, she believed that she would live forever, completely alone and completely in despair. But she wouldn"t, would she? She would always remember how it was but a few hours ago; the way the evening Fodran light cast an orange glow on Asbel as they had sat in the launch bay, the way he seemed quiet and pensive, and... hopeful. He wasn"t like her or the Little Queens, wasn"t powerful or immortal or even intelligent most of the time- but he had understood something important that they could never have, and the words he said had opened her eyes to the world she never knew she had; to the possibility of a purpose, a duty, that far outclassed any longing for ignorant bliss. Even now, she felt the light joy that beat through her body like butterflies. The people she loved- they would always remain with her, in her memories, in the dreams that they entrusted to her. And what better way to protect who they were than to honour their lives as they lived now, their hopes for the future, their dreams and their families that would come? And in their children, she would find companionship, other people whose lives would be just as precious and fleeting, other dreams that she would watch ignite and fulfilled within her lifetime. But the thought no longer provoked fear. If anything, it gave her a bittersweet happiness; and beyond that, relief. She would protect her friends and their legacies, and in that she found what she had been looking for all this time. The future, which had once seemed so dark and unwelcoming, suddenly seemed not as fearful as the Little Queens made it out to be. But in order for that future to take form, Sophie knew that she had to fight tomorrow- for all the lives that she swore she would protect; for all that the name Asbel gave her meant. She hoped for a peaceful resolution, but the Little Queens- Fodra herself- were fighting for the very same- a future where they could live their dreams; a life where they would find peace. She was so very much like the Little Queens. But unlike those women whom she had been borne from, she knew the potential for love that humanity was capable of; knew what lay beyond the ghostly existence of simply living, without pain, without sorrow. Knew, because she saw the brighter side of humanity just as much as she saw the darker heart of it, and lived only because of it. And there was someone else that was just like them; just like her- someone whom she would have to count on tomorrow to save not only her family, but all of their futures. Even now, it was far too easy to remember that the Lambda of old would have followed Fodra willingly if it meant an end to his pain. But the Lambda that slumbered now before her- that Asbel was willing to entrust with his body- he was... not the same. Every single one of her companions had chosen to put their faith in Lambda. Every single one of them had trusted the fact that he wouldn"t harm them; that he would return Asbel to them. For Sophie, it wasn"t easy- to put aside the feelings and knowledge of who he had been and believe he could be something else. But he was the one who warned her, who had tried to protect her, who had reminded her what was most important to her when she couldn"t see it herself. He never understood the world as she had, and yet he did- because he had always made the choice that she wouldn"t take, always fought her every step of the way. But now, they were united in a common goal; united by a common person. Asbel wanted her to trust Lambda. She finally understood why the creature had seemingly changed- because no doubt Asbel had tried to help him as he had helped her. It was because of that influence that he had reacted the way he had, when she threw everything that mattered to her away. And as she leaned over her father"s sleeping form and rested her fingertips on Asbel"s closed left eye, she was more afraid that Lambda wouldn"t trust her. Still, despite her reservations, he answered her unspoken call. The rest of the world faded into obscurity, until all she could sense was the mind of her nemesis. His guard was up, and she could feel his unease as he regarded her. After their last confrontation, she couldn"t blame her old foe. "Hello, Protos Heis." If anything, that was the nicest she had ever heard from Lambda. He sounded cautious, but gone was the hateful darkness that had so often shrouded him, nor the confusion that had disconcerted him before. He, too, had found his resolution- and Sophie could only choose to believe that it was the right one. Stymieing her trepidation, she focused on the reason she was here. "I have something important to tell you, Lambda." "Have you come to destroy me?" he rumbled darkly, his distrust flaring out and the familiar darkness pervading his words- reminding her who he was. As if she could ever forget. "If you destroy me, this man will be destroyed in turn." The threat was an old one- one that had first instigated her fear when Asbel protected Lambda, almost a year ago. If he still harbored thoughts of remaking the world by merging with the core, he had a much bigger prize now in Fodra, and Asbel was more than willing to hand him his body on a silver platter. But that was no longer the case, was it? Instead of the venom she heard back in the Amarcian Enclave, now all she heard was his trepidation. They both knew that the one definite way the mission tomorrow would fail was if Lambda was taken out of the picture; and given their last conversation- given what she had almost done, Sophie could understand why he would fear for his life. But now, she detected that his fear was for more than just himself. If she came to destroy him now, what would become of them- of Asbel and his companions? He was still uncertain of these feelings, these thoughts, but one thing was certain: if she came to fight- "No," Sophie replied, biting down on her lingering traces of guilt. "In fact, it"s the opposite." There was the scarcest hint of surprise in his voice when he responded. "What do you mean?" "I"m not going to fight you anymore." Despite everything she once thought; everything she once knew- the words came to her far easier than she expected. And though he would never admit it, she knew that Lambda had changed. "I"ve decided to trust you," she continued."I know that Asbel can be reckless sometimes. So take good care of him, okay?" He knew how difficult it was for her to come to him now- knew how difficult it must have been for her to say those words. And even then, she was willing to entrust her family- everything that she wished to protect- to him. Hesitantly, he acknowledged her trust- found himself unsure what to say to it; unsure when they had crossed the line between enemy and ally. Confused- as to what they were, how he should react.

"I am not! I"ll have you know that I"ve helped Sagi in battle plenty of times!" "Yeah yeah, whatever." Kalas was starting to feel a bit of pity towards this Sagi person. He wouldn"t be too surprised if the guy ditched the spirit on purpose. Not that he would say that out loud with the spirit listening, of course. "Anyway, where are we?" "The Celestial Alps," Kalas answered with a smirk. "Quiet place, not a lot of folk passing through, lots of monsters... Probably one of the better places if you wanna lie low." "Oh." There was a pause as the spirit tried to process the information. "How do you live then? Don"t tell me you hunt down the local wildlife and eat them- they looked plenty fierce when I saw them." "I could if I wanted to," Kalas muttered. "Really? How do they taste like-?" "I said I could, not that I did!" The urge to hit himself was rising again- though he doubted that a spirit so ditzy would even feel any pain if he did so. "There"s a place called Sheratan nearby. I go there to buy my supplies about once a week-" "Did you say Sheratan?" There was a sudden eagerness in the spirit"s voice, and Kalas was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of excitement and glee. "Yeah," he replied through grit teeth, mentally imagining all sorts of painful tortures towards the spirit. "Why?" Kalas was starting to regret asking that question. Somehow, he found himself in Sheratan, standing awkwardly in the center of the plaza as the locals gave him curious glances every now and then. Sure, he had visited the little village before, but he had always left as quickly as he came. And sure, the locals were always wary of strangers. Yet, Kalas didn"t have a doubt that what was drawing the stares wasn"t the whole oddity of his presence, but rather the fact that he was talking to himself. "Feels like a homecoming," Marno declared happily, somewhere in the corner of his mind. "For you, maybe," Kalas muttered, glancing at an odd structure covered with ivy leaves, trying not to meet the gaze of a few curious kids. Something about Sheratan made it feel old, like it had existed since forever. It creeped him out a bit- old places always had nasty secrets buried underneath them. "So where"s this Sagi person of yours?" "Not here," Marno replied cheerfully. "What?" Kalas could feel his rage rising. If Marno had a physical form right there and then, he would have socked the guy in the face already. "You mean you dragged me here when you knew Sagi wouldn"t be here?" "Yup." "So what- why-" Rage was clouding his thought-process. Kalas had never been eloquent with words, not like Lyude, so trying to express his anger to something he could not punch was frustrating, to say the least. "Gena, Sagi"s mom, runs the orphanage here. Maybe she"ll know where Sagi is." "You couldn"t have mentioned this earlier?" Kalas asked surly, though inwardly, he thought that what the spirit said made some measure of sense. "I told you Sagi grew up here, didn"t I?" There was a child-like innocence in the way Marno phrased it that Kalas wondered just how Sagi managed to stay alive with a Guardian Spirit like that. He hoped the kid never ran into any trouble needing of the spirit"s advice- he"d probably be dead by the time Marno realized that there was any real danger. "So where"s this orphanage, then?" "Oh, beyond the Belltower," the spirit answered. Kalas supposed that he meant the crumbling structure encased in vines that seemed to wind its way towards the heavens. "Strange though. I thought it used to be taller." "Looks plenty tall already," he said, staring at the weird ruins. The shadow cast by the Belltower by the midday sun looked like a needle stretching across the plaza, pointing almost directly at Kalas, seemingly accusing him. There was something about that tower in particular that made him feel weird and woozy. He tried not to think too much about it and walked away as quickly as he could. The orphanage was located exactly where Marno had said it would be. A few feet away from the Belltower, Kalas saw a house with a small playground in front of it, a quaint little well located off to the side. There were children playing in front of it, small boys and girls dressed in clothes that were scarcely a step up from rags, yet there was no mistaking the fact that they were fed and happy. A middle-aged lady with teal hair sat nearby, on one of the upraised roots of a giant tree, a book in hand as she glanced up momentarily to keep an eye on the children. He was hopelessly lost, and would have expected the spirit to point out who exactly was this "Gena" person, but when Marno remained silent, he decided that it wouldn"t hurt to just ask. "Excuse me," he called, catching the woman"s attention. "I"m looking for Gena. It"s about her son... Sagi?" He wasn"t sure what sort of response he expected. But what he wasn"t expecting was for the woman"s eyes to widen, for the book she was reading to tumble out of her hand, and for her to choke out a cry before running into the house proper and slamming the door shut behind her, eliciting numerous confused looks from the nearby kids. "Well... I wasn"t expecting that." "Me neither." Kalas was stunned. All he did was mention Sagi and the woman totally freaked out. "Who was she, anyway?" "Dunno. She looks kinda familiar, but I can"t... quite remember." Kalas frowned- the spirit was sounding uncertain now, almost confused. It wasn"t encouraging in the least. "Should we go after her?" Kalas snorted. "You need to ask?" His first reaction would have been to just stroll away, but somehow, he doubted that the spirit would be too pleased by that. While he was sure that Xelha would probably scold him for randomly enterring a stranger"s home, he wasn"t about to let the quickest way for him to be rid of Marno slip away just like that. Entering the structure, he was hit by a strong scent of Cottoncap Fruits, but what surprised him the most was the sense of homeliness that seemed to exude from the floorboards of the wooden house. Children"s drawings seemed to hang just about everywhere, and there were several beds propped up in one end of the orphanage. There was a crackling fire by the hearth, casting a warm orange glow that seemed to chase away all the worries he had held ever since the whole Malpercio thing ended. In contrast to this warm scene though, there was the frightened woman from before, crying softly in a corner while an elder woman gently fondled her hair. Kalas almost felt like an intruder. Almost. "Excuse me?" A pair of eyes went to him, and Kalas tried his best not to let his nervousness show. The older woman had a piercing gaze, her teal eyes hardly dulled with age. Gray strands of wispy hair were tied back by a brown hankerchief, and while she was definitely old, the lines on her face seemed to enhance her looks rather than depreciate them. The way she stood to greet him was full of confidence and calm, and Kalas knew that this woman would scarcely be afraid if Malpercio himself knocked on her door. "Excuse my daughter"s manners," the woman said, polite and calm. "My name is Gena, the owner of this orphanage. I hear you"ve come about my son?" Well, that settled that. "My name is Kalas," he said. "And well... I"m not quite sure how to explain this, but-" "That"s not Gena!" "Hey, ow!" A sharp pain split through his head, and he felt his vision blur as a feeling of nausea filled him. It took him all his self-control to retain his conciousness, and when he did, he wasn"t happy. "Marno, what was that for?" "That"s- that"s not Gena! Gena"s only about forty-something! She doesn"t look like that, I would have known if she did, the last I saw her was only a few months ago and she was injured and recovering because Shanath pulled her wings out and-" "Marno, calm the hell down!" The spirit"s rantings subsided, and it was only then that the pain Kalas felt in his head finally died down (or as much as it was about to, anyways). He found himself being stared at by both Gena and the other woman, both of whom were regarding him with a mixture of surprise and... dare he say it? Fear. "L-look, it"s not what you think," he began hurriedly, all too aware of how he might"ve appeared to anyone else. "I"m not crazy or anything! I just have a Guardian Spirit stuck in my head and-" "You"re... a spiriter too?" Gena spoke cautiously, but the fear in her eyes was slowly replaced by something else akin to understanding. Kalas nodded slowly, relieved that at least he wasn"t getting kicked out and branded "insane". "Yes. And the spirit I"ve got- Marno- belongs to Sagi. Except they got seperated somehow and now he wants me to find him." "Find... Sagi?" Gena sighed, rubbing her temples. "I see. So that"s why you"re here." There was something in the way she said that which made Kalas"s hopes sink. "You... don"t know where he is, do you?" Gena shrugged, and gestured him to sit down. The woman from earlier had apparently accepted Gena"s acceptance of him and wandered off somewhere- Kalas wasn"t sure, but judging from the tears in her eyes as she fled, he figured that whatever Gena was about to say was a sensitive topic for her. "We lost contact about nine- no, ten- years ago. I"ve tried to reach him, but, as you can see, my hands are full over here. All I can hope for is that my little boy is alright by himself." "Do you at least know where he was before...?" "He never did say." There was an odd twinkle in Gena"s eyes, a sad sort of smile on her face. "He was pretty famous back in the day, after destroying Tarazed. From what I can figure, he tried to keep as low a profile as he could. Sagi was always too humble to enjoy being lauded as a hero." "I"m sorry, Tarazed?" That was the first time Kalas had heard the term, yet the way Gena said it, it sounded like it should have been something huge. "It was a long time ago," Gena said. She paused, as if she was struggling to find the words to say. "A man... tried to take over the world. Sagi stopped him." "That sounds about right," Marno muttered mutedly. "He was a hero?" Kalas blinked. As far as he knew, there had been no mentions of anyone called Sagi saving the world from total annihilation, ever. Georg never told him about it, in any case. Gena nodded sadly. "He always was standing up for others, that boy. I wouldn"t be too surprised if he got caught up in something and forgot about us back here in Sheratan." "Sagi wouldn"t do anything like that," Marno said firmly. "Tell her, Kalas." He was about to protest being used as his spirit"s mouthpiece in support over a guy he didn"t even know, but the sorrow in Gena"s eyes seemed too much for him to bear. I"m growing soft, he thought silently, relaying Marno"s words. Gena chuckled. "Marno always knew him best," she said softly. "It made me sad sometimes, thinking that there was someone else who knew my boy better than I did. But he always kept him out of trouble- even if he was a bit odd sometimes." "You mean Marno?" The old woman shook her head. "Sagi. He used to climb up the Belltower for no reason, and his only friend was a mechanical puppet he dug up as a kid. Between Marno and Guillo, I was always worried whether he would ever be alright." She sighed. "A mother"s job is to always worry, I suppose." "So... you don"t know anything about where he is, then." Gena smiled amusedly. "Not one for listening to old people"s stories, are you?" "I"d like to get this Guardian Spirit back to his proper owner- your son- before he drives me nuts, thanks." "Hey, I resent that!" "Does it look like I care?" Kalas glared at the air above him- while he knew Guardian Spirits dwelled within the hearts of their chosen, it just made him feel better imagining Marno as a nosy bird perched on his head. "Whatever. If nobody around here knows where he is, then I"ll have to go and find him myself." With a curt nod to the old lady, he made a move to leave the house. He managed to make it to the door when Gena"s voice caught his attention. "Wait, Kalas." He glanced back at the old woman, sitting alone in the shadows of the crackling fire. "Yeah?" "The last time I saw Sagi, almost a decade ago, he didn"t tell me much, but he did let one thing slip." She smiled sadly, her hands knitted on her lap. "I figure he probably didn"t want anyone to know about it, but he did mention the name of the man he said was helping them. I... know it sounds stupid of me to trust someone I barely even know with a secret like this, but something about you reminds me of my own Sagi. And you said that Marno is with you and, well..." Kalas was normally not one for patience. But he knew when a person was close to divulging an important secret, and he felt something akin to pity when he regarded Gena. She reminded him of Georg, a bit, with that same wistful smile that he held when he thought nobody was looking... The old woman took a deep breath as she reached a decision. "Calbren. The man was named Calbren." It was a quiet commute from the orphanage to the docks. Which was odd, because the spirit had been talking non-stop earlier that day. Not that Kalas was complaining, having found the one lead that he needed, but he had the distinct feeling that Marno was hiding something. He paused for a moment, watching the seagulls fly by as he waited for the ship to Mira to arrive. The wind was cool and gentle, with an unfamiliar tinge of salt that he had yet to grow accustomed to. He didn"t know why, but he had a feeling that it would be a while before he returned home again, and a sense of deja vu made him remember the sparkling lights of Mira that fateful day when he left his home to release Malpercio. Two different times, two different places, two different circumstances. Yet, the feeling, that longing sense of loneliness mixed with the thrill of adventure, remained constant. His nose tickled. For a moment, he wanted to call out to Daimon, to ask her how she felt about everything, only to remember that she wasn"t there any longer. Instead, there was another spirit, hiding in the depths of his heart, a stranger by any sense of the word, and yet for some reason, Kalas felt almost as though how he understood how Marno must have felt, being so suddenly alone in the wide open world. It was that nostalgia that prompted him to speak first. "Hey, Marno, you there?" "Hm?" The spirit roused from his reverie sleepily."Ah, yeah, why?" "Cat got your tongue?" Kalas smirked, plopping down on a nearby barrel (it wasn"t as though anyone claimed it anyways). "You"ve been quiet the whole time." "I just..." The spirit seemed to be struggling for words. "The last time I saw Gena, she wasn"t so... old." "People grow old all the time," he sighed. "Not like that! It"s like, she aged twenty years from when I saw her last and- and-" "And?" "I feel as though I should"ve known that," Marno admitted. "Actually, I feel as though I should"ve known a lot of things. Like, that lady- she was Sagi"s sister, I recognize her now, but back then, when we bumped into her, I didn"t. For some reason, there are some things that I just can"t seem to remember too well..." "Like where your spiriter ran off to?" Kalas remarked snidely. "It would help us a lot, you know." "Haha. Not funny, Kalas." "Wasn"t trying to be." Kalas shrugged, glaring at a curious merchant who was staring at him as he walked by. "Anyhoo, what now?" "I dunno. Lemme think on that for a bit." "You can"t seriously be expecting me to just sit around aimlessly while you think, can you?" "What else do you want me to do, then?" Kalas paused. "Gena mentioned something when we left. Calbren- he"s the Duke of Mira, and an old friend of mine. I figure it"s past time I dropped by and paid him a visit." "Calbren...?" "Name mean anything to you?" "No. Maybe. Sorta? Is he old?" "Probably," Kalas smirked. "Wears a whole lot of green too, kinda hard to miss. Sure you"ve never seen him before? Gena said that he helped your spiriter out somewhat." "I dunno. Vaguely? I remember an old man with a funny hat. Is that him?" Kalas shrugged, letting his eyes drift across the pier, taking in the noisy, everyday scene around him. "Everyone seems to wear funny hats nowadays. Can"t quite tell until you describe it out to me-" "Kalas?" "Hold that thought," he said, pushing himself off his unconventional seat. He shoved his way through the crowd until he found that glimpse of pink, bright and unmistakable, weaving through the crowds. He tried to yell out a name, but the noise was too loud. It took all his effort to grab hold of that familiar white-gloved hand before it slipped away once more. He was promptly thwacked by a wand in response. "Take that you- Oh my god, Kalas, are you alright?" He felt hands pulling him up from the ground- strange, he didn"t even know he had fallen. He blinked once or twice, trying to clear his vision, but his head, hurting from this morning, seriously felt as though the Whale itself was tapdancing on top of it. Could the Whale even tapdance? Man, that was a funny thought- There was a sharp sting on his cheek, and suddenly the world re-oriented itself, and Kalas found himself peering into a pair of worried, green eyes framed by blonde hair. "Nice greeting there, Xelha," he croaked out. "Do you hit and slap everyone you meet?" "Oh, you!" Xelha huffed, standing up. Imperiously, she offered him a hand, turning her head away to hide away that oh-so-cute blush on her cheeks. "What were you thinking, trying to sneak up on me like that?" "Well, I tried calling you, but you didn"t hear me," Kalas replied caustically, letting her pull him up (damn, his head hurt). Around him, the curious onlookers had dismissed their confrontation as a lover"s squabble and were already ambling back on their way. "Besides, shouldn"t that be my question? What are you doing here without your guards anyways?" The witch glanced around for a while, trying not to meet his eyes. "I- uh-" "Came here without telling anybody, didn"t you?" Kalas smirked- that sounded like something Xelha would do. Now that the world had turned their eyes to the newly-appeared continent of Wazn and their young Queen, it had been increasingly difficult for Xelha to find any time to herself, or so she had told him. Even more wearing on her spirit were the acrid remarks made about their relationship- a Queen and a weird guy like him were... an unconventional couple, to say the least. All too often, he had heard the nobility of Wazn saying that she should have found someone- anyone- apart from the guy who almost (key word here) destroyed the world. Never mind that he helped save it when he came to his senses... nobles were pretty single-minded like that, Xelha included. "I-it"s not wrong for me to visit my boyfriend without armed escorts, is it?" Xelha folded her arms, glaring at him as best as she could (which wasn"t much- Xelha was a person of compassion and serenity, not glares). "Besides, it"s not like you"d hurt me or anything. So... so..." "Barnette being the over-protective mother hen again, huh." Xelha winced slightly. "You could say that," she muttered mutedly. "Anyways, what are you doing here? I thought you"d be back at home, resting. You seemed pretty angry last night, after all." Kalas sighed. He had tried to keep his temper hidden when he left that party last night, but obviously it wasn"t hidden enough. "Water under the bridge. Don"t worry about it." "So why are you here then?" Xelha arched an eyebrow and gestured around- the docks, crowded as always, wasn"t exactly Kalas"s favourite place in the world, and she knew it too. And now that he had established the fact that she came here because she was worried about him, there was little chance of her not-mothering him until she was satisfied that he wasn"t about to do something stupid like charge off an awaken another evil god or somesuch to take revenge on everyone who ever slighted him- Not that he would, but it was still a possibility. And frankly, Kalas was tired of explanations, so, thankful that his girlfriend was a witch of incredible supernatural ability and not some ditz who wouldn"t believe him if he tried to explain what really happened, he explained the situation the best that he could: "Marno, say hi." "Hi!" ... I sincerely hope I"m not descrating canon too badly. Anyway, read and review and stuff. After much thought and consideration, I decided to give this story a little more plot than originally intended. Of course, now I"ll probably be poking the gray areas of canon, so please bear with me. Chapter 2 The journey to Mira progressed smoothly, or at least, as smoothly as Marno could figure. They had boarded a ship which looked like was being dragged by a shell-less snail, and was painted in bright hues and colours, which had then departed on the water only to enter a wormhole that was filled with bright neon swirling lights that would have dazzled and dazed anyone who looked at it. But Marno wasn"t really paying much attention to the sea-sick people throwing their lunch overboard or the random kids screaming about how awesome it was that they were travelling through another dimension. He was still a bit unnerved after recent events- waking up in the middle of nowhere without Sagi in sight, and now, travelling across what he could only describe as a giant pool of water with a strange kid that he shouldn"t have even be able to bond with. There was just way too many things that should not happen that were happening right now- like the fact that he had these huge blanks in his memory, and the fact that he was seperated from Sagi, and the fact that he was freaking bonded with someone else- and the guardian spirit (which he ended calling himself for lack of a better term- Malpercio just seemed wrong, somehow) was just thankful that this predicament would all soon be over. He would be back with Sagi, where he belonged, and they would spend the days doing... something and he could forget all of this ever happened.

Alright, I"m sorry, I was so busy with schoolwork that I forgot to post! I promise to write during the summer! One night, the boom noise woke Jan up. She looks around immediately and then realizes it"s her own room which made her feel a little better this time. But then another boom noise but this time with a flash outside. There is a rainstorm tonight. Jan whimpers, she"s always and has been afraid of thunderstorms. She has a huge fear of it that she barely overcame. Often whenever there is a thunderstorm at night, she would crawl into her "parents" bed and sleep there with them. And at a sleepover, she would crawl into someone"s bed to make sure someone is there with her. She got up and walked out the room with her teddy bear. She went to Danny"s room and found him sleeping in his bed. She crawls into his bed to lay next to him quickly before another thunder sound. Danny felt something coming into bed. He opened his eyes to Jan"s puppy dog eyes and asked groggily, "Jan? What are you doing here?" Jan was about to answer but then another boom sound was heard and she snuggles into Danny whimpering. He noticed it and looked out his window and then realized what was going on. He smiles at his sister and then wraps his arms around her and then kisses her. He says soothingly, "it"s alright. I"ll protect you from the thunder storm. You"re safe. It"s alright. I"m here for you sweetie. Sleep now..." He kisses her again and then sings a soft lullaby. Jan looks up to him and then smiles before her eyes droop. She snuggles into him more and went back to sleep. Danny watches her for the rest of the night to make sure she doesn"t wake up again. Morning came quickly for the two, Danny opened his eyes to the sunlight and noticed the storm is over. He looked down to his sister and her eyes fluttered open. "Hey sunshine." Jan was about to reply but then she didn"t have a nickname. So she frowned instead and Danny already knew why. "It"s alright. We have more time!" Danny said and then got up. Jan asked, "Hey Danny?" He looked at her in question. "Where did that lullaby come from? Did you make that?" Jan asked. Danny shook his head. "No. Mom used to sing it to me when I was afraid or I had a bad day when I was little. I remember it because I knew it by heart. She smiled before getting up to have breakfast. "I like it!" After a couple more weeks, Jan had gotten used to be Danny"s sister, and is used to the house a lot more. She still hangs out with the Pink Ladies and Putzie. Danny is quite used to having Jan in the family. But he had a bad dream one night that Jan was killed by the same person who kidnapped her. So he promises himself to be a hero to his sister and take good care of her and not let anything happen to her ever again. But then Jan kept feeling as if Danny is protecting her because he kept holding her hand the whole time and she worries the guys will make fun of him for it. The guys didn"t know and Danny didn"t even worry a bit about them. He just worries about his sister and his girlfriend too. Then one day at Frosty Palace Jan had a meltdown and it happened. "Jan? Want a polar burger? My treat!" Danny says and Jan looks at him for a moment and then shook her head. "I already had one. It"s alright." Danny shook his head and asked, "What"s wrong?" "You can tell us Jan!" Frenchy said agreeing getting Jan to answer. Putzie sat next to Jan and wrapped an arm around her. "It"s alright." Jan"s eyes filled up with tears and then says softly, "Danny... I"m sorry I told anyone this, but why is it you"re holding my hand all this time? Why are you calling me Sunshine? That"s not the Danny Zuko I know. I mean you were tough. But what happened to you?" She then broke down and then shouts, "I"m sorry Danny! I didn"t mean to tell it in front of the guys!" Danny chuckled and says, "I"m sorry about that. It"s just that I wanted to protect you and not let anything happen to you. Besides, the guys already know. Also, you just don"t tell anyone I cook. Alright?" "Wait.. You cook?" Jan suddenly closed her mouth with her hands and Danny looked around forgetting that the guys are around him. He cursed softy and then Jan shouted, "What have I done!" Danny said to his sister, "Jan, that"s not your fault!" Jan got up and ran out of the diner crying. Doody came closer and asked, "You cook Danny?" "Danny? What"s going on?" Kenickie asked. He looked at everybody and sighed, "I got a confession to make. But Putz, I"ll tell you later." Putzie nodded before running after Jan. "Alright so, I cook. Because my folks are always busy and I needed to do something for them. So I went to some culinary school just so I can help. They need me." Danny explains. "So go ahead. Laugh at me. It"s the big deepest darkest secret." Kenickie said suddenly, "Danny. We won"t laugh at you. If this actually means a lot to you, we won"t laugh." "I won"t," Doody shook his head. "Pretty funny... But..." Sonny frowned trying not to smile or laugh. "This is hilarious. I can picture Danny Zuko in the kitchen wearing an apron, and cooking something like in a commercial." Rizzo giggles but for the first time. Nobody laughs much with her. Rizzo asked, "The hell? This is supposed to be funny." Kenickie went to his girlfriend and said, "Actually. This isn"t really funny. Danny had to do it to his family. Especially since Jan is now his sister, he has to do it for her." Marty and Frenchy nodded in agreement. Rizzo shrugs and Sandy went to Danny and asked, "Danny? How come you never told me?" "I just don"t want anyone laughing at me." Frenchy went to the window expecting Putzie bringing Jan back, but a few minutes later, they hadn"t shown up. Putzie"s car is still there but there"s no Putzie. It"s been a couple minutes later until Frenchy says worried, "Hey guys, it"s been about ten minutes and Jan isn"t back yet..." Danny got up and shouts, "Kenickie, Doody, Sonny. Let"s find them. They could be hurt!" Sandy went to Danny. "Let me come with you!" She says and Danny shook his head. "Just stay with the chicks. Alright?" Danny instructed her to join the pink ladies. Sandy nodded and then went back to her friends. Rizzo asked, "Are you sure you can let me come Zuko?" Danny shook his head again and the guys immediately left to find the couple. I know. It went to fast. But I"ll try to write a little bit more soon! PROMISE! I just gotta get through my finals! I just got and idea last night to write this. The guys went down the street to find Putzie and Jan. They looked around the area by Frosty Palace but aren"t there. Just then, they heard screaming coming from the other side of the streets. They followed the sound until it"s coming from the train tracks. Danny slid down the hill following the sound as the guys follow. "HELP! HELP US! PLEASE!" He recognized that voice. That"s Jan"s voice. He ran down the tracks until he sees two figures lying on the train tracks. "HELP US!" Jan"s voice shouted as Danny came closer and noticed the figures squirming trying to free out of the ropes. It"s them. Danny screamed, "OH MY GOD!" He went over to Jan and yelled, "KENICKIE! DOODY! SONNY! I FOUND THEM! HELP!" He tried to untie the ropes but they were knotted tight. "Don"t worry Jan! I"ll get you out of there!" Jan started crying feeling frightened. The guys came over shouting. "Kenickie! Untie Putzie! Give me the knife!" Sonny immediately gave him the knife and then started to cut the rope as Kenickie used his knife to cut the other. "Those ropes are too strong!" Kenickie yelled. Just then they all heard a whistle coming from the train about two miles away. "DAMN!" Danny screamed as he furiously tries to cut the rope with a knife. Kenickie tried too and then the rope snapped. "Yes! Putzie you"re free!" Doody took Putzie and ran up the hill. Sonny yelled, "Danny! The train is coming!" "I know!" Danny screamed. "The rope won"t snap!" Jan starts feeling frightened. Danny screamed with frustration, "DAMN IT! IT"S NOT WORKING! KENICKIE! GIVE ME THE LIGHTER!" Kenickie pulled out a lighter and Danny immediately took it from him. "Sonny! Go! Now!" Kenickie yells at Sonny and then he ran up the hill to the others. Danny lighted the rope and it caught fire. He looks and saw a small light growing bigger as he heard the whistle again. He cursed loudly and then Kenickie pulls the rope tying to get it to snap. Jan starts panicking because the train is coming about a half a mile away as a fast as their car. "Jan! Don"t worry! I"m getting you out of there! I"ll get you out!" His poor sister is feeling frightened and then finally, with the lighter and the knife and pulling by Danny and Kenickie, the rope finally snapped and then they hear the whistle coming near and near and they felt the ground shake. Kenickie ran up the hill screaming, "DANNY! THE TRAIN!" The guys all shouted individually really scared. Danny took the ropes off of Jan and then as the train was about to come as the speed of lightning. Danny immediately took Jan into his arms and carried her up the hill though he kept sliding down as the train passes by as quickly. Kenickie took Danny and Jan by the hands and the guys helped pulled them up as the train passed. Everyone calmed down panting and Danny looks at his sister safe in his arms before Putzie who is safe in Kenickie"s arms hugging him. He hugs Jan tightly and she starts crying. Danny strokes her head shaking because he started to cry too. The guys all know why he was crying. He was about to lose his sister. And it was so close he was about to lose his own sister to a speeding train. Jan cried, "I am so scared. I thought I was going to die." Danny says back, "I am too Jan... I am too." Kenickie asked Jan and Putzie, "are you two alright?" Putzie took a deep calming breaths and nodded. Jan didn"t reply. She continued to cry in Danny. "I"m sorry Jan! I"m so sorry!" Danny cried. "I failed as a brother." Jan hugged him tighter as if he"s her security blanket. The guys watched the moment and then soon Doody asked, "Putz? You know who did this?" Putzie took another deep breath and replied, "I don"t know. It"s either Crater face, or some fat drunk greaser. I don"t know. He smells like alcohol. He kidnapped me and Jan as soon as we walked out of Frosty"s." They all heard and Jan continues to cry in Danny"s arms. "I didn"t mean to run away from you. I"m sorry Danny," Jan says between hiccups. Danny hugs her tighter again as he stopped crying. He asked, "You wanna sleepover at Frenchy"s?" Jan shook her head still crying. "I wanna go home. Please! I wanna go home! Now!" Danny nodded and then everyone else stood up and went walking home. He carried his sister who was still scared and traumatized. She asked, "Danny... Please don"t tell mom and dad this.. Ok?" "Sure my girl. Sure," Danny replied and Jan wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him. "You"re not hurt or anything. Are you?" Danny asked. Jan shook her head and Danny sighed of relief. The guys went to take Putzie home so he can sleep while Danny takes Jan home. As soon as they got home Danny took her into his room and put her in his bed. Jan is wide awake still feeling scared. Danny asked, "You want me to sing to you?" Jan nodded when Danny gave her pajamas from her room and left her to change real quick. He came back in and then went into bed with her and Jan cuddles closer into him. "Remember, me and Putzie and the rest are here for you!" He kissed her forehead and then sings softly. Jan listened until her eyes drifted shut. After making sure Jan is finally asleep, he started saying a prayer. It was one of the first times he ever said a prayer. Danny whispers, "Please... God... please! I need help! My sister nearly died tonight and I don"t want it to happen. Please, help me protect her from all of it. I was a horrible brother. letting her go like that. Please." Tears went down his cheeks and then finally says, "I hope nothing bad will happen to her. Please!" He sniffles trying not to wake his sister. He kept pleading to God for help repeatedly until he fell asleep hugging his sister. Jan was watching tv on the couch with Twinkie on her lap and Danny came back to cook dinner. She starts eating Twinkies that she still has. Danny came in and asked, "Where did you get that?" "Get what?" She asked confused. Danny points the twinkie in her hand. "That." Jan replied. "It"s a twinkie." "What are they made of anyways? I know you have been eating them since we met but what are they made of?" Jan looks at it and replied again, "It"s made of spongecake, with a creamy vanilla filling on the inside." Danny asked, "Why do you keep eating these things?" Jan looks at him for a moment and then sighs, "I don"t know... Maybe it"s sort of like a drug or something to get addicted to. Why? You wanna try one?" "No thanks. I didn"t like them," Danny said about to leave the room. Jan asked, "But you haven"t tried one! Please Danny! For me!" He looked at her again and then took the twinkie from her hand and then took a bite. Then he looked at her for a moment and then walked away to make dinner. "Ok." Jan sighs. He doesn"t like twinkles. Then the next morning... Jan woke up and stretched before pulling a box from underneath her bed which has boxes and boxes of Twinkies. She opened the box and then finds the box empty. She gasped and then looks around. She went to Danny"s bedroom asking him, "Danny? Where are the twinkles?" Then she found the bed empty. But not really empty... There are at least 5 Twinkie wrappers in the sheets. Jan can"t help but grin and laugh that her jaw starts to hurt. She shook her head still smiling and then decides to walk to the store to get more boxes. I know it"s short, but I am having a writer"s block. I need help with more brother and sister bonding. In the later chapters they"re having a road trip and I need some more sibling bonding before it! Please! I need ideas! Soon a couple days before they"re vacation, Danny asked Sandy out on a double date with Jan and Putzie. The reason why is because Danny wants two people coming with Jan to New York. Never knowing this, Jan didn"t know her parents much to well and needs her close friends by her side. He tried to ask the others but they already have plans. As soon as both couples enter the Chinese restaurant, they were seated at the table looking at the menus. Danny asked, "Have you guys decided on anything?" Jan licked her lips and Putzie chuckles, "Can"t decide. Huh?" Jan shook her head as her eyes never looked away from the menu. "Sandy? Want anything?" Danny asked his girlfriend. She replied, "I don"t know. I never had Chinese food in a restaurant before. I bet it tastes good as back home." Danny asked, "How about you can have what I"m having?" She nodded. "Ok. Oh wait! I found something! Ok!" The nice waitress came to the table and says, "Welcome to the Red Dragon. May I take your order?" Putzie starts, "Alrighty then, I"ll have a chicken and broccoli with fried rice." "I"ll have a chicken and mushrooms, beef and broccoli and chow mein," Danny said. The waitress looked at him puzzled, "You want anything to go with it?" "Uhhhh..." Danny looked in the menu again. "Fried rice." The waitress shrugged and wrote it down. She asked Sandy, "Anything for you miss?" "Ummm... I"ll have the Kung Pow chicken with Lo Mein." Jan then says looking at the menu, "Orange chicken, and General TSO"s chicken, black pepper chicken, with Lo Mein." The waitress kept up with everything and writing down. "Any appetizers?" They all look at each other and then said one by one. "Dumplings!" "Wonton soup!" "Egg rolls!" "Egg drop soup!" The waitress sighed and asked one more time, "Drinks?" "Coke!" "Cherry Coke!" "Water!" "Lemon Lime Soda!" The waitress collected the menus and then sighs, "alright. It will be ready soon." She walks away mumbling under her breath, "They better have the dough." Putzie asked, "Geez Danny. That"s a lot of food. How are you gonna pay for this?" "It"s alright. I got a 50 dollar bill." Danny smiled and then he asked is girlfriend. "Sandy? Can we talk for a sec?" Sandy looked at him for a moment and then nodded. He took her by the hand saying tot he other couple, "We"ll be back." He took Sandy and went to the other side of the room and she asks, "Danny? What is going on?" He took a deep breath and said, "You know that i"ll be leaving in a few days. Jan is gonna be leaving too with me. But the problem is that my mom hasn"t really known Jan as much as me. So, Jan sort of needs a close girl with her when she needs something." "What do you mean Danny?" Sandy asked confused, but understood a bit of it. Danny asked, "Is it alright if you can come with us to New York?" Sandy looked for a second and then said slowly, "I don"t know. I"m not sure what my parents had to say. What about Rizzo?" He replied, "Rizzo is going to Italy for the whole spring break." "What about Frenchy?" "She"s going to Flordia to see her cousins," Danny sighed. "Mart-" "She has a new job and had to work. She can"t come with us. Sandy, I need you. Jan needs you." Sandy replied, "Maybe. I will go, but I don"t know about my parents." "We"ll convince them together," Danny smiled and Sandy nodded. "Hey guys! The food came!" They hear Putzie and then came back to find the appetizers on the table and Jan had started eating them. Jan asked her boyfriend while eating, "So Putzie, did you say you"re parents are on a business trip?" He nodded eating and then Jan asks, "They won"t mind if you can come to New York with us?" Putzie swallowed and asks, "are you serious? I would love too!" Jan giggles as they all start eating each other"s food until they got full and then went home. I know it"s short, but no negative reviews please! One night, Jan was staying home watching telelvison until she heard a thud coming from the front door. She got up and went to see what it is. To her shock, her brother is laying there by the front door in pain. "Danny!" Jan shouted. "What happened to you?" She ran to him and helped him get up and brought him to the couch. Danny coughed and says quietly, "I don"t know. I was walking home from Kenickie"s, but then out of nowhere some big idiot came and attacked me." Jan rushed to get some things from the bathroom and the kitchen and came back with an ice pack, raw steak and bandages. He is a bit of a wreck. Bruises on different parts and a black eye. "Is it that stupid what"s his face?" Danny understands what she"s talking about. "No... It"s not that idiot Leo. It"s some idiot who looks like a fat neighbor. All I know is that he smells like alcohol." "Wait. Did you say alcohol and fat?" Jan asked suddenly. Danny nodded. "Can it be the same guy who tied me and Putzie to the train tracks a while ago?" "Maybe." Danny said then he winced in pain. Jan shushes comforting him and heals his bruises and puts ice packs on some. "It"s ok. I"m here. I"m here!" Danny calms down and Jan gives him the steak for his eye. "Who taught you?" Danny asked. "Hmmm?" Jan asked back. Danny comments, "I never knew that you have really terrific nursing skills. Really caring. Who taught you?" Jan replied, "my mom." She paused and corrected feeling sad. "My adopted mom." She looks down and then starts to cry. Danny who started to feel better asked, "What"s wrong?" Jan replied, "I miss my adoptive parents so much. If only I can see them again." Danny feels bad for her. He then said, "how about this. Before we leave on our trip, maybe you can spend the whole day with your adoptive parents. It"s not the end of the world. They said you can visit anytime you like." Jan stops crying and smiled at her brother. He said standing up and giving the steak back. "I"m going to bed. Night Jan. Thanks." He smiles and went to his room. "You"re welcome. And thanks Danny! Goodnight!" Jan put everything away and then went to bed happy she will see her "parents" again. Siblings are there for each other to fix their problems, bruises and broken hearts. Ok. So I was thinking of making a 4th of July special. Maybe. Positive reviews please! :) Jan went to see her adoptive parents again and talked all day. They are happy to see her again. When she told them she"s going away for a few days, they encourage her even though Jan feels bad. They cheered her up and gave her apple pie. Days later, it was the night before they go on a road trip. Sandy begged her parents along with Danny and they finally said yes. So the four, with Putzie brought suitcases to their house the night before they leave because Danny mentioned their dad loves early starts. So they have to sleepover there before they leave. Jan cuddles into Putzie while watching a movie on their television with Danny and Sandy until they turned in early since they have an early start in the morning. It was soon three in the morning and their mom came to wake the kids. "Kids? Wake up! Time to leave!" Sandy awoke along with Danny and stretches. "What time is it?" She asked her boyfriend. "It"s 3:04..." Danny groans and got up. He noticed Putzie was fast asleep sitting up in the chair and Jan laying on the couch. Danny sighed and got up before Sandy did and then went to Putzie to wake him. He yawned groggily. "Morning already?" He asked.

"Who is it mom?" Evan asked coming to the door who opened up to a widely smiling face. "Hi Mrs. Hansen! Hi Evan!" Evan waves, "Hi Alana!" Alana Beck entered the house with her stuff and greets the group, "Hey guys!" Zoe waves, "Hi Alana!" "Hey," Connor only replied. "I"m so excited about the slumber party that I have packed everything this morning!" She says enthusiastically putting her stuff next to the others. Heidi came out of the kitchen bringing a bowl of chips and dip. "If anyone wants anything, the kitchen is always open!" She says cheerfully putting it down on the coffee table and the four immediately start snacking. The sound of the doorbell rang once more and Zoe answered it this time finding Jared Kleinman waltzing through the front door. "Party timmmeeee," he sing-songed as he appeared in the living room with his sleeping bag before stopping when he saw everyone. He asks a little disappointed, "I"m the last one here?" "Yup." Zoe nods. Jared only shrugged and put his stuff down. "Oh well." "Hey Jared!" Alana greets waving enthusiasically. "What up Kleinman," Connor says. Jared sat down on the last comforter asking, "Did I miss anything?" Evan replied, "Nope. J-Just getting started." Just then Heidi enters the room. "Evan, I"m calling up for pizza before I go, so here"s a twenty for when the pizza delivery man arrives." Heidi went over to the group handing them the money. Evan replied, "Thanks mom." "Alright so I bet you want to usual, extra cheese. Just the way you like?" And she got a nod from her son. She asked the other teens, "What would the rest of you like on your pizza?" "Mushrooms," Connor answered. Zoe said, "Pepperoni." "Green peppers," Alana calls out. And Jared replied, "Anchovies." The rest of the group looked at him strangely. "Really Kleinman?" Connor asked a little disgusted. Jared gave him a glare, "What? I like fish? And why mushrooms Murphy?" The taller teen was about to talk back but Heidi announces, "Ok! I"ll call it up! It might be here before 6." And then she went into the kitchen to get her phone "Y"know, your mom is so cool Hansen," Connor comments, "Our mom never lets us have take-out." Zoe shook her head in agreement. Evan blushed a little. "T-thanks..." Heidi came back in the living room. "Oh hey Connor! Can I have a word for a minute in private?" Glancing at everyone else, Connor stood up from the couch and followed Evan"s mom to the kitchen. "Mrs. Hansen? Am I in trouble already?" Connor asked. "Oh no, it"s not that! I just wanted to talk to you about Evan." "Oh..." She starts, "Well you know that it"s Evan"s first sleepover right?" "Yeah... Is this your idea?" "Oh no! It"s his idea! I was so proud of him for inviting friends overnight for the first time," Heidi says with a small smile. "You know how sometimes Evan gets?" Connor thought for a moment forgetting about Evan"s anxiety. He then nodded about three seconds later and she continued, "And you know there are "episodes" like panic attacks and such?" He nodded again. "I trust you Connor, so I know you can help if he gets all anxious or panicky. Tell him the ten things he sees in the room, do a breathing exercise. But when all else fails, just run upstairs to his bedroom at the end of the hallway on your left and get his teddy bear that"s on the bed. He only uses it as a stress ball to squeeze with and always calmed him down when he gets nightmares, or when I"m not here, etc. Think you can do it?" Taking every word as an understatement, Connor replied, "Yes ma"am." Evan"s mom beamed brightly putting her hand on his shoulder. "If anything else happens and counts as an emergency, just call the hospital and tell them to get me. Ok?" "Yes ma"am," Conner answered again. She grabs her pocket book. "Ok. I have to take half the night shift and I won"t be back till midnight so I expect lights out when I come back." Heidi chuckles at the memory. "Evan hardly stays up all night. He did it once on a road trip to our relatives when he was seven and passes out soon as the sun came up. I couldn"t wake the poor baby so I had to carry him." Connor couldn"t help but smile thinking about it. "Anyways, I"ll be back in a couple of hours. I"m counting on you Connor. This is Evan"s first slumber party and though it was his idea, I want it to be a success. Ok?" "Yes Mrs. Hansen." "Oh, just call me Heidi! I gotta run! Thanks so much!" They went back to the living room finding everyone else lounging around and eats snacks. "Alright kids! I"ll be out for a while and pizza is on the way so I want you all to be on your best behavior ok? Oh! And Evan?" She went over to him and gave him a refill. "Don"t forget." "I-I won"t..." She smiled and gave him a kiss before leaving. "See you later kids!" "Bye Mom! Bye Mrs. Hansen," The five chorused as she walked out the door. Now the five sit in silence which starts to get awkward. Evan breaks the silence, "Ummm... What are we gonna do first?" "I got a lot of good ideas!" Jared volunteers but Zoe interrupts, "If this is one of your gay or "kinky" ideas, I swear to god-" Jared shouts, "They"re not gay or "kinky"!" Connor scoffs, "Yeah right, bath bomb boy." And they all laugh. Connor continued, "Seriously Kleinman. This is Evan"s first slumber party so he should decide what we"re doing before the pizza arrives." And Zoe agreed, "Yeah. Let"s give Evan a chance!" "Yeah, what do you want to do Evan?" Alana asks Evan who shrugs. "I-I don"t know to be honest. What do you n-normally do at sleepovers?" Connor sighed thinking, "This is gonna be a long hell of a night." "We can watch movies," Alana piped up excited. "Or Netflix!" Zoe has an idea. "Maybe make ice cream sundaes!" "Ooooh! How about a game of truth or dare!?" Jared says excited. And Zoe asked scoffing, "What the hell is this? The 90"s?" "C"mon! It"s a classic game! I"ll go first! Evan, truth or dare?" Evan froze when Jared asked him a question. "You know how to play?" He suddenly rambles a little, "I-I do! I just... Never really played with any-anyone!" To stop Evan from panicking, Connor said, "How about i"ll go first! Truth or dare Kleinman?" Jared thought for a moment and said, "Truth." "You really think that I would do terrible things to you when you say dare?" Connor asked raising his eyebrow. Snorting, he shook his head. "No way Murphy." "Then is it true that you stuff your bath bombs up your ass?" Alana gasped at the thought, and Zoe starts laughing hysterically. Evan only cracked a smile calming down getting the idea of this game. Jared couldn"t believe what he was hearing. He was about to comment but Alana stops right there. "Alright! This game just got a little extreme! Why don"t we just watch a movie or something!" "I guess we can do that." Zoe said in agreement. The boys nodded and they all select through the Netflix movies. It took forever but they eventually chose Back To The Future and was about to start the movie but the doorbell rang. "Oh! Must be the pizza man! I got it guys!" Alana stands up and went to answer it and brought it in. Jared cheers, "Wooo! I"m starving!" "I wouldn"t starving since your eating pizza with fish on it," Connor said sarcastically. "Connor, lay off Jared," Zoe said as everyone else takes a slice. Alana asks Evan who is sitting on the couch, "Where are the drinks Evan?" "I-In the refrigerator," Evan replied and she got up to get it. She came back with drinks and the movie was just getting started. It was nearly 9 when the movie ended and Evan was getting tired but everyone else is completely wide awake. "Let"s go make ice cream sundaes!" Zoe cheers and she, Alana and Jared charged to the kitchen while Connor stayed with Evan. Judging but the tired look on Evan"s face, Connor asked concerned, "You ok Hansen?" "Yeah... Just a little tired." Connor suddenly remembered that Evan hardly stays up so late like Heidi said. About a five minutes later, the others returned with ice cream bowls filled with sundaes. "Let"s watch another movie! Who"s with me?" Alana asked the group. Though Zoe and Jared cheered, Conner tries to say,"Guys, maybe we should slow down a bit. Evan is-" "I have a good idea!" Alana says interrupting and hyped up on ice cream, "This may be insane, but the one who stays up all night the longest wins!" Conner cringed at the thought. He never saw that coming. "Wow Alana... I never heard that coming from you," Jared comments. "But I will destroy you guys in this challenge! I"m so in!" "What will the winner get?" Zoe asked her best friend. Alana replied, "The winner gets 20 bucks." Evan asked a little nervous, "And the loser?" "Not a single penny." Zoe shrugged in agreement, "Then we"ll do it." "Let"s just get in our jammies first!" Alana says and everyone else went to bathrooms or bedrooms to get changed before meeting up back in the living room rolling out their sleeping bags. Jared takes the center in front of the coffee table and Alana takes one corner, Zoe took another and Connor decides to sleep in an armchair which felt cozy. And Evan takes the couch. "Guys listen! Maybe we shouldn"t stay up too long-" "Nice try Murphy! I know your gonna take us out like that just so you would win," Jared said with a hint of sarcasm to Connor. Connor snapped, "It"s not like that Kleinman!" "Oh, so your so afraid of a little competition. Huh?" "But Mrs. Hansen is expecting us to be asleep when she gets back." Zoe asked shouting, "Since when are you our babysitter?" "She was holding me responsible Zoe!" The three start to argue which gets louder and louder and Alana tries to break them up. Evan who was silent the whole time watches getting petrified and starts breathing fast. There shouldn"t be any fighting at his first slumber party! Alana tries to stop but when she noticed Evan starting a shake a little violent she yells, "You guys! Evan"s going berserk!" Connor immediately looked at Evan and ran to him and tried to calm him down. "Evan! Evan! Calm down!" Tears were pouring out of his eyes and mumbles the apology over and over, "I"msorryI"msorryI"msorryI"msorryI"msorry!" "Evan! It"s alright! Just breathe with me! Ok!? Breathe!" Connor takes deep breaths trying to get Evan in rhythm but the younger boy clenched his eyes tight and has trouble breathing. Connor tries to think of what instructions Heidi gave him. And he remembered the teddy bear that"s upstairs. He asked his sister. "Zoe! Can you stay with him please? And ask him the ten things he sees in this room!" Connor ran upstairs for a minute while Zoe comforts Evan but wrapping her arms around him pulling into a hug. Alana and Jared watch on uncomfortably not knowing what to say or do. "Can you tell me the ten things you see in this room Evan?" She asked him who"s now crying and shaking. It took a moment but Evan finally answers opening his eyes stuttering, "Y-you, a-a coffee t-table, J-Jared, Alana, the flat s-screen..." But he continued to sob trying to calm down but he hiccuped. Connor came back with a tattered teddy bear in his hand and kneeled in front of Evan and holds it up in front of him for him to see it. "Evan?" He looked up at the bear and quickly took it in his arms squeezing it with all his might letting go of Zoe. Only a few minutes later, Evan"s breathing slowed but tears continue to roll down his cheeks. Finally, Evan"s breathing is back in rhythm and Connor asked, "Are you ok?" A reply he got was a nod. "What"s the matter Evan?" It was a minute before Evan replied, "I think I ruined it." "Ruined what?" Connor asked in confusion. "T-the party. All of you were f-fighting and I t-thought I didn"t do a good job making it awe-awesome like it"s supposed to be. I"m sorry." Zoe gave a sad smile and says, "Awww Evan! It"s alright! You didn"t ruin it! You threw a fantastic sleepover!" "That"s right. You really did Ev," Connor said with a smile giving him a nickname. "Your not a failure Evan. You never are. Remember that!" Alana smiled putting her hand on his shoulder affectionately earning a small smile through his tears. Then they all turn to Jared who never said a thing throughout the ordeal. He only nodded to Evan sincerely since he"s got no words to say due to being a jackass he always was, is and might be later on in life. Evan sniffled and says, "Th-thanks guys... For every-everything!" Zoe smiled giving him a hug along with Alana followed by Connor and Jared. So now the poor boy was squeezed and buried inside a pile of arms of his friends. He couldn"t breathe again. "G-guys... Can"t bre-breathe..." Evan choked a little. Connor heard it. "Give Hansen some air." But the other three didn"t listen and Connor tried to push them away before they start suffocating Evan. But that made the group knock over on the floor in a dog pile laughing like there"s no tomorrow. "Alright Evan? Wanna watch another movie?" Alana asked. Evan nodded. "Sounds good." Everyone snuggled up in their comforters or sleeping bags and they debated which movie to watch on Netflix. They eventually decided on Inside Out. "Are we still playing the game on who stays up the longest?" Jared asked everyone else. "Definitely," Zoe said. Alana nodded. "Absolutely!" Connor looked over at Evan who nodded slightly. He sighed, "Well, if I can"t beat "em. Join "em." "Ha! I"m gonna eat your dust!" Jared shouts. Zoe says back, "Why don"t you go eat our bath bombs instead of dust and then win?" Jared scoffed wondering if he should be offended while the others giggle and start watching the movie. "Thus the marathon begins," Jared confirms. Halfway through the movie, Connor felt something hit his shoulder. He turned seeing Evan fast asleep on his shoulder. He couldn"t help but smile. "Awwww..." Zoe coos seeing Evan. "So cute!" Alana checks the clock. "Really? At 10:40 PM?!" "Yes! One down!" Jared praised. Connor sighed explaining, "Guys... Evan"s mom told me he couldn"t stay up too long. Besides, that anxiety attack sort of took a lot of out him." In understatement, They all nodded and continued to watch the movie. Evan started to snore softly and Connor smiled again. He shifted Evan a little so he"s laying with his head in his lap. Evan didn"t wake up. "Such a sleepyhead," Connor thought as he ran his fingers in the younger boy"s hair. As the movie came to an end and it was around midnight. They started getting tired but tries their hardest to stay up. They suddenly heard a noise coming from outside sounding like a car door slamming. Everyone but Evan sat up in alert. "What was that?" Alana asked with a yawn. Connor looked out the window behind the couch seeing Heidi getting out of the car. "It"s Mrs. Hansen! Quick! Get in positions!" Connor said panicking little trying not to wake Evan who is still sound asleep. Zoe, Alana and Jared got into their sleeping bags and pretended to be asleep all sprawled out. Connor turned off the lamp that"s next to him making the room slightly dark with only one lamp on. They heard the door click and Heidi entered the house. As she put her car keys down. She went to check up on the teens. After seeing the sight, she grinned. "Hi Mrs. Hansen," Connor whispered. Heidi says in a quiet voice, "Connor, call me Heidi. You don"t have to be formal in this house." "Sorry," he apologized. "How"s everything going?" She asked. "Things were going fine. We had a great time!" Heidi asked again looking around. "Everyone asleep?" "Out like a light," Connor lied bending half the truth. She looks over at her sleeping son. "How is he?" She whispers a question with a small smile. "He"s alright." "Any trouble?" Connor starts to explain, "Actually he had an anxiety attack and we did all those things that you said. Don"t worry, he"s calmed down and he"s alright." Heidi kneeled and gingerly strokes her son"s sleeping face and kissed his forehead whispering, "Sleep tight baby." It made Evan hum a little in his sleep. Taking one more look, she stands up and says lowering her voice, "I"m going right to bed now. In the morning, I"m going to set things up for you all to make pancake art!" "Sounds great." Connor shrugged. Heidi couldn"t resist, she gave him a kiss on the head. "Goodnight Connor." "Night Mrs. Ha- I mean Heidi." He only blushed a little as Heidi heads upstairs to her room. It took a minute but when Connor heard the door shut. He whispered, "All clear!" Jared and Zoe immediately sat up. "Ugh! You have no idea how many times I nearly blanked out!" Jared whispered loudly. "I was this close to lose the challenge!" "Same! Right Alana?" No answer. "Alana?" Zoe calls quietly looking at her best friend who is all nestled in her sleeping bag with her eyes closed and breathing even. She crawls out and went over to Alana and calls again, "Alana?" Only a few seconds later she looked at Jared and Connor confirming it, "She"s sleeping!" "Yes! Two down!" Jared nearly shouts and the Murphy siblings immediately shushed him. "Don"t wake them!" Zoe cried taking off her glasses. Jared and Connor sniggered a little. "Guess it"s just us?" Jared asked. Connor sighed nodding, "Looks like it." Later that night, Jared and Zoe started playing a video game while Connor watches. They have it on low volume so it won"t wake Alana and Evan, or having Heidi find out they"re still awake. "This is fun!" Zoe quietly cheers. "I know right," Jared said. "Hashtag best slumber party ever!" Connor looked at his watch which says 2:50 AM. He"s so surprised that his baby sister is still awake. Not that he wants to win, but he wants to take out the competition for a different reason. "I"m getting milk," Connor announced. "Anyone else want one?" "Sure. I"m thirsty," Jared says. Connor shifted Evan"s head off his lap and moves it to a pillow, stands up and went to the kitchen. He took milk out of the refrigerator and then took out two glasses and set them on the counter. Thinking he should put a sleeping pill in one of those, but that would be too extreme and one will suspect it. So he decided to something better. When he couldn"t sleep, his mother would slip two teaspoons of honey in the milk. He searched the pantry for honey and slipped it in the glass of milk. He thought of doing Zoe, but Jared has been pretty annoying for most of the night and he doesn"t want to hear another peep out of him. So he took two glasses and went back to the living room finding the two looking at youtube videos on Jared"s laptop. "Here you are," Connor sighed giving glasses to them. Jared asked, "What took you so long Murphy? I know your trying to sabotage us so you can win!" "No way Kleinman! I didn"t put anything in it," Connor protested. "Then what took you so long?" "I was drinking my own glass and finished it," Connor lied. Jared laughed a little, "Haha! You finished your milk!" "Shush Jared!" Zoe asked him to lower her voice remembering that Evan and Alana are still sleeping. Luckily they didn"t stir. "Dude, I"m not even stoned! Which is why I wouldn"t do that to you. Just drink it and tell me what you think." Jared looked inside his glass for a second before sipping. Zoe did the same. After he tasted it, he smacked his lips. "Ok, this is good. Really sweet too! I wonder what brand it is?" "I"ll ask Mrs. Hansen in the morning," Connor said happy that Jared is going to get knocked out in a minute. Zoe sighs, "Tastes so sweet! Sweet like honey." Connor"s face suddenly drained of color. "Oh no! I must"ve gave Zoe the wrong glass! I"m taking out my own sister!" He thought. Jared soon down the entire glass and set it on the coffee table. "I"m glad i"m not lactose intolerant! This tastes really good! I wonder wh-" And suddenly he fell back on his sleeping bag, passed out and snoring. Zoe bit her lip to keep from laughing hysterically from the sight. Connor asked his sister, "You knew what I was up to?" "Yeah! We live in the same house together! I knew what you were doing! And that was pretty dirty Connor!" He said to his sister, "I don"t want to win. I just don"t want to hear that obnoxious moron for the rest of the night." Zoe giggled quietly taking off Jared"s glasses and setting them aside. "Yeah but still dirty." "Don"t worry. I owe him anyways," he sighed and sat in the comforter. "So... Now it"s just you and me?" Zoe asked eying her brother. He nodded. "Yup." The two sat in silence for a few minutes and then Zoe asked breaking the silence, "What do you want to do now?" "We can... Talk?" He asked. Zoe nodded. "Sure... We can talk till either of us loses." Connor sat on the floor next to his sister and talked for the longest time since they were kids. Connor even apologized for his behavior toward her and they even hugged tightly forgiving each other for the past mistakes. And it lasted till 4:00 in the morning and Zoe couldn"t stay awake. She was so warm in Connor"s embrace that her eyelids kept drooping and was yawning non-stop. "Go to sleep Zoe." Connor the caring brother he is starts stroking Zoe"s hair like he did when they were young. It always helped put Zoe to sleep. But she moaned snapping awake tiredly, "Noooo... I don"t wanna... You"ll win..." Her big brother sighed and explained, "Zo, I don"t want to win. To tell you the truth, I just have trouble falling asleep. I"m an insomniac unfortunately. But you need some sleep." Zoe yawned sleepily and snuggled up against her brother. She had no choice but to give in. She couldn"t keep it up anymore. "Night night Con-con."

"Ooooh! How about a game of truth or dare!?" Jared says excited. And Zoe asked scoffing, "What the hell is this? The 90"s?" "C"mon! It"s a classic game! I"ll go first! Evan, truth or dare?" Evan froze when Jared asked him a question. "You know how to play?" He suddenly rambles a little, "I-I do! I just... Never really played with any-anyone!" To stop Evan from panicking, Connor said, "How about i"ll go first! Truth or dare Kleinman?" Jared thought for a moment and said, "Truth." "You really think that I would do terrible things to you when you say dare?" Connor asked raising his eyebrow. Snorting, he shook his head. "No way Murphy." "Then is it true that you stuff your bath bombs up your ass?" Alana gasped at the thought, and Zoe starts laughing hysterically. Evan only cracked a smile calming down getting the idea of this game. Jared couldn"t believe what he was hearing. He was about to comment but Alana stops right there. "Alright! This game just got a little extreme! Why don"t we just watch a movie or something!" "I guess we can do that." Zoe said in agreement. The boys nodded and they all select through the Netflix movies. It took forever but they eventually chose Back To The Future and was about to start the movie but the doorbell rang. "Oh! Must be the pizza man! I got it guys!" Alana stands up and went to answer it and brought it in. Jared cheers, "Wooo! I"m starving!" "I wouldn"t starving since your eating pizza with fish on it," Connor said sarcastically. "Connor, lay off Jared," Zoe said as everyone else takes a slice. Alana asks Evan who is sitting on the couch, "Where are the drinks Evan?" "I-In the refrigerator," Evan replied and she got up to get it. She came back with drinks and the movie was just getting started. It was nearly 9 when the movie ended and Evan was getting tired but everyone else is completely wide awake. "Let"s go make ice cream sundaes!" Zoe cheers and she, Alana and Jared charged to the kitchen while Connor stayed with Evan. Judging but the tired look on Evan"s face, Connor asked concerned, "You ok Hansen?" "Yeah... Just a little tired." Connor suddenly remembered that Evan hardly stays up so late like Heidi said. About a five minutes later, the others returned with ice cream bowls filled with sundaes. "Let"s watch another movie! Who"s with me?" Alana asked the group. Though Zoe and Jared cheered, Conner tries to say,"Guys, maybe we should slow down a bit. Evan is-" "I have a good idea!" Alana says interrupting and hyped up on ice cream, "This may be insane, but the one who stays up all night the longest wins!" Conner cringed at the thought. He never saw that coming. "Wow Alana... I never heard that coming from you," Jared comments. "But I will destroy you guys in this challenge! I"m so in!" "What will the winner get?" Zoe asked her best friend. Alana replied, "The winner gets 20 bucks." Evan asked a little nervous, "And the loser?" "Not a single penny." Zoe shrugged in agreement, "Then we"ll do it." "Let"s just get in our jammies first!" Alana says and everyone else went to bathrooms or bedrooms to get changed before meeting up back in the living room rolling out their sleeping bags. Jared takes the center in front of the coffee table and Alana takes one corner, Zoe took another and Connor decides to sleep in an armchair which felt cozy. And Evan takes the couch. "Guys listen! Maybe we shouldn"t stay up too long-" "Nice try Murphy! I know your gonna take us out like that just so you would win," Jared said with a hint of sarcasm to Connor. Connor snapped, "It"s not like that Kleinman!" "Oh, so your so afraid of a little competition. Huh?" "But Mrs. Hansen is expecting us to be asleep when she gets back." Zoe asked shouting, "Since when are you our babysitter?" "She was holding me responsible Zoe!" The three start to argue which gets louder and louder and Alana tries to break them up. Evan who was silent the whole time watches getting petrified and starts breathing fast. There shouldn"t be any fighting at his first slumber party! Alana tries to stop but when she noticed Evan starting a shake a little violent she yells, "You guys! Evan"s going berserk!" Connor immediately looked at Evan and ran to him and tried to calm him down. "Evan! Evan! Calm down!" Tears were pouring out of his eyes and mumbles the apology over and over, "I"msorryI"msorryI"msorryI"msorryI"msorry!" "Evan! It"s alright! Just breathe with me! Ok!? Breathe!" Connor takes deep breaths trying to get Evan in rhythm but the younger boy clenched his eyes tight and has trouble breathing. Connor tries to think of what instructions Heidi gave him. And he remembered the teddy bear that"s upstairs. He asked his sister. "Zoe! Can you stay with him please? And ask him the ten things he sees in this room!" Connor ran upstairs for a minute while Zoe comforts Evan but wrapping her arms around him pulling into a hug. Alana and Jared watch on uncomfortably not knowing what to say or do. "Can you tell me the ten things you see in this room Evan?" She asked him who"s now crying and shaking. It took a moment but Evan finally answers opening his eyes stuttering, "Y-you, a-a coffee t-table, J-Jared, Alana, the flat s-screen..." But he continued to sob trying to calm down but he hiccuped. Connor came back with a tattered teddy bear in his hand and kneeled in front of Evan and holds it up in front of him for him to see it. "Evan?" He looked up at the bear and quickly took it in his arms squeezing it with all his might letting go of Zoe. Only a few minutes later, Evan"s breathing slowed but tears continue to roll down his cheeks. Finally, Evan"s breathing is back in rhythm and Connor asked, "Are you ok?" A reply he got was a nod. "What"s the matter Evan?" It was a minute before Evan replied, "I think I ruined it." "Ruined what?" Connor asked in confusion. "T-the party. All of you were f-fighting and I t-thought I didn"t do a good job making it awe-awesome like it"s supposed to be. I"m sorry." Zoe gave a sad smile and says, "Awww Evan! It"s alright! You didn"t ruin it! You threw a fantastic sleepover!" "That"s right. You really did Ev," Connor said with a smile giving him a nickname. "Your not a failure Evan. You never are. Remember that!" Alana smiled putting her hand on his shoulder affectionately earning a small smile through his tears. Then they all turn to Jared who never said a thing throughout the ordeal. He only nodded to Evan sincerely since he"s got no words to say due to being a jackass he always was, is and might be later on in life. Evan sniffled and says, "Th-thanks guys... For every-everything!" Zoe smiled giving him a hug along with Alana followed by Connor and Jared. So now the poor boy was squeezed and buried inside a pile of arms of his friends. He couldn"t breathe again. "G-guys... Can"t bre-breathe..." Evan choked a little. Connor heard it. "Give Hansen some air." But the other three didn"t listen and Connor tried to push them away before they start suffocating Evan. But that made the group knock over on the floor in a dog pile laughing like there"s no tomorrow. "Alright Evan? Wanna watch another movie?" Alana asked. Evan nodded. "Sounds good." Everyone snuggled up in their comforters or sleeping bags and they debated which movie to watch on Netflix. They eventually decided on Inside Out. "Are we still playing the game on who stays up the longest?" Jared asked everyone else. "Definitely," Zoe said. Alana nodded. "Absolutely!" Connor looked over at Evan who nodded slightly. He sighed, "Well, if I can"t beat "em. Join "em." "Ha! I"m gonna eat your dust!" Jared shouts. Zoe says back, "Why don"t you go eat our bath bombs instead of dust and then win?" Jared scoffed wondering if he should be offended while the others giggle and start watching the movie. "Thus the marathon begins," Jared confirms. Halfway through the movie, Connor felt something hit his shoulder. He turned seeing Evan fast asleep on his shoulder. He couldn"t help but smile. "Awwww..." Zoe coos seeing Evan. "So cute!" Alana checks the clock. "Really? At 10:40 PM?!" "Yes! One down!" Jared praised. Connor sighed explaining, "Guys... Evan"s mom told me he couldn"t stay up too long. Besides, that anxiety attack sort of took a lot of out him." In understatement, They all nodded and continued to watch the movie. Evan started to snore softly and Connor smiled again. He shifted Evan a little so he"s laying with his head in his lap. Evan didn"t wake up. "Such a sleepyhead," Connor thought as he ran his fingers in the younger boy"s hair. As the movie came to an end and it was around midnight. They started getting tired but tries their hardest to stay up. They suddenly heard a noise coming from outside sounding like a car door slamming. Everyone but Evan sat up in alert. "What was that?" Alana asked with a yawn. Connor looked out the window behind the couch seeing Heidi getting out of the car. "It"s Mrs. Hansen! Quick! Get in positions!" Connor said panicking little trying not to wake Evan who is still sound asleep. Zoe, Alana and Jared got into their sleeping bags and pretended to be asleep all sprawled out. Connor turned off the lamp that"s next to him making the room slightly dark with only one lamp on. They heard the door click and Heidi entered the house. As she put her car keys down. She went to check up on the teens. After seeing the sight, she grinned. "Hi Mrs. Hansen," Connor whispered. Heidi says in a quiet voice, "Connor, call me Heidi. You don"t have to be formal in this house." "Sorry," he apologized. "How"s everything going?" She asked. "Things were going fine. We had a great time!" Heidi asked again looking around. "Everyone asleep?" "Out like a light," Connor lied bending half the truth. She looks over at her sleeping son. "How is he?" She whispers a question with a small smile. "He"s alright." "Any trouble?" Connor starts to explain, "Actually he had an anxiety attack and we did all those things that you said. Don"t worry, he"s calmed down and he"s alright." Heidi kneeled and gingerly strokes her son"s sleeping face and kissed his forehead whispering, "Sleep tight baby." It made Evan hum a little in his sleep. Taking one more look, she stands up and says lowering her voice, "I"m going right to bed now. In the morning, I"m going to set things up for you all to make pancake art!" "Sounds great." Connor shrugged. Heidi couldn"t resist, she gave him a kiss on the head. "Goodnight Connor." "Night Mrs. Ha- I mean Heidi." He only blushed a little as Heidi heads upstairs to her room. It took a minute but when Connor heard the door shut. He whispered, "All clear!" Jared and Zoe immediately sat up. "Ugh! You have no idea how many times I nearly blanked out!" Jared whispered loudly. "I was this close to lose the challenge!" "Same! Right Alana?" No answer. "Alana?" Zoe calls quietly looking at her best friend who is all nestled in her sleeping bag with her eyes closed and breathing even. She crawls out and went over to Alana and calls again, "Alana?" Only a few seconds later she looked at Jared and Connor confirming it, "She"s sleeping!" "Yes! Two down!" Jared nearly shouts and the Murphy siblings immediately shushed him. "Don"t wake them!" Zoe cried taking off her glasses. Jared and Connor sniggered a little. "Guess it"s just us?" Jared asked. Connor sighed nodding, "Looks like it." Later that night, Jared and Zoe started playing a video game while Connor watches. They have it on low volume so it won"t wake Alana and Evan, or having Heidi find out they"re still awake. "This is fun!" Zoe quietly cheers. "I know right," Jared said. "Hashtag best slumber party ever!" Connor looked at his watch which says 2:50 AM. He"s so surprised that his baby sister is still awake. Not that he wants to win, but he wants to take out the competition for a different reason. "I"m getting milk," Connor announced. "Anyone else want one?" "Sure. I"m thirsty," Jared says. Connor shifted Evan"s head off his lap and moves it to a pillow, stands up and went to the kitchen. He took milk out of the refrigerator and then took out two glasses and set them on the counter. Thinking he should put a sleeping pill in one of those, but that would be too extreme and one will suspect it. So he decided to something better. When he couldn"t sleep, his mother would slip two teaspoons of honey in the milk. He searched the pantry for honey and slipped it in the glass of milk. He thought of doing Zoe, but Jared has been pretty annoying for most of the night and he doesn"t want to hear another peep out of him. So he took two glasses and went back to the living room finding the two looking at youtube videos on Jared"s laptop. "Here you are," Connor sighed giving glasses to them. Jared asked, "What took you so long Murphy? I know your trying to sabotage us so you can win!" "No way Kleinman! I didn"t put anything in it," Connor protested. "Then what took you so long?" "I was drinking my own glass and finished it," Connor lied. Jared laughed a little, "Haha! You finished your milk!" "Shush Jared!" Zoe asked him to lower her voice remembering that Evan and Alana are still sleeping. Luckily they didn"t stir. "Dude, I"m not even stoned! Which is why I wouldn"t do that to you. Just drink it and tell me what you think." Jared looked inside his glass for a second before sipping. Zoe did the same. After he tasted it, he smacked his lips. "Ok, this is good. Really sweet too! I wonder what brand it is?" "I"ll ask Mrs. Hansen in the morning," Connor said happy that Jared is going to get knocked out in a minute. Zoe sighs, "Tastes so sweet! Sweet like honey." Connor"s face suddenly drained of color. "Oh no! I must"ve gave Zoe the wrong glass! I"m taking out my own sister!" He thought. Jared soon down the entire glass and set it on the coffee table. "I"m glad i"m not lactose intolerant! This tastes really good! I wonder wh-" And suddenly he fell back on his sleeping bag, passed out and snoring. Zoe bit her lip to keep from laughing hysterically from the sight. Connor asked his sister, "You knew what I was up to?" "Yeah! We live in the same house together! I knew what you were doing! And that was pretty dirty Connor!" He said to his sister, "I don"t want to win. I just don"t want to hear that obnoxious moron for the rest of the night." Zoe giggled quietly taking off Jared"s glasses and setting them aside. "Yeah but still dirty." "Don"t worry. I owe him anyways," he sighed and sat in the comforter. "So... Now it"s just you and me?" Zoe asked eying her brother. He nodded. "Yup." The two sat in silence for a few minutes and then Zoe asked breaking the silence, "What do you want to do now?" "We can... Talk?" He asked. Zoe nodded. "Sure... We can talk till either of us loses." Connor sat on the floor next to his sister and talked for the longest time since they were kids. Connor even apologized for his behavior toward her and they even hugged tightly forgiving each other for the past mistakes. And it lasted till 4:00 in the morning and Zoe couldn"t stay awake. She was so warm in Connor"s embrace that her eyelids kept drooping and was yawning non-stop. "Go to sleep Zoe." Connor the caring brother he is starts stroking Zoe"s hair like he did when they were young. It always helped put Zoe to sleep. But she moaned snapping awake tiredly, "Noooo... I don"t wanna... You"ll win..." Her big brother sighed and explained, "Zo, I don"t want to win. To tell you the truth, I just have trouble falling asleep. I"m an insomniac unfortunately. But you need some sleep." Zoe yawned sleepily and snuggled up against her brother. She had no choice but to give in. She couldn"t keep it up anymore. "Night night Con-con." "Night Zo..." Only a few seconds later, Zoe is out like a light. Connor put her back in her sleeping bag, kissed her forehead and went to sit in the armchair finding out it was all silent... Minus the snoring and loud breathing from all his friends around him. Satisfied that everyone"s asleep, he took out his phone and looks through his apps. It was an hour later, and he heard a stirring noise. He turned finding Evan rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Man, he"s so cute!" Connor thought. He went over to the couch and asks, "What are you doing up Ev?" Evan yawned again, "I only woke u-up.' He looked around finding others asleep. He suddenly remembered he had fallen asleep first at his own party! His cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "Oh no... I-I lost. Didn"t I?" "Yeah you did. Sorry dude," Connor said. "And I kind of won." "Congrats," Evan says still tired. Connor noticed it and said looking at the clock which read 5:26, "Hey, it"s still early. Go back to sleep Ev." "But I..." Evan trailed off still blushing. "What?" "I-I can"t f-fall back to sleep..." Connor sighed sitting next to Evan with his arms outstretched, "Then come here." Evan scooted next to him and lets Connor"s arms pull him into a hug. "Just listen to my heartbeat and maybe rest your eyes for a little bit," the taller male whispers and let Evan"s head to lean against his chest. He starts humming softly gently as Evan starts getting sleepy again. He closed his eyes and the gentle breathing returned. Connor smiled and kissed him on the head. He debated either to leave Evan and go back to the armchair or stay like this till he wakes up. By content look on the snoozing boy"s face, Connor made up his mind and stayed. The sun starts coming up over the roofs and trees outside and the clock shows 6:30. But Connor was still wide awake holding Evan in his arms. Or at least he was. His eyelids start drooping and he suddenly found it hard to stay awake. "Oh well..." He thought as he looked down at Evan. "A guess a short morning nap couldn"t hurt." He closed his eyes and finally drifted off to dreamland. Finally it was nearly 10 in the morning and Heidi came downstairs seeing the still sleeping teens. She looked at Connor who is snoring. She couldn"t help but smile again when she saw Evan in his arms. She took out her phone and took a picture of the two before going to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast for them. Back in the living room. Alana is the first to wake. She sat up and looked at all her sleeping friends. Her eyes stopped short when she saw Connor and Evan. Not wanting others to miss it, she wakes up Jared and Zoe. "The hell "lana?" Jared croaked being rudely awakened and Zoe only rolled over yawning and stretching. Alana smiled pointing at the two sleeping boys. "Look!" They look at Connor and Evan and gasped. "Are they..." Jared trails off before snickering. "Shush! You"ll wake them!" Alana cried out to silent him. "Nope. I"m awake," Evan yawned sitting up out of Connor"s arms rubbing his eyes. He looked into the concerned faces of the three. "W-what?" He asked them before facing a still sleeping Connor and immediately panics, "This-this is not w-what i-it l-looks like!" Zoe tried calming him down. "It"s alright Evan! We believe you." She shoots a glare at Jared to zip his lips and not comment to prevent Evan from getting another attack. "I won"t say anything. I"m totally cool with that," Jared says before coughing under his breath, "Kinky." After looking at her sleeping brother, Zoe says, "I guess he"s the winner. He was the last one that stayed up." "Yeah... I w-woke up a little bit and h-he was still awake," Evan said before stretching his arms. "M-Must"ve fallen asleep after me." Heidi entered from the kitchen and said, "I"m so glad your finally awake! I got pancake batter in different colors to make pancake art!" "Yay! I love pancake art!" Alana cheered getting up and running to the kitchen. Jared wen after her while Evan and Zoe stayed watching a sleeping Connor. Evan asked her, "S-Should we wake him?" "Nah, let him sleep. He stayed up all night and won. He deserves a rest." He nodded watching Zoe as she gently laid her brother on the couch from the sitting position, head on pillow and putting a blanket over him. She strokes his hair and gave him a kiss. Connor turned over and moaned thinking he was awakened by his mother, but too asleep to know it was Zoe. "Mmmmm I don"t wanna go to school mom," he mumbled sleepily. Zoe and Evan both giggled quietly and she whispers, "Watch this!" She leaned in and says in Connor"s ear sounding like their mother, "Honey, school is cancelled today. It"s Christmas, remember?" Connor smiled in his sleep and mumbles, "Merry freaking Christmas to me..." And went back to snoring. Evan giggled with Zoe. "Let"s just leave him be for awhile," she said and they go in the kitchen to make their own pancake art. Jared and Alana had just finished their"s and went to sit at the counter starting to eat. Heidi went to kiss her son on the cheek, "Morning baby! You alright?" He only blushed answering, "I"m alright mom." "Where"s Connor?" She asked concerned while Evan went to get started on his pancake.. Zoe answered, "He"s still sleeping. He"s so exhausted from staying up all night." "Aw, I"ll make a nice pancake just for him when he wakes up," Heidi said as Evan makes a ninja turtle pancake. "Sure!" Zoe said and went to make her own. After they made their pancakes, they sat at the table and Heidi asks if they has fun which they did. They all talked and laughed with one another over delicious and colorful pancakes.

"I am really really worried about Danny!" Marty said. "He barely talked to us in days." "Yeah, now Sandy too?" Kenickie said surprised. "Maybe they"re breaking up?" Doody asked. Kenickie asked his friend, "What made you think that Doody?" "I don"t know. Well maybe they did?" Putzie realized, "Maybe he"s right." "We gotta talk to them," Kenickie suggested and they follow Sandy. As soon as they caught up, Rizzo asked, "Sandy? Why did Danny break up with you like that?" Sandy looked at her confused. "What? No. That"s not what you think. We aren"t breaking up." "Then what is going on? Why are you sad?" Putzie asked. She replied, "I can"t tell you." "Why not?" They asked confused. "Because I can"t, leave me alone," Sandy said crying and ran off leaving them still confused. "Maybe someone died?" Sonny asked breaking the silence. They look at him with a blank expression on their faces. Then later on, the gang decided to get Danny to tell them what is wrong. They tried everything to get him to crack, but nothing worked. Then they sneaked into Danny"s house before he came. As soon as he walked in, he noticed them and asked, "What are you all doing here?" Jan shut the door and blocked it and Marty blocked the kitchen door, Putzie blocked the bedroom door, Frenchy blocked the bathroom door. And everyone else blocks the whole house. Kenickie said, "Danny. We wanna know what is going on. And we"re not letting you out until you tell us. Danny, we"re your friends. Please just tell us. You told Sandy. But why not us. Please Danny." He looked at everyone who are very deeply desperate. Tears rolled down his eyes and he sat on the couch near him. "Can you all please just go away and leave me alone. I am not even in the mood to talk right now!" Sonny asked, "Is this about not wanting to be a T-Bird anymore?" Danny then shouted, "No it"s not! It"s not like that at all! I just don"t want to talk about it with you guys. I don"t even want you all to be upset with me!" "Upset with you?" Jan asked. He looked at everyone and said, "Please go away! Flake it off and leave me alone!" Then he leans forward on the couch burying his head in his hands upset. Kenickie then finally gave up, "Alright everyone. Let"s just go and leave him be." Everyone slowly walked out except Kenickie. He took a glance at Danny and said, "You know, if you don"t want to hang out anymore or ever, that"s fine." "No Kenicks, it"s not like that," Danny sighed. Kenickie came back and sighed, "We"re best friends Danny. We tell each other everything. Please tell me what is wrong. We can still be friends." Danny took a deep breath and explained everything. After he was done, Kenickie frowned and a tear escaped his eye. "No..." Kenickie sighed and wrapped his arms around Danny in a brotherly way. "Why does this have to happen?" "That"s why I don"t want them upset. Please don"t tell them anything. Rizzo came in and shouted, "Hey! We"re waiting for you to drive us!" Kenickie shouted with more tears escaped his eyes, "Rizzo! Not now!" She stood there in shock. She never seen her boyfriend cry before. She has never seen him cry like ever before. "Kenickie. Why are you crying? Did you two get into a fight?" Rizzo asked. "No Rizz. It"s nothing. See ya later Danny." He stood up, combed his hair and walked out. She looked at Danny in confusion and then follows Kenickie. She asked, "What did he say?" "I can"t tell you. It"s a brother to brother secret." "With Sandy too?" "She"s his girlfriend and they tell each other everything," Kenickie sighed. "Look, we gotta leave him be." Rizzo rolled her eyes in annoyance. Then a few days later, Kenickie went to talk with Danny along with Sandy and said, "Even though you don"t want to tell them, but you can keep the secret either. You gotta tell them." "He"s right Danny," Sandy said feeling sad. Danny just nodded agreeing. Then later on, Kenickie and Sandy invited the rest of the gang to Danny"s house and they were excited to finally find out what was going on. They all sat in the living room together and Danny finally spoke to the gang the news. "Alright. I gotta tell you all what"s going on. I never wanted to you all because you would get upset." Danny took a deep breath thinking that he can"t believe he is saying this. Then ten seconds later after he said it, they frowned and looked down or in tears. Sandy tears and Kenickie quickly wiped his tear trying to be cool. Frenchy leaned into Marty"s shoulder sobbing hard as she tears as well. Jan hugs Putzie crying really hard and he hugs her tight crying as well. Sonny, and Doody just sat there frowning and putting their hands over their eyes. Rizzo just looked down and a tear slipped out. "Why?" Doody asked. Danny replied, "I already told you. My old man needed a permanent job. So we"re moving to Arizona." "I can"t believe this," Putzie said upset. "What are we going to do? You"re the leader Danny!" Frenchy sobbed. Danny then sighed, "I don"t know what to do. I never wanted to go!" "Can you convince them to stay?" Sonny asked. "I can"t! The problem is that his job right now is temporary and if he doesn"t get a job around here soon, we won"t have enough money to pay bills in this house. All we can afford now is to move. Besides, the house is going to be demolished because we don"t have a will or anything. This used to be my grandparents house. But when we moved in they left a will before they passed away a while ago. Unless there is some miracle or anything that would help stay for a while longer and dad finds a permanent job here." Marty asked sniffling, "Does your father have to get laid off?" Danny nodded. "Yeah." "What about your job?" "Doesn"t pay much Marty. Neither was my mom"s," he replied. Jan asks bawling and hiccuping as if she can"t breathe, "Do you really have to go?" He sighed sadly, "I"m afraid I have to Jan." She cuddles into Putzie crying like a child. "Aw Jan. Don"t cry. It"s ok." Danny came over to the couple, sat down next to them on the couch and hugged Jan. Doody asked, "But what about graduation? We made a promise that we would stay together before graduation, and during graduation, and even after graduation. We would keep in touch." "I will keep in touch," Danny replied. "I don"t think I"ll be back for graduation." Rizzo still looked down asking, "How long have you kept it from us?" "Over a week." "How come you haven"t told us?" "I didn"t want to upset you guys. I don"t want to have the gang fall apart because of me." They all fell into silence. It was all quiet except for sniffles and hiccups. Danny sighed and continued to hug Jan. The gang all sat together in a silence for a long long time. Even till the middle of the night. It was curfew and the gang were about to go home. Putzie took a worn out Jan out to his dad"s car. Doody wraps his arm around a tired and teary Frenchy and took her to his car. Marty and Sonny took Kenickie and Rizzo to their car. And Sandy and Danny decided to sleep on the couch because she doesn"t want to leave him at all. It was a couple days later and the gang did the best they could just to stay with Danny till he moves. Then Putzie finally had an idea. "How about we can make your parents let you stay? Maybe I can fake being sick or something." Kenickie replied, "That"s a good idea Putz, but I"m not sure a cold would keep Danny from moving." "Unless it"s cancer..." Putzie said with a wink. Kenickie gave them and agreeing or cool idea look. Then the day before the move, Danny went to his parents and said, "Hey! Mom! Dad! I gotta tell you something!" His mom said packing a bunch of boxes, "What?" "I can"t leave! I gotta take care of Putzie! He has cancer! And no one would help take care of him. I"m his only hope!" Dad asked shocked, "What kind of cancer?" "He has... Lekimina... Something like that..." His dad said correcting him, "It"s Leukemia. And I kinda know what your pulling. You"re trying to stay are you?" "No," Danny shook his head chuckling looking at his dad"s serious face. "Yes," he finally said telling the truth. "Son, I know you really want to stay, but we"re moving to Arizona whether you like it or not." Danny sighed getting angry. "Fine. Fine. You know what! It"s not fine! I really want to stay here! I want to graduate with my friends! We made a pact to stay together! We look out for each other and I am the leader! Now I don"t know what to do! I don"t want to leave anyone! Not even Sandy! I"ll live in someone else"s place if I want to!" Then he walked away upset leaving his parents in shock and sadness. Later that day, Sandy walked him to Frosty Palace. The gang has planned a small private party there and Vi closed up shop just for the night because they wanted her to join. As soon as they walked in, the noticed the gang sitting in silence but with light smiles on their faces with a cake on the table. "Hey guys," he said. "What is this?" "We decided to have a small party just for you Danny!" Kenickie said. Sandy says smiling, "We got wonderful goodbye presents and a cake! And Vi closed the restaurant and turned it into a private party." Danny looked at the beautiful cake and read it. ""Odd luck Danny"?" He asked confused. They all looked to see the "G" and corner of the cake missing. Marty noticed chocolate on Jan"s lip corners and scolded, "JAN! I TOLD YOU NOT YET!" And Jan sank low scared. Putzie wrapped in arm around her knowing she didn"t mean to do it. "It"s ok Jan. It"s my party, and it"s alright if you already ate," Danny chuckled. They all sat then eating in silence. Danny sighed, "My last meal here with you guys." "Oh don"t say that Danny," Frenchy squeaks with tears falling from her face. Sandy laid her head on Danny"s shoulder. "I remember when I was a little kid, I would hang out at Frosty"s on the weekends and get ice cream," he said. Vi smiled, "Oh I remember it! You always had birthday parties here!" "I remember that!" Kenickie agreed. "I was there. And this one time that we were on a baseball team when we were seven. Little league?" "Oh yeah! I remember! It was you and me and Putzie on the team!" Danny said surprised. Kenickie laughed, "Remember when Putzie accidentally broke a window while we practiced." "That was my window," Danny said smiling. Putzie just said, his cheeks turning red. "I couldn"t help it. I have wrist problems." They all laughed. Sonny asked, "Remember that me and the guys were next door neighbors. We known each other in the playpen." "I remember that!" Doody chuckles. Putzie tried to remember but couldn"t. "I don"t remember how I met you guys. I think I was the youngest." "I do. Danny took care of you Putz because you were the very youngest of the group," Kenickie said. "I actually remember that we met Jan in kindergarten," Putzie flashes back. Danny finally remembered, "Oh yeah! It was you and me in the same class with her." Then Jan remembered. "Oh yeah! We met over a sandwich!" "We couldn"t find a place to sit and we sat with you and you shared a sandwich with us," Danny said. "That was very long before Rizzo took me under her wing," Jan said eating her fries. "I remember we were nap time buddies, snack time buddies, and playtime buddies. You, me and Jan," Putzie said. "I remember one day I refused to take a nap at all and when I wanted to play with building blocks and a stupid kid knocked it down," Danny remembers once more. Putzie remembered, "OH YEAH! I also remember that Danny hit the kid for doing that and got a time out." "I remember that we met Rizzo and Frenchy," Doody remembers. "We were all in the 4th grade. Same class." "Rizzo was a rebel and still is," Danny said, "She actually took someone"s picture and cut it up to pieces." Rizzo groans, "Oh please don"t remind me. That idiot called my picture the worst picture than any. I had to go at it!" "What about when you dared Jan to eat a bunch of twinkles at once," Danny asked. She thought for a second and then says surprised, "Oh yeah! I remember! I was actually surprised her stomach was really strong!" "She actually ate her whole birthday cake at her party when it was supposed to be for all of us," Sonny chuckles. "Remember that?" They all thought and were like, "Oh yeah! I remember. Etc." "I remember that Danny dared Sonny to go into the girl"s bathroom," Jan laughs. Sonny"s face turned red with embarrassment. He whined, "Don"t tell them that!" "And Doody had to help get him out of there without anyone seeing," Jan finished. Doody then shouts, "Oh yeah? I remember that when we went to a carnival, and us guys went onto a ferris wheel and Putzie was too scared to look out!" "I was afraid of heights Doody, and I still am," he said slowly. Marty then spoke up, "I remember when I met Danny! That was when I transferred to the middle school. I had a crush on you Danny!" "How come you haven"t told me," Danny asked surprised. "I was too shy." "What about Frenchy? Anything you remember about her Danny?" Jan asked trying not to leave Frenchy out of this. "I remember that day we hung out and I accidentally spilled soda all over her hair." Frenchy remembered. "Oh, I was really upset over that." "Remember the day you met Sandy again at the pep rally?" Jan asked. "Your face was priceless Danny!" Then she laughs. "That day was the day we will never forget," Rizzo said smiling. Danny said one last thing he remembers, "I remember I won the drag race after Kenickie got hurt." "I remember that, and Putzie pushed the car door on his head," Doody said and Putzie shouts, "God! Fine! I am always the clumsy one!" They all laugh and Kenickie gave him a brotherly side hug. "I remember that I changed for you Danny," Sandy finally said. Danny sighed, "How can anyone forget? That was the day we made a pact just to stay together." They all have sad light smiles on their faces. "Don"t worry you guys, I"ll never forget you," Danny said. "I promise that I won"t." "I wish that you wouldn"t move Danny," Marty said with tears in her eyes. Kenickie didn"t want any sadness and tears at the party. He said, "How about that you can open some presents Danny?" Danny asked surprised, "Presents for me?" "Yep!" The gang all put presents on the table. "I don"t know where to start," he said excited. He opened Putzie"s present first, it was a baseball that they won when they were Marty"s which was a gold chain necklace without anything on it. Just a chain to remember her. Then Frenchy"s present to him was a black comb and grease gel. And Sonny gave him a toy car because there was nothing else to give him. And Doody gave him a comic book. Then Jan gave him a giant lollipop. And Sandy"s present a kiss and a long hug. Then Rizzo and Kenickie were the last to give him a present. "So me and Kenickie and I chipped in to give you this," Rizzo said and gave him a present. Danny took it and opened it. It"s a photo album. All different memorable photos of him and the gang. One was where when Danny and Kenickie were in a playpen together. Another was when he, Kenickie, Putzie, Jan, and Frenchy playing. And another was when Sandy was kissing Danny on the beach where they met. He looked at them and then tears come down from his eyes. He immediately wiped them and Frenchy smiles, "It"s ok Danny. Let it all out if you want." He looked at her and lets his tears fall. Everyone else"s tears fall down as well. They all sat in silence until it was time to go. It was nearly midnight and the girls were all really tired from all of this. "Hey Rizz? Wanna sleep over at my place?" Frenchy asked tiredly. "Sure. Wanna come girls?" Rizzo asked. Sandy shook her head, "I"m gonna spend a little more time with Danny." "I"ll come," Marty volunteers and went to them. "Jan you coming?" Rizzo asked. And Jan nodded rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Come along baby girl," Rizzo smiles gently and lets Jan stand up and rest her head on her shoulder as Frenchy puts her hand on her back walking out after kissing and hugging Danny. Then the guys all left hugging Danny and Kenickie and Sandy accompany him home with his presents. The next morning, the gang all came over early to see Danny before he moves. They all felt really sad about it. Danny never wanted to go. He really wanted to stay but couldn"t. And one by one, they gave him a long hug until Sandy was the last. Then finally the gang gave I"m one last huge group hug before he leaves. Everyone starts to cry as Danny went into the car. As soon as the car started leaving, he waved goodbye sadly. Then just about 2 minutes he left, the gang all sat in his vacant living room waiting a few hours until the people will come and destroy it. Putzie was playing with a ball being bored and sad. "I can"t believe he"s gone you guys," Doody whispered. Sonny sighs, "And the house will be destroyed..." "I wish none of this ever happened," Jan says with tears falling down her face again. Rizzo hugs Sandy who is still crying. "At least I still have you guys," Sandy sighed. They all nodded. But then Putzie threw the ball accidentally to the chandelier which made a crack in the ceiling making the whole chandelier fall onto the coffee table along with a tiny box which was tied along with it as the glass parts broke into a million pieces. Kenickie looked at it and then Putzie and yelled, "YA PUTZ! I CAN"T BELIEVE THAT YOU DID THAT!" Putzie just yelled back, "WELL IT AIN"T MY FAULT!" Marty went over to the tiny box and picked it up. She opened it and a piece of paper is folded into it. She took it out and read it. That piece of paper happens to be the Danny"s grandparents hidden will! "You guys! THIS IS IT! IT"S THE WILL!" Rizzo looked at it and then too the ceiling and said. "I guess they wanted to hide it up there." Doody shouted excited, "Wait! This can help keep them here and pay the bills until his dad can find a job!" And Frenchy squeaks, "And the house won"t be demolished because they own the house!" "OH MY GOD! WE GOTTA GET HIM!" Kenickie yelled also and took the will and ran to the car. The gang all scrambled trying to fit into Kenickie"s "Greased Lightning." "STEP ON IT KENICKIE! C"MON!" Marty yelled. Kenickie stepped on the gas petal and started to go as fast as he can. Putzie shouted, "You know you"re gonna go to jail for speeding? Right?" "I don"t even care! We"re getting my friend back!" "YOUR FRIEND?" Rizzo screamed. "OUR FRIEND RIZZO! BUT HE"S MY BEST FRIEND!" "YOUR BEST FRIEND?" Doody yelled. "OUR BEST FRIEND! BUT HE IS LIKE MY BROTHER!" Putzie yelled, "BUT HE"S LIKE MY BROTHER TOO!" "GODDAMMIT I LOVE HIM LIKE A BROTHERLY BEST FRIEND IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE! SO PLEASE LET ME DRIVE!" Kenickie drove as fast as he could to catch up to them. "Too fast Kenickie!" Jan yelled holding onto Putzie. "Do you see a moving truck Kenickie?" Sandy asked. "Not yet!" He replied. He"s been going down highways nearly getting everyone into a car accident. The gang held onto each other trying not to get into a horrible accident. Until he finally saw a truck. "GUYS! I FOUND THE MOVING TRUCK!" He yelled. "KEEP GOING!" Sonny yelled back. He speeds a little more up till he reaches the truck. Kenickie screamed, "GUYS THIS IS IT!" Everyone started screaming also really excited. As soon as he changes lanes to get next to the truck, he notices that"s not a moving truck. "THAT"S NOT A MOVING TRUCK! THAT"S A HOSTESS TRUCK!" Kenickie yelled getting furious. The gang groans and Jan yells happy throwing her hand up in the air, "YAY!" Kenickie speeds up to around 70 miles per hour to get past it and they finally see a moving means Danny is nearby. "IT"S THE MOVING TRUCK!" He yelled and the gang cheers. He speeds up to get past it. "Do any of you see Danny"s car?" They looked around and Frenchy yelled, "I SEE IT!" They looked and found his parents car. Kenickie changed lanes once more and speeds up to them. "DANNY!" The gang yelled calling him and getting his attention. Danny was sitting in the back of the car with a photo album in his arms feeling sad. But then he heard noises. "DANNY! DANNY! DANNY!" He looked around and noticed "Greased Lightning" coming toward them. He gasped. They were following him. "Kenickie?" Danny asked confused. He asked his dad who"s driving, "Hey dad? Pull over!" "Why son?" He asked pulling to the side of the road and stopped and Kenickie stopped behind them. Danny replied getting out, "It"s my friends." He ran to them and asked, "What"s going on? What happened?" "This happened," Marty replied giving him the will. Danny took it and read it. "We found it in the chandelier!" Doody said. He read it and then yelled, "MOM! DAD!" They ran over and asked, "What"s wrong?" "Anything alright?" His mom asked. He shouted really excited, "They found it! LOOK!" He gave them his grandparent"s will and they read it. "This shows that we own the house! This would mean we won"t move to Arizona after all!" They looked at it and they hugged his son. "C"mon! We"re going back!" His dad announced. The gang cheers jumping up and down hugging Danny. Afterwards, they stopped the workers from about to demolish their house and then the gang helps putting everything back to where it was. Danny picked up Sandy and spins her around giving her a kiss. "Welcome home Danny," Sandy said chuckling and Danny grinned that he is glad to be back with the gang again.

the need to say yes, yes I did was so strong, I looked at the bunch of papers in front of me and lied, "No, I haven"t. Such a relationship would be stupid and reckless, ruining the future of both people." Susannah looked down at the table, a look of betrayal and anger etched in her features. I looked away and continued with my tutorial. But with her question started a flow of inappropriate questions from other students, such as: "Have you ever had a physical relationship with someone so much younger than you?" or "Have you ever gotten your girlfriend pregnant?" and when I said no to both questions, there was a lot of whispering and unsure glances. The thought of dumping Susannah before anything actually happened had been painful, but it was even worse when I thought of how I was a lying, cheating bastard and thank God Susannah hadn"t found out. When I was eighteen, my father arranged a marriage for me and a woman called Louise Ashford. I was to get married when I was eighteen, but I reasoned with my father and told him that a marriage would get in the way of my studies. My father had agreed to wait until after my university and I was to get married on the day of my diploma. Luckily, the job here in England had cropped up and I took it at once, fleeing from my father, lying to him by saying it was a temporary course from the university which I hadn"t been able to do during the year so the school board had told me I could take part in it after my diploma and send them a résumé. So when the door to my class opened and the secretary waddled over to me, I wasn"t expecting much. It was the words that left her mouth that shocked me the most. "Mr. de Silva, there is a woman, your fiancée apparently, at the office. She would like to speak to you...?" the whispering in the class had died down, so the majority of people - especially the once person I wished hadn"t - heard what the secretary had said. I stared at her for a second or two before shaking myself and replying, "Tell her she should wait until my class is over. I will see her then." the secretary nodded and shuffled off, tripping over students bags and extended legs. I glanced briefly at Susannah before continuing my lesson, her expression said it all. Maria de Silva - my cousin - sat in one of the chairs in the office, toying with her tiny black purse. Her painted red lips pulled into a smile when she saw me. "Jesse, honey, how are you?" she said, embracing me and pressing her lips against mine. I pulled away as soon as I could, pasting a fake smile on my own face. "Hello, Maria. What a pleasure. Why did you come to the school and not went straight to my apartment?" I lied. The question I wanted to ask was how she found out about the school. I was sure I hadn"t written about it in any of my emails. "Oh, I passed there but it looked so... drab. How can you live in those horrid apartments?! I was thinking, maybe you could come to the hotel-" "Wait a minute. What are you doing here?" I asked, sorting through the books I had to mark that evening after I cam back from my bartending job. "I came to see you of course! We"re getting married this summer, remember? And I need your help to choose the place! I was thinking Greece or Rome..." Maria sighed happily and stroked my arm with one red tipped fingernail, "It"s going to be fabulous." "Here"s the thing, Maria, I can"t-" "Sir?" I turned round and saw Susannah standing behind me, her eyes guarded. Her body, her eyes, her movement pulled my heartstrings and I tried to look at her as a teacher would when he sees a student. A beautiful one, too, but still a student. "Yes Susannah?" "I"m abandoning those tutorial classes you were giving me before. I don"t think I need them anymore." she said quietly, her hair swaying a bit in the wind. "Who is this?" Maria asked, her voice high and posh, hateful even. "My student, Susannah Simon." I said without looking at her. "Susannah, are you sure? You were doing great in those classes, I don"t understand why-" "Oh, I think you do," Susannah said briskly, "Anyway, I appreciate your help but I can work this out on my own." "It"s nearly exams; you should at least take some revision books with you." I said softly, completely ignoring my fiancée. "No. Thank you. I- I think I"ll see you in lesson tomorrow, sir." with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, her black short skirt brushing against her mouth-watering legs. I wanted to call out to her, make her come back. Instead, I turned towards Louise and smile warmly. "I don"t have lesson next. Maybe I should show you the town?" I offered her my arm and Maria took it, giggling like a high school girl. We went back to the apartment, Maria talking in her high voice about the wedding and me barely listening, my thoughts trained on Susannah"s non committal voice earlier in the day. Had she really severed all ties with me? "Oh, but this place is so...shabby. How can you live here?" Maria exclaimed, a touch of disgust in her voice. I wanted to laugh at the strange difference in taste between Susannah and her. Susannah thought this place was "wow" and Maria said it was "shabby". Sometimes, it really was hard to satisfy everyone at the same time. "I don"t stay here much," I excused myself, "I work night shifts at the club in town." Maria stared at me, her mouth open in horror, "A club? One of those clubs where...where people dance?" nah, one of those clubs where people sleep, I wanted to say. Instead, I smiled tightly and nodded, depositing the exercise books I needed to mark on the kitchen table. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at Maria as she touched everything in reach, distaste clearly visible in her plastic features. How could I have agreed to marry such a...monster? Then I remembered Susannah"s wounded expression when I lied to the class about relationships with teachers, and I dropped my gaze to the floor, keeping back unusual feelings for her. "Baby, I can"t wait until we"re married and get our own place. You must be feeling so lonely," she murmured, wrapping her arms around my neck. It felt like slime was crawling up my body. "Don"t call me that. And I like the place I live in." I retorted, knocking her arms away. She glared at me and pouted, turning away, towards the set of exercise books on the table. "Susannah Simon," She read, "Poor girl, having such a name!" "Actually, I find it fascinating." It was old fashioned, but beautiful. I was shocked at how much venom I had put in those words. I never could stand people laughing about my students. Maria only looked at me with disgust before flipping back her multi time dyed hair. I turned away. Suddenly, her arms were around me, pressing soft but demanding kisses along the nape of my neck. Like a good fiancé should, I kissed her back, trying to drive all thoughts of Susannah out of my head. It was impossible thought. It was her lips I was kissing, her hands digging into my back, her hot breath on my neck. All I could think about was Susannah. My Susannah. Roughly and unexpectedly, I pushed Maria away, picking up my car keys and walking out of the apartment. I wished so hard that it was Susannah I would be coming back to tonight, and not my nightmare come to life. So, what do you think? Someone asked me for a chapter where it was Jesse"s point of view, so here it is. I do realise I could have done so much better, but I wrote this on the spur of the moment, and frankly, I thought it looked OK like it is. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Reviews anyone...? Chapter 6 Engaged. Engaged. Engaged. The word kept popping up everywhere I went. In school, there had to be an engagement of some sort; In town, it looked like all the jewellery shops had been taken over by the Engagement companies; posters of people getting married were all over the mall with stupid signs saying Buy your dresses here! You will look like a princess! But it wasn"t that that got on my nerves. Oh no. It was the fact that Jesse had his fiancée hanging off his arm all the time. She would be there when it was break, she would be there when it was tutoring period, she would be everywhere. All the time. It was my own personal nightmare. And it was starting to affect my reputation. So, to say my anger had reached boiling point was an understatement. I was like a bull seeing red for the first time, which made it all more painful. My anger resulted me in getting suspended for three days - and getting myself on College Report along with a four month trial. If I broke that four month trial, I was out of that school for good. Finn had laughed when I started planning on how to kick Debbie"s butt. Debbie was one of the girls who thoughts - and acted - like they had it all and expected everyone to fall to their feet, and recently, she was pissing me off. "Suze, do you even think about the consequences?" Finn laughed, flicking dried grapes at me. I parried the blows with my History ring binder. "Now, why would I do that? I"m a do-then-think kind of girl. That"s why I"m in the position I am now." "The one of getting excluded?" Finn asked, peering at my face. "No, stupid. Position of power." "Not stupid. Gay. And you sound like Julius Caesar before a battle." He corrected sourly, opening his math text book. Raising an eyebrow, I jokingly asked, "Who is that?" "The emperor of Rome? The man who built all those monuments? Seriously, Suze. Sometimes I think you"re as dumb as our dear old Lucy here present." I snorted. Lucy squeaked, indignant. Oh well. They always said the truth hurt, right? "Oh, thanks." I said sarcastically, totally ignoring my diet and digging into the Chips&Cheese that was on offer today. Mmm, melted cheese, how have I missed you... Melissa, who had been sucking face with some bad boy in the next school who came to see her every lunch, turned to me and wrinkled her nose. "Do you have any idea how many carbs and fats are in those chips, Suze?" I dropped a chip of mine into her soda and smirked. "You better shut it, Mel. You haven"t lost any of your puppy fat yet." Finn laughed and growled, "Woof, woof." Melissa blushed and turned back to her boyfriend, engaging in another "mind blowing" kiss- as she described it. I turned away, disgusted. Just as Finn was about to say something, the bell rang and I was out of my seat faster than you could say my name... ...Only to remember I had double English. Jesse"s class seemed to drag on forever. He wasn"t being boring, but the more I wished I was out of there, the more it seemed to lengthen. And there was an unmistakable shine to his features that I could only describe as afterglow. I shuddered at the thought of him and that two pence skank together that way. "...OK, people. I"m going to assign you a two thousand word essay to write for next week. It"s not so long, so I presume you can all bring it in on time. I want you to write about the feelings you have when you"re near a person. Make the essay accurate as you will turn it into a poem next week." I glared at him. Was he trying to mess around with me? He already knew what I felt for him! As the students grumbled under their breathes, Jesse called out the names of the people he would like to see at the end of the lesson. Surprise, surprise, my name was on that list, too. "Susannah, may I see you at the end of the lesson, please?" I shrugged but pulled my bag onto my shoulder and walked to his desk, my body language stiff and cold. "What?" I snapped, rudely. If he thought I was going to be nice to him, then boy did he have another one coming. Jesse sighed and waved away the other students, sitting back in his chair and regarding my thoughtfully. His eyes bore into mine, and I found myself looking away, my coldness ebbing away. It was nice to be looked at like I was more than just his one time fling in his apartment. I didn"t think he would ever take me back, but a girl could dream, right? "Susannah, what happened between us- I don"t want you to...write about it. You"re probably angry and hurt, but we can work this out. What happened was wrong and I apologize profusely for that and I don"t want that to get in the middle of your work." He said all this in a please-understand-I-don"t-mean-any-harm voice. I looked up at him and leaned over the desk. "Don"t worry Jesse. It was a one time thing. And you should know by now that I don"t have a full time boyfriends." I snarled, straightening up again. Jesse grabbed my wrists, pulling me back down again, until my front was pressed against his desk. He neared his face to mine, his breathe blowing at my fringe, ruffling it slightly. "I"ll never forget you, Susannah Simon. Whether you forget me or not. You"re the only person I would ever care for." With that, he released me and he stared after me as I stumbled out of the room. When I got outside of the classroom, kids were milling about and a few sniggered at me. I realised one of the girls was Debbie Mancuso and I walked towards her. "What"s your problem, bitch?" I hissed, staring at her. "Nothing." She stammered, obviously backing away. But Jesse had pissed me off and seeing as I couldn"t beat him up, I could always beat someone else up. And this someone just happened to be provoking me. "Oh yeah? Then what you laughing at?" I said quietly, my deadliest voice. "N-nothing." She repeated, eyes wide. Her friends seemed to melt away. I walked closer to her until she was pressed up against the wall, clutching her books to her chest pathetically. I smiled nastily at her. "You were laughing at something. Me? You were laughing at me, bitch. You should know that whoever laughs at me gets what they deserve." "I wasn"t-" "Especially liars." I hissed and moved in. I knuckled up my fist and drove my first knuckle in the top of her sternum. She yelped and doubled over, clutching at her chest, her breathing coming in difficult gasps. I swept my legs under her knee and she fell, smacking her head onto the floor. She whimpered and then lay still. I took a step back and felt two strong hands on my shoulders. "Susannah? What-" "Susannah Simon! In my office now!" I left Jesse gaping after me and walked to the principals office, not giving a damn about anything. A/N: OK, this chapter is super duper short but I wanted to get this up since I have a surprise for you guys in the next chapter and I wanted to update quickly and post this note. Please review! I"ve added a new character to this chapter, just to give it some spice! Please review! Chapter 7 Sam Belling was an old friend of mine. A friend with benefits- not someone you would mess with. We used to have a no- strings-attached relationship: he gave me the free smoke and alcohol and I gave him what every guy wants- my body. After I delivered my stupid, childish essay (If you can even call it that) to Jesse de Silva, I decided to meet up with Sam. It had been a couple of months since I last saw him. He had been arrested for illegal marketing and I had vowed to stop smoking... ...but right now, a cigarette was the only thing that would get my mind off the fact that some guy rejected me. I sighed. His loss, I guess. I wish I had someone to confide in. I couldn"t talk to Finn. He wouldn"t understand. Melissa and Lucy were off the list. Are you kidding? One word and it would be around school in twenty minutes flat. Or less. The street I walked down was dark and quiet and if I hadn"t known where I was going then I was sure to get lost. I knocked three times on number 13"s door and rubbed my arms against the cold. Why had I decided to where a vest tonight of all nights? The sound of keys rattling and bolts sliding back made me focus on the opening door. Sam, in all his shirtless glory, smirked down at me. "Well, well, well, if it isn"t Susannah Simon." He laughed, the sound of it sending warm, pleasant shivers down my spine. I spread my arms, "The one and only." Sam took a step back and opened the door wider for me to walk quickly through. I kept my eyes trained on him as I moved, making sure he saw all of me and only me. The sound of a TV set filtered through the half closed living room door. Sam led me through without saying a word, his eyes on my legs. I was wearing my blackest, shortest skirt which showed off my legs much better than any other piece of clothing I had. Man, I was playing dirty. "Another stolen set?" I asked, nodding toward the 42 inch plasma TV. Sam grinned. "Actually, I bought it. Clean money, no less." "Right." I arched an eyebrow and sat on the sofa, crossing my legs so he could get a better view of my smooth thigh. A small quiet - but still audible - sigh escaped his gorgeous lips. He sat down next to me and put a protective arm around my shoulders. "So, baby, why"d you come?" he murmured, nipping my shoulder, sliding the strap of my vest down. I should have wore a bra. I really should have. "The usual. Martini, Vodka, Gin and the cigarettes." I breathed. It was hard to talk straight around him. Actually, make that impossible to talk straight around him. Without getting off the sofa, Sam pulled a wooden crate from under the sofa and tapped it smugly. "All your stuff, baby, safe and sound." He tipped me so I was lying underneath him, my skirt riding up so it was around my waist. "Sam...Sam, wait." "Too long, baby. You haven"t come in months." Yeah, but you"ve had other girls, too, I added silently. I kissed him slowly, almost lazily. Maybe he really could make me forget about Jesse. And as the night wore on, I was sure of it... When I awoke the next morning, I could hear the gentle, heavy breathing of Sam next to me. I remembered dimly what had happened. We"d kissed, drunk the alcohol in the crate and smoke some weird stuff that Sam had produced from his back pocket. I sniffed at my hair. Weed. I"d smoked weed. Damn. I clutched the white sheets around me as I leant over the bed to try and see where my clothes had gotten to. As a thought occurred me, I slapped a hand over my mouth. Had we used anything? I couldn"t remember. I was sure we hadn"t. but everything was so hazy and weird, that I couldn"t be 100 per cent sure. If we hadn"t, I was in deep trouble. Slowly, I got up, trying not to wake Sam up. He was grouchy in the mornings. "Baby, where"re you going?" Sam"s voice was muffled against the cushions. I stared at his back. Hadn"t he been asleep? "I have to get to school." I squeaked. So unlike me. I don"t squeak. "School?" he rolled over and pinned me under his body. His pupils were little pinpricks, as I was sure were mine. How could I have been so stupid?! "Yeah." Sam laughed and flicked the tip of his tongue over my bare, exposed collarbone. "That"s a first, you wanting to go to school." he whispered, lips brushing over my throat. "I"m on report. If I miss one day out, they"re going to set the School Government on me." At least that was true. After knocking that bitch down, I had gotten a warning. Sam didn"t answer but his low breathing did. He was asleep, thank God. That stuff we smoked must have been strong. I never felt so icky in all my life. I slid out from under his body and crouched on the floor, slipping into my underwear and clothes quickly and quietly. I walked out of the front door, careful not to slam it. The school wasn"t too far away from Sam"s apartment and I got there in ten minutes. The first bell had already rung and people were heading to there first lesson. English. Shoot. Jesse wanted to know why I was late. I didn"t tell him the truth. What would I say? Sorry mate, I was smoking dope? I don"t think so. "Whatever. See me after the lesson please." I glared at him, biting down on my tongue so I didn"t say anything stupid. Jesse continued on with the lesson as if I didn"t exist - which was usual - and when the bell rang, he asked me to stay behind. Couldn"t he get it? I didn"t want to have anything to do with him anymore. Rejection doesn"t go down lightly in my book. "What do you want?" I snapped when I was sure everyone had left the classroom. OK, other than realising we hadn"t used any sort of protection the other night, things weren"t going so good. The last thing I wanted was for Jesse (Someone whom I"d thought I had felt something) to say something that would just make it worse. "Susannah, I wanted to talk to you. Seriously. None of that please-don"t-be-mad-at-me crap. What have you done to yourself? Your eyes-" "Shut up. You don"t want to know." I didn"t look at him but it was no good. I could still feel those dark eyes of his scorching my skin. Was it me or was this room hot? "Susannah, it is my responsibility to try and help you if you are doing any kind of illegal substance." yeah, I"m doing illegal substances alright. I"m doing illegal substances, underage drinking and causal sex. Need I say more? "And what can you do about it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. Jesse walked closer to me and grasped my shoulders in a death grip. I winced suddenly remembering a bruise that was sure to come after last nights casualties. "I can help you. Confide in me. Tell me what"s happening to you." Jesse whispered. I shook my head but couldn"t help looking down at the floor. "You will never be able to help me, Jesse. I"m way beyond help." Jesse"s arms wrapped themselves around me, pulling me closer to him. The familiarity of his touch, the ache of it as I had dreamed for weeks on end, had tears form at the back of my eyelids. I buried my head in his shoulder.

smiled at Chick and came towards the bar. Thats when he clocked Lucas sitting next to me. "Thought you were going back to New York." "Thought you"d leave me alone. I just came for a snack before I leave. So chill. I won"t be barging into your life Rob." Rob gave a horrible smile at him that made a shiver run down my spine in a really REALLY bad way. He walks towards me and plants a kiss on my chhek, then whispers in my ear, "Come on. Your parents are worried "bout you." "Why didn"t they come looking for me." I mumbled in reply. But I got up anyway and followed him out. His arm was protectively around my waist as we made our way to his bike, "Hey wait. I came with my bike." "I"ll come and pick it up for you later, OK?" He didn"t even look at me as he said it. I stopped in my tracks and pulled him round to face me. My fist banged against his chest and he looked suprised as I yelled at him, "What is WRONG with you, Rob? It"s weeks that you don"t even look at me when you speak, and weeks since you treated me like a proper girlfriend. I am NOT going to stand this Rob. Tell me what is wrong, and tell me NOW!" So he told me. And it was better if he hadn"t. I cried all night. And the next day too. And the day after that. How could he? I HATED HIM. I couldn"t believe what he said. He was dumping me? Why? What had I done? thought as I cried as I never cried before. A bang sounded at the door, and the muffled voice of my Father ordered me to go downstairs. Immediatley. I shouted back, "Leave me alone! You and mum have ruined it all!! Mum went to tell him didn"t she? I hate her!" I slumped back against my bed and wrapped my arms around my knees, drained of tears. the door burst open, and Rob stood there, jangling his keys against his leg. He walked over, grabbed my arms and shook me hard. "What are you doing? Your parents did not tell me to dump you. I did it because . . . because-" he didn"t say anything after that. He couldn"t say anything, bacuse I had sunk my fist into his stomach and he was crumpled on the floor, trying to breathe properly. His eyes were closed and I was sanding over him. I grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the wall, "Nobody dumps me without a good reason, you got that Wilkins? Nobody. You"re lucky I didn"t sink my fist into your face." I hissed in his face. His eyes were wide with shock - and maybe pain - and he said slowly, "I did have a good reason, Jess. Your parents don"t agree and deep down nor do I. lucas said that you two were getting pretty comfy with eachother so I thought-" "What HAVE you got in that head of yours Rob? Me and Lucas? I hardly know him! He scary and violent and just looks like he has a horrible mind. OK? And anyway, if I were to two-time you which I would never do, I would never pick someone who is in this town, cuz I know you"ll go and beat the pulp outta them." Only I didn"t say pulp. He just looked sad and hugged me tight. "I know you wouldn"t but . . . I hit Lucas. Hard. In the face. he told me you two were . . . were." I put a finger on his lips and said, "Don"t be ridiculous. I love you too much to go with Lucas." He smiled, but the smiled didn"t quite reach his eyes. Outside, in the shade of the garden tree, Lucas stood. A gun in his hand, aiming for the girls winodw where he could see the girl and Rob. heads very close together. he aimed and . . . . . . . . i have a problem. I keep swapping from present to past, so if u spot this . . . LET ME KNOW. Thank yo so much. CHAPTER2. Shot . . . I woke up, and my first thought was, what the hell? My arm was stinging and the room looked weird. It was all white like, I dunno, paradise. But of course it couldn"t be, because if It was I would be dead, and I couldn"t be dead because if I was I couldn"t be processing the thought that I was dead. And I don"t think paradise had the disgusting smell of cleaning fluids. And if I was dead, I don"t think angels could smile at you and wave a massive needle infront of you and say, "Now, I see you"re awake and I see you are in pains so if you would just let me, I could give you a shot of painkillers, and you will be asleep in a few seconds flat." I wanted to scream, excuse me? NO ONE gives me weird shots without my permission! But my voice had gone, and all that came out was a horrid, embarassing croak that would have had Rob in fits of laughter. Where was Rob? he would have been here by now. I tried to turn my head round towards the door, but I had to stop because even the slightest turn would bring pain to my arm. Slowly, the pain faded away and all I could feel was darkness engulfing me and bringing me under. Rob slept. He had been injured but not as bad as Jess, the doctors had said. Jess had been shot in the arm and on the side. She was lucky not to have died, but the doctors had said she wasn"t out of danger yet. She could slip into unconsciousness anytime during the night and day. The had to keep her under control for a few weeks before they could be sure she was danger-free. Rob felt like crying. It was his fault after all. If he hadn"t dumped her for no reason - because his reason, that he was scared for her when Lucas was around - hadn"t counted at all. Lucas could be back in New York for all he could care, but he could still be in Indiana, hiding out. Rob hadn"t seen him for years - 9 years - after a fight in the family, and even then, they weren"t the greatest of friends. Lucas wanted too much from Robs life. He wanted his friends, his room, his school popularity as one of the scariest people around - he didn"t want people to be scared of him, but hey, you have to earn respect somehow, right? - And he had come back a few years after Lightning Girl had become friends - ??? - with Rob. Involuntary, though he might add. He had wanted to befriend her, but with a few rude words, Rob had sent him back to New York preventing any problems. But somehow, Lucas had come back, with more in-black money than ever. His work, beating up people for money was disgusting. Rob had only beaten up people who deserved it, and if they had provoked him in anyway - calling Jess names to his face was one of "em. Rob smiled at the doctor who came in saying, "Rob, my boy, reading the reports on you, we can let you go next week at th earliest. Hoping that their won"t be any counter reactions to the medicines we are giving you now, that is." Rob sighed and slumped back against the cushions. He wanted to go NOW. He wanted to see Jess, he wanted to hit Lucas and send him packing back to New York to his fantastic job. He wanted his old life back. Lucas lay on the back seats of his car, and thought of what happened. Of what he had done. The jealousy had gripped him so badly when he saw Jess and Rob together, He had heard Jess cry for the past two days - the windows were open and she hadn"t noticed - and the way Rob had walked in, like he had every authority and reason in the world - and talked to Jess whos heart he had broken just few days earlier, saw them kissing and making up had made him see red. This wasn"t the end, though. He was gonna go back to New York and come back with a few of his pals. The nurse who came in this time had just talked to a doctor who was visiting Rob, and told me he was fine. On the other hand, I was still in the Danger Zone. I just looked at them like they were nuts. I"d had worse, Well, not really, but getting struck by lightning was bad enough right? I mean, come on. I have a "GIFT" as the FBI still want to call it that could drive me to insanity. I don"t know what happened, but it couldn"t be THAT bad, right? The doctor read my expression correctly and sighed, sitting on my bed, "Um, Well . . . you have been shot. In the arm and on your side." I burst into silent laughter, yeah right!! The doctor stared at me like I really had gone insane. He shook his head and continied, "The wound in your arn isn"t so deep and not so dangerous, but the one in your side is another matter. You are so lucky you haven"t died. Rob is in no danger, and he can leave next week at the earliest." Rob was here? No. No he couldn"t be. The doctor must"ve seen my panicked look as he smiled and asked if I wanted to see him. I shook my head. nodded. shook it again and then nodded again. The doctor laughed and left, appearing a few minutes later, Rob behind him dressed finely in trakkies and hoodie, and a pair of trainers that couldn"t be his as he didn"t have trainers the colour white. "They"re gonna get ruined anyhow, so whats the point in buying "em white when you can have "em black?" he had told me once. Rob"s mouth turned into a OH shape, and I was sure that it didn"t mean anything good. The doctor took the hint and left us alone. He sat on my bed and stroked my hand like he hadn"t done in ages. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the cushions. "How you feeling?" I shrugged. I looke out of thw indow and he started stroking my face, "Jess, are you still mad at me?" I nod and look away. Bad move. He grabs myface and turns me to look at him. He hisses under his breath and says, "Look, I"ll tell you everything when it"s clear for me." He kisses me and goes away, his shoulders hunched. I have never felt so lonely in my life. And I have never wanted my mother more than then. CHAPTER3 ROBS POV This was driving me crazy. Lucas turns up on my doorstep with a silly missed-me? grin and then decides that it"s over between me and Jess. No way. then what does he do, oh yeah, he just disappears with a stupid note saying I"m alright, don"t cum looking 4 me. U won"t find me. Don"t they write those notes, in the movies, when they"ve been kidnapped? Seriously, the kids crazy. I meet Jess at the school gates like always, kiss her hello then leave her when the bell goes for first lesson, "See you in Detention?" she asks. I laugh and then nod, walking away slowly. She looked kind of ill. Her skin was pale and she had black rings under her eyes. But she still looked like the same old Jess. She limped a bit, because of the wound in her side, but the stitches had been taken out weeks ago and now the wound was healing. English. Bugger. I plugged my earphones into my MP3 Player and tuned onto Three Days Grace song Are You Ready, You said we"d never get this far, You said your words, we played our parts! You said your two cents now it"s my turn, so sit down shut up are you ready?? I listened to the second, only half concertrating on what Miss. Bayley had to say on Shakespear. Who cares?? I felt myself drifting off, when my earphones were taken out and the music stopped. I jerked awake, coming eye-to-eye with Miss. Bayley, "What?" I ask, quite rudely i must admit. "Detention Wilkins!" I shrugged and drifted back off to sleep. Without the music this time. "Ok Chick?" I asked after Detention. Jess and I headed for the usual stools and made ourselves comfortable. "How"s it going Wilkins?" Chick replies, handing me a beer and a coke to Jess. She smiles and uncaps the bottle with her teeth. "You"re crazy, Mastriani." I say. "It"s what happens when people hang around with you, Wilkins." I laugh and sip some of my beer. Lovely and cold just the way I liked it. Most of the time I think, what is someone like Jessica Mastriani doing with someone like me? She could have anybody she wanted, but she picked me. Why? When I tried to ask her that once, her only response was to glare daggers at me and ask sweetley, "You want me to leave?" Which made me angry and sulk for the rest of he night. I never tried to ask her again. It was dark and silent into the night when the phone call came. I reached out sleepley and found my mobile in my jeans pocket. "What?" I say sleeply "Mr. Wilkins?-" I grunt in reply, I mean DUH Who else you dumbass? "-Mr.Wilkins this is Jamie Foxer from the FBI department.-" I was fully awake and sitting up in bed, "Go on." I say. "Well, Mr.Wilkins, your cousin Lucas Roberts? Has gone missing. And I"m sorry to tell you this, but so has a certain Hadley James. Erm, from our files it says that Hadley is you step-sister removed." My what-what removed? I have a half-sister. "You must be mistaken, sir. Lucas left today and I don"t know a Hadley James." I wasn"t sure Lucas had left today, though, was I? The FBI guy seemed to read my mind. "Mr.Wilkins, are you apuainted with a certain Jessica Mastriani."Oh Here We Go Again. PLZ R AND R!!!! Reading what people have to say about my writing and the way I can improve it really makes my day!!! (God, am I sad or what???) anyway, the characters aren"t mine they"re Meg Cabot"s except for Lucas. He could be Kevin Brooks" or mine. depends the way you look at it... CHAPTER4. jess POV I got the phone call from the FBI that night. Seriously, don"t these guys ever get enough?? I even tried to tell them that I lost my powers once, but did they believe me? NOOOOOOOOOO! They haunted me - literally - "til I found some poor missing kid, and I went looking for him. They followed and caught me out, and it sucked big time. And the internet didn"t help either. I typed in on Google "how to get rid of your psychic powers" and nothing came out. (A/N: I didn"t do the research myself but it sounded like something Jess would do, so I went ahead and wrote it down. hehe.) I mean it. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Anyway, I had just drifted off to sleep when my phone shrilled me awake again. I looked at the flashing screen and saw that it said NO NUMBER, Okaaaaaaay. I pressed the green number and listened to the voice on the other end. "Miss. Mastriani? This is-" "This is the FBI Department. I know, I know. Now, what do you want??" I had cut off the man on the other end. I looked at the digital clock on my nightstand and saw that it was 1.00am. Fantastic, I thought as the man on the other end talked about rights and stuff, a test tomorrow is exactly what I need. "What we"re trying to ask is, Miss.Mastriani, your co-operation is needed." "Wait. What?" I laughed, what was this guy on about? "Miss.Mastriani-" "Stop calling me that! The name is Jess. " I snapped. "Ok then Jess.," He said my name with disgust. Seriously, these guys have to stop smoking dope because it DOES show after a while., "Have you listened to a word I said? Obviously not. A certain Lucas Roberts has gone missing and so has a young girl from New York, erm, now what"s her name . . . ah yes Hadley James has gone missing. What I"m trying to say is, will you help us? We know you don"t like us-" "Ok Buster, I"ll help. But this is the last time, you got it? Send me the files in the morning and no later, or I won"t help." I slammed my phone shut and closed my eyes with a groan. I fell asleep trying to remember square roots and my algebraic notes, (A/N: I hate algebra, but my sister is ace at it and she is two years younger than me. So tried to make it sound boring and hateful, but if i have failed, please let me know )) Can life get any more complicated and boring? I was sitting on my front porch, waiting for Ruth and Skip to come and pick me up, reading through my notes. "Erm, Bust up Mastriani?" I look up to see Rob sitting on his bike, grinning at me. "Hey Rob." He walks and kneels behind me putting his strong arms around me from behind and looking at the notes in my hands, "Ouch, square roots. Tsk tsk. Haven"t studied?" "I went to sleep late last night, finishing off my History Homework, then when I finally fell asleep, those dumbasses fom the FBI phone me up about Lucas and this girl called Hadley missing." Rob nods and tells me he had the phone call, too. The front door opens and my Mother stood their, hands on hips, staring down at me and Rob on the front porch together, Rob groans, stands up and kisses me on the cheek. "See you later Mastriani." He walks away and I hear a low chuckle from him before he started the engine on his bike and left. "Jessica, these have come in the post for you." She hands me a brown enevelope, goes back inside and slams the door firmly shut. The files. YIPPEEEEEEEE. NOT. I know my chapters are short, but I write what comes to my mind and when I"m stuck, I just post it as it is. KEEP R AND R"ING!! Again. if u spot any past to present or vice versa mistakes plz tell me. oh and dont stop reviewing CHAPTER5 THE FILE... NAME: Lucas SURNAME: Roberts DATE OF BIRTH: Unavailable AGE: Unavailable MISSING? Yes FOUND? No CASE: Went missing on the fifth of January. Rob Wilkins last seen him the morning of the fifth. Jess Mastriani is on Lucas e case. Dr. Krantz is on the case. Lucas Roberts is to be said that he worked for certain people names unavailable. Could be taken for money? Jess Mastriani will be leaving for NYC as soon as possible. PRIME SUSPECT: Rob Wilkins. SECONDARY SUSPECT: Unavailable. OK. So my boyfriend (???) was prime suspect and I was supposed to HELP THESE FRICKING LOSERS?? No way. Absolutely No way. I was thinking - and reading - all this on my way to the cafeteria the same morning - SURPRISE! - of my FAILED Algebra test. Oh dear. Anyway, I sat as far away from anyone - including Rob - that I could. Which meant I sat at the table next to the kitchen doors. Man, the smell of burning stuff is revolting. "You on it again, Mastriani?" I looked up to see Rob glaring down at me. I shook my head and looked back down at the file. NAME: Hadley SURNAME: James "Mastriani? Look, you can"t be mad at me . . . . Still/ I told you I"ll explain." I shook my head again and the next thing I knew, the files were flying outta my hands and into the air. "HEY!! Give "em back, Wilkins!! That"s FBI property!" I jumped out of my seat and lunged at him, the whole cafeteria was silent, waiting for the next move. Crap. "If they were so important to you, " He snarled "Then you wouldn"t bring "em at school, would you?!?" He sounded so mad, and I hated him more than ever. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" I screech, "First you dump me, then you think you can just wander up to me, steal my files AND TALK TO ME LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED? Are you out of your mind????" A flash of hurt went across his face, then in a blink of an eye it was gone. He grabbed me from the front of my jacket and slammed me against the wall, "You listen to me, Mastriani. I care about you, whether you like it or not. You can"t just help these guys. You"ll end up in a hospital or a psychiatrist office at least, and then what use will you be to them? Or yourself?" I pushed him away and grabbed the files from his limp hand. He was right of course. He always was. I walked back to the table and picked up my bag and my failed test. I walk out, not daring to look back just in case I would start crying. DATE OF BIRTH: unavailable AGE: unavailable MISSING? yes FOUND? no CASE: Missing since the sixth of January. Next door neighbour, Mrs. Jenson, 68, said to have last seen her on the fifth. It Is said that she is related to Lucas Roberts. Jess Mastriani on the case and will be leaving for NYC as soon as possible. I walked and read and tried to keep from screaming in frustration all at the same time. I sat in front of my locker, with students milling about and some of them staring. The file included two photos. One of Hadley and one of Lucas. Hadley was the classic babe. Only younger. She seemed about seven or eight with big baby-blue eyes and curling blonde hair. She had the mysterious but I-am-everything-and-you-are-no-one look down pat. It seemed that it was taken a long time ago. The photo, I mean. The second photo was of Lucas. His grey-blue eyes glaring at the camera, his mouth in an angry pout. His hair was blonde with black and gold streaks which I had never noticed before. I suddenly felt something, a small whiff of that smell of his. Gasoline mixed with aftershave. And I saw an image in front of my eyes, like I was seeing through his, only he was angry and screaming something at someone. Gone. Just like that. The whole thing disappeared and I was back at Ernie Pyle High School, sitting on the floor of the, now empty, corridors. I slowly got up, feeling the pain in my side tearing away at me, and slowly made my way out of the school. Rob caught up only minutes later. He swung off his bike and sat next to me on the wall surrounding the small pond. "I"m coming with you, whatever you say, and I"m ready to explain everything." I looked at him in amazement, and grabbed his hand, "Wait, what? You can"t-" He cut me off by raising a hand in the universal sign of "stop" "OK. I dumped you because Lucas was putting me off. Him staying here without telling you everything was a big mistake and I was scared of losing you as well as my innocence here and at school. OK? So, first off. I love you. I always loved you and I always WILL love you, whatever you do. Including running away for a secret wedding with Chick." I laughed and so did he. He squeezed my hand and continued, "I"m coming with you to New York and I"m gonna stand by you all the way. Unless I"m two scared to make it and die of fright." I laugh again. This day was getting better. "AND, I am NOT going to tell what I"m on probation for, OK?" He saw it on my face probably. The question I had pestered him with since we met. Oh well. We had a whole stay in New York so I could force it out of him. I smile and say, "We"re leaving tonight. Whether you"re ready or not." ok. maybe this is a bit long and im sorry if it bored u. kp reviewing and tll me of my mistakes!!

"Would you watch Aaron for a few minutes while I go take a quick shower?" Stupid question. Stupid excuse. Just...stupid. They"d done this countless times. It was one of those things that went without asking and always got the same response regardless of the reason for it. "Of course," Ruthie replied. "Thanks." That"s it? Martin groaned. All that build up for nothing. "No problem," she said getting up off the bed. "He should be okay until I"m done but if for some reason he does wake up-" "Done this before, Dad," she said. "Right. Okay good." With that, Martin made his way toward the bathroom. Paperback left open across her chest, she stood. Quietly, she set herself up and started again. In the silence that fell between them, all that could be heard was Aaron"s calm, even sigh as he slept. So calm in fact that she felt herself begin to drift. Giving up on any attempt get anything else done, she set her books aside and lay up against the head board. The hard, wooden surface would most defiantly prevent her from falling into a deep enough sleep. She would just rest her eyes for a few seconds. The shattering of glass made Ruthie jolt in surprise, resulting in her head making contact with the wood surface. She grimaced as she massaged the sore spot carefully. Only seconds later a loud cry alerted her to her small charge. Jumping off the bed quickly she picked up the frightened baby. "Shh it"s okay," she whispered calmly, running her fingers through his hair. That seemed to quiet him down some. "Scary stuff, huh?' The child"s only reply was a small whimper. It was likely just a broken glass but it was enough to startle both of them. Humming quietly, Ruthie made her way back over to the bed. Lying herself down, she carefully placed him on her chest. This always helped her relax when she was small; falling asleep to the sound of her mother"s gentle heartbeat after she woke from a nightmare. Slowly, she could feel the tension in his small body decrease as his breathing became even again. After a while she could feel her eyes begin to droop again. This time she gave in. Turning the shower off, Martin stepped out wrapping a towel around himself. Collecting his things he made his way back to his bedroom. Taking in what (or in this case who) lay on his bed he stopped in the doorway. There looking so peaceful, were two of the most important people in his life. Martin was quick to realize they may just be the two that ever made the list. He smiled at the sight. Her soft curls lay spilled out on his pillow, her small figure barely taking up any room on the large bed. Being as quiet as he possibly could, Martin tiptoed over to his duffle bag and carefully unzipped it to remove a fresh set of clothes. While in the process of re-zipping his cell phone rang. "Shoot!" he hissed as he dug around in his bag clumsily in an attempt to find it before the sound could disturb them. Looking at the caller ID the name "Mac" flashed across the screen. Quickly he snapped it open, carefully closing the door behind him. "What?" he snapped. "Well hello to you too Brewer," Mac replied. "Sorry. Hi Mac. What"s up?" he whispered. "Nothin" too big. Just wanted to see how you were doing." "You saw me two days ago," he reminded him. "So? Is it a crime to call you or something? If so the cops would have arrested me a long time ago," he said. Martin rolled his eyes and sighed. "No but you could have picked a better time." "What do you mean? It"s almost noon." "It"s just been a long night," he sighed. "We didn"t get much sleep." "Little guy been keeping you up?" "Not exactly..." he sighed. "Martin?" "Mac, I gotta go. I"ll call you later," "Wait is that Ruthie I hear in the background?" he asked. "Kind of a long story. I"ll explain later." "Oh come on Mar-" Mac"s sentence was cut off as Martin snapped the phone shut. With a sigh, he walked into the room again dropping the phone on the bed. Ruthie"s eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight. There Martin stood in nothing but towel as it slowly inched down his body, water still dripping from his newly washed hair. She could feel her heartbeat picking up as her eyes almost popped out of her head. All she could do was stare. "Ruthie, are you okay?" Now it was her turn to be speechless. Seeing the look on her face Martin followed her line of vision. He blushed holding his clean clothes to his body, somehow hoping that it would cover him, as if by magic. Freakin" great! Stupidity: 2, maybe 3. Martin: 0. A few minutes later Martin walked back into the room. Thankfully this time he was fully clothed. "So...did everything go okay?" he asked sitting himself down on the bed, both of them moving a safe distance apart. "Yeah. He woke up for a bit when Mom broke something downstairs but other than that it was fine," she said. "Figured it would." Ruthie rolled her eyes and smirked. "You"re such a dad," she mumbled. "Well that"s good, I was startin" to worry." "You"re ridiculous." "So I"ve heard. Not really all on me though." Ruthie"s heart sank despite herself. "Amazing how something so small can have so much power." She swallowed hard, willing herself to face him. "Isn"t that the truth," Ruthie agreed. This little person had changed everything for Ruthie. He"d closed all doors of possibility with Martin by simply becoming a part of the planet they lived on. Martin didn"t miss the hint of disappointment in her tone as she spoke. He couldn"t help feeling guilty. Again. Aaron hadn"t just changed his life forever. He also had an enormous impact on the relationship he had with Ruthie. The look of anger he had seen a few months ago flashed across his mind, his tongue rolling across his lip nervously. He hadn"t meant to hurt her. Yet in his lack of conscience, he had hurt her in the worst possible way. "I"m sorry," he said quietly. "It"s done," she mumbled "This," he said hoping she would catch on so he wouldn"t be forced to say it out loud. ""This" could mean...a lot of things, Martin. Do you mean moving in again? Because like I said before you don"t have to apologize for that. She"s always been in and out. I was kind of just waiting for her to pull something like that." "What?" "You can"t tell me you didn"t see it coming," she said trying not to sound as deadpanned as her unspoken thoughts. "No, I mean us." Oh... Ruthie wanted to say that there never was an "us" to begin with. At least not in the way she really wanted a few months ago. She wanted to say that the kiss barely meant anything. That would be a lie. Those few seconds meant more than she could ever put into words. She had even less of a window now to express them. The thought of her current boyfriend both saddened and silenced her. "I haven"t gone anywhere, Martin. I"ve been right here all this time," she said. "I know and that"s what surprises me. I put you through so much and yet you"re still here." "That"s what friends are for Martin. They"re supposed to be there for each other no matter what," she said putting her hand on his arm. The way she uttered the word "friends" made him uncomfortable now, almost like she was forcing the idea on them, which really, she was "Plus I don"t think my parents would let me move out yet so I was stuck here anyway," she chuckled. He gave her a small but struggling smile. "Everything happens for a reason," she said matter of factly. Right. Those words of reassurance. He"d heard them so many times over the last year, Martin wasn"t even sure if they counted as words anymore. By now, they all came off as sounds more than anything. "He"s changed my life, Ruthie," he whispered. "And as crazy as it sounds, I wouldn"t change a thing," he said looking lovingly at the sleeping boy. "The love I feel for him is something I can"t even really describe." "It"s not crazy. You don"t have to change anything. I can see it in your eyes," she said honestly. "I don"t understand how she can do it. Just walk out without any guilt whatsoever." "I don"t know. I"m still trying to make sense of it too. How she can just look at him and...She"s going to regret it, Martin. There"s no doubt in my mind. I don"t know when but karma"s a funny thing." He nodded, grateful for her words even though neither of them were any closer to an answer. "I"m sorry I didn"t call yesterday. Things just got really hectic. We had a fight...". "You think that"s why she...?" "If it is, that"s stupid as ever. We always figured things out. For him, you know?" No, she didn"t. Not entirely. "It"s okay, I understand," she said. And she did. Ruthie always kind of got it, even when she didn"t want to. "No. The least I could do was call you on your birthday and I couldn"t even do that!" he said mentally kicking himself for being so thoughtless. "Dishes. We got into it about dishes. So stupid. Funny thing is it"s never anything serious. When it is we just...silent treatment and do what we gotta do. I said it before. We don"t talk. We just...let it blow over. I kind of expected this to be the same thing. It"s not obviously but, I could"ve spared a second. Might"ve actually helped honestly." "Hey, hey it"s okay. You"re forgiven. You don"t have to beat yourself up about it," she said. And he didn"t. There were always other birthdays. She was the one being pathetic about it. "What do you say to pizza and a movie, my treat?" he offered hoping to make it up to her. "Sure," she said. Martin could feel butterflies at the pit of his stomach as he noticed the smile that spread across her face. It wasn"t much but it was something. "Looks like he gets to hang out in crazytown." Both watched as Aaron"s eyes silently opened. "So you"ll do it?" "I already said yes," she laughed. "What"s with you today?" "Great, we"ll leave by seven." "Okay...I think someone might have to go to the brain doctor," she chuckled quietly. Aaron of course just laughed right along with her. "You"re so lucky you"re holding him right now..." "Why?" Ruthie"s eyes went wide as she followed his train of thought, his gaze turned to the pillow he leaned on. "You wouldn"t dare." "Oh I would, if it weren"t for him." "Saved by the baby!" she said triumphantly holding Aaron closer to her as an attempt to better her shield. "Low. Even for you, Camden." "You"re the one who said it, not me." "Not like that!" Ruthie just shrugged, a traditionally smug expression coming across her mouth. A/N: Thoughts? Questions? Leave "em down there! A/N: Chapter 4: Completely unplanned but it just kept going so naturally, I just went along for the ride. Hopefully it worked out. Silence had never been more comfortable. For well over an hour, the three laid in quiet company of the other leaving the last few hours as some kind of unspoken understanding. Aaron"s even breathing as he quietly played with Ruthie"s hair was as loud as it seemed to get. "I almost don"t want to move," she whispered. Martin shook his head. He attributed lack of motivation to just how early they"d been woken up. If he were awake enough, he could probably muster up enough to glare at the little boy, far too easily entertained by the bounce in Ruthie"s curls to care. "Got about twelve hours," he laughed. Ruthie nodded trying to suppress a yawn. "You could use a couple of those to nap," he pointed out. "You"re usually around for the day shift. No sane person keeps a brave face this early in the day." Ruthie just rolled her eyes. "I"ve got things to do," she countered, the fact that he was a self-proclaimed crazy all on his own sat at the tip of her tongue but she chose to bite down on it harshly before the words had a chance to fall out. Martin looked at her curiously. "Homework," she said simply. "You graduated....I was there. All of us were." Even if his new priorities did a fine job of sucking him dry, he had enough time to sit through four hours of pointless speeches just to watch the youngest Camden get her diploma. He remembered very little of that night. Some speaker went on about how they were moving onto their next big adventure and the valedictorian wasted everybody"s time by saying something eerily similar. The little he stored in his long term memory was the way her long dark hair fell over shoulders and the light smile (no teeth) that graced her face. Everyone was there for their own kid anyway. The ten seconds it took to walk up and shake some person"s hand was quickly drowned out by the other thousand who did the exact same thing. Still, Martin went, knowing that with all he"d put her through, he could give Ruthie one night. Ruthie rolled her lip realizing how easily she was caught in her own little white lie. The truth was she couldn"t sleep, no matter how tired she really was. The last few hours left her a lot to think about. What did any of it matter now anyway? Someone had gone and pressed rewind on the tape that was their more than odd relationship. She wasn"t even sure what kind of relationship it was anymore. She had someone and...up until the night before, good or bad, so did he. Now they were thrown back into the ring, in no real position to do anything about it. Not that she wanted to. "Your mom was the loudest one in the stadium. You don"t have homework." "I just have stuff to do, okay? So do you. We can"t just sleep till 7. As appealing as it all sounds." He had to scramble to make his face as expressionless as possible, her words and the way she used them a bit of a surprise to him. "Alright, whatever. It"s just a suggestion. You can put the claws away." "I don"t have claws," she muttered. "You haven"t met yourself then," he said quietly. "What was that?" she mumbled turning to him. "Nothing," he said quickly. "Just be ready, okay? Don"t want to be late." "We"ve got like eleven hours," she laughed. Now it was Martin"s turn to shrug. "You"re acting like this is some big fancy dinner when really we"re just going to the Promenade. The most exciting we"re going to get is maybe a visit to the Dairy Shack if I get pouty enough. Then you"ll have to take me," she smirked. "You"re making it sound like this big sacrifice." "You don"t know what we"re seeing yet. I might have to drag you through the whole night and then you"ll get all grumpy and groan about it for hours, telling me how much torture it is." "Is this some kind of punishment?" "I prefer to call it a lesson," she teased. Martin couldn"t help but let his stomach turn to knots. Just the idea of being in the same room with her sent his head spinning like a stupid teenage girl. Or maybe he was so frantic because it meant that for just a few hours he could be society"s idea of normal. Ruthie had a very simple way of doing just that. No masks, no games. Things just were. Lesson or no lesson, he"d take it. "Professor Camden," he joked, his quip earning him a single-handed pillow to the arm. "Was that detention?" he laughed expertly avoiding the throw and letting it land on the floor beside him before picking it back up, glaring when Aaron found humor in the whole thing. "Notice how I haven"t gotten a shot at her once," he whispered. "Hardly," she grumbled. Ruthie again found herself piercing her own tongue. Technically, he had, in ways she never even imagined possible. "Are we just going to lie here all day or do you want help getting all your junk moved in?" Martin swallowed hard, not even sure if he could walk through the place without wanting to throw out half of the things that didn"t belong to him and burn the rest. "We should probably go figure that out..." "Yeah," she nodded. "We probably should." Realistically, Ruthie just wanted to leave everything there as it was. If she as much as set foot in that house she would be swimming in the shadows of people and places she would much rather forget. She was almost certain it wasn"t just her either. "Best to leave him here, I think. We"ll just be going back and forth. This way he might just sleep and stay out of Mom"s hair." Martin almost caught his own slip but didn"t do much about it. The Camdens were really the only stability he"d known, kind enough that they somehow still treated him like one of the many extensions of the family, a courtesy he knew better than to properly deserve considering. If he thought of the technicalities and what he"d just implied, they"d be right back to the beginning. You don"t kiss your sister he thought. Not like that. Shaking himself of the thought Martin eased his son off her chest and smiled. "What do you think? Stay here or help us carry boxes big enough to fit you in?" "That one"s easy," Ruthie said, a smile coming across her own face. "Grandma"s more fun than Dad any day." "Thanks..." to which she easily shrugged. "Just giving you the facts. They can make us cookies and juice. Everybody wins," she said, letting her finger glide up Aaron"s leg. This of course got another one of his laughs as Ruthie gave Martin a knowing smile. "What"d I tell you? He loves it." "I"m honestly not too excited about what we"re doing either. Sounds like your day"s going to be a lot more exciting." The little boy gave his father a knowing grin before sticking part of his shirt in his mouth. And it probably very well was. Moments later, Martin and Ruthie were headed over to his house to box up what they could of the things they needed most immediately. It helped that at least half of it was already stored somewhere in the house. Under daylight, he could now see just how many traces of Sandy were really gone. Noticing how sparse she left it made him even angrier, though the emptiness was all the better for him. Literally nothing kept him here if he chose never to come back. Gone were the few family photos they"d taken over the last year, only their frames left propped on tables and a mantle that had gone unused for well over three weeks. She"d even gone so far as to removing the few paintings she had on the walls. Not that he cared for those. He had to assume she had help. There was no way Sandy had taken so much in so short a time. Not to mention how quietly it all had to be done if she wanted to make her escape without incident. He wasn"t entirely sure why there was little to nothing said while they worked. Martin wondered if it had anything or everything to do with where they were and why. The faster they got out, the easier it was to just lock up and forget about life behind these doors. Boxing up Aaron"s few toys and necessities he couldn"t keep from standing behind the small island, scanning the room for anything else important, taking a few seconds to reflect on what any of it meant. He was now a single dad, just as his own father was. Though he considered the night before, something about a nearly empty house, which now kept only furniture and a few blankets made it all the more real. The only noticeable difference was that Sandy hadn"t died. That made it all the worse. His own mother had no choice in her leaving. The mother of his son was ready and willing, eager to drop the few things that could potentially hold her back from whatever it was she wanted to do with her life. "I think that"s everything," Ruthie said with a heavy and labored sigh as she brushed her hands on her pants. Turning to her, Martin was once again brought back to the present, pulled easily from his own thoughts. So consumed in getting it all over with, he wasn"t even sure how long they"d been there, or how many packing boxes traveled back and forth between houses. All that mattered was that they were now on the last few odds and ends. "Yeah, we"ll come back for things later if we need them," he mumbled. Ruthie looked at him carefully, her own eyes clouded with quiet concern. She chose to say nothing on the matter and decided a simple nod was probably enough. "C"mon," she said gently, a slight tug at his arm. Martin looked down at her small hands, barely able to wrap effectively around his bicep. Those hands were the reason he kept his head at all and he knew it. The walk back to the house was equally as quiet, though comfortable all the same. As promised, they came back to the smell of fresh cookies and ice cold lemonade. "Martin, if you need-" "No, I"m good," he said quickly. Ruthie met him somewhat skeptically but said nothing. They both knew that was a lie. Even so, she let him believe it for as long as he needed to. "Just take a minute," she mumbled. "Sit, have a cookie or something. I promise these won"t chip your tooth." He offered her a half-smile noticing how much effort even that was, taking a bite as he chewed methodically. As she watched him in silence, she became all too aware of his distance. "If you want a rain check..." "No." "It"s okay if you do. I get it." No, she didn"t but he had to give her points for trying, for being her usually supportive self. Even if she did, there was no backing out of this now. He"d broken enough promises to her for a lifetime. "We"re going," he said. Ruthie gave him a nod, not entirely sure he"d sit well with the decision after a few hours. Putting down his empty glass, he slowly backed away from the kitchen, easing up into the swinging door toward the stairs. "Just going to go..." "Got it. I"ll go hop in the shower and find something decent that"s not covered in dust and old paint stains. Ruthie found she was talking to herself now, Martin already gone out the door and up the stairs. She shrugged, taking them two at a time herself. Giving herself fifteen minutes in the shower, she quietly tiptoed back to Martin"s room, being sure to stay out of sight. What she found was somehow exactly what she expected. Aaron was fast asleep, curled up on his father"s chest, Martin moments from doing the same.

"That"s fucking ridiculous," he laughed. "You"re the best in your section!" She smiled. "Thanks Ricky, that"s nice to hear. Even though it"s not true," she blushed. "They have no idea what they"re talking about," he grumbled. "It"s okay. Takes the pressure off." "Well one thing"s for sure, you"re not goin" home," he said. She was somewhat surprised. This was the first time he ever really pushed her to do something. It didn"t come out forcefully. It was more like continuous encouragement. Something she expected from her parents, maybe even Ashley, but never did she see it coming from Ricky. "Why can"t I go home Mr. Underwood?" she giggled. Again his heart lurched when the sound floated through the air. "Amy it"s like finishing a race. How stupid would you feel if you just stopped running before you hit the finish line? Thousands of people are watching you and you just quit. You"re gonna get run down by the people behind you. You"re just gonna lay there, letting them do what they want with you. Do you really wanna give them that kind of power over you?" "I don"t have thousands of people watching," she corrected. "That doesn"t mean you don"t have people supporting you. "Your parents, your sister, your friends, me." "You?" Ricky rolled his eyes. "Look at him," he said directing her attention to an occupied little boy who sat playing with is toys. Amy did look at him. After a couple of minutes her gaze met Ricky"s again. "What does he have to do with you?" she asked. "We"re his parents Amy. We made a promise to work together. And working together means supporting each other, not just him." "So you"re doing it out of obligation?" she said much louder than she intended. "Amy I really don"t know how else to tell you that hasn"t already been said," he groaned. "I didn"t have to come here." "But you did," she smiled. The sight of it made Ricky"s heart race. "Can you guess why?" "I called you crying my eyes out," she scoffed. "Well there"s that," he agreed. "I care about you Amy. I think I"ve already told you that." Even though he had, she was still somewhat shocked. It wasn"t like him to admit his feelings. "Thank you," she whispered. "Anytime," he smirked. "Hey can I grab a shower?" Amy nodded pointing her finger in the direction of the bathroom. "Great. If anyone calls just let it go to voicemail. If it"s him, just ignore it." Amy nodded, more than willing to comply with the second request. "Once I"m out, we"ll figure out what to do for the day," he said. A day with Ricky. This should be interesting she thought. "Back in a little bit," he smirked. Once he closed the door and started the running water, Amy laid her head back tiredly. There was something about him, as irritating as he was, that made everything okay. She decided to simply play the "father of my baby card" and let it be. Because really, that"s all it was. If it wasn"t for John she wouldn"t even be in the same room as Ricky. They were just too different. They came from completely opposite worlds. So, why can"t I stop thinking about him? The vibrating of an incoming text let her open her eyes again. She saw that he left it on her bedside table and reached for it from her place on the floor. She had to blink several times before she was sure she knew which name she saw. Amy knew she shouldn"t but something in her couldn"t stop her finger from pressing down on the center button. opening the message. Are you going to tell her? "Tell me about what?" she asked confused to an empty room. A/N: There you go! Let me know how it went please! :) She found herself reading it three more times, just to be sure that"s what she read. There was more than one thing wrong with this. The first one being, why was Ricky getting a text from Ashley? It"s not like Amy suddenly cared who Ricky was friends with. In fact, it was easier that her family got along with him. They could coexist peacefully if they all got along. More alarming though, was the context of the message. What did she miss out on that, according to this, Ricky was given the job of telling her. "What did I tell you about letting it go to voicemail?" he asked coming up behind her. After a few seconds of being startled she felt herself shiver. Again, he was so close. Amy could once again feel the heat of his breath on her skin. Don"t look up, don"t look up. Slowly, her eyes met his familiar smirk. She blushed when she noticed Ricky looking right back at her. "You-you got a text," she whispered. He sent her a playful glare as he took the phone from her hand. "I didn"t mean to look," she said blushing lightly. She held stiff, preparing herself for some kind of privacy speech. Instead, she heard him just laugh. Coming up behind her he quietly laid a hand on her shoulder. "What are you so up tight about?" he asked. "It"s okay I"m not gonna yell at you Amy." She felt herself release a breath she didn"t realize she was holding. "Who was it?" She was about to tell him he could look for himself but she noticed that he hadn"t yet looked at his phone. "Why are you talking to Ashley?" she asked, her words coming out much harsher than she intended them too. Ricky looked over in her direction, a raised brow creasing his perfect forehead. She could feel herself getting light-headed and shuffled back. Remembering that she was still angry with him, she regained composure and glared at him. "Because we"re friends," he said slowly, his reply coming out as more of a question. Seeing that her face had gone slightly pale, he settled himself next to her, taking her arm gently while leading her to a spot on the bed. "You should sit down. You don"t look so good." Amy rejected his touch like skin to a flame. Ricky worked hard to shield the pain at her rejection. "Oh yeah, just like you"re just friends with Adrian," she scoffed. A part of Amy knew that she was taking this much farther tan she should be. A much bigger part though, was making her defensive. Defensive of what? Ricky wasn"t hers to worry about. He could do whatever, whenever he wanted. "Amy, you know that"s over," he sighed. "She wants commitment, I can"t do that," he said. At least not with her he thought. She only huffed in anger, a sigh blowing strands of hair from her distressed face. A smile soon replaced it when she noticed John waddle over to her, his latest form of entertainment in his hand. She picked him up, taking the offered toy. There was no way she could be angry now. His innocent face wiped it all away. "Having fun?" she grinned, taking him closely. Seeing that she was distracted, Ricky cautiously made his way over to her. His fingers barely brushed her hand making her again look in his direction. He smirked when he saw that she wasn"t going to fight back. At least for now. Instead she offered him her familiar smile. "You"re like my little duck," she laughed. "You should see him run," Ricky said. "If you think seeing him walk is funny, wait till he runs to you." Amy sighed. She"d only been gone two weeks and things felt so different. "I"ve missed so much," she whispered. "Nah. You haven"t missed much. It"s just more school drama. Nothing new and exciting. Your parents are still playing the do or don"t game. I think they"re coming closer to some kind of solution though." "Unlike us," she mumbled. "Amy I think we need to talk," he said. She looked over at him and rolled her eyes. "We are talking," she pointed out. "No, I mean about us." "What us? There is no "us"." I don"t think there is ever going to be one. Not with the way things are going. I mean, you"re keeping secrets from me Ricky. I thought we agreed to turn over a new leaf. What did my sister have to remind you to tell me?" "Okay, before you say anything let me get the whole story out first." Amy could already tell she wasn"t going to like this but nodded anyway. "Promise me Ames. Promise you"re not gonna blow a blood vessel." She sighed, exasperated and nodded once again. "I...I kissed your sister," he said carefully. "You did what?" she asked through clenched teeth. Ricky just held up his hand, a silent signal to let him finish. "A few days after you left I went to say goodnight to everyone before I called it a night. I went into her room to see her lookin" upset. She wouldn"t make eye contact with me, wouldn"t even acknowledge me. When I asked her what was wrong she asked me if anyone ever stayed in love anymore or somethin". I don"t remember exactly what I told her but I offered her a hug. After a minute, she kissed me. I fought her off at first. I knew it was wrong." "But you didn"t fight her off, did you?" she asked. Ricky shook his head. Amy wasn"t sure but somewhere in his expression she saw what she thought to be a hint of shame. What was this? Ricky Underwood never felt shame. At least not when it came to kissing women. He enjoyed it way too much to feel guilty about it. "I...I couldn"t. Ashley insisted." "Did you kiss her back?" He nodded his eyes downcast before quietly meeting hers again. The expression he met when they were finally at eye level was not something he wanted, but something he expected. Amy looked like she was about to blow a gasket. "I can"t believe you Ricky! After everything we"ve been through with John you put the moves on my sister!" He sighed not exactly sure where to go from here. "It"s not like I intended it to happen," he defended. "But surprise, surprise, it happened! I mean I know you"re a player, but my sister. I can"t believe this," she whispered. Amy could feel moisture building in her eyes and quickly brushed it away. When he noticed the shine in her eye, his hand instinctively went up to brush her cheek. In quiet, clear, anger she slapped it away. Again Ricky couldn"t help feeling unwanted. This time though, he tried a second time, gathering her slipping tears in the palm of his hand. He quickly came to realize that he could take Amy in any form. Happy, angry, ready to blow his head off. Anything but this. Anything but crying. She didn"t fight him now. She just kept a solid glare. Why was she getting so upset with him? Sure he"d kissed her sister. Something that angered her in ways she couldn"t even begin to explain. Even more confusing though were the lingering others. It was more than the fact that Ricky had kissed Ashley. She felt cheated, betrayed, played with. But why? "That doesn"t mean I regret doing it," he said. She snorted, not believing any of it. "I"m not proud of it Amy," he whispered. "Yeah right. You play tonsil hockey with anything that has boobs," she said coldly. His hand unknowingly became a fist at his side. Now he was just as mad as she was. Didn"t she understand anything? Didn"t she get that he was trying to change, be a better person? For him, his family, her. "Alright so I kissed your sister, and I kinda liked it." Ricky could see a flame of anger building in her eyes. She didn"t need to know why he"d done it, why he enjoyed it just a little, even though he wasn"t supposed to. "Why?" It was the closest to you I"ll ever get he thought. Ricky groaned letting gravity bring him down to the bed they sat on. "I don"t really have to have a reason Amy. All you need to know is that it happened, I don"t like that it did and I"m sorry." Again the image of Ben flashed in her head. She had no idea whether she was ready to yell or cry because of it. It sounded different coming from Ricky. Something about it was sincere. She felt John give her a light shove. A smile graced her face when she feigned falling over receiving a light round of giggles. When her eyes reopened she came face to face with dark brown twins that floated just above her. She was somewhat surprised to see that for once, they weren"t joined by a smirk. Amy had to be sure to blink a couple of times just to make certain that there was in fact, a light smile on Ricky"s face. She felt the weight of her son leave her lap now; her only focus the chocolate orbs that seemed to dig right into her. Raising her head, she let her lips just brush his. Something in Ricky snapped. He wasn"t supposed to be doing this. This was wrong on a number of levels. But then why, did it feel so right? Something in him returned it feverishly. Amy found herself taking it a step further, her hands wondering aimlessly in search of the buttons on one of his most common over-shirts. Before they could dig themselves very deeply, Ricky pulled away, clear question in his eyes. "Amy, what are you doing?" he asked. The question came from a raged breath. When she was finally able to realize what she had done, she blushed a deep red. "I...I...I"m sorry. I don"t know what"s gotten into me," she whispered. "I"m probably the last person you"d want to be-" "It"s not that Amy. I"ve put you there once; I don"t want to accidently do it again." She didn"t know how wrong she was. There was a reason band camp happened at all. She had something that so many others didn"t. Something that made her more of a challenge. When so many were draping themselves over him desperately, she avoided him with everything she had. Ricky Underwood was never not wanted. She was the first one he ever had to encourage to be with him. And look at where that got them? A baby at fifteen and sixteen years old. "No, it"s okay. I know I"m not Adrian," she said. "I don"t want you to be Adrian. I don"t want you to be anyone but you," he said. "Why Amy, why are you so desperate to have sex all of a sudden?" "I just wanna forget," she whispered. "It"s not like anything would happen. I"ve been on the pill." "What, why?" he asked incredulous. "You," she said simply. He was shocked to say the least. What the hell did her going on the pill have to do with him? "Amy we"re not doing this again. I"m done with sex." "You"re kidding." "No I"m not. As much as I love John, I don"t want anymore. I"m not father material Amy." She just laughed, watching as John made his way over to Ricky. She smiled when she saw him pick him up, his larger hands playing with his much smaller feet. "Then what"s that supposed to be?" she asked directing his attention to the little boy in his lap. "He loves you Ricky. Not just because he"s supposed to, he chooses to. You"re great with him. I hate to admit it but sometimes I hate you. I hate that you make it look so easy. I hate that you"re the only one who"s able to get him to sleep at night. The minute you leave he wakes up again, like he senses you"re gone." "You gotta loosen up a bit. You"re always so uptight and tense. He feeds off of whatever you give him. If you"re relaxed, he"s calm. If you"re stressing he"s gonna be upset too." He went up to rub the shoulder that was in reach and nodded knowingly. "See this? This is tense," he whispered massaging her tight muscles. Amy sighed closing her eyes while she fell into his touch. "There ya go. Can you feel the difference?" She nodded letting her head fall on his shoulder. Almost immediately his senses were filled with lilacs again. For a minute he wanted to move her. He then realized how much he liked it. Again, he knew he shouldn"t, but he did. So he left her there, resting peacefully. All while fighting the urge to kiss her. it became more difficult now seeing as she was only right next to him. "I don"t know what"s wrong with me," she whispered. She felt the echo of his laugh in his shoulder and looked up at him. "What?" "Nothing"s wrong with you Amy. You are who you are." "Ben thinks so," she admitted. "He"s just jealous. Jealous of what we have that he can never take." Do we even have anything she wondered. "Why did you kiss my sister?" she asked. "I already told you-" "Tell me the real reason," she said giving him a stern look. He sighed meeting her eyes once again. "Amy, the truth is that I...I...I think I..." A/N: There we go! Let me know how it went please! Now, something clogged his throat, stopped him from speaking. For the first time, Ricky found himself at a loss for words. Before he"d fallen asleep on the plane, he made sure to go over exactly what he"d tell her. He knew this question would come up eventually. It would come out in one of two ways. Either Ashley would tell her out of anger or it would just slip. He honestly never thought it would come out in confrontation. This situation wasn"t planned for. "Why did you kiss Ashley?" she asked again. This time the question came out with an edge, a spite of anger. It wasn"t that Ricky wasn"t used to seeing her pissed off. The sight of it actually brought on a kind of twisted comfort. When they fought like this, he always had an answer, a way to dig himself out. It frustrated him that this time, he had none. "What, cat got your tongue?" Amy asked sarcastically. "I...I..." "Out with it Underwood, I don"t have all day to watch you stand here catching flies," she said, tapping her foot impatiently. What flies? Ricky thought. Rolling her eyes, Amy came up, pressing gently on jaw. It took her closing it for Ricky to realize that he was just standing there, mouth open, not able to say anything. Just as soon as she let go, he could feel the absence of her touch. It took him five seconds to wipe his eyes of emotion. He didn"t want to show her how much he missed it. "Oh my god, this has got to be a first. Ricky Underwood is unable to speak? I never thought I"d see the day," she said in mock shock. He growled, sending a playful glare in her direction. Amy only laughed watching as the man with every smooth comeback in the book stood there as if someone had come and ripped out his vocal cords. Now, he was frustrated. He hadn"t planned for it to come up like this, but still he had rehearsed it. Why couldn"t he just come out and say it? Why couldn"t he man up and tell Amy Juergens exactly how he felt? Why couldn"t he just say them? I love you Amy. He realized that he wasn"t exactly sure how he felt. Sure he"d gotten these weird flutters when he saw her smile, seeing her laugh, the warmth when he held her. What did it all mean? Ricky had never in his life experienced anything like this. Why were there suddenly butterflies living inside of him. It"s not like they were ever there before. "I...missed you," he whispered. She had to strain to here his quiet confession but as soon as she did, Amy jerked. He missed me? she wondered. She smiled quietly to herself, hoping that he wouldn"t see just how happy that made her. Why it did, she still had no idea. It"s not like she had actual feelings for him. How was she not to believe that he was just making that up to keep her from getting mad at him? Out of the corner of his eye, Ricky"s vision landed on a small smile crawling to her lips. Something in her eyes told him that he wasn"t supposed to see it so he kept a blank expression, allowing the sight to be brief. "You...missed me?" she whispered. As soon as she rephrased it, he knew how out of character it sounded. Missing meant you cared enough for someone to feel their absence. They were still just friends. As parents, they were a different kind of friends, but friends none the less. Maybe that was why he"d admitted it. Over the course of the last year, they"d come to depend on each other. The two had come to work as a team. While she was gone, it was just him, balancing all aspects of John. He had no one to talk anything over with. "Yeah...I missed you. I miss just having you there to talk to about him. It"s not like I can go to Ashley about any of this. We"re the ones who had a baby." The silence that hung over them when he said that, sent Ricky a clear message that he"d overstepped, said something he shouldn"t have. He didn"t have to look at her face to know that he was still in trouble. "What does she have to do with that?" she asked with a slight anger in her question. Just as soon as it came out like that, she wondered why she was getting all worked up. She"s my sister she defended. Something told her it was a little bit more than that. Amy ignored that something and just stuck with the first part. None of the other stuff made any sense. "I needed to get my mind off of a bunch of stuff. That"s what I do Amy. When I"m stressed, I have sex. I promised myself I wouldn"t do that anymore so I"m handling it differently. Your sister was upset, I offered her a hug, and we kissed. I didn"t want to kiss back, Amy. Something in me clicked. Something in me remembered. It was familiar, comfortable." All of this was true, of course. The kiss reminded her of Adrian in a way. It brought back all of the times that he"d just shown up. One look would tell her what he needed. They never talked, it just happened. The next day, they went on about it as they usually did. But like everything else connected to Amy, this was different. This time he wasn"t the initiator. Ashley had forced it on him. At the same time though, Ashley was a part of Amy. He now understood what the kiss spiked from. It wasn"t a substitute for sex. It wasn"t even the hunger of being involved with another woman to numb everything. This was about Amy. Ricky returned that kiss feeling the need for Amy. Of course, he would never tell her this. He was Ricky. Ricky Underwood never allowed himself to feel. He had no idea what that even meant.

"It"s okay. Takes the pressure off." "Well one thing"s for sure, you"re not goin" home," he said. She was somewhat surprised. This was the first time he ever really pushed her to do something. It didn"t come out forcefully. It was more like continuous encouragement. Something she expected from her parents, maybe even Ashley, but never did she see it coming from Ricky. "Why can"t I go home Mr. Underwood?" she giggled. Again his heart lurched when the sound floated through the air. "Amy it"s like finishing a race. How stupid would you feel if you just stopped running before you hit the finish line? Thousands of people are watching you and you just quit. You"re gonna get run down by the people behind you. You"re just gonna lay there, letting them do what they want with you. Do you really wanna give them that kind of power over you?" "I don"t have thousands of people watching," she corrected. "That doesn"t mean you don"t have people supporting you. "Your parents, your sister, your friends, me." "You?" Ricky rolled his eyes. "Look at him," he said directing her attention to an occupied little boy who sat playing with is toys. Amy did look at him. After a couple of minutes her gaze met Ricky"s again. "What does he have to do with you?" she asked. "We"re his parents Amy. We made a promise to work together. And working together means supporting each other, not just him." "So you"re doing it out of obligation?" she said much louder than she intended. "Amy I really don"t know how else to tell you that hasn"t already been said," he groaned. "I didn"t have to come here." "But you did," she smiled. The sight of it made Ricky"s heart race. "Can you guess why?" "I called you crying my eyes out," she scoffed. "Well there"s that," he agreed. "I care about you Amy. I think I"ve already told you that." Even though he had, she was still somewhat shocked. It wasn"t like him to admit his feelings. "Thank you," she whispered. "Anytime," he smirked. "Hey can I grab a shower?" Amy nodded pointing her finger in the direction of the bathroom. "Great. If anyone calls just let it go to voicemail. If it"s him, just ignore it." Amy nodded, more than willing to comply with the second request. "Once I"m out, we"ll figure out what to do for the day," he said. A day with Ricky. This should be interesting she thought. "Back in a little bit," he smirked. Once he closed the door and started the running water, Amy laid her head back tiredly. There was something about him, as irritating as he was, that made everything okay. She decided to simply play the "father of my baby card" and let it be. Because really, that"s all it was. If it wasn"t for John she wouldn"t even be in the same room as Ricky. They were just too different. They came from completely opposite worlds. So, why can"t I stop thinking about him? The vibrating of an incoming text let her open her eyes again. She saw that he left it on her bedside table and reached for it from her place on the floor. She had to blink several times before she was sure she knew which name she saw. Amy knew she shouldn"t but something in her couldn"t stop her finger from pressing down on the center button. opening the message. Are you going to tell her? "Tell me about what?" she asked confused to an empty room. A/N: There you go! Let me know how it went please! :) She found herself reading it three more times, just to be sure that"s what she read. There was more than one thing wrong with this. The first one being, why was Ricky getting a text from Ashley? It"s not like Amy suddenly cared who Ricky was friends with. In fact, it was easier that her family got along with him. They could coexist peacefully if they all got along. More alarming though, was the context of the message. What did she miss out on that, according to this, Ricky was given the job of telling her. "What did I tell you about letting it go to voicemail?" he asked coming up behind her. After a few seconds of being startled she felt herself shiver. Again, he was so close. Amy could once again feel the heat of his breath on her skin. Don"t look up, don"t look up. Slowly, her eyes met his familiar smirk. She blushed when she noticed Ricky looking right back at her. "You-you got a text," she whispered. He sent her a playful glare as he took the phone from her hand. "I didn"t mean to look," she said blushing lightly. She held stiff, preparing herself for some kind of privacy speech. Instead, she heard him just laugh. Coming up behind her he quietly laid a hand on her shoulder. "What are you so up tight about?" he asked. "It"s okay I"m not gonna yell at you Amy." She felt herself release a breath she didn"t realize she was holding. "Who was it?" She was about to tell him he could look for himself but she noticed that he hadn"t yet looked at his phone. "Why are you talking to Ashley?" she asked, her words coming out much harsher than she intended them too. Ricky looked over in her direction, a raised brow creasing his perfect forehead. She could feel herself getting light-headed and shuffled back. Remembering that she was still angry with him, she regained composure and glared at him. "Because we"re friends," he said slowly, his reply coming out as more of a question. Seeing that her face had gone slightly pale, he settled himself next to her, taking her arm gently while leading her to a spot on the bed. "You should sit down. You don"t look so good." Amy rejected his touch like skin to a flame. Ricky worked hard to shield the pain at her rejection. "Oh yeah, just like you"re just friends with Adrian," she scoffed. A part of Amy knew that she was taking this much farther tan she should be. A much bigger part though, was making her defensive. Defensive of what? Ricky wasn"t hers to worry about. He could do whatever, whenever he wanted. "Amy, you know that"s over," he sighed. "She wants commitment, I can"t do that," he said. At least not with her he thought. She only huffed in anger, a sigh blowing strands of hair from her distressed face. A smile soon replaced it when she noticed John waddle over to her, his latest form of entertainment in his hand. She picked him up, taking the offered toy. There was no way she could be angry now. His innocent face wiped it all away. "Having fun?" she grinned, taking him closely. Seeing that she was distracted, Ricky cautiously made his way over to her. His fingers barely brushed her hand making her again look in his direction. He smirked when he saw that she wasn"t going to fight back. At least for now. Instead she offered him her familiar smile. "You"re like my little duck," she laughed. "You should see him run," Ricky said. "If you think seeing him walk is funny, wait till he runs to you." Amy sighed. She"d only been gone two weeks and things felt so different. "I"ve missed so much," she whispered. "Nah. You haven"t missed much. It"s just more school drama. Nothing new and exciting. Your parents are still playing the do or don"t game. I think they"re coming closer to some kind of solution though." "Unlike us," she mumbled. "Amy I think we need to talk," he said. She looked over at him and rolled her eyes. "We are talking," she pointed out. "No, I mean about us." "What us? There is no "us"." I don"t think there is ever going to be one. Not with the way things are going. I mean, you"re keeping secrets from me Ricky. I thought we agreed to turn over a new leaf. What did my sister have to remind you to tell me?" "Okay, before you say anything let me get the whole story out first." Amy could already tell she wasn"t going to like this but nodded anyway. "Promise me Ames. Promise you"re not gonna blow a blood vessel." She sighed, exasperated and nodded once again. "I...I kissed your sister," he said carefully. "You did what?" she asked through clenched teeth. Ricky just held up his hand, a silent signal to let him finish. "A few days after you left I went to say goodnight to everyone before I called it a night. I went into her room to see her lookin" upset. She wouldn"t make eye contact with me, wouldn"t even acknowledge me. When I asked her what was wrong she asked me if anyone ever stayed in love anymore or somethin". I don"t remember exactly what I told her but I offered her a hug. After a minute, she kissed me. I fought her off at first. I knew it was wrong." "But you didn"t fight her off, did you?" she asked. Ricky shook his head. Amy wasn"t sure but somewhere in his expression she saw what she thought to be a hint of shame. What was this? Ricky Underwood never felt shame. At least not when it came to kissing women. He enjoyed it way too much to feel guilty about it. "I...I couldn"t. Ashley insisted." "Did you kiss her back?" He nodded his eyes downcast before quietly meeting hers again. The expression he met when they were finally at eye level was not something he wanted, but something he expected. Amy looked like she was about to blow a gasket. "I can"t believe you Ricky! After everything we"ve been through with John you put the moves on my sister!" He sighed not exactly sure where to go from here. "It"s not like I intended it to happen," he defended. "But surprise, surprise, it happened! I mean I know you"re a player, but my sister. I can"t believe this," she whispered. Amy could feel moisture building in her eyes and quickly brushed it away. When he noticed the shine in her eye, his hand instinctively went up to brush her cheek. In quiet, clear, anger she slapped it away. Again Ricky couldn"t help feeling unwanted. This time though, he tried a second time, gathering her slipping tears in the palm of his hand. He quickly came to realize that he could take Amy in any form. Happy, angry, ready to blow his head off. Anything but this. Anything but crying. She didn"t fight him now. She just kept a solid glare. Why was she getting so upset with him? Sure he"d kissed her sister. Something that angered her in ways she couldn"t even begin to explain. Even more confusing though were the lingering others. It was more than the fact that Ricky had kissed Ashley. She felt cheated, betrayed, played with. But why? "That doesn"t mean I regret doing it," he said. She snorted, not believing any of it. "I"m not proud of it Amy," he whispered. "Yeah right. You play tonsil hockey with anything that has boobs," she said coldly. His hand unknowingly became a fist at his side. Now he was just as mad as she was. Didn"t she understand anything? Didn"t she get that he was trying to change, be a better person? For him, his family, her. "Alright so I kissed your sister, and I kinda liked it." Ricky could see a flame of anger building in her eyes. She didn"t need to know why he"d done it, why he enjoyed it just a little, even though he wasn"t supposed to. "Why?" It was the closest to you I"ll ever get he thought. Ricky groaned letting gravity bring him down to the bed they sat on. "I don"t really have to have a reason Amy. All you need to know is that it happened, I don"t like that it did and I"m sorry." Again the image of Ben flashed in her head. She had no idea whether she was ready to yell or cry because of it. It sounded different coming from Ricky. Something about it was sincere. She felt John give her a light shove. A smile graced her face when she feigned falling over receiving a light round of giggles. When her eyes reopened she came face to face with dark brown twins that floated just above her. She was somewhat surprised to see that for once, they weren"t joined by a smirk. Amy had to be sure to blink a couple of times just to make certain that there was in fact, a light smile on Ricky"s face. She felt the weight of her son leave her lap now; her only focus the chocolate orbs that seemed to dig right into her. Raising her head, she let her lips just brush his. Something in Ricky snapped. He wasn"t supposed to be doing this. This was wrong on a number of levels. But then why, did it feel so right? Something in him returned it feverishly. Amy found herself taking it a step further, her hands wondering aimlessly in search of the buttons on one of his most common over-shirts. Before they could dig themselves very deeply, Ricky pulled away, clear question in his eyes. "Amy, what are you doing?" he asked. The question came from a raged breath. When she was finally able to realize what she had done, she blushed a deep red. "I...I...I"m sorry. I don"t know what"s gotten into me," she whispered. "I"m probably the last person you"d want to be-" "It"s not that Amy. I"ve put you there once; I don"t want to accidently do it again." She didn"t know how wrong she was. There was a reason band camp happened at all. She had something that so many others didn"t. Something that made her more of a challenge. When so many were draping themselves over him desperately, she avoided him with everything she had. Ricky Underwood was never not wanted. She was the first one he ever had to encourage to be with him. And look at where that got them? A baby at fifteen and sixteen years old. "No, it"s okay. I know I"m not Adrian," she said. "I don"t want you to be Adrian. I don"t want you to be anyone but you," he said. "Why Amy, why are you so desperate to have sex all of a sudden?" "I just wanna forget," she whispered. "It"s not like anything would happen. I"ve been on the pill." "What, why?" he asked incredulous. "You," she said simply. He was shocked to say the least. What the hell did her going on the pill have to do with him? "Amy we"re not doing this again. I"m done with sex." "You"re kidding." "No I"m not. As much as I love John, I don"t want anymore. I"m not father material Amy." She just laughed, watching as John made his way over to Ricky. She smiled when she saw him pick him up, his larger hands playing with his much smaller feet. "Then what"s that supposed to be?" she asked directing his attention to the little boy in his lap. "He loves you Ricky. Not just because he"s supposed to, he chooses to. You"re great with him. I hate to admit it but sometimes I hate you. I hate that you make it look so easy. I hate that you"re the only one who"s able to get him to sleep at night. The minute you leave he wakes up again, like he senses you"re gone." "You gotta loosen up a bit. You"re always so uptight and tense. He feeds off of whatever you give him. If you"re relaxed, he"s calm. If you"re stressing he"s gonna be upset too." He went up to rub the shoulder that was in reach and nodded knowingly. "See this? This is tense," he whispered massaging her tight muscles. Amy sighed closing her eyes while she fell into his touch. "There ya go. Can you feel the difference?" She nodded letting her head fall on his shoulder. Almost immediately his senses were filled with lilacs again. For a minute he wanted to move her. He then realized how much he liked it. Again, he knew he shouldn"t, but he did. So he left her there, resting peacefully. All while fighting the urge to kiss her. it became more difficult now seeing as she was only right next to him. "I don"t know what"s wrong with me," she whispered. She felt the echo of his laugh in his shoulder and looked up at him. "What?" "Nothing"s wrong with you Amy. You are who you are." "Ben thinks so," she admitted. "He"s just jealous. Jealous of what we have that he can never take." Do we even have anything she wondered. "Why did you kiss my sister?" she asked. "I already told you-" "Tell me the real reason," she said giving him a stern look. He sighed meeting her eyes once again. "Amy, the truth is that I...I...I think I..." A/N: There we go! Let me know how it went please! Now, something clogged his throat, stopped him from speaking. For the first time, Ricky found himself at a loss for words. Before he"d fallen asleep on the plane, he made sure to go over exactly what he"d tell her. He knew this question would come up eventually. It would come out in one of two ways. Either Ashley would tell her out of anger or it would just slip. He honestly never thought it would come out in confrontation. This situation wasn"t planned for. "Why did you kiss Ashley?" she asked again. This time the question came out with an edge, a spite of anger. It wasn"t that Ricky wasn"t used to seeing her pissed off. The sight of it actually brought on a kind of twisted comfort. When they fought like this, he always had an answer, a way to dig himself out. It frustrated him that this time, he had none. "What, cat got your tongue?" Amy asked sarcastically. "I...I..." "Out with it Underwood, I don"t have all day to watch you stand here catching flies," she said, tapping her foot impatiently. What flies? Ricky thought. Rolling her eyes, Amy came up, pressing gently on jaw. It took her closing it for Ricky to realize that he was just standing there, mouth open, not able to say anything. Just as soon as she let go, he could feel the absence of her touch. It took him five seconds to wipe his eyes of emotion. He didn"t want to show her how much he missed it. "Oh my god, this has got to be a first. Ricky Underwood is unable to speak? I never thought I"d see the day," she said in mock shock. He growled, sending a playful glare in her direction. Amy only laughed watching as the man with every smooth comeback in the book stood there as if someone had come and ripped out his vocal cords. Now, he was frustrated. He hadn"t planned for it to come up like this, but still he had rehearsed it. Why couldn"t he just come out and say it? Why couldn"t he man up and tell Amy Juergens exactly how he felt? Why couldn"t he just say them? I love you Amy. He realized that he wasn"t exactly sure how he felt. Sure he"d gotten these weird flutters when he saw her smile, seeing her laugh, the warmth when he held her. What did it all mean? Ricky had never in his life experienced anything like this. Why were there suddenly butterflies living inside of him. It"s not like they were ever there before. "I...missed you," he whispered. She had to strain to here his quiet confession but as soon as she did, Amy jerked. He missed me? she wondered. She smiled quietly to herself, hoping that he wouldn"t see just how happy that made her. Why it did, she still had no idea. It"s not like she had actual feelings for him. How was she not to believe that he was just making that up to keep her from getting mad at him? Out of the corner of his eye, Ricky"s vision landed on a small smile crawling to her lips. Something in her eyes told him that he wasn"t supposed to see it so he kept a blank expression, allowing the sight to be brief. "You...missed me?" she whispered. As soon as she rephrased it, he knew how out of character it sounded. Missing meant you cared enough for someone to feel their absence. They were still just friends. As parents, they were a different kind of friends, but friends none the less. Maybe that was why he"d admitted it. Over the course of the last year, they"d come to depend on each other. The two had come to work as a team. While she was gone, it was just him, balancing all aspects of John. He had no one to talk anything over with. "Yeah...I missed you. I miss just having you there to talk to about him. It"s not like I can go to Ashley about any of this. We"re the ones who had a baby." The silence that hung over them when he said that, sent Ricky a clear message that he"d overstepped, said something he shouldn"t have. He didn"t have to look at her face to know that he was still in trouble. "What does she have to do with that?" she asked with a slight anger in her question. Just as soon as it came out like that, she wondered why she was getting all worked up. She"s my sister she defended. Something told her it was a little bit more than that. Amy ignored that something and just stuck with the first part. None of the other stuff made any sense. "I needed to get my mind off of a bunch of stuff. That"s what I do Amy. When I"m stressed, I have sex. I promised myself I wouldn"t do that anymore so I"m handling it differently. Your sister was upset, I offered her a hug, and we kissed. I didn"t want to kiss back, Amy. Something in me clicked. Something in me remembered. It was familiar, comfortable." All of this was true, of course. The kiss reminded her of Adrian in a way. It brought back all of the times that he"d just shown up. One look would tell her what he needed. They never talked, it just happened. The next day, they went on about it as they usually did. But like everything else connected to Amy, this was different. This time he wasn"t the initiator. Ashley had forced it on him. At the same time though, Ashley was a part of Amy. He now understood what the kiss spiked from. It wasn"t a substitute for sex. It wasn"t even the hunger of being involved with another woman to numb everything. This was about Amy. Ricky returned that kiss feeling the need for Amy. Of course, he would never tell her this. He was Ricky. Ricky Underwood never allowed himself to feel. He had no idea what that even meant. "So you used her?" Amy said slowly. She laughed to herself when she realized that this idea wasn"t really anything new. Ricky used every girl he"d ever been with. What would make Ashley any different? He eyed her carefully, not sure exactly how to explain it. It"s not that he used her. He thought of it more as helping a friend out.

"What happened last night?" she asked. "Just a movie and popcorn. I asked her if I could take her out to dinner to make up for not coming through on her birthday and...She pretty much insisted," he shrugged. For his own sake, he left out the part about their surprise visitor, the mere thought of him putting Martin on edge. More than the couple"s exchange was remembering how they sat together on the couch. What he"d seen was more than something he"d made up for the sake of his own sanity. "Maybe she just...doesn"t want to go this morning," Annie concluded. "It certainly wouldn"t be the first time." Martin nodded. She didn"t need to hear his suspicions. At face value they would just make him out to be as protective of Ruthie as he"d always been. "I"ll stay back with her if you want to go ahead and go," he offered. It wouldn"t be the first time for him either. Aaron always thought it the best opportunity to spike a fever or a cold. The older woman nodded her thanks, reminding him to call if either of them needed anything. Once the house fell silent, Martin sighed, biting back a growl while fighting the urge to keep his fists quiet. The little boy"s quiet whimper as he fought to free himself caught his father"s attention. "Relax," he mumbled. Once he found a familiar resting place along his shoulder, Aaron freed a quiet sigh. "Better?" he smiled. "Let"s go see if we can work some magic." It wasn"t until she"d made her way back up to her room that Ruthie let her stomach turn quietly. Recalling the night"s events, she couldn"t for the life of her remember her boyfriend ever being so...insistent. There was a rare instance of trying to get her to have sex with him, reassuring that it would help with her stress. Even though it took more convincing than she would have liked, and a fair bit of frustration on his part, T-Bone was able to let that one go. This time it was...She couldn"t quite place it, or maybe just didn"t want to put a name to it. She knew him better than to think that he would leave her any reminders but she couldn"t quite shake his touch. Expertly avoiding her own reflection, she stripped, quickly making her way to the shower in the next room. She let the shower warm to its full capacity before walking into the mist. Ruthie wasn"t even sure how long she"d been there, letting the water wash away any uncertainty. Jealousy really was an ugly beast, though she prided herself in keeping her reservations to herself not too long ago. Territorial or not, that definitely wasn"t the birthday surprise she expected. Hearing the shower as he shuffled up the steps, Martin froze. He had to shake his head to pull a handful of indecent thoughts from it. "Looks like we"re in for a pretty quiet day," he mumbled pulling his tie free with one hand. "Maybe I"ll get to take a nap," he mused, though the chance of that was slim to none. Aaron quietly giggled. "You"re right...that"s a bit of a stretch." Stepping back out into the hall his brow shot up. He never knew her to take showers that went on this long. Knocking gently, his teeth settled along his bottom lip with concern. "Ruth? You doing okay in there?" The five minutes between his question and the eventual silence on the other side of the door drew a nervous sigh. "I"m...fine." Confirmation came quietly, almost as though she was unsure of her own reply. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked. It may be a dumb question but given her mood from earlier, he wasn"t about to stand around and pretend something wasn"t off. Get him off of me she thought clawing at her shoulder. "N-no," she stammered as the room began to spin. Blinking rapidly, Martin took four quick strides back to his room, Aaron settling in without argument and easily shifting his attention to his toys. A wave of relief washed over him when he realized she"d left the door unlocked. "Ruth, if I don"t get something in two minutes I"m coming inside," he warned. "No!" That came out with more confidence than he"d seen all morning. "Do-don"t." "Then I"ll wait," he decided, quietly sliding down along the door. If something wasn"t amiss before, it definitely was now. "Do-don"t come in. Please..." she almost pleaded. Allowing what happened last night, she was already embarrassed enough. Even if she knew Martin had better morals than that. As much as she was asking to be left alone, she still hadn"t so much as wrapped herself in a towel yet, watching as it hung within arm"s reach. "You have a minute," he called. Ruthie"s legs suddenly felt like water while she struggled to find a way to pull herself together. Taking a deep breath, she eased herself along the tile until finding some kind of landing on the floor, her head tiredly landing on her knees. As hot as the water had been, she had never felt colder. "I"m coming in." So much of her energy was spent trying to find her footing that she didn"t even bother to answer him. What he found when he let the door swing open stopped him suddenly. "Ruth?" he whispered. Not so much as a whisper came as he draped the towel around her. While he had practically set foot in a sauna, Ruthie was trembling harshly under his careful touch. Martin had never seen a harsher shade of red across her skin than she did in that moment. If he didn"t know any better it looked like Ruthie was trying to... "I...I"m sorry," she whispered. Shaking his head, Martin carefully helped her to her feet. "I...I didn"t mean to..." "Shh...There"s nothing to be sorry for," he mumbled. "I...I tried to listen but I..." "It"s okay," he repeated. "Come on...Let"s get you dressed, okay? Then you can tell me why you were sitting in a steam room." Even if she didn"t mean to, Ruthie let all of her weight fall on him, completely silent while he inched her toward his room. Once there she sat completely still, save for the hand she still had a firm grip on. Looking down at their joined hands, he gently pulled free only to watch hers tremor quietly in her lap. Taking it back, he squeezed it quietly, letting his heart chip away little by little. He didn"t need to ask why to see the fear in her eyes. It was enough that the look was there at all. "One minute while I get you something to wear, okay? Nobody"s going anywhere," he promised pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Nothing out the ordinary, and still Ruthie let a quiet tear travel the curve of her face. Laying a set of his own clothes beside her, a knot formed in his throat when he realized just how still and quiet she was. The Ruthie he"d known was anything but. "His hands...I don"t like his hands," she barely managed. "I...I wanted them off. The water...It didn"t work." Martin could feel his breathing grow heavy in an attempt to steady the rest of himself. So far as he knew, she could only be talking about one other person. His insides were no longer just cold but turned to ice. He wasn"t about to jump to any conclusions but her sudden insistence that they didn"t go anywhere the night before had to have something to do with what he"d just found in the shower. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a shallow clawing across her shoulder and stiffened. "How did you get this, sweetheart?" he whispered petting it tenderly with his finger, the sight of it making his insides twist. "I wanted him off...He had his hands there. I wanted them to go away." Ruthie almost sounded as robotic as she felt moments before, even to her own ears. Martin swallowed hard when he realized why he"d been smacked in the face with so much humidity. She"d been trying to... With one hand hovering over the phone in his pocket, he quietly folded a strand of wet hair behind her ear. "Ruthie...Did he...?" "No!" she supplied offering a solid shake of her head, water spraying off the tips of her hair as she did so. "But he...He..." "Did he touch you, baby girl?" In any other frame of mind she"d be glaring daggers at him for the words he chose to use. But this wasn"t normal. Not for her. Ruthie, so long as he"d known her was never this...scared. Of anything. "I said no," she whispered. "He kept asking and I said no." "Good," he mumbled nodding slowly. "Has he hurt you?" Martin watched her swallow hard before she nodded. "Where?" He quietly followed the tracking of her eyes when she landed on her cobwebbed shoulder. Bypassing the self-inflicted scratches, he could barely make out what could only be fresh bruises slowly turning purple. Closing his eyes, he sighed, tentatively pulling her in closer. Ruthie stilled, resistant for all of about a minute before she eased into him. "Just me..." he promised. How had he not noticed them last night? The youngest Camden had always been one of the more private ones, though in the privacy and comfort of her own home there was no real reason to be so careful. She was wrapped in a blanket the entire time. "We"re going to have to tell Dad," he pointed out. Frightened eyes met him almost immediately. "Please no..." "We have to tell someone," he said carefully. "I said no. Please no. I...I don"t want him to be in trouble. I...I was the one who didn"t listen...I made a mistake." "Listen to what?" "If...If I said he could stay...he wouldn"t have gotten so mean..." Martin could feel his own tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. The kid had definitely done something. He"d honestly never seen Ruthie act this way. Ever. "You asked him to leave. That"s okay," he whispered. Whoever the hell he was talking to now had come out riding fear that the bastard had put in her. At least for the moment, Martin had to believe that he hadn"t gone as far as he likely wanted to, the thought alone putting fire in his bones. "He...He"s my boyfriend. He loves me. He would never..." "Shh...Can we put you in some clothes? Maybe brush your hair?" Falling to his knees in front of her, he smiled gently, even while she instinctively pulled away from him. "I won"t. I promise." As soon as he"d gotten her to bed, he would at least be calling the station to put out a warning. "He loves me..." she whispered. "I know," he nodded, sure that the next time he saw this kid he"d be ordering a new set of teeth. "Can I go get something real quick? I"ll be back in less than a minute." Ruthie nodded silently, kneading her hands to keep them still. He returned moments later, slowly easing the bristles through her wet knots. "You know, I did this with Mom a lot," he mused. "Especially near the end," he sighed. "No matter how sick she got...she loved nice long hair. Until she lost it anyway. Then she told them to just take it all off." "I"m tired," she muttered. "I know." She had to be after draining all the hot water. "Ruth, I"m going to have to call Mom..." he said carefully. "She"s going to be mad. I didn"t listen..." "No she won"t. If I don"t tell her anything she"s going to worry," he pointed out. "I"m safe now..." "Yes you are," he promised. "You won"t let him get me." "He won"t be coming within a hundred feet of you," he muttered, more for himself than Ruthie. "She"ll be so mad..." she choked, new tears pressing behind her eyes. Shaking his head, a finger settled just below her cheekbone. "She just wants to make sure you"re safe," he clarified. "I am safe...I"m always safe," she whimpered squeezing Martin"s fingers quietly. "I know," he smiled. "I just don"t want to get in trouble." Nodding slowly, she toyed with the fabric of her wet towel. "Would it be okay if I called them? Mom and Dad? Maybe Sergeant Michaels? He"d make sure he stays away." "Don"t go..." "I"m not going anywhere. I"m pretty sure Aaron wouldn"t mind a few snuggles though. They might help." "Okay." Moments later when the baby finally fell into her lap, Ruthie"s arms instinctively fell around him. He watched his son"s small hands come across her face with a sense of calm and purpose. Whether he noticed her change in behaviour or not, he made no show of it and quietly curled up against her. The fog hadn"t cleared enough just yet but Ruthie allowed herself to bury her face in his hair with a hint of a smile that didn"t quite reach her eyes. "What happened in there?" he whispered. Ruthie let her eyes meet his slowly, too embarrassed to speak of it. Martin had already seen so much. And even if he was always a gentleman about it, he was in no position to hear about her boyfriend and the things they"d done together. "Don"t be mad," she mumbled. "I don"t want that..." Shaking his head silently, he took firm hold of her hand. "He has such big hands..." From where he stood, T-bone looked like he had pretty normal looking hands. "Never touched there "cause I didn"t let him. But he...He likes to make sure I"m his girl. I...I don"t like that." Despite himself, he smiled. Always the free spirit. Ruthie made damn sure she was no man"s possession. "He got too close. He was gonna wake up the baby." Nodding again he silently let her continue. "He doesn"t understand. He doesn"t understand that we"re...we"re family," she whispered. "He thinks you want me like he does...and I keep telling him that"s not true." Martin had to fight the urge to spring back, almost as if he was the one to be slapped. "I told him we tried but it didn"t work, that he didn"t have to worry. I was too little for you. You never loved me like that. I fought for it for so long. I just got so tired...I was never going to win anyway." Despite how untrue all of that was today, he"d said as much once before. Only later would he come to figure out that those words would haunt him like his worst nightmare. "He doesn"t believe that...So when we"re together...He...He wants to make sure." "Did he give you these?" Martin whispered letting his fingers barely brush the bruised prints on her shoulder. Even if he answered his own question, something in him needed to hear it. "His hands are so big," she whispered, a single tear coming down along her cheek. Rolling his lip, his thumb met the corner of her eye while he kissed her temple. Out of the corner of his own, Martin caught his son"s protruding lip, his small hands brushing below her chin as a whimper fell from his mouth. "Thank you, sweetheart," she barely whispered laying a kiss on his forehead. "I was...I was just trying to wash him away," she mumbled. "I turn the water on as high as it"ll go and...and he goes away. The room started to spin and I had to sit. I didn"t want to fall. I didn"t want you to worry more...Or take me to the hospital. They"d ask questions...I don"t want to talk to them. It"s...It"s confusing." "He hurt you, Ruth. That"s not confusing." "I know but he would find out and it would be worse...I...I just..." "Shh," he whispered kissing the bruises left on her arm. Pure habit as a father. Even if she was going to take it as something more, her gaze seemed too clouded to care too much. Instinctive or otherwise, Ruthie quietly gave into his touch with only a moment"s hesitation. "That"s okay," she mumbled. "That"s safe. I like that," she said softly. His smile was gentle as he brushed back her hair. "Safe..." "Ruthie, look at me please," he murmured. The shift was slow but eventually she met his eyes. "I will always be here to keep you safe. I promise you that. Always." He couldn"t help but silently scold himself for falling short on those words for the last few months. New father or not he had a responsibility. "Aaron first," she nodded bringing shaking fingers through his hair. The sleepy sigh she earned brought the smallest of smiles to her face. "He"s more important." "You"re both important to me, Ruthie. So important," he mumbled, his voice thick as sandpaper. "I know...I tried to not need help...I tried and I just..." "I"m right here," he murmured. "I will always be right here." Nodding slowly her head found his shoulder, tears welling in her eyes once more. "We need to tell Mom," he repeated. "The police too." "Please..." "What?" he asked softly. Bringing her hair to one side, he chuckled when Aaron took the ends into his mouth. Ruthie said nothing and simply gripped his hand with all of her remaining strength. "I"ll be right there with you, okay?" Nodding slowly, she shivered. "It"s...It"s cold," she whimpered. Bringing them both into his lap, he let his head rest on her wet hair. "Is that better?" Ruthie on her part attempted to curl up that much closer to him. "Please don"t let go...Not yet." Even if her words were nothing like her, the fog seemed to clear over her eyes, as if Martin"s touch alone could wash it away. "I don"t want you taking those anymore," he muttered. "I"ll keep him away but you can"t do that anymore." "His hands..." "...will never touch you again," he said firmly. "You scared me, Ruth..." "I"m sorry. I didn"t mean to. I just...I wanted him to go away." "I know you did. Are you absolutely sure it"s just your arm? Nowhere else?" Ruthie quietly shook her head. "He left them other places too but they"re not there anymore." "Can you show me where?" He followed her eyes down along her hips before they found her hands. No shadows and still his insides twisted violently. "He likes places he can squeeze," she whispered. "Places no one will see him touch. Subtle places...He says I"m his. I don"t belong to him." "I know. It"s okay. We"ll fix it, alright?" "I"m so sorry..." Shaking his head, Martin tried to pull her even closer. "Don"t tell them yet...Let them come home first. I don"t want lots of questions." Even though he knew that making these calls sooner rather than later would be better, he agreed. Pulling back his blankets he watched her curl up in them quietly while Aaron crawled up beside her. "I"m going to go get you some water, okay? Maybe a little something to eat." She offered no answer and brought his pillow closer to her, almost asking it for protection. "You"re in charge, buddy. I"ll be right back." Once downstairs, Martin ran his hands angrily through his hair before they settled on his face. How could he have missed something so big? It was no secret that the guy set him off but he"d always chalked it up to some kind of jealousy. Last night confirmed something else for him, something he didn"t want to be sure of. To be fair, he never explored that option in the first place now wishing that he had. His first promise to her was that he would do anything and everything to protect her. In the last year he clearly failed miserably. Brushing the edge of the phone in his pocket, he fought the urge to make those calls himself. Ruthie had asked him to keep quiet until everyone got home from service and despite how quickly he wanted to have all of it dealt with, he had to give her that much. Pulling out the plate Annie left in the oven, he let it warm before bringing it up. "Brought you something," he whispered setting it on the nightstand. "Mom wrapped it up for you earlier, thought you might want it later." Nodding she struggled to sit up. Taking her arm gently, he set a couple of pillows behind her. Martin had to close his eyes the minute he saw her take the fork, trying to ignore how shaky the grip was. "Do you want help?" Ruthie readily declined and just returned the fork to the table and taking a sausage between her fingers. She grimaced at even the slightest bite but slowly finished it off. He"d already done so much for her. At the very least she could clear her plate a little, even though she had absolutely no appetite for it. "Just a little bit," he mumbled. Aaron sat quiet, eyeing the plate in her lap. "Maybe if you ask nicely she"ll give you some," he laughed. He quietly took the small pieces she"d left on the plate into his mouth. Martin rolled his eyes. "You don"t even know if those are for you..." "Patience was never really his strong suit," she said softly. "Especially when there"s food involved." "Please don"t encourage him..." he muttered. Ruthie just shrugged. "It"s not like I"m eating this by myself anyway, he"s fine." "What do you say?" Aaron giggled and flashed her an easy smile. "You"re welcome, baby. Thank you for helping me." "I don"t know if I"d call that helping. Looks more like mooching from this angle." "He knows what I mean," she smiled. A soft expression but he was happy to see that she was carefully inching back to herself. Martin didn"t have to ask for clarification. He had seen his son act on his own. "We like that smile much better," he whispered. An hour passed before they heard voices coming up from down below. Martin watched her go stiff before placing a hand lightly on her arm. "Right here..." he murmured. With a careful nod she found her way to the edge of the bed, leaning on him for that little bit of extra strength. With Aaron fast asleep in his other arm, he eased him into the crib putting a light blanket over him before they made their way down to the kitchen. They were met with Annie"s ready smile, which seemed to wash away as soon as she took in the sight of her daughter. "Why is Ruthie wearing Martin"s clothes?" David asked with a brow raised in confusion. "And why does she look so tired?" Their mother quietly bit her lip, sending the boys up to their room before finding a place at the kitchen table. Taking her hands, she was quick to realize how clammy they were.

"Looks like we"re in for a pretty quiet day," he mumbled pulling his tie free with one hand. "Maybe I"ll get to take a nap," he mused, though the chance of that was slim to none. Aaron quietly giggled. "You"re right...that"s a bit of a stretch." Stepping back out into the hall his brow shot up. He never knew her to take showers that went on this long. Knocking gently, his teeth settled along his bottom lip with concern. "Ruth? You doing okay in there?" The five minutes between his question and the eventual silence on the other side of the door drew a nervous sigh. "I"m...fine." Confirmation came quietly, almost as though she was unsure of her own reply. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked. It may be a dumb question but given her mood from earlier, he wasn"t about to stand around and pretend something wasn"t off. Get him off of me she thought clawing at her shoulder. "N-no," she stammered as the room began to spin. Blinking rapidly, Martin took four quick strides back to his room, Aaron settling in without argument and easily shifting his attention to his toys. A wave of relief washed over him when he realized she"d left the door unlocked. "Ruth, if I don"t get something in two minutes I"m coming inside," he warned. "No!" That came out with more confidence than he"d seen all morning. "Do-don"t." "Then I"ll wait," he decided, quietly sliding down along the door. If something wasn"t amiss before, it definitely was now. "Do-don"t come in. Please..." she almost pleaded. Allowing what happened last night, she was already embarrassed enough. Even if she knew Martin had better morals than that. As much as she was asking to be left alone, she still hadn"t so much as wrapped herself in a towel yet, watching as it hung within arm"s reach. "You have a minute," he called. Ruthie"s legs suddenly felt like water while she struggled to find a way to pull herself together. Taking a deep breath, she eased herself along the tile until finding some kind of landing on the floor, her head tiredly landing on her knees. As hot as the water had been, she had never felt colder. "I"m coming in." So much of her energy was spent trying to find her footing that she didn"t even bother to answer him. What he found when he let the door swing open stopped him suddenly. "Ruth?" he whispered. Not so much as a whisper came as he draped the towel around her. While he had practically set foot in a sauna, Ruthie was trembling harshly under his careful touch. Martin had never seen a harsher shade of red across her skin than she did in that moment. If he didn"t know any better it looked like Ruthie was trying to... "I...I"m sorry," she whispered. Shaking his head, Martin carefully helped her to her feet. "I...I didn"t mean to..." "Shh...There"s nothing to be sorry for," he mumbled. "I...I tried to listen but I..." "It"s okay," he repeated. "Come on...Let"s get you dressed, okay? Then you can tell me why you were sitting in a steam room." Even if she didn"t mean to, Ruthie let all of her weight fall on him, completely silent while he inched her toward his room. Once there she sat completely still, save for the hand she still had a firm grip on. Looking down at their joined hands, he gently pulled free only to watch hers tremor quietly in her lap. Taking it back, he squeezed it quietly, letting his heart chip away little by little. He didn"t need to ask why to see the fear in her eyes. It was enough that the look was there at all. "One minute while I get you something to wear, okay? Nobody"s going anywhere," he promised pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Nothing out the ordinary, and still Ruthie let a quiet tear travel the curve of her face. Laying a set of his own clothes beside her, a knot formed in his throat when he realized just how still and quiet she was. The Ruthie he"d known was anything but. "His hands...I don"t like his hands," she barely managed. "I...I wanted them off. The water...It didn"t work." Martin could feel his breathing grow heavy in an attempt to steady the rest of himself. So far as he knew, she could only be talking about one other person. His insides were no longer just cold but turned to ice. He wasn"t about to jump to any conclusions but her sudden insistence that they didn"t go anywhere the night before had to have something to do with what he"d just found in the shower. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a shallow clawing across her shoulder and stiffened. "How did you get this, sweetheart?" he whispered petting it tenderly with his finger, the sight of it making his insides twist. "I wanted him off...He had his hands there. I wanted them to go away." Ruthie almost sounded as robotic as she felt moments before, even to her own ears. Martin swallowed hard when he realized why he"d been smacked in the face with so much humidity. She"d been trying to... With one hand hovering over the phone in his pocket, he quietly folded a strand of wet hair behind her ear. "Ruthie...Did he...?" "No!" she supplied offering a solid shake of her head, water spraying off the tips of her hair as she did so. "But he...He..." "Did he touch you, baby girl?" In any other frame of mind she"d be glaring daggers at him for the words he chose to use. But this wasn"t normal. Not for her. Ruthie, so long as he"d known her was never this...scared. Of anything. "I said no," she whispered. "He kept asking and I said no." "Good," he mumbled nodding slowly. "Has he hurt you?" Martin watched her swallow hard before she nodded. "Where?" He quietly followed the tracking of her eyes when she landed on her cobwebbed shoulder. Bypassing the self-inflicted scratches, he could barely make out what could only be fresh bruises slowly turning purple. Closing his eyes, he sighed, tentatively pulling her in closer. Ruthie stilled, resistant for all of about a minute before she eased into him. "Just me..." he promised. How had he not noticed them last night? The youngest Camden had always been one of the more private ones, though in the privacy and comfort of her own home there was no real reason to be so careful. She was wrapped in a blanket the entire time. "We"re going to have to tell Dad," he pointed out. Frightened eyes met him almost immediately. "Please no..." "We have to tell someone," he said carefully. "I said no. Please no. I...I don"t want him to be in trouble. I...I was the one who didn"t listen...I made a mistake." "Listen to what?" "If...If I said he could stay...he wouldn"t have gotten so mean..." Martin could feel his own tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. The kid had definitely done something. He"d honestly never seen Ruthie act this way. Ever. "You asked him to leave. That"s okay," he whispered. Whoever the hell he was talking to now had come out riding fear that the bastard had put in her. At least for the moment, Martin had to believe that he hadn"t gone as far as he likely wanted to, the thought alone putting fire in his bones. "He...He"s my boyfriend. He loves me. He would never..." "Shh...Can we put you in some clothes? Maybe brush your hair?" Falling to his knees in front of her, he smiled gently, even while she instinctively pulled away from him. "I won"t. I promise." As soon as he"d gotten her to bed, he would at least be calling the station to put out a warning. "He loves me..." she whispered. "I know," he nodded, sure that the next time he saw this kid he"d be ordering a new set of teeth. "Can I go get something real quick? I"ll be back in less than a minute." Ruthie nodded silently, kneading her hands to keep them still. He returned moments later, slowly easing the bristles through her wet knots. "You know, I did this with Mom a lot," he mused. "Especially near the end," he sighed. "No matter how sick she got...she loved nice long hair. Until she lost it anyway. Then she told them to just take it all off." "I"m tired," she muttered. "I know." She had to be after draining all the hot water. "Ruth, I"m going to have to call Mom..." he said carefully. "She"s going to be mad. I didn"t listen..." "No she won"t. If I don"t tell her anything she"s going to worry," he pointed out. "I"m safe now..." "Yes you are," he promised. "You won"t let him get me." "He won"t be coming within a hundred feet of you," he muttered, more for himself than Ruthie. "She"ll be so mad..." she choked, new tears pressing behind her eyes. Shaking his head, a finger settled just below her cheekbone. "She just wants to make sure you"re safe," he clarified. "I am safe...I"m always safe," she whimpered squeezing Martin"s fingers quietly. "I know," he smiled. "I just don"t want to get in trouble." Nodding slowly, she toyed with the fabric of her wet towel. "Would it be okay if I called them? Mom and Dad? Maybe Sergeant Michaels? He"d make sure he stays away." "Don"t go..." "I"m not going anywhere. I"m pretty sure Aaron wouldn"t mind a few snuggles though. They might help." "Okay." Moments later when the baby finally fell into her lap, Ruthie"s arms instinctively fell around him. He watched his son"s small hands come across her face with a sense of calm and purpose. Whether he noticed her change in behaviour or not, he made no show of it and quietly curled up against her. The fog hadn"t cleared enough just yet but Ruthie allowed herself to bury her face in his hair with a hint of a smile that didn"t quite reach her eyes. "What happened in there?" he whispered. Ruthie let her eyes meet his slowly, too embarrassed to speak of it. Martin had already seen so much. And even if he was always a gentleman about it, he was in no position to hear about her boyfriend and the things they"d done together. "Don"t be mad," she mumbled. "I don"t want that..." Shaking his head silently, he took firm hold of her hand. "He has such big hands..." From where he stood, T-bone looked like he had pretty normal looking hands. "Never touched there "cause I didn"t let him. But he...He likes to make sure I"m his girl. I...I don"t like that." Despite himself, he smiled. Always the free spirit. Ruthie made damn sure she was no man"s possession. "He got too close. He was gonna wake up the baby." Nodding again he silently let her continue. "He doesn"t understand. He doesn"t understand that we"re...we"re family," she whispered. "He thinks you want me like he does...and I keep telling him that"s not true." Martin had to fight the urge to spring back, almost as if he was the one to be slapped. "I told him we tried but it didn"t work, that he didn"t have to worry. I was too little for you. You never loved me like that. I fought for it for so long. I just got so tired...I was never going to win anyway." Despite how untrue all of that was today, he"d said as much once before. Only later would he come to figure out that those words would haunt him like his worst nightmare. "He doesn"t believe that...So when we"re together...He...He wants to make sure." "Did he give you these?" Martin whispered letting his fingers barely brush the bruised prints on her shoulder. Even if he answered his own question, something in him needed to hear it. "His hands are so big," she whispered, a single tear coming down along her cheek. Rolling his lip, his thumb met the corner of her eye while he kissed her temple. Out of the corner of his own, Martin caught his son"s protruding lip, his small hands brushing below her chin as a whimper fell from his mouth. "Thank you, sweetheart," she barely whispered laying a kiss on his forehead. "I was...I was just trying to wash him away," she mumbled. "I turn the water on as high as it"ll go and...and he goes away. The room started to spin and I had to sit. I didn"t want to fall. I didn"t want you to worry more...Or take me to the hospital. They"d ask questions...I don"t want to talk to them. It"s...It"s confusing." "He hurt you, Ruth. That"s not confusing." "I know but he would find out and it would be worse...I...I just..." "Shh," he whispered kissing the bruises left on her arm. Pure habit as a father. Even if she was going to take it as something more, her gaze seemed too clouded to care too much. Instinctive or otherwise, Ruthie quietly gave into his touch with only a moment"s hesitation. "That"s okay," she mumbled. "That"s safe. I like that," she said softly. His smile was gentle as he brushed back her hair. "Safe..." "Ruthie, look at me please," he murmured. The shift was slow but eventually she met his eyes. "I will always be here to keep you safe. I promise you that. Always." He couldn"t help but silently scold himself for falling short on those words for the last few months. New father or not he had a responsibility. "Aaron first," she nodded bringing shaking fingers through his hair. The sleepy sigh she earned brought the smallest of smiles to her face. "He"s more important." "You"re both important to me, Ruthie. So important," he mumbled, his voice thick as sandpaper. "I know...I tried to not need help...I tried and I just..." "I"m right here," he murmured. "I will always be right here." Nodding slowly her head found his shoulder, tears welling in her eyes once more. "We need to tell Mom," he repeated. "The police too." "Please..." "What?" he asked softly. Bringing her hair to one side, he chuckled when Aaron took the ends into his mouth. Ruthie said nothing and simply gripped his hand with all of her remaining strength. "I"ll be right there with you, okay?" Nodding slowly, she shivered. "It"s...It"s cold," she whimpered. Bringing them both into his lap, he let his head rest on her wet hair. "Is that better?" Ruthie on her part attempted to curl up that much closer to him. "Please don"t let go...Not yet." Even if her words were nothing like her, the fog seemed to clear over her eyes, as if Martin"s touch alone could wash it away. "I don"t want you taking those anymore," he muttered. "I"ll keep him away but you can"t do that anymore." "His hands..." "...will never touch you again," he said firmly. "You scared me, Ruth..." "I"m sorry. I didn"t mean to. I just...I wanted him to go away." "I know you did. Are you absolutely sure it"s just your arm? Nowhere else?" Ruthie quietly shook her head. "He left them other places too but they"re not there anymore." "Can you show me where?" He followed her eyes down along her hips before they found her hands. No shadows and still his insides twisted violently. "He likes places he can squeeze," she whispered. "Places no one will see him touch. Subtle places...He says I"m his. I don"t belong to him." "I know. It"s okay. We"ll fix it, alright?" "I"m so sorry..." Shaking his head, Martin tried to pull her even closer. "Don"t tell them yet...Let them come home first. I don"t want lots of questions." Even though he knew that making these calls sooner rather than later would be better, he agreed. Pulling back his blankets he watched her curl up in them quietly while Aaron crawled up beside her. "I"m going to go get you some water, okay? Maybe a little something to eat." She offered no answer and brought his pillow closer to her, almost asking it for protection. "You"re in charge, buddy. I"ll be right back." Once downstairs, Martin ran his hands angrily through his hair before they settled on his face. How could he have missed something so big? It was no secret that the guy set him off but he"d always chalked it up to some kind of jealousy. Last night confirmed something else for him, something he didn"t want to be sure of. To be fair, he never explored that option in the first place now wishing that he had. His first promise to her was that he would do anything and everything to protect her. In the last year he clearly failed miserably. Brushing the edge of the phone in his pocket, he fought the urge to make those calls himself. Ruthie had asked him to keep quiet until everyone got home from service and despite how quickly he wanted to have all of it dealt with, he had to give her that much. Pulling out the plate Annie left in the oven, he let it warm before bringing it up. "Brought you something," he whispered setting it on the nightstand. "Mom wrapped it up for you earlier, thought you might want it later." Nodding she struggled to sit up. Taking her arm gently, he set a couple of pillows behind her. Martin had to close his eyes the minute he saw her take the fork, trying to ignore how shaky the grip was. "Do you want help?" Ruthie readily declined and just returned the fork to the table and taking a sausage between her fingers. She grimaced at even the slightest bite but slowly finished it off. He"d already done so much for her. At the very least she could clear her plate a little, even though she had absolutely no appetite for it. "Just a little bit," he mumbled. Aaron sat quiet, eyeing the plate in her lap. "Maybe if you ask nicely she"ll give you some," he laughed. He quietly took the small pieces she"d left on the plate into his mouth. Martin rolled his eyes. "You don"t even know if those are for you..." "Patience was never really his strong suit," she said softly. "Especially when there"s food involved." "Please don"t encourage him..." he muttered. Ruthie just shrugged. "It"s not like I"m eating this by myself anyway, he"s fine." "What do you say?" Aaron giggled and flashed her an easy smile. "You"re welcome, baby. Thank you for helping me." "I don"t know if I"d call that helping. Looks more like mooching from this angle." "He knows what I mean," she smiled. A soft expression but he was happy to see that she was carefully inching back to herself. Martin didn"t have to ask for clarification. He had seen his son act on his own. "We like that smile much better," he whispered. An hour passed before they heard voices coming up from down below. Martin watched her go stiff before placing a hand lightly on her arm. "Right here..." he murmured. With a careful nod she found her way to the edge of the bed, leaning on him for that little bit of extra strength. With Aaron fast asleep in his other arm, he eased him into the crib putting a light blanket over him before they made their way down to the kitchen. They were met with Annie"s ready smile, which seemed to wash away as soon as she took in the sight of her daughter. "Why is Ruthie wearing Martin"s clothes?" David asked with a brow raised in confusion. "And why does she look so tired?" Their mother quietly bit her lip, sending the boys up to their room before finding a place at the kitchen table. Taking her hands, she was quick to realize how clammy they were. "Are you sick?" she whispered, feeling stupid for asking such an obvious question. Ruthie hadn"t so much as eaten breakfast. That was answer enough. "I..." she whispered. Shooting a gaze between the two of them she cleared her throat, as thought that might give her enough courage to get it out. "We were watching a movie last night. He came over before work. Made some excuse about giving me one of my textbooks back. I know he"s...always been jealous but...We never do anything anyway so I...I don"t get it. I asked him to leave a dozen times but he...He was so insistent. When I asked him to step back so he wouldn"t wake the baby..." Annie had to blinked back ready tears, knowing all too well where this was going, instinctively taking a firmer grip on the hand in front of her. "He does this thing where he gets in really close and squeezes me tight. He"s done it a few times before. It"s always somewhere that looks natural. Like around my shoulders or my hips. Sometimes my hands. I left to go wash him off this morning." "Has he...?" Annie watched Martin shake his head steadily, the smallest wave of relief washing over her. "That"s mine," she choked catching a tear on her lip. "He doesn"t get to take that." Nodding slowly, the older Camden shifted in her chair. "He never asked..." When she realized there was nothing else, Annie rose quietly to her feet taking her daughter in her arms. It was then that she fell apart completely though never losing the airtight grip she had on Martin"s hand. "I"ll call Kevin," she whispered over Ruthie"s head. Martin quietly agreed just before Ruthie pulled back from her mother and frantically found her place in Martin"s lap. "Shh," he murmured. Ruthie just clung to him for dear life, his neck easily soaked with tears. "I know..." he mumbled while trying to settle the fire in his gut. "We"ll fix it, I promise." "He...What if he hurts the baby?" "Nobody"s hurting anybody, okay? Try and relax," he mumbled softly pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I didn"t wanna see him..." "I understand." "You...You have to keep him safe. Always. No matter what." With my life he thought, the promise easily extended to the woman he held as tightly as he could, as though his very own life depended on it. And me she thought, hoping it wasn"t too much to ask. "And you," he whispered, almost as if he heard the words himself. "Please don"t go..." "Not even something you have to ask for, Ruth. You know that." "I...I made a mistake," she whispered. I made one first he thought. And now it was time to pay up. "We"ll fix it," he said quietly. "We"ll fix it..." A/N: Alright so...As I said, I wanted to take this one a lot slower than the old one. No, he hasn"t done anything drastic but T-bone definitely likes to "stake his claim" as it were. For those who are still interested, feel free to give me your thoughts. Thank you so much for your patience.

"But you didn"t fight her off, did you?" she asked. Ricky shook his head. Amy wasn"t sure but somewhere in his expression she saw what she thought to be a hint of shame. What was this? Ricky Underwood never felt shame. At least not when it came to kissing women. He enjoyed it way too much to feel guilty about it. "I...I couldn"t. Ashley insisted." "Did you kiss her back?" He nodded his eyes downcast before quietly meeting hers again. The expression he met when they were finally at eye level was not something he wanted, but something he expected. Amy looked like she was about to blow a gasket. "I can"t believe you Ricky! After everything we"ve been through with John you put the moves on my sister!" He sighed not exactly sure where to go from here. "It"s not like I intended it to happen," he defended. "But surprise, surprise, it happened! I mean I know you"re a player, but my sister. I can"t believe this," she whispered. Amy could feel moisture building in her eyes and quickly brushed it away. When he noticed the shine in her eye, his hand instinctively went up to brush her cheek. In quiet, clear, anger she slapped it away. Again Ricky couldn"t help feeling unwanted. This time though, he tried a second time, gathering her slipping tears in the palm of his hand. He quickly came to realize that he could take Amy in any form. Happy, angry, ready to blow his head off. Anything but this. Anything but crying. She didn"t fight him now. She just kept a solid glare. Why was she getting so upset with him? Sure he"d kissed her sister. Something that angered her in ways she couldn"t even begin to explain. Even more confusing though were the lingering others. It was more than the fact that Ricky had kissed Ashley. She felt cheated, betrayed, played with. But why? "That doesn"t mean I regret doing it," he said. She snorted, not believing any of it. "I"m not proud of it Amy," he whispered. "Yeah right. You play tonsil hockey with anything that has boobs," she said coldly. His hand unknowingly became a fist at his side. Now he was just as mad as she was. Didn"t she understand anything? Didn"t she get that he was trying to change, be a better person? For him, his family, her. "Alright so I kissed your sister, and I kinda liked it." Ricky could see a flame of anger building in her eyes. She didn"t need to know why he"d done it, why he enjoyed it just a little, even though he wasn"t supposed to. "Why?" It was the closest to you I"ll ever get he thought. Ricky groaned letting gravity bring him down to the bed they sat on. "I don"t really have to have a reason Amy. All you need to know is that it happened, I don"t like that it did and I"m sorry." Again the image of Ben flashed in her head. She had no idea whether she was ready to yell or cry because of it. It sounded different coming from Ricky. Something about it was sincere. She felt John give her a light shove. A smile graced her face when she feigned falling over receiving a light round of giggles. When her eyes reopened she came face to face with dark brown twins that floated just above her. She was somewhat surprised to see that for once, they weren"t joined by a smirk. Amy had to be sure to blink a couple of times just to make certain that there was in fact, a light smile on Ricky"s face. She felt the weight of her son leave her lap now; her only focus the chocolate orbs that seemed to dig right into her. Raising her head, she let her lips just brush his. Something in Ricky snapped. He wasn"t supposed to be doing this. This was wrong on a number of levels. But then why, did it feel so right? Something in him returned it feverishly. Amy found herself taking it a step further, her hands wondering aimlessly in search of the buttons on one of his most common over-shirts. Before they could dig themselves very deeply, Ricky pulled away, clear question in his eyes. "Amy, what are you doing?" he asked. The question came from a raged breath. When she was finally able to realize what she had done, she blushed a deep red. "I...I...I"m sorry. I don"t know what"s gotten into me," she whispered. "I"m probably the last person you"d want to be-" "It"s not that Amy. I"ve put you there once; I don"t want to accidently do it again." She didn"t know how wrong she was. There was a reason band camp happened at all. She had something that so many others didn"t. Something that made her more of a challenge. When so many were draping themselves over him desperately, she avoided him with everything she had. Ricky Underwood was never not wanted. She was the first one he ever had to encourage to be with him. And look at where that got them? A baby at fifteen and sixteen years old. "No, it"s okay. I know I"m not Adrian," she said. "I don"t want you to be Adrian. I don"t want you to be anyone but you," he said. "Why Amy, why are you so desperate to have sex all of a sudden?" "I just wanna forget," she whispered. "It"s not like anything would happen. I"ve been on the pill." "What, why?" he asked incredulous. "You," she said simply. He was shocked to say the least. What the hell did her going on the pill have to do with him? "Amy we"re not doing this again. I"m done with sex." "You"re kidding." "No I"m not. As much as I love John, I don"t want anymore. I"m not father material Amy." She just laughed, watching as John made his way over to Ricky. She smiled when she saw him pick him up, his larger hands playing with his much smaller feet. "Then what"s that supposed to be?" she asked directing his attention to the little boy in his lap. "He loves you Ricky. Not just because he"s supposed to, he chooses to. You"re great with him. I hate to admit it but sometimes I hate you. I hate that you make it look so easy. I hate that you"re the only one who"s able to get him to sleep at night. The minute you leave he wakes up again, like he senses you"re gone." "You gotta loosen up a bit. You"re always so uptight and tense. He feeds off of whatever you give him. If you"re relaxed, he"s calm. If you"re stressing he"s gonna be upset too." He went up to rub the shoulder that was in reach and nodded knowingly. "See this? This is tense," he whispered massaging her tight muscles. Amy sighed closing her eyes while she fell into his touch. "There ya go. Can you feel the difference?" She nodded letting her head fall on his shoulder. Almost immediately his senses were filled with lilacs again. For a minute he wanted to move her. He then realized how much he liked it. Again, he knew he shouldn"t, but he did. So he left her there, resting peacefully. All while fighting the urge to kiss her. it became more difficult now seeing as she was only right next to him. "I don"t know what"s wrong with me," she whispered. She felt the echo of his laugh in his shoulder and looked up at him. "What?" "Nothing"s wrong with you Amy. You are who you are." "Ben thinks so," she admitted. "He"s just jealous. Jealous of what we have that he can never take." Do we even have anything she wondered. "Why did you kiss my sister?" she asked. "I already told you-" "Tell me the real reason," she said giving him a stern look. He sighed meeting her eyes once again. "Amy, the truth is that I...I...I think I..." A/N: There we go! Let me know how it went please! Now, something clogged his throat, stopped him from speaking. For the first time, Ricky found himself at a loss for words. Before he"d fallen asleep on the plane, he made sure to go over exactly what he"d tell her. He knew this question would come up eventually. It would come out in one of two ways. Either Ashley would tell her out of anger or it would just slip. He honestly never thought it would come out in confrontation. This situation wasn"t planned for. "Why did you kiss Ashley?" she asked again. This time the question came out with an edge, a spite of anger. It wasn"t that Ricky wasn"t used to seeing her pissed off. The sight of it actually brought on a kind of twisted comfort. When they fought like this, he always had an answer, a way to dig himself out. It frustrated him that this time, he had none. "What, cat got your tongue?" Amy asked sarcastically. "I...I..." "Out with it Underwood, I don"t have all day to watch you stand here catching flies," she said, tapping her foot impatiently. What flies? Ricky thought. Rolling her eyes, Amy came up, pressing gently on jaw. It took her closing it for Ricky to realize that he was just standing there, mouth open, not able to say anything. Just as soon as she let go, he could feel the absence of her touch. It took him five seconds to wipe his eyes of emotion. He didn"t want to show her how much he missed it. "Oh my god, this has got to be a first. Ricky Underwood is unable to speak? I never thought I"d see the day," she said in mock shock. He growled, sending a playful glare in her direction. Amy only laughed watching as the man with every smooth comeback in the book stood there as if someone had come and ripped out his vocal cords. Now, he was frustrated. He hadn"t planned for it to come up like this, but still he had rehearsed it. Why couldn"t he just come out and say it? Why couldn"t he man up and tell Amy Juergens exactly how he felt? Why couldn"t he just say them? I love you Amy. He realized that he wasn"t exactly sure how he felt. Sure he"d gotten these weird flutters when he saw her smile, seeing her laugh, the warmth when he held her. What did it all mean? Ricky had never in his life experienced anything like this. Why were there suddenly butterflies living inside of him. It"s not like they were ever there before. "I...missed you," he whispered. She had to strain to here his quiet confession but as soon as she did, Amy jerked. He missed me? she wondered. She smiled quietly to herself, hoping that he wouldn"t see just how happy that made her. Why it did, she still had no idea. It"s not like she had actual feelings for him. How was she not to believe that he was just making that up to keep her from getting mad at him? Out of the corner of his eye, Ricky"s vision landed on a small smile crawling to her lips. Something in her eyes told him that he wasn"t supposed to see it so he kept a blank expression, allowing the sight to be brief. "You...missed me?" she whispered. As soon as she rephrased it, he knew how out of character it sounded. Missing meant you cared enough for someone to feel their absence. They were still just friends. As parents, they were a different kind of friends, but friends none the less. Maybe that was why he"d admitted it. Over the course of the last year, they"d come to depend on each other. The two had come to work as a team. While she was gone, it was just him, balancing all aspects of John. He had no one to talk anything over with. "Yeah...I missed you. I miss just having you there to talk to about him. It"s not like I can go to Ashley about any of this. We"re the ones who had a baby." The silence that hung over them when he said that, sent Ricky a clear message that he"d overstepped, said something he shouldn"t have. He didn"t have to look at her face to know that he was still in trouble. "What does she have to do with that?" she asked with a slight anger in her question. Just as soon as it came out like that, she wondered why she was getting all worked up. She"s my sister she defended. Something told her it was a little bit more than that. Amy ignored that something and just stuck with the first part. None of the other stuff made any sense. "I needed to get my mind off of a bunch of stuff. That"s what I do Amy. When I"m stressed, I have sex. I promised myself I wouldn"t do that anymore so I"m handling it differently. Your sister was upset, I offered her a hug, and we kissed. I didn"t want to kiss back, Amy. Something in me clicked. Something in me remembered. It was familiar, comfortable." All of this was true, of course. The kiss reminded her of Adrian in a way. It brought back all of the times that he"d just shown up. One look would tell her what he needed. They never talked, it just happened. The next day, they went on about it as they usually did. But like everything else connected to Amy, this was different. This time he wasn"t the initiator. Ashley had forced it on him. At the same time though, Ashley was a part of Amy. He now understood what the kiss spiked from. It wasn"t a substitute for sex. It wasn"t even the hunger of being involved with another woman to numb everything. This was about Amy. Ricky returned that kiss feeling the need for Amy. Of course, he would never tell her this. He was Ricky. Ricky Underwood never allowed himself to feel. He had no idea what that even meant. "So you used her?" Amy said slowly. She laughed to herself when she realized that this idea wasn"t really anything new. Ricky used every girl he"d ever been with. What would make Ashley any different? He eyed her carefully, not sure exactly how to explain it. It"s not that he used her. He thought of it more as helping a friend out. "I didn"t use her, Amy!" he bellowed, getting low on his already limited patience. "She was upset, I hugged her, and it turned into a kiss. A kiss that I regret, but it still happened! Why do I always have to be the one to blame here? Have you ever stopped to think that maybe she"s not the innocent party here?" "It"s what you do, Ricky! It"s what you"ve always done! Even if you promise yourself that it"s not going to happen again, you slip up! Seriously though, why did it have to be my sister? Do you know how freakin" awkward it would be if you two actually had sex? Not to mention the fact that you might not live to see tomorrow when my dad got wind of the situation? It"s one thing to get me pregnant. It"s another thing entirely to put Ashley there too!" "Oh for Christ sake, Amy! I wasn"t even thinking of having sex. If I did it sure as hell wouldn"t be with Ashley!" "Oh, so now my sister"s not good enough for you?" she asked angrily. Ricky"s eyes widened. Not only was he frustrated with Amy but now she had him confused. Since when did this turn into a question of whether or not Ashley was doable? "What the hell, Amy? First you"re yelling at me for kissing her. Which may I remind you, wasn"t my idea! Now you"re going back and yelling at me for not sleeping with her? What is with you?" "Have you ever stopped to consider that Ashley is fourteen years old?" Ricky sighed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at her. "Yes Amy, yes I did. That"s exactly why I didn"t consider anything like that and never will." "Well then why did you do it?" "What does it matter, Amy? It happened like three days ago. Oh, and then there"s the fact that absolutely nothing happened. Just let it go. Ashley knew what she was doing." "Oh come on! She"s fourteen! Her kinda-sorta brother-in-law is the lead drummer. This, by default makes him appealing. Her hormones are going to speak long before her brain knows what the hell is going on." Ricky stopped for a minute to consider what she"d just said. Amy had given him a family label. It took a minute for it to really sink in. Then, with a jolt, he realized what it meant. As messed up as this arrangement was, he had some kind of family. He"d even, on some level gained the respect of her parents. Not that George was hard to get along with. When it came to his daughters though, he was a little bit harder to sway. Ricky had a place. For the first time, he actually had people who cared. Margret had to, given her role in his life. The Juergens, though grudgingly at first, cared about him when really, they could have just left him there. "Whacked out hormones or not, it"s a done deal. Why do you suddenly care so much? It"s her life. As long as she doesn"t get pregnant, she can do what she wants with it. You may be her older sister, but you can"t tell her what she can and can"t do. Ashley"s stubborn. She gets what she wants even when it"s not exactly the smartest idea. She"ll learn from it." "Why do I care?" she scoffed. "I know I just gave you two very good reasons as to why I care!" "Amy, would you just stop freaking out? It was nothing more than a little kiss!" ""Nothing more than a little kiss"," she mimicked angrily. "Isn"t that what band camp was supposed to be? Oh no wait, it was just supposed to be a late night snack. Now look where we are," she sighed. "Are you saying that you regret keeping him?" Ricky asked more than shocked. Amy"s eyes widened as tears sprang to her eyes. Almost instantly, he wanted to take back that last part. Ricky almost laughed at the irony. Here he was, trying to make her feel better. He"d flown all the way to New York to stop her crying. Yet, here he was, his bitter anger the reason for the moisture in her eyes. "I"m not even going to dignify that with a reply," she clipped. Ricky sighed, carefully coming over to sit beside her. Not to his surprise, though a little hurtful all the same, she shuffled out of his reach. "You know how I feel about John..." she whispered, brushing fresh tears from her eyes. "Look, I"m sorry. I know I shouldn"t have said that. I know you love him, Amy. I just...I don"t know what to say anymore. I said I was sorry about fifty times. Had it been up to me, it would have never happened," he whispered. "I don"t care that you did it," she sighed. "I knew you"d cave eventually. I just don"t know why it had to be Ashley..." "I...I don"t know," he lied. Almost immediately, he felt guilty for lying. The truth is, he did know. He knew full well why he gave in. He wasn"t going to tell her. Not now, not ever the real motive behind the liplock . Sensing the uneasiness in his voice, Amy glared. He may be a pain in her ass most of the time, but she"d learned to read him. "You"re lying," she said slowly. Ricky looked up at her, slightly taken off guard. Not trusting his voice he just sat silent. It took him a minute to realize that, just like he learned to read her, she had done the same with him. He sighed, now unsure of how to get her to drop the subject. The last year or so taught him, that she wouldn"t. Amy wouldn"t drop the topic if it was a scalding hot potato sitting in her hands. She wouldn"t let up until she got what she wanted. The shift of his eyes told Amy that she"d caught him. Now he would come out with it. "I thought we were all about honesty, Ricky." "We are," he said. "I just..." "Just say it. Tell me what"s on your mind and then I"ll let you leave." "I don"t want to leave," he whispered. "I can"t." "The door"s right there. You can walk out of it just the same as you walked in." Amy had no idea how wrong she was. Even if he got up and walked out like she suggested, he wouldn"t go out the same. He had no idea what changed. He did know though, that even if she didn"t know it, Amy made it happen. She"d been doing that a lot lately. "No Amy, I can"t," he whispered. Seeing that over time his hands had become fists, she gently placed her hands over them, unwinding the tension. Her subtle touch sent a flare of electricity through him. Amy jumped back a little when she felt a little something to. Still, she kept them there. "You"re the only one who does that to me," he said quietly. "You"re the only one who ever puts me in this place. Somehow we always end up fighting. I don"t wanna fight anymore, Amy. It"s not good for him. It"s not good for us." "So, do we just stop?" Once she said it, she realized how stupid it sounded. Of course they could stop. They both knew, however, that they wouldn"t. Fighting was what they did. It was safe, it was familiar. Fighting was the only thing that still made sense in this mess. "I"m not sayin" it"s gonna be easy, but we have to be willing to try." "For John," she said. Ricky nodded, still feeling the warmth of her grasp. Amy knew it wasn"t just for their son. As much as they wanted to make it about the baby, it was for them too. What was it that they were willing to try? Was it to stop being at each other"s throats? Sure, that was part of it. There was something else though. Something foreign that, neither party was willing to step into. "Okay. We"ve been getting along anyway. We just have to learn each other"s buttons so we don"t get here. I don"t like fighting with you, Ricky..." she admitted. I don"t like being the reason you cry he added to himself. He could feel his tight grip loosening now. Whether it was from the fact that they weren"t arguing anymore, or the grip she still had on his hands, he wasn"t sure. Amy"s hands were warm, comforting, safe. He had no idea where this came from, but soon their faces were inches apart. At first he fought he closeness. They weren"t like that; they could never be like that. Still, the heat of her breath pulled him closer. "Why...Ashley," she asked again slowly. "I already told you," he whispered. "No you didn"t. Tell me the truth, Underwood." Slowly, their lips met. Only five seconds later, they were going hard and fast. Any concept of fighting was long forgotten. Now, they were fighting. This however, was fighting of a different nature. Ricky"s dominant nature eventually won out and Amy had to let him take her. She went willingly, just letting their tongues tangle. Soon, they both came up for breath. "That"s the truth," he said with a soft, ragged breath. A/N: So sorry for the long wait. I hope you can all forgive me for my lack of updates. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Leave a review in my stocking, before you go?

"Is this some kind of punishment?" "I prefer to call it a lesson," she teased. Martin couldn"t help but let his stomach turn to knots. Just the idea of being in the same room with her sent his head spinning like a stupid teenage girl. Or maybe he was so frantic because it meant that for just a few hours he could be society"s idea of normal. Ruthie had a very simple way of doing just that. No masks, no games. Things just were. Lesson or no lesson, he"d take it. "Professor Camden," he joked, his quip earning him a single-handed pillow to the arm. "Was that detention?" he laughed expertly avoiding the throw and letting it land on the floor beside him before picking it back up, glaring when Aaron found humor in the whole thing. "Notice how I haven"t gotten a shot at her once," he whispered. "Hardly," she grumbled. Ruthie again found herself piercing her own tongue. Technically, he had, in ways she never even imagined possible. "Are we just going to lie here all day or do you want help getting all your junk moved in?" Martin swallowed hard, not even sure if he could walk through the place without wanting to throw out half of the things that didn"t belong to him and burn the rest. "We should probably go figure that out..." "Yeah," she nodded. "We probably should." Realistically, Ruthie just wanted to leave everything there as it was. If she as much as set foot in that house she would be swimming in the shadows of people and places she would much rather forget. She was almost certain it wasn"t just her either. "Best to leave him here, I think. We"ll just be going back and forth. This way he might just sleep and stay out of Mom"s hair." Martin almost caught his own slip but didn"t do much about it. The Camdens were really the only stability he"d known, kind enough that they somehow still treated him like one of the many extensions of the family, a courtesy he knew better than to properly deserve considering. If he thought of the technicalities and what he"d just implied, they"d be right back to the beginning. You don"t kiss your sister he thought. Not like that. Shaking himself of the thought Martin eased his son off her chest and smiled. "What do you think? Stay here or help us carry boxes big enough to fit you in?" "That one"s easy," Ruthie said, a smile coming across her own face. "Grandma"s more fun than Dad any day." "Thanks..." to which she easily shrugged. "Just giving you the facts. They can make us cookies and juice. Everybody wins," she said, letting her finger glide up Aaron"s leg. This of course got another one of his laughs as Ruthie gave Martin a knowing smile. "What"d I tell you? He loves it." "I"m honestly not too excited about what we"re doing either. Sounds like your day"s going to be a lot more exciting." The little boy gave his father a knowing grin before sticking part of his shirt in his mouth. And it probably very well was. Moments later, Martin and Ruthie were headed over to his house to box up what they could of the things they needed most immediately. It helped that at least half of it was already stored somewhere in the house. Under daylight, he could now see just how many traces of Sandy were really gone. Noticing how sparse she left it made him even angrier, though the emptiness was all the better for him. Literally nothing kept him here if he chose never to come back. Gone were the few family photos they"d taken over the last year, only their frames left propped on tables and a mantle that had gone unused for well over three weeks. She"d even gone so far as to removing the few paintings she had on the walls. Not that he cared for those. He had to assume she had help. There was no way Sandy had taken so much in so short a time. Not to mention how quietly it all had to be done if she wanted to make her escape without incident. He wasn"t entirely sure why there was little to nothing said while they worked. Martin wondered if it had anything or everything to do with where they were and why. The faster they got out, the easier it was to just lock up and forget about life behind these doors. Boxing up Aaron"s few toys and necessities he couldn"t keep from standing behind the small island, scanning the room for anything else important, taking a few seconds to reflect on what any of it meant. He was now a single dad, just as his own father was. Though he considered the night before, something about a nearly empty house, which now kept only furniture and a few blankets made it all the more real. The only noticeable difference was that Sandy hadn"t died. That made it all the worse. His own mother had no choice in her leaving. The mother of his son was ready and willing, eager to drop the few things that could potentially hold her back from whatever it was she wanted to do with her life. "I think that"s everything," Ruthie said with a heavy and labored sigh as she brushed her hands on her pants. Turning to her, Martin was once again brought back to the present, pulled easily from his own thoughts. So consumed in getting it all over with, he wasn"t even sure how long they"d been there, or how many packing boxes traveled back and forth between houses. All that mattered was that they were now on the last few odds and ends. "Yeah, we"ll come back for things later if we need them," he mumbled. Ruthie looked at him carefully, her own eyes clouded with quiet concern. She chose to say nothing on the matter and decided a simple nod was probably enough. "C"mon," she said gently, a slight tug at his arm. Martin looked down at her small hands, barely able to wrap effectively around his bicep. Those hands were the reason he kept his head at all and he knew it. The walk back to the house was equally as quiet, though comfortable all the same. As promised, they came back to the smell of fresh cookies and ice cold lemonade. "Martin, if you need-" "No, I"m good," he said quickly. Ruthie met him somewhat skeptically but said nothing. They both knew that was a lie. Even so, she let him believe it for as long as he needed to. "Just take a minute," she mumbled. "Sit, have a cookie or something. I promise these won"t chip your tooth." He offered her a half-smile noticing how much effort even that was, taking a bite as he chewed methodically. As she watched him in silence, she became all too aware of his distance. "If you want a rain check..." "No." "It"s okay if you do. I get it." No, she didn"t but he had to give her points for trying, for being her usually supportive self. Even if she did, there was no backing out of this now. He"d broken enough promises to her for a lifetime. "We"re going," he said. Ruthie gave him a nod, not entirely sure he"d sit well with the decision after a few hours. Putting down his empty glass, he slowly backed away from the kitchen, easing up into the swinging door toward the stairs. "Just going to go..." "Got it. I"ll go hop in the shower and find something decent that"s not covered in dust and old paint stains. Ruthie found she was talking to herself now, Martin already gone out the door and up the stairs. She shrugged, taking them two at a time herself. Giving herself fifteen minutes in the shower, she quietly tiptoed back to Martin"s room, being sure to stay out of sight. What she found was somehow exactly what she expected. Aaron was fast asleep, curled up on his father"s chest, Martin moments from doing the same. "Ruth." Hearing her name, Ruthie quickly jumped back, knowing her attempt to be inconspicuous was pretty much a fail. "I know you"re back there," he mumbled. With her genius plan unraveled, she padded guiltily into the room, pressed up against the wall. "Sorry. I didn"t mean to-" "Come here," he said sleepily. Unlike the previous night, she was more hesitant with the given invitation, keeping her fair distance until otherwise. "Please?" he whispered. Slowly, still slightly unsure, she nodded sliding in beside them. As she pulled in closer, his arm came around her waist where he let his fingers run slowly along her hipbone. "S"the only thing that works when she"s gone," he muttered. "I know," she said quietly. Even when she was called over to help him, Ruthie often found him curled up on the couch exactly like he was now. "He"s going to want answers...I don"t have those," he said, his own voice catching as his other hand ran through Aaron"s hair. "When you need them, they"ll be there," she mumbled. "I barely remember her..." Ruthie was quick to realize that Martin hardly ever spoke of her and that was probably enough reason as to why. "She used to sing...All the time. That much I do remember. Cooking, cleaning, in the shower. She was always singing. She wasn"t one of those moms who didn"t know she sucked. She was good. Really good. At least I thought so. I was...I think seven when she died. I don"t remember dates and stuff. I"ll only do that when I go visit her. And then it just...starts over. I"ll hear her out there and swear she"s fine. Sometimes I see her too and she"s got that smile that"s not really a smile. It was all in her eyes, that"s how you knew. Anyway, I was one of those weird kids who actually enjoyed cleaning. Then again, I was six or seven so what did I know? But that"s what we did. We cleaned with the radio on. Sometimes we"d bake things and I remember eating almost all the dough before it made it to the pan. I"d regret it later. Every time. But when things like that are right there in front of you and you"re a six year old kid who knows all about rules and how to break "em, before you know it, you"ve got your head in the toilet because you don"t know how to pace yourself. I"d get this half-hearted lecture about it too. I think she knew I"d end up doing it anyway. It happened so often that wasting her breath really didn"t do much anymore. But it"s not like she stopped giving me the stuff so you know. And then it stopped. I"d come home and the kitchen was basically empty. She taught me how to call the pizza guy on a Friday night. I didn"t think much of it. Friday was always that kind of day. She called it "junk day". The one day a week where healthy food was not an option. And then I got to call him on Mondays and Wednesdays too. Well, then I just thought I must"ve done something really impressive. Thing was, I didn"t know what. I didn"t come home with an A on my spelling test; I never made the honor roll. I was just your average kid. An army brat but, it wasn"t like I was the only one there ever was. It was always just me and Mom...And the pizza guy. The calls got so frequent they always sent the same one. His name was Steve. Steve was actually really cool. We got to talk about comics and cars. Guy stuff. Stuff Dad was never around to talk about. Until he was. By then, I hardly saw her. She was always curled up in her room. When Dad started coming home every day, the pizza stopped. One day I asked him why Steve never came around anymore. He just told me that we didn"t need Steve anymore. That made even less sense to me but you don"t argue with him. Then I figured out why. Neighbors started coming by with all kinds of food. I wanted to ask what it meant but I knew better. Then things got really weird. I didn"t go to school for a month. The drill sergeant, who made me go to school, even when I was sick. He let me stay home. I was all kinds of excited about that. Especially on days when I knew we had tests and things. The fact that I got to stay home from school for those...It was almost like Disneyland or something. I got to eat in bed, eat cookies if we had them. Even when I hadn"t eaten dinner yet. We spent most of those days in Mom"s bed. She sang for the first week. And then just...held me. The only times she let me do anything was when I had to go shower or use the bathroom or get food. The rest of the time it was this unspoken agreement that we"d just lay there together. "I fell asleep in her arms. She was squeezing real tight then. It was almost impossible to breathe she had me in so close." Martin sighed turning to face Ruthie then. "3:45am her arms went slack. I remember taking her arm and wrapping back around myself. It would just...lay there. If I moved it"d just slip and end up at her side. I did all the things I could think of to try and wake her. For a while, I thought she was just in a really deep sleep so I let her be. I knew she wasn"t okay. I didn"t know much but I knew that. So I just left her. By seven the sun was starting to come up and she was starting to get cold. I wrapped her in blankets and rubbed her arms and stuff. By nine she was white. I didn"t know what to do so I did the only thing I could think of. I called Steve. It"s a good thing he was working that morning or else we would be there until Dad got home. But anyway, Steve came over. When the doorbell rang, I rushed over to make sure it didn"t wake her up or anything. I could tell by the look on his face when he saw her that something was really wrong. He told me to stay with my mom and he went to go make a call. Not quite sure how he did it but, he got Dad on the phone and he came over. Steve left after that but not before giving us four free pizzas. I had no idea why but I figured it had something to do with all the free food we"d been getting. Who cares? All that registered was that we were getting pizza we didn"t have to pay for. It wasn"t until the funeral when I figured out exactly what happened to her. It was an open casket. She looked like she was sleeping. I remember poking her in the cheek. Things like that always got a reaction of some kind. I got nothing. She just kept laying there. I tried talking to her. She wouldn"t even open her eyes. After everyone got a look at her, they closed it. And then we went out to a field....They put her in the ground. Seven year old logic"s a funny thing. Even though I saw her go in there, for the longest time, I just thought she was playing games with me. She"d be back. She"d sing me one more song; bake me one more tray of cookies. I even saved her the last pizza. I let it sit until Dad told me to eat it or he"d throw it out. Mom never came for her pizza." Recalling the gravestone, he shuttered pulling Ruthie to him as tightly as he remembered his own mother doing to him. "My mother died...about eleven years ago. I don"t remember if I told her I loved her that night. Part of me thinks I forgot and I hate myself for it. Other times I think I did and I feel okay. I watched her waste away. I waited six hours to call for help. If I hadn"t waited so long, sometimes I think she"d still be here. The more logical side of me knows there wasn"t anything I could do. She died holding me. I like to think it helped at least a little." "It did," she said gently. Martin just nodded, not quite sure he believed her entirely. "At seven, it makes no sense to you. You wonder how someone could just be gone. They never explained, they never gave you some kind of warning. God just takes them. August 15..." Ruthie"s heart sank as she attempted to clear the sandpaper from her throat. "Today..." she whispered. Martin barely nodded, a strangled smile coming to his lips as he let his eyes fall closed. "Beatles. She loved them. Depending on when and where and sometimes why, it changes." "What"s she singing now?" she asked brushing at her eyes quietly. "It"s a pretty easy guess," he whispered tracing a light "L" along her side. "She sounds wonderful." Martin just nodded kissing the top of Aaron"s head as he continued sleeping. "I like this...Just this is good." "Yeah...." As Martin carefully folded a few strays behind her ear, he sighed. "She likes you," he mumbled. "What?" "Mom. She likes you." "I don"t..." "How do you think I hear her?" he smiled. Ruthie nodded, suddenly feeling silly for her thought processing. "Sometimes, when it"s really quiet in here, I can hear her by the window. She"s there now actually." "Hi Mrs. Brewer," she mumbled dumbly, her cheeks flushing. Martin just chuckled brushing his lips lightly along her cheek, the soft pink becoming a harsh red as it crawled up her neck. As if sleeping together wasn"t enough... she thought. Piece by little unnoticeable piece, Martin would turn her to water. The most frustrating part was that he knew it now. That seemed to make toying with her that much easier. Were they not laying there in complete and utter silence, with the ghost of Martin"s mother somewhere in the room, she may have been brave enough to turn on the slightest angle and...No. "I still wonder why no one ever told me she was sick or dying. I guess it was to protect me or something but, I don"t know. Something about not knowing just..." "...eats away at you," she finished. Again he nodded. "I know. Gets easier," she said as a glimmer of hope, though she doubted it would do very much. "Not sure when but I hope so. I really do." "Just listen to her," she whispered. Let it be.... "I..." "Shh." Martin sighed, effortlessly turning Ruthie over just enough to meet her full on. "Just listen," he countered. "She wasn"t here last night. Needs to know I did right by you." "Is she going to be watching us all the time now?" she teased, the notion comforting, no matter how odd it seemed. "Mostly just me," he said." "Well, that makes me feel better." "I thought it might. I am sorry Ruthie. For all of it. Not listening, not seeing. More than anything though I"m sorry for," he mumbled, nodding toward his son. "I don"t want to hear it," she said quickly. "You don"t get to be sorry for him. How and why it happened, yes. But not him. Never him. I won"t let you. It"s like saying he shouldn"t be here. He is here. He deserves to be here." "You know what I meant." "It doesn"t matter. And you know you"re forgiven almost everything else. If your mom needs to hear it, fine. In fact, since she likes me so much, I"ll tell her." Martin quickly dropped his head in his hands running a hand along his face. "Mrs. Brewer? He"s forgiven for everything. The rest of it....It"s coming." "What"s that even mean?" "It means, we"re not there yet but we"ll get past it." "Right." Even as he heard such a promise, he could only hope that it was true. "Okay you need to shut back up now. I"m having a nice chat here. You need to stop interrupting." "Sorry." "Good. As I said, if forgiveness is what you"re looking for, feel free to go,"' she said kindly. "He"s been forgiven for a while." Moments later, a slight gust of wind passed them, making Ruthie shiver. "She"s proud of you," she smiled. Martin sighed shaking his head. "She is. I know it. You know better than to argue with me," she grumbled. "I just...I"m not sure I gave her very much to be proud of. Especially recently." Ruthie practically growled forcing his eyes up. "Look at me," she whispered. He reluctantly raised his head try hard to avoid her gaze. "My eyes are up here." Though it helped to have her practically force it on him, Martin carefully met her straight on, a light sigh blowing across his face as she breathed. "She has every reason. I don"t have to see her, hear her to know that. It"s all in what you know, what she taught you "I"m still sorry," he said softly. "I know. You can"t be sorry for beautiful things, Martin. You made that. He"s here because of you. He"s made it this far because you didn"t give up on him. That is your greatest achievement. There"s no room for sorry," she smiled. "I heard you." "Good." A/N: I actually love how this turned out but that might just be writer"s bias. You be the judge. A/N: Chapter 5: Going to have to change things up a bit in some places for the sake of a better plot so things might be a bit different. But don"t worry! The big stuff will come when it comes. "Martin, it"s my birthday, okay? If I want a night in, you kind of have to give it to me." The truth was it hardly mattered what they did to commemorate her birthday. Seventeen wasn"t exactly anything monumental. That was all next year. She knew even then that she didn"t want anything over the top. None of her birthdays ever really were. With so many of them, you were lucky to get your favorite food for dinner and a slice or two of sheet cake. "But it"s your birthday," he pointed out. "Don"t you want to do something, go somewhere?" He knew it would take more than one birthday to pay his debts but he had to start somewhere. Ruthie, as usual was making it really hard to make a dent in his so-called payments. "No," she said simply. "I like personal. I like quiet. I like being able to walk around in my underwear if it strikes me," she muttered. Martin raised a curious brow letting his entire forehead crease at the words that slipped off her tongue. He"d be lying if he said her words didn"t paint pictures. If he didn"t think fast, the little bit of fishing line she gave him would dangle like a metronome he knew better than to touch. It took only a second for Ruthie to hear her words, echoed back almost as effectively as the blush that crawled up her neck leaving her so flushed she might as well be blue. As tempted and curious as her words left him, Martin let a smirk spread across his mouth. "Now we"re definitely not going anywhere. Who knows what else you got in there." His words let a snarl rip from her throat as she sent a pillow sailing across the room. His catcher instincts brought his hands up, his face gone untouched.

The little sleep Ricky was able to get was during the flight. It was better than getting no sleep at all. Part of him wondered if Amy ever managed to get back to sleep after their phone call. Would you stop? She"s not even yours to worry about! Shaking his head blearily he made a quick exit of the plane and haled a taxi. Reaching the building he rushed inside. The halls were knowingly empty. For a minute he wondered where everyone was. Not really caring, he pushed forward. Thankfully, all the doors had small labels on them. This would save him from wasting time asking for directions. When he reached hers he set his bags down, quietly opening it. Getting inside he smirked. On her chest lay a book she was in the middle of reading before sleep took her. Setting John quietly on the floor with a couple of toys he tiptoed over, gently taking the open book off her chest, setting it on her side table. Taking a spot next to her, he carefully moved a strand of loose hair that had fallen in her eye. Feeling someone"s hand on her face, Amy gasped, eyes opening widely. She woke to Ricky"s oh too familiar smirk and groaned. "Ricky?" she mumbled in question. "Good mornin"," he greeted. "What time is it?" she asked rubbing sleep from her eyes. Looking over at her alarm clock, she gasped. "Holy crap! It"s ten o"clock!" "Well for us it"s only seven, but yeah." "How long have you been here?" she asked. "About two minutes. Sorry if I woke you," he apologized. Getting a better look at his face Amy"s heart picked up. "No, it"s okay. I should have been up three hours ago." "Are you sure you weren"t up three hours ago?" he laughed. She glared at him and sighed. "I couldn"t sleep after you called. So I decided to take a shower and read until you got here," she said. "Doesn"t look like that worked out too well," he said. "I don"t even know what time I got to sleep," she mumbled. Now that he was closer he could see bags forming under her eyes, tear tracks that followed the curve of her cheeks. He could tell her latest batch had been significantly fresh. "You didn"t get to sleep at all did you?" he asked. "I tried," she whispered. "Yeah well trying isn"t doing," he said. Amy rolled her eyes and sighed. Ricky saw her shoulders fall, the start of another round of tears coming down her cheeks. "Oh god," he groaned. "What"d I say about cryin"?" he whispered. Even though it was said as a means for her to stop, that only prompted more. Seeing her like this pulled at something in him bringing out a sigh. "Come "ere," he said softly. Somehow doubting his invitation Amy shook her head. "I"m...I"m fine," she said almost inaudibly. "No you"re not," he demanded. "If you were okay there wouldn"t be water works. Now come here," he repeated. She declined with a second shake of her head. "My god Amy. Why do you always have to be so stubborn?" he growled. Slightly irritated and seeing that she wasn"t going to be the one to close the gap, he physically pulled her over to him. Something in her put up a fight. He didn"t want to do this. Why was he forcing her? After a couple of minutes she gave in. He was obviously stronger than she was. Taking in his musky scent she crumbled. "I got"cha," he said quietly. Those two words were enough to let her fall further into him. And there, she finally let herself cry. "It hurts..." she whimpered. "I know," he said reassuringly. She looked up at him and snorted. "You know?" she sniffled. "Yeah, I do," he said pulling at the ends of her freshly washed hair. He took just a minute to inhale the smell that traveled to his senses. Lilacs. She laughed out loud glaring daggers at him. "No. No you don"t know!" In just a few seconds she shot up pointing an angry finger at him. "You have no idea what it"s like to be lied to, manipulated, and cheated on. You always did the dirty work! The cherry on top was the smile through it all! You Ricky Underwood know nothing about how much it hurts. To see someone you love with every piece of you that isn"t devoted to your own flesh and blood. And then to have them completely betray you!" By now she was hyper-ventilating. Struggling with each accusation. "Nothing Ricky. You have no clue what it feels like. I have to watch you do it every day he thought. "Breathe Amy. You have to breathe," he said gently, coming up behind her. Seeing she wasn"t going to stop he wrapped his arms around her waist to steady her. Feeling him take hold, she sent an elbow to his stomach. He lost breath for three seconds but quickly recovered his arms securely where he had put them. "Breathe Amy. You"re hyper ventilating." Feeling the ground move beneath her she felt her legs turn to jelly falling promptly to the ground. Ricky followed taking his place behind her. He stayed there until eventually she curled into him helplessly. "I can"t!" "You are," he pointed out. "Keep doin" that. It"s good for ya." "I can"t move." "You don"t have to yet. I don"t wantcha fallin" over again. It"s going to alert people to some kind of emergency." "How...how could he do this to me?" she cried. "He"s an idiot Ames. An idiot who knows nothing about good while he"s got it," he whispered. "A baby...I can"t believe he"s..." "Me either." "I won"t even be able to look at him." "I can"t understand why you even would in the first place. He"s a wimp Amy. A self-absorbed, controlling, insecure wimp." She looked up at him questioningly. "Okay so I"m a little self-absorbed," he admitted. "I know my limits. Hurting a girl you"re supposed to be in love with is defiantly one of them." "He hurt me..." "I know he did," he said softly. "I was supposed to pound his face in about ten minutes ago," he smirked. "Why? " "He hurt something that"s mi-most important to me," he quickly corrected. "I"m not important to you. You just put up with me," she said. "You"re my son"s mother. Of course you"re important. I wouldn"t fly out here in the dead of night for just anyone." She knew how hard it was for him to admit something like that. Whether it was true or not it allowed her to smile. "Just because I"m a crying mess doesn"t mean you have to make stuff up to make me feel better Ricky." "Who says I"m lying?" "Its second nature to you," she pointed out. That unexpectedly, made him cringe. Amy didn"t realize how right she was. He had lied. He"d lied to every girl he"d ever been with. He"d spend hours making up stories about how much he liked her, why he liked her, how much she (supposedly) meant to him. All of it, a charade just to get her into bed. The very next day, like clockwork, he"d drop her. He"d done the same to Amy. "Okay let me rephrase that. When-in the last year or so-have I lied to you?" "Never, I hope," she whispered. "What makes you think you don"t matter to me Amy?" "Isn"t it obvious? You come here, in the dead of night, not for me but to let me see my son." "Amy he hasn"t even been brought into the conversation yet," he said. "Where have you been for the last twenty minutes?" "Here." "And where is "here"?" "With you," she whispered. Bringing them out of their little moment of rare bonding, John walked over, a mound of electronics in his hands. "What do you have their buddy?" he asked curiously. He laid it in Ricky"s open hand. That sent Amy a look of surprise and she groaned. "Ma-ma," he smiled, promptly setting himself in her lap. "Hi baby," she grinned. "How are you?" she asked holding him close. He said nothing, simply snuggling into her and laying his head comfortably on her chest. "I missed you so much," she said. "He missed you too," Ricky said. "He misses you a lot. It takes twice as long to get him to sleep lately." "Really? I always thought he liked you more," she said. "He sees you every day Amy. That"s what he"s used to. Me he sees for a few hours every night. It"s a consistency thing. Now in other news, tell me what"s up with this...pile of metal." "He tried calling," she growled. "I take it you didn"t answer the call?" "No, I threw it across the room," she said sheepishly. "Very nice," he smirked. "Did it make you feel better?" "Not really. It still feels like someone"s taking a knife to my chest." "I told you this once Amy and I"ll say it again. He"s not worth it. Think about everything he"s done to you. Is he really all that reliable?" "No," she whispered. "You deserve so much better Amy," he said weaving his fingers through her hair. "I don"t know who that is yet, but it sure as hell isn"t Ben. Don"t get yourself so worked up over the guy. You"re here to follow your dream, not spend it freaking out over some guy who didn"t find you worthy enough of staying honest with." "I can"t. Not anymore. My focus has gone down the toilet. Even before he screwed things up," she admitted. "You have to stay focused Amy." "What if I don"t want to?" "You"re gonna have to. You"ve got two more weeks before you come home." "I don"t even know what home is anymore," she sighed. "Home, Amy is where people love you and care about your well-being and happiness." "Home"s messed up," she said. "Whose isn"t," he laughed. "We all have our challenges Amy. Challenges we have to face if we wanna make it out to be somebody and make something of ourselves." "When did you get so smart," she laughed. "It"s selective intelligence. I share it rarely so consider yourself lucky." She was lucky. Even with the idea that she had the misfortune of teen motherhood she was one of the lucky ones. Despite the misfortune she had something many in her situation didn"t have. A loving family, a healthy little boy. Nothing else really mattered in this little stretch of time. Right here, right now, she had her family surrounding her. A small portion, but it was enough for now. She smiled when she realized what she"d just admitted. Despite being at each other"s throats on a daily basis, she and Ricky would always come out on mutual ground. In the end they were friends searching for a common goal, a better life for their son. "What are you smiling about?" "Nothing," she said. Just you. A/N: Good, bad? Leave a review and let me know! Ricky froze for a minute. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her smile at him. Out of facial habit, he returned it with a smirk. Something in him made the smirk disappear. Now, he was just thinking. Not that it was easy with a slight fog in his thoughts. Seeing Amy smile. That was something that for some reason stopped his thinking for a good minute. As simple as it was, it mesmerized him. "Are you okay Ricky?" she chuckled. Amy saw him return her gaze with one that stayed blank for a minute or two. Startled, he automatically shook his head. Images like that shouldn"t be planted. He couldn"t think of Amy like that. "Yeah, yeah fine," he mumbled. Even though he knew he wasn"t supposed to, something in him couldn"t look away. This was nothing like the overly used flirtatious smiles he got from Adrian. Something about it was innocent, simple. Nothing brought it on. At least it wasn"t in the extreme sense. On Amy, there was something natural about her expressions. He knew this, yet something in him jolted. What surprised him even more though, was the fact that he liked it. "Are you sure? You"ve had that far away look on your face for a while now," she giggled. He smirked taking in the sound. It was quiet, soft. Just the way he remembered when he came over to help her practice. Ricky could see a light blush forming on her cheeks now. It took him a minute to realize that she was right. He was starring. From the look on her face he could see that she had figured it out. Amy discovered that the main attraction was her. When he himself came to the realization, he shook his head, trying to bring himself back into reality. The only answer she got was a slight shift in a loose strand of hair, moved by his hand. She held back a gasp when she noticed how close his hand was to her face. Sitting there in his lap allowed her to feel a silent breath fly close to her ear. Amy closed her eyes, bringing herself closer to him. Not that there was much of a difference from the last time. They were already as close as they could get. Coming to, she thought about it again. There"s no way he wanted this. With that in mind, she backed away enough to give him space. Ricky was startled by her sudden backing away but kept his face expressionless. A small part of him wanted to take her back, keep her exactly where she was, but he refrained. "What?" he smirked. "You afraid I"m gonna bite?" he asked. Amy could only shake her head, not trusting her shaky voice. And then it hit her. She"d never been this close to Ben. All they ever did was hold hands. She could tell by his movements that he was too afraid to do anything else. Even that was awkward. His hands were always shaking, and sometimes even clammy. Being this close to Ricky, there was something easy about it. Maybe it was part of the fact that they started out so close. It wasn"t forced. And all of that surprised her, scared her even. It took him running his finger along her cheek to realize that she was crying. "I..." she started. Ricky just looked at her, closing the gap between them, taking her to him. "What"s on your mind Amy?" "Nothing, it"s stupid," she whispered. He just looked at her, his eyes telling her that he knew differently. As hard as she tried to look away, something in her returned his gaze. "Ben. He never...did things like this," she whispered. "What things?" he asked. Amy sighed, not exactly sure how to word it without it sounding ridiculous. "He"s never just...held me," she said softly. "You mean to tell me, that in all the times you"ve cried, he"s never done anything but watch?" he asked. She nodded, ducking her head sheepishly. Something in Ricky blazed with anger. He could feel every part of himself wanting to rip Ben apart. It was one thing to be insecure and spineless. But to just sit there while you"re girlfriend"s crying? That was just stupid. It was common sense! It angered him further to remember that this was Amy. Ben would leave not just any girl to cry by herself, he left Amy. Something in Ricky screamed "unacceptable". He still couldn"t figure out why, but a red flag flew up. This piece of information had him holding her closer, more tightly. "He thought he was invading my personal space or something," she said. Ricky rolled his eyes. He could hear Amy chuckle at his subtle reaction and simply looked at her. It was so nice to see her let loose, if only a little. He couldn"t place the last time he"d seen her genuinely laughing. "The kid needs a lesson in common decency," he said. "He also needs to grow a spine," he added. "He has a spine," Amy mumbled. Ricky raised an eyebrow at her in question. "Where?" he asked curiously. "Last I saw he was extremely immature and needy. Any guy who can"t stand you even talking to someone else needs to grow up." "He...he does trust me," she whispered. "Amy, tell me honestly. How many nights have I gone over there, without hearing that Ben slammed you with questions about what we were doing? What I was doing over at the house or how long I would be there?" "He didn"t slam me with questions!" she defended. "He was curious," she mumbled. "Oh give me a break," he laughed. "Open your eyes Ames. He"s controlled everything you"ve done for the last year." "You don"t even know him Ricky! You have no right to judge him!" Now he could see that she was fuming. Setting John on the floor beside her she began pacing. All Ricky could do was watch as she came back and forth an estimated ten times in one minute, running her fingers angrily through her hair. "Amy, I work with him," he said calmly. "I have a pretty good idea of what he"s like. Aren"t you mad at him? Why defend him if he"s upset you?" he asked. Amy froze mid-pace, looking him right in the eye. They only starred at each other, not one of them saying a word. "Tell me Amy? Why do you care?" "Because...because..." "You gotta give me more than that," he laughed. Amy sighed, stopped her pacing and sat across from him. "Because he"s the only one who will ever really want me," he whispered. "Oh please! That"s a lie and you know it." She shot him a glare which immediately wiped the growing smirk off his face. "Really Ricky? Do you honestly believe what you"re telling me? Look me right in the eye and name a guy who wants a girl with a baby," she snorted. I do he thought. "Yes Amy. There is someone out there, walking the streets that wants exactly what you have right now. Someone who will take you for exactly who you are with no conditions." "He"s gone..." she said quietly. "The only one who"s ever wanted me is gone!" Without warning she burst into tears. Ricky looked at her helplessly, again asking himself why he agreed to do this. He sighed, coming to sit next to her. "Again with the crying," he whispered. "I thought we agreed to keep that to a minimum," he said. A set of red rimmed, tear filled eyes looked up at him angrily. "I"m just kidding. Best to let it all out." "No one"s ever going to love me," she cried. "Not like this. Not when I"ve already been used," she said helplessly. "You"re not used Amy. You"ve had a baby. That doesn"t mean you can"t find someone who loves you both," he said gently. Not to mention willing to put up with me he added mentally. "Who in the right mind would want a teenage mother?" Ricky sighed, trying his hardest to shield the impatience in his voice. They"d already answered this question six different times. Me he thought, gently threading his fingers through her hair. "Someone will Amy. Someone who will look at you and remind himself everyday that he doesn"t deserve you. That you"re too good for him. He"ll look you in the eye every day and tell you just how much you mean to him." He sure as hell didn"t deserve to even have her in his life. Amy was too good, to precious to be tainted by friendship with him. Yet here she was. "Who the hell would do that?" she asked through tears. This time she didn"t need inviting. Amy found herself subconsciously gravitating into his lap. She was glad to see that just like the last time he didn"t reject her. Ricky knew that he should have. He should be keeping a fair distance between them. They should never be this close. Again with no idea why, he let her head settle on his shoulder. "I don"t know Amy. I have no idea. One day, someone"s going to come along though. You just have to be willing to wait." "I don"t even know why you"re here. All I"ve done is cry." "I"m here for you. Unless of course you don"t want me to be. I"ll be glad to get home. It"ll give me a chance to have a little chat with the sausage prince." Please don"t leave, not yet she pleaded. The look on her face said everything. "But you"re not ready for me to leave yet," he said gently. "How do you know that? You don"t know me," she said. He smirked. He knew a lot more about her than she realized. In the last year he"d made a good job of picking up on her body language, her expressions. Why he"d done so, he had no clue. "You"re breakin" down at the drop of a hat Amy," he pointed out. "So, what makes this any different from the last thousands of times I"ve cried over something?" "You"re hurt," he said softly. "That"s a little different than all the other times." "You"ve always done the hurting. How would you know?" One look at his face shut her up. She realized she"d stepped too far. Ricky saw pain. A different kind of pain but a pain none the less. "I"m sorry," she whispered. "I"ve seen pain Amy. Pain that I wouldn"t wish on my worst enemy. Of all people I hoped that it would never happen to you. After John happened, you didn"t deserve anything else. But it happened and the last thing I want is to know that you"re going through it alone." "Why does it matter? I"m just the stupid French horn player that you slept with at band camp. You"re Ricky Underwood; you"re not supposed to care." "You"re not stupid Amy!" he shot back. "If anything it"s me, for getting you here. Stuff happens. Amy, people make mistakes. I make mistakes. But there"s nothing we can do to change what"s been done. I don"t know how many times I have to tell you how sorry I am before you finally believe me!" he growled, making her jump. "If I could go back, if I could fix it I would. Not that I regret John. He"s the best thing that"s happened to me. I"d go back and make sure I never hurt you like I did. But we can"t. No more than you can change what happened with Ben." "I know. I just wish..." "We all wish things in life didn"t happen the way they do. You"re only human Amy." "I...miss it," she said quietly. "Miss what?" "Life," she said simply. She heard Ricky laugh and just looked at him. After a minute she realized why he was laughing and joined him. "Okay yeah, I see your point. I"m living life. I just didn"t expect it to go like this," she said. "Nobody expects anything." "I don"t want to be here anymore," she admitted, completely changing the topic of conversation. "Ames we"ve talked about this," he sighed. She couldn"t help smiling. That was the second time today she"d called her by something other than her name. "You gotta finish. The Amy I know ain"t a quitter, I"ve never seen you quit anything. You sure as hell aren"t gonna start now," he said with a tone of finality in his voice.

"Remember, Henry," the man sneered. "You will let me rob whatever I want, or I will come back, and this beating will seem like child"s play compared to what I"m going to do to you," the man hissed. The man twisted Henry"s arm behind Henry"s back while Henry whimpered (something he"s not proud of, but I"m sure you can understand, considering the pain he"s experiencing). The man whispered, "Remember, Kid Danger: you are breakable, weak, replaceable." He twisted Henry"s arm more, and Henry gasped in pain. "You. Are. Nothing." A crack sounded, and Henry crumpled in pain as the bone in his right arm snapped. The man dropped him to the grass before running off while Henry lay there in pain, clutching his arm and rolling around on the ground in agony. Henry had never broken a bone before. Ever. It hurt more than he ever could"ve imagined, and he vaguely wondered where Captain Man was. Henry didn"t have time to wonder about the whereabouts of his boss any further because the pain in his head, arms, ribs, and entire body reached an unbearable crescendo. The agony was too much for Henry to handle. Henry Hart, aka Kid Danger, blacked out. Ray Manchester, aka Captain Man, forced the two criminals into the Man Van and locked the doors; hopefully, the hand cuffs and the locked doors would keep them from escaping until Ray found Henry and restrained the other criminal. Where was the kid, anyway? He should"ve been back ages ago. The third criminal looked like he couldn"t fight a puppy, that was how helpless he looked. The other criminals literally let him stand in the corner until they finished robbing the store; he did nothing until Kid Danger and Captain Man showed up. They threw him the bag of money, and he sprinted away from the store while Kid chased after him. Could it be possible Ray underestimated the criminal based on his appearance? Nah. Ray wandered through the park beside the convenience store, calling Henry"s superhero name and listening to it echo back to him in the silence of the late night. After the first five shouts, Ray began to get really worried. Ray strolled around for another minute or so before he squinted his eyes and spotted a small object lying on the ground. An object with blonde hair... "Henry!" Ray yelled, not even bothering to remember to call his sidekick Kid Danger, not that there was anyone around to hear Ray use Henry"s real name anyway. Ray raced across the grass and knelt beside Henry to find the boy"s arm stuck at an odd angle and several bruises littering his skin, as well as a small spot of blood growing on the back of his head. "Kid," Ray whispered, desperately. "Kid!" he yelled louder when Henry didn"t awaken. Henry remained still, and Ray picked his sidekick up before running to the Man Van and placed Henry in the passengers side seat. "Everyone always underestimates Little T," the tallest and, by the looks of it, oldest criminal chuckled. "Shut up," Ray ordered, pointing a blaster at the criminal, and making the criminal jump in surprise. "Next one of you to speak gets blasted into next week. Got it?" Ray didn"t usually threaten criminals, but their friend, Little T, had harmed Henry, and by the sound of it, Little T hurting Kid Danger might have even been part of their plan. Ray really didn"t have the patience to deal with their snide comments. Ray pulled up in front of the police station and shoved the criminals inside. "There were three of them; one got away. They robbed a convenience store," Captain Man stated, simply, before rushing back out, leaving several bewildered police officers as they wondered why Captain Man was in such a rush. "It"s going to be okay, kid," Ray murmured. "Just stay with me, okay?" Henry didn"t reply as he was still unconscious. Ray heard the brakes squeal as he parked the car in the garage, and he lifted Henry out of the car before taking the tube entrance down into the Man Cave (I"m not really sure where those lead out, so I assumed they might lead out in the garage since it would make sense if the tubes led out right next to the car, so Henry and Ray could leave quickly). "Shwoz!" he yelled as he laid Henry down on a gurney they kept in the corner (Just in case. Ray had hoped they"d never have to use it). A soft whooshing sounded as the door beside the monitors opened, and Shwoz, dressed in a pair of blue pajamas dotted with fluffy white clouds, yawned as he entered the room. "Ray," he said in his thick accent. "It"s four in the mor- what happened to Henry?" "He got hurt," Ray answered. "Can you help him?" Shwoz nodded. "Of course," he stated before hurrying to examine Henry"s injuries. "Overall, it"s not too bad. Or at least it could"ve been worse. Broken right arm, two broken ribs, one cracked rib, a mild concussion, and a few cuts and bruises," he told Ray. "I"ll put his arm in a cast, bandage his ribs, and he should be fine to go home sometime tomorrow. It should take him a minimum of six weeks to heal completely." Ray nodded. "Thanks, Shwoz." Ray watched as Shwoz put Henry"s right arm in a blue cast, and his eyes remained fixed on Henry"s relaxed face; the unconsciousness worried him, but he was glad Henry could escape the pain of his injuries at least for a little while. What had Ray been thinking? Henry was just a kid, and he"d taken that kid out into the field with him to fight bad guys. Henry had no powers and unlike Ray, he was very... destructible. Ray knew Henry could get hurt; he just never thought it would actually happen. Henry had a broken arm, two broken ribs, a cracked rib, a concussion, and bruises and cuts all over his body, all because Ray hadn"t been looking out for him. Like Shwoz said, it could"ve been worse, but that didn"t make Ray feel any better about Henry getting hurt. Little did Ray know, the mental wounds Henry had suffered may prove to be a bigger challenge than the physical injuries he"d sustained. I love feedback (but keep it kind or constructive criticism because any flames will be ignored and reported if necessary), so please tell me what you thought in the form of a review or a PM! Thank you for reading! Goodbye, everyone! Hello, everyone. How is everyone today? This is chapter 2 of A Bone Broken, A Hero Scarred. I hope you like it! Ray stared at the phone sitting on the counter of Junk "N Stuff. The store was empty; Henry was resting downstairs; Shwoz was watching over Henry to make sure everything was going smoothly and to be there in case Henry woke up; Charlotte was on her way. Ray had called her first thing this morning. There was still one more phone call he had to make; technically, he should"ve made it last night, but he"d been putting it off since Shwoz told him Henry was out of woods and just needed rest. It was almost noon, and it was about time Ray made the call. Ray held the phone against his ear after typing in the number, and he took a shaky breath as he listened to the ring that seemed to prompt him more and more each time to hang up. "Hello?" a familiar male voice said into the phone. "Mr. Hart, hello. This is Ray Manchester, Henry"s boss," Ray said. "I"m sure you"re wondering why Henry didn"t come home last night." "We just assumed he was staying the night at Jasper"s," Mr. Hart said, and Ray could hear the puzzled frown in his voice. "No, he was here. He was stocking some shelves for me last night when he fell off the ladder he was on and sustained a few injuries. I"ve already taken him to the hospital; they cleared him, and he"s resting here right now," Ray said. He"d had all morning to work on a cover story for Henry, so hopefully, that sounded realistic enough. "What kind of injuries?" Mr. Hart questioned. "Broken right arm, two broken ribs, one cracked rib, a concussion, and a few bumps and bruises," Ray answered. "You can either come pick him up or I can drop him off later, whichever works better." "I"m at work right now, but I can pick him up after I pick up Piper after she"s finished with school," Mr. Hart stated. "Thank you for informing me." "You"re welcome," Ray said before hanging up. Ray took the elevator down to the Man Cave and found Henry tossing his head back and forth; Shwoz was no where to be found, and Ray could hear Henry murmuring in his sleep. "No... No! No, stop!" Henry begged. "Nothing... nothing... nothing... no!" "Henry," Ray called, shaking his sidekick as gently as he could. "Henry, it"s just a dream! Wake up!" Henry awakened with a gasp, and his eyes darted around the Man Cave in confusion, trying to get his bearings. "The man," Henry mumbled. "The man... did-did you catch him?" Ray"s expression made the answer all too obvious. Henry wiped away the fearful tears that sprung to his eyes. "Ray, what if he comes back? What if he hurts me again? We don"t know where he is or what he"s capable of! What if-" "Henry," Ray interrupted. "You need to calm down. Panicking will not help your recovery." "But-" "Henry, I know you"re afraid, and I understand why. This man hurt you; I would be afraid of him to, but Henry, he wouldn"t dare come back. You want know why?" "Why?" Henry asked. "Because you"ve got an indestructible superhero that will protect you against even the most powerful villain on earth," Ray responded. "I let you get hurt once, Kid. I"m not going to let you get hurt again." "Ray, it"s not your fault," Henry tried. "I know, but Henry, you"re barely fourteen, and I"m putting you right in the line of fire. You"ve gotten blasted with dream beams; you almost got beaten by Maniac"s minions; you almost got branded by the Wall Dogs," Ray pointed out. "And now, you have broken bones and a concussion. Sometimes I forget that you"re not indestructible like I am. You can get hurt." "Are you going to fire me?" Henry asked. "Captain Man could replace you in a heartbeat with someone better, stronger, or at least a decent fighter." Ray shook his head. "No. Of course not. I"m just worried. This time, it"s a few broken ribs and a broken arm. What if next time you break every bone in your body? Henry, if you"re willing to risk getting hurt, I won"t fire you or let you go or make you quit or any of that. But if you want to quit after this... I understand. I won"t be angry or disappointed." Henry shook his head, immediately. "No way. There"s more crime in this town everyday; I can"t walk away when Swellview needs me the most." Ray smiled. "That"s what I like about you, Kid. I"m not willing to put you in the line of fire, but you"re willing to put yourself in danger for the greater good of this town. That"s what I need in a good sidekick." Henry nodded in return, but despite Ray"s compliment, he couldn"t get the criminal"s words out of his head. "You. Are. Nothing." "Ray, I"m dying of boredom. Give me something to do," Henry groaned as he followed Ray around the store. Henry was feeling much better, and he still had two hours before his dad came to pick him up, and he was bored out of his mind. Ray sighed. "Fine. You can work the cash register, but I better not see you doing anything more strenuous than putting money in that metal box," he ordered. Henry mock saluted. "Yes, sir!" Ray rolled his eyes, but he couldn"t help but smile as he stepped into the back room. Henry walked behind the counter and pressed the button on the cash register, watching as it sprung open, and he rolled his eyes when he saw that the money had been carelessly thrown in there. Henry wasn"t a very organized person, but seriously, the least Ray could do was put the money in its rightful place instead of just tossing it into the cash register haphazardly. Henry was organizing the money, putting it in the right direction and the right places, when a scrawny man, only a few inches taller than Henry, walked up to him. The man had a slight amount of stubble and brown hair, as well as blue eyes. He looked nice enough at first glance, and he was wearing a green T-shirt and jeans. "How are you?" the man asked, and his voice sounded familiar, but Henry couldn"t place it. "I"m great," Henry replied. "Find everything okay?" "Yep," the man responded as Henry scanned the item the man had rested on the counter. Henry placed the item in a plastic bag he grabbed off of the hook from beside him before counting out the money the man had given him. Henry placed the money into the cash register before counting out five dollars and nineteen cents worth of change. The man held out a hand, and Henry dropped the money into his palm, but when he did so, Henry saw something on the man"s wrist. A watch. It was fancy and expensive with meticulous details that you didn"t see in every watch in the jewelry store. It was custom made, one of a kind. It was also the watch Henry had seen on the criminal"s wrist the previous night. "Have a nice day," the man smirked. "Kid." The man knew exactly he was. The man had come here on purpose; there was no way Henry could"ve ran into his attacker on the day after the attack in a not-so popular store by coincidence. The bell chimed as the man exited the store, and Henry"s heart rate picked up as panic began to course through his veins. "Or I will come back, and this beating will seem like child"s play compared to what I"m going to do to you." What if he came back? "Remember, Kid Danger: you are breakable, weak, replaceable." What if he hurt Henry worse than before? What if Henry didn"t survive the next beating, if there was a next one? "You. Are. Nothing." The panic was too much for Henry. His heart was beating at the speed of light; nausea rolled inside his stomach, and the world was growing fuzzy and all sounds became faint as Henry"s legs turned to jelly. "You. Are. Nothing." Henry passed out. I love feedback (but keep it kind or constructive criticism because any flames will be ignored and reported if necessary), so please tell me what you thought in the form of a review or a PM! Thank you all for reading! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read my story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for chapter 3, which should be posted here shortly. I hope you all have a fantastic day! Goodbye, everyone! Hello, everyone. This is the final chapter of A Bone Broken, A Hero Scarred. I hope you like it! It"s a bit shorter than the last two chapters, but hopefully, it"s still a good chapter. "Hen..." Henry came to agonizingly slowly, and he could vaguely hear voices in the distance, but he couldn"t find the strength to match the voice with the name and face. "Kid... ry... swer... me... pl...se!" Henry"s eyes opened, and he found Ray, Shwoz, and Charlotte leaning over him. They"d moved him onto the gurney in the Man Cave, and his head was pounding and aching as he tried to register what was happening around him. "What happened?" Henry slurred. "You passed out," Charlotte answered. "Kid, I told you not to overwork yourself," Ray scolded. Henry shook his head before stopping abruptly as it made the pounding in his head worse. "That wasn"t it," he whispered. "He was there." Ray frowned. "Who was there?" "The man who attacked me," Henry answered. "Ray, I"m sorry. I should"ve told you." "Told me what?" Ray demanded, although he had a horrible feeling he knew what it was. "When he attacked me, the man removed my mask. He knows who I am, Ray," Henry murmured. "And today, he came here." Ray sighed. "Henry, you should"ve told me." "I know," Henry replied. "I broke the number one rule by allowing him to discover my identity." "I don"t care about that," Ray assured his friend. "What I care about is your safety. This man knows who you are, and that puts you in danger, which means we"re all going to need to go to greater lengths to keep you safe. This man specifically targeted you for whatever reason, and the fact that he"s violent... that scares me." Henry swallowed. Something that scared Ray was something Henry never wanted to see. "It doesn"t matter," Charlotte added, "Because we"re going to protect you. I promise, Hen." Henry nodded. "Thanks, guys." Ray smiled. "Get some rest, kiddo. Your dad should be here in a little over an hour." Henry nodded before allowing himself to slip into slumber. Almost immediately, he began to dream. "Nothing." Henry jumped at the whisper, and he spun around to find himself standing in a desolate place with land stretched out for as far as he could see. The grass was blackened and dead; the trees carried no leaves and were made up of brittle branches that swayed in the wind, reaching towards Henry like claws. He could see crumbling buildings all around him, places that may have once been impressive but were now just another part of this deserted wasteland. The wind was howling in his ears, and Henry watched as the cracked leaves that had been ripped from the trees danced in the air. The air smelled foul and disgusting, like rotting meat; Henry could almost taste the odor, it was so horrendous. Henry shivered in his short sleeved shirt and jeans, feeling the cold air press on him on all sides. "I told you I"d be back." Henry jumped at the sudden voice, and he whirled around to see the man standing behind him in the normal clothes he"d worn in Junk "N Stuff, but his ski mask was back in place. "I told you to let me rob whatever I wanted, or there"d be trouble," the man growled, taking a threatening step towards Henry. Henry trembled, this time from fear rather than cold, and he started taking several steps backwards while the man continued walking towards him. "I"m sorry!" Henry whimpered. "Sorry isn"t good enough. You disobeyed my orders, and I"m a man of my word," the man growled. "Take my wallet, my phone, the clothes off my back. Just please don"t hurt me," Henry pleaded. The broken arm and broken ribs had been a warning; this beating would be a punishment, and Henry didn"t think he could handle the pain the man would inflict if he was angry if he could break a kid"s arm without a second thought. "I only broke your arm and ribs and damaged your head a little bit," the man laughed. "If you can"t even handle that, you"re even weaker than I thought. You"re pathetic." "Stop!" Henry sobbed. "Weak!" "Please!" "A coward!" "Please don"t!" "You. Are. Nothing!" The man raised his fist, and Henry screamed one last plea before the fist connected with his face. "Henry, wake up!" Henry shot up on the gurney, and he nearly conked heads with Ray, who leaped back just in time to avoid collision. "You were having a bad dream," Ray told him. "Was it about the man?" he added, hesitantly. Henry nodded. "He came back. Ray, all he did was break my arm and ribs and give me a concussion. It"s not like he put me in a coma or a wheelchair, so why am I so scared?" Ray shrugged. "Fear is a difficult concept to understand. We don"t always know why we feel afraid, but in this case, I think I can give you an answer. "Henry, it"s not the pain itself you fear. It"s not knowing. You don"t know if that threat was empty. You don"t know if he"ll come back or if you"ll never see him again. Most of all, you don"t know what he"s capable of, and that scares you the most. You don"t know if he could just break your other arm or put you in the ICU, and not knowing scares you more than you want to admit." Henry remained silent because honestly, Ray just summed up his fear, putting it into words better than Henry could have ever done. "But Henry, whether you believe me or not, I will protect you, and I will not rest until this guy is behind bars, and you are safe. I will make sure they lock this guy up and throw away the key. But I need you to trust me to protect you. You"re having a hard time trusting people after this man attacked you, and that"s perfectly understandable, but if I am going to help you, I need you to find the strength to trust me." Henry didn"t know how to respond, but he didn"t have to. His tears spoke for him. Tears began creating rivers down his face, and sobs bubbled up in his chest, emotions exploding out of his heart as he dissolved into tears. Ray held Henry in his arms. And Ray promised that whenever he caught the man who hurt and traumatized Henry Hart- Kid Danger, Ray"s sidekick, friend, and child in all except blood- he"d never see the light of day again. I am considering doing a sequel for this. Part of me is saying nah, leave it as it is. Kind of a choose your own ending kind of thing. Some of you might imagine the criminal is caught and everyone lives happily ever after while others may say the criminal is never caught, but he never comes after Henry, or something else entirely. The other part is saying no. Write a sequel! So I"m going to let you guys decide. If I get enough reviews asking me to do a sequel, I will, so give me your vote on whether I should do the sequel or not in either a review or a PM. Thank you! Typically, I am much more thorough with my editing, but I wanted to get this posted as soon as possible, so if there are any mistakes, please ignore them. Usually, I edit something up to three times before posting it, but I am running short on time, so I was not able to do that. Thank you for understanding. I love feedback (but keep it kind or constructive criticism because any flames will be ignored and reported if necessary), so please tell me what you thought in the form of a review or a PM! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all have a wonderful day! Goodbye, everyone!

"Uh... no," Lewis said, awkwardly. "Why not?" Cleo questioned as she approached the rock they were hiding behind. "Don"t come any closer," Lewis rushed to say. Cleo paused. "Why not?" "Uh..." Lewis stammered. "We"re naked," Zane blurted while Lewis looked at him in confusion. "Why?" Cleo asked, knitting her eyebrows. "Why not?" Zane fired back. Cleo shrugged. "Good point," she said before walking away. As much as she loved Lewis, she did not want to see him (or Zane, for that matter) naked, so she strolled away before that could happen. "Why would we be naked?" Lewis questioned. Zane shrugged. "Did you have any better ideas?" Lewis sighed. "Unfortunately, no." "Anyway, let"s pull ourselves onto dry land. I"ll use my powers to dry us off," Zane said. "I just have one question," Ash sulked as they walked into Ash"s currently empty house. "Why us? Why me? I didn"t ask for any of this to happen! I"m the new kid in town, and now, I can"t even go to a party because I might risk our secret." As Ash complained, he used his powers to freeze his glass of fruit punch and make an instant popsicle. "One, that was technically two questions," Zane stated. "Two, I know your pain, brother. Almost all of my friends are going to be there, and if I don"t show up, I risk losing ninety percent of my friends and becoming a friendless loser." As Zane muttered this statement, he grabbed a bag of marshmallows out of the cupboard and heated one up before placing it in his mouth. "Seriously, you two?" Lewis demanded. "Ash, you just made an instant popsicle! Zane, you just melted marshmallows without a camp fire or a microwave. Most people would love to do that! I don"t even have a power. I didn"t even get invited to Miriam"s party, and other than Cleo, Emma, and you guys, I don"t have any friends, which by Zane"s definition, makes me a loser. Zane, you said you were afraid of becoming a friendless loser. We"re your friends. Is that not good enough for you?" Lewis stormed out before either boy could stop him. "I didn"t mean it that way," Zane said. Ash nodded. "I know that. But Lewis was bullied by Nate this morning. Who knows what he said before we got there? Zane, I just met you, but Lewis knows what a jerk you were before the Mako Island incident. He"s willing to forgive you and even become friends with you, but you need to prove to him that you won"t leave him in the dust the minute something better comes along. "Lewis was right. All we do is complain about what"s happening to us, but truthfully, this is an amazing thing, and we haven"t even... explored it yet. Who knows what we can do?" Zane smiled. "Let"s go find Lewis." Lewis was walking down the street when Nate and a few other guys appeared out of no where, surrounding him. "Hey, Fish Boy," one of the others laughed, and Lewis felt his heart skip a beat, but then, the boy pulled his hat down over his face, and Lewis realized with relief that they were talking about his hobby of fishing and not his being part fish. "Where are your body guards, loser?" one of the other boys asked. "They"re not my body guards," Lewis said, trying to walk away, but Nate pushed him back. "Our little loser here is looking a little dirty," Nate laughed, glancing at Lewis"s arms, which were covered in sand from the beach. "Why don"t we give him a bath?" "What?" Lewis asked as they grabbed his arms and dragged him towards a nearby house. "Guys, seriously! Stop! No!" The boys ignored him as they tugged him into the backyard of the house, and he saw Miriam and what was obviously her party. "Dunk the loser! Dunk the loser!" the crowd began chanting, and Lewis couldn"t stop them from throwing him into the pool. Lewis immediately felt his transformation begin to take place. Out of pure instinct, Lewis threw his hand out, like he"d seen Ash and Zane do when they used their powers, and water splashed out of the pool, dousing everyone within five feet of the pool, which was basically everyone at the party. Lewis gaped as everyone gasped and glared at him before running inside to get dried off and to get away from the "loser" that had just splashed them. Exactly Lewis"s intention. The front gate creaked open just as Lewis transformed into a merman. "Lewis, what on earth hap- what the..." Cleo trailed off as she caught sight of his tail. "Cleo. Cleo, I know this is weird, but you need to help me," Lewis stammered as Cleo stumbled backwards. "I need you to get Zane and Ash." "Uh-Uh-Uh," she stuttered. "Please, Cleo, if you"ve ever been my friend, if you"ve ever cared about me, you"ll find Zane and Ash and bring them here," Lewis said, earnestly. Cleo took a deep breath. "Please," Lewis begged. Cleo sighed. "I"ll be right back. But what if someone else sees you?" "I"ll handle that. Just please hurry," Lewis pleaded as Cleo darted out of the gate to find the two boys. Lewis reached out with his powers and locked the back door, but he wasn"t sure how long that would hold them. He just prayed Cleo would hurry. "Where could he be?" Zane asked. "He couldn"t have gotten that far in a few minutes." Ash opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by a female voice calling from behind them. "Zane! Ash!" Cleo cried as she ran to meet them. "Lewis needs your help!" "What do you mean?" Zane asked. Zane and Ash couldn"t explain the fear that rose up in them. It wasn"t a fear of their secret getting exposed, although that was a part of it, but despite the fact that the boys had only been friends for a short time, the thought of Lewis in display tanks and being dissected on metal tables fueled a protective nature they didn"t even know they had for one another. "I don"t know what happened exactly, but when I got to Miriam"s party, I saw this big splash, and when I opened the gate, everyone was inside, laughing, and Lewis was in the pool. I saw him transform into this half fish... thing... and he begged me to come get you," Cleo explained. Zane and Ash were running before Cleo could even finish the explanation, and Zane led Ash to Miriam"s house, where they threw open the back gate and found Miriam inside of the house, yanking on the door, which was locked from the outside. They found Lewis still in the pool, and Zane raced over to him. "Lewis, what happened?" he asked. "I ran into Nate and his friends. He dragged me here and threw me in," Lewis rushed to explain. "Cleo, you have to get him out of the pool," Zane said. "Aren"t you going to help?" Cleo asked. Ash pursed his lips. "Uh, we kind of have a thing about water... like Lewis." "You all have tails, too?" she demanded. "So... is it only when you touch water or..." "Yes," Zane said, "and hurry. I don"t think that locked door will hold them for much longer." "I can buy us some time," Ash said before freezing the lock on the back door in place. Cleo grabbed Lewis"s hand and tried to drag him out of the pool, but he was much heavier than she expected. Lewis in his merman form weighed more than Zane and Ash (in their human forms) and Cleo combined, and Cleo obviously wasn"t expecting that because she almost got thrown into the pool herself. "You weigh a ton," she muttered. Lewis let go of her hand, feeling confident in his powers now. "I"ve got this." Lewis held out his hand and concentrated, and the guys and Cleo watched in amazement as a tendril of water rose up out of the pool and wrapped around Lewis"s chest before lifting him out of the water and onto the solid ground. Zane shook himself out of his shock and twisted his hand, curling it into a fist, and steam rolled off of Lewis"s tail. The blue scales began to smoke and dry until they began to change, going from blue to almost white to the pale color of Lewis"s skin. The smoke obscured their view, and when the steam began to fade, Lewis"s legs had returned. "Let"s go," Ash stated before they ran out of the gate, but Zane paused and smirked. He reached out with his powers and evaporated the water in the pool before melting the ice on the lock and following his friends. That"s what you get for messing with my friends, Zane thought. "You found your power," Zane said as they sat on the rocks in the secluded part of the beach they"d been using to experiment with their transformations earlier. Lewis nodded. "Yep. Now... Cleo, you understand that you can"t tell anyone about this? Not your parents, not Emma, okay?" Cleo nodded. "I understand. I"m not the biggest fan of Zane, and I think this merman thing is a little weird, but I don"t want to see any of you in display tanks or as science experiments or whatever. What I do want to know is... how did this happen?" Ash sighed before telling her the story of what happened on Mako and how they discovered their tails and powers. "So I think it"s safe to say our transformations had something to do with the Moon Pool," Ash stated. "Moon Pool?" Zane repeated. Ash shrugged, raising an eyebrow. "The moon caused the pool of water to react in some way. What else would we call it?" Zane nodded. "Good point." "So you guys are going to keep this a secret... from everyone?" Cleo questioned. Lewis nodded. "For now," he added. "We talked about telling our siblings or parents, but I think we need to figure out exactly what we are and what we can do and what happened to us before we tell anyone else." Cleo nodded. "That makes sense. But Lewis, we"re best friends. Why didn"t you tell me sooner?" Lewis pursed his lips. "I don"t know. Maybe because I didn"t understand it myself, and I guess I"m kind of afraid of what I don"t understand. Telling you would"ve changed our friendship a lot, and I wasn"t sure if it would be for better or worse. So I didn"t say anything at all." Cleo nodded. "Don"t worry, Lewis. You"ve always been there for me. I"m going to be here for you this time. Your secret"s safe with me." "Thanks, Cleo," Lewis stated, hugging her. "I have to go meet up with Emma, but I"ll see you guys later," Cleo said, and Lewis watched as she disappeared into the distance, trying not to think about how beautiful his best friend was. "You so like her," said Zane. Lewis glanced back at him. "I do not." "Yes, you do." "No, I don"t." "Yes, you do." "No, I don"t." "Yes, you do." "No, I don"t." "Yes, you do." "No, I don"t." "Yes, you do." "Yes, I do." "No, you don"t... wait. What?" Zane asked. Ash and Lewis burst out laughing. "I can"t believe you fell for that!" Lewis laughed. Zane sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Wanna go for a swim?" "Sure," Lewis agreed before they approached the water. "Guys!" Ash called after them, and they glanced back. "Yeah?" Lewis replied. "Would it be okay if I came, too?" Ash asked, hesitantly. Ash didn"t know what it was exactly that changed his mind. Maybe it was Lewis"s speech earlier about how they had these amazing powers. Maybe it was Lewis almost getting caught that day and that Ash wanted to know how to use his powers if he were ever in that position. Maybe it was Lewis mentioning how he was afraid of what he didn"t understand, and... Ash understood that, and if there was one thing Ash knew it was that he was tired of being afraid. Lewis smiled. "Come on." The three of them stepped into the water, and Zane grinned. "Let"s see what this tail can do," he said before they leaped into the ocean and began to swim. "Maybe it was just a trick of the light," he suggested. "The sun reflecting off the waves, maybe." Two men stared each other down. One was old and sitting at a desk while the other, a younger male in his late twenties, stood across from him. The older man slammed a picture- taken with an underwater camera- on the table. "You call that a trick of the light?" he said. The picture was a blurry one, but it was clear enough to see three blue tails with human upper bodies, but the faces remained hidden in the blurry image. "But... sir.. mermen?" the younger man asked. The older shrugged. "I"ve seen mermaids before. For years, I had no proof they existed after I allowed one to escape. But this time, I"m going to capture a mermaid or a merman or whatever... and this time, I"m not letting it get away." The younger male was frightened of the hungry gaze in his boss"s eyes. "But I can"t do this alone," the man muttered. "Get Denman on the phone." The younger male nodded before rushing to obey the order, not wanting to be in the same room with that man for another minute. The expression on his face was enough to scare him witless. The older man stared at the image on the computer, placing the printed version in the locked drawer of his desk, and attempted to clean it up enough. "Who are you?" he wondered, squinting to try and make out the boys" facial features. He"d let a mer-person escape many years ago. This time, he would not allow one of them to slip through his fingers. I was originally going to do this chapter with Zane going to Miriam"s party and getting thrown into the pool, but since Cleo was going to be the one to find out, I thought it would be more fitting with Lewis, and Lewis didn"t seem like the type to go to a pool party, given his current situation with water and a tail. Also, if you want to see more H2O from me, check out my other account Myra109. I have one H2O story on there and am having a poll on which story I should post for my 200th story. Some of the options are H2O, so if you want to see more H2O stories from me, please check that out. Please forgive any spelling/grammar errors. Thanks for reading! Goodbye, everyone! NOTE: I am new to this fandom. I am doing the best I can, but it might take a while for me to reach my full writing abilities in this fandom. Entering a new fandom is like walking on shaky, new born legs. You need to give it time, so that my writing in this fandom can grow stronger. I hope this chapter has enough detail. "Woah!" Jordan exclaimed. Ash"s family was seated in the living room with his parents and older brother on the couch and his little sister sitting on the floor, and they were all watching some kind of shark documentary Ash didn"t have much interest in. "Don"t want to mess with one of those; that"s for sure," Ash"s dad said. "They"d rip you to bits," their mother agreed. "Seriously, dear," she lowered her voice, "Ash is already afraid of water. You don"t need to give him another reason to be afraid of it." "Honey, Ash isn"t afraid of the water because of sharks. It"s because my sister nearly let Ash drown in the pool when he was two," Xavier Dove, Ash"s dad, muttered, and it was clear him and his sister weren"t on the best of terms. "I suppose you"re right," Zoe Dove, Ash"s mother, sighed. "But still." "Lillian," Ash whispered, and she glanced up, standing as he beckoned her into the kitchen. "What chore do you hate the most?" Ash asked in a quiet voice as they stood in the kitchen. "Laundry. Why?" she questioned. "Would you be willing to trade chores? I do the laundry if you do the dishes?" he offered. "I know you"re afraid of water, but you"re afraid of doing the dishes?" she demanded, sounding like she was caught between teasing him and being concerned for him. "I"m not afraid," Ash responded. "I"m just tired of washing Jordan"s dishes. He eats like a pig. At least I can tolerate getting the food stains out of his clothes." Lillian nodded. "Good point. I"ll take that deal... for ten bucks, on top of doing the laundry." Ash rolled his eyes and handed her a crumpled ten dollar bill before heading into the living room to join his parents and brother while Lillian tended to the dishes. "This is the best part!" Xavier exclaimed. "The feeding frenzy." Ash watched in disgust as sharks dove across the screen, tearing some poor, innocent sea creature to bits. It physically turned his stomach, and he was forced to look away. "How can you even bare to watch this, Dad?" Ash said, disturbed by the image of what his father had called the feeding frenzy, and he vanished into his room while his mother turned to his father with a raised eyebrow. "I"ve got this one," Xavier assured her. "You told me so. You told me so." Zoe nodded. "That"s what I like to hear," she said before turning back to the novel in her lap. "Guess how long we can hold our breath for?" Lewis asked Cleo. "Well, usually, you can"t even hold your breath for fifteen seconds, but I"m assuming that"s increased since becoming part fish?" Cleo replied. Cleo, Zane, and Lewis were sitting at an outdoor table at the Juice Net Café, waiting for Ash to arrive. Zane and Lewis had gone for a swim that morning and had discovered a surprising fact: they couldn"t breath underwater, but they could hold their breath for impossibly (for ordinary people, anyway) long amounts of time. "Well, I used to be able to hold my breath for fifteen seconds," Lewis responded. "Now, it"s fifteen minutes." Cleo gaped. "You"re kidding!" Zane shook his head. "We could probably stay under longer if we really tried." "Oh, really?" Lewis smiled. "Let"s make it a competition after school." Zane nodded. "You"re on! Do you think we can convince Ash?" Lewis shrugged. "We can try." Ash had gone for a swim with them the other day, after the pool party catastrophe, but he"d been such a nervous wreck, he hadn"t been able to let go and enjoy being a merman. He hadn"t even lasted five minutes before getting out of the water and going home. It was progress, but it would take a while before Ash could truly embrace being a merman. As if on cue, Ash appeared and seated himself at the table between Zane and Cleo. He was slouched and looked like he was in a bad mood, but something told his friends he didn"t want to talk about it. Cleo was slightly oblivious to Ash"s feelings; she was usually very empathetic when it came to others, but she barely knew Ash, so it was hard for her to read his body language. As for Lewis and Zane... well, how they could read Ash so well... the reason was... strange, to say the least. Ever since what happened on Mako, the three boys had felt... connected. Not just because they were all dealing with the problems of being mermen, but they were emotionally connected. Some people may say it was because they"d gone and we"re still going through the same experience, but Ash, Zane, and Lewis disagreed. This connection... it was more than finding common ground, more than anything they had ever known. This bond was more powerful than the magic that had embraced them, and the worst part was... they had no idea how to put this bond into words. But they knew it existed, and that was enough. "Ash, guess how long they can hold their breath for?" Cleo asked, making sure to lower her voice as a group of people passed by their table. "Fifteen minutes!" Ash nodded. "Great. So did anyone finish that English assignment? If all of our assignments are going to be this hard, I can say goodbye to straight As," he stated, changing the subject. "And that geography project? That"s due Monday." "Ash," Zane said, hesitantly. "Lewis and I are going for a swim after school. Are you sure you don"t want to come?" Ash shook his head. "No, thanks. I have horseback riding. Anyway, does anybody have their Algebra notes on hand?" Lewis and Zane glanced at each other in disappointment before Lewis handed Ash his Algebra notes and they changed the topic of their conversation to anything except for their recent... development (aka, the strange phenomenon of becoming mermen). "Ash?" Cleo said after Lewis and Zane had left for their own classes (Ash and Cleo had history together). "Maybe you should try... getting used to this. Ash, I hate to break it to you, but it doesn"t look like this mermen thing is going away, and if you don"t adjust to your life as a mermen... it could be dangerous. Lewis and Zane are figuring out ways to avoid getting wet, but you"re not, and all it takes is one slip up to land you in display tanks or labs, and none of us want to see that happen." Ash sighed. "You"re right. But that doesn"t mean I can"t put it off as long as I can," he added before vanishing into the crowd. Cleo pursed her lips. At least she tried... Ash seated himself in the front row of Ms. King"s class beside Emma Gilbert and began pulling his books out of his bag. "Hey, arrogant low life," she said with a teasing look in her eyes. Ash and Emma had this strange feud that had been going on since he moved here, and they both got jobs at the café. At first, it was a genuine feud, but over time, it had become more of a joke than anything else. "Hey, Emma," he muttered. Emma frowned. "Are you okay? Usually, you"d be calling me uptight or control freak or something along those lines by now." Ash nodded. "I"m fine. It"s just been a weird couple of days." Emma nodded. "I know the feeling." Ash laughed, surprising her. "Trust me, you have no idea." A dark skinned girl with long brown hair seated herself beside Ash, and she smiled sweetly at him. She was wearing running shorts and a magenta tank top, and she looked athletic and lean with beautiful eyes and an even prettier smile. She was attractive, even though she wore no make up. "Hey, Ash," she chirped. "Hey, Brenda," he replied (Brenda is my OC and Byron"s twin sister. They"re both surfers, but she"s the one that won the award and the one Miriam threw the party for. Byron will come into the story later).

Cleo frowned. "What are you talking about?" "Cough it up, Cleo. You are one of the worst liars I know. You"re hiding something," Emma stated. "What?" Unconsciously, Cleo"s voice shot up several octaves until the word came out in a high pitched squeak. "That"s ridiculous." Emma raised an eyebrow. Cleo sighed. "Fine. Ash is..." Come on, Cleo, think of a convincing lie! Cleo thought, racking her brain for any lie that would be strong enough to convince Emma, who had always been able to see right through Cleo when she lied. There"s got to be something up here somewhere. "-afraid of water," she blurted, which wasn"t exactly a lie. "I found out, and I told him I would keep it a secret, so please don"t tell him I told you." Emma nodded. "Of course, but... why would he need to keep that secret?" Cleo took a deep breath. "It"s a really bad fear. Like panic attack territory. And he"s the new kid. He didn"t want to be judged for something like that before he even set foot in the school. I"m sure you can understand that." Emma nodded. "I can. Don"t worry. I won"t bring it up." Ash returned a few moments later, and he took his seat between Emma and Brenda, acting as though nothing had happened, but Emma could still see the paleness that had crept into his skin after the scare he"d received when she"d spilled her water all over him. Cleo elbowed Emma and hissed in her ear, "Ask him out!" "What?" Emma demanded, feeling heat rose into her cheeks as her skin turned a rosy red. Emma couldn"t believe it. She was blushing! She might as well have confirmed Cleo"s belief that Emma like-liked Ash. "See? You"re blushing! You do like him!" Cleo whispered. "It doesn"t have to be a date. We can hang out after school- you, me, Ash, Lewis, and Zane. That way, it will just be friends hanging out. It won"t be a date." Emma pondered this suggestion. On one hand, it would help her to get closer to Ash without making it obvious; the swimmer didn"t really hang out with the horseback rider outside of school and work, so spending some time with him outside of those two places would be great, even if there were three other people with them. On the other hand, she could completely embarrass herself and ruin any chance she had with Ash. And on the other-other hand (that doesn"t even make sense, she told herself, but decided proper English and idioms and whatnot were the least of her worries compared to boys), she was maybe... slightly... kind of... sort of... disappointed that this gathering wouldn"t be a real date. But she"d never admit that out loud, especially to Cleo. She"d never hear the end of it! Emma sighed, reluctantly, and nodded. "Fine," she agreed. "Ash," Cleo said, "would it be okay if Emma hung out with the four of us after school?" Ash smiled that charming grin Emma did her best to avoid melting at by sticking her nose in the air. "Sure. But why would you want to hang out with an arrogant pretty boy such as myself?" he added with a smirk. "Maybe I want to spend more time with you just to have more time to think of nicknames for you, Mr. Perfect," Emma commented. "You"re on, Ms. Perfect," he laughed before turning to face the chalkboard as the teacher stepped into the room. "Aw, you guys have the same last name already!" Cleo exclaimed. Emma elbowed her and smiled as Cleo gave a small yelp and glared at her as she rubbed her side. The ocean was beyond beautiful. Of course, Lewis had known that already, but he"d never seen the ocean like this. As a merman, Lewis could truly see the ocean in a way no one else could. Not only could he swim deep into the ocean and see plants and fish he"d only seen in books but never in person, but he also felt at home in the ocean. He felt connected to it, bonding with it. When he was on land, he was just shrimpy, geeky, scrawny Lewis McCartney, but in the ocean... he felt strong, powerful. Like he belonged. Of course, Lewis was still nervous about this whole development. He was half fish, for goodness sake! But that didn"t stop him from smiling at the tingling in his fingers or the energy surging through his entire body as he found himself submerged in ocean water. It was like a baby discovering they could walk for the first time; unfamiliar and a little scary, but it gave them a sense of strength. That"s how Lewis felt in the water. By the grin on Zane"s face, Lewis knew his friend felt the same way. Zane and Lewis began their swim, experiencing with the unfamiliar muscles they"d gained as mermen and testing out their speed, how long they could hold their breath for, and their strength (boy, were their tails strong. Zane had nearly broken a rock with his tail, and that was by accident). The only hard part about swimming was the danger that came with it; fishing boats seemed to loom on every corner, and Zane and Lewis knew (all too well, actually) that if they were caught they"d become living science experiments. Zane knew he wasn"t the only one that was awakened in the middle of the night by dreams filled with scientists and sharp scalpels and intimidating science equipment wherever he looked. Zane and Lewis found themselves swimming in what they had deemed as a safe spot, which was where the sea turtles swam and was therefore off limits to all fishermen. With no risk of being spotted, Zane and Lewis were allowed to swim, freely. But it wasn"t long before that changed. Zane frowned as he glanced towards the surface, and he tapped Lewis on the shoulder, pointing above them. Lewis followed his gaze, and he quickly saw what was bothering the other merman. A boat hovered above them with a blue net trailing behind it, but that was impossible; not only was this place off limits to fishermen, but there were no grids in the net. All nets were required to have grids, so that if a sea turtle got caught in one, it would be guided to an opening and would soon find freedom from the suffocating prison that was the net. But this net didn"t have any grids, and the boat was fishing where tons of sea turtles lived. But that wasn"t even what bothered Lewis the most. What was most frightening about this predicament was the sea turtle already caught in the net, struggling to swim to freedom. Lewis could only imagine how that poor sea turtle must"ve felt, tangled in the blue material, feeling panic tighten around it as the net seemed to grow smaller and smaller until it was effectively trapped. Lewis could only imagine what it felt like to be trapped like that, but he didn"t want to imagine it because for mermen, being trapped in a net could quickly become a terrifying reality. Lewis turned to Zane, and they nodded, the same plan firmly set in their minds as they swam towards the surface, making sure to stay well out of sight. The two boys pulled and tugged at the net; Zane tried to use his powers to singe the material and weaken it, but he quickly stopped when he realized that using his powers could risk harming the sea turtle. Lewis tried to use his own powers, but he"d never tried to do something so complicated. Untangling a net with his powers when he couldn"t even untangle the net with his hands? Not as easy as he"d hoped. With no other options, Zane motioned for Lewis to stay put before swimming for the surface and peaking above the edge of the boat before pushing himself up and grabbed a knife off of the deck. Zane tumbled back into the water, ungracefully, and swam towards Lewis, who was still struggling to rip the net. He knew fishing nets were meant to be strong, but he didn"t know they were too strong for a human- two humans, actually- to rip the nets. Zane gestured for Lewis to step... um, swim, I guess... back before sawing through the ropes that made the net and smiling as the sea turtle swam free. Zane returned the knife to the boat, and the minute he found himself with Lewis in the water once again, the two mermen hurried to swim off while the two fishermen (Lewis was sure he"d seen one of them before, but he didn"t have time to think about it) gave sounds of confusion as they lifted the shredded net out of the water. "Lewis, look on the bright side: we freed the sea turtle!" Zane exclaimed, quietly. Zane and Lewis were sitting at a booth in the juice net café, but while Zane had been proud of them for rescuing the sea turtle, Lewis couldn"t bring himself to celebrate the rescue because something was nagging at him. Something in the back of his brain, like he"d tied a string around his finger and forgotten what he"d been trying to remember. "I know, and that"s great, but... something"s bothering me. Before we swam away, I saw one of the fishermen, and... he looked so familiar, but I can"t remember where I"ve seen him before," Lewis muttered. "It"s probably nothing," Zane reassured him. "Hey, guys," Ash said as he sat beside them. "That"s why he looked so familiar," Lewis suddenly said in an aha! moment. "He looked like Ash." Zane frowned as he thought back on the brief glance he"d gotten of one of the fishermen when he"d retrieved the knife to free the sea turtle. "You"re right," Zane agreed. "He did look like Ash." "Who looked like me?" Ash asked. Zane and Lewis quickly rattled off the story about rescuing the trapped sea turtle and the teenage boy they"d seen on the ship. A boy that looked almost exactly like Ash. Ash shrugged. "Well, it could"ve been my cousin. He looks a lot like me, and he"s helping my dad on his fishing boat." Zane and Lewis exchanged glances, neither wanting get to suggest the theory stirring in all of their minds. "I know what you guys are thinking," Ash stated. "My cousin can be a jerk sometimes, but my dad would never break the rules like that, especially when it puts a sea turtle at risk." "Ash, are you absolutely sure?" Lewis questioned. "Because the boat we saw looked a lot like your dad"s." "Guys, that"s ridiculous!" Ash told them, but his defensive tone was weak. Was it so ridiculous? Ash"s cousin could be downright mean and would do anything to get what he wanted, even if other people got hurt in the process, but the question was... would Ash"s cousin be able to rope Ash"s dad into something like this? Ash"s dad had made plenty of mistakes in the past, some of which Ash didn"t even want to remember, and he"d only known Lewis and Zane for a week. Who did he trust more: his dad or his new friends? Ash had no idea what the answer to that question was, and that scared him more than anything else. "Hey, guys," Emma said as Cleo and her appeared beside their table. "I have to go," Ash said before shoving his way out of the booth and disappearing out the door. "What was that about?" Emma questioned. "Family stuff," Lewis answered, vaguely. Emma frowned. She considered going after Ash, but she didn"t know what she would say or do if she did. Besides, if Lewis and Zane, Ash"s best friends, hadn"t gone after him, he probably wanted to be alone. Emma sighed, hoping she wouldn"t regret her decision, and sat down with Cleo and the boys. "Hey, Ash," his dad said with a smile as his son appeared on the deck of his boat. "Dad, have you ever caught any sea turtles?" Ash blurted. Xavier gave a laugh of disbelief. "Of course not. The rules state that no fishermen may fish where the sea turtles breed, and when fishing any where else, we use nets with grids in them, so if a sea turtle is caught, it"s guided to an opening." "Dad, my friends were scuba diving near where the sea turtles are, and they thought they saw your boat out there using a net without grids," Ash explained. Xavier shook his head. "I wasn"t even on my boat today. I was at your brother"s baseball game. Your friends must"ve made a mistake." Ash nodded. "Yeah... they must have." But something told Ash that they hadn"t made a mistake. His friends wouldn"t suggest something like that if they weren"t 99% sure of what they"d seen, and that was Ash"s father"s fishing boat fishing at the sea turtles" breeding ground and using a net without grids. "Anyway, I have a meeting to get to. Your mother wants you home by five thirty. After that Mako incident, we don"t need you disappearing again," Xavier said, giving his son a hug. Ash chuckled. "I won"t, Dad," he assured his father before walking off of the boat. Ash had almost reached the café when he turned back around, more out of instinct than anything else, and his frown deepened when he saw his father"s boat pulling away from the dock. But... he"d said he was going to a meeting. Had he lied? Ash felt anger- anger at his dad for lying to him, anger at himself for believing his dad- surge through him as he stomped towards the dock. He was going to figure out if his dad was lying to him, even if it meant facing his fears of water and whatever he"d become after that trip to Mako Island. He was a merman, and he was afraid of what he was. But for the first time, Ash could use his merman status to his advantage. Ash took a deep breath and dove into the water, physically having to stop himself from sharply inhaling as he was submerged. Ash clenched his eyes shut tight as he felt his body turn to water and bubbles; he was tingling all over, his legs going numb, as the transformation took place. The feeling was both terrifying and oddly pleasant; Ash felt strangely calm as he transformed, and his tight chest loosened as he released some of the panic that had been growing inside of him. After several moments, Ash slowly opened his eyes and stared at the murky blue waters around him and at his blue tail. A part of Ash was simply thinking This is not normal! This is not normal! This is not normal! And the other side of him was thinking this... isn"t as bad as I thought. Ash didn"t waste anymore time getting used to the feeling of power that came with being in the water as he shot through the water like a bullet, going at an impressive speed until he"d caught up to the boat. Ash found the boat fishing at the sea turtles" breeding ground with a net trailing behind it. A net without grids. Ash felt anger pulse through him as he was forced to come face to face with the awful truth: his father had lied to him. The horseback rider would"ve spent hours trying to calm down before speaking with his dad, but before he could swim away, his eyes landed on what was definitely a more pressing issue. A sea turtle had been caught in the net once again. Ash struggled to use the unfamiliar muscles of his tail to swim upward, and he began tugging at the net with both hands; luckily, the sea turtle hadn"t been too tangled in the net, and Ash released the turtle easily. But now he had a new problem. He was stuck. The minute Ash realized that in freeing the sea turtle, he"d gotten himself tangled up in the net, he began to panic. Ash had two extremes: calm, cool, and laid back... and a bundle of anxiety. There was no in between, but now, Ash"s increasing panic shattered the scale as a panic attack threatened to seize him as he began to flail, unable to breathe, unable to move, unable to think. Minutes passed, and Ash was even more tangled up than before. Images of his life in the very near future pursued him. Images of needles, scalpels, and being strapped to cold metal tables to be dissected and who knows what else. Ash was stuck. He was an injured animal waiting for a predator to attack him. There was no way out of this situation, nothing he could do to escape the prison of ropes that trapped him. Ash stopped struggling and with a silent sob, he gave up. "Mr. Dove?" Zane called as him and Lewis strolled onto the dock, "Have you seen Ash?" After the incident at the café, Ash had seemingly vanished into thin air; Zane and Lewis lagged behind long after the girls left, waiting for Ash to return, but he never did. That was when the two mermen began looking for Ash, and the best place to start was with Ash"s father. "No. I just got back from a meeting," Xavier told them. "Last time I saw Ash, we talked on my fishing boat, and after we had our conversation, he left." "Where is your fishing boat?" Lewis questioned, noticing the vacant spot where Mr. Dove"s boat was usually docked. "Erick must have taken it out," Xavier answered, referring to his nephew, Erick Dove. "You can call Erick, see if Ash is with him." "Thank you," Zane stated as Xavier headed towards the parking lot to get his car and drive home. "Zane, you don"t think Ash would"ve..." Lewis trailed off. "Gone to see if his dad"s fishing boat was really the one catching the sea turtles?" Zane finished. "If it were my dad"s fishing boat, I would"ve gone to see." Lewis nodded. "That"s what I was afraid of," he muttered before the two boys leaped into the water, their hands held out in front of them in classic diving formation to use their arms to push through the water instead of uncomfortably splashing into it. Zane and Lewis raced towards the breeding ground, and they saw (their eyesight was very good underwater, unlike before they were mermen, when their eyes stung painfully as they opened them underwater) something caught in a fishing net not far off. That something had a long blue tail and the pale skin of a human. Ash Dove. Zane and Lewis stuttered to a halt beside Ash and began yanking at the net; they were making progress, but Ash was really tangled up. A metallic groan sounded from above, and the boys were all lurched forward as the net began to get out led up. Zane and Lewis renewed their efforts more vigorously, clawing and pulling and even biting the net to free their friend; Lewis tried his telekinesis and succeeded in loosening the net, but not enough to free Ash. Zane heated up the neat until the water was boiling and the ropes were turning black with heat. Ash had a few blisters, but he didn"t seem too bothered as Zane and Lewis yanked the net one last time. Ash tumbled forward, doing a somersault through the water, and he was caught by Zane and Lewis as the net disappeared above the surface. Zane turned to Ash, trying and failing to conceal his worried expression as he gestured to Ash before making an okay sign with his fingers. His expression made the question mark at the end of his gestures clear. Are you okay? Ash nodded before the boys swam away in a hurry while Erick and the other fishermen made bewildered and enraged sounds above them. "That was terrifying," Zane said, simply, as the boys walked towards Ash"s house. "You can say that again," Lewis muttered. "If he doesn"t, I will," Ash chuckled. "But it was also awesome." Lewis turned to Ash in surprise. "Awesome? Did you swallow some ocean water?" "No," Ash laughed. "You want to know why? I can hold my breath for twelve minutes... and that wasn"t even trying!" "That"s amazing," Zane exclaimed. Zane and Lewis exchanged hopeful glances, praying that Ash would finally start to accept his mermen status. Being a mermen was odd and complicated and wasn"t easy... at all... but it could be fun once you accepted it. "Maybe this mermen thing isn"t so bad," Ash admitted, seeing their expressions, as he stopped in front of his front door. Zane and Lewis had silent celebrations as Ash placed his key in the door. "I said maybe!" he called over his shoulder before shutting the door behind him. "Ash," his father said, appearing in front of him. "You were right. Erick was the one trapping the sea turtles, and he"s been fired from my fishing boat and is grounded by his parents until he"s forty. I should"ve believed you." Ash shrugged. "It"s fine, Dad." "No, it isn"t," his father replied. "I"m sorry, Ash." Ash laughed and hugged his dad to display his forgiveness (forgiveness for his dad, not Erick. Erick had nearly gotten him sent to an aquarium or a lab. That would take a lot longer to forgive) before the two of them headed into the kitchen. "What I can"t seem to figure out is what creature he caught in that net," his dad wondered. "It was singed. Fire can"t burn under water, and the temperature of the water would"ve had to be boiling in order to do that kind of damage. The net was ripped in various places. I thought it was a shark, but... I still don"t understand how the net could"ve gotten burned." Ash tried to keep his expression blank as he grabbed a soda can from the fridge. "Ash! Where"d you get those?" Xavier questioned, grabbing Ash"s hand and staring at the painful looking blisters all over his son"s arms. "Oh, uh... knocked over some boiling water in science class," Ash lied. "It isn"t as painful as it looks, I promise," he assured his dad before disappearing into his room. Xavier frowned before shrugging it off; Ash was a teenager. They were clumsy. He didn"t see any reason to believe Ash was lying. Little did Ash and Xavier know, Ash"s strange behavior wouldn"t always be so easy to shrug off. I am not trying to make Ash seem like a coward, but his fearful behavior in the beginning will start to contribute to his character development. Also, I wanted to get this chapter posted as soon as possible, so I barely edited it. Usually, my editing is better, but I have a lot of writing to do, and if I spend too much time on editing, I"ll never get anything done. Therefore, please ignore any mistakes. Thank you for reading! Goodbye, everyone!

"I"m going to brush my teeth," Michelle parroted, and Jodie laughed in amusement. Usually, Stephanie was the more patient of the two twins (but Jodie had less of a temper. When Stephanie got mad, watch out, but while Jodie could become irritated and annoyed usually quite easily, she rarely became angry), but Jodie found the shadow game to be hilarious and allowed it to continue, which Stephanie (and even DJ) couldn"t seem to fathom. After all, who wanted a second shadow? Jodie brushed her teeth, and Michelle copied her actions with her own toothbrush before they both spit into the sink in unison. Jodie wiped her mouth on the towel and handed it to her sister, who mimicked her actions. "Goodnight, Michelle," Jodie said. "Goodnight, Jodie," Michelle chirped, finally ending the shadow game. "Thanks for letting me play with you!" "How could you tolerate her copying you all day?" Stephanie asked as Michelle disappeared into her room, and Stephanie entered the hallway. Jodie shrugged. "It was actually kind of funny. I"ll admit, after a few days, it would get annoying, but for now, it"s just funny. I found it to be a rather droll game." "Droll," Stephanie snorted. "That"s a funny word." Jodie nodded. "It really is," she agreed with a giggle before the girls headed to their separate rooms to go to bed. Jodie crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep, almost unable to believe she"d had one of the greatest days she"d had in a long time, not with DJ, her sister and best friend, but with her baby sister, whom she practically forgot about most of the time. Maybe she should spend time with Michelle more often... I love feedback (but keep it kind or constructive criticism because any flames will be ignored and reported if necessary), so please tell me what you thought in the form of a review or a PM! Thank you for reading! Goodbye, everyone! Jodie drew a neat flower with a purple Sharpie on the kitchen wall, and DJ drew squiggles and stars all over the fridge with multiple colors, watching as the colorful art covered the cream color of the refrigerator. Jodie and DJ were notorious troublemakers when they were together. Apart, they could be a tad bit mischievous, but when they were together, they were the Tornado Tanners, causing destruction and mischief wherever they went and moving too fast to get caught, at least for a little while. Jodie and DJ were home alone (whose brilliant idea was that, anyway? Note the sarcasm), and already, they were causing trouble by drawing all over the kitchen with permanent markers. Jodie began sketching designs on the floor while DJ scribbled all over the wooden table. They giggled at the trouble they were causing, and the consequences didn"t seem to matter to them. There was a certain thrill they got when they were causing trouble, and being grounded didn"t stop them from staying up all night, sneaking out of the window at four in the morning, or tip toeing into the kitchen while everyone was asleep and raiding the pantry and fridge (their dad thought he was going crazy when the food would go missing the day after grocery shopping. He even accused Jesse and Joey, who denied having anything to do with the missing food. He only found out it was Jodie and DJ when he staked out on the basement staircase all night). Why should it matter if they were grounded if they still found ways to cause trouble? "I"ve got the cabinets!" DJ offered, whispering, even though they were the only ones home. "I"ve got the desk," Jodie stated, beginning to drag a blue Sharpie across the wooden surface of the desk. The adrenaline of causing mischief and breaking the rules was pumping through their veins as they made a huge mess throughout the entire kitchen. They didn"t regret their actions or fret over getting punished. All that mattered was the here and now. They"d figure out how to get around the punishment later. "Girls, we"re home!" Jodie and DJ stood there calmly as the kitchen door opened, and their father stepped inside. His jaw hit the now colorful kitchen tiles. "Girls, what on earth is this?" he demanded. "We made the kitchen pretty!" Jodie answered. "With permanent markers and without permission?" Danny snarled. "You"re both grounded." DJ and Jodie nodded as their father escorted them upstairs, not looking very bothered. They always found ways to have fun while grounded, although it usually required breaking even more rules, so why should they be bothered? Jodie"s hand landed on the doorknob of the room she shared with DJ, but Danny stopped her. "Not your room," Danny said. "You"re both on Lockdown." The girls gasped. Lockdown was the harshest punishment in the Tanner family household; almost everything was removed from the girls" room except for the furniture and their blankets- books, toys, even clothes (their father would pick out an outfit for them and give it to them for school each day) were taken out of their room until it looked barren and nearly empty. All that would remain was the table, the chairs, the beds, the bedding, and a few empty shelves. Jodie and DJ hadn"t been on Lockdown since the year before their mother passed away (Pam was always stricter than Danny, so she wasn"t afraid to put the girls on Lockdown when they misbehaved). "This is going to be your most severe Lockdown yet," Danny said. "You two have been acting out way too much the past few weeks. Sneaking out, breaking rules, vandalizing the kitchen, making messes, not turning in your homework, refusing to do your schoolwork, talking back. I"m done with it. Until you two can learn to behave, Jodie will be staying in my room, and DJ will be in your room. You will only see each other at dinner and when you"re cleaning the kitchen, every square inch of it, and other than pass the peas or pass the cleaning supplies, you two won"t allowed to talk. If you break any of these rules, you"re looking at a whole other day of Lockdown. That doesn"t sound like much, but if you break seven rules, that"s a whole week. Do you understand?" "Yes, Dad," DJ muttered while Jodie murmured, "Yes, Daddy." "Good. Now, DJ, I want everything out of the room except for the furniture and the blankets on your bed. Put everything in these boxes," Danny instructed, handing her some boxes he pulled out of a nearby storage closet. "Jodie, help her. Then grab your blankets and meet me in my room. I"ll set up a cot for you on the floor." The girls walked away, muttered under their breath. Danny rubbed his fingers over his forehead, sighing in his exasperation. What was he going to do with that exasperating, troublemaking duo? I love feedback (but keep it kind or constructive criticism because any flames will be ignored and reported if necessary), so please tell me what you thought in the form of a review or a PM! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all have a fantastic day! Goodbye, everyone! Hello, everyone. I thought I should tell you that chapters 5-8 will focus on Jodie and DJ while chapters 9-12 will focus on Stephanie and Michelle, so if you"re wondering where Michelle and Stephanie are during all of this, they will have their own chapters, so they will show up again soon. Jodie was almost, but not quite, six years old, and DJ was twelve the first time they tried coffee. Danny had very strict rules about caffeine; most of the time, he only allowed his children to drink non-caffeinated beverages, including non-caffeinated soda, although he allowed them one soda containing caffeine a week (except for Michelle, who wasn"t allowed caffeine at all). Coffee was completely off limits. Sometimes Jodie and DJ wondered why he bothered to make rules at all, knowing the two sisters would just break them. Jodie and DJ listened to the groaning of the coffee maker, hoping it didn"t wake Joey, who was sleeping in the basement. They watched as it filled with pitch black, steaming liquid, and as the coffee maker clicked off, DJ poured an ounce of coffee into two mugs before the two girls curiously tried it. Their faces scrunched up at the bitter taste of black coffee, and Jodie coughed, quietly. "This needs something," Jodie realized, and she crossed the tiled floor, grabbing the sugar container off of the counter and returning to DJ"s side. "Good thinking," DJ complimented as Jodie poured a few spoonfuls into the coffee. "Not enough," DJ added before snatching the sugar container away from the younger girl and turning it upside down, pouring the entirety of the contents into the coffee and mixing it with a giant spoon, usually used for stirring soup or pasta at dinner time. Jodie nodded with a smile. "Perfect." DJ poured some into her mug before giving some to Jodie. "All right," DJ stated. "Let"s add some competition into the mix. The last one to finish theirs has to..." "Do the others chores for a month," Jodie finished. DJ nodded. "It"s a bet," she said before clinking her mug against Jodie"s. "One, two, three, go!" Both of the sisters chugged the steaming hot liquid at an amazing (and possibly dangerous, considering how much sugar and caffeine was in one mug of this stuff) rate, but DJ beat Jodie by seconds. "I win," DJ cheered, quietly. "Let"s go again. This time, the loser has to give the other their desserts for the next two weeks," Jodie offered. "You"re on," DJ agreed before they poured another cup for each of them. With dessert at stake, Jodie practically swallowed all of her coffee in one gulp. This went on for another half an hour until the entire pot of coffee was gone, and the caffeine-induced hyperactivity was beginning to set in, made obvious by the girls" extreme fidgeting. The kitchen light flickered on, and DJ and Jodie"s heads snapped up to see their father standing in the doorway. "Girls, what on earth? It"s the middle of the night," Danny admonished. "Are you drinking coffee? You know coffee is off limits." Jodie laughed. "No coffee is a rule, and we"re rule breakers. Did you expect any differently?" Jodie asked, her words blurring together as she began bouncing up and down and tapping her fingers. Danny sighed. "Now you"re going to be hyper for the next few hours." DJ nodded. "Yep!" she agreed. Danny pursed his lips. "What to do, what to do... girls, while you"re hyper, I want you to use that energy for something useful, like... cleaning the entire downstairs," he said, handing Jodie a broom. "After tomorrow, you will no longer be punished." "Really?" DJ squawked in disbelief, jumping and down like a rocket about to take off. "Trust me, tomorrow is going to be punishment enough," Danny stated before watching as the girls began running around the room, cleaning. He half expected them to start spinning like mini tornadoes as he sat at the kitchen table and supervised them while they cleaned. "Dad, can"t we stay home from school today?" an exhausted DJ begged the following morning as she practically fell asleep in her eggs. Danny shook his head. "You girls broke the rules by drinking the coffee. It"s time to suffer the consequences. Now, go grab your bags. The bus will be here soon." DJ and Jodie groaned as they dragged themselves to their feet and reluctantly left the room to fetch their bags and jackets to get ready for one of the hardest days of school they had had so far. "Fitting punishment," Jesse told Danny. Danny nodded. "They drank the coffee and got all fidgety and hyper. Now, they have to suffer the exhaustion called the sugar and caffeine crash... while attending school." Joey high fived Danny. "Good job. I"m sure they won"t be getting in the coffee any time soon." Danny sipped his own cup of coffee, thoughtfully. "No, they won"t," he agreed. Please make sure to leave a review, and I hope you all have a fantastic day! Thank you all for reading! Goodbye, everyone! Hello, everyone! Welcome back to Jodie Tanner! Jodie and DJ knew they shouldn"t be playing baseball in the house. Did they care? Nope. Jodie and DJ weren"t technically home alone this time; DJ was babysitting her younger sisters, but there were no adults at home. Michelle and Stephanie were getting into their own mischief and troublemaking, so Jodie and DJ had set up a makeshift diamond in the living room. They"d pushed the couch and the tables into the alcove and the TV into the corner to have more room, using old shoeboxes for bases. DJ was currently up to bat, and she planted her feet on either side of the shoebox that represented home plate with her hands wrapped firmly around a wooden bat. Jodie smacked the baseball into her glove three times before winding up her arm and throwing it underhand to her older sister. A clack sounded as the bat hit the baseball, sending the baseball hurling into the kitchen door, hitting it with so much force, it knocked the door open and disappeared into the kitchen. "That was out of bounds," Jodie protested as DJ began running. "The whole downstairs is in bounds," DJ stated, remembering their rules, and Jodie nodded as she recalled having made that a rule after she hit a ball down the back hallway and DJ and Jodie hadn"t been sure if that was out of bounds or not. Jodie chased after the ball, and by the time she returned, DJ was back home. "My turn," Jodie told her sister, and DJ and Jodie switched equipment- DJ received the glove while Jodie grabbed the baseball bat. DJ stood at the center and wound up her arm before tossing the ball underhand to her younger sister. Jodie"s bat gave a powerful thwack as it connected with the ball, and the ball flew through the air and straight threw the window beside the front door, creating a small, circular (and very noticeable) hole in the glass. "Out of bounds," was all DJ said as they heard footsteps approaching the front door. Danny"s face appeared on the other side of the broken window before he opened the front door and stepped inside, disappointment and anger marring his features. "Girls," he scolded. "How many times have I told you no sports in the house? I don"t even let any of you dance in the house after the incident with Stephanie and Michelle. How could you think baseball was okay? Let me guess: you knew it wasn"t okay, but you did it anyway." DJ and Jodie didn"t respond. "Do you girls even feel an ounce of guilt when you break the rules like this? DJ, you are almost thirteen. Jodie, you"re eight years old now. I expect this kind of thing from Michelle; she"s only three, but you two and Stephanie need to grow up. I understand you"re still kids. You want to have fun, run wild, and if you only did that from time to time, I"d be fine with it. I might even encourage it. But you"re breaking a different rule everyday. Stephanie, too, and none of you are setting a good example for Michelle. It"s a cycle," Danny said, sternly. "DJ, you"re not setting a good example for Jodie. Jodie, you"re not setting a good example for Stephanie. Stephanie isn"t setting a good example for Michelle, which makes Michelle think lying and breaking the rules is okay, and seeing Michelle break the rules and run wild only encourages DJ to break more rules, and the cycle repeats. I"m tired of this! Will you girls ever learn? "You"re grounded. Lock down. You will have almost no interaction with each other or anyone other than Jesse, Joey, and me. You will leave this house for school, nothing else. If I see you break any Lock Down rules, two weeks on Lock Down becomes two months. Am I understood?" Jodie nodded. "Yes, Daddy." "Yes, Dad," DJ agreed. "Good. That window is coming out of your allowance, so I suggest you start on some extra chores," Danny ordered in a voice that told them starting on extra chores wasn"t really a suggestion before leaving the room. "I feel kind of bad," Jodie stated. DJ nodded. "Me, too." Unfortunately, they didn"t feel bad enough because less than a month after being released from Lock Down, they started breaking rules and causing trouble once again. Did you guys like Danny"s rant? That was my favorite part. Goodbye, everyone! Heist, verb: to steal. It was wrong. Jodie and DJ both knew it, but as you"ve probably realized by now, neither girl really cared about right from wrong. The sun hadn"t even peaked above the horizon when Jodie and DJ tip toed into their father"s room and found his wallet and keys resting on his desk. "Make sure Dad doesn"t wake up," DJ ordered Jodie before opening the leather wallet and pulling out several twenty dollar bills. "Let"s go." DJ and Jodie slipped out of their father"s bedroom and walked down the hall with the money in DJ"s hand. Jodie laughed. "That was almost too easy." DJ nodded. "I know, right? He shouldn"t even notice until after our shopping spree today." "I heard JC Penny is having a sale," Jodie gushed in excitement as they returned to their room, and they continued talking about everything they would buy with the cash they"d heisted from their father"s wallet until the sun came up. Jodie and DJ watched their father pull away from the school in his car, leaving Jodie and DJ standing on the sidewalk that separated the high school from the elementary school. "Let"s go," DJ stated before the two girls glanced around for teachers and after finding none, they left the school grounds and took the city bus to the mall. DJ and Jodie giggled as they stepped inside minutes before the adults would return home. "You went shopping without us?" Stephanie demanded. "Where did you get the money to buy that much anyway?" "Daddy"s wallet?" Michelle guessed, knowing it was something her older sisters would do. Jodie nodded before the two girls sprinted up the steps and slipped into their bedroom as the front door opened downstairs. They stashed their shopping bags filled with clothes and toys and movies and such into their closet before sliding the closet door shut and sitting on their beds with their workbooks, as though they"d been there for the past half hour. The door opened, and Danny stepped inside, shutting the door behind him and staring at his girls in disappointment and irritation. The anger was there, but he was used to Jodie and DJ acting out, so while he was mad, he was mostly disappointed that they had had total disregard for his trust for the umpteenth time. He wished Pam was here. Danny was good with the emotional side of things, not the discipline apart, especially when all four of his daughters were getting into trouble three times a day. His wife would"ve been able to handle their rowdy girls. Danny wasn"t sure if he could, but he had to find a way. Pam had been going to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine for Danny"s flu in order to cure him before he spread it to their daughters; that was when she got in the car accident. People told him not to blame himself, but that"s easier said than done. In Danny"s mind, he"d already let Pam down. He couldn"t let his daughters down, too. "You two stole from my wallet," Danny said, firmly. "How do you know it was us?" Jodie questioned, although she didn"t deny it. "Jesse and Joey wouldn"t have taken money without permission, and stealing money from my wallet is not Michelle and Stephanie"s style. They cause plenty of trouble, but they cause trouble just to do that: cause trouble. They don"t get anything out of it. You girls on the other hand, cause trouble to cause trouble, but you also cause trouble if you get something out of it. Like..." Danny opened their closet door to reveal the shopping bags. "Clothes, toys, movies, magazines, and everything in between. "Girls, I have raised you better than this. Breaking the window, drinking the coffee, drawing all over the walls with permanent markers, I can tolerate all of that. But in this life or the next, I will not tolerate stealing. Stealing from my wallet is horrible, and it"s very close to pick pocketing people outside of this house. And pick pocketing is one step away from prison, and I will not allow my daughters to become criminals. You two are going to pay me back every single penny you took. You two will not be left home alone; DJ will not babysit; you will leave this house for school and school only. DJ is fourteen and is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but since I can"t trust her or either of you, if the adults ever have to go anywhere, I"m hiring a babysitter. You will have no dessert, no TV time, and will be cleaning every square inch of this house. "Girls, I thought you"d learned your lesson. I was finally startingwhat to trust you again, and then you do this. I don"t trust you at all anymore, and my trust will not be so easily won back after the stunt you pulled today. You will have to earn my trust back piece by piece, and after this, if I see either of you cause one ounce of trouble on purpose, one of you will be sent to boarding school. Am I understood?" "Boarding school?" DJ demanded. She could tell by her father"s expression that the threat of boarding school was not an empty threat. Danny nodded. "Now... maybe you"ll realize that your actions have consequences, and you can"t get out of every single consequence. I repeat: am I understand?" "Yes, Dad," the girls chorused. The threat of boarding school worked for a while, but almost a year later, the girls starting to get into trouble again, but by then, Danny had discovered a better solution than sending the girls to boarding school... But you"ll have to wait to find out what it is! Goodbye!

Painstakingly, Rick reached into his lab coat pocket for his flask, only to find his lab coat incinerated and the flask partially melted into his chest from the heat. Shit, then the portal gun... He groaned with a throat that was too parched to make a noise. This was it, then. At least he wasn"t in a cage, or with a stripper. And fuck, at least he hadn"t poisoned himself with alcohol, no matter how hard he tried. Gave him a little fucking dignity. The last few beats of his failing heart were fading, then he remembered one last thing he had in (what used to be) his pants pocket. It was so stupidly convenient (and equally idiotic) that he was looking in horror at the bomb as it went off. The tiny Meeseeks Box, which he brought in lieu of Morty, survived the blast. He weakly pressed the button and a flash of powder and sparks heralded the appearance of a too-happy humanoid creature. "I"m Mr. Meeseeks, look at me! What can I help you with?" it greeted him. Its aloof grin it had fell at the sight of Rick, prone, burnt, and bent in the wrong ways. "Let me get you out of here." "Fuck no, it"s too late," Rick coughed. "I want you to take my ship, go-" he paused for breath, "-to the garage, use the hologram device, and impersonate me. You can retire after a day, but keep a journal of your memories so that the replacement has a little context. Here." Rick handed him the Meeseeks box. The motion induced a wild spinning sensation that gripped his toasted innards. Even if the creature could get him to the ship, help was still light-years away. He was a goner. "Fuck. I"d give anything for a Bacardi right now." The Meeseeks snapped its blue fingers. "Caaaan d-" "No, dammit! Focus," exhaled Rick. "The infantry will be here any moment to collect my body, so you better be fucking gone, you hear me? Whatever happens, don"t let the Council replace you or your friends with an asshole Rick! And...don"t let Morty know...that I"m dead." "Yes, sir!" The Meeseeks saluted before skipping away toward the ship. It didn"t notice the moment Rick"s lungs deflated for the final time. ~o0O0o~ "Rick, that juice tasted funny," Morty noted, looking from his half-empty glass to Rick, hovering over him with his arms on his waist. "N-now listen here, kiddo, you don"t diss a powerful healing elixir from the planet Oethax just for its taste!" replied "Rick" without missing a beat. Perfect, thought the Meeseeks. The hologram tech was beyond belief; he didn"t need to expend any effort to match Rick"s voice, and the clothing effects were quite real. But now he was getting exhausted; it had been nearly thirteen hours since he was called into existence. Regardless, he still had to write that journal. Today, Morty was still sick (going on a week now), but the medicine was working wonderfully. He would recommend the next Meeseeks to give him one last dose, and Morty will probably be good to go back to school. Before he gets home, they have to figure out a way to recreate Rick"s chaotic adventures safely, and without using the portal gun: because they didn"t know how to recharge the thing. They could simulate the personality well enough (Morty hasn"t noticed a thing, poor kid), but the genius under that exterior was impossible to mimic. And then there was the rest of the family. All the Meeseeks had to do was avoid conflict with Jerry and compliment Beth"s cooking at least once a day. Summer could go days without talking to "Rick", so until Meeseeks had to forge some adventure (perhaps a simulation, like this very hologram they were using), they could spend the energy trying to entertain Morty. Morty finally finished the last gulps of the elixir and handed the glass back to "Rick". "Rick" ruffled the boy"s soft brown hair and walked to the door with a false zigzag and a final burp to complete the act. He hit the light switch, waved a lazy goodbye, and closed the door behind him. Just the journal now. So tired. ~o0O0o~ "Look at me! I"m Mr. Meeseeks!" The creature raised his arms in a cheery greeting. It looked around for its caller; it was another Meeseeks, looking old and worn. "Here, friend. Look at this journal. Read it carefully. That"s your purpose." With an ancient smile, the elder Meeseeks disappeared in a puff of smoke. The fresh Meeseeks picked up the thick notebook on the desk. The journal began three years ago. The entries themselves weren"t long, only detailing some trivial interactions between the writer and Morty, and each with varying levels of enthusiasm about the job. The hands that scribbled these messages were all tired and shaky, like that previous Meseeks who summoned him. Then, was that also his fate? "Can do!" he said, pumping his fist into the air as he started to read, flipping through the deteriorated pages with care. This journal will serve as a guide to the future Meeseeks who will continue the last request of Rick Sanchez of dimension J-004. He requested me to use the hologram device in the garage to disguise myself as him and protect Morty from receiving an alternative Rick. Failing that, we must ensure that the replacement will be anything but hostile. In order to preserve our cover, we are also tasked to write down the day"s activities as a context for the next Meeseeks to work with. I turned back from Rick and found his spaceship with ease; it was just outside the blasted ruins of the current building we were in. I was born shortly after an explosion, which also seemed to cause Rick"s face to be mostly burnt off. His voice was reduced to a weak rasp, and the arm with which he handed me this Meeseeks box from which I summoned you was likewise hardly able to lift the same box. I obeyed quickly, at his command; I escaped the doomed planet, which was torn by war and seized by the Federation. A giant fleet of ships gave chase, but I was able to evade them with relative ease. Once I was out of that solar system, I activated autopilot so that I could write this journal. Will get back to you after I face Morty. We mustn"t let him know that Rick has died. Must not. Morty was bedridden with the flu. I couldn"t even speak to him, so I wasn"t compelled to force my presence. But Rick would have, right? However, Rick also instructed us to protect Morty, so I let him rest until dinner; the family came together to eat. Morty, being weak, remained in bed, but Beth brought him food in his bed. He barely touched it, if I hadn"t chimed in about his health. Everyone looked at me in disbelief. I was too kind, and Rick isn"t. My mistake. To the Next, be careful: protect Morty, but be rough with your words. He will question you otherwise. Good luck! Many pages continued the story with day-to-day travails until Morty grew well. Morty was skeptical that "Rick" had completely abandoned his missions, so at some point, the earlier Meeseeks decided to mess around the garage and forge some adventure in controlled spaces: simulations, or a trip to a nearby barren world with planted shiny rocks that might pass for something scientifically important. This worked for a time, until Summer too decided she wanted in too. It was tiresome work; the earlier Meeseeks had to survive over thirty hours at times, under the spiteful, watchful eyes of the Smith family. The adventures were trivial, mostly, and the children would grow tired of it too, and they resumed school normally, chalking it up to "Rick"s" old age. Some pages were funny. Jerry noticed that "Rick"s" image would fade whenever he drank; that"s when the Meeseeks learned that the hologram was affected by water. No one else had been around, luckily. It would have been the end of it, but Jerry had turned superstitious, doubting whether "Rick" was some apparition from the other world, that he was dead. The children were open-mouthed; Beth talked Jerry"s ear off for the mere suggestion about her father. That Meeseeks instantly called a replacement, but Jerry had come into the garage to apologize. When Jerry saw two "Ricks", he passed out. Beth would make no further comment other than a quick roll of her eyes after that. The majority of the stories were short, two- or three-liners that detailed an evening "drinking" alone, where if one of the family stepped into the garage, "Rick" would gruffly yell, "Fuck you," or a similar curse, to the Meeseeks" dismay. They had bravely never broken character, but it took its toll. Knowing everything they did about the three-year history of that request-the daily interactions, even if those memories weren"t native-they still had some semblance of regret. The Meeseeks would evolve a melancholy, an assimilated depression, and eventually they no longer needed to act. They may not have Rick"s motives, but they acquired the weariness. Even lying to Morty to protect him became second nature. And perhaps that was why the Citadel never sent in a replacement. ~o0O0o~ "Rick" lay on the couch; or rather, he was sprawled on it, like a dirty rag that had been left there to dry. Breakfast was another mundane affair. Today, after an event at the school, Morty would be driving off to attend university uptown. "Rick" had dispatched some crippling criticism of the politics of education, but everyone seemed to be numb to the tirade, which worked out for the current Meeseeks. They said nothing for or against the position, to which the Meeseeks had to improvise a disappointed reaction, and there was still no comeback. Was everyone else this tired too? Instead of joining, it chose to remain indoors and while away the few hours of freedom. Ah! This would be a perfect opportunity to write a partial account for the day. He might even summon the Next, avoid the omnipresent tiredness that afflicted all Meeseeks born to continue this dire request. The man had been dead four years-no, it wouldn"t do to badmouth the very same who had given it purpose. It ambled to the garage, which was a picture of disorder. A Previous Meeseeks thought it was a good idea to randomize the order of the tools and knickknacks regularly, to give a semblance of "working on something". They had even asked Morty to fetch a screwdriver "for old times" sake", only to tinker with something that was already finished. The kid never seemed to notice; the kid, now going on college, aiming for as normal a life as possible for a grandchild of Rick Sanchez, was still clueless about the wool that had been pulled over his eyes. He"d live and die with that lie, but at least his heart would never break. Right? Right? There was no use asking. The Meeseeks wrote a perfunctory report of the morning"s interaction and headed back to the couch. Feeling brave, it opened a can of beer from the fridge to complete the picture. It took the liberty of a sip, which made the hologram fizz out for a moment. Even so, no one else was there to see the blue skin underneath. Graduation sure took a long time. Perhaps it could have summoned a replacement. As soon as the thought left him, it heard the family car parking in front of the house. It didn"t bother to get up, that seemed like something the real Rick would do. Morty entered first, looking much older than eighteen, thanks to the tux he had rented for high school graduation. Summer and Beth looked equally magnificent in their matching floral summer dresses. They filed into the kitchen for a toast of champagne. "Rick" got up languidly to clap Morty on the back. "At least you"re feeling the festivities," whispered Beth as she poured out the bubbly drink. "Dad, aren"t you proud? Our Morty is going to college!" "S-some community college for regular people, more like," "Rick" said with a burp, "but whatever floats your metaphorical boat." Morty raised his glass with a pained smile. "Thanks, Rick, but I"m gonna do much better than you think." And Mr. Meeseeks knew he was acting the part so well, because Summer did everything like the journal predicted: she wouldn"t even be part of the conversation. Jerry was opening every bottle he could find, if only to put them back in the fridge. "The fizz is for celebrations! We don"t have to get blackout drunk!" he said, glaring at "Rick". "Rick" raised his glass to the man in response. "All that soda is gonna go stale, Dad," Summer muttered. She grinned at her brother in passing and excused herself; she had some friends to text about their thesis. The gathering didn"t take too long; they had already had lunch outside after the ceremony. Jerry helped Morty pack while Beth went out for groceries. "Rick" was left alone in the garage, with such thoughts as: Why couldn"t he simply vanish? When does this quest end? Does it have an end? Will it end when Morty dies? Can "Rick" fake a death so regular and expected, like a heart attack? Or liver failure? Something everyone expects, so that there would be no need to grieve? The Meeseeks" internal monologue was interrupted by a knock on the access door. Morty"s head was peeking out from a crack. Still in character, "Rick" grunted and made a motion with his hand to let Morty in. "What do you want?" "I"m moving out, y-you know," Morty began, looking at his feet. "Of course I know, you idiot, I know everything," "Rick" answered. "And I"m going to visit only a few times a year..." "Naturally, unless you still want to be coddled. Oh! You"re not begging for one last adventure, are ya?" "No, Rick." "Then good. Because I"m fucking tired of it all." "Rick" wondered if that was part of the cover or an honest sentence. What were honest sentences even like? It had mostly forgotten. Aside from the daily report, there was a mentality that it had to uphold, one that shunned cheerful helpfulness, which was natural to a Meeseeks. Everything was a lie. Rick"s psyche was a dark shit-hole; if it had enemies, it still wouldn"t wish such a heavy burden on them as this. Morty sighed. "I know what"s going on." "You think you"re such a clever piece of shit, huh? Well, college isn"t whatever you expect it-" "I saw the fucking journal, Rick!" cried Morty. Mr. Meeseeks was about to retort, then the impact of Morty"s words sunk in. Then shit, had it failed? Did those four futile years of false misery amount to nothing? Fuck! How could it disappear now, if that quest was never completed? "M-Morty, the fuck are you talking about?" "You can stop pretending now," Morty said gently. "Rick" eyed Morty for a good long minute, wondering what to do. If he knew this much, then the jig was up: there was no more need to hide. "Rick" reached under the desk for a knee-height box with electrical wires protruding from all edges. It had needed some repairs over the years. "Rick" opened the lid and pressed a shallow white button. The hologram faded away, revealing the lanky, awkward creature. After all that, it felt naked without the disguise. Morty stared hard, daring himself not to flinch or look away. His eyes felt ready to overflow; so many questions threatened to make him faint. He hung his head, bit his tongue, and tried to steady his buckling knees. "I"m sorry," was all he could say. "I can"t begin to imagine why you"re sorry. I messed up. We messed up. They-well, someone. Not you," Mr. Meeseeks lamented. "I"m sorry. I don"t even know how to act anymore." "Rick put you up to this, didn"t he?" began Morty. He needed something to collapse into; the shelf with the tools and half-finished projects served as a good-enough leaning post. He cleared his throat. "I...only saw it by accident. It was open one time when we were remaking the butter robot for the twentieth time. Just one page. You were talking a-about...about a Next and a Previous for a couple of short entries, sharing advice and some account of what happened on a particular day. I didn"t mean to pry, but I know now. You"ve been pretending to be Rick..." he paused for a long while, scratching his nape and fiddling with the corner of his white polo. "But why? Did something happen to him? Did," he sighed, "did he get captured?" Mr. Meeseeks looked at this human. Eighteen, but still innocent. Poor kid, but no longer a kid. "Four years ago, Rick was trying to obtain a compound to create an accelerated bacterial culture machine, to cure your flu back then. The First revealed the place was rigged to hell and back with explosives, which had damaged Rick beyond help. He died right after instructing the First to protect you by all means." Morty"s breath hitched. Mr. Meeseeks wondered whether telling him was a good idea; but he already knew, partly. He deserved the whole picture. "We did our best, but we were portraying a complex mad scientist with issues that no one can even guess at. We did our research, with little success. All we could do was guess based on your reactions. We could only live for so long, each Meeseeks, but our combined knowledge gave us enough insight to fit in somehow. The first and only priority was to keep up Rick"s image to protect you, and to prevent getting you matched up with a Rick who won"t treat you right. We meant no harm. If anything, we learned to love you. Hopefully as much or as little as the real Rick did." Morty slid down along the shelf to the floor. Suddenly the world was blurred; suddenly, that blur cleared when he felt two fat teardrops collide against his wrinkled tuxedo pants. "You did great," he said, masking the hiccup with words. Mr. Meeseeks picked up the can of beer it had taken earlier and downed all its contents. It gave Morty a few minutes to come to terms with the lie, dry out his eyes, and release the pent-up breath he"d been holding ever since...when was that? Mr. Meeseeks wish it knew, so it could punch the Previous who had left the journal in plain sight. More importantly, however, Morty was grieving, which Rick absolutely forbade. Did that mean it failed the quest? But in other words, did that mean the quest was finished? Both of them looked up when they heard footsteps approach the garage. Mr. Meeseeks hurried to reactivate the hologram and kicked it back underneath the workstation. Summer peeked in, and with one glance her indifferent mask became one of excitement. "What are we doing?" she said as she stepped in and closed the door. She had discarded the dress to don one of her old tank tops and capris. "One last hurrah before we forsake our childhood?" she added with a wink to Morty. "Rick" watched Morty look up in absolute horror. Ha, the poor kid had always been this way. It was time for him to grow up, move on. Mr. Meeseeks had an inkling that it was its time to move on as well. "Summer, could you leave us alone, please?" Morty pleaded in a voice that was too tiny to belong to an eighteen-year-old. "No. Way. You haven"t changed at all!" remarked Summer, swatting her brother"s pleading arm from her own. "Rick" didn"t fail to notice the strained calm in Morty"s voice. It had really come far, thanks to the shared knowledge through the years. It would recognize the hurt in Morty"s words, since the Meeseeks itself, with this quest, was living proof that lies ripped the soul apart. "Nothing"s happening," Morty recited, "I"m going to college to pursue an ordinary life that I deserve, since I"m stupid, like everyone says." Summer"s face softened, but Morty went on: "I owe so much to Rick, you know? A background of wonder at the universe; a keen interest in science, and the art of not giving a shit to anything that doesn"t matter; a lifetime"s worth of fun memories. But we can"t bother him forever. We have to stand on our own feet," and thus saying, Morty stood up and dusted off his clothes, "and look forward, not back at all the good times we had." "Rick" smirked. "Well said." It remembered the half-hearted journal entry it wrote earlier. That would be the last entry. The mission was over. It was free to die. But not now, not in front of Summer. Summer looked as confused as she was annoyed. "What the hell are you talking about? It"s not like the world is ending. Things are going to be different, but nothing has to change change," she finished with a pout." She looked to "Rick" for support, but the latter didn"t respond to her cues for help. "Ugh! Whatever." Defeated, she yanked the access door open, cast the pair a scorned glare, and stomped out. "Rick" had to chuckle at the way things turned out. The real Rick had been so concerned for Morty and discounted the fact that Morty was neither jaded nor weak, that he could still mature, much further than Rick. "So I"m free now?" Mr. Meeseeks asked. Morty nodded. "Yes...I think." Mr. Meeseeks reached under the desk again for the hologram box to undo the charade one last time. "Wait!" called Morty. He hesitantly approached "Rick" and, without warning, hugged it. The hologram fizzed and sputtered from the contact; Morty, eyes shut and tears streaming, didn"t notice. Mr. Meeseeks wasn"t as tall as Rick, was even thinner than Rick, didn"t move like Rick now that he could observe the difference: but this image was Rick"s last "gift" to him. Rick did care, despite everything he said. Mr. Meeseeks let him have this moment. It carried the weight of the four years, and that burden was about to be lifted, as soon as Morty let go. Poor kid, crying on his graduation day. Well, such days meant both endings and beginnings. It"s okay, one final kindness before sweet oblivion, Mr. Meeseeks consoled itself. When Morty, shoulders heaving with the effort to calm himself, finally released it, Mr. Meeseeks put the hologram box on top of the desk. It rummaged the drawers for the journal and placed it there too, along with the Meeseeks Box. "Glad to help, Morty!" it saluted. Morty watched the Last wave goodbye cheerfully, the first time he had seen "Rick" that "happy" about anything in four years. As it vanished in a puff of smoke, its farewell rang clear, still in Rick"s voice, "Take care of yourself! I"m Mr. Meeseeks! Look at meeee!" END

The Other Side Cezille07 What would happen when Elena left Zick? How did he handle it? Read the decade before "Ten Years" happened, from Zick"s side. Chapter 1. The Day She Left. He woke up to the sound of a car engine, and that familiar ticklish feeling in his chest-the Empathy-which told him Elena was within a mile"s distance. No, she was closer, judging by the intensity of the throbbing. Creeping down the stairs, all he needed was the slightest movement outside the window for any indication she was there. And there it was. A ray of sunlight reflecting against metal. It flashed across the ceiling, stopping at his eyes. She"s here. It was about time too. Yesterday, the Tutors hadn"t been easy on them. He couldn"t blame her if she was in any way upset about what they said. They said the two of them were irresponsible for attempting to stop the Tulkamans while Timothy was hunting down the Gaiga monsters. They said the two of them ought to be distanced. Zick would be confined to his house for a hundred years, a sentence they delightedly called the Centennial Punishment. No big deal. No going out but for school. Just a hundred years" house arrest. What distance was that? They were neighbors, schoolmates, and, would he dare use the term "best friends"? So where was she? So she spent the rest of yesterday avoiding him, and even slept over at Lonzo"s for the night. She didn"t seem to want to come back by the amount of extra clothes she lugged along. And now this. The reality of seven in the morning on a lazy Sunday only began to sink in. Zick blinked the sleepiness off and tried to focus on the gathering commotion outside...the car engine still humming, muffled cries from inside the house, Harvey rushing in and out of the house. Do it. Go. Just take a look. He shook his head. It was too risky. He had to focus harder. Empathy. Empathy. Connect with Elena. There was a small area filled with boxes. Boxes, full to the brim with clothes and other objects. They were all cramped to one corner while a steady stream of items was being thrown into them. The space flashed into a more vivid vision-a room. A pink room. A desk with a mirror. A study table. A girl with flaming hair was shoving her cat out the door with one hand as her other hand continued emptying her closet. Zick took a gulp and several deep breaths before he fully understood what he just saw. He had to focus harder.... I don"t get what"s with me! Why did I decide, even think, that I wanted to go in the first place? Silence. Pressure. Weight on both arms. I hate it. Always leaving me out, but when I finally get involved he blames me. An upwelling of anger in the chest. And a sharp pain on the right fist, as if a blow against cement. I hate you, Zick! I hate you! We"ll see how you like your Centennial Punishment alone. I"m not a Tamer, I"m not part of this. I won"t suffer it with you! Enough, enough focusing! Zick looked up. Two Bursties were watching him tremble. "Get away from me!" he cried. The watchers popped one at a time; when they reformed, they flew at top speed toward the kitchen. But he was more worried about what he heard. Why would Elena think that? If he left her out it was usually for her good...though when she came anyway, it was for his.... No, he wasn"t going to sit there anymore. "Elena! Elena!" He stepped out of the door and withdrew himself. The wind was still chilly. "Elena!" he called, ignoring the numbness it gave. "Elena!" His voice sounded less than a whisper. Julie emerged for the first time, carrying one twin in each arm. "You!" she said at the sight of him approaching. She put down the infants in the back seat of the car and returned to him, driven by some force-anger? Impatience?-that she threw a sharp look at him. And he got it. Stay. Away. From. Her. He felt small and powerless. Julie stomped back inside the house to fetch something else; meanwhile Harvey came out with more boxes. He let them fall on the pavement when he spotted Zick standing in front of the car. "What are you doing here?" he asked. And Zick knew his answer. It was just that he couldn"t tell the truth now. "Excuse me," Harvey went on, picking up the boxes. He put those in the trunk and rushed back inside. It hit him: They weren"t talking to him, they were angry with him. They were hiding Elena from him. They were going away. Now it sank in. And that was more painful. He turned at the sound of a baby"s cry. He peered inside the car. It was Charlie, who had just awoken. He was crying. "Ma! Ma! Mama!" His first word! "Mama! Mama!" Was he worthy enough to be the first to hear it? "Mama!" Charlie repeated, "Mama!" His voice was loud enough to send Julie running outside, tears lining her cheeks and a large beam on her lips. "Oh Charlie!" she said, as happy as she was surprised. "Harvey, come and see this! Harvey!" She paused. She wouldn"t dare call Elena in front of Zick. He had a sinking feeling in his chest that had nothing to do with this scene. He looked up at Elena"s room, tried to look through the closed, dusty window. Elena, where are you? Why are you hiding? He dragged his feet back home, trying his best not to glance back where he came from. Once she left, his whole life would be over. He would have nothing to live for, nothing to die for. His existence would fall into nothing, to the cradle of worthless memories and endeavors. Something beeped on his clothing. It was a small band with a sensor, tied around his ankle. He had forgotten about it until now, now that it flashed red on and off, beeping like there was no tomorrow. He had forgotten, the Centennial Punishment- Three Tutors he didn"t recognize came toward him, grabbed him, held him down on the ground. While this took place Julie and Harvey quietly ushered Elena into the car. But of course he knew it. Empathy. "Elena!" he yelled. "Let me go, let me go!" The Tutors covered his mouth with a think cord, oddly sweet-smelling, as of a flower.... As of lavender. Lavender concentrate, their new weapon. "Elena...." It was odd. The plant had never affected him this way. His vision blurred, his entire body weakened. He felt the Tutors" weight crushing his lungs, but he couldn"t fight back, much less resist. "Elena...." was the last word he spoke. The Other Side Cezille07 Chapter 2. The First Dose. When he next awoke, he was in his room, surrounded by his family, Timothy, Jeremy, and the monsters-it was no surprise that the three Tutors were also there. "Greetings, Zick. I am the Tutor who will be watching you from now on. My colleagues here, they will carefully guard your family and these detainees," said the tallest of the three, in a voice far from friendly. "I hope you enjoyed our present for you," he added, chuckling with his associates. Zick shifted position-which was not the easiest thing to do; it hurt to move, to speak, to breathe. "Where," he coughed, "where"s...Elena?" They all exchanged concerned looks, and did not answer. His eyes lost focus. He closed them, retired to the utter comfort his bed provided. "Where"s Elena?" he asked again. Still no response. They weren"t going to tell him, were they? He made to sit up, but the lavender hindered all movement. "Why won"t you tell me?" As far as he knew, it was evening. It was cold once again, but whatever relief an early morning provided wasn"t there. Dare he ask the time? No. He already knew it was late, too late for anything now, even the Empathy. The throbbing feeling was gone, the thoughts he heard, thoughts that weren"t his own, were also missing. Even if he did try, his body fought back any effort to function. "When will you leave?" Zob asked, his voice warning. The Tutors looked at one another and entered a laughing spree. "Do you think we will leave?" answered the eldest. "Seriously? Us? Leave? No, we"ll be with you for a nice, long centennial, you can count on that." From where Zick lay, they looked like a celebrating bunch. Zob balled his fists, only Greta held him back. Unfortunately, the smallest of the three also saw this. "If I were you," he said, "I"d watch my conduct around us three. The Head Tutor doesn"t like any resistance, at least not while someone"s watching." "And don"t forget," the tallest added, "We"ve got this to keep you in line." He showed them a small, palm-sized box of wood wrapped in a layer of thick linen. "Lavender in its purest form, in its strongest concentrate. That"s what this little half-Tamer will get if any of you decide you don"t like what"s happening. What he"s high on right now has only a fraction of this wondrous drug"s power. Imagine the real thing rushing through your bloodstream, shutting down all your systems one by one until eventually...you don"t want to know," finished the eldest. "But what did I do?" Zick croaked. The three Tutors laughed again. "Have you no clue?" taunted the smallest. The eldest went on, "You don"t recall our verdict yesterday? The house arrest?" The tallest continued, "Your little escapade this morning didn"t go unnoticed, and that goes for all of your future plans. I hope you don"t intend to see your pretty girlfriend in the next hundred or so years! But by all means, I dare you to go ahead. We"ll be glad to punish you anytime you like." "So she is gone?!" he forced out. The very last strands of hope Empathy provided didn"t comfort him. She was gone, far, far away. And it was his fault. He had his best friend, the only person brave enough, strong enough, human enough, to bear his stupid allergies and his bad decisions, run away. She bore those things patiently...until now. Now, she was just another stranger fleeing him. She was far and cold and loveless, wherever she was. She had no one-as if she needed anyone anyway. But he needed her. She was the only light his eyes had ever seen, the only warmth his heart had ever known. For anyone else to show such attention and friendship, that wouldn"t compare to having one special person remain by his side forever. Oddly, his brain started working again. He sat up straight, eyed each one of the three Tutors-this way, he"d remember their faces forever. "One more," he said, staring them down. "Give me another." Confusion was written all over their faces, and the tallest only made this more obvious by asking, "What? Another what?" "Another dose!" "NO!" cried Greta. She embraced her son, tried to hide him from them. "No more! He won"t leave the house! He won"t do anything wrong!" Of course, they didn"t listen. "What you"re doing is far too much! Have you no hearts, no minds?! Are you real Tutors? But I can see you, you"re no shape-shifting creatures. I must be dreaming. But no, don"t pinch me. If I"m awake, I don"t want to know." Zick looked up at his mother"s face, but he saw a different woman. It was her eyes-behind them, there was no depth, no soul. "Don"t, stay away!" she repeated. "Don"t hurt us, we"ll do what you say. We"ll do it, we"ll do it. Don"t hurt us, don"t, please, don"t. We"ll do what you say...." Maybe Zob witnessed what his son did, but made no further reaction. He merely observed the Tutors, perhaps asking what, how, why-the usual questions that had no answers. "I like the look of this," commented the eldest. His partners nodded enthusiastically. "Then I think it"s time to go, for now," he announced. "I feel this is going to be the start of a beautiful journey!" "I was having fun," the tallest stated in a glum manner. The smallest walked over to Greta and watched her cringe. "Don"t worry, mommy! I"m a good boy, I"ll do what you say. Don"t cry, boohoo!" They filed out of the room, laughing among themselves. "We"ll be back tomorrow! Ciao!" called the tallest. The Other Side Cezille07 Chapter 3. Five Minutes of Silence. He didn"t know how much time had passed since he last paid serious attention to the world around him, to the number of calendar pages that had been torn out. No, even the calendar had changed. A small number had been added to the last digit of the year. But yes, it had been a long while. Things became habit, activities were routine. The daily visits from their three unpleasant guests who didn"t bother with catification. Going to school and back home to learn things that would leak out his brain anyway. His father"s distance, his mother"s silence. Even the monsters spoke less and less to him. He felt this made him less and less human-as if he were a robot going on concrete orders given, lest he paid the price for disobedience. He could surrender his hands, his sight, his hearing, his mind, and still carry on living the way he did. It would be easy to forget people, places...if it weren"t for that photo of Elena standing on the fireplace next to their family picture. If not for that, he"d have forgotten her too-but who wouldn"t, what with the monotony and dullness of this sick, dreary world? Nothing was happening, everything was an illusion, life had no meaning.... "Zick!" What? Who? It was only Greta. But she hadn"t spoken in a long time-at least, not when he wasn"t intoxicated by lavender. "Yes?" he asked, or so he tried. Something was stuck in his throat, he couldn"t tell what. It had been there for quite a while, but it didn"t seem practical, not worth the effort to think about. "Yes?" he forced out. "The phone! Someone wants to talk to you!" answered Greta from the kitchen. Really? After a series of stiff, difficult movements he was able to pull himself out of bed for the first time that day and drag himself downstairs. He hung the receiver on his shoulder and propped himself on the wall. He cleared his throat. "H-hello...." He couldn"t even say a casual greeting anymore? What a shame, to be a Tamer who couldn"t command, who had no voice. But maybe the three Tutors were right. He was only half a Tamer anyway. So of what use was his Voice Dom? He stopped using his powers the day she left. "Zick?" It was a girl. A female voice he swore he"d recognize anywhere, anytime but here and now. But no, it can"t really be.... "Elena?" At this word, more than one head appeared at the door. Everyone gathered around him, curious, apprehensive. He couldn"t blame them. He had known they sort of "liked" her, the idea of the collective "them", of a compound "Zick and Elena". It just felt right. She had been gone for so long; maybe, just maybe, now was the time to get that shaken past back on track. He waited. On the other end, she waited. What, were they going to stand there, miles apart, only to listen to each other"s breathing? Had they nothing more to say? No, of course not! "H-how are you?" "I"m...okay. And you?" How he missed that voice! Her sweet, gentle tone. He could feel his heart banging in his chest. What would he say? "Same here." Now what? To ask the obvious? "So...why"d you call?" He had somehow been expecting an answer to the question, "Why"d you leave?" It startled him that she answered with something he"d been dying to voice out, "Well, I...I...you know, I missed you." He wanted to faint, or jump for joy-or disintegrate into nothing. Would he dare say "I missed you too"? He gulped. With the monsters around it seemed more difficult. But he had to be brave for her, for them, the collective "them". He heaved a sigh and prepared to say it. This would be the one big shot of his life. Do it, say it, tell her! Then she spoke. "So...I gotta go now." What? No! Stop her! Think, brain, think! Why won"t you do something! You don"t even know where she is, how to contact her. You"ll lose this chance, you"ll never talk to her again. Say it! Now! "Wait, I wanted to tell you something...." "What is it?" He let himself slide down the wall into a relaxed, seated position. Just say it. "Elena," he began. That lump was reforming. He looked at each of the monsters" eager faces and took a deep breath. "Zick?" He felt his face grow hot when she said it. He missed her saying his name. There was his special ring to it when she said that word, the way only she can say it. He grasped the phone and exhaled. "Say it again." "What?" He waited. On the other end, she waited. He thought, maybe it was alright if they did just wait there, listening to each other"s breathing, if only to bask in this brief moment of connection between them. He closed his eyes. Even her breathing was soothing and pleasant. When she asked, "Zick? What is it?" it wasn"t an irritated inquiry the way she often asked, it was a question of concern. And at that moment, he did another thing he stopped doing since she left-he smiled. Why she had to hang up right then was a mystery. Well she did say she had to leave. She waited for his statement but it never came. She had every reason to be confused and angry, if she wanted. Or she could as easily forget the whole incident. Forget him. He dropped the phone. Didn"t bother to hide the evil liquid that streamed down his face. She"s gone. Again. And for the second time in his life, he let her go without saying the three magic words, possibly the only words powerful enough to catch her attention, and bring her back to him...forever. The Other Side Cezille07 Chapter 4. No More Birthday Cards. After that phone call, shall we just say it wasn"t wrong to start hoping again? Dreams were free. They took him to wherever she was; in it, she never avoided him, she"d always be happy to see him, and she"d be pleasantly surprised whenever he"d say.... Beep! The search was done. As expected, there weren"t any results. He wanted to hit the keyboard, blast the monitor with his Energy Dom-or rather, what was left of it. He skipped class that day to stay in the library and use up the free internet time the school provided for research purposes. And research he did. Databases, journals, newspapers, blogs, networking sites. He had exhausted every resource for the slightest hint of her location: it turns out Elena wasn"t the only unlucky girl named after a common vegetable. Of course, she was the only girl named after a common vegetable he"d pay attention to. For your sake, stop already. He blinked the thought away. Stop, that"s one thing he"d never do. But the list of things he"d stopped doing after she left had been growing increasingly long with each passing year. The only thing missing was to add to the Things-I"d-Never-Do-in-Life list. Hang on. An idea crossed his numb mind. No, it wasn"t a new idea. It lingered in the back of his head minutes before every dose of lavender concentrate: the concentrate was a potion, and who else was a master, or mistress, of potions? A woman he wouldn"t dare approach with a thirty-foot pole. On the other hand, that hag, the Anguana of Er, was the only one who could possibly help him now. He looked around. The other students were busy typing and clicking, socializing and researching. He was alone, no one to bother him, no one to inspire crazy but bright ideas nevertheless. If he wanted to, he had time. And who cared if he didn"t? Let the Tutors find him. Let the monsters worry. If this was the last thing he"d do for himself...forget Elena. He stretched his arms and sighed. He"d get a text message soon from his mother, telling him to come home. By now she knew his regimen by heart-to wait for any sign of her, a call, a letter...any hint that she was still thinking about him somehow. But he knew her regimen too. He"d wait every single day for something that wasn"t coming. It was clear, and it wasn"t. He tried everything, and nothing. Perhaps what he"d been counting wasn"t their distance, or the seconds they were apart, but the time until he realized there wouldn"t be any more phone calls or birthday cards coming from her. Count down to the moment of truth when harsh reality woke him up from whatever bliss and diversion his dreams fed him. How long had he been just sitting there? He had lost track. Once again, he forced his unwilling feet to move him out of the library, out to the main gates. He surveyed both directions-one that led home, the other that led to the rest of civilization. What time was it? It took a long while before his mind registered what he saw, five in the afternoon. Time, there was time. The Tutors won"t suspect anything until later in the evening. For now...what now? Would he seriously...? He had no idea how he found the place, but it was a great edifice made of steel and glass, nothing like the pictures he found on the online maps. Her Detention Oasis looked anything but a Detention Oasis. It was at least five stories high, and each had only one window. The windows were sealed shut. The entrance gate was the only movable segment of the building; however, it was left unguardedly open, to welcome visitors? Or perhaps it was a reverse-psychology strategy to lure unsuspecting innocents into its treacherous depths.... He followed the narrow hall, only half-observing the countless doors lining each side. At the very end stood a majestic door, metal, laden with rusted locks of all sorts. Two large creatures eyed him with suspicion. "Who goes there?" one asked, while the other came closer and checked his clothes for weapons. "I came to see my "dear" aunt," he lied. The guard Bombos exchanged looks, and opened the door for him.

"I am happy that you are worried for me but worry not. She is not as powerful as you think" Shinku said calmly. Jun sighed and said "just be safe" as he picked up Usami and took her into his room for some greetings. Shinku then said "I see that we meet again" In front of her was Barasuishou and Enju standing. Enju then said "Tsk. Rozen"s doll. Im going out of here" as he walked out with Barasuishou. Just then, Jun came running down from the stairs and said "HOLY CRAP WHAT HAPPEN TO EN- where did they go?" "they left just now" Shinku said. She looked at Jun and then said "where did you go just now?" "I went to the....world of the dead" "how is that even possible?" "well....Kira made this black hole and pushed me in. and then I found myself over there. How I got out is thanks to Usami for that" "tell me....did you see?" "ah yes. I saw Suiseiseki, Souseiseki and Hina over there. They were doing fine but it was a dark and lonely world over there". Shinku nodded and stood up while saying "now...Nori is away. dinner time" Jun nodded and put on an apron as he took out some cooking ingredients. About an hour or so, Jun called out "Guys! Dinner time!" and with that, Usami and Shinku came to the table. Jun prepared the food and he said "wow...its so peaceful here. Its just the three of us" "yes. Its quite peaceful" said Shinku. Usami remained quite but she said ".....hungry". Jun laughed and said "do you know how to use a spoon?". Usami nodded and no and Jun said "hmm...im gonna have to feed you now". Usami nodded as he open her mouth letting the spoon enter her mouth. She then just stayed there. Jun then said "....now to chew your food, just bite slowly and swallow" Usami nodded again as she chewed slowly and swallowed her food. Jun then said "I think that"s enough" as he saw Usami took the whole plate and gobbled it down. Jun laughed as Shinku sighed. Jun then begin eating his own dinner in peace. It was a peaceful night though. *Somewhere* Kirakishou was watching Jun and the others eating dinner. Kira then stared into Shinku and giggled while saying "oh my. What pretty eyes! And daddy used to say that she have the eyes of Alice. Im so proud to have a big sister like her! now what should I do about that body? Maybe im just going to use it for a while" as she laughed crazily which echoed through her Crystal Palace. *Back with Jun* Shinku suddenly sneezed and said "it seems that I have caught a cold" "wow that"s rare even for you" said Jun. he then received a daily hair slap. "ow...." Jun said as he rubbed his cheeks. Shinku sighed and left the table while saying "now if you need me, I am going to watch a special premiere of Kun-Kun" Jun nodded and picked up Usami who have fallen asleep and carried her into his bedroom while putting her on his bed. He smiled at her sleeping face and said "sweet dreams my daughter" as he closed his bedroom door and walked downstairs. He saw Shinku fell asleep on his couch. He smiled again and cover he with a blanket only to see her being dragged by a black hole. "SHINKU!" Jun shouted as he dived in the black hole with Shinku. *N-Field* Shinku open her eyes slowly to find Jun on top of her. "JUN!" she suddenly shouted and punched him in the stomach causing him to fly away several meters in the air. Jun landed and said "i...didn"t do this" as he stood up. Shinku with a red face now said "w-where are we?" "I think...we are in Kira"s N-Field" said Jun as he saw white crystals everywhere. He then heard a familiar giggled. Jun then said "watch out....Kira is lurking somewhere around-" he didn"t get to finish as he felt someone hugging his leg. He looked down and saw Kira with a creepy grin hugging his leg while saying "Jun-kun~ I missed you~" "KIRA!" Jun shouted as he jumped causing her to let go of his leg. "aww. I was having much fun" she said in a fake sad voice. Shinku frowned and stood infront of Jun as he spawned her cane and said "stand down Kira. I will not allow you to touch my servant" "I am not he-" "silence servant!" said Kira while laughing. Jun grumbled as Shinku said "now. If you are here for my Rosa Mystica, you can say goodbye to those dreams." "ah but I shall now! Now, Lets dance!" as she spawned a crystal sword and charged towards Shinku. Shinku held her cane up and blocked her incoming attack. She then used her strength force and lifted Kira up and threw her into the air and rushed towards her while thinking "I must draw the fight away from Jun" Unknowingly Kira had planned this, Shinku was suddenly blinded by a flash of light and found herself tangled in thorny vines which tore some of her dress away. Jun meanwhile saw a giant white crystal cover Shinku and Kira which he thought they must be fighting in there. *inside Crystal* Shinku saw Kira creepily crawling towards her and said "oh what a beautiful body you have there!" as she leaned closed and used her hands to rub her hand on her cheeks. "get of me!" Shinku demanded. "ah...beg for it" Kira giggled. "over my dead body!" Shinku said. Kira smiled and said "yes...over your dead body" as she spawned a crystal sword and drived it into Shinku"s chest only to feel something pierce through her body. *Back with Jun* Jun heard a scream and saw Kira"s body dropping down. He saw Shinku floating down next to him and said "come Jun...lets leave" as she took Kira"s Rosa Mystica away. Jun just nodded and found a black hole in front of him. He went inside first. Shinku looked back at the dead Kira body and smiled creepily as she said "ah....what a beautiful body this is" as she walked inside the black portal" End of Chapter DUN DUN DUN! What a short chapter again! But seriously! DUN DUN DUN! What will happen to them! Now here is the character review speech! "Shinku": Juuun~ Jun: Shinku?! What the hell are you doing?! "Shinku": PLAY WITH ME! Jun: *screams like a girl* KYAAAA! Suigintou: *sighs* people now days Usami: what are they doing? Suigintou: feat not child! Come join on my quest! Usami: okay Suigintou and Usami: Next time on Rozen Maiden Rache.... Momo: Revenge is a dish best served cold Hello guys! It"s me again with a new chapter. Now I know what I said on the last chapter about the "Sakura Mystica" thing but, after reviewing, I"m gonna give the Sakura Mystica ONLY to Usami. Why? Because like I said, after reviewing, I had put Momo and Lily with different life source of some sort. So here is a list of their life source....or Mystica: Momo: Life Mystica Lily: Death Mystica May: *haven"t got a name yet* Mary: *also no name* Usami: Sakura Mystica ....wow this is my most rambling....like I always say, enough of my rambling and lets get this show on the road! Episode 5 Chapter 1: Play Day and JUN SAKURADA?! Jun and Shinku went back into their house and arrived back at the living room. Shinku then hugged Jun"s leg and said "thank you Jun". Jun gave Shinku a puzzled look and said "what for? You did all the work and....why are you hugging my leg?" "oh....i just want to show you my thanks after all this time" Shinku said with a kind of sad tone. Jun then said "uh....RIGHT! SLEEPING TIME!" as he quickly ran upstairs. Shinku smiled and suddenly saw Usami on her left side. She looked at her and said "yes?" Usami frowned and said "you....like daddy?". Shinku nodded and said "no, it"s not like that. I"m just showing him my thanks, now child sleep!" as Shinku left her. Usami tilted her head sideways and said "since when she called me child?" Shinku went upstairs and saw Jun was getting ready for bed. "Jun....may I sleep with you?". Jun quickly nodded and said "No". Shinku frowned and said "alright then, I just have to sleep in my case...where it"s lonely and have potential nightmare"s....and-" Jun sighed and said "fine....". Shinku quickly went to bed and lied down. Jun went into bed with a little blushing face. Shinku then took of her head piece and set it next to her. she was about to take of her dress until Jun said "KEEP IT ON!" "why?...it"s going to be hot" "but...it isn"t...." "but it will hurt me!" "how will it hurt you?" "the buttons and stuff" "stuff? Shinku, you must have a really bed fever....just get some rest" Shinku took of her dress and lied down again and said "I"m taking it off!". Jun sighed and said "whatever" as he switched of the light. *Outside* Usami and Nori was currently hearing what was happening inside as Nori side "oh my gosh! My little Jun has already growned up!" as she comically fainted. Usami tilted her head again and said "what is....stuff?" Nori quickly picked her up and said "nothing! now let"s get to bed" as she took Usmai into her bed room. Next day, Jun slowly open his eyes and was about to move but for some reason he can"t. he looked into his side and said Shinku"s sleeping face as she hugged his arm. "SHINKU!" Jun shouted he jumped out. Shinku open her eye"s slowly and rubbed it and said "morning Jun" Jun grabbed Shinku on the arms and said "WHAT ON EARTH IS WRONG WITH YOU!" as he shook her wildy. Nori then came in and saw Jun, in his boxers shaking Shinku wildy. Nori then said "sorry for interrupting you two" as she quickly closed the door. Jun let go Shinku and ran of to the bathroom to take a bath. Shinku then smiled creepily and said "that"s right Jun...." *Later* Jun was walking home from school when he encounter Kururu. "ah, Jun-kun! How are you". he looked at her and said "I"m fine...how have you been?" "I"m good....soo, how is Nori?" "um...she"s fine" Kururu frowned and said "is something the matter?". Jun looked away and said "nothing". Kururu then said "do you....like me?" "what? I tho-" "I see....then...it was an un intention to date me?...then...you do not like me?" "Listen....i know what you"re saying but... I"m just not into those stuff okay?...probably right now but in the near future" Kururu smiled and said "I see...then I shall wait for" as she walked away. Jun mentally smacked himself and said "why on earth I am so bad with ladies?" Jun then continued to walk and passed by the Enju work shop. He walked inside only to be greeted by Barasuishou. "....." she went. Jun looked down and said "may I co-" he didn"t get to finish as she slammed the door into his face. Jun fell down and had a bloody nose and said "great...." As he stood up and walked away. Jun used his shirt to rub of the bloody stain and kept on walking towards his house. Jun suddenly jumped back and missed an incoming feather. He looked upwards and said "Suigintou" "Hello Human...how has life been treating you?" "it was fine until you came along" Suigintou frowned and shot more incoming feathers as Jun started running. "run run little boy" as Suigintou chased Jun. Jun was about to reach his door until it was cover by lots of feather. He looked upwards and saw Suigintou spawning her sword as she said "with out you....Shinku is nothing!" "have I heard that line before?" Jun said as he rolled forwards just in time to dodge Suigintou"s attack. Suigintou quickly turned around and pointed her sword into Jun"s neck. He stopped and gulped as she said "now...time to die" as she was about to stab her until suddenly Usami came in and stopped her with her katana. "?!" Suigintou went as she flew back. Then she smiled and said "ah...a new doll eh?...wait a second" as she stared into Usami"s blue eyes. "is that?" she said as Jun smiled and stood up while saying "ah yes...Usmai is my 5th doll....i made her eyes in the inspiration of Shinku. Suigintou smiled and said "I see...but I don"t think she is near powerful as her. now time to die child!" as she rushed towards Usami. Usami retracted her sword and suddenly open it quickly and retracting it again. Suigintou suddenly felt herself not being able to move. soon lots of blue line"s spread across her body and the house and it cut off. Suigintou felt her dress ripping apart. Jun had his eye"s widen and turned around. Suigintou hissed and flew of somewhere. Jun turned around and said "great work Usami....and how will we fix the house?" as he saw the top of his house was cut into pieces. Jun then saw Shinku coming out and used her powers to refix the house. Jun smiled and said "thanks Shinku". Shinku nodded as she said "....Jun. it"s tea time". "Got it" Jun said as he walked back inside with Shinku and Usami. He then saw Nori coming from upstairs and said "what was the racket down there just now?" Jun rubbed his head and said "something". Jun then proceed to make tea while Shinku sat down in the living room. she looked into the TV and said "....what is this thing?" Jun then went to Shinku and said "here is your Tea". Shinku nodded and picked up the tea and dranked it. Jun then said "Usami" as Usami put her sword on Shinku"s neck" "Jun....what is the meaning of this?" Shinku said. Jun frowned and said "you....are not Shinku" End of Chapter Alright....i guess this should cover it! Now I"m sorry for not updating fast! I was just...lazy.... xD Hello guys! It"s me again....sorry for not updating for quite some time! I was busy with studies now. Anyways, I hope you guys like the update from...quite some time again. Enough of my rambling and lets get this how on the road! Episode 5 chapter 2: Taking you back and Losing myself "You....are not Shinku" Jun said as he frowned at "Shinku". Usami still held her blade at her neck as she said "....White lady" as suddenly Shinku had a creepy grin on herself. "Kukuku...how did you ever find out?" said "Shinku. Jun sighed as he said "well...Shinku NEVER forget"s her Kun-Kun time. Though at first I though you were just tired. What made me surprised is that....why didn"t you know what is TV?" Shinku clapped her hands and said "well done Jun-kun" as she giggled and suddenly dropped dead on the floor. Jun was about to react when suddenly "Shinku stood up with a...hole on one of the eye. Jun looked on the floor and saw an eyeball lying on the floor. Then suddenly a white rose popped out as another eyeball dropped down and came out a yellow eye. The body was then cover by lots of white rose vines and suddenly transformed into....Kirakishou. Jun frowned and said "Kira!" as she giggled and floated away form Usami. "She"s dead now...Jun. like nee-san said...you are nothing without Shinku?" as Kira giggled. Jun then suddenly remember something. "Usami" as Usami nodded and cut a dimension portal in front of Kira as Jun jumped in with Usami causing Kira to looked a little surprised but jumped in as well. Jun fell into the hole and landed himself in...the realm of the dead again. He looked around and shouted "SUCCESS!" as he went jogging around looking for Shinku. Usami stayed back as she raised her blade. At the same moment, Kira dropped down and said "ah...land of the dead?" as she saw Usami with her blade up. Kira giggled as she said "now now child....it isn"t polite to swing around big knives like that isn"t it?" as Usami frowned and said "I won"t let you get to father!" as she took a battle stance causing Kira to giggled and spawn as crysal sword. Back with Jun, he was running around like mad man making the "dead" souls stare at him weirdly. "hmm...where are they?" he said as he looked around for the dolls. Then he realized it. He just stood there for a couple of minutes before feeling a painful sting on his cheeks. Shinku, who has appeared out of nowhere, said "Jun. what on earth are you doing here?" "heh...I knew that would work" Jun said as he smiled to himself. Shinku tilted her head to the side and said "what would work?". Jum smiled as he said "I know that, if it is pass your afternoon tea time, you would automatically appear our of nowhere and slap me!" as he nodded his head. Shinku just nodded and said "and?...what good will that do?" "I am here....to bring you back into the world of living!" said Jun causing Suiseiseki, Souseiseki and Hinaichigo to come by and said "what about us?" "You too!" said Jun as he put up a finger with the number "3" on it. Shinku looked confused when she heard an explosion inside behind Jun. they looked behind and saw a massive crytal pillar with Usami flying backwards and Kira chasing her. Jun then said "USAMI! NOW!" as she nodded and suddenly appear behind Kira. Kira was slow to react when she was kicked downwards. Usami then had her eye"s glowing as she said "Soul Sword" as he katana turned dark blue. Kira rushed towards her after from the fall only to be cut by Usami as she appear behind Kira. She didn"t respond when Kira said "tsk. That mere attack didn"t hurt me!" as Jun laughed. Kira looked at Jun as she said "why are you laughing?". Jun smirked as he said "that"s the point" as he pointed at Usami. Kirakishou looked at Usami and had her eye"s widen. In the hands of Usami, held the Rosa Mystica of Hinaichigo and Shinku. Suiseiseki gasped as she said "she is able to take out Rosa Mystica without killing her?" as Jun nodded. Usami appeared behind Jun and cut a dimension portal as she said "here" as she gave the Rosa Mystica back to Shinku and Hina as she hopped inside the portal. Jun knelt and went to Suiseiseki as he said "I"ll be back. Yours and Souseiseki"s Rosa Mystica is still with Suigintou" as he hopped back inside the portal causing Souseiseki to grab her arm and said "we gotta hide!" as she saw Kira standing there with a pissed of face. With a rage voice, she unleashed a glass shattering scream causing the soul people to run away from her. back with Jun, he arrived back in his house as Usami and the others fell down on the floor. They stood up as Shinku and Hina brushed themselves. Shinku looked at Jun as she said "thank you Jun." as she smiled a little. "THANK YOU JUN!" Hina shouted as she jumped on his head and sat there. Jun nodded as he said "now...to find Suigintou" as he put on his worn out sneakers and said "Lets go Usami" as she nodded and left with Jun and Hina. Then Shinku followed from behind not want to be left home alone. *Later* Jun was standing in front of the abandon church as he said "alright, let"s do this" as they all walked in. Jun looked around and shouted "Suigintou?" as he heard no respone. With a quick reflex, he ducked down and dodged an incoming feather. He than said "wow...that was close" "tsk...human" said Suigintou as she appear and sat on the cross. She looked at Shinku and Hina as she said "what is the meaning of this?" as Usami looked at her and said "she is....elegent" as Jun said "what is the random comment for?" as Usami shrugged. Suigintou spawned her sword as she said "tsk. Not matter, I am to eliminate all of you!" as she rushed towards Shinku only to be stopped by Usami. Suigintou flew backwards as she said "hmm...it seems the little one want"s to be in?" "I AM NOT LITTLE!" pouted Usami as she rushed towards Suigitnou and swing her katana sideways making Suigintou duck and kicked Usami on the gut causing her to fly away but as she reached the ceiling, she supported herself with her leg and rushed herself back towards Suigintou as she said "Soul Sword" as she suddenly appeared behind Suigintou hilding the Rosa Mystica of Suiseiseki and Souseiseki. "?!" she went as Usami appeared behind Jun and open the portal to the realm of the dead making Jun and the other"s hoping in. Suigintou stood there in shock. Back with Jun, he arrived back down and saw Kira standing there waiting for him as he fell down. "SHIT!" he cursed as he did an air backflip (they arrived from the air mind you) as he dodged an incoming crystal piece. He landed on his back making him feeling a stinging pain on his back. He didn"t waste anytime as he stood up and shouting "SUISEISEKI! SOUSEISEKI!" causing them to appear again as he said "no time!" as he grabbed them and said "USAMI!" as she open another portal. Jun was about to jump in only to be greeted by Suigintou. "SHIT!" he cursed again as he ran backwards only to be greeted by Kirakishou. "dammit!" he shouted. He was trapped between them as he said "Usami...needing a little help here" as Usami said "sorry father" as she cut a portal BELOW Jun making him fall inside following Shinku, then Hina and finaly Usami as she closed the portal making Suigintou frowned and Kira said "it seems....he"s still playing in the game?" *Sakurada Household* Jun arrived back down as he landed on his couch again. Then the dolls dropped on him making Jun saying "oof!" as they landed on his chest. The dolls rolled of him and landed on the floor with a "tump". Shinku was the first to stand as he brushed herself and said "I say...that was no way for a proper lady to travel". Jun laughed and said "well...thank god you guys are back" as he breathed a sigh of relief. The dolls nodded as they said "on guard....Kira and Suigintou is coming" as Jun nodded. He ran outside the house and said "let"s take the fight away from the house this time?" as the dolls nodded and headed for the park. There, Jun sat on a bench and waited as he suddenly saw Kira and Suigintou coming from a black portal. Suigintou looked around and said "where is the other trash?" "I"m afraid, I do not like being called trash as you yourself is one" said Shinku as she appear from the shadows with the other dolls. Suigintou then said "hmp...1 against all is it?" said Suigintou making Kira looked at her as she said "1?" as Suigintou spawned her blade and flew in the sky as she said "I"m afraid the deal"s is off Kira" as she took a stance. Kira giggled as she said "no! the deal is still on! Because I love my dear sister very much" as she spawned her crystal sword and pointed at Shinku. Suigintou just rolled her eyes and said "what ever" as she rushed towards Shinku and Shinku spawned her cane.

"Taking a bath with clothes is actually really comfortable, the baggy and soaky feeling of cloth in your arms and legs feels rather nice. I could do it with a towel but it won"t feel the same. Plus...the warmth stays within you..." I shook my head as Nobunaga smiled down at me, a rare thing she did. "Join me. I require some assistance." Mm...taking a bath with a beautiful girl...or ditch her entirely and take a bath on my own... "I demand you join me." Nevermind. Nobunaga scooted a bit forward before I placed myself within the bath...with my clothes on. "Huh...you"re actually right...it does feel nice to take a bath with your clothes on." "I told you so." Nobunaga mused and rested her back on my chest, instantly feeling comfortable. The shower was still on, filling the tub with warm water as Nobunaga sighed heavily. "Maya-kun..." She asked and tilts her head back, eyeing me with those crimson coloured eyes. "Did you think I did a mistake?" "Mistake?" "Was it too brutal? or...was it inhuman?" "What"s inhuman is that they tried to kill Issei in cold blood. I think you just protected him, so it can be considered a good deed..." "Mmm...being in Khaos Brigade, killing is pretty much a normal thing. Does it mean that by protecting someone while you murder someone else means that we all have a twisted sense of value?" "That we do...but we just kinda roll with it." "...it feels nice." Nobunaga mused and rested her head at the base of my neck, makes me wonder the Demon General is rather small in body frame...well...sort off short. I looked up in the ceiling and made a small sigh. "At least we got the first step we needed." "That we do." Nobunaga said in agreement. I looked down to see a solemn expression on her as she looked at her hands, which were still shaking a bit. I made a small smile and gently placed my hands on hers as she said, "Don"t worry. We"ll be normies soon enough, just have to look past by this whole facade thing. Mission is still a mission but it didn"t state we couldn"t enjoy ourselves." "...Yeah..." I made a small smile and leaned back, relaxing with her as Nobunaga sunk herself into me. Today was eventful, we made sort of made friends with Issei, earned Rias"s attention and finally killed off an enemy. Nothing like a good day at work. End of chapter Hey hey! we"ve finished the second chapter of our long journey guys! I guess it"s time to write a normal format, now I shall reply to reviews you guys posted! Review Replies To the reviewer named "Kirin": Mhm! Nobunaga is actually "Demon Archer" from the Fate Series. I was intended her to be a male OC but I was like, fuck it, let"s do this! and so here we are! as for her servants below her, I will use some Fate servants...I mean, because we can"t have a proper servant type of Fic with some Fate Servants can we?! To "Writer-san": And so, we meet again Senpai! and yes, I will use the Japanese Historical Figure like some Shinsengumi, Tokugawa etc, serving under Nobunaga herself! her faction revolves around japanese historical figures, but will have others as well. And down here are Harem lists! Seimei"s Harem: Rosswiesse (serving as the main girl later on), Nobunaga (also serving as a main girl), Walburga (also serving as a main girl), Raynare, Yasaka, Elmenhilde, Ophis. That"s all he has for now, he will have more but will be added MUCH more later on, for now, it"s these gals. Also, I warn you that romance is rather slow paced as I want to building up relationships, of course with the exceptions of Nobunaga and Walburga but that will be added on later. So! I guess that"s about it folks! we got to see a little hindsight of Seimei and Nobunaga"s power! I hope you guys were pleased and I hope you keep on reading! Jibster out! Hey guys, an update here. Sorry for late update, having other things going on but let"s not discuss this. Let us start now. Note: I do not own DxD and this story will have slight Guilty Gear AND Blazblue crossover. Probably some more verses but I"ll explain properly when the times gets there. Also added, I do not own Nasuverse seeing Nobunaga is inspired from there. Chapter 3: The Lending Hand and New Forces "...Fuuh. Thank you for the meals." Nobunaga said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up. I finished up my breakfast and started to wash the dishes. It was...the following day after the park. Recapping the events, I saved Issei, followed by fighting a Fallen Angel named Raynare and her lackeys only for Nobunaga to brutalize one of them and showed Rias of our strength. We had just finished breakfast as Nobunaga puts on her hat and red cape as she said, "Now then...what is our course of action today?" "Well..." I mused. "I think we should go meet up with Rias and the others, to...explains things." "Humph. Explaining things is not of my level, I leave things to you Maya-kun." "Right right..." I said, before tilting my head back. "Mm...speaking of which, where"s Mon-chan?" "He"s gone to fetch mail...from Cao Cao." "Cao Cao?" "He contacted me before my sleep yesterday. Says he has...something to tell us." "Tell us huh? Do you think he needs a hand in Kyoto?" "That...would make sense. The leader of the Yokai is not to be tempered easily let alone handled by a mere single person. So much as we have three of the four top Longinus on our side, we are still but young warriors. While I do admit Cao Cao and his...combat capabilities, I highly doubt even he can take her down alone." "Fair point. I sense road trip!" As if on cue, a crimson magic crest appeared in the middle of the house, followed by Mon-chan coming out of it in his large form as he carried two things, one on his shoulders and one in hand. Seeing as he was tall, I couldn"t see what"s the one on his shoulders but I noticed a large...paper of sorts on his hands. "Good boy." Nobunaga mused and eyed the paper as Mon-chan placed the large paper on the ground. The paper had a magic crest atop of it as I said, "So a magic mail? I thought they used owls and stuff..." Nobunaga rolled her eyes before placing her hand on the magic crest as it glowed, before lots of paper stacks came out of it and a single slip of paper with traditional Japanese words on it. "Oh that"s an onmyouji paper." I mused, before frowning. "Imbued with magic. Why would anyone use a Ki related object with magic?!" "I believe it"s important. Care to activate it?" I huffed but grabbed the paper with my index and middle finger, before channeling some of my mana onto it, and said, "Alright then...let"s see what does this thing do..." I threw the paper on a nearby wall before it went stuck there. A moment passed without anything happening, before a bright glow was seen coming in from the paper followed by it enlarging itself and a large door shaped portal was made. Nobunaga tilts her head as she noticed an actual hand sticking out...before Cao Cao came out of it. Wait...what? "Urf!" Cao Cao stumbled out of the portal as he dusted himself. "That went good. Hello again Seimei, Nobunaga." "Cao Cao? What are you doing here? W-What"s a damn portal doing in our house?!" I fumed as the young man grinned. "I suppose I could have told you earlier..." Cao Cao answered casually as he took a small stretch. Sighing, Nobunaga crossed her arms and said, "And aren"t you supposed to be in Kyoto?" "We...got held back a bit. I suppose attacking her while in her house, with her daughter, was a bad idea. Geez, note to self, don"t listen to Heracles. Damn bastard thinks about fighting all the time..." "And how did it went?" "She went berserk when someone thought it was a good idea to use her daughter as a leverage." "Hey!" A feminine voice cuts in followed by a girl coming out of the portal. "I-I thought it would made us in an advantage!" "...Honestly I"m not bringing you in these type of missions anymore Jeanne..." "Hey!" The Orleans Maiden complained as Cao Cao shook his head. In all this, Nobunaga took off her hat and sighed heavily. "Am I to assume that the portal is connected to HQ?" "Right-o Nobu-chan!" Jeanne chirped, before eyeing Mon-chan. "And hello again Mon-chan!" "Speaking of which, my team has retreated momentarily. With the alertness of Kyoto, I think we need Nobunaga"s Faction as well...." "Ha!" Nobubaga scoffed. "Mitsuhide and Souji is enough for this job!" "You know...three woman isn"t enough to take down the most powerful figure in Kyoto. While it hurts your pride, we still need Cao Cao"s Faction aid. Is this not wrong?" I mused earning a frown from Nobunaga, irritated at the fact I was right. "Speaking of which, where are they?" "Mitsuhide is tasked on with Rizevim while Souji is...well...trying to recover slowly. Taking down the guardians of heaven and recruiting Sun Wukong, not to mention coming into contact with the current Hakuryuukou AND helping up with more recruits not to mention doing this in her...condition is exhausting." Nobunaga said. "I have instructed her to take rest until further orders." "Haaah...surprised all this is done by one woman. Do tell who"s the new recruits..." Cao Cao asked as Nobunaga snapped her fingers as her magic crest appeared next to her and pulled out a paper from within. "The recruits are Sun Wukong, well not the Sun Wukong but rather "Bikou". Then there"s this Nekoshou, a wanted criminal of the SS rank in the Underworld and a stray devil at that...oh and here"s an interesting one..." "...?" "Wielder of the Caliburn and the direct descendant of King Arthur himself...well...Arthur Pendragon and his sister, Morgan Le Fay." "Didn"t Arturia say she had a brother?" Nobunaga smirked. "Interesting. To think my subordinates had such powerful siblings and lineage..." "Duh. We ARE the Heroes Faction." "Correction. We are. You are not." Nobunaga stated firmly as Cao Cao made a small frown. "Hey...low blow there. Seimei is just the same as we are..." "It"s cool." I grinned and ruffled Nobunaga"s head. "Nobu-chan just loves to flaunt her fancy speech even though she"s just a normal girl." "I am most certainly not normal! I am the direct-" "We know!" And so, after an eventful morning, Nobunaga and I left the safe house with Cao Cao and Jeanne staying behind. Apparently, his team needed a resting place and what"s a better place than the fancy place they set up themselves? Our safe house. In the middle of the goddamn enemy territory. Wouldn"t anyone notice the power of the wielder of the True Longinus?! "Do you think they"ll be calling us for Kyoto? Because like I said, the leader of Kyoto isn"t to be taken lightly..." Nobunaga mused. "Judging by Cao Cao"s arrival, I guess we"ll be called upon soon..." "Should I call back Mitsuhide and Souji?" "I think they"ll come when they know you"re in trouble but as of for now, we should refrain from attracting even more powerhouses to our area. While the Hero Faction, both yours and Cao Cao"s Faction, can subtly hide your powers, what if others like Rizevim-san or even Ophis comes in here?!" "You are aware they are masters of powers for over hundreds of years more, shouldn"t hiding their power be easy for them?" "...Fair point." "Let us not dwell on such trivial matters. We still have to explain to the Gremory Heiresses and while I do not like explaining myself to those lower of myself, we should get this done and over with as soon as possible..." I made a nod of agreement before arriving at the academy grounds. I placed my bicycle on it"s proper stand before walking with Nobunaga towards our class. As we entered the room, I sense staring before setting my gaze towards a certain red hair and glasses wearing girl. "I suppose the Sitri is already informed..." Nobunaga mused as she took her sit. I sat next to her and tilt my head back, with the devils still staring at us, before Rias stood up and walked towards my desk. "...Can we talk?" "Yeaaah...lets do that on lunch? I"m a bit lazy to do it now..." Rias looked a bit baffled, before I grinned. It was weird considering the fact that we just murdered someone in front of her yet here we are, acting civilized and stuff. As the day moved on, Nobunaga and I arrived at the old school building during lunch. I entered and instantly saw Issei sitting on one of the couch, before perking his head up and saw me. "S-Senpai..." He said nervously. No doubt about it, he saw Nobunaga murder someone for gods sake! Oh and I fought too... Rias and Sona arrived shortly after us as Nobunaga sat on the couch, opposite to Issei with me sitting next to her. We all had a moment of silence, before Rias made a small sigh. "...Where to begin now?" "I believe we should explain things to Hyoudou-kun here." I said. "Poor guy looks lost!" As if on cue, everyone stared at the distraught Issei, before Nobunaga smirked and stood up, placing her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest in a typical arrogant rich person pose. "Ha!" The Demon General said. "I suppose I could lend in a hindsight as to what is happening here, after all, we are humans are we not?" Issei nervously nods as Nobunaga coughed and said, "Humans! The main species of this life. They are but the top living organism since the creation of this world. But what they do not know are the lower beings below them!" Rias and Sona ignored the last bit as Nobunaga continued, "The Supernatural World! I"m talking about beings such as Devils, Angles and Fallen Angels! And this includes mythical beings such as Dragons! Unicorns and other amazing things that humans find...fictional. I can assure you...they are anything but fictional things!" As the Demon General lectured Issei who listened intently, I walked towards Rias and said, " Forgive Nobu-chan. She...loves to be the one in charge..." Sona pushed her glasses up and said, "I can see that..." After an hour of the most simplified explanation of the supernatural world, Issei looks surprised, scared and amazed at the same time. As he asked few questions, I whispered to Rias, "Can I ask something?" "...?" "Did you...take him in?" "...Not yet." Rias admitted. "I expected him to be in a more...critical state but seeing things are like this, I suppose I need his consent..." "And that concludes the prologue. I shall teach you more but we have other...pressing matters..." Nobunaga declared as I sat next to her again. Issei remained silent this time as Rias spoke up. "So...if I may ask...what...exactly are you two?" "Remember when I said we were freelance magician? We had jobs that require killing targets, rescuing targets and other stuff like that. Trust me, when I say we can fight, I mean...we can..." "And...what off Nobunaga?" Rias asked. "That...skeletal figure she had." "Mon-chan!" Nobunaga declared as said skeleton appeared from a crimson magic crest in it"s large form, easily towering everyone in the room as they became alert. Nobunaga opted an evil smile as she said, "This is Mon-chan! My...familiar to be exact. He was but a small undead skeleton when I got him but look at him now!" "Y-Your...familiar?" Gasped a nearby Kiba. Nobunaga smirked and said, "Surprised from it"s size? A true testament of his strength. I believe he can take down the Gremory and Sitri Peerage alone..." Rias"s eyes hardens as Nobunaga grinned evilly and said, "And...I believe you are familiar with my Hierarchical Blades?" Issei shuddered at the memory of Nobunaga forcing someone to commit suicide as I said, "Enough flaunting. Rias, this is Mon-chan, Mon-chan, this is Rias..." Despite his scary appearance, Mon-chan did a friendly wave towards Rias who blinked in surprise. I made a serious gaze and said, "But what are you really after Rias? Do you doubt our words?" "..." "It can"t be helped." Nobunaga mused as Mon-chan slowly enclosed itself towards her. The Demon General gave a pat to his head as she said, "Do we have to take down the Fallen Angels to earn your trust?" "Are you seriously...offering yourself to enter our affairs?" Sona questioned as I shrugged. "Hey, people needs to make a living too you know...not that we ask for payment or anything..." "You know..." Sona started as she opted a serious gaze. "You claim to have moved away from Europe to get away from the supernatural world and now you"re offering yourselves to help us, without payment. Wouldn"t that come across as weird?" I honestly had a bead of sweat as she said that, before Nobunaga smirked. "Would you have us take over this place instead? We could beat down filthy bats like you any day!" The Demon General boasted as Rias"s face went into alert. "Um...if they"re offering help, wouldn"t that be fine?" Issei suddenly spoke up in a nervous tone, before Nobunaga made an evil smile. "There you have it Gremory, Sitri. Would you accept our help or not?" "..." "I dislike repeating myself to such of those...lower than me but know this!" Nobunaga declared as she slammed her hand onto a nearby table. "We have shown you our pledge! We have shed blood in the name to earn your trust! Would you not trust us after we"ve taken a life away?!" "...Well..." "A life is still a life." I mused. "Be it Angels, Fallen Angels or Devils, or any other supernatural beings but it"s still a life. What more would it take to earn your trust?" "Such eagerness..." Sona went as she eyed us. "And how sure can you be?" Nobunaga went silent as she grits her teeth, before sighing heavily and stood up. "I do not wish to talk with such filthy bats. I will wait outside Maya-kun. Please, make these trash understand us humans on what we meant. I suppose our strength clouds their mind of the reality that they can"t handle a single problem without endangering a fellow human life and to use him for their own gain. Aah...truly such a foolish world this is..." The Demon General never bat an eyelash before walking out with Mon-chan slowly dispersing. As the doors closed behind Nobunaga, I sighed heavily and rubbed my forehead. "Look...we"ve said what we wanted to say..." I said and stood up, standing next to Issei. "I"ll be taking my leave to...let you think over things. Come Hyoudou-kun..." "Eh? Me?" "You are not their servant, nor off their own species. You are human and in my code, I do let supernatural beings control other races to their will...that is if you"re okay with this Hyoudou-kun..." Issei looked at me, then at Rias, before standing up. "I-I"ll be right behind you..." I made a nod and walked away, before eyeing Rias. "I had thought you were different from other Devils but...I suppose I might be wrong." "Aaah...such a feeble attempt it was. I knew I had better things to do rather than lowering myself and explain things." Nobunaga lamented as I shrugged. Currently, it was around after school as me and Nobunaga walked home...with Issei on tow. "Eeh? What does Chuuni-senpai mean by lowering herself?" Twitching her eye at the pet name, she sighed heavily and said, "We are humans. The closest most perfect thing to god. Why should I lower myself, a human, to explain such a simple statement towards beings lower than us?" "Well if you see it that way..." "I have to agree too..." I added my two cents. "I"m a bit shocked Rias and the others were more...distrusting that I thought..." "But it"s to be expected right? Gremory-senpai has...well...her reasons?" "You"ll understand on what we meant Hyoudou-kun..." "Issei." "Huh?" "You can call me Issei. Hyoudou-kun is...too formal for my tastes..." I made a small grin and said, "Alrighty then! I"ve got a kouhai who allows me to call him by first name! You can call me Mayakashi! Or Maya! Or-" "How about just Senpai?" "That works too!" The three of us, mostly me and Issei, had a conversation before we arrived at a park. As the sound of a little boy crying was heard, we all turned around attention towards a young boy with a scraped knee sniffling with a...nun near him. The three of us were about to continue our way when- "...Wait." Nobunaga said. "Look." Issei and I looked towards the nun...before her hands glowed green. What the- "Hoo...a Sacred Gear." Nobunaga mused as she opts an amused face. The nun angled her hands at the scraped knee of the kid as his wounds begins to heal instantly. "And it"s Twilight Healing." "Twilight Healing?" Issei went as I made a small frown. "So...it"s the abandoned one..." "Abandoned?" "I"ll explain later enough..." Nobunaga said as the kid said his thanks and walked away. The nun rubbed her forehead, before a gush of wind blew of the nun"s veil away. "Aah!" Issei reacted and helped the girl as Nobunaga and I stood in a distance. "The abandoned one...or rather, the "Heretic". The one who healed the Devil and the one who has Twilight Healing. Asia Argento was it not?" Nobunaga said in amusement as I instantly "konked" her head. "Do not hit me!" "I swear if you even try to recruit the poor girl I will take away your monthly allowance." "Kuh! You monster!" "I learn from the best." I smirked and walked towards Issei and the nun. "Oi Issei, stop staring at the girls face and give her back the veil already." "S-Senpai!" Issei stuttered as I stood in front of the two and made a small bow. "Hello there, its strange to see a foreigner here. Are you lost?" "O-Oh!" The nun went. She was...speaking in Italian it seems. "H-Hello there!" She struggled to speak Japanese. "U-Um...I...I am....Asia Argento!"

"GUYS!" shouted Kanaria as she appeared out of nowhere. "What is Kanarita?" said Suiseiseki. "ITS KA-NA-RI-A!" "right, so whats seem to be the problem?" said Lily as she walked out. "ITS JUN! HE"S BEEN STABBED AND KIDNAPED BY KIRKISHOU!" everyone stood silence there for a while before crashing through the window. as everyone rushed through the city, Suigintou came out from the shadows and went through a mirror going somewhere. *Back with Jun* "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS THING?!" shouted Jun as he ran away from a giant crystal lion chasing him. Jun founded a small hole and hid in it. as he rested for a while, he felt a someone behind him. he turned around to find "SUIGINTOU?!" "Hello hu- Jun" she said in a soft voice. Jun blushed a bit and said "What are you doing here?" "saving you" "Why?" "Because your friends forced me to" "Oh" Jun said with a sweatdrop. just then the lion came back and roared loudly but was suddenly stopped due to its head getting cut of from Suigintou"s sword. "remind me not to piss you off" said Jun. Suigintou ignored Jun as Kirakishou appeared and said "Nee-chan! you werent suppose to ruin the fun" she said with a pout face" Suigintou remained quiet as she suddenly rushed towards Kirakishou. Kirakishou giggled as she summon a crytal garden from the ground making Suigintou flying away. Jun then shouted "Suigintou, we"ve got to get out of here!" Suigintou frowned a bit but then flyed towards Jun and carried him through a mirror and escaped. Kirakishou just smiled and snapped her fingers. inside Juns body, the crytal that Kira used to stab Jun, is slowly crystalizing Jun"s body system, oragans and etc. *Later* Jun and Suigintou arrived at the hotel to find no one has returned home. Suigintou put Jun down as she repaired the window and then sat on the table. Jun wondered what was with her until he heard a stomach growled. "Oh, are you hungr-" "Shut up" "time to make dinner" said Jun as he proceed to the kitchen and made something. Suigintou stared at Jun as he begin doing some stuff. *1 hour later* Shinku and co. arrived at the hotel to smell a well cooked food. they ran to the kitchen to see Jun eating with Suigintou. everyone jawdropped (except Shinku). "Hey guys" said Jun with a mouthful of food in his mouth. "wanna eat?" Shinku and Suiseiseki stared at Jun with dark aura"s. "is something wrong?" said Jun about to run for his life. "nothing is wrong JUUUUUUUUUN!" "SHIT" shouted Jun as he ran away from two very angry/jelous dolls. hmm, i think that should do for it :/ imma get started for my H.O.T.D fanfic. see you guys soon! RIGHT! IM GONNA CONTINUE THIS FANFIC! Sorry for all the...not updates :'( im gonna make it up to you so you will read! Enough of my talks and lets get this show on the road (god I miss that line) Episode 3 chapter 3: a single thorn in a white rose Jun woke up from his sleep after yesterday"s running marathon. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and saw someone next to him. He open the bed sheet"s and founded...."Suigintou?" "uungh...one more...minute" she said in her sleep. Jun smiled and cover her in the sheets again. Jun stood up, did his morning rituals and looked outside the window of America. Now that they had a hold of Pandora, they are gonna fly home tomorrow. Jun yawned again and went to the kitchen and saw his favorite break first made by Suiseiseki. He smiled and picked one bread and munched on it. He was about to take a sit when he felt the door open. He turned around and saw Yuuki walking in with Lily. "Hey Guys!" said Jun with a mouthful of bread. "Bad Father! Its no good to talk with food in mouth!" pouted Lily. Jun swallowed and sheepishly smiled. He stood up and said "Where did you guys go?" "We took a walk form 3am till...now" said Yuuki sleepily. "Why did you wake him up so early?" said Jun in a kind of serious fatherly tone. Lily put her hands behind her back and rubbed her leg with her other leg and said "i-I just want to spend some time with Yuuki" Jun smiled and patted her head and saw...Yuuki fell asleep while standing. He laughed and dragged him to the couch for him to sleep. Then he heard Lily yawned and said "Im...sho shleepy" as she almost faint. Jun caught her and put her between Yuuki. He smiled and said "Man they grow up so fast" as he walked outside the room bringing a spare key with him. He walked outside with his normal jacket and pants with sneakers. He felt alive knowing the whole world knows about living dolls. Just then a guy in suit came in and said "Hey kid!" Jun turned around and saw a guy infront of him. He had blonde hair and his eyes covered with sun glasses, had a black suit and carrying a paper. "are you that kid that created the dolls?" "Yes I am" said Jun proudly. The guy breathe in and said "Someone"s wants to meet you in the broadway theatre tonight, you may bring your friends to watch along but at exactly 9"oclock, you must be at back stage. Here is a special pass" as he gave jun a red pass. Jun nodded and he walked away. Jun seemed a little confused but shrugged and continued his daily walk until he heard someone said "Jun" He turned around and saw "Suiseiseki? What are you doing her?" Her face was a little red when she said "I...want to walk with you". Jun smiled and held her hand and walked with her. She was now crimson red on her face whom Jun didn"t notice because he was busy looking around. *Later* Jun was preparing himself for the "meeting". He still didn"t felt safe though. Anyways, after dressing in a black suit, with a black necktie, he slicked his hair all the way back and walked outside the room and saw everyone stare at him. "Jun? where are you going?" said Shinku. Jun looked at her and said "I got invited to "Broadway" and I was told that someone wants to meet over there". Then Suigintou said "This doesn"t sound very safe at all...." "I know" said Jun. "that"s why I will bring you" he said as he looked at Suigintou.".....what?" everyone said. Then he bent down and said "I trust in your ability to protect me" Suigintou blushed and turned around and said "I-.....will come along just to see what is place!". Jun smiled and said "But first, you need a change of clothes" "why?" she asked. "Because, I don"t want to attract attention" he said. Suigintou nodded and said "And where will you get one?" "I made one just in case!" he said as he dragged Suigintou to a room. Shinku and the other"s just raised an eyebrow. *after dressing* "come out now" said Jun as he waited infront of door. "No! I look stupid" Suigintou responded from inside. The others were wondering if she really looked bad but it was impossible if it was made by Jun. "Aw c"mon, it isn"t that bad! You look good" said Jun. "I-if you say so" Suigintou replied as she open the door slowly causing everyone to look. What the next scene they saw, it was enough to make Shinku just a little jawdrop. Suigintou had long black strapless dress, covering her legs. She had long sleeved black gloves and wore high-heeled black boots with little roses on the feet. She still retain her trademark headpiece. She also somehow retracted her two black wings into two small tattoo visible at her back. Everyone stared at her in amazement. Then Megu came running and hugged her and said "OH LOOK SO CUUUUUTTTTEEE~!" Yuuki and Jun sweatdropped and said "right, now lets get this show on the road!" Suigintou nodded and walked outside the room. once the door closed, everyone sighed and said "wow, those two are really close" "excuse me?" said Shinku. Everyone turned silent and do their own thing. Unknowingly, Suiseiseki was clutching her dress tightly. *with Jun and Suigintou* Jun and Suigintou was in the lobby waiting for their transportation. Then Suigintou said "do I look....bad?" "you? never in a million years" said Jun. Suigintou blushed again and looked elsewhere. Just then, a LIMO came in and came out a person in a tuxedo and said "Mr Sakurada?" "That would be me" replied Jun. the man looked at Suigintou and said "this is?" "Suigintou" said Jun. "she will be with me the whole night" Jun said again. Suigintou looked at him and said "what is this moving contraption?" "it"s a....car" said Jun. she nodded and stepped inside while the tuxedo man said "I"m afraid that, this will be a 3 hour trip" "Why?" "Its because due to the traffic jam"s. people is excited to see the new performance at Broadway" "its alright, take your time" said Jun with a smile. The tuxedo man smiled and said "Thank you" as he closed the door. Inside, Suigintou looked rather...panicking. "are you scared?" said Jun. she quickly turned back into her coolself and said "W-WHY WOULD I BE?!" "You"re scared" "Yes I am" she quickly said. Jun smiled and said "Here, let me teach you more about the human world" as he picked up Suigintou and sitted her on his lap. She blushed and said "i-it"s not that I wanted this!" Jun smiled again and said "now, what would you like to know for starter"s?" "I want to know about this....car" said Suigintou. Jun then said "Car. A moving mechanic invented in the year...well I don"t know. All I know is that, it is a moving mechanic that lets one move through over long distance in a short time" "I see...I want to know about...the human body" "wait, what"s the sudden change of-" "Please?" she said with puppy dog eyes. Jun sighed and smiled and said "fine then. Okay....the human body is" *an hour later- remaining time on car: 2 hours* "and that"s where the fluid comes out. Now lets never talk about it ever again" said Jun. Suigintou nodded and rested her head on his shoulder while saying "sleepy" Jun smiled and caressed her hair slowly. Suigintou felt at peace and closed her eyes, finaly sleeping. Jun yawned, feeling also sleepy, fell asleep. He was having a nice sleep until he felt clutching on his shirt. He open his eyes and saw Suigintou looked....restless? she then said in her sleep "nooo....ICE CREAM MAN! DON"T EAT ME!" Jun sweatdropped and decided to warp his arms around her trying to make her feel better. Suigintou then looked somewhat at peace and said "zzz.....Marshmellow" Jun sweatdropped again and closed his eyes trying to get some rest before the big night. Unknowingly, Suigintou planned for this. After an hour or so (remaining time: 1 hour) Jun woke up and saw Suigintou staring at the....cupholder. "What are you doing?" said Jun. Suigintou quickly looked at him and said "what is this circle thing?" "It"s a cupholder" said Jun with a blank face. Suigintou then took of her headpiece and tried to put it in there. "why it wont work?" said Suigintou. Jun never replied because he stared at the beautiful person/doll infront of him. Suigintou noticed this and quickly put it on again and looked away while blushing heavily. Jun then said "err right! A cupholder isn"t for your...headpiece. It for well...cups!" as he pick a random cup from nowhere and put in there. Suigintou looked somewhat amazed and stared it in awe. Jun recalled again her smile is always beautiful. Suigintou then looked outside the window and stare in amazement. Jun then said "You know...sometimes you have a kiddy side inside of you" "I do not!" Suigintou quickly said while looking away. "oh yes you do. You should see you face with the cup holder or when you tried to put your head piece in it!" said Jun while laughing. Suigintou suddenly spawned her sword and said "Stop laughing if you want to live" "y-yes ma"am" said Jun quickly. Suigintou made her sword disappeared and said "sorry...it seems I still have my evil side" and looked rather sad. Jun patter her head and said "its okay, everyone has an evils side" "thank you" said Suigintou. Jun smiled when suddenly the car stopped. The driver looked back and said "Mr Sakurada, we have arrived at our destination" Jun nodded and saw someone open the door. He then said "Suigintou, you go first" She just nodded and went outside first causing many photographers....photoing her. Then Jun came out and picked up Suigintou and cover her eyes. She smiled and said a soft thank you as Jun walked through all the interviews and walked inside the theater. Later inside, Jun was sitting in the VIP area with Suigintou when she said "a musical?" "Yeah something like that. Do you want to stay here longer? Because after I have a meeting, I want to go home as fast a possible" "I"ll just follow you" said Suigintou still having her face glued to the balcony of the sit. Jun nodded and stood up while saying "Now if you excuse me, I have to go now" She nodded and Jun left her while going to the meeting room near the backstage. On the way there, Jun passed many women performer"s whom they smiled and giggled at him causing him to blush. Soon, he made his way to the VIP room and knocked the door. The door open by itself and Jun walked in. soon the door suddenly shut itself and Jun turned around. He then saw a paper a which read "Please Take a Sit". Jun did what the paper did and took a sit. Just then, a TV came out of the wall and came in the screen was Suigintou sitting on the balcony. Jun quickly stood up and said "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" "oh Jun! you look lovely don"t you?" said a certain familiar giggle. "Kira" said Jun. just then, the chair next to him spawned Kirakishou causing Jun to jump back in surprise. "Kira! What are you doing?!" "Just like I said! We are playing a game no?" "TAKING PEOPLE"S LIFE IS NOT A GAME!" "ah, but we are not people yes?" "Doll or no Doll, everyone is equel!" "but...we have the power" giggled Kira as she pinned Jun to the wall with several white roses. "now, who is the not equel one? We are more supreme then...mortals. We have the power! The strength!" "sure you do" said Jun with a straight face. Kira slapped him and said "Silly boy, thinking he is more powerful" "Well....at least i have parents" said Jun knowing this will hit her at the spot. Jun was right when she summoned a crystal sword and pointed at his neck. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW? ITS NOT LIKE YOUR PARENTS ARE THERE WHEN EVER YOU NEED THEM! ITS NOT THAT I AM JELOUS!" shouted Kira. Jun noticed little tears on one of her eyes and said "Kira...you are not a bad person. You are a good person. I know it. Seeing you, with us. Please...stop this" Kira looked shocked and stared into Jun"s eyes. She suddenly left with a flash of white light. Jun sighed and somehow got himself free. He got out of the meeting room and walked towards the balcony area when he saw Suigintou walking towards him. She came and said "why were you so long? I was worried" Jun smiled and said "sorry, lets go home?" "Lets" said Suigintou as she held Jun"s hand and walked towards the main lobby to call their Limo again. *House* Jun was currently carrying a sleeping Suigintou on his arms bridal style as he open the door slowly thinking everyone was already sleeping. His guess was right when he saw the room very dark. He manage to find his way to his room and lied Suigintou down before lying next to her. It was a tiring day for him as he closed his eyes thinking what he said to Kira. Though it was the truth, no one deserve to be hurt like that. Jun then closed his eyes, falling asleep fast. he didn"t notice that Suiseiseki came in the room and slept next to him while hugging his right arm. Soon Suigintou, in her sleep, also hugged his left arm. End of ChapterRIGHT! That was a start. Sorry for the very late update. I was just enjoying writing my other fanfic "To Be a God". Anyways, im trying to write each so please don"t expect a fast update. See you guys soon again! JIBSTER OUT! RIGHT! I promised myself im gonna make a new chapter! A little note before we start. Seeing you guys kind of thinking "why is there major ooc-nes?" well here is the answer. They are suppose to be like that in my story. Not that I am angry or so. Wait...im not. Anyways! They are just like that in my story. Hope this clears the confusement (if there is any o_O) Episode 3 Final chapter: Reasons, Betrayals and Tears Jun woke up seeing Suiseiseki sleeping next to him. He smiled and patter her while getting out of bed without waking Suigintou and Suiseiseki. He looked himself at the mirror and saw he was still in his suit. He then went to the bathroom while rubbing his sleepy eyes. He washes his face but stopped when he heard someone said "Jun-kun?" Jun turned around and saw Megu only in a towel with wet hair. Jun had a bloody nose and said "SORRY!" as he rushed out of the bathroom. Megu blushed and closed the door. Jun was currently panting on the table while trying to stop his massive bloody nose. Sure he saw the dolls...kind of naked. But this was human! A curvy women no fact! Just then, he felt someone grabbed his shoulder. He turned around and saw Yuuki in a dark aura. "Jun" "Yuuki" said Jun calmly. Then they both were fighting comically in a giant smoke ball. After 2 minutes, they stopped and laughed. But Yuuki turned to serious mode and said "If you ever see my sister like that again, I will kill you myself" Jun just stood up and nodded. He went to the room again and saw Megu was brushing her hair on the mirror. Jun felt awkward near her. Megu saw this and smiled and said "Jun-kun, don"t feel awkward near me" Jun just nodded, picked a new fresh of clothes and quickly went inside the bathroom to take a bath. *Several kung-fu bath minutes later* "Fuaah" said Jun as he came out of the shower, feeling refreshed. His hair was a little wet but he had fresh normal clothes now. He then looked at a digital clock and saw it was "its still 10 am" as he walked away. Jun then came into the kitchen and picked up his favorite bread and took a bite while sitting on the table. Just then, he saw Lily sleepily rubbing her eyes dragging herself like a zombie. She looked at Jun and saw him. "helloo fatherrrr" she said sleepily. Jun smiled and patter he heard while saying "good morning" Lily smiled weakly before climbing the table and fell asleep in the middle. Jun sighed, picked her up and set her on the couch. He then said "she is still a little girl" Jun smiled again and looked towards the window and said "Now where are you Momo?". Jun sighed and walked away from the window and decided to watch TV. TV in here was boring for him. He switched it off and said "wait...aren"t we suppose to leave America today?" "SHIT!" shouted Yuuki as he came out of bathroom with a towel. Then he shouted "EVERYONE WAKE! WAKE UP! ITS LEAVING TIME!" Suddenly, all the door open and came out everyone, looking sleepy (except Jun, Megu and Yuuki). "what is the meaning of this?" said Shinku. Then Yuuki said "we gotta leave America!" "I thought you have your own private jet?" said Suigintou, grumpy because she didn"t get her beauty sleep. Yuuki slapped his head and said "sor-" he didn"t have time to finish before he was thrown our of the building my Suigintou. Then he said "Humans" as all the dolls left and went back to sleep. Suddenly the front door open, coming in Yuuki with bandages. He then said "sorry" Jun laughed while Yuuki grumbled and cursed. Megu giggled and sat down next to Lily. Lily looked a little confused and said "people now days" *Later* Everyone was currently sitting inside the private jet of Yuuki. they all seem rested. Jun decided to go to the toilet. He went inside and unzipped his pants but stopped when the mirror glowed. "shit" Jun said before being greeted by white rose vines and being dragged in. Jun screamed though it was no avail. Soon he find himself in a white rose garden. White roses as far as the eye can see. What he saw in there was only one tree, a golden table with two chairs. A tea set and a chess board with mini figures of him and his friends. Jun went closed but stopped when he felt someone watched him. He turned around and said "Kira" "Jun-kun!" she giggled as she came out of nowhere. "why did you bring me here?" demanded Jun. "oh don"t be such hostile to me! Im just playing a game no?" Kira giggled again. Jun frowned and said "I bet you are still pissed off about what I said". "well...I am...kind of. But its not good to dwell in the past right? So I decided to forget about everything! Just like I have been spying on you" "right, that sound scary" said Jun. "well...im not watching you directly of course! I have someone watching you for me! And she is the person whom you can rely to protect on" "hmm...and you might this be?" said Jun wondering who might this person be. Kirakishou seemed a little shock but giggled again and said "silly boy, forgetting people around him. No matter, they will get back at him" as she tunred around and sat and looked at the chess board. There was only left Jun, Kira, Suigintou, Shinku, Suiseiseki, Lily, Momo, Yuuki and Megu. Jun walked more closely and said "what ever your planning, I am gonna stop it" "Oh you cant stop me! Im much more powerful....and dominant" Kira said as she stood up. "toodles~" she said as she poked Jun and with that he left in a flash of white light. Kira sat down again and smiled creepily to herself. *Back at Plane* Jun open his eyes slowly and heard someone knocking on the door. He rubbed his eyes and said "who is it?" "GODAMMIT JUN! THIS ISNT YOU HOUSE! I GOTTA GO POO!" shouted what seems to be Yuuki"s voice. Jun stood up, open the door and left while seeing Yuuki rushed in. Jun sighed and sat next to Suigintou while still in deep thought. She said "she is the person whom you can rely to protect on". While in deep thought, Lily came over and sat on his lap and said "father, is something the matter?"

"Actually..." A voice interrupted. "It"s needed. It"s pretty much obvious that we were purposely placed here. We are all from Downtown yes?" I turned to the source of the voice and eyed one of the four people sitting on the chair. She was a head shorter than me, and had dark skin. She had her waist length blonde hair loose as her piercing blue eyes was behind black framed glasses. Oh and she didn"t wear the Academy Uniform properly as the black jacket was wrapped around her waist, so above she wore a buttoned up white shirt with a black ribbon securing it. "And...you are?" "Assigned Secretary, Senjou Himawari. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance. " Senjou said politely, before opting a more serious tone. "Are you from Downtown?" "Same here." I admit with a raised arm. "Although I do wonder why did they put us in a separate place? We were in the Main Building for our First Year!" "That"s because those uptight rich ass hats hates us." Kuro said in a nonchalant manner, before eyeing a girl nearby. "Aren"t I right Shiro?" Nearby was a girl having a striking resemblance to Kuro, although it could be considered his female version. Her silver hair reached just below her shoulder blades and was a bit spiky, and has same coloured magenta eyes. She wore the uniform properly unlike her...brother. "Yes...you are." She said in a more serious tone. "Although Nii-chan could take this situation more seriously." "But please Vice! Go on take a sit and let us commence a proper greeting!" Kuro said with a grin before gesturing me to the nearby couch. Miura opts to take a chair from the back of the room as Taichi and I sat on the couch. "Hmm..." A nearby boy eyes me intently. "This guy...he looks like a Level One!" "Uuh...what?" "Those of the lower level are not deemed fit to survive in this world!" The boy exclaims as his crimson red eyes shined with spirit and passion within them. He slicked his red coloured hair with streaks of yellow at the tips backward as he eyed me. White frame glasses was seen and a single ear piercing to his right ear was seen as he smirked at me. "So...do tell...Level One. How are you able to attain the position of the Second in Command while *I* am stuck with the Budget Duty?!" As he fumes, I couldn"t help but notice his uniform was pure white in colour contrast to everyone here. "Pathetic." A voice was heard. "Hifumi-kun is pathetic." "Why you-...!" Hifumi grits his teeth and eyed one of the people sitting on the chair. What struck odd was that this person stood on the chair instead of sitting it. An empty and stoic expression was seen as her grey eyes gazed at everyone. Her ankle length grey hair was set loose with a small braid near her head. She wore the uniform normally save for the skirt which was a long skirt, covering her legs and stopped at her ankles, finally, atop her head lies a black coloured rabbit ears (?) And clutched a black stuffed rabbit. She sets her gaze at me and said, "Hifumi-kun is pathetic. You are not. Therefore, you deserve to be in that position." "I didn"t do anything yet!" I exclaim as the girl ignored me entirely and eyed Hifumi. "You are the Level One." "Shut it Usagi!" "Usagi-chan has...a special gift to tell ones potential. Kinda like a sixth sense." Shiro explains. "And Hifumi-kun, don"t complain. It was...Kaichou"s will that place us on this position." "Kaichou?" I asked before hearing a laugh, followed by a stomp on the ground. Tilting my head to the side, I eyed the Throne where a girl was seen standing up with a smug smile etched on her face. Her knee-length dark blonde hair was wavy and tied in a very loose ponytail as her sharp gaze focuses on me, purple orbs staring. She wore the uniform properly except she had a golden coloured crown atop her head, regal looking it was. "And...you are Aris-san I suppose?" I questioned as the girl nods her head, confirming my question. "Correct! I am Aris Aria, the Tyrant who runs this place!" Ah...Tyrannical Queen Aris. It was a name famous on the Academy last year actually. Known for her combat powers and haughty personality, truly fitting a "Tyrant" as her title. Although pompous would"ve fitted her more... "Kahahaha!" Aris laughed and walked towards me. "Greetings Mongrel! I believe that you will be useful to be my dog that will run this place!" "Wow she"s honest isn"t she?" Kuro comments nearby as I shrugged. "Truth to be told..." I started. "I have no idea what"s going on..." "Well...there"s this new program, or so I"ve heard..." Aris stated and opts a thinking face. "I believe the Academy"s new Principal has weeded out the students from Downtown...and it could cause us expulsion..." "I haven"t read the Academy"s Rules much so can you explain?" I asked as Aris smirked. "The Queen needn"t explain to Mongrels. Galahad! Explain!" As if on cue, one of the person sitting on the chairs stood up. Male, he had raven coloured hair which was a bit messy, and purple coloured eyes. He wore the uniform properly save for metallic greaves as it clanked when he stood up. He had a serious expression and said, "Rule 89, Section Two, Row Number Three. In a condition when a Class"s Classroom is extremely damaged or deemed unusable, students responsible for it are to be expelled." "Geez we weren"t even informed of this!" I complained as Aris merely crossed her arms. "Correct! Which is why...I will Rebel against the Academy!" "...I don"t even want to know what do you have in your head." I sighed. "We should talk to the Principal or something." "Um...excuse me?" A voice perked up, with one of the people sitting on the chair raising their hands. Male, he had pink hair which was messy, and aqua blue eyes. He wore the uniform neatly as he said, "Err...Satoshi Nana speaking. If Aris-san-" "Kaichou." "Err...Kaichou. If Kaichou had...uuh...assigned us on certain position, why am I campaign manager?" "Because we need someone to spread news of us! I wish to Rebel-" "Talking to the Principal." I interjected earning a frown from the Tyrannical Queen. "As I was saying, Rebelling against the Academy requires notice!" She continued, ignoring me. "And how are you going to do that?" I asked as Aris grinned at me. "Simple!" She said. "We invite in Downtown children to school in here!" "...Huh?" Galahad went. "How does that help?" "By having them school here, we will have enough people, depending on how much we have anyway, we will have enough people to fully fix this place and officially recognized as a fraternity...or even our own Club! Or even an organization!" "Therefore showing we have what it takes to stand up for our self, and boosting the notice for Downtown." Kuro said, before laughing. "Genius!...or maybe futile. I like it!" Humph...as expected of a Tyrant yet I still don"t find the benefit of it. Downtown is Downtown. There are certain charms into it yet I still don"t see how this "Rebels" against the Academy. Sure its making a big move on our side, or even the first one but... "It takes too much effort and resource." I mused and leaned back at the couch. "I don"t see how this will benefit us...in the long run. Even if we go successful, we will be bugged, or even disturbed in the long run." "Yet this will help us indeed! Don"t you think helping the citizens of our home is good?" Aris exclaims with a determined grinned. Ugh...I sighed and said, "Troublesome woman." "And you"ll be the Mongrel right by my side to fix me onto a straight path!" "Question. Why me as the Vice?" "Because I drew your name from a bowl." "You decided our jobs by a self made lottery?!" "It fits doesn"t it?" "Answer the question!" "Moving on..." "You"re ignoring me!" Aris laughed in a mad manner before eyeing a girl sitting on the chair. She had long ankle length brown hair and bright blue eyes. She adorned a kimono instead if a uniform, light yellow, almost white in colour with lots of detailed and beautiful marks on it. The waist had a black sash secured with a gold bow. "Ginbei!" "Y-Yes?!" The girl quickly stood up and eyes Aris. The latter nods and said, "It seems our assigned Sensei isn"t here yet. Take the Mongrel-" "Hey!" "Take him to the Main Academy Building and ask the Student Council President there!" Oh yeah...I think I forgot to mention this but the Student Council President holds half of the power of the entire Academy, hence, they technically serve as the third layer of power directly after the Vice Principal. Does that mean Aris now holds quarter of the power seeing as her arrival makes a shift in the balance? Eh, ain"t my problem. What my problems is whether they will start an actual rebellion or not... The girl named "Ginbei" fidgeted at her kimono as she and I walked outside the run down school building and made our way towards the main school. As she darts her eyes around, I couldn"t help but say, "Something wrong?" "Ah!" She yelped in surprise, before she slowly lowers her head. "U-Um...i-it"s nothing." And if someone who looks nervous as butt, fidgeting their clothes and wasn"t focusing on the eyes not to mention looking anxious, then they must be fine. Yep. No problem at all...no...problem... My ass. "You"re nervous." I pointed out causing her to slowly cover her face with the sleeves of her kimono. "I-I"m so sorry..." "I...didn"t do anything?" "I"m sorry for making you misunderstand me!" ... ... ... "Err...okay?" "..." She went, becoming quiet again. Of course, I wasn"t the one to stick my nose all the time so I just let her run off in her own silence world. Suffice to say, an awkward silence soon occurred, before I scratched my head. "Kyousuke Kazuo." "E-Eh?" "That"s my name. What"s yours? I know the list our retarded, self de-facto leader made stated all name but I guess I haven"t properly introduce myself..." That and trying to get rid of the awkward silence. "O-Oh..." Ginbei halted herself, the traditional heels clacking by her feet as she did that. "U-Um...I"m G-Ginbei Shiki. N-Nice to meet you..." "Likewise." "..." "..." "Oh...uuh...we arrived!" I quickly diverged from what could be an awkward silence again as I pointed at the main school building which was still fifty meters away. Ginbei slowly down casts her head again as she fidgeted with her kimono. "Y-Yes..." Dude. Not cool. And yet...I didn"t do anything that time! We actually race walked towards the building to rid of the awkward moment before swiftly arriving at the door steps of the large building. Some other students nearby looked at us as if we"re pests of sorts, which Ginbei visibly feel disturbed by. "Let"s just get this quickly done yeah?" "Y-Yes..." We made our way into the building and coming into view was much more fancy comparing to the run down building. We made our way through some halls which I still barely memorize despite being here for over a year, before we arrived at a fancy looking oak doors. Of course, before any of us could do anything, a girl bursts through out of the room, crying followed by a shout- "And if I see you getting an "F" again, you are expelled from this place!" Sheesh...what a nut crack. Ginbei blinked in surprise as she slowly eyed me. Despite merely casting a glance, I could tell she screamed off fear as of now. Sighing, I said, "I"ll just take the initiative..." before pushing the doors open And believe me, an "Office" would merely put shame to this room. It looked more of what a leader of an entire nation uses for their office. Fancy shamncy furniture"s which looked expensive as butt and a large round table where several people sat. However, one of them took notice of us. It was at this point I should explain what I noticed. Their uniform was pure white in colour, similar design yet a different colour palette from ours, which I would assume how this place differentiate between us and them. Anyway, a male with dark green hair and yellow eyes gazed at us and said, "It"s the Special Program..." "Hah!" A blonde boy scoffed. "What the hell are they doing here?! Their very sight is a sin itself!" "Dude." I called out. "That was un called for." "Hmph." A dark blue haired boy with crimson red eyes huffed. "What are you doing here?" "Well we"re still awaiting our assigned Sensei?" I questioned, before the dark blue haired boy opts a raised eyebrow. "Mary-san? She"s not there yet?" "Uuh...no-" "Gawawawa! I-I"m so sorry I"m late!" Came in a feminine voice followed by someone bumping behind me. "Gwoh?!" The person reeled back and fell on her back. Ginbei winced at the sound of a body hitting the hard floor, before I turned around to see a girl clutching her head in pain. She had an albino pale complexion, with her hip length hair which was wavy. She opened her pink coloured eyes as she stood up, a light blue dress with the sleeved rolled up was seen, added along she wore a white apron and wore loose brown boots. "S-Sorry!" The girl rapidly apologized. Hmm...this girl... Mary Antoinette. She is, as her name stated, is a direct descendant to the famous Marie Antoinette. If I recall, she held the highest score in terms of academics despite her young age...save for her timid personality. "Mary. You"re late." The dark blue haired boy mused as Mary went past by me and rapidly bow again. "I-I"m so sorry-" "Don"t be. Feel happy actually..." "Eh?" "You"re being assigned towards the New Academy Building as the Head Teacher in there." "I am?" "Therefore, we revoke your status as a Council Member." Mary twirled her hair as she rubbed her foot with her other one, a sheepish smile formed on her face. "A-A Sensei huh? Heehee...I don"t mind..." If you would only know... "As a Sensei...to the Special Program." Mary froze. Her body went stiff as she tilt her head. "Eh?" Now...I have seen people shocked, sad and cry, or happy, angry and all sorts of emotion...but have you see someone like that...all at the same time? "W-Well...I don"t mind being a teacher!" She was optimistic and happy. "B-But...like this?" And now she"s being sad. "I-I don"t think I can live up to this." Aaaaand she"s being pessimistic. "So why?! I-I thought I worked hard and deserved this?!" And now she"s angry. "J-Just because came from Downtown doesn"t mean I should be treated like this! But...this place needs all the help they need..." And now she"s being sympathetic. "...Aauu..." And now she"s crying. The sight of Mary rapidly changing her mood made Ginbei stepped back a bit, slightly scared at the shorter girl. Quickly, Mary down casts her head and groaned. "I-I suppose I"ll do my best..." Mary laments as she eyed the rundown building. Man...I feel sorry for her honestly. For someone who was so good within the Academy and treated special only to be dumped like this? Well...I couldn"t say I understand her but I do feel sorry for her. The three of us made our way to the classroom once more, before entering where I saw Aris staring outside the window, before turning around to face us. "You"re back!" "A-And we have Sensei with us..." Ginbei meekly said before sitting back on a nearby chair. I entered in with Mary following me before she scanned the room, and then gasped. "T-This classroom...i-it"s a-" "A charming place? Yeah we know." Kuro snickered nearby. "And...you are Sensei I presume?" "Y-Yes!" Mary quickly stood straight and went stiff. "I-I"m Mary Antoinette! As of today I am your assigned Teacher!" "Hello Sensei!" Kuro teased as Mary lowers her head again. "I-I don"t think I"m qualified to be a really useful teacher, s-so you may call me M-Mary...or...Albino trash...or whatever-" "Hah!" Aris laughed. "Perfect! Now we have enough people to start a rebellion!" Ugh...this again. "I don"t see how this would work." "Then believe me Mongrel...I will take over this school by a storm!" "Try to see things in a more...logical side of manner..." "Hahaha!" Aris laughed and ignored me entirely. Honestly I couldn"t be bothered as I took a sit nearby with Mary next to me. "Um..." Mary whispered towards me. "I-Is she serious?" "I doubt so." "R-Really? Because s-she looks dead on serious..." "Hah! Mary-san...I suggest you place your faith in me. I don"t merely wish to rebel for power...I want to make us noticed!" "Heh?" Mary went, confused as Aris opts a smirk. "As of today, marks the beginning of our reign! We shall crush those who oppose us, and step above others! My goal...is to make this place better and us recognized!" It didn"t occur to me how serious she was until later...but for now, she...no...we...are but a small fish in a group of large fish in a vast sea. Of course, how far we"ll go...is another story. And thus...starts the first day of my second year in this Academy. "First order of businesses...let us arrange our timetables and schedules!" "Urf..." I groaned as I did a small stretch and stood in front of the rusted elevator. It was the end of the day where I awaited to go home. Aris and Mary had set up a timetable and lessons where we will do just like a normal student within the Main Building. The year...well...started out as bizarre but I won"t complain. It"s but a normal day for the citizens of Downtown. As the elevator came, I got in and- "Ah! Hold the door please!" Came in a voice followed a me holding the door open as a person swiftly entered. It was Mary. She would have entered normally if she wasn"t propelling herself, promoting her to trip and fell in. "Uuh...you alright?" I mused as Mary quickly stood up, brushing herself as she said, "Y-Yes! I am...oh...it"s Kyousuke-kun..." I closed the doors before the elevator moved down towards Downtown. "Um...you are...in Downtown?" "Aren"t we all?" "R-Right...right..." Hmm...was she trying to start a conversation? How polite. I couldn"t help but notice her stiff shoulders as I said, "Sorry." "Huh?" "I came sounding off as rude. I apologize for that." "I-It"s fine!" Mary quickly assured me with a motherly tone, before opting a happier expression. "I-I"m...um...Mary Antoinette! To formally introduce myself..." "Kyousuke Kazuo. Please to meet you." "Likewise..." Mary replied with a small smile. A silence came again as Mary played with her skirt, obviously nervous. Is she like Ginbei? She"s not good around people isn"t she? "So..." "Y-Yes?" "Which section of Downtown do you stay in?" "O-Oh! Um...I stay by Kuoh Academy..." "Huh...what are the odds. I happen to stay at the Old Building behind the Academy." I mused as Mary"s eyes had a flash of curiosity, before down casting her head again. Another awkward silence occurred before we finally arrived at Downtown. We walked together towards the Kuoh Academy building, before we diverged paths as I said, "See you tomorrow I guess..." "Y-Yes!" Mary replied, before running off into the Academy Building. I quickly made my way towards my house where I saw it was still in tact. Oh thank you lords! As I entered the house, I saw the sight of Ophis with a bowl of cereal, absentmindedly staring at the TV, Red was by the dinner table as he played a crossword puzzle on a newspaper and Gabriel remained where she was, on the bed. "I"m home." I greeted as Red perked his head up. "Oh? Welcome back boy..." "Greetings." Ophis added her two cents as I sat near Red. "Had a nice first day?" "It was...interesting." I admitted. "First day in the new year and already someone trying to spike up a self proclaimed "Rebellion"." "Bothersome much?" "More like delusional. I seriously doubt on how things could work out like this." I added my comment. "But I suppose it makes things more interesting. Did you know I serve as the Vice President of my class?" "Mm...congratulations I suppose...though I don"t understand much of human social status, I heard it"s a pretty important role..." Red said as I shrugged. "Eh, we were divided from the fancy people, as if we never left Downtown at all!" "Well that"s rude." "I know right!" "You don"t sound angry." A small smile etched to my face as I looked at the ceiling. "I get the feeling big things will rise this year." And so, thus starts a new age. Whether it will be filled with happy moments, anger and frustration, sadness and grievance, hate and love, one can only wait to see the events that will transpire soon enough. End of Chapter Heeeeey folks! So like, this is a prologue for this long term story! I plan to make this in "Light Novel" format hence they will have their own Arc, Book Title etc etc. Kinda like canon content. Now...I know there has been a lot of information to pick up on this chapter, and certainly a butt load of question yes? Well I ain"t answering them as they will be explained soon enough...in the future! Now...let us discuss certain things regarding this story. The protagonist. As of now, there hasn"t been any action scene"s so we have yet to discover his power. Oh and harem? Yes. Because it"s DxD. Why not? But I won"t list them and I write romance slow as fuck, so if I were to make a list, it will be with a girl that has fully developed an interest, or my integral part, pure affection for our protagonist. Oh and expect oc"s. Like, a LOT of them, because we have lots of characters to go playing about! Anywho, that"s all I have, till then, Jibster out! Hey guys, another update here. While I dislike having long A/N at the start, I just need to set up some format. Nothing big though. Let us start now.

Blue/black veins climbed along her hands, circling her fingers and then retreating. She arched her body letting out a whimper. "Maddy?" called her Mam from the other side of the door. "Maddy are you okay?" she called. "I"m fine!" Maddy snapped digging her fingers into the bed sheets. It has been two month since Rhydian joined his Mum and Brother in another pack. Ever since then Maddy has been crippled with an intense pain when the full moon arrived. This, as you may have already guessed; is today. This should be a time where I am my happiest. I get to see the moon, I get to change, and I get to run free! Maddy thought as her claws extended ripping holes into the sheets. "Maddy! Open this door now!" Her Mam barked from the door sensing her daughter"s pain. "I would if I could Mam!" Maddy shouted back, biting her lip after she had done. The click of the door was left unheard by Maddy as her ears were filled with the sound of her own heartbeat. A cold hand brushed her forehead. "Maddy" her mother sighed brushing her daughter"s hair out of her face. "This is the second full moon that this has happened. I blame that Rhydian boy" Her Mam sighed again and tried to sooth her cub. "You always blame him for things! He isn"t even here anymore he left me! Stop blaming him! He has done nothing wrong!" Maddy"s voice cracked and a tear spilled down her cheek. "It is his fault my little cub" Her Mam paused and took her daughters hand in her own. "He is your soul mate, he shouldn"t have left you" Maddy"s Mam held her for what felt like a very long time till the pain subsided enough for her to get out of bed. "Mam... What do you mean by soul mate?" Maddy asked worriedly biting her already saw lip again. Her Mam sighed again. "The wolf side of us... is attracted to are one and only partner. For example, your Dad and I are soul mates. During a full moon a couple of years before you were born I went exploring when I shouldn"t have. And before you say it yes I guess I am kind of a hypocrite!" Mam said leaving Maddy opening and closing her mouth like a gold fish. "I saw your Dad across the Moore. We made eye contact and... Well the best way of saying it is a switch sort of clicked on inside me and before I knew it we were side by side for the whole night... We were separated at one point as we are both from different packs." Maddy"s Mam paused looking out the window. After what felt like a life time Maddy spoke up "Mam?". "Oh sorry dear just got a bit side tracked" Mam let out a breathy laugh. "It was extremely painful. Not as bad as yours though as Rhydian is a lot further then what me and your Father were. But it felt like someone had removed every single part of my heart slowly and painfully. During a full moon when I changed I could feel a sort of pull. A pull that lead me to your Father" Mam smiled lightly at Maddy and tucked some of Maddy"s hair behind her ear. "I didn"t think it could happen at such a young age. You only turned fifteen last month" Mam shook her head slightly. "Rhydian is your soul mate dear. And soon maybe not this full moon but the next. You"ll give into this pull and you will find Rhydian at the end of it. But don"t worry he is feeling it too. Go ask your Father if you want a better insight to the pull for the males." Mam got up and leaned down to peck a kiss on her cub"s forehead. "Just promise me this. You and Rhydian will make your own pack. Don"t make him join ours, Don"t let him make you join his. Make your own" And with that she left. Maddy stood in the shower thinking of what her Mam had just told her. Soul mates? I"ve only known him for what? Half a year! A new pack? I like my old pack! Do I love Rhydian? I always had a fuzzy feeling inside when I was near him but I thought that was because he was the only one my age who I could talk to about everything! I don"t even know what his favourite colour is never mind if he is my Soul Mate! Maddy let out a low growl and let her head lightly hit the wall by the shower. "Why can"t this be easy" She mumbled running her hand through her wet hair.I"ll ask Shannon about this! She beamed at this idea and quickly grabbed her towel rubbing at every wet area on her and then wrapping it around her head as she ran into her room and pulled on some jeans and a faded purple hoody with an denim jacket on top. "Mam where are my trainers?" She yelled as she grabbed her socks and ran down the stairs. "There were you left them! In the porch!" Her Mam yelled back. She quickly pulled on her socks at the bottom of the stairs and then grabbed her shoes and a slice of toast from the table. "Going to see Shannon!" Maddy yelled behind her as she left the house. Shannon stared at Maddy with an all-knowing grin. "Aren"t you the slightest bit shocked?" Maddy asked her mouth hanging open. Shannon shook her head. "Just a tad?" Maddy asked again using her thumb and first finger to make an inch showing Shannon. "Not at all Maddy" Shannon grinned. "Who do you think you are the Cheshire cat?" Maddy pointed at Shannon"s grin then continued. "And how are you not shocked!?" "I have seen how you and Rhydian react with each other. Even in heated arguments you both end up with your foreheads touching. It"s like you"re a south pole of a magnet and he is the North! You both move around each other perfectly and you two always end up side by side again!" Shannon boasted with a wicked grin. "B-b-ut... that can"t be!" Maddy flung her hands in the air in exasperation. Shannon just held her grin and nodded her head before getting her newly distressed Wolfblood friend a hot beverage. Maddy clung to the cup not caring what was inside but just wanting an anchor to make sure this was really happening. "Maddy. You know deep down that this is true. You"re just going to need a Rhydian sized shovel to dig it up" Shannon touched Maddy"s hand lightly and gave her friend a gentle smile. Maddy sighed and smiled back. "I hate saying it... But you"re right." Maddy whispered playing with the spoon in her cup. "I always am, it just takes a while to notice" Shannon laughed. "Hey I said you were right don"t push it" Maddy said jokingly sticking her tongue out. Maddy hissed as the pain started forming again. "Thanks for... well whatever this is" Maddy said pointing at the cup "and for the advice Shannon. I have to go" She slightly whimpered but muffled it behind her sleeve before she ran out of Shannon"s house and out into the forest. Maddy had been running for what felt like hours. And with each step she took the more the pain receded. She sighed in relief as she reached a clearing and the pain stopped. She let herself fall to the ground like a rag doll onto her back. Looking at the clouds she tried to make shapes out of them. A twig snapped off to the left and Maddy was up on her feet. "No need to be like that Madds it"s only me" Came a very familiar male voice... Chapter 2 Hello again old friend Maddy stood face to face than no other than a large muscled blonde haired boy. His piercing blue eyes sent shivers down her spine and it took all her strength not to run into his arms and nuzzle into the crook of his neck. "Hello Rhydian" She almost whispered trying to break the eye contact that Rhydian had craved since he left two months ago. Why aren"t you running to him! Maddy"s wolf screamed. She curled her hands into fists at her side. He left me when I needed him. I am angry with him! She repeated in her head like a mantra. Make him beg for you as much as you have been pining over him! Maddy stood ridged refusing to remove the glare that had taken over her face. "Madds don"t do that please" Rhydian"s face became softer. He took slow steps towards her and then lifted a hand to her face. Maddy immediately knocked it away. "You left me!" She yelled at him filling her voice full of as much venom as she could muster. Rhydian flinched. He looked at his feet and back at Maddy like a lost pup. Her wolf screamed at her again making her skin crawl. She wanted him so badly. Wanted to hold him, touch him, make him feel like he belonged. Make him hers. But she couldn"t. He left her. HE! She didn"t leave him! The wounds in her heart were still fresh. They where ripped even wider looking the boy in the eyes. "Maddy, please" Rhydian begged reaching out for her again. Maddy"s eyes brimmed with tears as his thumb grazed her cheek. She pulled away quickly and turned her back on him. "I am only came here because the pain stopped, you"re just making a whole new pain for me! You left the pack. You left your home, you left me! I wont forgive you for that" Maddy whispered pain filling her voice. Rhydian fell to his knees. "I"m so sorry" He whispered back. Maddy gently brushed some hair on Rhydian"s head to the side and then ran off into the forest. Rhydian kneeled there till dawn. Thoughts passing through his head a mile a minute. Bryn came along some time during Rhydian"s crying. Bryn held his older brother. Stroking his back and singing old Celtic lullaby"s to calm him. Rhydian stood up quickly dusting himself off and rubbing his face clean of any tears. "Brother?" Bryn asked looking at Rhydian with worry covering his face. "I"m fine Bryn. Go tell Mum I am going to be gone for a while. There is something I have to put right" Rhydian muttered turning towards the way Maddy left. Bryn stepped towards his brother and placed a hand on his bulky arm. "Go make your pack mate smile brother" Bryn said before joining his pack a few mile away. "I will brother... I will" Rhydian whispered before taking off. Maddy was curled up in the fetal position on Shannon"s window sill. She waited for her friend to come into her room letting silent tears fall down her cheeks. She had told Shannon about what had happened in the woods and Shannon went to go get ice-cream. Maddy clung to her knees. Why did I say that?! She thought pulling her hair. I"m such a horrible person! Maddy could feel herself hyperventilating before Tom appeared with a paper bag and a warm hand on her back. "Don"t worry Maddy. This is just a puzzle and you haven"t formed the perfect last piece yet" Shannon said from the corner of the room. Tom raised and eyebrow at Shannon. "What?" Shannon exclaimed. "You and your metaphors!" Tom said jokingly passing the ice-cream from Shannon to Maddy. "We are going to do something fun!" Tom proclaimed grabbing Maddy"s head in his large palms. "And you"re going to smile and you" Tom pointed at Shannon "Are going to leave the metaphors to Doctor Sues or whoever uses those things!" Tom grabbed Maddy"s free hand that wasn"t clinging to the ice-cream and then grabbed Shannon"s. "We are going to have a good old, leaf pile jump!" Tom yelled out as they walked into the garden to see piles upon piles of autumn leaves. "LET THE FUN BEGIN!" Tom screamed yanking Maddy and Shannon into the nearest leaf pile. Chapter 3 Bomb Fire night! Maddy lay down next to Shannon and Tom, breathless from their leaf fight. A small yet still sad smile traced her lips as she looked up at the almost setting sun. "I have to go soon. Full moon is in twenty minutes" Maddy sighed. She wished she could just lay there with her friends and never have to move. Never having to remember the blue eyed boy who left her side. Never having to remember the pained look on his face when Maddy hissed at him. Tom prodded Maddy in the arm. "Hey, at least try and stay a little optimistic" Tom joked making Maddy let out a breathy laugh. "Pinky promise?" Shannon asked sitting up and holding her pinky out. Tom copied her actions and all three of them linked pinkies. "I promise to stay optimistic!" Maddy yelled jokingly and stood up brushing leaves off herself. "I have to go, Thank you" Maddy whispered as she headed off into the Moore. Ever since Rhydian left and Tom and Shannon got the forest protected Maddy"s parents had let started letting her change in the forest. Maddy ran to her favourite spot. A large hill that looked over the village. The sun was setting in the distance and black veins appeared along her neck and hands. She took in a deep breath and let it out making her shoulders go slack. The pain wasn"t there any more which meant Rhydian was still somewhere near by. But right now, she didn"t care. Tonight is the night she gets to let go of everything. And plus its bomb fire night. Maddy smiled up at the first set of fireworks the had begun to lift into the sky and spraying bright yellow and green sparks across the Moore. "Tonight. Tonight is were I forget" Maddy whispered as the change took over. Rhydian stood a few feet away from Maddy, hiding in the overgrown grass and weeds. He watched the change of emotions in her face, anger to sadness to peace. The moons light played in her hair and glistened off her skin. She looked beautiful. The moons light then spread across her body making her glow so bright that Rhydian"s eyes began to water. Then in a blink of an eye there stood a sleek, honey-brown wolf. Rhydian smiled as he felt the change take over him too. "Tonight. I wont forget Madds" He whispered as his teeth elongated and his eyes turned golden. Rhydian followed Maddy like a shadow for the first few hours of the full moon. He watched as she checked the perimeter of her packs land and then checking Tom"s and Shannon"s house to make sure they were safe. Rhydian"s wolf begged to be by Maddy"s side. Every fibre of him wanted to be so close to her it hurt. Maddy felt the same. She could sense Rhydian near by but the wolf in her had not taken over fully yet. But it was close. Rhydian jumped as a set of fireworks went off to the left. His ears began to ring and he walked into a tree. Maddy spun round to see a blonde wolf lying on the floor. Rhydian! I knew it was him following me! Maddy walked up to Rhydian and couldn"t help but go closer than what was necessary. Maddy howled at him and Rhydian howled back. Rhydian stood up on all fours and tilted his head to the side at Maddy. She quickly tackled him to the floor and sprinted off. If he is going to follow me all night I might as well make it a bit fun! She thought as she ducked and dodged fallen trees and logs as Rhydian followed close behind. She thinks I will be chasing her all night? HA! She"ll be chasing me by the end of the night! Rhydian thought. If he wasn"t in wolf form he usual cheeky grin would be gracing his face. Shannon looked out her window to spot a honey-brown wolf and a blonde one chasing each other. A smile appeared on her face as the blonde tackled the brunette to the floor. "Now everything is back to where it should be" She chuckled and turned back to her bed. The sun peeked up from the east attacking Maddy"s lidded eyes. She grumbled and nuzzled her face deeper into the soft warm whatever it was next to her. A pair of big arms wrapped tighter around her and she sighed in pure bliss. A chin rested on top of her head and a chest rose up and down underneath her. Wait! Since when did my bed breath?! She thought as she shot up to find Rhydian under her. He let out a whimper as he lossed contact with whatever was keeping him warm. Maddy watched for a bit as Rhydian reached out for her in his sleep. The crease in-between his eyebrows had disappeared along with the scowl he wore when he first appeared. He look so peaceful and a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. Maddy raised up her hand and traced the smile on his face and along his eyebrows and around his eyes. She let her hand wander off into his hair feeling how soft it was between her fingers. Rhydian hummed in approval and slowly let his eyes open. His grin grew when he saw who it was. "Morning Madds" He whispered. "Morning sleepy" She smiled down at him. Rhydian reached up a hand of his own and brushed a thumb along Maddy"s cheek. Maddy leaned down to get closer and put her forehead against Rhydian"s. A silence came between them as they enjoyed each others touch. "Oh God! Get a room!" Tom shouted from the distance. "We don"t need to we have a forest!" Rhydian shouted back as Shannon and Tom appeared from behind a tree. "Nice timing" Maddy grumbled as she removed her hands from Rhydian"s hair and pulled back. Rhydian frowned but cheered up as Maddy entwined there fingers. "We"ll continue this later" She whispered into his ear as they both stood up. Chapter 4 Skin on Skin (I do recommend if you are not one for slight mild smut please do not read the first part of this chapter. Skip till you reach the line break) Maddy tapped her foot impatiently on the wooden floor of her house. Rhydian is coming around at six after her parents leave. A whole night on there own. Butterflies were attacking the insides of her stomach. A whole night on are own. A whole night! Maddy started to panic. Her heart beating thirty miles a minute. Her parents had left five minutes ago. Rhydian should have arrived by now. Maddy started pacing. Please, please! Let him still be here. Don"t tell me he has left again. She thought doubts clouding her mind. Her pace stopped when a pair of broad warm arms wrapped around her waist. "Hey Madds. What"s with the pacing?" Rhydian laughed in her ear and Maddy"s heart melted. "No reason just too much energy" She lied placing her hands over Rhydian"s. She leaned back into him and breathed in his scent. He smelled amazing, of the forest and old spices. Rhydian placed his chin on top of Maddy"s head and closed his eyes. "I really did miss you" He whispered as he placed a kiss on top of Maddy"s head. Maddy turned in Rhydian"s arms so that she was facing him. "I missed you too" She whispered back as she trailed her nose up his neck to his chin and then lightly kissing him on the lips. She pulled away slightly to be captured with Rhydian"s lips again. Rhydian started to lick the outside of Maddy"s lips begging to be let inside. He nipped her sides with her fingers making her gasp and he let his tongue inside. Maddy moaned and her hands found their way into Rhydian"s hair tugging and pulling lightly. Rhydian lifted Maddy up so her legs wrapped around his waist. He pushed her back up against the living room wall and linking his fingers in her belt loops. A raging tongue war began both trying to be dominant. Rhydian pulled out and bit her lower lip. "Bedroom?" He asked out of breath. Maddy hummed a yes and latched her lips back onto Rhydian"s. He wrapped his arms more tightly around her and took her up the stairs to her room. Opening the door Maddy unhooked her legs from Rhydian"s waist to walk through the door way. Rhydian let out a whine and Maddy spun round and grinned. "I have seen enough movies and enough of you being clumsy to know my head would probably hit that door frame" She giggled and pulled Rhydian through the door. He pretended to be upset until his lips met Maddy"s again. Rhydian"s jacket and shirt soon found there way to the floor and Maddy"s shoes and shirt joined them. Rhydian pushed Maddy down onto the bed and put his body over hers. Rhydian started kissing down Maddy"s neck, to he collar bone, right down to the top of her breasts. Maddy let out another moan that went straight through Rhydian making him shiver and want more. He softly bit and sucked his way back up to her lips. Maddy drifted her feet up the sides of Rhydian"s thighs till she could wrap her legs back around his waist and pull him closer. This made Rhydian moan. Maddy bit back a giggle as Rhydian"s eyes slightly drooped. Rhydian reached down to Maddy"s jeans and looked at her for approval. Maddy became impatient and unbuttoned Rhydian"s making Rhydian unbutton hers. Rhydian kissed down her stomach till he reached the edge of her underwear. "You sure about this Madds?" He breathed out looking up at her. Maddy placed hands on both sides of his face. "I am so sure! I have never been so sure about anything in my life. I love you Rhydian, you are my pack mate, my soul mate. I want this" She kissed him long and hard leaving the both breathless "I love you too Madds, always have, always will." Rhydian kissed her neck. Tonight we are going to be together. ****Break line**** Maddy woke encased in a pair of warm cosy arms. Her head resting on a bare beating chest. Maddy traced his features with her finger tips. She loved seeing Rhydian sleep. He always looks so peaceful and sweet. Cuddly! She giggled to herself at the thought of Rhydian being cuddly. This made him bury his face in her neck as he started to wake up. "Morning Madds" He whispered into her neck. Maddy brushed her fingers through his hair. "Morning cuddly" She said with out thinking. Rhydian shot straight up and raised an eyebrow "Cuddly?!" He asked. She started giggling again. Rhydian tackled her to the bed and started tickling her. "Cuddly?! Who do you think your calling cuddly" He joked tickling her sides. "Oh my god Rhydian stop!" She begged trying to wiggle away. "I wont be responsible for your injuries" She blurted out between giggles. "Bring it wolf girl" He playfully growled nipping her neck with his lips. Life"s definitely getting better Rhydian thought as he pulled Maddy close again and burying his face into her hair.

Sighing again I started swinging on my chair. Then the flashback came. Flashback "Benny stop fighting with your sister" Mom called from the front. Everyone said I looked more like my Mom. I had her light brown hair and hazel green eyes. Dad was driving. He had black hair and light blue eyes. My sister Bridget looked more like my Dad. "But she started it!" 12 year old me whined. "I don"t care Benjamin just stop fighting" Mom looked behind and gave me a stern glare. "Fine" I grumbled. "Maggot boy" Bridget whispered at me. I glared at her. She was only 9. "Fart breath" I whispered back "Nerd boy" "Snot clot!" "You wet your bed!" We ended up fighting again and this time we both got a smack round the head. "OW!" I yelled. Bridget started crying. "Cry baby" I said and looked out the window. "No! I missed the turn" Dad yelled while trying to turn back around. "Jerry. Jerry there"s a truck coming" Mom yelled. " Calm down Jane! I can turn before it gets here" Dad yelled and continued to turn. The truck beeped it"s horn. Before we knew it the truck hit us and we spiralled off the bridge and into the ice cold water below . I was on the the swim team so I managed to grab Bridget and drag her to the edge and black out. I woke in a hospital bed with a number of wires and tubes connecting to my body. "MOM!" I yelled out scared. A doctor walked in with my Grandma by her side. She looked like she had been crying. "Benjamin your going to come live with me now" My Grandma said walking over to me and wrapping me in her arms. "But I live with Mom and Dad" My voice came out shaky and I mentally kicked myself for it. "I"m sorry son but your Mom and Dad died in a car crash that you were also in" The doctor said. Tears flooded my eyes. They can"t be dead! "Where"s Bridget?" I ask and The doctor shakes his head. "She died of hypothermia at the side of the river bank". I couldn"t stop the yell that left my lips as I tried to rip Grandma off me and the wires and tubes in my arms. "Your lying! Your LYING!" I yell. Grandma grabs me and pulls me to her were I break down in sobs. Present Erica POV Benny zoned out for a long time. I could see tears streaming down his cheeks. "Benny?" My voice comes out rather soft. He seems to far in thought to notice me. I walk over and place both hands on either side of his face and lift him up to look at me. The pained expression on his face kills me. Which is kind of hard since I am already dead. Why am I so worried about the dork? But before I could answer myself a pair of warm lips touch mine. Benny was kissing me. KISSING ME! I could taste the salt from his tears and mint in his breath. He pulled me onto his lap and I could feel that he needed me. My hands made there way into his hair and down his back. A shiver went down my spine when he licked my lips and I granted him access to the inside of my mouth. I know this will sound cliché but my skin wherever he touched tingled and my heart felt like it was actually beating again. He pulled away for breath and rested his forehead against mine. His breaths were short and fast. I kept my eyes close trying to savour this moment. I am in love with Benny Weir. I said it well in my head but it still counts! I snap out of my thoughts when he brushes some of my hair out of my face. "Erica?" He said my name and another shiver went up my spine. "Yes Benny" I reply and his lips graze my ear. "I love you" He whispers and my heart just melts. "I love you too" I whisper back. He presses his lips to mine again and we fall back onto his bed. "I never meant to hurt you today Erica, I"m so sorry" He whispers and I kiss him to tell him it was okay. "I forgive you" I bite his bottom lip and everything becomes rather heated. Next morning I wake up with a heart beat in my right ear. I look up to see a sleeping Benny naked under the sheets. We were tangled together. Thank god his Grandma was at the winter solstice gathering or we would both be dead. I untangle myself from him and pull on one of his striped polos and head down stairs. I found some blood substitute in the fridge and began raiding the cupboards for a cup or mug. I finally found one on the top shelf and reached up to grab it. As I did so a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. I grabbed the mug and came back down. "Morning Beautiful" Benny said and kissed me on the cheek. I giggled as he turned me around and kissed me on the lips. I nuzzled into his neck and breathed in his scent. He smelt of old spice, herbs and something else that was just Benny. I looked up into his hazel eyes and smiled. He may be the king of Nerds but... HE is my king of the nerds x Chapter 3 Moonlight Benny POV I couldn"t believe it no matter how many times I kissed her it still felt like a dream. No matter how many times I woke up with my arms and legs tangled with hers I still thought it was my imagination. Erica was mine. Her lips were mine to kiss every single day. And my lips were hers. I walked into the kitchen to find Erica making pancakes. I laughed and snook up behind her just as she flipped the pancake. I quickly tickled her sides (Erica"s weak spot along with below her ear didn"t take me long to work out. She nearly dropped the frying pan but she dropped the pancake. "Benny!" she yelled and I pulled her to me. She giggled as I kissed her ear. Oh her giggle was brilliant! I could just record it and put it one replay and never get tired of it. "I was making amazing pancakes and you just had to ruin them" She grumbled but I kissed her before she could kill me. "Sorry I guess I was jealous of you pancake making bad ass self" I replied and watched as she tried to hide her smile. Grandma was at another witches gathering so I had the whole week with Erica. Thank the heavens it was summer vacation I got to spend the full 24 hours with her. Yes that"s right the FULL 24 hours (Wiggles eyebrows). Erica continued to try and pull away from me laughing but I still got a hold of her. She may be a vampire but I have a few tricks up my sleeve too. Well if I had any sleeves on. Erica had pinched my shirt this morning leaving me in just my boxers which I didn"t mind. It was nice seeing her in my shirt. A knock came from the door and I quickly kissed Erica one more time before going to open it. Ethan stood there looking rather tired. "Dude you look like crap" I immediately say. "Thanks" He grumbled. "Hey I am king of word vomit so yeah". Ethan eyed me for a second. "Why the hell are you only in your boxers?" MY cheeks went scarlet and I mentally kicked myself for it. "That"s because erm... because..." Before I could think of an excuse Erica was at the door holding pancakes. "That"s because I was cold and wanted to make pancakes" she purred putting the pancakes on the stairs and wrapping her arms round my torso. Ethan"s eyes were wide. "I take it you guys are g-g-g-getting along now" Ethan stuttered. I have to admit it was funny watching Ethan squirm. "Yeah we are" I said kissing Erica"s forehead. "So how are you and Sarah doing?" Erica asked. Ethan looked shocked again. "Okay so your being kind now. That"s erm... refreshing. Well there"s nothing really to tell"Ethan looked at his feet. "Dude Just ask her out already !" I said steeling a pancake of Erica"s plait. "Hey!" She said whacking me playfully on the arm. "Hey it wasn"t like you were going to eat them any ways. They taste good though. Best pancakes ever" I said with half my mouth full. "Nice save your lucky your cute" Erica kissed my cheek and took a bite out of the pancake in my hand. I couldn"t help but shiver. Erica POV I always thought Benny looked skinny in his clothes. But when you take his top off you can"t help but stare at his abs. Yes Benny Weir has a four pack and toned arms. You would never know with the baggy polos he wares. I swallowed the pancake in my mouth kissed Benny on the lips and turned back to Ethan who had turned away to give us privacy. How nice of him. "I have to agree with Benny on this one. Go ask her out!" Ethan looked surprised while Benny looked smug/cute. "I-i-i-i Can"t. What if she says no" "Trust me Ethan she wont say no" I say and drag Benny back into the house and close the door and up to his room. "Pancakes and this. You spoil me" Benny whispered in my ear sending shivers down my back. Then everything else well that would be rated over a PG-13. Chapter 4 The last Chapter Erica POV I hadn"t eaten in days but I couldn"t leave Benny. Every time I left to get some more clothes and take a shower at my place (Because Benny kept finding his way in when I wasn"t looking and shower time is me time!) I felt lonely. I am so not clingy. I am not a clingy type. But with out his presence an ache formed near my still heart. Sounds just like dusk! I told my Mom I was sleeping at Sarah"s these past few days. I still have to get her with Ethan. The little dork still hadn"t asked her out. I could hear a faint beating coming from behind me and I found a Benny just stepping out of the bathroom. His hair was wet and he had a towel around his waist. "Hey" His voice sounded hoarse as if he had been shouting or worse crying. "Benny you okay?" I asked. He nodded his head and went to grab some clothes. "Benny" I walked over to him. All the muscles in his back stiffened as I approached. "What"s wrong?" I touch his back and the muscles loosen. "Ah... Just a bit annoyed that"s all" He pulled a plain white top on which surprised me since they are normally striped polos. "What are you annoyed at?" I wrap may arms around his torso and he leans into me. "I can"t get a single spell right! I must be the most rubbish spell caster in the history of spell casters! " He muttered. I kiss his cheek and run my fingers through his sopping wet hair. He let"s out a little groan as I tug the ends of his hair. "I bet all spell casters sucked at one point. You have only been casting for two years." I say in-between kisses on his neck. He smelled so good. So Good! Stop it Erica! I tell myself as Benny laces his fingers with mine. Benny opens the draw with the other hand and pulls out some boxers. He moves out of my grip and walks back into the bathroom. "Awwr. Benny I have seen it all no need to hide in the bathroom" I whine while he chuckles behind the door. After a few seconds he comes back out with a pair of blue and grey checked boxers on. His heart beat accelerating when he sees me. He smells so good. Walking over to me he places a kiss on my lips but before he could pull away I grabbed him and crushed his lips harder onto mine. I could feel his pulse through his lips and it was intoxicating. Benny pushed me back until I felt the base of the bed against the back of me thighs. A chuckle left my lips as he pushed me down. His lips left mine and trailed down my neck. He smelt too good. "Benny stop" I whispered but he didn"t hear me and continued to kiss along my collar bone. "Benny" I knew what would come next and I couldn"t pull away. I hadn"t eaten in days and he smelt so good. My fangs extended and I pulled him back up and pushed my lips against his. I could feel my eyes glazing over, nothing made sense apart from his heart beat and the luscious smell filling my nostrils. I pulled away and opened my eyes to meet Benny"s. "Erica?" His eyes went wide. Benny shot up and moved back but I caught him and dug my teeth into his neck. "ERICA!" Benny shouted but my mouth was already full with his blood. It tasted so good. All I could see was red. Beautiful delicious red. Benny POV I could feel the blood leaving my body. My head was spinning and my eyes started to droop. "Erica stop" But my voice was barley a whisper. "ERICA!" I herd some one shout then everything went black... ...... I woke up to the sound of sobbing. Everything hurt. But my head was the worst, a shot of pain went from my neck to my head and a yell left my lips. "Benny!" A female voice rang through the air. "AH!" Was all I could reply as the burning increased. I dug my hands into the sheets below me and arched my back in pain. "Benny! Benny stay with me." Hands brushed my hair and stroked my arm. "AH!" So much pain. So, so much pain. "Benny!" The voice yelled again. "Move. I need to cast a spell to ease his pain." A lower voice yelled. "Why is he yelling? This never happened when I changed" The female voice said. "You weren"t a spell caster though" The conversation was interrupted again by my yelling. Chanting began and my muscles started to relax and contract. The pain started to ease. My clenched hands loosened and my back returned to the bed. "Benny I am so sorry" The female sobbed. I reached out and touched what felt like a hand. It clasped mine straight away as I drifted off to sleep... Erica POV I looked at Benny"s pale body bile filling my mouth. I did this to him. I should have left him and gone to feed. Instead I stayed and look what good that did. I"m a monster, Benny"s Grandma was right when she said I was nothing but trouble. When he started yelling in pain I felt like I had died for the second time. I would walk into the vampire hunter"s lair if I lost Benny and let them torture me. I would deserve everything they would do to me. I DO deserve everything they would do to me. Benny"s hand felt cold in mine. His pulse getting lower and lower with each passing minute. Maybe I should leave him. All I have done is hurt him. All I ever do is hurt people. Benny"s hand shifted in mine. I looked over to find him sat up. His eyes bright green and fangs extended. "Erica? What"s wrong with me?" He asked staring into the mirror across from him. His reflection kept fading in and out. "I"m so sorry Benny" My voice was scratchy from crying and my eyes weld up with more tears. "You turned me?" He asked his new vampire eyes widened. I nodded my head as the tears started to leave my eyes and trail down my cheeks. Benny pulled away from me and the tears fell harder. "I"m sorry Benny. I"ll leave" Before he could reply I flashed out and went to Sarah"s. "Sarah!" I wailed. She ran out and hugged me as I collapsed to the floor. "I bit Benny" I wailed again as the tears came. I let out a shriek as I started to sob uncontrollably. Sarah gripped me tighter stroking her hand threw my hair. "Ssshh, Everything is going to be okay" She whispered. "It"s not. MY best friend, my soul mate, my love flinched away from me.". "Come on let"s get you in side. You can stay with me tonight" Sarah picked me up and flashed into her house placing me onto her bed. She disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a blanket, some Pj"s and a cup of hot chocolate. "Go change and drink this. I know it isn"t the same but in every Rom-com the friend gives the other a hot beverage and this is all I got." Sarah lightly smiled and ushered me to the bathroom to change. I pulled on the pink bunny pants and white strappy top and sunk down onto the floor. I know I was the living dead before but now I"m just dead. My body felt numb. I never wanted to say goodbye when I looked into those eyes but I see no other way. I hurt the one I loved. So I will get revenge on myself. I opened the bathroom window and flashed to a cave in the nearby hills. Let"s say hello to some vampire hunters... Benny POV I moved away from Erica. My brain was going mental. "I"m sorry Benny. I"ll leave" Erica whispered. "Erica no stay!" I replied but she was already gone. I tried to run to the window but my head began to spin and I landed hard on the floor. I let out a painful groan and pushed myself onto my knees. Erica bit me! The realization hit me as I kneeled in front of the mirror in my room. My reflection faded in and out. What glimpses I saw of myself scared me. I had a little muscle but now I had more and my eyes glowed green instead of yellow. I had two sets of fangs on my top jaw and may skin was white as Rory"s! "Benny?" My Grandma called behind me. "Can this be fixed?" I asked her while turning around. She shook her head. "I"m sorry Benjamin. I tried but Erica brought you just a little too late" Tears filled her eyes. "My Bennjy" She croaked as she joined me on the floor and put her hands on either side of my face. "You haven"t called me that since I was six" I lightly laughed. Grandma kept looking at me, examining my face. "What? Do I have a third eye or something" I started panicking. "Bennjy your different from other Vampires. You"re are spell caster along with being a vampire now. You are more muscular, your eyes are green and your fangs are sharper and there are 4 of them" Grandma moved my face from side to side. "Your stronger then the average vampire" she whispered almost to herself. "Is that bad? Because right now that sounds freakin" awesome" Right then she tried to hit me on the head and I moved out of the way in seconds. "Your reflexes are already above average" She muttered. "Why is it taking me so long to change and Why can"t I pop my fangs in?" I poked the tips of my new teeth and pricked my finger lightly. "Ow" I mumbled and Grandma continued to watch me. "Your not fully changed yet that might be why" "Might?" "Bennjy your the first spell caster slash vampire so I can not be certain." "How"s Erica?" She flinched at Erica"s name. "What"s wrong?" I ask removing her hands from my face scrunching my eyebrows together. "I don"t think you should be with Erica" She said honestly looking at my face again. "Would you stop looking at me like I"m a freak show! And I ... I... I LOVE Erica! I am not five you can"t tell me who to be with!" I yell then I realise I sound like a five year old whining and mentally kick myself. "Now listen here Benjamin I am in charge of you till your eighteen and I ban you from seeing Erica!" I hiss at her with out realising and she flinches from me. My own Grandma flinched from me! I sniff the air and find Erica"s scent. "We"ll talk later" I whisper in my Grandma"s ear quickly and flash to Sarah"s. "Sarah!" I yell and she appears next to me. "BENNY!" She yells flinging herself into my arms. "Hey Sarah" I hug her back. "Wow your eyes are green and you fangs" Her mouth hung open gaping at my appearance. "Yeah you can admire later where"s Erica?" My words come out harsher then they meant to but I didn"t care. "I don"t know I was about to look for her. She was in the bathroom then I herd her mumbling about getting revenge on herself and then when I broke the door down she was gone. I can"t find her scent though. It"s like she has disappeared" Sarah looked worried and scanned the houses around us. I sniffed the air again and my head whipped to the side towards the forest near the hills. "Get Rory and Ethan and meet me at the cliffs in 10" I order Sarah which is weird since in other circumstances she would have kicked me in the shins and told me to bite her as a joke. "Benny that"s were the Vampire hunters live" She whispered sounding afraid. "Then we better hurry then" I whisper back and disappear into the woods. ......5 minutes in vampire flash time later... I could hear whimpering coming from the cave nearby. I kept chanting in my head Please don"t be Erica please don"t be Erica. Erica POV "Why did you give yourself up so quickly?" The vampire hunter hissed. His head was shaved and his eyes were a harsh block black. When I didn"t reply he hit me with holy water on my legs. A yell left my lips. "Oh! So we have a suicidal vampire now. That"s new" He laughed and hit me again but this time with his bare hands covered in holy water. My skin felt like it was on fire. Biting down on my lip I glared at the hunter. "Let the fun begin" He chuckled and continued to find other ways of hurting me apart from holy water since he"d already used it. ......Several beatings late... I sat in the chair whimpers leaving my lips. I have never felt so much pain in my un-dead life. And he wasn"t even finished yet. Why did I do this again? You did this for Benny remember. Shut up conscience! The man walked back in with a large black duffel bag over his shoulder. He pulled out a blue syringe. He put a needle in the top and fear shot through me. "This is holy water, garlic, bits of the bible and some silver for good measure. Your death will be long and very painful" He laughed. Slowly walking over to were I was sat flicking the tip of the needle. Fear rose in me and I started to panic. "Not if I have anything to do about!" I herd someone hiss from behind the hunter. He turned revealing Benny. Benny looked vicious. He had more fangs then me and his eyes glowed green. The hunter jumped back holding a cross. In a flash Benny had him up on the wall by his neck. "w-w-what are you? Your not a normal vamp" The hunter stuttered. "NO shit Sherlock!"Benny hissed and flung the hunter across the room. Relief flooded through me as he picked me up in his arms. "Benny I"m so sorry" I say putting my head in the crook of his neck. "Ssshh everything is going to be okay now Erica" He whispered kissing my forehead. "I"ve got her let"s go!" He shouted out the door where Rory, Ethan and Sarah had appeared. They all nodded in unison and in a flash I was outside some random house in Whitechapel.

Nacey managed a smile and stated, "You always know how to make me feel better, mom." She paused and asked, "Didn"t you say that "skiing" vacation was on some mountain on an island west coast of Australia?" Stacy perked up at that and answered, "Yes but why?" Nacey stated, "Because it is real. That"s where I left Nina 16 years ago. And I think it"s time she met me." As she kissed her mother on the cheek, happier than she felt in years, she left the retirement home. She knew what she had to do. It was time to face the past. And that meant one thing...returning to N. Sanity Isle. Back in outer space, John and Pete had tagged team on the racing track against Geary and won. The two brothers were dancing happily as Crash, Cortex, and Nina were watching and laughing. Nina asked, sarcastically, "Think they are happy?" Crash answered, smiling, "Oh yeah." "Crash?" Crash spun around and saw Coco, Thunder, N. Gin, Crunch, and Crystal. He gushed, "Sis!" With that, he ran over and hugged her tight. Coco laughed as she returned it, more than happy to see her brother. Cortex sighed a bit, remembering his own sister, as N. Gin approached him rather nervously. Cortex was a bit surprised. What was he doing? N. Gin commented, "Uh...Neo... We heard what happened with Krunk." Cortex asked, "You did? How?" N. Gin answered, "Nash told me when I raced him." Cortex coldly stated, "Well, glad to know it caught your attention." N. Gin looked sad as he replied, "I know, I deserved that... We all do after the way we"ve been treating you. But from our perspective, it didn"t look good. I hope you can forgive us." Cortex smiled now and responded, "I can forgive you all, Nicholas, so long as you all forgive me." N. Gin was the one to smile now. That"s what he admired about Neo. He had a big heart. As Geary was cleaning all around them, they all heard Velo"s voice. "GEARY! You. Have. Failed. Me. Again!" Geary stammered, "My lord, I am so sorry..." Cortex whispered, "That sounds familiar..." Velo heard this as he went over to Cortex, holding his scepter in his hand. Cortex, at this point, looked nervous but saw that everyone was standing at the ready to fight. "Have they really all changed their minds about me,' he thought, still in a little bit of doubt. Velo stated, "If you have something to say, say it on the track." Cortex breathed, "Wait what?" Velo replied, "Yes. I choose YOU as my racing competition." Cortex blurted out, "No!" Crash put his hand on Cortex"s shoulder and stated, "You have to." Cortex stated, scared, "I can"t." Crash replied, "You must. It"s not in my hands this time around. It"s in yours." Cortex looked at his best friend and those around him who all smiled at him. Feeling better than he did in years, he nodded as he turned to Velo. He responded, "I accept your challenge. I, Dr. Neo Periwinkle Cortex, shall be the one to race you, Emperor Velo the 27th." As the crowd erupted into a large uproar and applause for the race of the century; Cortex looked at Crash and thought, "I hope you know what you are doing.' AK1028: Well, this story might be a bit shorter than "Uprising Phoenix" but that doesn"t mean the madness will end here... Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Velo tapped his scepter on the ground, opening the ground. As it opened, everyone saw a track. John looked down to where the track was and asked, "What is that?" Crash explained, "Hyper Spaceway. Racers start out in a room underneath Velo"s Citadel, then they go through a warp hole and end up at a different angle underneath the Citadel. They then go through another blue warp hole, twist around the track, and past speed bursts which are guarded by fire breathing statues. Then they fall down "steps", over lasers, through another blue warp hole, and through a figure eight onto a clear tube in space with electric barriers. Velo"s Citadel can be seen in the distance. The outside of the Citadel is Velo"s head and then the racers go through another warp hole, back underneath the citadel, and towards the finish line." Pete scratched his head and stated, "Sounds complicated." Coco replied, shivering, "Believe us, it is." As the team went down onto the track and into the pit area near the starting line; Crunch pulled up Cortex"s cart as he was getting on his helmet. Thunder was checking the tires with Violet and Crystal. Coco decided to help Cortex with his helmet, seeing how scared he was. Cortex said, shaking, "T-thanks Coco." Coco asked, "Why are you nervous?" Cortex answered, "First time that the world"s fate is on my shoulders." Crash decided to help his sister and stated, "You"ll be fine Cortex. Pete will be riding shotgun with you and your helmet has a built in walkie-talkie, in case you need to go to the pits. Plus, it will convert into a space helmet when and if you need it." Cortex forced a nervous smile and replied, "So used to you doing this." Crash snickered as he responded, "Yeah well, I can"t take all of the glory." Cortex was the one to chuckle on as John helped his baby brother with his Pichu sized helmet. John asked him, "You feeling alright, bro?" Pete answered, "Feeling great! I get to ride shotgun with Cortex!" John chuckled at his energy as he stated, "Well, your helmet works the same as Cortex"s. So if there"s any trouble, Crash and I will be able to hear it." Pete replied, "Great!" Cortex grabbed Crash and commented, "Listen to me, Crash. Whatever happens I want you to know and do something for me." Crash looked at Cortex like he was crazy and stated, "Why? You"ll do fine." Cortex replied, "I wanna make sure. So please if I can"t do it...I want you to take Nina to London to meet her mother." Crash"s eyes widened as he looked at Nina, who was helping N. Gin with the fuel. He turned to Cortex and questioned, "What is it that you want me to know?" Cortex answered, "That you, Crash Bandicoot, are the best creation I ever created. You became a better man than the man who was a monster." Crash looked touched by that and just as he was about to say something, a voice caught their attention. "Racers, to the starting line please!" Cortex perked up as he went to his cart, leaving a stunned Crash behind. He couldn"t believe what Cortex had just told him. Cortex got into his cart as did Pete. The two of them strapped in as Crunch and N. Gin pushed them to the starting line. N. Gin gave Cortex a thumbs up as he returned back to the sidelines. Cortex returned it and then put both hands on the steering wheel, his right foot pressing on the gas pedal lightly. His cart gave out a vroom sound as everyone looked ready to watch the race. Pete yelled to Cortex, "You ready?" Cortex yelled, "Not really! But I have no other choice!" The same voice from before roared, "This race between Emperor Velo the 27th versus Dr. Neo Periwinkle Cortex and Peter Jonah Pichu is about to begin. Gentlemen, on your mark." Both Velo and Cortex"s carts were on the mark for the start of the race. The voice added, "Get set." The carts engines roared to life more as both racers stepped on the gas lightly. He stated, booming, "GO!" With that, Velo took off first with Cortex not too far behind. Everyone in the pit areas cheered as they knew that Velo always got a head start, no matter what anyone did to prevent that. Cortex turned with good powering, he was in the intermediate class after all. Velo smirked as he got out a few TNT crates and threw them. Pete yelled, "Incoming!" Cortex commanded, "Quick, use Shock Wave!" Pete gathered up must electricity as he could as he fired the Shock Wave, destorying the TNT crates instantly. As the explosion was above their heads, Velo laughed at the display and got a little bit ahead of them. John looked on Coc"s laptop, which had a camera feed of the race taking place. John stated, "That was a dirty trick!" Crash replied, "Sadly, anything goes in this race. There"s not much Cortex or Pete can do." Aku-Aku offered, "Perhaps I sholuld give them a fighting chance." Coco responded, "Only if needed, we need protection here as well." Rika-Rika told Aku-Aku, "She"s right, we need to help them stay alive here." Aku-Aku only nodded, knowing that they were right. As Cortex was starting to catch up to Velo, the alien emperor brought out a bomb and rolled it towards them. Cortex commanded, reacting quickly, "Pete, Iron Tail!" Pete stated, "Right!" With that, the youngest Pichu unbuckled his seat belt as he jumped out of the cart and used the Steel type move on the bomb. It didn"t destroy it but it rolled it off course and down the space below the track, exploding safely. Everyone in the pits breathed a short sigh of relief. This track was bad enough as it was, they didn"t need Cortex being knocked off of the track. Pete got back into the cart, buckling himself back in. Cortex commented, "Nice work!" Pete replied, "Good call!" Cortex smiled as he started to floor it, a little behind Velo, who was still in first place. Cortex knew that he had to do something if he was ever going to take first place. Crash yelled through the walkie-talkie, "Cortex, hard right! Hard right!" Baffled by what was happening, Cortex started to do a hard right, forcing the car into a beautiful skid. Pete was shouting as a huge boulder was in the way of the path. Luckily, Cortex served just in time to miss it and get on the left path. As he did, everyone in the pits was stunned. John blurted out, "Where"d that rock come from?!" Coco answered, "The track is either unstable or...that was an asteroid!" Cortex asked, "Crash, what do I do?" Crash thought for a minute and answered, "You have to finish the race. There"s no other option. Velo has to be defeated here and now." Cortex started to protest, "But..." Crash interrupted, "No butts! You have to do this. It"s on you, Cortex...Neo... I"m counting on you to take us to victory..." AK1028: And there we go guys. An exciting start to the race! Who will take home the victory? There"s only one way of finding out! You stayed tuned! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Velo went across the start/finish line, entering his second lap. Cortex and Pete did the same, after a quick pit stop. "Then it is up to us to stop Velo," Cortex remembered telling everyone while they were in the pits. Cortex had mostly caught up to Velo, now behind him again. Pete, being his co-pilot, was ready for anything to happen. Velo snarled as he brought out a missile and threw it at them. Cortex and Pete both screamed. Cortex quickly brought out his plasma blaster, shooting the missile with it as Pete took the wheel. Cortex aimed a few shots at Velo, none of them hitting. Pete stated, "He"s too fast, we need a boost!" Cortex replied, "Yes, I know and I have an idea." Pete questioned, "What is it?" Cortex answered, "Aim your Discharge at the back of our cart." Pete nodded as he sparked his cheeks, firing the Discharge at the back of the cart. The cart took off like a shot, accelerating a lot faster. The two of them even past Velo. Velo hissed, "No!" Cortex cheered as he took the hard right, getting by the asteroid. Pete cheered, all hyper but Velo was right behind them. Pete stated, "He"s gaining! We can"t risk the pits!" Suddenly, Velo got another misslie and aimed it at their back tire. Cortex and Pete both yelped as the tire instantly went flat. Cortex replied, "I fear we have no choice but I"ve got an idea. Use Spark on Velo or his cart. Slow him down!" Pete nodded as he unbuckled himself yet again, standing on Cortex"s spoiler. He sparked his cheeks as he launched Spark. Velo screamed as the Electric type move short circuit his cart, stopping him. Cortex pulled into the pits as Coco instantly fixed the tires and the flat. Velo struggled along, paralyzed. Cortex quickly pulled out of the pits, going into his final lap. Velo snapped out of being paralyzed as he snarled and went after the duo. Crash stated in the radio, "Velo"s not giving up, Cortex. He"s right behind you. You have to do another Shock Wave." Cortex replied, "No, I"m not risking Pete to do that again. Besides, I want us to do this. Just Pete and me. I"m following my gut." Crash responded, "Yeah but not your brain!" Cortex told him, "That"s what got us into trouble in the first place. That brain of mine. If I hadn"t expressed an interest in science to my dying evil grandfather...we would have never met... We would have never been..." That"s when Crash heard Pete yelling, "Cortex, look out!" Cortex screamed as the radio and the camera feed went dead. Crash blurted out, "Coco, what happened?! We lost them!" Coco typed furiously on her laptop as she stated, "I don"t know. Something happened. Something bad..." John instantly got worried and replied, "Crash, we got to get out there! My brother needs me!" Crash was hesitant. On the one hand, he wanted to get on the track to see what happened to Cortex and Pete. And on the other... "Crash...? John...?" Crash perked up, recognizing Pete"s voice. He asked, "Yeah, Pete, we"re here. What happened? Where are you and Cortex?" Pete answered, "We just got past the asteroid. Velo tried to choke Cortex!" John blurted out, "What?! How"d he get that close?!" Crash added, "And is Cortex okay?" As static came in again, Crash"s heart pounded in his chest. Was Cortex alright? "Crash..." That"s when Crash let out a breath that he didn"t know that he was holding. That was Cortex. Crash replied, smiling, "Yeah, I"m here..." Cortex responded, "Man, he got really close to my neck! If it wasn"t for Pete, it would have been bad." John stated, "That"s a relief..." Pete told him, "Yeah, you ain"t kidding!" Crash asked, "What place are you in? Coco lost the feed." Cortex answered, "Barely in 1st." John stated, "Come on, get away from him!" Pete replied, "We"re trying!" And this was the truth. On the track, Velo was getting closer to the cart again. "Not this time,' Cortex thought. He ordered, "Pete, Thunderbolt!" Pete nodded as he sparked his cheeks and fired Thunderbolt straight at Velo. Velo felt that, being forced back from them. Cortex managed to cross the finish line first with Velo right behind. Everyone in the pits celebrated as the track and the planet started to collapse. Thunder asked, "What"s happening?" Crystal answered, "I d-don"t know." Violet whimpered, "I scawed!" Rika-Rika questioned, "Coco?" Coco was already on her laptop as she told the mask, "Working on it!" Velo saw this and snarled. -Flashback- Velo was still sitting with the master of time and space, sitting at some tea of some sorts. Velo had just agreed to help Uka-Uka with the Crash Bandicoot problem. He commented, "There is ONE problem." N. Tropy looked up as Velo added, "If Hyper Spaceway is at all used, it will be the end of Kobold." N. Tropy seemed to have smiled as he stated, "Relax, friend. I will make sure that Kobold will not fall." Velo only nodded, going back to his tea. -End of Flashback- Velo pulled into the pits as he got his scepter and ran towards his people. Everyone saw this and started to follow, puzzled. Velo got to his people, some of which were trying to escape the decaying planet. Velo waved his scepter, creating a rainbow energy and teleporting his subjects away from Kobold. Velo turned and saw Crash and his team behind him. Velo quickly waved his scepter again, this time it produced a strong red light. Thunder asked, covering his eyes, "What"s happening?" Crystal answered, "I don"t know!" Violet yelled, "Big bwo... Big sis... I scawed!" Rika-Rika stated, "Hold on!" Cortex tried to hang on as much as he could, his eyes covered. After awhile, he blacked out. AK1028: Well that"s not good. Not good at all. What will happen to our heroes? There"s only one way to find out. You stay tuned! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! "Neo. Neo... Neo!" The short yellow little bald man groaned, slowly opening his eyes. When his vision cleared, in front of him was Nacey herself. Cortex bolted up in surprise. "Nance," he asked, stunned. "Neo, thank God you"re okay," Nacey answered, hugging her younger brother. Cortex was so stunned since he hadn"t had a hug from his sister in the longest time. He relaxed and hugged her back. But that"s when he felt something a bit...odd. He pulled back and looked at his hands. He wasn"t wearing his gloves. All he saw was the yellow skin he had. He looked down at himself as he was wearing an old fashion brown suit, a white undershirt, a brown tie, and brown loafers. He looked in the mirror and saw that the "N" on his forehead was gone. Like it never existed. He looked at himself and asked, "What happened to my clothes? Why am I here? Where is everyone?" Nacey grabbed him by the shoulders gently and answered, "Neo. I"m just as confused as you are. You and Nina just appeared in my home just as I was about to leave for the island." Cortex perked up as he questioned, "Wait, Nina"s here?" Just then, the two siblings heard a scream, alerting the both of them. Nacey cringed a bit and stated, "Oh dear, I don"t think that was a good sign..." The two siblings rushed to where Nina was and there, before their eyes was a girl standing in front of a full length mirror. She had yellow skin like Cortex, long brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a short sleeved pink dress, white caprice, pink and white slippers. Cortex asked, "Who is that, Nance?" Nacey started to answer, "I think that"s..." The girl answered, "Uncle Neo, it"s me, Nina!" Cortex looked stunned, looking at his niece as he breathed, "Nina?" Nacey stated, "Nina..." Nina nodded as she asked, "Uncle Neo, what happened to me? What happened to you?!" Cortex couldn"t answer. He was too busy looking at his beautiful niece and was absolutely stunned. She was completely back to normal, just like him. What happened to them? That was a good question. All he could remember was Velo surrounding him and the others with a red light of some sort. That"s when he realized something. "Oh my gosh, Crash," he shouted. "He wasn"t with you," Nacey stated. "No but he was with us before we ended up here," Nina replied. Cortex wiped out his cell phone and frantically checked his contacts. N. Gin was there, Nina was there, Nacey was there, Jasmine was there... Where was Crash? Scrolling back up to the "C" section, Cortex saw one entry. The one he needed: Crash Bandicoot. Cortex slid the green key into place as the phone started to ring. And ring. But there was no answer. "Damn it," Cortex cursed, putting his phone away. "Aren"t you going to try John and Pete," Nina offered. "Who in the world are they," Nacey asked. "Long story," Cortex answered, now looking for Pete"s entry. When he finally found it, he slid the green key into place, hoping that he would at least get Pete. "Cortex?" That was Pete and Cortex felt relieved to hear a familiar voice. He asked, "Pete, where are you?" Pete answered, "Would you believe John and I are back home?" Cortex stated, "Yes cause Nina and I are home too..." Pete started to say, "You mean..." Cortex replied, "Yes, we"re in London..." As he talked to Pete, he saw how happy Nina and Nacey were to be back together. "Who am I to tear that apart,' he thought, finally deciding. He hung up on Pete, powering down his cell phone - gaining both the girls attention. Nacey asked, "Neo?" Nina added, "I thought you were worried about the others." Cortex stated, "You know what...I"m not that worried anymore." With that, he headed out the door, leaving them puzzling. A few minutes later, Cortex had gone to the retirement home where Stacy was. As he entered, he saw his mother in bed. He cleared his throat and Stacy looked up. She gasped in surprise, wondering if this was her youngest son finally coming home after all of these years. Stacy stammered, "N-Neo?" Cortex stated, "Hello, mom..." With that, he went over to her and hugged her gently, trying not to cry. Stacy returned it, also trying not to cry. Her little boy was finally home. The two of them just held each other and cried until there were no tears left. Stacy had pulled Cortex onto her lap, holding him like she used to. Stacy asked, "When did you come home?" Cortex questioned, sniffling, "When did you get sick?" Stacy answered, "Not really sick, my dear. Though your sister Jasmine thinks otherwise." Cortex stated, smiling a bit, "No need to tell me that twice." Stacy smiled a bit herself as she replied, "You didn"t answer my question yet." Cortex responded, "Oh mom...I have been home for hours and I don"t know how or why. All I know is...I"m back and no one is going to split up this family again." Stacy coughed away from him as she told him, "I wouldn"t be too sure." Cortex perked up at this and asked, "Mom, are you okay?" Stacy answered, "Oh yes. Just a tickle in my throat." Cortex frowned as he stated, "Mom. I"m a scientist, a doctor, and most importantly - your son. I think I have a right to know." Stacy smiled a tad and replied, "Sweetie...I have lung cancer." Cortex"s eyes widen as he blurted out, "I thought you said that you weren"t sick!" Stacy replied, "I didn"t want you to worry." He whined, "Oh mom..." Cortex started to cry, hugging his mom as he felt awful. And all Stacy did was comfort her son. AK1028: Just when you thought it wasn"t going to get sad... Please read and review. And always think outside of the box.

Luigi smiled as he stated, "That means that you should get scared more so I can get you in my arms." Violet blushed but Luigi turned beat red when he realized what he said. He started to wave his arms around nervously. He added, "I mean, so I can protect you." Violet blushed and replied, "I get it, Weegie. But let"s focus on the mission." Luigi nodded as she took out the Game Boy Horror. She looked at it and saw where the key went. She pointed at the back door in the Foyer. Luigi nodded as Violet put in the key and turned the knob. She unlocked the door as they walked through the door. They entered the Anteroom. There were two chandeliers and three vases on three small tables. Instantly, ghosts were all over the two of them. Following their strategy, they continued capturing ghosts. Besides the usual gold ghosts; they ran into Purple Punchers, Garbage Can ghosts, and Speedy Spirits. They were in the Wardrobe Room: had three dressers and several pieces of clothing hanging up. While they were there, they picked up the next key to the next room. Violet took out the Game Boy Horror and checked the map. Luigi was blushing badly as he knew that Violet was still scared. He was too but he was being brave...for her. Luigi asked, "Where do we need to go?" Violet answered, "Follow me!" Luigi nodded as Violet took the lead, taking his hand in the process. The green clad ghost hunter laced their fingers, blushing as they investigated the balcony. That"s when they saw another Toad, Barry. Like Andrew, he came to find Mario but had no idea where he was. Luigi looked Violet, worried. Luigi questioned, "Do you think that we"ll find Malleo?" Violet shrugged and answered, "I honestly can"t say, Weegie." The green clad ghost hunter pulled her into a hug. Violet returned it, smiling. How she wished that she could Luigi how she felt. Luigi felt the same as they went back into the mansion, holding hands. That"s when the Game Boy Horror rang. Luigi stated, "Sounds like Elvin is calling in." Violet pulled it out and asked Elvin, "What"s up Professor?" Elvin answered, "Plenty, Violet. I detect spirits stronger than we"ve yet seen lurking ahead. I think...it must be some of those escaped gallery ghosts!" Violet questioned, "Anything we need to know?" Elvin explained, "You should know that they"re really different from the other ghosts you"ve seen so far. They don"t show their hearts very easily. Nope, not at all." Luigi asked, "So what do we do?" Elvin answered, "When you find one, use the Game Boy Horror to examine their heart and find their weakness!" Violet shivered as she looked at Luigi. He looked just as scared as she did. Elvin hung up to let this new information sink in. He whispered, placing his hand on her right cheek, "I need you, Vi." She blushed as she replied, "I"ll try, Weegie." Luigi kissed her left cheek, still not feeling her scar. Violet blushed as Luigi"s closeness. "Damn it, I wish I wasn"t such a freaking coward,' Violet thought, scolding herself. With that, Violet unlocked the passageway to the hallway from the Foyer. Luigi tried the first door and that led into the Study. There were three bookcases, a fireplace, and a rocking chair. Violet smiled at the sight of the Study. She loved to read. Luigi had to admit that he loved her smile. He whispered, "You"re smiling." She whispered, "First time in this god damned place." Luigi stroked her hair and whispered, "Hey, I"m scared too. Hell, I"m ALWAYS scared. But you have the Game Boy Horror. You are better with technology than I am." Violet blushed as Luigi"s hand played with her hair. Gloved or not, it meant a lot to Violet. Luigi was blushing just like Violet and that"s when they heard some creaking. Violet shivered out of the blue as she took a look. Her eyes widened in horror. She stammered, "W-Weegie, behind you..." Luigi spun around as the two of them saw a ghost in the rocking chair. He had short orange hair, no pupils, an orange mustache, and a blue ghost body. He was wearing a dark blue nightshirt with a book in his left hand. Violet, while she was shaking in fear, took out the Game Boy Horror and pointed it at the ghost. It identified the ghost as Neville, the owner of the mansion. "When he yawns, capture him.' Luigi smiled at the information and when Neville yawned, he flashed his flashlight and started to suck Neville into the Poltergust 3000. During the capture process, Neville went over to where Violet was standing. She screamed, totally scared as he managed to push her into the bookcase. Books fell on her, knocking her out. Luigi gasped in horror. He yelled, "Damn you!" As he yelled that, he managed to catch Neville. As soon as Neville was caught, he ran over to the fallen books and started to dig. Luigi begged in his mind, "Please, please be okay.' Luigi uncovered Violet and saw her eyes were closed. Ignoring the treasure box that had appeared in the room after defeating Neville, Luigi checked over the purple clad woman. Nothing was bleeding, which was a good thing. Violet groaned as her eyes opened. She saw Luigi in front of her and said, throwing her arms around him, "Luigi!" Luigi returned the hug as he asked, "Are you okay...?" Violet nodded and answered, "Yes but now you know why I hate ghosts." As Luigi pulled away, he gave her a puzzling look. Violet noticed this and picked up a black pen. She used it to trace the small scar on her left cheek. Luigi gasped as he managed to trace the scar, getting the cleanable ink on his white glove. Violet trembled at Luigi"s touch. He questioned, "Mind telling me how the hell that happened once we get out of this area?" Violet nodded as Luigi helped her get onto her feet. One portrait ghost down, more than a dozen to go... AK1028: I have to admit, this chapter was pretty good. If you are wondering if Luigi will still get the ice powers that he is supposed to later in the game, I can"t tell you now. Otherwise it will spoil the story! Other than that, please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Luigi and Violet held hands as they walked down the hallway. Both of them were scared stiff but knew that they had to keep moving. Luigi"s heart was pounding in his chest from both fear...and love. Violet skirt twirled as she walked, showing off her beautiful legs. Luigi blushed as he thought, "How come I just noticed that? Damn, I"ve been crushing on her for awhile but I never noticed that!' Unknown to Luigi, Violet"s heart was also pounding her chest. She was also afraid...and in love. Luigi"s hat bounced on the top of his head, showing off his soft brown hair. Violet blushed as she thought, "Wow, his hair looks so soft... How the hell could I not noticed that?' Luigi pulled Violet over to his body, making both of them blush. Luigi rubbed her right arm up and down. Violet smiled as he softly kissed her forehead. The green clad ghost hunter noticed that her body wasn"t cold as what it usually was. Luigi asked, "You okay, Vi?" Violet nodded and answered, "I will be, Weegie." He smiled as the two of them got to the end of the hall and used the key from Neville"s room to open it. The door creaked open and the two of them entered the Master Bedroom. There was a huge bed, two windows, a dresser, and a mirror. There was also a closet as well. That"s when Luigi and Violet saw a woman ghost sitting by the mirror. She had blonde hair, yellow eyes with no pupils, a light purple aura, and wearing a red nightgown. Luigi whispered, "Who is that?" Violet pulled out the Game Boy Horror and saw that her name was Claudia, the wife to Neville. "Push away the curtains, let in the draft.' She whispered, "Can you manage that?" The green clad ghost plumber nodded as he pushed away the curtains, capturing Claudia"s attention. She was startled by it and Luigi sucked her into the Poltergust 3000. Once the lights were on yet again, another treasure chest appeared. Violet opened it and another key popped out. Luigi commented, "Seems like that this mansion has many keys to many locked doors." Violet stated, "As long as we keep moving forward, that"s fine and dandy." Luigi nodded in agreement as they left the Master Bedroom, hand-in-hand. That"s when they heard some crying from down the hall. He questioned, "A baby...in a ghost mansion...?" She asked, "Is that at all possible?" Violet unlocked the door as the two of them entered the Nursery. It was indeed decorated like a baby"s room and floating in the crib was a ghost baby. He had a blue ghost body, yellow pupils, and wearing a yellow baby suit, with a blue and yellow pacifier in his mouth, and a red bib. Violet shivered as she pointed the Game Boy Horror at the baby. That"s when they found out that the baby"s name was Chauncey. "Make sure that you play ball with him.' Luigi puzzled at this as he picked up a ball and threw it at Chauncey, making it hit him. Luigi commented, scratching the side of his head, "Whoops..." Violet joked, "Child abuse on Chauncey much?" Chauncey stated, "Ow! You gave me an owie! I just wanted to play with you... I HATE grown-ups! ...why do you have to be bigger than me? I"ve had enough!" Luigi looked at Violet and said, "I think we"re in trouble." Violet hissed, "You think?!" Chauncey chanted, "Small! Now grow smaller! Small! Itsy! Tiny! Little! Wee! Ga ga goo goo GA!" Suddenly, a flash of light blinded Luigi and Violet as they hung onto the other. When Violet opened her eyes, she saw Luigi knocked out next to her. Their fingers were interlaced somehow as the purple clad woman saw that they were smaller than usual. Chauncey hovered over them, larger than when they saw him last. Violet"s eyes widen in fear as she screamed, making Luigi wake up instantly. He saw the situation they were in and threw himself over Violet. Violet"s eyes widen in horror as Chauncey attacked Luigi with his floating and flying horses. Luigi was thrown back by the blow, making Violet rush to his side. She breathed, terrified, "Weegie, no!" Luigi"s forehead was bleeding pretty badly as he was out cold. Violet managed to stop the bleeding, petrified. Chauncey cried and Violet swore that it was the most horrifying sound in the world. She turned around as Chauncey had several balls in the crib. Eyeing those and the Poltergust 3000, she knew what she had to do. She grabbed the vacuum off of Luigi"s back and with some knowledge, she picked up a ball and hit Chauncey with it. Chauncey screeched, "Ow!" Violet started to suck up the ghost baby, as Luigi came to. When he saw Violet facing her fears and sucking up Chauncey, he blushed. She was facing her fears...to protect him. Finally, Violet sucked Chauncey into the Poltergust 3000 and the spell was broken. Violet"s eyes opened from passing out as she looked around for Luigi. She saw the golden chest in the right hand corner and she assumed that they were another key in it. A voice shouted, "Vi!" Violet looked up and saw Luigi next to her, safe and sound. He was still hurt but he was wearing a smile a mile wide. Luigi took out the pink key in the gold chest and placed it in his pocket. Luigi then hugged Violet, even though she was still in shock that she had defeated Chauncey. The realization finally sank in as she looked at Luigi, stunned. She questioned, "I did it?" Luigi nodded and answered, "You did it! You defeated Chauncey!" Violet started to celebrate, jumping up and down in joy. Luigi spun them around, picking up Violet without a problem. Both of them laughed as Luigi placed her down but held Violet close. Luigi stroked her cheek as Violet trembled at his touch, realizing that she was in love. Luigi realized it too as their noses touched. Luigi was about to finally kiss Violet but the Game Boy Horror ringing broke them apart. Violet brought it out, a bit disappointed. She asked, "What"s up, Elvin?" Elvin questioned, "Violet & Luigi, can you hear me?" Luigi answered, "You bet we can!" Elvin stated, "Oh thank goodness you are both okay! I lost contact with you both all of the sudden. I was a tad worried." Violet replied, "We"re okay, professor!" Luigi wrapped an arm around Violet"s shoulders and added, "Vi here defeated Chauncey when he knocked me out!" Violet blushed feverishly as she thought, "Anything for you, Weegie.' Elvin commented, "Well, that is a surprise! But congrats! You both seem rather tired, why don"t you come on back to the lab?" Violet stated, "Sounds good to me." Luigi nodded in agreement as he replied, "We"ll be there soon." With that, Violet hung up on Elvin as Luigi brought Violet to his body. Violet blushed feverishly again as their noses touched yet again. Violet giggled, loving being close to him. She asked, "What are you doing?" He answered, "Something I should"ve done a long time ago." As he said that, Luigi started to lean in and kissed her gently. Violet returned it, in shock. But eventually, the shock subsided as she wrapped her arms around Luigi"s neck. Luigi wrapped his arms around Violet"s waist and held her close. It was a gentle and soft kiss, perfect for a couple just starting out. Luigi broke the kiss as Violet smiled at him. Luigi did the same as they took each other"s hand and headed out the door. She questioned, "So does this mean that we"re a couple now?" He answered, with a wide smile on his face, "Defiantly." Elvin decided to take the Poltergust 3000 and turned the ghosts back into paintings while Luigi & Violet rested. But he explained the process that he used of how to make ghosts first (which defiantly made Luigi and Violet sleepy). It involved his machine called the Ghost Portrificationizer. The machine lets them turn the ghosts into paintings and vice versa. The process is short, though. (Even though Elvin"s explanation was long.) Luigi held Violet in his arms as they laid on the couch together. Luigi kissed her head. Violet smiled at him and realized that she owed him an explanation about her fear of ghosts. She looked up at Luigi. She asked, "I owe you a story don"t I?" He answered, "You don"t have to tell me if you don"t want to but I am interested." Violet nodded as she stated, "Well, it all started when I was a little girl in Chicago. I was about 6 or 7 at the time and I was visiting my grandma. She told me that once in a full moon, grandpa visited her from beyond the grave. I didn"t believe her but when the full moon came, my grandpa"s ghost came into my room. He was displeased that I didn"t believe grandma and marked my cheek with this scar." Luigi questioned, holding her closer, "Why did he do that?" Violet answered, "To teach me a lesson that ghosts do exist. However, I"ve been petrified of ghosts ever since." Luigi took off his glove, much to Violet"s surprise. He traced her left cheek and the scar. Violet trembled as she looked at Luigi. He stated, "I understand. You are afraid that a ghost will do that again. And I"m guessing Neville didn"t help much..." Violet shook her head as Luigi leaned in and kissed her gently. Violet returned it as she placed her hands on Luigi"s chest. Luigi wrapped his arms around Violet"s waist as he held her close to his body. Violet felt like she was in heaven. Luigi felt the same way, in total heaven. He deepened the kiss as the two of them made out on the couch. Luigi thought, "This is amazing. Making out with her...' Violet thought, "Making out with him is truly amazing.' Luigi and Violet broke out of their kiss. Violet smiled at him as Luigi kissed her forehead, yawning. She asked, "Tired?" He nodded and answered, "Yeah, let"s get some sleep before we go back into the mansion." Violet closed her eyes, laying her head on Luigi"s chest. Luigi smiled as he held her there. Violet was asleep instantly, feeling protected and loved. Luigi closed his eyes and breathed calmly. He couldn"t believe that he was sleeping with a girlfriend in his arms. And it wasn"t just any girlfriend...it was HIS girlfriend. Luigi instantly went to sleep, still a little worried about his brother but happy that Violet was his girlfriend. AK1028: Yes, it finally happened! Luigi and Violet are finally together! I rather liked this chapter, it was pretty good since Violet faced her fear of ghosts. Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Luigi groaned as he started to open his eyes. Violet was still next to him, sound asleep in his arms. Luigi kissed her head and an instant, she was up. Luigi didn"t even notice but got a little carried away when he started to kiss her neck. Violet tried not to moan but Luigi"s lips on her neck felt so good to her at the current moment. The purple clad moaned softly as Luigi realized that she was indeed awake. He smiled and decided to kiss her neck more. Violet moaned more, shivering at the softness of Luigi"s lips. She held him close but after a bit, Luigi pulled away from Violet with the biggest smile on his face. She smiled as she gave him a gentle yet firm kiss. The green clad ghost hunter returned it, holding Violet close. Their kiss transformed into a French kiss and before it could get any farther, Luigi pulled away from Violet and smiled. Violet smiled right back. Luigi asked, "Are you up for some breakfast?" Violet nodded and answered, "You bet I am!" Her boyfriend smiled as he took the kitchen over, since Elvin was still asleep. Elvin was waken up to blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Elvin commented, "Luigi, I didn"t know you cooked!" Luigi nodded and explained, "I cook for Malleo and me all of the time!" As soon as he said that, Luigi looked sad as he dropped an egg. Violet managed to grab it before it hit the ground. Her ice powers managed to freeze it. She looked at Luigi, worried. Violet asked, "Weegie, are you alright?" The green clad ghost hunter sniffled and answered, "Not really, Vi. I"m worried about Malleo." Elvin stated, "I"m sure your brother is fine." Luigi replied, in Italian, "Io non sono così sicuro di questo, professore." Elvin looked confused as he question, "What language is that?" Violet explained, "Italian." Luigi replied, "It means, "I"m not so sure about that, professor"." Elvin simply nodded as Violet hugged Luigi"s shoulders. Luigi smiled as he held Violet close to him. The ghost researcher saw this and saw that Luigi was holding Violet close to him, certainly like a boyfriend would. Elvin put two-and-two together and knew that Luigi was now dating Violet. Unsure of how this happened, Elvin decided to head off to leave the two of them alone since they were going into the mansion soon. Later on that day, Luigi and Violet went into the mansion. Violet opened the back door in the Foyer as the two of them went through, not knowing what awaited them in this new area. This time, they found themselves in a rather large hallway. Violet looked around and then looked at Luigi. Violet commented, "Quite the long hallway." Luigi nodded in agreement as he stated, "Yep so we better get started." Violet followed Luigi and took his hand. Luigi smiled as he laced their fingers. They went down the hall, up another, and left into the next hallway. They went up again and entered the second last door on the left hand side. Violet saw on her Game Boy Horror that was the only door unlocked. Violet trembled as she opened the door. They saw that it was the Bathroom. With a running shower, a mirror, and a sink. In an instant, Grabbing Ghosts appeared. Violet froze as an icy mist surrounded her and Luigi. Luigi used the mist once again to his advantage, taking out the two ghosts. Violet covered her eyes with her hands while he did. She asked, "Are they gone?" He chuckled and answered, "They"re gone." Violet uncovered her eyes and saw a key on a shelf above Luigi"s head. She pointed up as Luigi got the key. Checking the Game Boy Horror, the key took them to the next room back down the long hallway: the Ball Room. A whole bunch of Shy Guy Ghosts, Bowling Bomb Ghosts, and Yellow Ghosts appeared. And in the ball room besides those mini ghosts was a couple. The man had a reddish ghostly aura with short orange hair and yellow pupils. He was wearing a red suit. The woman had a bluish ghostly aura with long blonde hair and yellow pupils. She was wearing a green dress. Violet pointed the Game Boy Horror at them, revealing them to be the dancing couple. "When they bow to the other, take your shot.' Violet whispered, "Sounds easy enough." Luigi whispered, "Then allow me." With that, Luigi shone the flashlight on them after they bowed and sucked up the dancing couple. Once the lights went back on, a treasure chest appeared. Violet opened it and out popped another key. She checked the Game Boy Horror and saw that the key opened the door in the back of the Ball Room. She stated, "Let"s get moving." He nodded as he allowed her to unlock the door. Violet did just that and the room was revealed to be: the Storage Room. After getting rid of the ghosts, the lights went on but no treasure chest appeared. Luigi and Violet both puzzled but that"s when Luigi saw a button on the wall. Luigi questioned, "What"s this?" The green clad ghost hunter pressed the button and the wall moved back. Violet commented, "The plot thickens." The two of them went further into the Storage Room. Luigi saw a trap door on the floor and a poster on the wall. Violet saw this and had a bad feeling. Luigi saw this too and felt a button behind it. However, the green clad ghost hunter pushed the button and the trap door opened. That"s when all of the Boos came out at once. Violet screamed in total horror as Luigi came over to her and held her protectively.

It was something like Coco had never seen before. She was monitoring the battle on her laptop. N. Gin, Tiny, and toddler Nina were near-by also watching. Nina was at least four years old, short black hair, brown eyes, wearing a white shirt, black skirt, and black shoes. Coco saw the girl and asked, "Uh, who IS this girl?"N. Gin answered, without blinking, "That"s Nina Cortex, Neo"s niece." Coco studied her and saw how good she was. She couldn"t understand it. She wondered, "How did this girl get mixed up in this?' Coco went back to the feed and saw that magic portholes opened up everywhere as the earth shook. Dingodile came over as he picked up the toddler and stated, "Let"s get Nina out of here!" Tiny added, "Tiny says, the faster, the better!"With that; Dingodile, Tiny, and Coco started running for shelter. N. Gin, however, went the other way. "Hey, rocket head," Coco yelled, "Where are you going?" No answer from him because N. Gin kept running towards the stadium Crash and Cortex was. Coco waved it off and started to run. Meanwhile, N. Gin got to the battlegrounds and saw the trouble unfolding. Crash got Cortex up and the two of them ran towards the two masks, trying to get them to stop. However, the power from the two masks sent both of them back. N. Gin also felt the blast but continued to pursue and enter the fray. He knew that he had to save his master. The blast finally stopped as N. Gin saw Crash going down along with Cortex. Both of their hands started to glow a strange light. N. Gin ran over to Cortex and tried to wake him up. "My master," said N. Gin, worried, "You"ve got to wake up!" Cortex opened his eyes and saw N. Gin and asked, weakened, "Nicholas?" Uka-Uka saw this and was disgusted by this display. Aku-Aku asked, "Nicholas?" Uka-Uka answered, "It does NOT matter. What does matter is that I stop anyone that dares challenges me." Uka-Uka activated the magical portholes again as N. Gin was thrown away from Cortex, like a rag doll. Cortex yelled, "No! Nicholas!" He knew that he had to do something and fast. That"s when he went over to his best friend, Crash. He shook the bandicoot in total fear and pleaded, "Crash, wake up! There is danger!" Crash didn"t stir but Cortex brushed his hand up against Crash"s hand. That"s when something unexpected appeared. Some sort of light appeared, coming straight from the heavens above, blinding everyone. It was a sight to behold. It seemed like it was pure island magic and it was a pure energy source, the kind the two masks had never felt before. This light disappeared as the magical portholes stopped instantly. Crash and Cortex got knocked out from this, however. Aku-Aku asked, freaked, "What was that?"Uka-Uka answered, "I"m not sure." He thought, fearfully, "But I think that"s what the ancients once predicted...' -End of Flashback- AK1028: And that people, ends chapter 2! Let me know what you think! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Crash, Coco, Crunch, Thunder, Crystal, Violet, John, Pete, Aku-Aku, Rika-Rika, Von Clutch, Pasadena, Cortex, N. Gin, and Nina were all in Mystery Island as the ashes kept falling from the sky. John asked, "What is going on?" Coco got her laptop and started to type as she answered, "Not sure. I"ve never seen anything like this before." Pete stated, "This is bad." Aku-Aku replied, "More than you all realize. I fear my brother is behind this." Crunch groaned, "Figured..." Crystal asked, "But what is he trying to do?" Aku-Aku answered, "I fear he is trying to cover the earth with ash. I don"t know why this elaborate way of doing it." Coco finally analyzed the ash as she stated, "Seems like this ash is completely one hundred percent alien." Nina asked, "Alien?" N. Gin answered, "That"s what she said..." Cortex stated, "But the only aliens we know of is Nitrous Oxide and Velo. They don"t have the technology to do something like this. ...do they?" Violet replied, "I don"t know, Mistew Phoenix." Cortex flinched. Even though he knew Violet didn"t know any better, he still couldn"t believe that he was being that cruel to the people he worked with and were friends with. "I hope God has mercy on my soul,' he thought. Crash looked at his best friend and instantly felt bad. He knew that the ex evil scientist had amnesia but no one outside of John, Pete, and Thunder really believed him. N. Gin barely talked to Cortex as did Nina. Coco made him bad every time she saw an opportunity. Speaking of which, the blonde bandicoot looked at Cortex coldly. Coco responded, "We also have another alien that isn"t exactly green and has a racing problem." Cortex barely looked at Coco after that, looking down at the ground. Granted, Crunch didn"t like what Coco was doing to Cortex but he was still wary of the little yellow bald man. It seemed like the only ones that kept their mouths shut or talked about Phoenix whenever Cortex wasn"t around were Von Clutch, Crystal, and Pasadena. Aku-Aku decided to be the voice of reason and stated, "Alright, that"s enough. We need to figure this out reasonably." Rika-Rika replied, "Yes, we do." Thunder asked, "But how do we figure out what this ash is?" Crystal commented, "That is a good question." Coco stated, "Well, according to scans, this ash is coming from Kobold." Crunch questioned, "Kobold? That"s Velo"s planet." Von Clutch gaped and said, "Ah! That"s a scary planet!" N. Gin asked, "But how are we going to get there?" Nina answered, "Didn"t you tell me that you were transported there..." Violet questioned, "Twanpowted?" Cortex responded, "It means that Velo was the one that sent us there." Rika-Rika replied, "I think we could transport ourselves there." She paused as she asked, "Pasadena, VC, can you watch Violet for us?" Pasadena responded, "Sure, it"ll be fun!" Von Clutch added, "And we can play a lot of mini games!" Violet cheered as she ran over to the mutant possum. Pasadena picked up the three year old girl, smiling. Crash smiled at them as Rika-Rika transported them to Kobold. -Flashback: "Crash Nitro Kart"- On Earth, Crash Bandicoot is asleep while Coco and Crunch work on Crash"s car (although Crunch was working out while Aku-Aku was watching). Crunch commented, "That diet is a joke." Aku-Aku stated, "Well, I have heard that you can loose a lot of weight on it." Crunch replied, "But you can"t keep it off. Just eat less and exercise more." Just then, a white light came through the window. The three of them saw this. Aku-Aku told them, "Something"s wrong. That"s not sunlight." Upstairs, the light shined on Crash. Crash shielded his eyes until he got out his sunglasses and put them on. That"s when the house was brought up to space. Meanwhile, Cortex, paces across his laboratory floor with Tiny playing checkers. Cortex grumbled, "Oh, how am I going to defeat those wretched Bandicoots...?" He paused and added, "And conquer the world, of course!" Tiny yelled, throwing his checker board, "Bandicoots! I can squash Bandicoots." Cortex sighed, "Yes, I know Tiny but you failed so many, many, many times..." He paused as he stated, "Tiny, go see if N. Gin requires assistance." Tiny stood up, saluted Cortex, and ran into another part of the castle. There was N. Gin and Dingodile, working on a cart. N. Gin told Dingodile, "Dingodile, throw the switch!" Dingodile nodded and was about to do that until Tiny busted in, flattening Dingodile with the door. That"s when the same white light started to come in. N. Gin instantly got annoyed. He yelled at Tiny, "Hey! What did you break now?!" Cortex saw the light and gasped as the tower was brought up into space. Crash took off his sunglasses when he heard something outside. He went to go investigate but the door broke as he did. That"s when he heard the roar of the crowd. "What the,' he thought, "A stadium?' That"s when he looked up and saw stars. He wondered why it was night time but saw Coco and Crunch behind him. Crash waved but then saw Coco pale as she pointed behind him. Crash spun around and saw Cortex and his team. Tiny snorted as Crash waved awkwardly. Cortex started to say, "What have you done..." That"s when he was interrupted by a hologram of an alien head. He stated, "I am Emperor Velo XXVII, ruler of this galaxy!" As he said that, the crowd roared with applause and cheers. He added, "My subjects hunger for entertainment..." The crowd started to chant his name as he commented, "...and word of your racing prowess has reached my glorious empire." That"s when they saw Nitrous Oxide, Zim, Zam, N. Trance, Pura, and Dingodile. He threatened, "And I hope you put on a good show, especially since winning the circuit will win your freedom. And if, for some reason, you refuse to race, your Earth will be... destroyed." Everyone gapped at this as Velo finished, "But... I don"t think it will come to that. Do you accept my challenge?" -End of Flashback- Within seconds, our heroes arrived at Kobold. Velo came out of the shadows almost instantly. Velo commented, "I see that you finally decided to come." Crash hissed, "What are you doing with those ashes? What are you planning?" Cortex advised, "Easy, Crash." Coco added, coldly, "Yeah, you don"t want to turn into a Phoenix." Cortex shot her a look as Velo stated, "I am not going to tell you anything, Crash Bandicoot. But I will tell you once you defeat my circuit." Crash replied, hissing, "We already did that." Velo smirked evilly as he waved his scepter, which started to glow a rainbow light. Crash shielded his eyes and as soon as he reopened them, he saw that his team had changed. With him were: Cortex, John, Pete, and Nina. Thunder was with Crystal, Coco, Crunch, and N. Gin. That"s when they saw an improved Kronk, Nash, Norm, and Geary. Kronk was skinnier, Nash was muscular, Norm was a bit taller, and Geary was bigger in his gears. Velo stated, "Yes but not like this before." AK1028: Velo is back babies! Now I wanna play this game again! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! "Is he freaking serious?!" Nina hissed, looking at her racing team. "I"m stuck with the squad that believes my uncle had nothing to do with the Phoenix thing?! Can I freaking change teams?!" Crash rolled his eyes, ignoring Nina"s rant. He wasn"t too thrilled having her along for the ride either but the Twin Sanity team was back. More or less. John stated, "Hey, would you take a chill pill? We aren"t exactly thrilled having you around either." Pete sighed as he looked at Cortex, who looked really sad. Sure the youngest Pichu was thrilled about racing with his best friends but it didn"t mean much if they weren"t having fun or working together like they always did as the Twin Sanity team. Nothing seemed quite right. Pete softly stated to Crash, "I just want things back to normal. Is that bad?" Crash gave the youngest Pichu brother a small smile as he stroked his fur and replied, "We all do, buddy. We all do." He looked out to where Cortex was sitting and asked, "Cortex?" Cortex didn"t bother to answer as the five of them were on Terra. N. Gin, Coco, Crunch, Thunder, and Crystal were on Barin. The short little yellow bald man was sitting thinking, wallowing in his own self pity. He whispered to the moon, "Nance...if you can hear me somehow...tell me what to do... Tell me what to do..." That"s when he started to cry, capturing the team"s attention. Nina asked, out of curiosity, "What does that supposed to mean? Is this "Nance" that he talks about?" Crash answered, not looking at her, "His sister and your mother." With that, he got up and went over to Cortex - ignoring the surprised Nina behind him as he told Cortex, "You know she can"t hear you." Everywhere I turn, I hurt someoneBut there"s nothing I can sayTo change the things I"ve doneI"d do anything within my power Cortex sniffled, "Liked to think she can. She was always good at that stuff. Always knew right and wrong..." Crash sat next to him and stated, "But you don"t." I"d give everything I"ve gotBut the path I seek is hiddenFrom me nowBrother Bear, I let you down Cortex wiped his eyes as he replied, "Let"s be honest here, Crash. It"s gonna be a cold day in hell before anyone believes me that I had no intention of killing or hurting anyone. Granted the Pokemon forgave me but..." Crash interrupted, "Yeah, I know. You want Nina to forgive you too." You trusted me, believed in meAnd I let you downOf all the things I hid from youI cannot hide the shame Cortex responded, "She is my only family right now..." Crash told him, with a smile, "No, she isn"t." Cortex returned the smile, though his was smaller than Crash"s. He finally sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He finally stated, "Crash, I"m planning to go home." And I pray someone, something willCome, to take away the painThere"s no way out of this dark placeNo hope, no future Crash started to say, a bit puzzled, "Yeah, well, we all plan to go home after we win the..." Cortex interrupted, "I meant home. My home of London." There was a slight pause of silence between them as they looked at each other, the breeze lightly picking up. He added, "I was meaning to tell you this afternoon but this all happened." I know I can"t be freeBut I can"t see another wayI can"t face another day Crash breathed, "I can"t believe it..." Cortex replied, "I owe it to my sister. I owe it to my good family to repay the things I"ve done..." Without hesitation, Crash hugged Cortex. The bald little yellow man wasn"t expecting a hug but accepted nonetheless, mesmerizing the softness of Crash"s fur. Crash confessed, "I"ll miss you..." Cortex breathed, "I"ll miss you too. And Crash?" Crash looked at Cortex and asked, "Yes?" Cortex answered, "Beat Velo. You are the only one that can..." Crash"s heart fell at that. Never before had he seen his best friend so sad. But then again, with what had been happening, he couldn"t blame Cortex. He finally stated, "I shall do my best." Cortex smiled a bit as the two of them went over to their team and started the Terra races. The first track was Inferno Island with a tropical beach with a volcanic cave in the middle of the track...or it used to be. There instead was mostly volcano and practically no beach. John stated, "Well...this doesn"t look good..." Pete asked, "How are we supposed to win the circuit?" Nina answered, "With trickery, what else." Cortex scolded, "No. You are good now as is N. Gin. No tricks." Crash added, "Besides, it shouldn"t be that bad so long as one of us wins." The four teammates nodded as they knew that had to work together, much to Nina"s dismay. After getting all 3 trophies, (although they had some difficulty), they finally got to Krunk. Nina stepped up to face him. John asked, "You sure about this, Nin?" Nina answered, "Positive." Pete stated, "Then kick his butt!" Nina gave them a thumb up, ignoring her uncle as she drove out on the track. Midway through the race, Nina hit one of Krunk"s electro balls as he took the lead. Crash whispered, "Nina"s gonna lose if she doesn"t do something...but she"s flying blind out there!" Cortex grabbed the radio and said, "Nina, listen to me. I know you are mad and you have every right to be. But us stopping Velo and figuring out what Uka-Uka is up to is in your hands right now. Fight the shock and floor the gas." Nina managed to fight the shock and floored the gas, quickly getting herself out of danger. However, she was still behind Krunk. He added, "Alright, this is where it gets tricky. Fun but tricky. Extend your grappling arm towards the power up box." John asked Crash, "Can she do that?" Crash answered, "Hasn"t been against the rules yet." Nina did as she was told and got a rocket. Pete stated, "She got a rocket." Cortex commanded, "Keep it steady. Aim carefully and then fire." Nina nodded as she did just that, knocking Krunk off the track and Nina into first place...and the victory. While the team celebrated, Nina"s voice came over the radio. "Not bad...uncle," she stated. Just hearing that, Cortex"s heart skipped a beat. Was he earning back Nina"s trust...? "No Way Out" by Phil Collins AK1028: A rather long chapter but it needed to be done. Let me know guys! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! After the race, our five heroes saw that they were on Tenkee. John looked around as did Pete. John stated, "Well, this place looks rather scary." Pete added, "In more ways than one." Nina looked at her uncle and asked, "So you had amnesia after all?" Cortex answered, "Yeah, which is why I didn"t recognize anyone." Crash stated, "But you knew how to battle us perfectly." Cortex replied, "That"s the one thing I never understood." John offered, "Perhaps Uka-Uka was controlling those features." Pete asked, "But why is he doing all of this?" Crash answered, "I don"t know but one thing is for sure, we will find out." Nina looked at her uncle and asked, "Can I talk to you?" Cortex answered, "Sure." He took her aside and asked, "What is it, Nin?" Nina questioned, "Crash said something that really made me feel awful. That "Nance" was your sister and my mom..." Cortex answered, with a question of his own, "What about it?" Nina sighed as she asked the question that had been burning on her tongue for the longest time, "Is my mother still alive?" Cortex smiled and answered, "Yes, your mother is still alive. She writes me every week, telling me how much she misses us." Nina"s heart pounded in her chest. There was so many questions she had about her mother and about her father. Why did her mother leave her here? What happened? Did she...love her? Finally, Cortex waved his hand in front of her face and asked, "Nina?" Nina answered, snapping out of her trance, "Sorry. I just...I have so many questions." Cortex stated, "And I know the woman that has the answers. That"s why I want you to come with me. Back home to London." Nina was shocked by this. Go to London? But this island was her home for as long as she could remember. She was a little nervous but she wasn"t going to let her uncle know that. No freaking way. She asked, "Wait, what? After what I did to you?" Cortex answered, "Nina, you only did what you thought in your heart was right. Much like I"ve been doing all of these years by working with Uka-Uka. I had to do what I thought was right. There"s not a moment that goes by that I regret my actions. I have to face my past in ordinary to make a future." Nina questioned, "What about N. Gin?" Cortex stated, "Nicholas can do what he wants. I know it"ll be a VERY long time before we"re friends again. I accept that." He paused as he looked at his nervous niece and said, "Something tells me that this has to do more with you than with Nicholas. You"re nervous aren"t you?" Nina asked, "Wouldn"t you be?" Cortex answered, "Petrified. But Nance is a good woman. She is, after all, my sister." Nina hugged Cortex, surprising him. He returned the hug, a bit awkwardly at first but relaxed into it. Crash watched this from afar and smiled at the sight. At least some good was coming out of this. -Flashback- A young Neo was outside in the changing leaves. The boy had recently turned 6 years old and right next to him was his 8 year old sister, Nacey, and their oldest sister, Jasmine, who was 12. The youngest Cortex sibling stepped jumped into a pile of leaves. He had the biggest smile on his face. He had messy black hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved blue jacket, a white undershirt, black pants, and black shoes. Nacey looked at her younger sibling as she joined him, laughing. She had short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved pink jacket, a rose undershirt, lavender pants, and white shoes. Jasmine rolled her eyes. Being the oldest, she was quite tired of her older siblings being so energetic. She had long brown-blackish hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved yellow jacket, a white undershirt, blue jeans, and yellow shoes. Their mother, Stacy Cortex, smiled at her two youngest children. "If only they could stay that way forever,' Stacy thought. Stacy was about 40 years old, with brown-blackish hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved red jacket, a light red undershirt, dark red pants, and white shoes. Stacy commented, "Neo! Nacey! We have to get going to your grandfather"s place. Your father is there wait for us." Nacey and Neo pouted as the protested, "But mom..." Jasmine stated, "You two heard mom. We have to get going." With a pout, the two of them got out of leaves and rejoin their older sister. Stacy was relieved that Jasmine was so responsible with both Neo and Nacey, especially how hyper Neo got from time to time. Stacy said, "Thank you, Jasmine." Jasmine joked, "You can thank me by raising my allowance?" Stacy laughed. Somehow, she knew that was coming and she wouldn"t change any thing. Sure she lost her oldest son in Edgar so long ago but these three filled her life. She loved them. She loved her life. And she wouldn"t trade it for anything else. -End of Flashback- Back on Earth, in London, a woman reflected on those events from so long ago. "That seemed like it was so long ago," said a female voice, with a strong English accent. She put down her tea cup that she had been sipping on and put it down on the table in front of her. Her name was Nacey Rose Cortex, the youngest daughter of the Cortex family. She was currently living in a small house that was a two story. On the first floor was the kitchen, living and dining rooms, and the closet. One the second floor were the bedrooms and the bathrooms. She got up from her chair, looking around her house. She had lived her for numerous years, right after leaving college. She entered the living room and looked at the pictures had collected over the years.

Violet quipped, "Looks like a job for a plumber." Luigi commented, shooting her a look, "Oh ha ha." The green clad plumber did some tinkering and instantly got a key out of the toilet. Violet grimaced, "Ew..." Luigi stated, "Sometimes plumbing is more gross than Koopas." The purple clad woman giggled as she turned to the blubbering Toad. She kneeled down to his eye level. She asked, "Are you okay?" The Toad sniffled as he looked at Violet and answered, "I, uh, dropped a REALLY important thing into the toilet. I didn"t mean to!" Violet questioned, "What"s your name?" The Toad whined, "C-Cameron..." Violet smiled and answered, "Well, don"t fret about it, Cameron." Cameron stopped crying and stated, "Hey... You"re right! No point in crying over spilt milk! I suppose I"ll just flush that old worry away. Yup, I"ll just let it swirl on down to the depths and let happiness refill my life!" Luigi laughed at Violet"s face as the two of them headed down the hall again. Violet was holding Luigi"s hand as they got to the room to where the key went to. Luigi gave Violet a smile as she unlocked the door, giving them access to the Fortune-teller"s Room. Violet shivered as the two of them saw a ghost appear in the room behind the crystal ball. Luigi held Violet close. He promised, "I won"t let anything bad happen to you, I promise." Violet blushed as the two of them approached the ghost. She had a sky blue ghost aura, a scarf on her head and around her mouth, and a red dress. The ghost questioned, "What...do you seek of me?" Violet stammered, "W-who are you?" She explained, "I am Madame Clairvoya, seer of dropped items. Possessions of other people awaken vibrations in my spirit... If you happen to find someone"s dropped items, you should bring them to me. I will show you the extent of my vision..." Luigi questioned, "Guess we gotta look around, eh, Vi?" Violet nodded and answered, "Right, Weegie." The green clad plumber opened the door on the right side of the room and entered the Mirror Room. Violet shivered when they heard ghosts cackling. Luigi got ready to protect Violet but the Grabbing Ghosts grabbed her first. Violet screamed in horror. Luigi gasped in horror as the Grabbing Ghosts lifted Violet into the air. Luigi stated, "Hold on!" Before Luigi could react, the Grabbing Ghosts disappeared, making Violet drop the Game Boy Horror and her hat as she screamed in total horror. Luigi picked up the Game Boy Horror as he traced the hat, as if he was caressing Violet"s cheek. Luigi studied it and went back to the Fortune-teller"s Room. Madame Clairvoya saw him and asked, "What seems to be the problem?" Luigi gave her Violet"s hat and answered, "Those damned ghosts took my girlfriend. I want to save her, she"s afraid of ghosts!" Madame Clairvoya took the hat as she stated, "I sense the story behind this hat..." It was a typical day in the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi Manfredi was asleep at his and Mario"s house, with nothing to do. It had been day 3 in Mario"s adventure to rescue Peach (again). Luigi had to stay behind, much to his own dismay. Eventually, Luigi finally woke up and decided to go for a little walk. He wanted to prove that he was also a hero just like Mario. That"s when he heard something. "Help," someone yelled. Luigi quickly sprang into action, running towards the sound. That"s when he came across a scared 19 year old girl, with shoulder length brown hair, green eyes, wearing a purple short sleeved shirt, a purple skirt, and purple shoes. She was gripping onto a railing, dangling over the river. Luigi ran over and grabbed her wrist. Luigi was surprised that she was pure human...except for her whiter skin. She wasn"t a toad, that much he knew. So who was she? "Hold on, miss," he stated, in his strong Italian accent. He pulled her up and she was instantly out of danger. Luigi panted as the girl went over to him. She asked, "Are you okay?" He answered, panting, "Y-yes..." She smiled as Luigi thought she had a great smile. As soon as he thought that, he started to blush. He quickly shook his head as he looked at her and asked, "Who are you?" "My name is Violet Jasmine Calico," she answered, looking at him with her green eyes. He smiled at the innocence. Violet looked around in puzzlement and asked, "Where are we? Is this Earth?" "No, this is Mushroom Kingdom," Luigi answered. Violet was in shock as she breathed, "B-but, I was in Chicago a few minutes ago!" Luigi took her hands into his and replied, "The same happened to Mario and me when we first came. But we came heroes of the kingdom." "Who are you," Violet asked. "Luigi James Manfredi," Luigi answered, "And I will train you, just in case." The next few days, Luigi and Violet started to train together. Luigi was a bit timid to train with Violet, since she was a girl. But that quickly faded when they started their combat with poles. Violet was fast and strong. Luigi was impressed with Violet"s movements, she moved pretty well. Violet felt the same about Luigi, they were pretty evenly matched. She explained to him how she had a black belt in karate and in several other martial arts. She also told him that she came from a broken home. Her parents were divorced and her half sister wasn"t always there for her. So she had to learn things on her own. She had no friends or much of anything back home. Luigi felt bad for her because he was the same. He hadn"t much of a family either. All - of course - except his older twin brother, Mario. However, Violet had no one to turn to unlike the green clad man. "I am blessed,' Luigi thought. Anyways, Luigi summoned his green thunder, which threw Violet off. Luigi face palmed as she cringed from the thunder strike. It wasn"t gonna be very easy to train... They worked on speed, they worked on strength, they worked on endurance. Violet, even though she was tired, wasn"t giving up. Luigi was surprised by this but kept going with his training, keeping his head in the game. He knew what he had to do if she didn"t start improving soon... Luigi shot a bow into a wooden pole and asked Violet to retrieve it with two weights on her wrists. Every time she tried to do that, she would wind up falling off or down. She groaned, this wasn"t going to be easy at all. But that"s the way she wanted it. She wanted to be treated like an equal. They fished together, practice dodging targets and fireballs, everything that Luigi could think of to help Violet figure out if she had powers. So far, nothing was happening. She rolled her eyes, annoyed but she wasn"t giving up. One time during training, Violet had passed out on Luigi and he had to carry on without her. She lowered her head in same, knowing that she would probably have to leave for home soon. But there was one more thing she had to try. She grabbed the weights and climbed the pole. By the time Luigi got up in the morning, the arrow was dropped down to his feet as he saw Violet on top of the pole. He smiled. She did it. Ever since then, the training went a lot smoother as Violet kept improving. That"s when she discovered her powers instantly, acting like Luigi"s green thunder and Mario"s red fire. However, her element was purple (really violet) ice. Luigi helped her control her powers, much like he did with his. At the end of the training session, Violet was so badly beaten and bruised, Luigi allowed her to stay at the house a bit longer. Luigi knew that she needed a friend right now as much as he did. He took Violet to his room and let her rest there as he took the couch. He let total exhaustion take over his body, having forgotten all about Mario and his rescue mission to save Peach. A few weeks later, Luigi bought Violet a hat with a snowflake on it which was similar to his and Mario"s. He also got her a mask and presented them to her that day. Violet smiled as she asked, "Why did you get this? It wasn"t apart of the deal." "I don"t care about the deal, I care about you," Luigi answered. Violet blushed as she stated, "Thank you, Weegie." Luigi was about to say something but teased her instead and replied, while blushing, "Welcome, Vi." And that"s when the nickname stuck as well the name Violet Ice. Madame Clairvoya returned the hat back to Luigi and cryptically said, "She"ll be okay but focus on your mission to save your brother. His life is on the line, Violet"s is not...yet. You are Luigi James Manfredi and soon one day the world will know your name. For you will one day be the man in green and the hero of the sacred violet ice." AK1028: Violet"s gone, Luigi is all alone in a house filled with ghosts, Mario"s life is on the line... Can this get anymore challenging? I better not give myself any ideas! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Violet groaned as her eyes twitched, her head pounding like crazy. She sat up and saw a bunch of yawn in front of her. Violet looked up and saw a ghost there, knitting. Violet screamed in horror as she stumbled away from the ghost. The ghost was an old woman and she had pale blue ghostly aura, gray hair, wearing a purple dress, and a red sweater. The ghost looked at her and seemed surprised. The ghost questioned, "Well, what do we have here?" Violet stammered, "W-who are you?" She answered, "My name is Nana, deary. Those Grabbing Ghosts brought you here to Area 3 to keep me company...how sweet." Violet stumbled to her feet and swore, "Damn it, I"m in Area 3?!" Nana scolded, "Don"t start swearing, young lady. A pretty thing like you shouldn"t swear." Violet looked at Nana and got a good look at the older lady ghost. Even though she was truly terrified of ghosts, Nana seemed to be different. She had not yet attacked Violet and Nana reminded her of her grandmother back in Chicago. Violet looked up at Nana, curiously. She asked, "Nana, what happened to all of you ghosts here in the mansion?" Nana perked up and answered, "Oh my, that is a first to have a human to ask me such a question." Violet stated, "I don"t want to go further in Area 3 without my boyfriend. Luigi will get here sooner or later so I would like to know..." Nana got out a scarf, started to knit, and replied, "Well, deary. I was the first to go, being so old and such. But the others have darker tales to tell..." Meanwhile, back in Area 2, Luigi was thinking over what Madame Clairvoya had told him. Granted, he never thought he would be separated from Violet or for his brother"s life to be on the line but that was the situation thus far. He took in a scared and nervous breath, clutching Violet"s hat in his hand. Luigi knew what he had to do...capture the portrait ghosts, get the Boos, find Violet, and save Mario. With the new fire medal on him, Luigi went on his way. He caught the Boo in the Mirror Room: Kung Boo, lit some candles, got the next key, and went out into the long hallway yet again. Luigi lit the floating candelabra and the butler, Shivers, appeared. Upon seeing the fire, he started to flee towards his room with Luigi following. Shivers had a sky blue ghostly aura, dark blue hair, green pupils, and wearing a blue and white tux with a red bowtie on it. After capturing Shivers, Luigi got the key in the treasure chest. He also caught the Boo: PeekaBoo in the same room and then he found a Hidden Room with a whole bunch of treasure plus the Boo: GumBoo. Luigi went into the Laundry Room and found Mario"s hat. He gasped as this was the first item that belonged to his brother. He had also caught the Boo: Boogie in the same room. Luigi down the long hallway again, hating the fact that he was all alone with no one to talk to. Luigi was really worried about Violet and Mario... In the Fortune-teller"s Room, Luigi gave Madame Clairvoya Mario"s hat. The fortune-teller ghost examined the hat and told Luigi that Mario was still alive but that"s all she could sense. The green clad ghost hunter groaned as Madame Clairvoya looked at Luigi. She reassured, "Violet is alright. Mario is still alive. You still have time." Luigi stated, "Boy, I hope so..." Madame Clairvoya replied, "I know so." The green clad ghost hunter went back to the Ballroom, dreaming and practicing to dance with Violet as he caught Boo La La. Luigi went into the long hallway and entered the Conservatory. The Conservatory was filled with musical instruments and a giant piano. As he looked around, he played a melody on the harp, trying to help him with his breaking heart. He started to cry as he started to sing: Heart beats fastColors and promisesHow to be brave?How can I love when I"m afraid to fallBut watching you stand alone?All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow One step closer Luigi"s tears entered his eyes more as he continued to sing, not noticing that the other musical instruments started to play too. The green clad ghost hunter was scared and worried about Violet, his heart breaking. This described his relationship with Violet perfectly as he continued to sing: [Chorus:]I have died everyday waiting for youDarling don"t be afraid I have loved youFor a thousand yearsI"ll love you for a thousand more Suddenly, the piano started to play mysteriously as Luigi saw a female ghost sitting there. She had blue ghost aura, long blonde hair, silver pupils, and wearing a red-pinkish dress. Luigi didn"t dare to check her with his Game Boy Horror as he knew that she was friendly. So, he sang: Time stands stillBeauty in all she isI will be braveI will not let anything take awayWhat"s standing in front of meEvery breathEvery hour has come to this One step closer The female ghost smiled at Luigi, continuing to play the piano and allowing him to continue with his solo. Luigi smiled at her sadly as he thought, "Whoever she is, she"s sensing my heartbreak and my worry about Violet. I"m more worried about her than Malleo. Damn, I"m in love.' Luigi continued to sing: [Chorus:]I have died everyday waiting for youDarling don"t be afraid I have loved youFor a thousand yearsI"ll love you for a thousand more Luigi took out the Game Boy Horror as he checked over the female ghost. He saw that he name was Melody, the spectral beauty of music. Luigi smiled at her as he strummed more on the harp, making it sing. Melody smiled as she thought, "This Luigi really is in love...' Luigi continued to sing even more: And all along I believed I would find youTime has brought your heart to meI have loved you for a thousand yearsI"ll love you for a thousand more One step closerOne step closer Luigi"s voice was trembling with sadness as he struggled to finish the song. Melody encouraged him by waving him on. Luigi smiled at her and whispered a silent thank you to her. Melody smiled at him and whispered a silent your welcome to him. Luigi finished the song: [Chorus:]I have died everyday waiting for youDarling don"t be afraid I have loved youFor a thousand yearsI"ll love you for a thousand more And all along I believed I would find youTime has brought your heart to meI have loved you for a thousand yearsI"ll love you for a thousand more Melody finished the piano melody as she smiled. Luigi looked at her and she looked at him. She nodded, as if she accepted her fate. Luigi shook his head as he "hugged" Melody. Melody perked up as she "returned" the hug. Luigi whispered, "Melody, thank you for helping me." Melody whispered, "You"re welcome, Luigi." Luigi perked up as he asked, "How the hell did you know my name?" Melody answered, "The mansion walls aren"t that thick." Luigi smiled and stated, "You better get ready then. It"s time." Melody nodded as she backed away from Luigi and allowed herself to be caught by the green clad ghost hunter. Luigi was grateful to Melody for listening to his worrying and breaking heart. Melody was also grateful for singing with him so her music could have closer. -Song: "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri- AK1028: Aw, that was sweet. I love the way the song tied into Luigi and Violet"s relationship. I do like the Luigi/Melody friendship pieces but that"s about it. Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Violet was still listening to Nana spin her tales about the ghosts in the mansion. Nana had told her that she was the mother to Neville and after she had passed on, due to old age, she watched over the family although she never finished her scarf. Nana stated, "After I had passed, everything started to crash in around poor Neville. It was like he was cursed." Violet questioned, "Just wondering here, was anyone named Boolossus involved with you guys?" Nana explained, "Only in our escape from the Gallery, my dear. He was never involved with our human lives." Violet asked, "Then what happened?" Nana answered, "Well, let me say that it was all because of love and a will. It all started with my son, Neville. He was 42 years old when he passed away and the poor thing assumed that Lydia was having an affair with Vincent Van Gore. But that wasn"t true, Lydia hated Vincent. Neville went to have his revenge, killing Vincent at the age of 59. Lydia was furious that Neville assumed such a thing and she eventually killed him. Things went downhill after that." Violet questioned, her eyes wide, "What do you mean, Nana?" Nana explained, "Lydia became the master of the mansion and had control. There were a few accidental deaths. Sir Weston who loved the cold in the Ice Room, never wanting to leave. He eventually got frozen over at the age of 30... Then there was Jarvis, the jar collector. He was Lydia"s crazy brother and he managed to die in his jars, at the age of 35. The poor thing was very delusional. Then Sue Pea was a sick 7 year old girl who died in her sleep." Violet"s eyes were still wide as she stated, "Well, that explains Neville and Vincent plus some of the others." Nana nodded as she replied, "Yes and there is more tragedy. Once, there was a toy maker that lived here and when he passed away, his spirit seemed to inhabit three clockwork soldiers. Even the sneaky butler Shivers, who was looking for Lydia"s will, passed away in a fire when he was trying to save Melody. Shiver was 72 while Melody was 26. Mr. Luggs, who was Melody"s uncle, got so depressed that he ate himself to death." Violet"s heart broke upon hearing that and whispered, "How awful..." Nana added, "Bogmire, the groundskeeper, died from all of the depression that he sensed in the mansion. Even Spooky had to be put down, being four years old in human years. The Floating Whirlindas, Rhonda specifically, was having heart problems. Ron gave her his heart but something went terribly wrong and both of them died. Miss Petunia was the runner up for the "Miss Ghost" title, since her skin was so ghostly. She died taking a shower, heart attack." Violet was in shock as she stammered, "A-and what happened after that?" Nana explained, rocking in her chair, "Biff Atlas, who was depressed over Melody"s death, worked out so much that he eventually passed away at the age of 29. Slim Backshot was playing pool constantly - so much so that he eventually passed away from playing the game. He was only 29. Uncle Grimmly, died of always being alone at the age of 45. And that left five people in the mansion: Lydia, Henry, Orville, Chauncey, and Madame Clairvoya." Violet asked, "What happened to them?" Nana answered, "After Lydia made out her will, Madame Clairvoya had a vision from 49 days in the future. She warned Lydia that if she did not change the will to where everyone got something, terrible things would happen to the children. On that day, Madame Clairvoya passed away. 49 days later, not heading her vision, Lydia discovered that Henry and Orville died playing a game of hide and seek, leaving her and Chauncey." Violet rolled her eyes and stated, "Yeah, I met Chauncey. He was a spoiled brat." Nana replied, "Well, you are about to find out why. Before Henry and Orville were discovered to be dead, Lydia did change the will to where Chauncey would get everything. When she discovered Henry and Orville, she killed herself from all of her guilt. Chauncey was left alone in the mansion, crying, until Madame Clairvoya"s vision of something happening to all of the children hit him too. He died crying, quieting the mansion forever." Violet gulped, shaking in fear from the story. Nana was rocking away in her rocking chair, knitting away. She asked, "Is the will still around here?" Nana perked up as she answered, "It might be somewhere in the mansion, I"m not sure. What on earth for?" Violet thought over Nana"s story and stated, "If your story is correct then the will would be in the Nursery! If the will was burned, would it give you all peace?" Nana replied, "Good heavens, it would! The curse would be broken and we would stay as portrait ghosts with no need of finding that damned will." Violet responded, "Allow me to go to Area 1 to find it." Nana thought this over and commented, "Alright but once you find it, bring it to me." Violet nodded as she stated, "You can count on me." Nana snapped her fingers as the Grabbing Ghosts took Violet back into Area 1. Violet told the Grabbing Ghosts to hide in the shadows so they wouldn"t have to worry about the light. The ghosts agreed as Violet entered the room she hated the most...the nursery.

Luigi nodded as King Boo came floating out, dazed. Using his method when dealing with all the other Boos, Luigi began to drain King Boo"s energy with the Poltergust 3000. As was expected, King Boo had a lot of energy but Luigi gritted his teeth with determination and kept the ghostly monarch within the vacuuming path. Just then, Bowser"s glaring head floated upwards and began shooting balls of ice at him. Violet threw up an ice shield to protect him but one chunk of ice hit Luigi sending an almost paralyzing wave of coldness through his body. Clearly, King Boo had thought this one through. As a result, Luigi could not drain all of King Boo"s energy in one fell swoop and the ghostly monarch retreated back into the safety of the machine"s body. King Boo hissed with the mega"s voice, "Don"t think you two can best me just like that! Remember, I am a King amongst Boos! A lord of ghosts! As a ghost, I am more powerful than a mere mortal like yourselves. And ghosts... don"t... DIE!" AK1028: Things are getting scary, that"s for sure! Can Violet and Luigi stop finally King Boo? Will they save Mario in time? Find out in the next chapter! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Violet panted as did Luigi, they were scared by King Boo"s threat. But Luigi was not letting up, not for a second. Violet gave him a look of confidence, as they nodded to each other. They were not going to let Mario down, not after all of this. They both came too far to give up now. They both vowed, "We"ll see about that!" With that, Luigi and Violet avoided Bowser"s attempt of crushing them. Luigi picked up another one of the iron balls that King Boo obviously hoped to injure or even kill them with. If it was able to do so, Mecha Bowser"s eyes would have widened as Luigi launched his next attack, straight into its open mouth, forcing King Boo back into the open. Violet smirked as she created another ice shield around her boyfriend from the ice blasts. King Boo howled, "No! It shall not end this way! It won"t end this way!" Mecha Bowser"s head wasn"t doing enough to protect him he thought since the green clad ghost hunter seemed to have worked out its attack patterns by now. The drain on his energy was startlingly fast. It was humiliating, succumbing to the power of a house-cleaning device wielded by none other than a lowly plumber and an ice wielding woman! Had all his Boos felt this way, defeated by a being obviously lesser than themselves? King Boo tore himself from Luigi"s grasp once again and fled into Mecha Bowser"s innards. Violet cursed under her breath as did Luigi. Mecha Bowser had put its head on backwards and began charging in all random directions, crushing all in its path. Its tail swung at Luigi and Violet from nowhere, slamming into him body and flinging them onto the hard surface. Violet got up from the cold surface and discovered she was bleeding pretty badly. Luigi picked himself up unsteadily and pressed a hand against where blood started seeping through his overalls again. He realized that one of Bowser"s spikes must have dug into him and he was lucky for it not to have penetrated any further. Violet ran over to him, worried. She asked, "Weegie, are you okay?" He nodded as he answered, "I"m fine, Vi. But I"m not going to be defeated now. No way! No chance! This ends here, King Boo!" King Boo snapped, "It only ends when I say! And this shall end when I place you two on the wall! You all shall have the honor of residing on my mansion walls for all eternity as the true meaning of your failure. You all will be forgotten. Your very names shall be reviled by every person living. You"ll know of all the evil and darkness out there and you"ll know that there is nothing, absolutely nothing that you can do about it. I shall make sure of that." Luigi said softly, "No." Violet added, even as the fires left behind by Mecha Bowser blazed behind them, "You"re wrong, King Boo. You"re wrong." King Boo screamed, or rather, Mecha Bowser let off a ferocious roar that nearly deafened Luigi and Violet. It stormed forwards, claws outstretched, threatening to rip into its long-time foe. Luigi pushed Violet out of the way and hissed when one claw found its mark, slicing into his shoulder. In the back of his mind, he could hear Mario"s cry of concern (because of their twin telepathy) and he could hear Violet screaming out in total horror. Mecha Bowser had his claws outstretched again as the another claw found its mark, slicing into Violet"s shoulder. She screamed in pain and as Luigi was trying to ignore his pain, Luigi never felt so guilty. Violet was hurt because of him. Luigi pulled up his Poltergust 3000 with a fire lite in his spirit as he grimaced in pain. The green clad ghost hunter kept the nozzle at a steady level. He just needed one more chance to finish King Boo off for good. All of the pillars had crumbled now. Luigi grabbed Violet and quickly increased the distance between themselves and Mecha Bowser as it threw another barrage of red-hot iron balls. Realizing what Luigi was about to do and cursing himself for his atrocious error; King Boo forced Mecha Bowser into a forwards charge. Luigi stood his ground, keeping Violet hidden and waited for the right moment. Luigi"s eyes narrowed with determination. King Boo suddenly realized that his momentum in his lumbering Bowser suit meant that he couldn"t suddenly turn to the side to avoid the iron ball retaliation. He yelled as Mecha Bowser"s head was blasted off and was immediately caught in the Poltergust 3000"s powerful suction. He struggled wildly against it but Luigi struggled even harder if that was possible. The look that King Boo gave Luigi was one of pure hatred. Violet saw this and shivered. Before any of them knew what was happening, King Boo was sucked down into the bowels of the machine without even the opportunity to curse Luigi for his actions. His crown clinked heavily as it fell to the ground. Luigi sank to his knees and panted for breath. Both Mecha Bowser"s head and body collapsed onto the ground with a resounding thud. Luigi noticed the shining crown beside him and picked it up, staring into its depths. Luigi whispered, bleeding, "See, King Boo? Did you think I was just going to give up? Did you think our other wins were just luck? Maybe they were but we somehow got through them. I was scared to death but so was Violet. But we still carried on. No matter how terrified we were, we still carried on because we wanted to save Mario. Mario would do the same for me. And there was no chance that I was going to give up on my brother, King Boo. Never..." Luigi winced as he stood up and held his throbbing head. He ran over to Violet as she looked at him with pure love and admiration. She was bleeding pretty badly but she was always there for Luigi. He kissed her softly as a flash of bright light surrounded them. When the light was gone, the couple broke out of their kiss and were surprised to find themselves back in the Secret Altar. And there, on the wall, was Mario"s painting. Violet was in awe. She breathed, "Mario..." Suddenly, the Game Boy Horror rang, making the couple flinchost or when something had happened to forestall Luigi such as when the lighting went out. He saw Elvin jumping about excitedly as he answered his handheld device. Elvin laughed jovially and commented, "Luigi! Violet! You two did it! Truly remarkable! I supplied the Poltergust 3000 but you ran with it all the way to the top, sonny! You made me so..." Elvin sniffed and finished, "Proud!" Luigi and Violet could not help but grin as Elvin told himself to get a grip. Violet informed the good professor about their battle with King Boo and how they jumped into a painting of Bowser. Luigi hoped that the real Bowser would forestall his usual kidnapping of Peach for a good while yet and at least give him and his girlfriend some time to recover from the whole event. Violet commented, "Doubt he will..." Elvin remarked, "In all my years of ghost research, I"ve never heard such a fantastical tale. And let me tell you two, that career has expanded an awfully long time. Why, I was still recall starting out as a young whelp who trembled at the mere thought of a ghost, TREMBLED I say!" Both Luigi and Violet yawned as Elvin began recollecting some old tale about ghosts or whatever and turned his attention to Mario who seemed to have fallen asleep. "He must have kept trying to escape,' Luigi thought, seeing signs that this was most certainly the case. Luigi breathed, "Vi, we did it..." Violet responded, "That we did, Weegie..." Elvin finished, "And that is why you should never approach a Slimer at its front. Oh, here I go again, an old man waffling on about things from years ago. Anyhoo, grab your brother"s painting and bring him to the lab!" Elvin then chuckled on seeing Mario asleep and added, "He must have collapsed with relief and exhaustion when he saw you two arrive. Anyway, I"ll get the machine set up and ready. I"ll be expecting you both!" Elvin then cut the connection leaving Luigi and Violet on their own. Feeling a huge sense of relief and somewhat unusually, pride, Luigi gently lifted Mario"s painting off the wall and tucked in under his spare arm. Violet grabbed his shoulder and pointed the Game Boy Horror at the mirror in the Secret Altar so they could simply transport themselves back to the Foyer. Luigi looked down at the painting, hugging it almost, wishing that it was Mario that he was hugging. Luigi mumbled, "We did it... See, bro? I got you. You"re safe now. We"re all safe now." Violet smiled at Luigi and whispered, "And Mario will be so proud of you. I know I am." The green clad plumber gave his girlfriend a smile before she pressed the button on the Game Boy Horror that allowed them to warp through the mirror and leave the Secret Altar behind for good. When the two of them got outside, Violet stopped Luigi. Luigi looked back at her. He questioned, "Gonna burn the will?" She nodded as she answered, "I did promise, after all and since Mario is now safe, I can." Luigi stated, "Do it." Violet took a torch from Danny and held up the will. The will instantly caught on fire and the words on it seemed to have wailed with a ghostly aura. Luigi shivered as Violet threw the will at the haunted mansion. The haunted mansion started to burn with the will and the Boo headquarters started to burn as well. Violet commented, "Let these spirits have the peace they so rightfully deserve, forever in their paintings." Luigi smiled at her as the two of them (along with the Toads), headed back to the Lab, letting the haunted mansion burn to the ground with the evil will and the cursed Boo headquarters. Somewhere in their paintings, Madame Clairvoya smiled as did Nana. It was finally over. AK1028: Yay, it is finally over! But there is still more to come! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Finally returning to Elvin"s lab, the ghost researcher quickly got to work. Elvin did not want to risk the chance of the ghosts somehow escaping, especially with King Boo in there. Luigi and Violet watched King Boo and his Mecha Bowser"s head get turned into a beautiful, striking canvas without expression. All they wanted to do was put this whole escapade behind them now. What they also wanted to do was rest their weary bodies to their heart"s content. Elvin mentioned as the machine was doing what it needed, "It"s quite amazing that you managed to do all of this in a single night. Even though you burned down the mansion with the will and headquarters, that treasure seems to be real. I"ve no interest in those baubles so you might as well keep it, use it however you like!" Violet responded, rubbing her eyes, "Sounds good to us." Luigi simply nodded in agreement since he didn"t have much interest in those baubles either so he decided to do what he and his brother normally did when they went on a long adventure together and accumulated a lot of cash and that was give most of it away. He was just glad to have his brother back more than anything. The Toads had a new respect for the couple when Luigi suddenly turned up clutching Mario"s painting in one arm and Violet was next to him. They would have pestered the two with all sorts of questions had the couple given them the chance; Violet had burned the will and let the mansion burn with it and the headquarters. Luigi presumed that they all went off to tell Peach the good news once they saw Mario with their own eyes. At least they now knew that he was capable of doing such things as rescuing his brother, as Mario would have done for him. Violet knew that he had in him the whole time. By now, Elvin had reversed the controls on his Ghost Portrificationizer and placed Mario"s frame at its very end. Luigi winced at his brother"s every yelp and cry as he was put through all sorts to turn him back to normal. Violet cringed, feeling bad for Luigi and for Mario. Elvin remarked, "It would have been worse being turned into a painting in the first place. Why, this is like a gentle scrubbing in a bathtub compared to that." Still protesting, Mario was suddenly taken up the pipe connecting the washing tank to the compartment that Luigi normally connected the Poltergust 3000 with and landed with a heavy thump. Violet came over to Luigi, who was by the machine. Violet called out, "Er...Mario?" Luigi called out, "Malleo?" Suddenly, the couple got their answer by way of Mario suddenly bursting out and crash-landing into Luigi and Violet with the machine"s frame hanging around his neck. Mario murmured, "Mamma mia..." The red clad hero was understandably disorientated by his ordeal. He tried to stand up and promptly fell backwards again. Luigi couldn"t help it, he started to laugh. He laughed with relief, he laughed at seeing Mario on the floor looking as if he had touched several Fuzzies, he laughed at seeing his big brother look so ridiculous with that frame around his head. Violet joined Luigi, all for the same reasons. She was relieved that it was over. Luigi and Violet also cried with relief at knowing Mario was safe and knowing, in the dark part of their minds, what the alternative would have been if Luigi and Violet had not managed to save him. Finally, Mario managed to pull himself together and got to his feet. Luigi then found himself being grabbed by Mario into a tight hug and winced at the sudden flash of pain that coursed through him. Mario whispered, "Luigi... I don"t know what to say other than...thank you. Thank you for coming to get me, little bro." Luigi murmured, "Heh...you would have done the same for me, Mario." The green clad plumber felt somewhat embarrassed considering that Elvin could hear them talking and was only pretending to be suddenly interested in the paintings that he had restored with the Portrificationizer. Violet was over by Elvin, letting Luigi have a few minutes alone with Mario. Mario grabbed her hand, gaining her attention. Mario pulled Violet into a tight hug as Violet tried not to hiss in pain. Mario quietly said to her, "Thank you for helping my brother, Violet. I appreciate that he has a good friend in you." Luigi was about to correct him but Violet shook her head, as she returned Mario"s hug. Violet softly stated, "Mario, I do anything for Luigi. He"s my boyfriend now and I will always be there for him." Mario softly smiled as Luigi watched them with a smile on his face. "Damn, I love her,' Luigi thought as Mario pulled him into his hug with Violet. Elvin smiled at the sight. The red clad plumber told them, "Luigi and Violet, what you did for me doesn"t make it any less significant. And I"ll admit it to you both...I was scared. I was scared about what would happen to you...what was happening to myself. That King Boo...I wouldn"t want to go through that again for the whole world. And I just thought about you and wished that...we went on more adventures together." Luigi replied, trying not to cry, "Well, bro. The next time you get a call for adventure, I"m coming too. And even if you forget, I"ll follow you. I"ll always be there for you. Just remember... We"re all here for you, bro. Always." Mario said, softly, "I"ll remember..." Violet smiled as she joked, "And if you ever do leave my boyfriend behind, I will personally kick your butt!" The threesome laughed as they all held each other, glad to be safe. Elvin announced whether they would like to stay for tea and rest before heading back home or to Princess Peach"s castle as was the likely option. Luigi couldn"t agree more to having some rest as did Violet. They did have to go through slapping on the bandages and plasters wherever they needed to go yet again but they didn"t dare tell Mario what happened while in the mansion. Luigi collapsed with sheer exhaustion and Violet did the same, landing right into her boyfriend"s arms. Mario recognized that something had changed in Luigi; he was stronger perhaps and more courageous than ever before. "He was being brave for me...and for Violet. I guess something"s changed with me too,' Mario thought as he tousled his brother"s hair. Mario sensed that there was some change in Violet too, even though he barely knew her. Mario glanced at King Boo"s painting which E. Gadd hadn"t had chance to put away yet and shivered. He wasn"t convinced that King Boo would be kept like that for as long as Mario, Luigi, and Violet lived. There was no doubt that King Boo was a powerful ghost and he could already be plotting on how to escape his painting prison and take revenge on the brothers, especially Luigi (and Violet), seeing how the two of them had humiliated him so. But...there was little point in worrying about that now. Luigi and Violet had been through hell to save him he gathered and King Boo was not about to terrorize them so soon, even if he freed himself the next day. Mario knew with more powerful certainty than before that he could count on his brother even if others were slow to come to the same conclusion. They counted on each other because their lives depended on it. And more than just that, they were family. Elvin came over to Mario and said, "They went through a lot to save you, you know." Mario turned around to him and stated, "I know. I never thought that Weegie had it in him. Violet I barely know but Luigi..." Elvin replied, "About Violet... She"s just like you and Luigi, sent here from Chicago." Mario"s eyes widen in surprise as he responded, "Wait, what? Seriously? Luigi never told me that!" Elvin commented, "Well, he didn"t want anyone to take Violet away so he kept her a secret, giving her the secret identity of Violet Ice." Mario repeated, "Violet Ice..." Elvin explained, "Her name is Violet Jasmine Calico and she was Luigi"s best friend coming into this. Allow me to tell you the story of what happened..." A few hours later, Violet groaned as she woke up. She saw that she was on the couch and Luigi was next to her, still asleep. The green clad plumber was bandaged up like she was yet he still held her in his arms. Violet smiled as she kissed her boyfriend"s forehead and slipped out of his arms. She went into the Gallery and saw Mario there. Violet was surprised. "Surely he would get some kind of sleep,' she thought. Violet went over to Mario. She asked, "Mario?" He turned around and saw Violet standing there. Mario greeted, "Hi, Violet." Violet questioned, "What are you doing here?" That"s when she saw that he was looking at King Boo"s portrait. She shivered as she added, "Course, you HAD to be near the creepy portrait." Mario whispered, "He did everything imaginable to torture me... He even created an illusion to make me think that the Boos severally hurt him...even to the point of death." Violet gasped as tears came to her eyes and spun around. She started to cry thinking that. Mario perked up as he hugged Violet from behind. Violet spun around to Mario as she sniffled. She stated, "I apologize, Mario." He replied, "It"s fine, Violet. He is your boyfriend and best friend. It"s reasonable." Violet responded, "Luigi was amazing in the mansion but that"s all I can tell you without him saying that I should tell you more." Mario sighed as he commented, "Elvin told me." Violet"s eyes widened as she questioned, "And?" Mario explained, "That brother of mine just blew me out of the water. Did all that really happen?" Violet nodded as she stated, "Yes, it did. He was amazing, your brother. Everyone underestimates his power but he is the man in green that will be forever in your shadow...even after all of this..." Mario breathed, "No, not Weegie..." Violet took Mario"s hands into hers and replied, "I will always be here for you two, just let me know." Mario smiled as he hugged Violet. Violet returned it, smiling. She loved Luigi and was glad that she was slowly getting to know Mario. "Perhaps there is a reason I"m here,' she thought. AK1028: Mario is safe but the story isn"t over yet! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! A few days later, Mario started to head home to Mushroom Kingdom with Luigi right behind him. Luigi felt rather weird returning home - especially without Violet. But the princess requested the presence of the Manfredi brothers. Violet stayed with Elvin in Boo Woods and Luigi couldn"t help missing her. Mario turned to his baby brother, as Luigi was still badly hurt, and saw Luigi"s sad face. Mario smiled, he knew that Luigi was missing Violet.

Stacy laughed. Somehow, she knew that was coming and she wouldn"t change any thing. Sure she lost her oldest son in Edgar so long ago but these three filled her life. She loved them. She loved her life. And she wouldn"t trade it for anything else. -End of Flashback- Back on Earth, in London, a woman reflected on those events from so long ago. "That seemed like it was so long ago," said a female voice, with a strong English accent. She put down her tea cup that she had been sipping on and put it down on the table in front of her. Her name was Nacey Rose Cortex, the youngest daughter of the Cortex family. She was currently living in a small house that was a two story. On the first floor was the kitchen, living and dining rooms, and the closet. One the second floor were the bedrooms and the bathrooms. She got up from her chair, looking around her house. She had lived her for numerous years, right after leaving college. She entered the living room and looked at the pictures had collected over the years. One picture was of her (age 10), Neo (age 8), Jasmine (age 14), Stacy, and their father (Robert) after their grandfather"s passing. Robert looked a lot like the way Neo did currently, though Robert wasn"t bald. Grandfather Cortex had been a rather interesting sort, being the one that had enrolled Neo into the Academy of Evil when he was seven. The other picture was of her and boyfriend, Ivan Mcnite. Ivan and Nacey had been dating for about a year. That was until one night, the two had too much to drink and had sex (which resulted in Nacey having Nina). Though her and Ivan had tried to tie the knot, it didn"t happen because Ivan wasn"t ready to be a father and a husband. Nacey was a bit heartbroken about this and that"s when she took Nina to the island. Nacey would admit that it was a mistake leaving Nina with Neo (in fear that Ivan would come back someday). But she knew that Neo was being "evil" to protect himself and the little girl that they both loved. "I have to see her," Nacey finally said, choking at the baby picture of Nina, "I have to see my baby girl..." AK1028: That"s where we leave it for today folks. Hope this chapter made a bit of sense. Please read and review. And always think outside of the box. Resolved in seeing her little girl yet again, Nacey started to head for where her mother spent her days. In a retirement home. After going on a "skiing" vacation after their father died, Stacy Cortex was checked in. Despite her protests to Jasmine (who had to fly out from Chicago where she lived with her husband Anthony and daughter Darla), she had insisted that she saw Neo with an evolved bandicoot and two Pichu brothers. Nacey was the only one that believed her mother but sadly, she was not her mother"s power of attorney. Jasmine was. "You can"t do this," Nacey remembered saying. "I have no other choice," Jasmine replied, "She has lost her mind and is seeing things." "I knew I should"ve told her,' Nacey thought, regretting her past decisions. She finally arrived at the retirement home, going into the room of her mother. Stacy was there, looking quite unwell. "Mom," Nacey said, in a soft voice. Stacy had gray hair and wrinkles but she opened her brown eyes anyways. There, she saw Nacey. Her youngest daughter had grown quite a lot since the days of her youth. Granted, she had made a lot of mistakes like her siblings but that didn"t mean that she wasn"t trying to make up for them. Stacy greeted, "Nacey. Glad you came. You hadn"t changed." Nacey forced a smile as she pointed out, "Mom, I"ve always been the same." Stacy stated, "Even with that old outfit." Nacey looked down at herself, seeing her pink shirt, purple jeans, white shoes, pink hat, and a pink scarf. She looked over on the table and saw a picture of Jasmine, Anthony, and Darla. Jasmine still had her brown-blackish hair (although she did have some gray in her hair), brown eyes, wearing a yellow dress and yellow shoes. Anthony had brown hair, green eyes, wearing a blue suit, and blue shoes. Darla (who was about Nina"s current age) had short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing pink three piece suit, and purple shoes. She replied, "Sometimes the past is better than the present." Stacy smiled at this as she responded, "You are still the wise one." Nacey looked at her mom in disbelief as she started to tear up and confessed, "I was never the wise one, mom. Jasmine was always the wise one, being the oldest." Stacy sat up a bit in her hospital bed as she stated, "My dear, Jasmine is nowhere near as wise either." Nacey replied, "But that doesn"t mean I"m wise. I"ve done so much to hurt my family..." Stacy frowned and responded, "We have all done things to hurt our families. Neo decided to pursue your grandfather"s silly dream to take over the world. Now that didn"t happen, someone named Phoenix took over." Nacey pointed out, "For only a short time." Stacy ignored that, "Still, we all make mistakes. That"s why the old saying says: we"re only human." Nacey managed a smile and stated, "You always know how to make me feel better, mom." She paused and asked, "Didn"t you say that "skiing" vacation was on some mountain on an island west coast of Australia?" Stacy perked up at that and answered, "Yes but why?" Nacey stated, "Because it is real. That"s where I left Nina 16 years ago. And I think it"s time she met me." As she kissed her mother on the cheek, happier than she felt in years, she left the retirement home. She knew what she had to do. It was time to face the past. And that meant one thing...returning to N. Sanity Isle. Back in outer space, John and Pete had tagged team on the racing track against Geary and won. The two brothers were dancing happily as Crash, Cortex, and Nina were watching and laughing. Nina asked, sarcastically, "Think they are happy?" Crash answered, smiling, "Oh yeah." "Crash?" Crash spun around and saw Coco, Thunder, N. Gin, Crunch, and Crystal. He gushed, "Sis!" With that, he ran over and hugged her tight. Coco laughed as she returned it, more than happy to see her brother. Cortex sighed a bit, remembering his own sister, as N. Gin approached him rather nervously. Cortex was a bit surprised. What was he doing? N. Gin commented, "Uh...Neo... We heard what happened with Krunk." Cortex asked, "You did? How?" N. Gin answered, "Nash told me when I raced him." Cortex coldly stated, "Well, glad to know it caught your attention." N. Gin looked sad as he replied, "I know, I deserved that... We all do after the way we"ve been treating you. But from our perspective, it didn"t look good. I hope you can forgive us." Cortex smiled now and responded, "I can forgive you all, Nicholas, so long as you all forgive me." N. Gin was the one to smile now. That"s what he admired about Neo. He had a big heart. As Geary was cleaning all around them, they all heard Velo"s voice. "GEARY! You. Have. Failed. Me. Again!" Geary stammered, "My lord, I am so sorry..." Cortex whispered, "That sounds familiar..." Velo heard this as he went over to Cortex, holding his scepter in his hand. Cortex, at this point, looked nervous but saw that everyone was standing at the ready to fight. "Have they really all changed their minds about me,' he thought, still in a little bit of doubt. Velo stated, "If you have something to say, say it on the track." Cortex breathed, "Wait what?" Velo replied, "Yes. I choose YOU as my racing competition." Cortex blurted out, "No!" Crash put his hand on Cortex"s shoulder and stated, "You have to." Cortex stated, scared, "I can"t." Crash replied, "You must. It"s not in my hands this time around. It"s in yours." Cortex looked at his best friend and those around him who all smiled at him. Feeling better than he did in years, he nodded as he turned to Velo. He responded, "I accept your challenge. I, Dr. Neo Periwinkle Cortex, shall be the one to race you, Emperor Velo the 27th." As the crowd erupted into a large uproar and applause for the race of the century; Cortex looked at Crash and thought, "I hope you know what you are doing.' AK1028: Well, this story might be a bit shorter than "Uprising Phoenix" but that doesn"t mean the madness will end here... Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Velo tapped his scepter on the ground, opening the ground. As it opened, everyone saw a track. John looked down to where the track was and asked, "What is that?" Crash explained, "Hyper Spaceway. Racers start out in a room underneath Velo"s Citadel, then they go through a warp hole and end up at a different angle underneath the Citadel. They then go through another blue warp hole, twist around the track, and past speed bursts which are guarded by fire breathing statues. Then they fall down "steps", over lasers, through another blue warp hole, and through a figure eight onto a clear tube in space with electric barriers. Velo"s Citadel can be seen in the distance. The outside of the Citadel is Velo"s head and then the racers go through another warp hole, back underneath the citadel, and towards the finish line." Pete scratched his head and stated, "Sounds complicated." Coco replied, shivering, "Believe us, it is." As the team went down onto the track and into the pit area near the starting line; Crunch pulled up Cortex"s cart as he was getting on his helmet. Thunder was checking the tires with Violet and Crystal. Coco decided to help Cortex with his helmet, seeing how scared he was. Cortex said, shaking, "T-thanks Coco." Coco asked, "Why are you nervous?" Cortex answered, "First time that the world"s fate is on my shoulders." Crash decided to help his sister and stated, "You"ll be fine Cortex. Pete will be riding shotgun with you and your helmet has a built in walkie-talkie, in case you need to go to the pits. Plus, it will convert into a space helmet when and if you need it." Cortex forced a nervous smile and replied, "So used to you doing this." Crash snickered as he responded, "Yeah well, I can"t take all of the glory." Cortex was the one to chuckle on as John helped his baby brother with his Pichu sized helmet. John asked him, "You feeling alright, bro?" Pete answered, "Feeling great! I get to ride shotgun with Cortex!" John chuckled at his energy as he stated, "Well, your helmet works the same as Cortex"s. So if there"s any trouble, Crash and I will be able to hear it." Pete replied, "Great!" Cortex grabbed Crash and commented, "Listen to me, Crash. Whatever happens I want you to know and do something for me." Crash looked at Cortex like he was crazy and stated, "Why? You"ll do fine." Cortex replied, "I wanna make sure. So please if I can"t do it...I want you to take Nina to London to meet her mother." Crash"s eyes widened as he looked at Nina, who was helping N. Gin with the fuel. He turned to Cortex and questioned, "What is it that you want me to know?" Cortex answered, "That you, Crash Bandicoot, are the best creation I ever created. You became a better man than the man who was a monster." Crash looked touched by that and just as he was about to say something, a voice caught their attention. "Racers, to the starting line please!" Cortex perked up as he went to his cart, leaving a stunned Crash behind. He couldn"t believe what Cortex had just told him. Cortex got into his cart as did Pete. The two of them strapped in as Crunch and N. Gin pushed them to the starting line. N. Gin gave Cortex a thumbs up as he returned back to the sidelines. Cortex returned it and then put both hands on the steering wheel, his right foot pressing on the gas pedal lightly. His cart gave out a vroom sound as everyone looked ready to watch the race. Pete yelled to Cortex, "You ready?" Cortex yelled, "Not really! But I have no other choice!" The same voice from before roared, "This race between Emperor Velo the 27th versus Dr. Neo Periwinkle Cortex and Peter Jonah Pichu is about to begin. Gentlemen, on your mark." Both Velo and Cortex"s carts were on the mark for the start of the race. The voice added, "Get set." The carts engines roared to life more as both racers stepped on the gas lightly. He stated, booming, "GO!" With that, Velo took off first with Cortex not too far behind. Everyone in the pit areas cheered as they knew that Velo always got a head start, no matter what anyone did to prevent that. Cortex turned with good powering, he was in the intermediate class after all. Velo smirked as he got out a few TNT crates and threw them. Pete yelled, "Incoming!" Cortex commanded, "Quick, use Shock Wave!" Pete gathered up must electricity as he could as he fired the Shock Wave, destorying the TNT crates instantly. As the explosion was above their heads, Velo laughed at the display and got a little bit ahead of them. John looked on Coc"s laptop, which had a camera feed of the race taking place. John stated, "That was a dirty trick!" Crash replied, "Sadly, anything goes in this race. There"s not much Cortex or Pete can do." Aku-Aku offered, "Perhaps I sholuld give them a fighting chance." Coco responded, "Only if needed, we need protection here as well." Rika-Rika told Aku-Aku, "She"s right, we need to help them stay alive here." Aku-Aku only nodded, knowing that they were right. As Cortex was starting to catch up to Velo, the alien emperor brought out a bomb and rolled it towards them. Cortex commanded, reacting quickly, "Pete, Iron Tail!" Pete stated, "Right!" With that, the youngest Pichu unbuckled his seat belt as he jumped out of the cart and used the Steel type move on the bomb. It didn"t destroy it but it rolled it off course and down the space below the track, exploding safely. Everyone in the pits breathed a short sigh of relief. This track was bad enough as it was, they didn"t need Cortex being knocked off of the track. Pete got back into the cart, buckling himself back in. Cortex commented, "Nice work!" Pete replied, "Good call!" Cortex smiled as he started to floor it, a little behind Velo, who was still in first place. Cortex knew that he had to do something if he was ever going to take first place. Crash yelled through the walkie-talkie, "Cortex, hard right! Hard right!" Baffled by what was happening, Cortex started to do a hard right, forcing the car into a beautiful skid. Pete was shouting as a huge boulder was in the way of the path. Luckily, Cortex served just in time to miss it and get on the left path. As he did, everyone in the pits was stunned. John blurted out, "Where"d that rock come from?!" Coco answered, "The track is either unstable or...that was an asteroid!" Cortex asked, "Crash, what do I do?" Crash thought for a minute and answered, "You have to finish the race. There"s no other option. Velo has to be defeated here and now." Cortex started to protest, "But..." Crash interrupted, "No butts! You have to do this. It"s on you, Cortex...Neo... I"m counting on you to take us to victory..." AK1028: And there we go guys. An exciting start to the race! Who will take home the victory? There"s only one way of finding out! You stayed tuned! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Velo went across the start/finish line, entering his second lap. Cortex and Pete did the same, after a quick pit stop. "Then it is up to us to stop Velo," Cortex remembered telling everyone while they were in the pits. Cortex had mostly caught up to Velo, now behind him again. Pete, being his co-pilot, was ready for anything to happen. Velo snarled as he brought out a missile and threw it at them. Cortex and Pete both screamed. Cortex quickly brought out his plasma blaster, shooting the missile with it as Pete took the wheel. Cortex aimed a few shots at Velo, none of them hitting. Pete stated, "He"s too fast, we need a boost!" Cortex replied, "Yes, I know and I have an idea." Pete questioned, "What is it?" Cortex answered, "Aim your Discharge at the back of our cart." Pete nodded as he sparked his cheeks, firing the Discharge at the back of the cart. The cart took off like a shot, accelerating a lot faster. The two of them even past Velo. Velo hissed, "No!" Cortex cheered as he took the hard right, getting by the asteroid. Pete cheered, all hyper but Velo was right behind them. Pete stated, "He"s gaining! We can"t risk the pits!" Suddenly, Velo got another misslie and aimed it at their back tire. Cortex and Pete both yelped as the tire instantly went flat. Cortex replied, "I fear we have no choice but I"ve got an idea. Use Spark on Velo or his cart. Slow him down!" Pete nodded as he unbuckled himself yet again, standing on Cortex"s spoiler. He sparked his cheeks as he launched Spark. Velo screamed as the Electric type move short circuit his cart, stopping him. Cortex pulled into the pits as Coco instantly fixed the tires and the flat. Velo struggled along, paralyzed. Cortex quickly pulled out of the pits, going into his final lap. Velo snapped out of being paralyzed as he snarled and went after the duo. Crash stated in the radio, "Velo"s not giving up, Cortex. He"s right behind you. You have to do another Shock Wave." Cortex replied, "No, I"m not risking Pete to do that again. Besides, I want us to do this. Just Pete and me. I"m following my gut." Crash responded, "Yeah but not your brain!" Cortex told him, "That"s what got us into trouble in the first place. That brain of mine. If I hadn"t expressed an interest in science to my dying evil grandfather...we would have never met... We would have never been..." That"s when Crash heard Pete yelling, "Cortex, look out!" Cortex screamed as the radio and the camera feed went dead. Crash blurted out, "Coco, what happened?! We lost them!" Coco typed furiously on her laptop as she stated, "I don"t know. Something happened. Something bad..." John instantly got worried and replied, "Crash, we got to get out there! My brother needs me!" Crash was hesitant. On the one hand, he wanted to get on the track to see what happened to Cortex and Pete. And on the other... "Crash...? John...?" Crash perked up, recognizing Pete"s voice. He asked, "Yeah, Pete, we"re here. What happened? Where are you and Cortex?" Pete answered, "We just got past the asteroid. Velo tried to choke Cortex!" John blurted out, "What?! How"d he get that close?!" Crash added, "And is Cortex okay?" As static came in again, Crash"s heart pounded in his chest. Was Cortex alright? "Crash..." That"s when Crash let out a breath that he didn"t know that he was holding. That was Cortex. Crash replied, smiling, "Yeah, I"m here..." Cortex responded, "Man, he got really close to my neck! If it wasn"t for Pete, it would have been bad." John stated, "That"s a relief..." Pete told him, "Yeah, you ain"t kidding!" Crash asked, "What place are you in? Coco lost the feed." Cortex answered, "Barely in 1st." John stated, "Come on, get away from him!" Pete replied, "We"re trying!" And this was the truth. On the track, Velo was getting closer to the cart again. "Not this time,' Cortex thought. He ordered, "Pete, Thunderbolt!" Pete nodded as he sparked his cheeks and fired Thunderbolt straight at Velo. Velo felt that, being forced back from them. Cortex managed to cross the finish line first with Velo right behind. Everyone in the pits celebrated as the track and the planet started to collapse. Thunder asked, "What"s happening?" Crystal answered, "I d-don"t know." Violet whimpered, "I scawed!" Rika-Rika questioned, "Coco?" Coco was already on her laptop as she told the mask, "Working on it!" Velo saw this and snarled. -Flashback- Velo was still sitting with the master of time and space, sitting at some tea of some sorts. Velo had just agreed to help Uka-Uka with the Crash Bandicoot problem. He commented, "There is ONE problem." N. Tropy looked up as Velo added, "If Hyper Spaceway is at all used, it will be the end of Kobold." N. Tropy seemed to have smiled as he stated, "Relax, friend. I will make sure that Kobold will not fall." Velo only nodded, going back to his tea. -End of Flashback- Velo pulled into the pits as he got his scepter and ran towards his people. Everyone saw this and started to follow, puzzled. Velo got to his people, some of which were trying to escape the decaying planet. Velo waved his scepter, creating a rainbow energy and teleporting his subjects away from Kobold. Velo turned and saw Crash and his team behind him. Velo quickly waved his scepter again, this time it produced a strong red light. Thunder asked, covering his eyes, "What"s happening?" Crystal answered, "I don"t know!" Violet yelled, "Big bwo... Big sis... I scawed!" Rika-Rika stated, "Hold on!" Cortex tried to hang on as much as he could, his eyes covered. After awhile, he blacked out. AK1028: Well that"s not good. Not good at all. What will happen to our heroes? There"s only one way to find out. You stay tuned! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! "Neo. Neo... Neo!" The short yellow little bald man groaned, slowly opening his eyes. When his vision cleared, in front of him was Nacey herself. Cortex bolted up in surprise. "Nance," he asked, stunned. "Neo, thank God you"re okay," Nacey answered, hugging her younger brother. Cortex was so stunned since he hadn"t had a hug from his sister in the longest time. He relaxed and hugged her back. But that"s when he felt something a bit...odd. He pulled back and looked at his hands. He wasn"t wearing his gloves. All he saw was the yellow skin he had. He looked down at himself as he was wearing an old fashion brown suit, a white undershirt, a brown tie, and brown loafers. He looked in the mirror and saw that the "N" on his forehead was gone. Like it never existed.

He stated, "Agreed..." With that, the two of them tried the door on the right and entered the Observatory. Violet looked around and saw a telescope. Violet gushed, "I love looking at the beautiful stars!" Luigi blushed as he flirted, "They are not as beautiful as you." Hearing that, Violet blushed as she saw something shinny near the moon. When she looked through it, the roof and the telescope disappeared as comets fall near them. Luigi perked up at this as he vacuumed up the comet and filled it at the moon. The comet hit the moon, destroying it. Violet"s eyes widen. She joked, "I will never understand this universe"s logic..." Luigi laughed as he replied, "Neither will I." Violet and Luigi headed on the stardust path, where they grabbed Mario"s Star. Luigi hung onto each of his brother"s items, worried sick. Violet placed her hand on his shoulder and held him. Luigi gave her a small smile as they headed back to Madame Clairvoya. Luigi showed her the star as she started to chant. The house rumbled as Violet grabbed onto Luigi. Luigi held her close as Madame Clairvoya looked at the couple. Madame Clairvoya told them, "Ah, the spirits return to me! I see! I see! I see you dear Mario! This scene appears before me... Wh-what is this!? Bowser?!" Luigi and Violet both blurted out, "Bowser?!" Violet looked at Luigi and asked, "Didn"t you tell me that he was dead?!" Luigi nodded as he answered, "He"s supposed to be dead anyhow..." Madame Clairvoya stated, "How can this be?! I see the hideous form of Bowser! Is Bowser somewhere in this mansion? I cannot believe it... And yet I see it... I thought Mario had soundly defeated Bowser!" Violet replied, "You ain"t the only one!" Luigi was pacing around with this revelation, scared out of his mind. Was this really happening? Was he supposed to battle Bowser and King Boo?! Alone?! Granted, he had Violet to help him but he wasn"t letting her near Bowser if this was true. "I lost her once, I"m not losing her again,' Luigi thought. Madame Clairvoya added, "Has King Boo somehow revived Bowser? This could be horrible! Well, for you... ... Ugh, the powers leave me! The spirits depart! This is all I can show you. That was the last of my power. But I have given words to what the spirits have shown. So I can return to my painting satisfied. Send me there now, you vacuum-wielding rogue!" Luigi was still pacing around, completely ignoring Madame Clairvoya. He was still in shock. He blurted out, "Bowser is here! Bowser is freaking here! What the hell is this? Sarcasm? I hate this damned idea that Bowser is alive and well! At first I thought I was just going to face King Boo alone! I might be petrified of ghosts but I do anything for Malleo. But battling that demon! You have to be freaking kidding!" Violet went over to Luigi and hugged him tightly. Luigi slowly returned it as her ice powers made him shiver. However, Violet"s ice powers did calm Luigi down. She whispered, "It"ll be alright, as long we stick together." Luigi blushed as he turned to Madame Clairvoya and said, "Then get ready to be captured!" Madame Clairvoya commented, "Ah! Finally, I can return in peace to my painting... Sweet happiness in oils... I thank you... I thank you both..." With that, Luigi captured Madame Clairvoya easily as a treasure chest appeared in the room. Violet looked around in the room for the Boo with the Game Boy Horror and found it. Luigi quickly captured Booigi. Violet busted up laughing. Luigi shot her a look but she kept laughing. Luigi came over to Violet while she was still laughing. Luigi pressed his lips to hers and kissed Violet hard. Violet was about to return the kiss but Luigi broke it first. Luigi smiled and stated, "You had that coming." Violet giggled as she replied, "Guess so." The purple clad woman then opened the treasure chest, finding a key inside. Finding out that the new key went up to the third floor, Luigi and Violet headed upstairs, hand-in-hand. Violet unlocked the door as the two of them entered the Safari Room. After defeating the Water Elemental Ghosts and the Garbage Can Ghosts, they got another key and another Boo: Boolet. This time, Luigi was laughing up a storm while Violet stopped him with a kiss. After breaking the kiss; Luigi teased, "Was that payback?" Violet smirked as she answered, "Oh big time!" Luigi and Violet headed out of the Safari Room, towards the end of the hall. Violet unlocked the door as they entered the Balcony. That"s when the two of them saw the Boo radar going nuts. The green clad ghost hunter commented, "That can"t be good." The purple clad woman responded, "You think...?" As the two of them investigated the Balcony, they saw a circle of Boos. Luigi and Violet both shivered with fear as they approached the circle. One of the Boos said, "That scaredy-cat Luigi and Violet have made it this far..." Another Boo said, "Oh, we are so frightened!" A third Boo said, "I guess it"s our turn, then..." The forth Boo said, "Alright, Boos, let"s assume our real form... But first, let"s give them a little scare!" The circle Boos disappeared for a second and then went around the two of them. Both Luigi and Violet screamed in fear as the Boos flew up into the air. Luigi yelled, "Mamma mia!" Violet yelled, "You got to be kidding me!" It was rather dark on the Balcony where Luigi and Violet were. The Boos that was in the circle had joined together to form one extraordinarily large Boo, Boolossus, in fact, and it was speeding down towards him. Luigi and Violet were frozen in place and only managed to move at the last minute, narrowly avoiding the crushing weight of the Giant Boo that was now madly laughing at them. Boolosus laughed mockingly and stated, "Think you two can deal with us?! Puny, cowardly humans like you? Ha! You two are not fit to polish King Boo"s crown! You two are not even fit to hang on the wall next to Luigi"s brother! King Boo didn"t tell us if we were to bring you two back alive or not! Won"t it be nice to be reunited with Luigi"s brother again? It"s a shame you two won"t be alive to witness it!" Luigi snarled and yelled, "Threaten me all you want! You might be trying to scare me now but there"s no way I"m going to let you kill my girlfriend and me! And there"s no way I"m going to let Mario be imprisoned any longer!" Violet was impressed by Luigi"s bravery but Boolossus snickered. Hearing that snicker made Violet"s blood boil. She hissed, "You are such a bastard! First you curse this mansion and the people inside it! Then you go after our friend, Elvin! And now you are trying to kill us! You aren"t going to kill my boyfriend and me over revenge and a stupid will that we will destroy! Count on it!" Boolossus just screamed evilly and lunged forward with the intention of crushing Luigi and Violet"s very bones into the cold stone beneath. The green clad ghost hunter then caught the giant ghost in the Poltergust 3000"s suction. Luigi yelled, "Gotcha!" Violet yelled, "You can"t suck him up in that! It"s too dangerous! Use the statue and see if we can break him apart!" Luigi took Violet"s advice as he directed Boolossus to the frozen horn of the statue upon which Boolossus suddenly popped and split into all fifteen Boos. He saw that these Boos were somehow different to the ones he had encountered earlier so that the best method available to dispatch these ghosts was to make use of that Ice Medal as well as Violet"s powers to freeze those cackling spirits with. One of the Boos howled, "Why are you giving us such a cold reception?" Violet froze its nearest companion with a well-aimed ice shard before Luigi vacuumed up its chilled body. Luigi and Violet did not answer the Boo. Instead, they focussed all of their attention on taking out the Boos one by one. Violet was panting but she wasn"t going to give up, she had something to prove. Luigi also had something to prove as he gasped and panted for breath as well. Luigi muttered to himself, "I fight ghosts... I fight ghosts..." Violet gasped and yelled, "Weegie, look out!" The green clad ghost hunter spun around and saw that the Boos assembled themselves again with Boolossus showing off its extraordinarily large teeth. Luigi tried not to think about those crunching into his body and attempted to ignore those large, glowing devilish eyes. Violet was just as terrified, she was still afraid of ghosts. Luigi looked over at her as he clutched the Poltergust 3000. He mumbled, "I fight ghosts... Ghosts don"t scare me..." That was blatant lie of course but if he could convince himself of it for a short while, then perhaps they would win this battle almost completely unscathed, almost being the operative word for several of the Boos, when split up, had already launched their full-bodied assaults on them. The Boos attack them from every angle, making the two of them literally fight for their lives. Violet was bleeding pretty badly from the blows to her. Luigi was the same way as lightning continued to streak across the black sky and it now began to rain torrentially. Luigi and Violet were soon soaked to the skin although the Boos didn"t pay any attention to the tumultuous weather. Rather, they revelled in it and flitted to and from the two humans as if this was all rather a fun game. They wouldn"t have minded playing games like this more often since the look of terror on their faces was just so satisfying. A couple more of their companions were sucked up when they had been split up again but there were still plenty of Boos to deliver punishment unto the humans that had so foolishly wandered into their midst. One of them even sank its overly-large fangs into Luigi causing the hero to yelp in pain and slip into one of the puddles, causing another jolt of pain to run through him. Violet yelled, "Luigi!" She ran over to her boyfriend, getting hurt by the Boos along the way as they laughed gleefully at this spectacle and resumed their gigantic form. Both Luigi and Violet were down on the ground, badly hurt and bleeding. Boolossus laughed mockingly, even though he was a few Boos down. He yelled, "You two believe that you can defeat us?! Both of you are the most cowardly mortals we"ve ever seen! Don"t think that you two can escape. We"ll make sure that you two will suffer. Because even if you two do survive, Luigi"s brother certainly won"t. You"ll only ever see him again in your darkest, most terrifying dreams, and you"ll be begging for our mercy. And we don"t have mercy..." Luigi look over at Violet as she was bleeding pretty badly. She was really hurt, there was no way she could continue. Luigi let out a full-throated scream, greatly startling Boolossus, but less so than the piercing glare he gave it now. He ran forwards faster than it anticipated and it backed into the frozen unicorn statue only to be split into individual Boos again. The ferocity with which he tackled them now was astounding. Many of them were too afraid to tackle him and the ones that still had their courage had no way of landing their blows; the green clad ghost hunter simply dodged each one of them. Many of them did not even have time to squeal before Luigi deftly froze them and sent them packing to the Poltergust being utterly drenched, Luigi did not look washed-out and pathetic; rather, he looked even more ferocious because of it. Soon, Luigi had whittled down the group to just one remaining Boo. It looked just as tired as Luigi felt but that didn"t mean it was going to stop there and accept defeat. In fact, it managed to land several blows on Luigi, being quicker on its own than it was when in a large group. The Boo stated, "You can be quite strong when you want to be, can"t you? I bet His Majesty won"t be displeased in having a strong opponent. Haha! Even stronger than Mario, I guess! He went down so easily it wasn"t even funny. Well, maybe it was a little. Oh, alright, it was hilarious. You should have seen the look on his face. Scared to death practically and that was before we took him to that portrait machine. He almost looked...cowardly. Just like you." Violet was stunned by these words. Mario, thee Super Mario, was...scared...? She thought, "That"s impossible... Mario is NEVER scared, Luigi said so!' Speaking of Luigi, he had lunged forwards with the Poltergust 3000, unable to listen to anymore. He launched an ice ball and struck the Boo freezing its expression into that of a mocking grin. He vacuumed the last one up and wiped excess raindrops from his eyes. The green clad ghost hunter said, quietly, "Nobody messes with my bro or my girl and nobody messes with me either." He slung the nozzle of the Poltergust 3000 onto his back and look over at Violet. She was in shock from what had just happened. Luigi had just taken out Boolossus without blinking an eye. Both of them were bleeding pretty badly as they were soaked to the skin. Luigi ran over to her, worried. He kneeled down to her, looking into her emerald eyes. Violet stroked Luigi"s left cheek, seeing that there was a cut there from the ghosts. She breathed, "Weegie..." Luigi held Violet"s face in his gloved hands as he kissed her gently. Violet returned the kiss as the two of them made out softly in the rain. Luigi was the one to break the kiss as Violet retrieved the blue key that they needed to open the next door. Luigi felt faint but took Violet into his arms. She smiled at him. Luigi stated, "I might be hurt badly but we should keep moving, we lost too much time." Violet nodded in agreement as she replied, "Sounds good." However, the Game Boy Horror going off stopped them from going any further... AK1028: Wow, this battle scene was pretty awesome and I did use several ideas from "Brother, Where Are You?" by Star-Gamer. That fanfiction was awesome! And this helps the story along too! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Elvin"s face appeared on the Game Boy Horror and he - not only saw that Violet was indeed safe and sound - but that they two were severally hurt. The ghost researcher instantly got worried about them. He stated, "Violet, Luigi! Are you two okay?! You both look terrible!" Luigi reassured, smiling at Elvin, "Yeah, we"re fine! Just soaked to the skin!" Violet added, feeling her wet clothes tightening on her skin, "Quite literally!" Elvin commented, "Well, that white mist made me lose your signal for a bit! Come on back to the lab and I"ll make us some dinner!" Luigi and Violet were about to protest (since they agreed to go look for Mario more) but the rumble in their stomachs made them think otherwise. Violet blushed out of embarrassment as did Luigi. "Guess I was hungry after all,' Luigi thought, rubbing his stomach. Violet thought, worried, "Luigi looks like he hasn"t eaten since we got separated.' The green clad ghost hunter stated, "That sounds good, professor." The purple clad ice wielder replied, "Yeah but allow me to cook this time." With that, the two of them headed back to the lab, holding hands. As Elvin emptied out the Poltergust 3000, Luigi was covering up his injuries as Violet was cooking in the kitchen, finished covering her injuries. She was making a Chicago style pizza. Smelling the Italian dish from the bathroom made Luigi"s mouth water. Luigi stated, in Italian, "Oh, che odore così buono!" [1] Violet perked up as she recognized what Luigi was saying. She blushed modestly as she continued to cook. Finally, the pizza was finished as everyone sat down and started to eat. Elvin was the first to gasp with satisfaction. Elvin commented, "This pizza is really good!" Violet asked, "You think so?" Luigi nodded and answered, "Sì, Violet. Makes me think of Brooklyn and of Sicily." Violet got confused as she questioned, "I thought you were born and raised in Brooklyn?" Elvin looked confused as well and asked, "Wait, weren"t you and Mario born here?" Luigi chuckled as he answered, "Nope, we got sent here like Violet did. We were living in Brooklyn and ever summer, we go and visit our family in Sicily." Violet stated, "So that"s how you know your Italian so well!" Luigi replied, "Yes, Mario and I still speak it from time to time." Elvin looked at Violet and asked, "And you know Italian?" Violet shook her head as she answered, "Not a lot of it." Luigi smiled and stated, "Well, if you want, I could teach you after we save Malleo." Violet was the one to smile now as she replied, "I"d love that." After eating their pizza and getting some decent rest, Luigi and Violet went back into the mansion with the Area 4 key. The two of them went up to the Balcony and unlocked the door on the left hand side. But suddenly, lightning struck the mansion, making the lights go out. The Game Boy Horror went off as Violet answered it and there was Elvin. Elvin commented, "Criminy! What a calamity! The electricity has gone out! That lightning strike just now must"ve caused a blackout. I can"t see anything in this blasted darkness... The ghosts will have the run of the place in the dark! Be careful, you two!" With that, Elvin hung up. Violet looked over at Luigi. She asked, "Isn"t their a circuit breaker in the basement?" Luigi answered, "Yeah, why?" Before Violet could answer, ghosts started to appear. Luigi and Violet both started to run for the basement but Violet was lagging behind to use her icy wind, in a hope that it would freeze the ghosts following them. The green clad ghost hunter saw this and almost stopped for her. Violet shook her head. Violet commented, "Run, Luigi! Run!" Luigi was about to protest but knowing that Violet was right, he continued for the Wardrobe Room and caught Uncle Grimmly. Uncle Grimmly had the key to the basement to activate the circuit breakers, which Luigi managed to pick up. Luigi turned the power back on as another treasure chest appeared. The green clad ghost hunter opened it and there was a key. After capturing the Boo: Boo B. Hatch, Luigi heard some creaking on the stairs outside of the door. Luigi whispered, "Yikes!" With that, the green clad ghost hunter hid under the table. The door creaked open and standing there was Violet. She saw Luigi shivering under the table. Violet smiled. She commented, "You know, for a guy that just took Boolossus down on his own, you sure do get scared quickly." Luigi looked up and saw her, hitting his head on the table. He said, "Ouch!" Violet busted up laughing as Luigi approached her, rubbing his head. Luigi eventually pressed his lips up against Violet"s a bit roughly and pinned her to the doorway. Violet"s eyes widened with surprise as Luigi started French kissing her. Violet slowly returned it as she calmed down a good bit, letting Luigi come closer to her. Luigi enjoyed having a bit of dominance over her, even though he was just trying to get her to stop laughing. Eventually; after being like that for a bit, (they didn"t want to go overboard just yet), they broke the kiss and looked at each other - love struck. Violet was the first to speak. She stammered, "G-guess I had that coming..." He stammered, "Y-you did..." Luigi allowed Violet to get off of the doorway as the two of them unlocked the next door and headed into the Cellar. It was a typical room: dealing with the Purple Punchers, getting the key, and grabbing the Boo: Booripedes. They went back upstairs and into the attic, going into the Telephone Room. After dealing with the ghosts in there, the two of them were rewarded with treasure and grabbing the Boo: Boomerang. The purple clad woman unlocked the door connecting to the Telephone Room: the Clockwork Room with Luigi following behind her and holding her hand. It was there that they saw the clockwork soldiers. Violet cursed under her breath, "Damn it, Nana mentioned these!" Luigi yelled, "Time to use your ice powers, I need some help!" As Luigi was saying that, he was trying to suck up the pink solider, having a rough time of it. Violet quickly focused her powers, causing an icy wind to blow in, freezing the soldiers over. However, she froze Luigi a bit in the process. Violet blushed out of embarrassment. She apologized, "Sorry, Weegie..." Luigi managed to shake off the snow and sucked up the soldiers. Luigi turned to her and smiled. He stated, "It"s alright, Vi." Violet, with the Game Boy Horror in hand, pointed out the Boo: Booscaster. She groaned at the pun as did Luigi but he managed to capture it anyhow. With that, the two of them entered the elevator that was in the model house and went up to the roof. Italian Translate: [1]: Oh, that smells so good! AK1028: And with that, we end chapter 13! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! Luigi and Violet finally made it to the roof of the haunter mansion as the cold night air got to them both. Luigi hugged Violet"s shoulders, making her blush. After taking out the Shy Guy Ghosts and the Ice Elemental Ghosts, the two sat at the fire for a bit. They had gotten the key from the treasure chest on the left chimney. The two of them were going to investigate the right chimney next. The green clad ghost hunter mumbled, "The man in green..." The purple clad woman replied, "Pardon?" Luigi looked at her and stated, "That"s what Madame Clairvoya called me once while you were in Area 3 with Nana. She called me the man in green."

Von Clutch gaped and said, "Ah! That"s a scary planet!" N. Gin asked, "But how are we going to get there?" Nina answered, "Didn"t you tell me that you were transported there..." Violet questioned, "Twanpowted?" Cortex responded, "It means that Velo was the one that sent us there." Rika-Rika replied, "I think we could transport ourselves there." She paused as she asked, "Pasadena, VC, can you watch Violet for us?" Pasadena responded, "Sure, it"ll be fun!" Von Clutch added, "And we can play a lot of mini games!" Violet cheered as she ran over to the mutant possum. Pasadena picked up the three year old girl, smiling. Crash smiled at them as Rika-Rika transported them to Kobold. -Flashback: "Crash Nitro Kart"- On Earth, Crash Bandicoot is asleep while Coco and Crunch work on Crash"s car (although Crunch was working out while Aku-Aku was watching). Crunch commented, "That diet is a joke." Aku-Aku stated, "Well, I have heard that you can loose a lot of weight on it." Crunch replied, "But you can"t keep it off. Just eat less and exercise more." Just then, a white light came through the window. The three of them saw this. Aku-Aku told them, "Something"s wrong. That"s not sunlight." Upstairs, the light shined on Crash. Crash shielded his eyes until he got out his sunglasses and put them on. That"s when the house was brought up to space. Meanwhile, Cortex, paces across his laboratory floor with Tiny playing checkers. Cortex grumbled, "Oh, how am I going to defeat those wretched Bandicoots...?" He paused and added, "And conquer the world, of course!" Tiny yelled, throwing his checker board, "Bandicoots! I can squash Bandicoots." Cortex sighed, "Yes, I know Tiny but you failed so many, many, many times..." He paused as he stated, "Tiny, go see if N. Gin requires assistance." Tiny stood up, saluted Cortex, and ran into another part of the castle. There was N. Gin and Dingodile, working on a cart. N. Gin told Dingodile, "Dingodile, throw the switch!" Dingodile nodded and was about to do that until Tiny busted in, flattening Dingodile with the door. That"s when the same white light started to come in. N. Gin instantly got annoyed. He yelled at Tiny, "Hey! What did you break now?!" Cortex saw the light and gasped as the tower was brought up into space. Crash took off his sunglasses when he heard something outside. He went to go investigate but the door broke as he did. That"s when he heard the roar of the crowd. "What the,' he thought, "A stadium?' That"s when he looked up and saw stars. He wondered why it was night time but saw Coco and Crunch behind him. Crash waved but then saw Coco pale as she pointed behind him. Crash spun around and saw Cortex and his team. Tiny snorted as Crash waved awkwardly. Cortex started to say, "What have you done..." That"s when he was interrupted by a hologram of an alien head. He stated, "I am Emperor Velo XXVII, ruler of this galaxy!" As he said that, the crowd roared with applause and cheers. He added, "My subjects hunger for entertainment..." The crowd started to chant his name as he commented, "...and word of your racing prowess has reached my glorious empire." That"s when they saw Nitrous Oxide, Zim, Zam, N. Trance, Pura, and Dingodile. He threatened, "And I hope you put on a good show, especially since winning the circuit will win your freedom. And if, for some reason, you refuse to race, your Earth will be... destroyed." Everyone gapped at this as Velo finished, "But... I don"t think it will come to that. Do you accept my challenge?" -End of Flashback- Within seconds, our heroes arrived at Kobold. Velo came out of the shadows almost instantly. Velo commented, "I see that you finally decided to come." Crash hissed, "What are you doing with those ashes? What are you planning?" Cortex advised, "Easy, Crash." Coco added, coldly, "Yeah, you don"t want to turn into a Phoenix." Cortex shot her a look as Velo stated, "I am not going to tell you anything, Crash Bandicoot. But I will tell you once you defeat my circuit." Crash replied, hissing, "We already did that." Velo smirked evilly as he waved his scepter, which started to glow a rainbow light. Crash shielded his eyes and as soon as he reopened them, he saw that his team had changed. With him were: Cortex, John, Pete, and Nina. Thunder was with Crystal, Coco, Crunch, and N. Gin. That"s when they saw an improved Kronk, Nash, Norm, and Geary. Kronk was skinnier, Nash was muscular, Norm was a bit taller, and Geary was bigger in his gears. Velo stated, "Yes but not like this before." AK1028: Velo is back babies! Now I wanna play this game again! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! "Is he freaking serious?!" Nina hissed, looking at her racing team. "I"m stuck with the squad that believes my uncle had nothing to do with the Phoenix thing?! Can I freaking change teams?!" Crash rolled his eyes, ignoring Nina"s rant. He wasn"t too thrilled having her along for the ride either but the Twin Sanity team was back. More or less. John stated, "Hey, would you take a chill pill? We aren"t exactly thrilled having you around either." Pete sighed as he looked at Cortex, who looked really sad. Sure the youngest Pichu was thrilled about racing with his best friends but it didn"t mean much if they weren"t having fun or working together like they always did as the Twin Sanity team. Nothing seemed quite right. Pete softly stated to Crash, "I just want things back to normal. Is that bad?" Crash gave the youngest Pichu brother a small smile as he stroked his fur and replied, "We all do, buddy. We all do." He looked out to where Cortex was sitting and asked, "Cortex?" Cortex didn"t bother to answer as the five of them were on Terra. N. Gin, Coco, Crunch, Thunder, and Crystal were on Barin. The short little yellow bald man was sitting thinking, wallowing in his own self pity. He whispered to the moon, "Nance...if you can hear me somehow...tell me what to do... Tell me what to do..." That"s when he started to cry, capturing the team"s attention. Nina asked, out of curiosity, "What does that supposed to mean? Is this "Nance" that he talks about?" Crash answered, not looking at her, "His sister and your mother." With that, he got up and went over to Cortex - ignoring the surprised Nina behind him as he told Cortex, "You know she can"t hear you." Everywhere I turn, I hurt someoneBut there"s nothing I can sayTo change the things I"ve doneI"d do anything within my power Cortex sniffled, "Liked to think she can. She was always good at that stuff. Always knew right and wrong..." Crash sat next to him and stated, "But you don"t." I"d give everything I"ve gotBut the path I seek is hiddenFrom me nowBrother Bear, I let you down Cortex wiped his eyes as he replied, "Let"s be honest here, Crash. It"s gonna be a cold day in hell before anyone believes me that I had no intention of killing or hurting anyone. Granted the Pokemon forgave me but..." Crash interrupted, "Yeah, I know. You want Nina to forgive you too." You trusted me, believed in meAnd I let you downOf all the things I hid from youI cannot hide the shame Cortex responded, "She is my only family right now..." Crash told him, with a smile, "No, she isn"t." Cortex returned the smile, though his was smaller than Crash"s. He finally sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He finally stated, "Crash, I"m planning to go home." And I pray someone, something willCome, to take away the painThere"s no way out of this dark placeNo hope, no future Crash started to say, a bit puzzled, "Yeah, well, we all plan to go home after we win the..." Cortex interrupted, "I meant home. My home of London." There was a slight pause of silence between them as they looked at each other, the breeze lightly picking up. He added, "I was meaning to tell you this afternoon but this all happened." I know I can"t be freeBut I can"t see another wayI can"t face another day Crash breathed, "I can"t believe it..." Cortex replied, "I owe it to my sister. I owe it to my good family to repay the things I"ve done..." Without hesitation, Crash hugged Cortex. The bald little yellow man wasn"t expecting a hug but accepted nonetheless, mesmerizing the softness of Crash"s fur. Crash confessed, "I"ll miss you..." Cortex breathed, "I"ll miss you too. And Crash?" Crash looked at Cortex and asked, "Yes?" Cortex answered, "Beat Velo. You are the only one that can..." Crash"s heart fell at that. Never before had he seen his best friend so sad. But then again, with what had been happening, he couldn"t blame Cortex. He finally stated, "I shall do my best." Cortex smiled a bit as the two of them went over to their team and started the Terra races. The first track was Inferno Island with a tropical beach with a volcanic cave in the middle of the track...or it used to be. There instead was mostly volcano and practically no beach. John stated, "Well...this doesn"t look good..." Pete asked, "How are we supposed to win the circuit?" Nina answered, "With trickery, what else." Cortex scolded, "No. You are good now as is N. Gin. No tricks." Crash added, "Besides, it shouldn"t be that bad so long as one of us wins." The four teammates nodded as they knew that had to work together, much to Nina"s dismay. After getting all 3 trophies, (although they had some difficulty), they finally got to Krunk. Nina stepped up to face him. John asked, "You sure about this, Nin?" Nina answered, "Positive." Pete stated, "Then kick his butt!" Nina gave them a thumb up, ignoring her uncle as she drove out on the track. Midway through the race, Nina hit one of Krunk"s electro balls as he took the lead. Crash whispered, "Nina"s gonna lose if she doesn"t do something...but she"s flying blind out there!" Cortex grabbed the radio and said, "Nina, listen to me. I know you are mad and you have every right to be. But us stopping Velo and figuring out what Uka-Uka is up to is in your hands right now. Fight the shock and floor the gas." Nina managed to fight the shock and floored the gas, quickly getting herself out of danger. However, she was still behind Krunk. He added, "Alright, this is where it gets tricky. Fun but tricky. Extend your grappling arm towards the power up box." John asked Crash, "Can she do that?" Crash answered, "Hasn"t been against the rules yet." Nina did as she was told and got a rocket. Pete stated, "She got a rocket." Cortex commanded, "Keep it steady. Aim carefully and then fire." Nina nodded as she did just that, knocking Krunk off the track and Nina into first place...and the victory. While the team celebrated, Nina"s voice came over the radio. "Not bad...uncle," she stated. Just hearing that, Cortex"s heart skipped a beat. Was he earning back Nina"s trust...? "No Way Out" by Phil Collins AK1028: A rather long chapter but it needed to be done. Let me know guys! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box! After the race, our five heroes saw that they were on Tenkee. John looked around as did Pete. John stated, "Well, this place looks rather scary." Pete added, "In more ways than one." Nina looked at her uncle and asked, "So you had amnesia after all?" Cortex answered, "Yeah, which is why I didn"t recognize anyone." Crash stated, "But you knew how to battle us perfectly." Cortex replied, "That"s the one thing I never understood." John offered, "Perhaps Uka-Uka was controlling those features." Pete asked, "But why is he doing all of this?" Crash answered, "I don"t know but one thing is for sure, we will find out." Nina looked at her uncle and asked, "Can I talk to you?" Cortex answered, "Sure." He took her aside and asked, "What is it, Nin?" Nina questioned, "Crash said something that really made me feel awful. That "Nance" was your sister and my mom..." Cortex answered, with a question of his own, "What about it?" Nina sighed as she asked the question that had been burning on her tongue for the longest time, "Is my mother still alive?" Cortex smiled and answered, "Yes, your mother is still alive. She writes me every week, telling me how much she misses us." Nina"s heart pounded in her chest. There was so many questions she had about her mother and about her father. Why did her mother leave her here? What happened? Did she...love her? Finally, Cortex waved his hand in front of her face and asked, "Nina?" Nina answered, snapping out of her trance, "Sorry. I just...I have so many questions." Cortex stated, "And I know the woman that has the answers. That"s why I want you to come with me. Back home to London." Nina was shocked by this. Go to London? But this island was her home for as long as she could remember. She was a little nervous but she wasn"t going to let her uncle know that. No freaking way. She asked, "Wait, what? After what I did to you?" Cortex answered, "Nina, you only did what you thought in your heart was right. Much like I"ve been doing all of these years by working with Uka-Uka. I had to do what I thought was right. There"s not a moment that goes by that I regret my actions. I have to face my past in ordinary to make a future." Nina questioned, "What about N. Gin?" Cortex stated, "Nicholas can do what he wants. I know it"ll be a VERY long time before we"re friends again. I accept that." He paused as he looked at his nervous niece and said, "Something tells me that this has to do more with you than with Nicholas. You"re nervous aren"t you?" Nina asked, "Wouldn"t you be?" Cortex answered, "Petrified. But Nance is a good woman. She is, after all, my sister." Nina hugged Cortex, surprising him. He returned the hug, a bit awkwardly at first but relaxed into it. Crash watched this from afar and smiled at the sight. At least some good was coming out of this. -Flashback- A young Neo was outside in the changing leaves. The boy had recently turned 6 years old and right next to him was his 8 year old sister, Nacey, and their oldest sister, Jasmine, who was 12. The youngest Cortex sibling stepped jumped into a pile of leaves. He had the biggest smile on his face. He had messy black hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved blue jacket, a white undershirt, black pants, and black shoes. Nacey looked at her younger sibling as she joined him, laughing. She had short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved pink jacket, a rose undershirt, lavender pants, and white shoes. Jasmine rolled her eyes. Being the oldest, she was quite tired of her older siblings being so energetic. She had long brown-blackish hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved yellow jacket, a white undershirt, blue jeans, and yellow shoes. Their mother, Stacy Cortex, smiled at her two youngest children. "If only they could stay that way forever,' Stacy thought. Stacy was about 40 years old, with brown-blackish hair, brown eyes, wearing a long sleeved red jacket, a light red undershirt, dark red pants, and white shoes. Stacy commented, "Neo! Nacey! We have to get going to your grandfather"s place. Your father is there wait for us." Nacey and Neo pouted as the protested, "But mom..." Jasmine stated, "You two heard mom. We have to get going." With a pout, the two of them got out of leaves and rejoin their older sister. Stacy was relieved that Jasmine was so responsible with both Neo and Nacey, especially how hyper Neo got from time to time. Stacy said, "Thank you, Jasmine." Jasmine joked, "You can thank me by raising my allowance?" Stacy laughed. Somehow, she knew that was coming and she wouldn"t change any thing. Sure she lost her oldest son in Edgar so long ago but these three filled her life. She loved them. She loved her life. And she wouldn"t trade it for anything else. -End of Flashback- Back on Earth, in London, a woman reflected on those events from so long ago. "That seemed like it was so long ago," said a female voice, with a strong English accent. She put down her tea cup that she had been sipping on and put it down on the table in front of her. Her name was Nacey Rose Cortex, the youngest daughter of the Cortex family. She was currently living in a small house that was a two story. On the first floor was the kitchen, living and dining rooms, and the closet. One the second floor were the bedrooms and the bathrooms. She got up from her chair, looking around her house. She had lived her for numerous years, right after leaving college. She entered the living room and looked at the pictures had collected over the years. One picture was of her (age 10), Neo (age 8), Jasmine (age 14), Stacy, and their father (Robert) after their grandfather"s passing. Robert looked a lot like the way Neo did currently, though Robert wasn"t bald. Grandfather Cortex had been a rather interesting sort, being the one that had enrolled Neo into the Academy of Evil when he was seven. The other picture was of her and boyfriend, Ivan Mcnite. Ivan and Nacey had been dating for about a year. That was until one night, the two had too much to drink and had sex (which resulted in Nacey having Nina). Though her and Ivan had tried to tie the knot, it didn"t happen because Ivan wasn"t ready to be a father and a husband. Nacey was a bit heartbroken about this and that"s when she took Nina to the island. Nacey would admit that it was a mistake leaving Nina with Neo (in fear that Ivan would come back someday). But she knew that Neo was being "evil" to protect himself and the little girl that they both loved. "I have to see her," Nacey finally said, choking at the baby picture of Nina, "I have to see my baby girl..." AK1028: That"s where we leave it for today folks. Hope this chapter made a bit of sense. Please read and review. And always think outside of the box. Resolved in seeing her little girl yet again, Nacey started to head for where her mother spent her days. In a retirement home. After going on a "skiing" vacation after their father died, Stacy Cortex was checked in. Despite her protests to Jasmine (who had to fly out from Chicago where she lived with her husband Anthony and daughter Darla), she had insisted that she saw Neo with an evolved bandicoot and two Pichu brothers. Nacey was the only one that believed her mother but sadly, she was not her mother"s power of attorney. Jasmine was. "You can"t do this," Nacey remembered saying. "I have no other choice," Jasmine replied, "She has lost her mind and is seeing things." "I knew I should"ve told her,' Nacey thought, regretting her past decisions. She finally arrived at the retirement home, going into the room of her mother. Stacy was there, looking quite unwell. "Mom," Nacey said, in a soft voice. Stacy had gray hair and wrinkles but she opened her brown eyes anyways. There, she saw Nacey. Her youngest daughter had grown quite a lot since the days of her youth. Granted, she had made a lot of mistakes like her siblings but that didn"t mean that she wasn"t trying to make up for them. Stacy greeted, "Nacey. Glad you came. You hadn"t changed." Nacey forced a smile as she pointed out, "Mom, I"ve always been the same." Stacy stated, "Even with that old outfit." Nacey looked down at herself, seeing her pink shirt, purple jeans, white shoes, pink hat, and a pink scarf. She looked over on the table and saw a picture of Jasmine, Anthony, and Darla. Jasmine still had her brown-blackish hair (although she did have some gray in her hair), brown eyes, wearing a yellow dress and yellow shoes. Anthony had brown hair, green eyes, wearing a blue suit, and blue shoes. Darla (who was about Nina"s current age) had short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing pink three piece suit, and purple shoes. She replied, "Sometimes the past is better than the present." Stacy smiled at this as she responded, "You are still the wise one." Nacey looked at her mom in disbelief as she started to tear up and confessed, "I was never the wise one, mom. Jasmine was always the wise one, being the oldest." Stacy sat up a bit in her hospital bed as she stated, "My dear, Jasmine is nowhere near as wise either." Nacey replied, "But that doesn"t mean I"m wise. I"ve done so much to hurt my family..." Stacy frowned and responded, "We have all done things to hurt our families. Neo decided to pursue your grandfather"s silly dream to take over the world. Now that didn"t happen, someone named Phoenix took over." Nacey pointed out, "For only a short time." Stacy ignored that, "Still, we all make mistakes. That"s why the old saying says: we"re only human." Nacey managed a smile and stated, "You always know how to make me feel better, mom." She paused and asked, "Didn"t you say that "skiing" vacation was on some mountain on an island west coast of Australia?" Stacy perked up at that and answered, "Yes but why?" Nacey stated, "Because it is real. That"s where I left Nina 16 years ago. And I think it"s time she met me." As she kissed her mother on the cheek, happier than she felt in years, she left the retirement home. She knew what she had to do. It was time to face the past. And that meant one thing...returning to N. Sanity Isle. Back in outer space, John and Pete had tagged team on the racing track against Geary and won. The two brothers were dancing happily as Crash, Cortex, and Nina were watching and laughing. Nina asked, sarcastically, "Think they are happy?" Crash answered, smiling, "Oh yeah."

Enjoy! Warning: No warning, actually. Though I would appreciate it if you didn"t talk to me just yet about the manga (I"ve reserved the first volume from my library, but it"s going to take at least three months before I get to read it :/). Just the anime, please. :) ...of Longevity How he hated humans. Well, not humans, per se. More like their inability to understand. Reiko had understood - a bit at least, the shrewd woman that she was. When they had talked, she had sometimes given him a look best described as a mix of gentleness and sadness and... pity. It had driven him up the walls, that look had. How dare she, a mere human, how dare she? At that point Reiko had always started to laugh, that rare air of sympathy shifting into her usual demeanor of arrogance and confidence. The memories, even of these moments, were so like Reiko that now, years later, they were almost too painful to recall. As was every single thing, not only of Reiko, but of all those other as well. The others he had watched over for one reason or another during his long, long existence. He knew that when that fool of a Natsume would die, all these little things - the way he would smile or glare, his punches as well as his caresses... all these little things, as seemingly random and inconsequential as anything, would be the finest of treasures to him. The memories of that, this, time. And yet, they would hurt him even worse this time around because there wasn"t just foolish, kind Natsume, but also all these little insignificant friends of his - like that calm, collected and silent Tanuma, and that Taki who always gave him such a strong hug it would pain him for hoursafter. Even the damn actor held a place - albeit small, tiny, minute - in his affection. How he hated humans and their short lives and his own long, long existence. Review, please! It will make my day, since these are my first ever drabbles. Ta! This is the longest drabble yet... And another I"m not so sure on. Tell me what you think of it! Enjoy! ...Of Seasons How lovely it was, being like this. Just calm, relaxed, no hurry or worry. Looking at the blooming sakura and talking with Maya-chan. Though he did hope that the owner of that white, white hand would come down and sit beside him. Would look at him and smile at him. She must have a lovely smile, Maya-chan. Every morning when he went to that tree, she would already be there. Every day, she would stay up there, the only visible part of her being that hand. And every evening, she would remain after him. At one point he had joked that Maya-chan must live up in that tree, but she had become silent, and in fear of her never coming back the next day, he had apologized. Not desperately, like he felt, but calmly stating his own error and asking for her forgiveness if he had been rude. She had laughed, and changed the topic. How lovely it all was... The realization was like a punch in the guts, it drained him of his strength, leaving him empty and unable to leave his bed for a few days. He had gone there, to the sakura tree, but Maya-chan had not been there. He had thought that one day would be of no matter, so he had returned to the tree the next day. But Maya-chan had still not been there. For three days, he had returned to the sakura, and she had not been there. Maya-chan had disappeared with the sakura"s blooms. The next year, when the sakura was blooming again, he remembered abruptly Maya-chan and their talks. In a fit of remembrance, he had gone to their meeting place, only to find a small, white hand emerging from the tree. I"m getting repetitive, but... Review! Please! :) Ta! And here is today"s third drabble! Also one I liked more than the others. I would be very interested to know what you think. Enjoy! ...Of Silence She sat on the bank of the lake, next to Akifumi-san, just like it was supposed to be. The grass was so green it hurt the eyes, the water of the lake the bluest of colours, only equal to the sky. There was no one here apart from them, along with the firefly-eating youkai in the lake, just like it was supposed to be. But she was still pained. She wanted to close her eyes, but by now, she had learned that that would hurt even more. It would make the silence, the absence of talking and laughing and Akifumi-san seeing her, more obvious, more hurtful. There had been nothing, not even a pained sob or a barely murmured whisper from him. Nothing. There had been nothing since that last plea, when he had fallen on his knees in supplication and begged her to show herself. That time she had finally admitted out loud that she had loved, still loved, him. The silence was overwhelming, all-consuming. So much so, that she sometimes felt like she was suffocating. But she was still with Akifumi-san. At the very least, she was still there beside him even if not with him. Jeesh! :D That"s it for today. Now, go review and make me happy. I"ll post something tomorrow. Ta! Hello! To tell you the truth, I just wrote this... x) But I watched the four episodes of Natsume 3rd season and got so much inspiration! *_* Now I just need to write them down. Which I am. Should I put a warning that this has to do with that fourth episode? o.o Well, warning: spoilers up to 4th episode of Natsume 3rd season. Enjoy! ...Of Misunderstandings "Go away! I hate you!" The words pierced her, hurting her more than she would have thought possible. They made the small hole in her, closing slowly by his presence, grow bigger. That small cavity inside of her that she always felt, but never acknowledged. Her kid (how he looked so strange, with his blond hair and golden eyes) was crying hard, his whole body shaking. The other kid, the one who had teased him, thrown the rock at him, the first time she had seen her kid was staring at him in shock. And disgust. She wanted to go the that other kid and hit him in the head, but the pain inside her was so big she could not ignore it. But she did not want to know of her pain, and she definitely did not want her kid to know of it. She was the great ayakashi. The one who scared him, who made him cry out in fear... So, she left. Later she wondered of him, and the next day she waited for him. But her kid never came through that path again. Sigh. That was that. Tomorrow another one and while you"re at it, why don"t you review? ^-^ They are always welcomed. Ta! Hello! Today"s drabble is a continuation of yesterday"s, so warning: this is set in the fourth episode of the 3rd season of Natsume. Enjoy! ...Of Loneliness When she found him, he was just sitting on the grass, his legs dangling. His head was bowed and his face was sad. He seemed to be an intricate work of art, made by some powerful spirit, beautiful against the setting sun. She moved forward, saddened even more by this little human child. He whirled to look at her, but instead of the angry, hateful expression, she received a smile. A smile so beautiful it lightened her heart, closed that hole inside her. Because that smile was directed at her, and even though she knew it was not real, as she was in the shape of a kitten, it was still nice. His arms were warm, solid, when he hugged her. His face was serene and content. He rubbed his cheek against the side of her head and sighed. She liked it. She liked it so very, very much. His whispered words of pain and hope made her sad again. Opened that small void inside her anew. She wished she could stay with him forever. Because when he spoke those words he had sounded lonely. Because she finally recognised that same loneliness inside her and wished he would take it away from her. But she knew that that would never happen. Now, you review. It is a very nice thing to do, so it should be done. Ta! Hello! Actually, I had planned on giving another of the Natori-centric ones, but my stupid computer lost it... So you get this. Maybe not as good, but I hope as hell that you still enjoy it. ...Of Coldness Warm... So warm... He felt wonderfully warm in here, beside his siblings, under his mother"s warm body. His father had never been there, helping his mother in warming him and his siblings. There was darkness, but it did not matter, because the warmness was flowing into him and helping him, awakening him slowly and caressing him gently. But it was still too slow, his seeing the light would take time still. A jolt. Of fear. Of coldness. Cold... So cold... They left suddenly, taking the warmness away and leaving only the coldness to remind him of what had been. And it was the coldness that remained for they never returned, the warmness staying away as well. The coldness was seeping into the darkness, stifling him, killing him. It was faster then the warmness had been, faster and definitely more dangerous. A jolt. Of satisfaction. Of warmness. "Ah, good. It"s still warm." Warm... So warm... That was it! Review, please! Ta! Hello! I"m so happy when I hear from a reader, so you get an even more sombre one today. ^-^ I hope you enjoy it. ...Of Non-existence Someone had always seen her. Looked at her. Humans with their disdain and fear and disgust. They had all looked at her. Spirits with their disdain and fear and respect. They had all looked at her. Now she was dead and no one was looking at her. Nobody could see her. Not even Takashi, her own blood and flesh, one who was so like her he could dispel the contracts she had made with the spirits. Maybe she was a little happy about it. She had never really enjoyed the stares and the whispers. She had put up a façade to cover her feelings to seem strong to others. And it had worked. Maybe she was a bit sad about it as well. It seemed like Takashi had finally found a happy life and she would want so much to be a part of it. She would want Takashi to look at her, because he would understand. And the others might never understand, but they would accept. Without a second look, thought, chance, they would accept her as they had accepted Takashi. It made her feel so lonely, to think that now she might receive all she ever wanted. But she was dead. And the dead can"t come back to life. Ever. That was sad, yes? Review, please, and make my day! Ta! Hello! Another Natori-centric. Not the one I had lost though. I hope you enjoy this. ...Of Emotions: Hate of Everything They kept saying he was cursed. Bad luck. That everyone should stay away from him, because he might be the death of them. His mother had been the only one who had not thought that. But she was dead. She had never said he was weird when he told her of the things he could see. No, she had said that he was special. That only someone who was going to do great in life would be able to see what he saw. He had believed her. He really had. But it was so hard, when the others gave him strange looks and avoided him. When the kids, his friends, ran away laughing at his sight. It was so hard when the strange things he saw were everywhere. And trying to ignore them was so hard, when they were so strange. Maybe everyone were right. Maybe he was cursed. Maybe he was bad luck. And that would mean... That his mother"s death was his fault. No. No. No, no, no, no, no, nononononononononono- He hated them. For saying such things. He hated them. For being there at all. But most of all, he hated himself. For doubting his mother"s words. (For living.) That was dark again, right? ^-^ Now review, please! If not this then that other story I posted yesterday. (Yes, I am shamelessly fishing for reviews here. When aren"t I?) Ta! Hello! A bit late in the day... It"s midnight where I am. :3 I almost didn"t post anything. My stupid computer lost the drabble again. Was so pissed I rewrote it. So, enjoy! ...Of Sight He realized almost immediately that Natsume was hiding the truth. (Saying that he was lying would be too cruel. He himself knew that.) He always knew swiftly when someone was hiding the truth from him. Maybe it was his upbringing, maybe it was the fact that he himself had had to be a bit insincere occasionally. But he realized that Natsume could see very well whatever it was that was making that play of shadows and reflected light in the ceiling. It was a bit surprising really. Not that Natsume could see whatever it was, but what he felt when he made the realization of falsity. Natsume was the kind of person who hid things from other people to not burden them. After all, he had told him just now that he did not want that the Fujiwaras were to know of his ability to see youkai. That he did not want to cause them sadness or worry. Maybe Natsume thought that telling him would cause the same reaction? But, no. He did not feel sad or worried for Natsume. He just felt very, very lonely. He had always thought that it would be the fact that he saw things others did not that would make him feel sad. He had never in his life imagined that it would be the fact that he did not see enough to cause that loneliness in him. And... I give up, guys. Really. It"s not only you, it"s also some other people. I give up on receiving any reviews. :( The drabbles will still come, but I doubt I"ll be asking for any reviews now. Ta! Hello! This one... not so sure on. Don"t actually know enough about him to be sure I"ve written him even close to the same... standard as everyone else. Warning: was inspired by episode 5 of Natsume 3rd season, so you might need to see that first. Might. Enjoy! ...Of Wishes I wish I could see them. He had always had that thought. He could not remember thinking anything different. Always that wish, that dream. He had gone to the storeroom, opened the doors and looked inside. He had marvelled at the books, the scrolls, the power that seemed to emanate from that place. He had loved the old smell, the dustiness, the almost veneration. He had taken one book that time, the first book he had been able to get his dirty little child"s hands on. But he had not been able to read it or understand it. The pictures had scared his friends when they had looked at the book. He hadn"t cared. That book had been about youkai. About ayakashi. About something he wished he could see. But he didn"t. After years and years of research, of trying, he was still not able to see them without the seeing-circle. And it frustrated him no end, to know that they were there. Playing tricks with him, no doubt too. Laughing, when he said aloud that he wanted to see them. Always giving off that annoying (wonderful, intoxicating, sweet) smell of flowers. With that smell surrounding him, he immerged himself into more research, more trying. All to fulfil that wish. Just to see them, even for one second, without resorting to the circle. Just... for one... second... He wanted to see them. Hello! This is... the fourth Natori-drabbie. Yet. Again, not the one I lost (I doubt I"ll ever write or post that one), though I hope you will enjoy this one too. ...Of Emotions: Love of Curiosity There it is. Moving up his right leg, twisting slowly around his thigh before settling in on his hip and curling there. The little shadow lizard, the moving birthmark that no one else could see. How it thrilled him. He loved showing it to his mother, loved the little crease of puzzlement that came to her brow when he pointed at it. Loved the way she would afterwards break into a smile and call him "her little special boy". Now it was moving again, scuttling fast across his stomach and over his left side to his back. He ran to the mirror all the while tugging his shirt up, and turning his back to it, watched over his shoulder as the lizard moved making little swirls in its wake, the patterns drawn unclear. His breath caught in his throat in excitement, and when it moved over his lower right rib, he giggled, imagining that the movement was making him ticklish. Another sound made him turn back to the rest of the room. A man, his uncle who was visiting for the weekend, was standing by the doorway, staring at him, his expression showing only distaste and contempt as he let go of his shirt and just stood there, looking back at the man. They stared at each other for a while, until the man left the room, a noise of disgust leaving his throat. He turned back to the mirror, his eyes sad and not understanding. The lizard was moving to rest on his cheek, it"s tail curling comfortingly around his right eye. What was so wrong with him being curious? EDIT 03/01/13 - Edited this too. Hello, again! Oh, I got such lovely reviews! Thank you for them! And the person who both alerted and favourited this too! :) I hope you enjoy this one as well! ...of Weakness It had never really mattered to him. His body had sometimes just given up on him. The weariness had slowly ganged up on him until his whole being had seemed to echo with it. The doctors had called it a lot of things, but he had never believed them. No, saying that he had never listened to them in the first place would be more accurate. What it had been was of no consequence. Even when he hadn"t been entirely happy about the situation, he definitely hadn"t been sad about this weakness of his. Yes, sometimes, he had let the loneliness overwhelm him. When he had been in bed - with fever, or with pains, or with something he had gotten when he had felt something emanating from nothing - and the day had been sunny, warm and wonderful outside his bedroom window... he had cried. But this depression had never lasted long. His father had always noticed and made it better - in one way or another. No matter whether it had been by purifying him and him room in case there was something not there, or by simply reading out loud to him, everything had looked brighter. Everything had become better. Now, years later, he wasn"t lonely anymore. His body was better - though nowhere near as strong as others" - than it had been then. And his weakness of body was ignored in favour of other things. These days his loneliness of weakness is no more. Hello! Ahh, forgive me for the wait for this one. I was a bit busy and I think my mind exploded at one point. :P Good thing is, I have now managed to get the first two volumes of Natsume manga from my library. ^-^ Maybe it will give me a different look on things. I hope you enjoy this one! ...Of the Unchangeable Past Crying. He could hear crying. It was coming from... Ah, there. Why? Why can I see them? It was a boy. Just a young boy, sitting with his hands holding his knees to his chest. His face was sad and lonely, the tear tracks visible as more tears fell down his cheeks. He wondered idly what his problem was. Now, the boy was sitting on a small box, his back against the wall and his forearms resting on top of his knees, his chin propped on top of that still. His face was surprisingly blank, the face of someone who had given up. A woman came up to the boy and spoke to him. He couldn"t hear exactly what she said, but he saw her put her hand on top of the boy"s head and give him a small smile. The boy was standing next to her, staring gravely at that woman, his face a mixture of shy, fearful and hopeful. It puzzled him, the expression on the boys face. I don"t feel lonely, because you come to see me, Natsume. Natsume? That boy... was Natsume? He woke up when Natsume pushed him off of the boy"s face, grumbling about heavy kitty-cats under his breath. ̈Who are you calling a kitty-cat? ̈ Hello! Decided to post another one while I still seemed to be able to put something down. Not so sure of this, had to write it a few times... Oh, well. I hope you still enjoy this! ...Of Dishonesty She had always "not liked" quite a lot of people. With Reiko, she had instantly (not really) loved her. Her eyes, staring at you like she had been superior to you. Her lips, pulling in a way that had fully expressed her contempt of you. Her smell, so delicious and the proof of her supernatural strength. With Natsume, she had instantly (not really) hated him. His eyes, not staring at you like you were nothing, but looking at you with a strange kind of honesty. His lips, not pulling in a show of disdain, but with a shaky and tentative smile. His smell, so delicious and the proof of his power. There were only a few things, beings, she had even remotely "liked". Reiko had not been one of them. She had been treasured. Natsume was not one of them. He was barely tolerated. The fact that she worried when she saw him lying on the ground in agonies, was utterly false. Yes, it was because he had her face. Natsume had Reiko"s face, and seeing an expression like that on Reiko"s face, albeit a look-a-like"s, was not acceptable. The fact that she wanted to go and comfort him, to make him feel better, was all because of that too. Because Natsume had Reiko"s face and smell. Not because it was Natsume. Hello! Ahh, I very, very happy with this one. ^-^ I hope you like it as much as I do. ...Of Music He felt heavy. Heavier than before. It was all Asagi"s fault. And Bull"s eye"s fault. It"s not that he didn"t want to help them, oh no. Asagi was a very nice person, of this he was sure. And Bull"s eye... Well, he was Bull"s eye. Only seeing Asagi and thinking of Asagi and caring for her. But it was a little annoying to feel nervous about going to school, because he knew that Asagi would take him over for one second when Tanuma or Nishimura and Kitamoto greeted him. And then they would give him "that look". And they weren"t the only ones. Some of the others had started to give him strange sidelong looks. Going to school made him nervous for the entirely wrong reasons.

Maybe... Kei held out his hand to Kazahaya, letting the older boy help him to his feet. If he looked deep in his brother"s eyes he could still see the lost look there. ̈Nii-san... I want you to have faith, to believe that I"m going to be fine. I need you to do that. ̈ Kazahaya"s eyes grew huge. ̈Kei... ̈ Then he smiled again and took Kei"s hand, interlocking their fingers. ̈Of course I believe that! I never stopped! ̈ Kei snorted a little. Never stopped? What happened that very first day? He was too caught up in his thoughts to realize at first that Kazahaya had started to tug him back toward home. ̈Nii-san..! ̈ Kazahaya laughed happily. ̈Kei, instead why don"t you stop calling me Nii-san all the time? ̈ ̈...What? ̈ The wide smile directed to Kei was filled with love and adoration. ̈Stop calling me Nii-san. Okay? ̈ Kazahaya turned back forward, humming something happily to himself. Kei was in shock. But Nii-san is Nii-san! How can he be anything else but Nii-san? ̈...Okay, Kazahaya-nii-san... ̈ 16/03/1981 The room was the same as last year. Empty wooden floors and plain walls. Kazahaya was laying again, on his back this time, his eyes watching the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Kei and the man were sitting in front of each other again, Kei"s legs tucked beneath him and holding his brother"s hand loosely. The man smiled. ̈So, Keitetsu-kun. How have you been? ̈ Kei gave the man a smile as well, most likely his first one. ̈It works, Doumeki-san. I"m getting better. ̈ Even though he still was sick, he felt better than he had for a long, long time. He wanted the man to know that he was sorry for his actions last year. Now Kazahaya held his head up a bit and grinned happily. ̈He is! He really is! ̈ He closed his eyes and let his head fall back to the floor with a faint thunk. The man laughed. ̈That is good to hear. I was wondering if... ̈ Now he looked a bit worried himself. ̈If what, Doumeki-san? ̈ ̈My own grandson... I was wondering if I would have to use it on him as well. ̈ Kazahaya sat up and looked at the man surprised. ̈He is sick? ̈ At the same time, Kei blinked a little and asked, ̈You have a grandson? ̈ The man laughed a little sadly. ̈Yes, I have a grandson. Thirteen days old. Shizuka is his name. ̈ He shook his head as he spoke, ̈But, no, you could not really say that Shizuka is sick. More like he might become a weakly child. There were some complications at his birth... ̈ ̈Oh. ̈ Kei turned his gaze away from the man, for some reason feeling embarrassed from the man"s worry. Kazahaya did not have any inhibitions on his feelings. He crawled over to the man and hugged him. ̈I"m sure your grandson will be fine, Doumeki-san. ̈ The man laughed again and hugged the boy back. ̈Thank you, Kazahaya-kun. I am glad you feel that way. I am sure he will be fine as well. He is a Doumeki, after all. ̈ He turned his golden eyes to Kei and smiled. ̈Another year and then you should be as well as you had been(3). ̈ Kei nodded. He"d be ten next year and that was when the old man had said he could stop. Kazahaya let go of the man and scooted backwards a bit. ̈By the way, what do you think about Kei"s kimono? ̈ He gave the man an innocent smile. The kimono that Kei was wearing was a light green colour, no patterns or bright colours to stand out horrifyingly. The obi was light brown. These subdued kimonos were the only ones Kei had agreed to wear last year. ̈Kazahaya! ̈ Kei could not help the pink tinting his cheeks. Truth be told he was so used to wearing a kimono now that he was not aware of it anymore. He even felt more comfortable in them than in normal clothes. The man smiled at Kei"s expression. ̈I noticed. It is very pretty and it suits you, Keitetsu-kun. It goes well with your hair. ̈ Kei"s cheeks were a deep red now. He had hoped that the man would not have noticed his hair as he nowadays felt disinclined to cut it. Kazahaya had been on his side in the small war he and the maids and nurses had had about the topic. Kazahaya laughed. ̈Kei wanted to get rid of the kimono you brought immediately. He said it was horrible. ̈ The man raised an eyebrow at Kei, but kept smiling all the same. ̈No, it wasn"t! It just... I didn"t think it suited me that much... ̈ Kei mumbled, crossing his hands over his chest, not meeting the man"s gaze. ̈It"s alright, Keitetsu-kun. I- ̈ A shoji door opened to the side and a woman entered. ̈Doumeki-sama, forgive me, but the master wants you to leave now. ̈ She kept her gaze on the floor, her hands clasped in front of her respectfully. The man stood up. ̈Yes, of course. We had already discussed what was needed, right? ̈ He smiled at the two boys, still sitting on the floor. Kazahaya nodded, smiled and waved to the man goodbye. Kei nodded slowly, his light coloured eyes never leaving the man"s figure as he left. The older brother lay down again, spreading his arms. He sighed. ̈It was nice to see Doumeki-san again... ̈ ̈Yes... ̈ Kei stood up and walked over to the closed door. He opened it again. ̈Kei? Where are you going? ̈ Kei didn"t look back at his brother, afraid that the empath might feel even from across the room his apprehension at what he was about to do. ̈I forgot to tell Doumeki-san something. I"ll be back soon. ̈ He stepped into the corridor and closed the door behind him. 31/10/1986 ̈It has been decided. ̈ Kei and Kazahaya were sitting in Kei"s room, the older boy in the chair by the desk and the younger boy on the bed. They were worried, their faces drawn. Kazahaya lifted his eyes from the floor to look at Kei. ̈Are you sure? I mean... Uncle would not- ̈ ̈Kazahaya! ̈ Kei sprang up, disregarding the fact that he might rip his kimono. ̈Uncle has made the decision! It cannot be revised! ̈ His face filled with sadness. ̈It can never be revised... ̈ He hung his head. ̈Kei... ̈ Kazahaya bit his bottom lip. ̈Kei, I"m sorry. ̈ ̈... ̈ ̈Kei, it"s all my fault, I"m sorry. If I weren"t- ̈ Kei clenched his hands into fists. ̈If you weren"t what, Kazahaya? Like... you? ̈ He made a violent movement with his fist to indicate his brother. ̈And anyway, if someone is to blame, we might as well blame me. No! Let"s blame father! ̈ ̈Kei... ̈ Kazahayas eyes grew huge and moistened with grief. ̈We can"t blame father! It"s not his fault that he died! ̈ ̈I know. I know... ̈ Kei whispered the last sentence, the fight and grief and anger passing, leaving him almost empty. ̈That doesn"t change the fact that it hurts. ̈ ̈Kei... ̈ Kazahaya stood up and walked over to his brother, hugging him and gently stroking the long, light coloured hair that cascaded down to the small of Kei"s back. -/-/- Kazahaya was walking. The trees he walked past were blurry, like they were not actually real. But they had to be. They had to. It would be strange... No, frightening to think that the place Kazahaya was walking through was not real. The beautiful clearing he came to was not like the trees had been. Everything was in focus. Almost too in focus, because he could swear that he saw every blade of grass, every crack and smudge in the strange stone in the middle. Kazahaya stopped. He was a little out of breath; a small puff of moisture could be seen coming out of his mouth with every exhalation. He stared at the stone, his face pulling off perfectly an expression mixed with puzzlement, fright, tiredness, desperation and curiosity. He took a few shaky steps forward before collapsing completely, his jeans becoming even more soaked with the newly fallen snow. The stone just sat there, not doing anything. He wasn"t sure if stones even were supposed to do something. But as this was still, maybe, perhaps, the Kudou estate, it might as well be one of those stones that were supposed to do something. Kazahaya, after a while, stood up again, keeping his eyes locked on the strange stone. He started to move toward it, taking small, still slightly unsure steps. When he was a few feet away from it, he stopped. This was definitely a stone of the latter kind, the kind that could do something. It didn"t take long before the boy was standing right before the stone, still gasping for breath. It had been at least a quarter of an hour since he first stepped into the clearing, but he had not calmed down. Actually, being near the stone seemed to bother him quite a lot. Kazahaya stretched out his hand as if to touch it, but held back at the last minute. He drew his hand to his side again, the emotions still showing strongly on his face. ̈Oh, damn... ̈ He muttered to himself, before looking around, checking that there was no one beside him in the clearing. He touched the stone. His eyes rolled back into his head, his knees giving out on him as he collapsed on top of the stone. -/-/- At some point, Kazahaya fell off. 24/02/1987 The door opened and a woman stepped in. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Kei spoke, ̈Let him in. ̈ The woman bowed and returned to the hallway, closing the door behind her again. Kei could hardly contain his urgency, his desperation. Ever since Kazahaya had disappeared he had been as if sitting on needles. His brother was an airhead, completely capable of harming himself in some way. Without knowing what he was doing even! He looked up again when the woman returned, a man following her into the room. As she left again, Kei noticed that he wasn"t actually a man, more like a boy. He was just so large that he had at first thought of him as a man. Kei and his guest stared at each other for a few minutes, assessing the other. No doubt that boy wanted to find out everything he could about him, the Kudou family having been very mysterious for the last three decades. As their eyes locked, he noticed that the boy had the most amazing eyes Kei had ever seen. They were beautiful and alarming at the same time. One of his eyes was purple, the colour so vivid it seemed manmade, while the other was a grey that was not exactly boring, but hinted on uninteresting. The boy smiled and bowed. ̈Good afternoon. I had heard that the late Kudou-san, your father, had pretty children, but I had not imagined that his daughter could be quite so beautiful. ̈ The smile widened to a small grin, his eyes dancing with mirth. Daughter? Kei wanted to glare at him, to tell this stupid child to leave, but he needed him. So instead, he smiled coldly. ̈I thank you for the compliment, even though it seems you have made an elementary mistake concerning it. ̈ The boys eyes widened in surprise. Although Kei looked like a girl, he definitely did not sound like one. ̈That"s odd... ̈ Kei raised an eyebrow at the mutter. ̈What is odd? ̈ He finally remembered to be polite and indicated the sofa across from him. ̈Please seat yourself. ̈ The boy sat down, his brow still wrinkled a bit in thought. ̈I"m sorry, but usually my ̈, he gave Kei a crooked smile, ̈gift would have noticed immediately your gender. ̈ Kei frowned a bit as well. ̈But it didn"t? ̈ He received a sigh from the boy and a shake of the head as an answer. His fingers toyed with the sleeve of his light blue kimono as he considered the boy again. ̈Does this mean that your gift is not to be trusted? Because Doumeki-san, he is the one who told me of your... expertise, advised me that you would be the best person to help me in my... need. ̈ Again the boy shook his head. ̈No, I can be trusted to do whatever you ask, granted that it really is in my power to do so. Something about you just shook me off... ̈ He gave Kei a contemplative stare. ̈Not anymore though. ̈ Kei looked at the coffee table between the two sofas. ̈I see... ̈ ̈May I ask when you were born? ̈ Kei aimed his light coloured eyes sharply to the mismatched ones of the boy. It was surprisingly hard to keep them locked. ̈Why do you ask? ̈ The boy tilted his head in thought. He shrugged. ̈Guess, I just want to know. You look like a girl. But you are not. So I thought it would be nice to know if I am speaking with someone my age or someone younger. ̈ He blinked and smiled at Kei. ̈Or older than me, for that matter. ̈ Kei leant backwards. This one was a lot more easygoing than he had expected. ̈I will be fifteen this year. ̈ He was not stupid enough to tell the boy his date of birth, but... this would suffice. The boy grinned. ̈Sixteen for me. ̈ Kei was surprised again. He really does look older than he is! And he"s very handsome too... Frowning at the stray thought, he stood up, the boy following his lead. ̈I think... I think I will accept your help. ̈ He held out his hand. The boy took it and grinned from ear to ear. ̈Fine by me! I"m Konoshima! ̈ Kei raised an eyebrow in inquire. ̈Just Konoshima? ̈ At the boys nod, he smiled a little. ̈A pleasure, Konoshima-san. I"m Kudou Keitetsu. ̈ 32.11.1987 Konoshima was lounging on the bed. ̈So, now that we have established that your errant brother will not be found this way... I guess we need to do it the oldfashioned way... Hmm... Where should we start? ̈ Kei sat on the chair, the book he had been reading before Konoshima had rudely infiltrated his room on his lap. He shook his head desolately. ̈I don"t know, Konoshima. ̈ The boy turned his head to watch him. ̈Don"t make that face, Kudou. Nobody that pretty should make a face like that. ̈ It wasn"t unusual for Konoshima to make retorts like that, in view of their first meeting. At first they had made him extremely angry. Now... Kei gave the boy on the bed a look, his lips twisting in a smile at the attempt to cheer him up. In the time that he had known Konoshima, his humour had stuck to him, until he had become a little more easygoing than before. ̈Don"t joke around ̈, he gently admonished the other. The boy sat up, his face serious. ̈I"m not. ̈ But before Kei could say anything about the unusual behaviour, the solemnity had been replaced by another of his grins. ̈Back to topic, Kudou. Your brother. ̈ Kei shook his head again. ̈I told you, Konoshima. I don"t know! ̈ He scowled in irritation that he could not tell the boy anything. ̈Relax! You don"t need to know. ̈ Konoshima laid down on the bed again. ̈Think, Kudou. What"s your brother like? If he needed to go somewhere, what would be the foremost thoughts on his mind? What would he know he needed? ̈ Kei opened his mouth and then closed it, blinking in thought. ̈Well... Father always said... ̈ ̈What? ̈ Kei ignored Konoshima. He bit his lip. It couldn"t be that simple...? Like with his sickness, it just could not be that simple. ̈Kudou, damn it! If you think it matters even a little bit then tell me! ̈ The older boy had propped himself on his elbow, looking fiercely at Kei. Sometimes it scared him a little, how impressive Konoshima could look when annoyed, his purple eye flashing dangerously and his grey eye giving the impression of being able to smother a person to death. Kei waved his hand calmly. ̈Sorry. But I never really took notice of anything of the sort. It just didn"t always seem... logical. Not to me, at least. ̈ He sighed. ̈It would figure that Kazahaya would think it logical... ̈ Konoshima practically growled, ̈What? ̈ Kei gave the boy a little smile. He was surprised that he would react this way. It was nice, to know that he could cause this in Konoshima. He knew that to find Kazahaya he needed to tell the older boy immediately what he had figured, but the thought of making him even more disconcerted was quite sweet. He widened his smile teasingly. ̈Oh, it was just something father would say... How you always needed something to live. ̈ ̈Like what? ̈ The steely look in Konoshimas eyes told Kei that if he did not speak now, there would be consequences. Kei sighed again and put the book on the desk next to him. ̈Money. He was always saying that money was important. ̈ Konoshima frowned. ̈But money is important. ̈ He flopped back onto his back, covering his mismatched eyes with the back of his hand. The younger boy nodded. ̈Of course, but he was saying that money was the most important thing. That people should know how to support themselves. And you obviously cannot do that without money. ̈ Kei"s voice became sarcastic and derisive as he spoke. Konoshima sighed. ̈Soo... ̈ ̈What? ̈ Kei recieved no answer. He listened intently as Konoshima started to mutter to himself, obviously thinking furiously. Soon, he snapped his fingers, getting up in a flash. He grinned at the seated boy. ̈I know! ̈ Kei felt hope flare up inside him. It had already been almost a year since Kazahaya left and all of their previous attempts at locating the boy had brought up nothing. He stood up as well, taking Konoshimas hand to stop him from leaving immediately. ̈What? Konoshima, tell me! ̈ ̈What would you do if you needed money? ̈ When Kei looked confused, Konoshima burst into laughter. ̈You get a job, silly! And what better place to get a job that Tokyo? ̈ He gently tugged his hand from Keis grip and left. Kei watched in shock the now empty room. Tokyo? His eyes widened in understanding. ̈Wait! ̈ He ran out and yelled after the retreating back of the other boy. ̈Konoshima! I"m coming with you! ̈ 15/08/1991 Kei opened his eyes. The ceiling above him was highlighted with little splotches of light, entering from the half covered window. He turned his head to the side. Konoshima was lying next to him on the bed, the older man"s arms wrapped securely around him. Two eyes found his and filled with mirth and happiness. ̈Morning, Kei. ̈ The man grinned slowly. Kei smiled gently back at his lover. ̈Morning... ̈ He sighed and nuzzled himself closer to Konoshima. Warm... A hand started to move up and down his side. Kei grinned and moved himself, straddling Konoshimas waist. The hand kept its caressing, now on his hips. ̈Tut tut. Not so fast. ̈ He laughed. ̈Why not? ̈ Came the amused question. Gods, he looks hot like this... Kei leant forward and kissed Konoshima on the corner of his mouth. He sighed again. ̈There are thing I need to do today. ̈ He would prefer to stay here, in bed, but these things were important. They needed to be done, for Kazahaya... And the two of them. Konoshima frowned. ̈What things? You said yesterday that you had no plans for today. ̈ Kei shrugged. ̈I was wrong. ̈ He looked at the wall in thought as his own hand and fingers traced light patterns on the chest of the man beneath him. ̈You? Wrong? ̈ Konoshima laughed at the absurdity of the thought. ̈Again. What things? ̈ The younger man smiled teasingly. ̈To do those things, I need to borrow your clothes first. ̈ He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, before standing up. He stretched his body, having grown tall and finally looking like a male rather than having the almost small look of a female. The older man blinked in surprise. ̈Why? ̈ The tone was curious. Kei started to rummage around in the closet. ̈I need a haircut. ̈ He gathered his heavy fall of light coloured hair into his left hand and showed it to Konoshima. ̈And some new clothes. I don"t want to look like a girl anymore. ̈ ̈Why not? You"ve been wearing a fucking kimono for the last... ten years! ̈ Kei took out a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt that was undoubtedly too small for his lover now. ̈Eleven years ̈, he said absentmindedly as he threw the jeans on the bed and put on the shirt. ̈Kei! ̈ Konoshima took hold of his wrist and pulled him toward the older man. ̈Why would you need to do that? ̈ Kei wrapped his arms around Konoshima"s shoulders and smiled. ̈What? Don"t you want me as myself? Or do you prefer me in women"s clothing? ̈ That was a low blow, but just the thought of it being true hurt Kei more than he wanted to admit. Konoshima scowled at his lover. ̈No! I love you, no matter what you wear! I just want to know the reason you suddenly want to change after being like this for so long. ̈ He smiled gently and cupped Konoshima"s cheek. ̈I"ll tell the reason later, love. ̈ ̈All right ̈, the older man sighed back. ̈But do you really have to cut the hair? I like it the way it"s now... ̈ He took a few strands into his fingers and played with them. Kei laughed and sat on Konoshima"s lap, wrapping his legs around him. ̈Fine, your choice. Hair or neck? ̈ At the raised eyebrow, he turned his head to the side slightly in offering. Konoshima moved his hand from playing with the strands to hold the back of Kei"s head. He buried his face in the hair of his younger lover. After a while he pulled back and, using both hands, he gathered the long hair to Kei"s other shoulder, baring the thin neck to his lips. ̈Neck. ̈ Kei laughed again as Konoshima grinned crookedly at him. ̈Told you! Now... I think I"m going to have to borrow a belt too. I"m thinner than you. ̈ 15/08/1991 Kei placed two blank papers on the table in front of Konoshima. He sat next to his lover. ̈What"s this? ̈ Konoshima asked, looking at the papers. Kei put his elbows on the table and leant his chin on the back of his intertwined fingers. ̈Papers. What"d you think they are? ̈ He watched as Konoshima stared at the papers and then turned his stare at him. ̈What am I supposed to do with them? ̈ Kei took out to pens and placed one on top of the paper closer to the older man. ̈You know how we both told each other our real names when we met? ̈ He was more nervous than he really needed to be. It wasn"t like he was murdering anyone! ̈Well, we can"t be doing that anymore, so I thought that we might... ̈ He shrugged, looking into Konoshima"s mismatched eyes and smiling. ̈Change them. ̈

I didn"t look around myself. I knew well about the countless of spirits. All around me, blocking my way out if I wanted to back out from the race. But I didn"t. I kept my eyes on the prize, the pale blue yukata that would give a spirit a human form for one night. The smell was oppressive, sometimes a sweet scent that was heady and euphoric. Other times it was reeking of corpses and rotting things. Mingled together, it almost made me want to gag, but I didn"t. I couldn"t. Not now. I couldn"t even start running on my own before the surge of spirits took me with them, pushing me, shoving me, trying to trip me. I fought to stay upright, to not be trampled under foot and claw and hoof. To remain in the race and win the prize. I had to do it. I had to win. But I couldn"t. Not like this. I was just a human. I had no amazing speed or strength without using my powers. And I could never win in this race against spirits without my powers. I wouldn"t win... I would never be able to win. Not alone. ̈We"ll trounce them, Natsume! Grab on! ̈ Never alone. Well, hello hello. It has been a while, yes? =_= Siiigh. I"m sorry, but I"ve been so busy that I haven"t even had the time to watch the newest Natsume episodes! :( I"ll try to watch them tomorrow or in the weekend or sometime and get you a few updates. This has been on my mind lately, so thought I should write it. I think you might find it a bit more confusing that some of the others have been (mostly because there are no names used here), but that just the point. Hehe. ^-^ But no, actually, I"m trying to have a real point with this. I wonder if you get... Still, I hope you enjoy this! Warning: has to do with Natsume 3rd season ep. 3. ...Of Absolution The sun has set. It has been dark for a while now. The air is quiet, surprisingly so. Sounds of traffic are muted. Or nonexistent. Nothing moves. Not even the wind that should ruffle the tree leaves. Liar... There are two boys standing on a deserted train platform. They stare at each other, one warily and one worriedly. One has brown locks and brown eyes, while the other is light eyed and light haired. They are opposites of each other. In the way they stand. Face to face. In the way they look. One taller and one smaller. One beautiful and one handsome. Even in the way they are. One liar. And liar. Liar... The boy opens his mouth to speak, but does not say a word. He bits his lip, his eyes finally slipping from the silent, calm stare of the other. ̈I... ̈ ̈What? ̈ The boy is carrying a small papery basket with him, a pretty logo of a bakery on its side. Inside are four delicious shortcakes that the two had spent a long time of the evening trying to find. And now that the shot of adrenalin for not finding what they were looking, the excitement of succeeding against their beliefs had dissipated, they were left in this strange limbo. The past hovering between them. Whispering. Liar... The boy looks up again at the other. The worried look has disappeared from his eyes. ̈I"m sorry. ̈ The boy stares at the other, his face unreadable. Forbidding. He knows what the other is saying, what he means by this apology. And he knows... LIAR... But the words, the nightmares, the many tears haunt in his eyes, in his memories. How can he? How can he forgive the other when he still dreams of those days, those eyes and that loneliness. Deep unending loneliness, that seems to never go away. How can he do that when he himself cannot let go of the past? Maybe... ...Liar... The boy is sure. So sure... Eyes accepting, he lets out a little sigh he is not aware of. He would have wished... But he understands that what was said and done was cruel. Cruel beyond measure. ̈I know. ̈ Eyes widen. A smile. A breath is caught. A shy smile. ̈I know. ̈ A fearful smile. This is it. Absolution. Aha! A second update this week. ^-^ Boy, aren"t I proud of meself. I think this one... Wasn"t exactly what I had in mind when I started writing. I first thought, as I want a varied sight on all the characters in Natsume, I should do one from Kitamoto"s and Nishimura"s PoV. But then this kind of got out of hand and it seemed better to make it in Takashi PoV. Hope you still like it, though it did seem a bit weird to me. ...Of Friendship He honestly did not understand. He didn"t. Going to this new school had been normal. He had been introduced to his class, he had introduced himself, and the questions had come pouring in. It had been nice. It always was nice. But then, at some point or another, because of him or someone else, things would change. No longer friendly smiles, no longer anything. Lonely. Friendless. It had always been like that. He had always been like that. And this... This made him angry, envious, bitter, hateful. That- that- That nerve. They were so close. So friendly with each other. They could be smiling and happy one minute and yelling profanities at the other in the next. And on the third minute they would have already forgotten the hurtful words and be smiling and happy again. He had never had anything like that. Something that had always been there, something that would never actually disappear. Something that did not care what kind of horrible things were said, it still would be forgiven. So he did not understand. Why would Kitamoto and Nishimura, those two always together and friendly, want him as their friend? The one who has never had any friends, the one without a family? The weirdo? The liar? But they still did, they sought him out, called to him in the mornings and laughed with him. Took him out and made him, unwittingly, smile happily. They even got angry at him and playfully wailed at the injustice he had done to them. They smiled apologetically and told him they were on his side. And they expected him to understand and forgive and just be. Like it was, and should be, normal to him. He would never change this for the world. EDIT 03/01/13 - Rewritten~ Hello! I hope you enjoy this one, and I"ll post the next one again tomorrow. ...of Naming The spirit had disappeared from her sight, its huge grey shape leaving the small circle she had drawn on the ground. But it seemed to her that it was still there - the ominous words echoing in the silence. But now there was no silence anymore. The birds had resumed their singing; a dog was barking like mad in the distance. The silence was further broken by her ragged breathing and her sobs as a horrible, blanketing understanding of what had taken place here took hold of her. She leant forward, curling into a foetal position. Her whole body shook as she held herself, and the terror slowly vanished with each shuddering breath, with each tremor. It was only when she returned to her home - when her mother asked immediately if something was wrong when she saw her daughter"s face - that she realised exactly the kind of deal she had struck with the spirit. It was when she opened her mouth to say, "I"m fine, Mom", choking on them when she remembered what the spirit had threatened to do to those thrirteen unlucky individuals after her. It was when she ran to her room and locked the door behind her - when she had thrown herself on her bed and buried her face in the pillow to smother her sobs - when she made her decision that she felt the weight of a kind of loneliness settle on her shoulders. The fear of naming thirteen people to follow her to death. Thank you for reading! Now, please review! Ta! Hello! It has been a while, hasn"t it? I"ll be trying to get something else out soon. I found some drabbies that I"d written ages ago that were quite good. :D Just need some polishing. Anyway, hope you enjoy the 30th (!) drabbie. ...Of Perseverance It was weird. Natsume-kun"s expression. It was blank, as if he hadn"t understood her question. Yet she got the feeling like Natsume-kun understood perfectly. He stared at her gravely, golden eyes never wavering from her face. Pinning her down. She was a little scared, to tell the truth. What if Natsume-kun won"t help her? She kept talking to him, begging him. She did that because of the spike of fear, because of the desperation that had filled her ever since she had heard of the demolition order. She had already lost so much, she definitely did not want to lose this as well! She couldn"t. It took a while, but his face became derisive. Natsume-kun laughed at her quietly. And then his face changed, his demeanour changed, morphed into something else entirely. The smile was still there, so faint it was hard to see. But it was there. And his eyes, always so kind and warm and insecure, were cold and hard when he spoke to her. The words hardly registered with her, she could only hear the hurt tone. See the fear and rage in those eyes. It occurred to her than that Natsume-kun was in a similar position as her. He had lost quite a lot as well, while retaining that same happiness as her. Her meddling might take that happiness away from him. And yet, she had already come so far. She couldn"t just give up now. All she needed was to thank- Well. This is short. But I don"t think it needs anything more to it. Oh, and FYI, I"ll be updating tomorrow too. (Yay.) After that... We"ll see. Enjoy! :) (Random: I have finally, finally, won the war of the eluding ellipsis of the chapter titles! You shall never elude me again!) ...Of Flesh and Blood They never thought of anything else. It was almost boring, the way they seemed to be fixated on one and one thing only. Even after years, centuries, their children were still the same. As were their pathetic attempts to remain as they were for all eternity. And their fear of the passing of the time and how it changed them. For her, all of that would have been the most wonderful thing. To feel time move, and to feel herself move as well because of that change. But she was stuck. Stuck without a choice of whether she belonged with those who lived or those who were dead and breathing, cursed beyond imagination. There were only a few of her kin left now. Killed for their immortality, they were. Killed by puny humans. Even youkai and ayakashi, those considered very close to her own kind, hunted her kin. All of them, desiring her flesh, her blood. Like mirror images of each other, they wanted to live forever in loneliness. Here"s today"s! Hope you like it! :D ...Of Luck It was so horrible. The darkness seemed to be physical, dripping over him like slime. Sucking him deeper and deeper into the shadows of his heart. The hate became familiar, an everyday occurrence. It became everything he had left in this dark, dark place beneath the earth. It was so horrible. The filthiness that lingered in his soul and heart, tainting him thoroughly. The loneliness became familiar. Not that he wanted things to be different in any way. He was content to let things be as they were. He was content to stay in this place that had been his prison, that was now his home. She was so beautiful. So pretty, so pure. He wanted to touch her so, so much. But he was tainted, filthy, horrible. She should not be touched by the likes of him, lest she become like him. It was so horrible. The sweet call of her voice, cajoling him to appear to her. To appear to her and become accepted by her. This feeling could never become familiar to him, no matter how long he would feel it. It gave him hope, hope of something he knew, has known since his imprisonment, that wasn"t meant for him. EDIT 15/01/13 - Didn"t change much on this one. Though I did have great, great difficulties with one part. <.<" Hello again! :) Ah, this one is... Not one, I"m so happy with, so please tell me if it was crappy or not. Anyway, enjoy! Oh, and... Moi, te kaksi suomalaista! ^-^ Mä olisin todella iloinen jos te kertoisitte mitä ajattelette näistä mun pikku... jostain. :P Siis jos ootte lukemassa tätäkin. ...of Families They had never had any children. There had always been just the two of them. Together. It had been a good way to live their lives, because at first they had loved each other. They still did, but then it had been imperial as they had had their difficulties. There had been rows and hardships, made both by themselves and by others. Now they were so easy, their lives. Or life - as much as they had tried to remain how they were, or they maybe really hadn"t noticed, but in time their lives had become so entwined they had, in a certain way, become the two aspects of one person. She, as the home and the warmth of silliness, and he, as the security and the warmth of silence. So they lived day after day after day. Endlessly, never stopping. Together. Alone. Natsume Takashi broke that endless cycle. He came and he, with his shyness and his reserved demeanour, made them... feel. He made them happy and sad, worried and content. They were together, but not alone. Not since Natsume Takashi. So, thank you for reading and now just review! Thank you! :) Next one will be posted tomorrow. Ta! EDIT - 20/01/13 - Rewritten~ Hello! This is getting a bit boring... Nobody reviews. :( Not even to say, "good.' Or "bad.' With these drabbles, that really would be enough, you know. Anyway, enjoy! ...Of Emotions: Happiness of Ignorance He had never realized what that boy would do to him. Natsume-kun was always so solemn, his eyes staring at a person like he wanted to see, or was seeing, their soul and every kind and unkind thought in them. And yet, he was so easy to trick. By humans, and by spirits. He was so unbelievably naïve and unknowing of the way those two different worlds worked. Innocent, in some way. So how come he - he who lived partly in both worlds, who had lived longer in them, who had seen so much of the two worlds - had not seen this coming? How come he had not realized there was a good reason why the spirits who lived close to, and even a good way away from, Natsume-kun kept calling him Natsume-sama, Natsume-dono? How come he had not realised "that" not only worked on spirits, but on humans as well? Natsume-sama, Natsume-dono. Why did he feel so happy to tell Natsume-kun a petty excuse; tonight would be a night when they would not think about the spirits they could see. At least not more than usual as Hiiragi and that bodyguard of his were with them. Why did he feel so happy at that other lie, at the fact Natsume-kun might never find out - but inevitably would, as it was only fair - about the job he had accepted to do while they were at the hot springs, and the way he had decided to use that boy? Why? So, now that you have read this, review! Actually, reviews on this will be more than appreciated. This is the first of the Natori-centric emotion-drabbles, and hearing what you think will be... informative. Natori is such a complex guy... Next one will come tomorrow! And that might just be the last one until Tuesday? Wednesday? I won"t be able to access the web for a while until then. Ta! EDIT 11/02/13 - Edited~ Hello! Pardon me for the slight lateness. We went to Pellestrina yesterday (lovely, but rather boring. The food was great, though! ^-^) and I got heatstroke... =_= So again, pardon me. Anyway, this drabble here is one of my personal favourites! :) I hope you enjoy it. ...of Talking and Listening He realised it when he was walking down a school hallway with Taki. He understood he had a kind of loneliness in him he hadn"t thought he even had. Taki was chattering away next to him, relieved and happy after her year of silence and worry, freed from the fear of naming people. Her eyes were bright and a slight smile pulled at her lips, while her hands fluttered weakly as she explained something to him - not only in words, but in indications and shapes. He realized it when she turned to him with that almost breathlessly joyous look, saying something that would, no doubt, make him laugh. It did, and for so many other reasons too. As much as he was relieving Taki of her self-imposed loneliness of silence, she was relieving him of the loneliness of a different kind of silence. One where he didn"t have anyone to listen to. One where no one wanted to talk to him. To tell him everything about anything they could while being in full - or maybe not so full - knowledge of his abilities and problems. Because of that realization, he promised to himself that if Taki ever needed to tell him anything, no matter how stupid or mundane or unimportant, he would listen. Since now, it seemed, there was someone who cared enough to talk to him. As another request of apology, I have decided that instead of posting just one drabble, I"ll post two! :) I would also appreciate if you reviewed! Thank you. Ta! Here is the other drabble! Now, this one is another I like, but I"m still not sure if it came out good. It just kind of veered off of what I intended, I guess. :/ Tell me what you think, please. Enjoy! ...Of Worry She has lived such a lovely life with her beloved Shigeru-san. There were no bad things, at least no more than usual, in it and they were happy. Of course, they were always very sad on not having a child of their own, but Takashi-kun was such a dear, dear boy. In some way, he made the sun shine brighter, the days better than before. Even though Takashi-kun was such a strange boy, he was still so very dear to her and to Shigeru-san as well. Nyankichi-kun too, was dear. But seeing Takashi-kun standing in the middle of the road, looking at nothing and yelling about corpses, she became worried. Worried like never before. Ah, that was not true. It was when he turned to her, and she asked him what he was doing in as gentle way as she could, that she worried even more. Because there was a look in his eyes then, an expression on his face that seemed to freeze everything for a second. Something that hurt her so much... She never wanted Takashi-kun to have an expression like that. Ever. But she could do nothing as he moved to block her line of sight to his face, to his eyes and his pain. She could do nothing as he, his lips tight and jaw clenched, told her that nothing was wrong, that he was fine and everything else as well. She could do nothing as Takashi-kun lied to her. It made her feel lonely, knowing that for some reason that she was not aware of, as he was such a nice, loving boy, Takashi-kun chose to do this. It made her feel so lonely. Hehee... Review, please! Oh, and I forgot. I really will not be updating until Wednesday, so there will be a third drabble today! :) Ta! My second drabble on Natori and his emotions! Tell me if it"s getting repetitive or if it"s any good. Enjoy! ...Of Emotions: Sadness of Choice It didn"t cause him any kind of feeling, telling Natsume-kun that he had to choose. Maybe pity. And understanding of that pain that he must be feeling. But those feelings were familiar from their encounters from before. There were no unusual feelings even when Natsume-kun turned his head away and ran from him. That boy was so very soft, too soft. But it was when Hiiragi asked him, told him that he should decline works of this world in Natsume-kun"s area, when he was almost overwhelmed with a feeling. A feeling he was not used to feeling. At least not around Natsume-kun. When alone, yes. The surge of sadness that was inside him did not seem to want to leave, and he knew why it was there now. Not having any works of this world here would mean not seeing Natsume-kun. But if he did take more work of this world in Natsume-kun"s area (when had it become Natsume-kun"s area?) they would meet and their opinions would clash and Natsume-kun would not be the only one who was hurt by that. What he felt, was the sadness of that choice. The choice he must do. Hmm... That wasn"t an especially good one... Sigh. Anyway, review! Pretty please! See you on Wednesday! :) Hello again! :) I"m back. With a drabble or two. Or three. Haha, hope you like this one. And if you do or don"t, I would like to know exactly what it was that was good and nice or bad and horrible. Enjoy! ...Of Reality When he would look at the photos, he would always feel a myriad of emotions. It was usually so inconvenient that he chose to keep the photos in a small, wooden box, tucked into the very back of his closet. Out of sight, out of mind. And anyway, there were not that many photos in that small, wooden box. Just a few, taken when he was so little he had hardly reached his father"s knee. A few, with him and his mother and his father, the happy faces of those three people haunting, because his life has not given him many chances since to look that happy. Touko-san had once asked about those photos, when she had been cleaning his room and found them accidentally. He had explained to her that he could not remember what they had been doing when the photos were taken. Later (much, much later, days and months and years later), he confessed to her that he could not even remember their faces on his own, he could not recall their funerals, or what his life had been like then. What he did not admit to Touko-san was that he wasn"t even sure if the persons in the photos were real. Because, with the kind of life he was leading now, returning the names of youkai and ayakashi when asked, it would not be at all surprising if none of the scenes captured in those photos were real. It was not as if he could confirm the reality of those photos, know them to be real. Now, go review! Reviews make the world go around! :) Seriously. Ta!

Kazahaya let go of the man and scooted backwards a bit. ̈By the way, what do you think about Kei"s kimono? ̈ He gave the man an innocent smile. The kimono that Kei was wearing was a light green colour, no patterns or bright colours to stand out horrifyingly. The obi was light brown. These subdued kimonos were the only ones Kei had agreed to wear last year. ̈Kazahaya! ̈ Kei could not help the pink tinting his cheeks. Truth be told he was so used to wearing a kimono now that he was not aware of it anymore. He even felt more comfortable in them than in normal clothes. The man smiled at Kei"s expression. ̈I noticed. It is very pretty and it suits you, Keitetsu-kun. It goes well with your hair. ̈ Kei"s cheeks were a deep red now. He had hoped that the man would not have noticed his hair as he nowadays felt disinclined to cut it. Kazahaya had been on his side in the small war he and the maids and nurses had had about the topic. Kazahaya laughed. ̈Kei wanted to get rid of the kimono you brought immediately. He said it was horrible. ̈ The man raised an eyebrow at Kei, but kept smiling all the same. ̈No, it wasn"t! It just... I didn"t think it suited me that much... ̈ Kei mumbled, crossing his hands over his chest, not meeting the man"s gaze. ̈It"s alright, Keitetsu-kun. I- ̈ A shoji door opened to the side and a woman entered. ̈Doumeki-sama, forgive me, but the master wants you to leave now. ̈ She kept her gaze on the floor, her hands clasped in front of her respectfully. The man stood up. ̈Yes, of course. We had already discussed what was needed, right? ̈ He smiled at the two boys, still sitting on the floor. Kazahaya nodded, smiled and waved to the man goodbye. Kei nodded slowly, his light coloured eyes never leaving the man"s figure as he left. The older brother lay down again, spreading his arms. He sighed. ̈It was nice to see Doumeki-san again... ̈ ̈Yes... ̈ Kei stood up and walked over to the closed door. He opened it again. ̈Kei? Where are you going? ̈ Kei didn"t look back at his brother, afraid that the empath might feel even from across the room his apprehension at what he was about to do. ̈I forgot to tell Doumeki-san something. I"ll be back soon. ̈ He stepped into the corridor and closed the door behind him. 31/10/1986 ̈It has been decided. ̈ Kei and Kazahaya were sitting in Kei"s room, the older boy in the chair by the desk and the younger boy on the bed. They were worried, their faces drawn. Kazahaya lifted his eyes from the floor to look at Kei. ̈Are you sure? I mean... Uncle would not- ̈ ̈Kazahaya! ̈ Kei sprang up, disregarding the fact that he might rip his kimono. ̈Uncle has made the decision! It cannot be revised! ̈ His face filled with sadness. ̈It can never be revised... ̈ He hung his head. ̈Kei... ̈ Kazahaya bit his bottom lip. ̈Kei, I"m sorry. ̈ ̈... ̈ ̈Kei, it"s all my fault, I"m sorry. If I weren"t- ̈ Kei clenched his hands into fists. ̈If you weren"t what, Kazahaya? Like... you? ̈ He made a violent movement with his fist to indicate his brother. ̈And anyway, if someone is to blame, we might as well blame me. No! Let"s blame father! ̈ ̈Kei... ̈ Kazahayas eyes grew huge and moistened with grief. ̈We can"t blame father! It"s not his fault that he died! ̈ ̈I know. I know... ̈ Kei whispered the last sentence, the fight and grief and anger passing, leaving him almost empty. ̈That doesn"t change the fact that it hurts. ̈ ̈Kei... ̈ Kazahaya stood up and walked over to his brother, hugging him and gently stroking the long, light coloured hair that cascaded down to the small of Kei"s back. -/-/- Kazahaya was walking. The trees he walked past were blurry, like they were not actually real. But they had to be. They had to. It would be strange... No, frightening to think that the place Kazahaya was walking through was not real. The beautiful clearing he came to was not like the trees had been. Everything was in focus. Almost too in focus, because he could swear that he saw every blade of grass, every crack and smudge in the strange stone in the middle. Kazahaya stopped. He was a little out of breath; a small puff of moisture could be seen coming out of his mouth with every exhalation. He stared at the stone, his face pulling off perfectly an expression mixed with puzzlement, fright, tiredness, desperation and curiosity. He took a few shaky steps forward before collapsing completely, his jeans becoming even more soaked with the newly fallen snow. The stone just sat there, not doing anything. He wasn"t sure if stones even were supposed to do something. But as this was still, maybe, perhaps, the Kudou estate, it might as well be one of those stones that were supposed to do something. Kazahaya, after a while, stood up again, keeping his eyes locked on the strange stone. He started to move toward it, taking small, still slightly unsure steps. When he was a few feet away from it, he stopped. This was definitely a stone of the latter kind, the kind that could do something. It didn"t take long before the boy was standing right before the stone, still gasping for breath. It had been at least a quarter of an hour since he first stepped into the clearing, but he had not calmed down. Actually, being near the stone seemed to bother him quite a lot. Kazahaya stretched out his hand as if to touch it, but held back at the last minute. He drew his hand to his side again, the emotions still showing strongly on his face. ̈Oh, damn... ̈ He muttered to himself, before looking around, checking that there was no one beside him in the clearing. He touched the stone. His eyes rolled back into his head, his knees giving out on him as he collapsed on top of the stone. -/-/- At some point, Kazahaya fell off. 24/02/1987 The door opened and a woman stepped in. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Kei spoke, ̈Let him in. ̈ The woman bowed and returned to the hallway, closing the door behind her again. Kei could hardly contain his urgency, his desperation. Ever since Kazahaya had disappeared he had been as if sitting on needles. His brother was an airhead, completely capable of harming himself in some way. Without knowing what he was doing even! He looked up again when the woman returned, a man following her into the room. As she left again, Kei noticed that he wasn"t actually a man, more like a boy. He was just so large that he had at first thought of him as a man. Kei and his guest stared at each other for a few minutes, assessing the other. No doubt that boy wanted to find out everything he could about him, the Kudou family having been very mysterious for the last three decades. As their eyes locked, he noticed that the boy had the most amazing eyes Kei had ever seen. They were beautiful and alarming at the same time. One of his eyes was purple, the colour so vivid it seemed manmade, while the other was a grey that was not exactly boring, but hinted on uninteresting. The boy smiled and bowed. ̈Good afternoon. I had heard that the late Kudou-san, your father, had pretty children, but I had not imagined that his daughter could be quite so beautiful. ̈ The smile widened to a small grin, his eyes dancing with mirth. Daughter? Kei wanted to glare at him, to tell this stupid child to leave, but he needed him. So instead, he smiled coldly. ̈I thank you for the compliment, even though it seems you have made an elementary mistake concerning it. ̈ The boys eyes widened in surprise. Although Kei looked like a girl, he definitely did not sound like one. ̈That"s odd... ̈ Kei raised an eyebrow at the mutter. ̈What is odd? ̈ He finally remembered to be polite and indicated the sofa across from him. ̈Please seat yourself. ̈ The boy sat down, his brow still wrinkled a bit in thought. ̈I"m sorry, but usually my ̈, he gave Kei a crooked smile, ̈gift would have noticed immediately your gender. ̈ Kei frowned a bit as well. ̈But it didn"t? ̈ He received a sigh from the boy and a shake of the head as an answer. His fingers toyed with the sleeve of his light blue kimono as he considered the boy again. ̈Does this mean that your gift is not to be trusted? Because Doumeki-san, he is the one who told me of your... expertise, advised me that you would be the best person to help me in my... need. ̈ Again the boy shook his head. ̈No, I can be trusted to do whatever you ask, granted that it really is in my power to do so. Something about you just shook me off... ̈ He gave Kei a contemplative stare. ̈Not anymore though. ̈ Kei looked at the coffee table between the two sofas. ̈I see... ̈ ̈May I ask when you were born? ̈ Kei aimed his light coloured eyes sharply to the mismatched ones of the boy. It was surprisingly hard to keep them locked. ̈Why do you ask? ̈ The boy tilted his head in thought. He shrugged. ̈Guess, I just want to know. You look like a girl. But you are not. So I thought it would be nice to know if I am speaking with someone my age or someone younger. ̈ He blinked and smiled at Kei. ̈Or older than me, for that matter. ̈ Kei leant backwards. This one was a lot more easygoing than he had expected. ̈I will be fifteen this year. ̈ He was not stupid enough to tell the boy his date of birth, but... this would suffice. The boy grinned. ̈Sixteen for me. ̈ Kei was surprised again. He really does look older than he is! And he"s very handsome too... Frowning at the stray thought, he stood up, the boy following his lead. ̈I think... I think I will accept your help. ̈ He held out his hand. The boy took it and grinned from ear to ear. ̈Fine by me! I"m Konoshima! ̈ Kei raised an eyebrow in inquire. ̈Just Konoshima? ̈ At the boys nod, he smiled a little. ̈A pleasure, Konoshima-san. I"m Kudou Keitetsu. ̈ 32.11.1987 Konoshima was lounging on the bed. ̈So, now that we have established that your errant brother will not be found this way... I guess we need to do it the oldfashioned way... Hmm... Where should we start? ̈ Kei sat on the chair, the book he had been reading before Konoshima had rudely infiltrated his room on his lap. He shook his head desolately. ̈I don"t know, Konoshima. ̈ The boy turned his head to watch him. ̈Don"t make that face, Kudou. Nobody that pretty should make a face like that. ̈ It wasn"t unusual for Konoshima to make retorts like that, in view of their first meeting. At first they had made him extremely angry. Now... Kei gave the boy on the bed a look, his lips twisting in a smile at the attempt to cheer him up. In the time that he had known Konoshima, his humour had stuck to him, until he had become a little more easygoing than before. ̈Don"t joke around ̈, he gently admonished the other. The boy sat up, his face serious. ̈I"m not. ̈ But before Kei could say anything about the unusual behaviour, the solemnity had been replaced by another of his grins. ̈Back to topic, Kudou. Your brother. ̈ Kei shook his head again. ̈I told you, Konoshima. I don"t know! ̈ He scowled in irritation that he could not tell the boy anything. ̈Relax! You don"t need to know. ̈ Konoshima laid down on the bed again. ̈Think, Kudou. What"s your brother like? If he needed to go somewhere, what would be the foremost thoughts on his mind? What would he know he needed? ̈ Kei opened his mouth and then closed it, blinking in thought. ̈Well... Father always said... ̈ ̈What? ̈ Kei ignored Konoshima. He bit his lip. It couldn"t be that simple...? Like with his sickness, it just could not be that simple. ̈Kudou, damn it! If you think it matters even a little bit then tell me! ̈ The older boy had propped himself on his elbow, looking fiercely at Kei. Sometimes it scared him a little, how impressive Konoshima could look when annoyed, his purple eye flashing dangerously and his grey eye giving the impression of being able to smother a person to death. Kei waved his hand calmly. ̈Sorry. But I never really took notice of anything of the sort. It just didn"t always seem... logical. Not to me, at least. ̈ He sighed. ̈It would figure that Kazahaya would think it logical... ̈ Konoshima practically growled, ̈What? ̈ Kei gave the boy a little smile. He was surprised that he would react this way. It was nice, to know that he could cause this in Konoshima. He knew that to find Kazahaya he needed to tell the older boy immediately what he had figured, but the thought of making him even more disconcerted was quite sweet. He widened his smile teasingly. ̈Oh, it was just something father would say... How you always needed something to live. ̈ ̈Like what? ̈ The steely look in Konoshimas eyes told Kei that if he did not speak now, there would be consequences. Kei sighed again and put the book on the desk next to him. ̈Money. He was always saying that money was important. ̈ Konoshima frowned. ̈But money is important. ̈ He flopped back onto his back, covering his mismatched eyes with the back of his hand. The younger boy nodded. ̈Of course, but he was saying that money was the most important thing. That people should know how to support themselves. And you obviously cannot do that without money. ̈ Kei"s voice became sarcastic and derisive as he spoke. Konoshima sighed. ̈Soo... ̈ ̈What? ̈ Kei recieved no answer. He listened intently as Konoshima started to mutter to himself, obviously thinking furiously. Soon, he snapped his fingers, getting up in a flash. He grinned at the seated boy. ̈I know! ̈ Kei felt hope flare up inside him. It had already been almost a year since Kazahaya left and all of their previous attempts at locating the boy had brought up nothing. He stood up as well, taking Konoshimas hand to stop him from leaving immediately. ̈What? Konoshima, tell me! ̈ ̈What would you do if you needed money? ̈ When Kei looked confused, Konoshima burst into laughter. ̈You get a job, silly! And what better place to get a job that Tokyo? ̈ He gently tugged his hand from Keis grip and left. Kei watched in shock the now empty room. Tokyo? His eyes widened in understanding. ̈Wait! ̈ He ran out and yelled after the retreating back of the other boy. ̈Konoshima! I"m coming with you! ̈ 15/08/1991 Kei opened his eyes. The ceiling above him was highlighted with little splotches of light, entering from the half covered window. He turned his head to the side. Konoshima was lying next to him on the bed, the older man"s arms wrapped securely around him. Two eyes found his and filled with mirth and happiness. ̈Morning, Kei. ̈ The man grinned slowly. Kei smiled gently back at his lover. ̈Morning... ̈ He sighed and nuzzled himself closer to Konoshima. Warm... A hand started to move up and down his side. Kei grinned and moved himself, straddling Konoshimas waist. The hand kept its caressing, now on his hips. ̈Tut tut. Not so fast. ̈ He laughed. ̈Why not? ̈ Came the amused question. Gods, he looks hot like this... Kei leant forward and kissed Konoshima on the corner of his mouth. He sighed again. ̈There are thing I need to do today. ̈ He would prefer to stay here, in bed, but these things were important. They needed to be done, for Kazahaya... And the two of them. Konoshima frowned. ̈What things? You said yesterday that you had no plans for today. ̈ Kei shrugged. ̈I was wrong. ̈ He looked at the wall in thought as his own hand and fingers traced light patterns on the chest of the man beneath him. ̈You? Wrong? ̈ Konoshima laughed at the absurdity of the thought. ̈Again. What things? ̈ The younger man smiled teasingly. ̈To do those things, I need to borrow your clothes first. ̈ He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, before standing up. He stretched his body, having grown tall and finally looking like a male rather than having the almost small look of a female. The older man blinked in surprise. ̈Why? ̈ The tone was curious. Kei started to rummage around in the closet. ̈I need a haircut. ̈ He gathered his heavy fall of light coloured hair into his left hand and showed it to Konoshima. ̈And some new clothes. I don"t want to look like a girl anymore. ̈ ̈Why not? You"ve been wearing a fucking kimono for the last... ten years! ̈ Kei took out a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt that was undoubtedly too small for his lover now. ̈Eleven years ̈, he said absentmindedly as he threw the jeans on the bed and put on the shirt. ̈Kei! ̈ Konoshima took hold of his wrist and pulled him toward the older man. ̈Why would you need to do that? ̈ Kei wrapped his arms around Konoshima"s shoulders and smiled. ̈What? Don"t you want me as myself? Or do you prefer me in women"s clothing? ̈ That was a low blow, but just the thought of it being true hurt Kei more than he wanted to admit. Konoshima scowled at his lover. ̈No! I love you, no matter what you wear! I just want to know the reason you suddenly want to change after being like this for so long. ̈ He smiled gently and cupped Konoshima"s cheek. ̈I"ll tell the reason later, love. ̈ ̈All right ̈, the older man sighed back. ̈But do you really have to cut the hair? I like it the way it"s now... ̈ He took a few strands into his fingers and played with them. Kei laughed and sat on Konoshima"s lap, wrapping his legs around him. ̈Fine, your choice. Hair or neck? ̈ At the raised eyebrow, he turned his head to the side slightly in offering. Konoshima moved his hand from playing with the strands to hold the back of Kei"s head. He buried his face in the hair of his younger lover. After a while he pulled back and, using both hands, he gathered the long hair to Kei"s other shoulder, baring the thin neck to his lips. ̈Neck. ̈ Kei laughed again as Konoshima grinned crookedly at him. ̈Told you! Now... I think I"m going to have to borrow a belt too. I"m thinner than you. ̈ 15/08/1991 Kei placed two blank papers on the table in front of Konoshima. He sat next to his lover. ̈What"s this? ̈ Konoshima asked, looking at the papers. Kei put his elbows on the table and leant his chin on the back of his intertwined fingers. ̈Papers. What"d you think they are? ̈ He watched as Konoshima stared at the papers and then turned his stare at him. ̈What am I supposed to do with them? ̈ Kei took out to pens and placed one on top of the paper closer to the older man. ̈You know how we both told each other our real names when we met? ̈ He was more nervous than he really needed to be. It wasn"t like he was murdering anyone! ̈Well, we can"t be doing that anymore, so I thought that we might... ̈ He shrugged, looking into Konoshima"s mismatched eyes and smiling. ̈Change them. ̈ Konoshima frowned down at the papers. ̈Take aliases? ̈ He raised an eyebrow. ̈Why now and not before? ̈ Kei shrugged again. ̈It"s part of those reasons I mentioned earlier. ̈ Konoshima rolled his eyes. ̈Oh, really. Well, aren"t you full of surprises today. ̈ He drew the paper and pen closer to himself. ̈So... A name? ̈ Kei smiled a little. ̈Yes. A name. ̈ He looked down at his paper. He wasn"t sure what he wanted to call himself, what would sound right. But it had to be done. For Kazahaya. That airhead no doubt would make a scene when he found out... But also for the two lovers. Kei did not want his uncle finding them, and the last four years of hiding from him had been hard enough already. So unfair... Kei felt angry again, angry at their uncle for having made that decision when their father died. It had not really been his right to do that. Kazahaya was father"s heir, not him! And Kei was right after Kazahaya in heirship. He glanced at Konoshima. The man was staring at the paper intently, a few squiggles already written on them. He bent down and wrote a character clearly in the middle of the paper, circling it even. ̈What are you doing? ̈ Konoshima grinned at Kei. ̈I want my new alias to have a connection to my real name. So I"m thinking of different ways to read and say my current name that might help me. ̈ He turned back to the paper. Kei nodded in understanding. ̈That sounds like a good plan. I think I"ll do the same. ̈ Except... Kei and Kazahaya both never went to middle school. It might be a bit hard for him to know how to read or write something in a certain way. But if he went methodically about it, then maybe he would get somewhere. He wrote "Keitetsu" on the paper. Clear... No, that doesn"t sound right... Kei stared down at the character of his name for a few minutes. ̈That can be read as "Kei", you know ̈, a low voice next to his ear whispered. He shot a look at Konoshima, who had, apparently, already decided on his new name. ̈Nobody asked you... ̈ Konoshima laughed and leant back in his chair. He grinned at his lover. ̈Tell me if you need any more help. I"d be more than happy to do so. ̈ Kei wasn"t surprised to see the grin change almost infinitesimally into a leer. That happened quite often. ̈In any way you"d like. ̈ Kei answered his leer with a sweet smile of his own. ̈Maybe later, love. In a couple of weeks, for instance. ̈ That earned another laugh from Konoshima. ̈You really have become cruel, Kei... ̈ Kei ignored the man and stared at the character again. So, it can be read as "Kei"... Are there any other ways to write "Kei"? He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Sometimes it amazed him how easily he could take a breath, especially when he thought about that night when they went to see...

"Nothing." "Are you being sarcastic?" Adam smiled. "Yep." Sharon looked at her watch. "I really have to go, I"m meeting my therapist." She stood up. "I could cancel...if you need someone to talk to...or you just don"t want to be alone?" "No, go ahead. I"m not good company right now." "Ok...well...I hope everything works out for you." "My name is Adam Newman, nothing ever works out for me." She was just about to leave, when she stopped and turned. "Adam, you love Chelsea. Are you sure you"re making the right decision?" Adam smiled. "Don"t you have somewhere you have to be?" She threw her hand up. "Ok, it is none of my business. Goodbye Adam, and put some ice on your eye, it will help with the swelling." She left and Adam looked down at the ring on his left hand. He pulled on it, until it was halfway off. He stopped just short of fully removing it. Was this really it? Was he really done? Was he really going to let the best thing that ever happened to him, just walk out of his life? Was a kiss more powerful than his love for her? He paused, then pushed it back on... The next day, turned out to be an extremely busy one for Chelsea. She met her new doctor, went to the market, had tea with one of her neighbors, and completed several new sketches. It"s around six and she is wrapping up her daily meeting with Chloe. Chloe closed her leather binder. "I have fulfilled all the orders, and sales are still very good." "I know, when I saw the figures I was extremely happy." "I keep telling you, we are in the money!" "I hear ya. Chloe, I have to ask you something." "Ask away." "I was thinking about, asking Anita to come to London. I"m pregnant, and I"m going to need some help." "I think that"s a good idea." "Do you?" "Yes. Anita is a bit much, but I believe she"ll do whatever she has to, for her grandchild." Chelsea smiled. "Yeah, because that grandchild"s father is filthy rich." Chloe laughed. "Yeah, that too." "Well, it"s settled. I"ll call and ask her tomorrow." "Good." Chloe and Chelsea chatted a few more minutes, before saying their goodbyes... Chelsea ended up having dinner with a couple of her neighbors. It was late when she returned home. She showered, slipped on her nightgown, and got into bed. Bedtime was the time of day she missed Adam the most, because it was the only time of the day, she had no choice but to think, and she always thought of him. It was also the time of day, when she wrestled with the decisions she"d made. Maybe she made a mistake in coming to London? Maybe she should have stayed in Genoa City and fought harder to save her marriage? Maybe it was truly over? Maybe he just didn"t love her anymore? Chelsea was knee deep in maybes, when her cell phone rung. She reached over and grabbed it. She looked down at it. It was Adam. She answered. "Adam?" "Chelsea, I think we should talk." "I agree." *doorbell* Someone was at Chelsea"s door. "Um...Someone is at the door." She looked at the time. "I have no idea, who that could be. I"ll get rid of them." She got out of bed and headed downstairs. As she got closer to the bottom of the stairs, her heart dropped. She stopped and her eyes widen. Adam placed his hand on the glass of the front door. "Hi." The phone slipped out of her hand, and she hurried down the stairs, quickly unlocking the door. She opened the door. "Hi." He smiled. "Hi." She jumped into his arms, and planted kisses all over his face. "I am so sorry. Please tell me you forgive me? Because if you came here to ask for a divorce, I"m going to kill you." Adam laughed. "I forgive you." He placed her on her feet. She reached up and touched his eye. "What happened to your eye?" "Just a little fight, and in case you"re wondering..." He winked. "I won." "I"m just so happy to see you, black eye and all." Adam turned. He almost forgot, he had a car full of things to bring in. "Go upstairs, I want to bring my things in. The driver is going to help me, and I don"t want him sneaking a peek." Chelsea looked down. Her nightgown was see through. "Ok..." After bringing in all of his things, Adam headed upstairs. Chelsea was sitting in the middle of the bed, when he walked in. "How do you like the house?" He shrugged. "It"s a house, it has nice furniture, I just love that you"re in it." She smiled and he sat down on the bed. He reached over and placed his hand on her stomach. "How is Baby Love?" "She"s fine." Adam"s eyes widen. "She?" "We"re having a girl. I went to the doctor, and decided I could use some good news. You"re the only person I"ve told." "A daughter?" She nodded. "A daughter." Adam ran his fingers through his hair. "I"m going to have to buy a shotgun." "Do you even know how to shoot one?" "Yes, a close friend of my mother"s, taught me the fine art of shooting a shotgun." *silence* "Chelsea, when I sent you that text, I was angry. I"m sorry, I shouldn"t have done that." "I"m sorry that you saw me kissing Nick. It never should have happened." "I will agree with that." She reached over and caressed his cheek. "I still can"t believe you are here." "It"s where I"m supposed to be. I still love you, Chels." Tears trickled down her cheeks. "Like you did before?" "Maybe even more." She looked down. "How is that possible?" "Oh, it"s possible. My life sucks when you"re not in it." She looked up and into his eyes. "I feel the exact same way, when you"re not in mine." "I guess, we have to stop doing things, that will lead to our lives sucking." She grinned. "I agree." "Do you love me, Chelsea Newman?" "Does the board love waives?" "I don"t know, does it?" She grinned. "Of course, I love you." "And I love you." He leaned down and kissed her stomach. "And you too." She reached over and ran her fingers through his hair. "She has missed your kisses...and so have I." He leaned over and kissed her... It"s later, and Chelsea is lying in Adam"s arms. She turned to face him. "Who did you fight?" "Who do you think?" She nodded. "Nick. It"s all my fault. I"m sorry." "No, it"s not your fault. We"ve been hating each other for a long time now, and long before you ever came into the picture." "Adam, it is my fault." He smiled. "Ok, partially." "I only love you. I hope you know that." "I know." She kissed him. "What changed your mind?" "I"ve done a lot of...not so great things in my life. All of them was far worse than you kissing Nick. If you can look past all of the things I"ve done, and love me anyway, I can forgive a kiss. And you are simply the best thing that has ever happened to me. There was life before you, there was life after you, and there is life with you. I will take door number three." She caressed his cheek. "I am so glad you chose door number three." "I was really angry at first, but then it turned to hurt. After that I started missing you, and that"s when I knew I couldn"t live without you. There was really no other option." She leaned over and kissed him. She looked over his shoulder. The closet door was open. She got out of bed. Adam"s eyes followed her. "Where are you going?" She picked up his discarded shirt. "I"m going to hang up your shirt." He laughed. "Now?" "Yes, now." She went into the closet, grabbed a hanger, and hung it up. She walked out of the closet and back into the bedroom. She sat down on the bed and looked over into the closet. "Perfect." He sat up. "Chelsea, am I missing something?" She turned to him. "I"ve had to look at the empty side of that closet for almost a week now. It was a constant reminder, of what was missing. Better yet, what I didn"t have. But now you"re here, and I don"t have to look at the empty side of that closet, or feel that constant pain in my heart. I love you so much, Baby. There was no love in this heart before you. When I think of love, I think of you. I will never do anything to jeopardize us again." "I"m here, you"re here...the past is the past. Let"s focus on the future. You know what I see in our immediate future?" "What?" "Afterglow." She smiled. "Come here." He moved closer. "That"s my line." And he joined his lips with hers... It"s the next day and Chelsea has just started her daily meeting with Chloe. Chloe yelled. "Good afternoon!" Chelsea waved. "Good morning!" They laughed. They often made jokes about the time difference. Chloe noticed a difference in Chelsea. "Chelsea, you are positively glowing." "Am I?" Chloe leaned forward on her desk. "Yes, you are. Have you met someone? Come on, you can tell me." Chelsea smiled and looked to her right. Chloe"s eyes widen. "You pregnant sl*t! You have?! He"s there isn"t he? I want to meet him! What does he look like? Is he tall dark and handsome? No, I bet he"s a blonde blue eyed god, with a hot accent!" Adam stood up and walked over to where Chelsea was sitting. He kissed her, then waved at Chloe, and smiled. "According to you he looks like sh*t!" Chloe rolled her eyes. "Oh my God! Chelsea, Nooooo! No! No! No!" Adam smiled and whispered in Chelsea"s ear. "You think she"s happy?" Chelsea laughed. "I don"t know. I can"t tell." Chloe stood up. "Is he blackmailing you? Of course, he"s blackmailing you! That pig! Should I come to London?! Of course, I should come to London! I"ll bring Kevin, he will help us hide the body! I told you that once before, and I meant it! He will do it! Kevin will do anything for me..." Adam and Chelsea laughed. Chloe and Kevin actually ended up going to London. Not to end a life, but to celebrate the beginning of a new one. Chloe"s God daughter: Anna Hope Newman The End Chelsea part 2 Chelsea opened the car door, and was just about to get in, when she felt someone grab her arm. "Let go Adam." "Chelsea, you"ve made your point. Now come back in the house." She turned. "I"m not going back in there." "Where are you going?" She looked away. "I have an apt." "Here in Genoa City?" She replied. "Yes." "When did you do all of this?" She looked up at him. "While you were out taking care of Sharon." "Chelsea, I don"t want you to leave." "I didn"t want to leave, but you left me no choice." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I didn"t do any of this, to intentionally hurt you." "Adam, I got the impression you didn"t care how I felt." "I did care. I still care." She stared into his eyes, shook her head, and preceded to get in the car. Adam grabbed a hold of the door, preventing her from closing it. "You"re just throwing in towel, just like that?" She threw her hands up. "Yep, I give up. I refuse to fight for my husband"s affections. When I shouldn"t have to." "We made vows, Chelsea." "Yes, we did Adam, and it"s too bad you forgot them. Now move please." "Do you need money?" "I don"t want your money. In fact all of the credit cards you gave me, are upstairs on the counter in the bathroom." "What will you do for money?" She stared straight ahead. "I"ll get a job, like everybody else." "Are you going to tell me, where you"ll be living?" "I don"t see the point. If you didn"t have time for me, while we were living together, what would make me think, you"d have time for me now?" Little drops of rain started hitting her car, and his face. Adam looked up, then back down at her. "Please, I"m begging you...stay." "I can"t, my pride won"t let me. And that"s all I have left. I would never put anything, or anyone before the person I loved. But you did. Move." "Chelsea-" "Adam, Move!" He stepped back and she closed the door. Seconds later she was pulling off. He watched until she was out of sight... "Thanks for helping me, I really appreciate it." Chloe smiled. "No problem. And don"t worry I won"t say anything." Chelsea laughed. "Yeah, right." Chloe held up a couple fingers. "Scouts honor." Chelsea questioned her. "Were you in the girl scouts?" "No, why did I do it wrong?" Chelsea shrugged. "I don"t know, I didn"t have time for cookies and campfires. My mom was too busy, teaching me other things. Like the art of stealing." Chloe laughed. *silence* "Chelsea, are you ok?" "No." She started fumbling with the rings on her left hand." Do you think I made the right decision?" "It doesn"t matter what I think. It"s how you feel." She sighed. "I made the right choice." She laughed. "You know, he actually told me, he couldn"t have lunch with me, HIS wife, because he made plans with his ex." Chloe laughed and nodded. "Oh yeah, you made the right choice. He"s lucky you didn"t cut off his balls." Chelsea grinned. "Maybe I should have. And now I have to tell my mom and Jeffery. I didn"t want to tell them before, because they might try and talk me out of it. They live for the almighty dollar." "When are you going to tell them?" She shrugged. "I don"t know." Chloe looked around. "Do you need anything?" "A job." "You have a job. I want you to sketch, and don"t stop. I"m going to find us an investor." "But I need money now." Chloe grabbed her purse. "I"ll help you until then." "Thanks but no thanks. You"ve helped enough. I"m going to get a job, and sketch in my free time. I can do it." "Well, hopefully you won"t have to do it for long." Chloe sighed. "Well, I have to get going, I have to pick up Delia from Katherine"s." "Thanks for everything." "You"re welcome. And you"ll be fine." They embrace, then Chelsea walked her to the door. As soon as the door closed. She buried her face into her hands, and sobbed... Adam was in shock. He couldn"t believe Chelsea had walked out on him. He sat motionless on the couch, in disbelief, not sure of what to do. A couple of months ago, he married the woman of his dreams, and now she was gone. *doorbell* He jumped up and rushed over to answer it. (Maybe she came back?) He opened it and his eyes went cold. "What?" Anita and Jeffrey smiled. Anita looked over his shoulder. "Aren"t you going to invite us in?" "No. What do you want?" Jeffrey looked at Anita, then Adam. "We came to see Chelsea." "She"s not here." Anita didn"t believe him, so she tried to look inside. "Where...is she?" "I don"t know." Jeffrey"s eyes widen. "What do you mean you don"t know?" "She left." Something in his tone, told Anita that something was seriously wrong?" "Like in...left, you?" Adam rolled his eyes. "This house and everything that goes along with it...and yes, that includes me." Jeffrey was stunned. "Why would she leave all of this?" Anita interrupted. "What did you do to my Chelsea?" "What did you do to your Chelsea? Teach her how to steal?" Anita frowned, "If you hurt her-" "If I wrote you a check, I doubt you"d care. Now, if that is all, I have something I need to get back to." Jeffery couldn"t believe how Adam was acting. "Your wife has apparently left you, and you"re acting like everything in the world is fine! I"m appalled!" "You"ll be even more appalled after this." He slammed the door in their faces. Anita and Jeffery just stood there shocked... Chelsea showered and curled up on the sofa. Chloe had some furniture in storage, and she was kind enough to let her have it. She had really turned out to be a great friend. *cell phone rings* She looked down at it. It was Anita...again. Her mother and father had called several times. She didn"t feel like talking to them. She"d call them tomorrow. She pressed ignore. Chelsea reached over and grabbed the pill bottle, and took two aspirin. She had the worst headache, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She never thought things, would turn out like this. Her prince charming had turned into a frog. *cell phone rings* She decided to just answer it, because it didn"t look like they were going to stop calling. "What?" "Chelsea?" It was Adam. "What do you want Adam?" "Are you ok?" "I guess, I mean for a person, who just left their husband." He ignored her attempt at sarcasm. "Do you need anything?" "I"m fine, Adam." "Are you in a safe place?" "Yes." "Where are you? I promise I won"t bother you, I just want to know." "I...have an apt near the athletic club." Adam was relieved, he knew that was a nice area. "That"s all you"re going to tell me?" "For now. Look, I just need some time by myself. To think." "So, you plan on coming back?" "I don"t know Adam. I really don"t know." "Chelsea, I love you and only you. I just want you to know that." She rolled her eyes. "Bye, Adam." "I"m going to call you tomorrow. And everyday after that." She disconnected the call, and turned off her phone... Adam leaned back on the sofa. He had never seen Chelsea so angry. He would give her time to cool off, but their marriage was definitely not over. There was no way, he was letting her go, not that easily. His cell phone rung. He looked down at it. It was Sharon. He sighed and answered. "What"s wrong, Sharon?" "They are after me, I know it." Adam knew more than likely, no one was after her. He decided to ask anyway. "Who?" "The police." "Have they been there?" "No, but I heard sirens." "Sharon, it"s probably just an emergency somewhere." "Adam! No, they are coming to get me." "Where are you?" She whispered. "In the closet." "At your house?" "Yes." He sighed. "I"ll be there in a minute." She sounded desperate. "Hurry." "Ok." He hung up. He was not in love with Sharon. She just wasn"t capable of taking care of herself. But today was the first time, he felt like ignoring her. He felt a little resentful, because taken care of her, had caused him his wife. He sighed and stood up. He had to go. Sharon had a mental illness, and it wasn"t her fault. He had to help her. He owed it to her children, especially after all he had done. He grabbed his keys and left... Chelsea...part 3 Chelsea heard fumbling, and then the door opened. She ran her fingers through her hair, and crossed her bare legs. Adam smiled, walked in, and closed the door. There were candles positioned throughout the room, which was the room"s only source of light. He looked around. "Are we having a séance?" She shook her head. "No, a business meeting." He sat his bag down on the table, and made his way over to where she was sitting. He plopped down next to her, and looked her over. She was wearing a black lace nightie. He reached over, and ran a finger down her neck, to the hollow part of her chest. "A meeting about what?" She straddled him and started removing his tie. "Acquisitions and Mergers." He smirked. "I can already tell, I"m going to love this meeting. What"s first on the agenda?" She leaned over and ran her tongue across his lips. "Getting you naked." "Oh, I can help you with that." He kissed her hard, and they quickly undressed him. After undressing, he stood up with her wrapped around his waist. "Mrs. Newman, are you ready for that merger?" "I don"t know, am I?" He reached around, and touched her...there. She closed her eyes and moaned. He grinned. "Yeah, you"re ready. There shouldn"t be a problem, completing this merger." "And what if I wasn"t ready?" He chuckled. "I"d have to get you ready." She laughed. He started kissing her neck, and moved up to her lips, kissing her hungrily. Their tongues fight for dominance, as her fingers run through his already wild hair. Adam was a very aggressive lover, which was odd, because he was generally laid back. It was obvious they were not going to make it upstairs. He walked over and placed her on the dining room table, and ripped her nightie in two, knocking over a vase in the process. Chelsea jumped and sat up. She looked around the still unfamiliar room. It all came rushing back. She was not at home with Adam. They were not about to make love. Her fairytale was over, because she had left. It was just a dream. She sighed and then a tear trickled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. (He doesn"t deserve your tears. He was out taking care of Sharon, while you were at home...alone...grieving for your child...HIS child) "I should have left then." She picked up her phone, and turned it on. She checked the time, it was a little after five. The sun would be coming up soon. Her message alert signal, started going off. She didn"t even bother checking them. It was probably Anita, Jeffrey, or Adam. And she didn"t want to talk to any of them. She"d eventually call her mother, just not today. She sighed. She had to find job, and she had no idea where to start. Maybe she"d check the bars? But they didn"t open till noon. Since, there was no way she was going back to sleep, she got out of bed, and decided to finish unpacking... Adam hardly slept at all last night. He spent a couple of hours at Sharon"s, before going back home. Well, it didn"t feel like a home anymore. It was just a house. Her side of the bed, unoccupied. Her side of the closet, empty. He felt strange and alone. Adam couldn"t deny the impact, she had on his life. Her love had changed him. But now it was gone. She was gone. The light went off, and he exited the elevator. He nodded at a few people as he walked through Newman Enterprises. Eventually he made it to his office...well Jack"s office. He sat down at the desk, and flipped open his laptop. There was a knock and then the door opened. He looked up and saw Phyllis. He leaned back and sighed. "What?" She looked him over. "You look like hell." "You"ll be glad to know, I feel like it too. Now, what do you want?" She handed him a folder. "Here is the marketing research, on that new product." "Thanks." He looked down, then back up. She was still standing there. "You can leave now." She crossed her arms. "This is Jack"s office, I"ll leave when I get ready." "Suit yourself." He preceded to look through the papers.

"Let"s see.....I drink." "Be careful you don"t want to turn into an alcoholic." "Thanks for the advice." Brenda stood up. "I guess it"s time to take my picnic basket, and head up to my room. Until next time." "So, there will be a next time? Goody." She shook her head, laughed, and walked away....... Are You Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Part 2 Brenda had been working very closely with Nick. So close, that every time his red headed girlfriend saw her, she stared her down. Brenda tried her best to ignore her. She was really trying to be on her best behavior, but she was getting tired of her nasty looks. Brenda learned through the office gossip, that Nick and his brother was once married to the same woman, Sharon. She met her a couple of times. She didn"t understand the appeal, she seemed kind of flaky to her, but some men liked that type. Brenda and Nick are having lunch at the athletic club, when Adam walked in. Brenda and Adam, had often spent evenings talking at the bar. They had developed a weird friendship. Nick"s back was facing him. Adam looked over at her and nodded. She smiled and nodded back. Nick turned and looked over at him. "Brenda, I"m not in the business of telling people what to do, but you should stay clear of him. He is nothing but trouble." "Thanks for the advice, I"ll definitely keep that in mind." "I"m serious Brenda, he is a user." "Nick, thanks for the warning. I hardly know him. When he sees me, he says hello, no harm in that right?" "You shouldn"t even speak to him." Brenda laughed. "Wow, that"s cold. There is no harm in saying hello, to anyone." "Not that creep. If you ever wanted to know what the devil looks like, he is sitting at that bar." "I doubt he"s the devil." "Maybe not, but he"s as close as you can get." Brenda shook her head. "Does this have something to do, with the fact that you two, were involved with the same woman?" "No, it has more to do with him, taking my child, and passing it off as somebody else"s." "What?" "Yes, that"s why I hate him." Brenda looked over at Adam, then back at Nick. "I guess you would.....have every right to hate him." "Yeah, I wish he"d leave town, but he"d never give any of us the satisfaction." "Where is your child now?" Nick went on to tell her all about Faith, and her mother Sharon. "So she forgave him?" "I guess." "She had to, especially if she married him." "She was out of her mind for awhile, but I think she has finally wised up." Brenda and Nick finished eating. Brenda looked up and saw Phyllis walking in. "There is your other half, I think I"ll say my goodbyes, before she comes over and pees on you. You know to mark her territory." Nick laughed, and Brenda got up, heading to the bar. She passed Phyllis on the way. "Brenda." "Phyllis." Brenda continued onto the bar. She placed her drink down on the bar, and took a seat. She looked over at Adam. Adam picked up his glass. "Club soda." "Good, I was beginning to think, I needed to call AA. I was a little worried about you." "The devil can take care of himself. And you shouldn"t worry, it causes wrinkles." Phyllis threw a piece of bread at Nick, who was looking at Brenda and Adam. "I"m sorry, She shouldn"t be talking to him." "She is a grown woman Nick, and why do you care?" "Because she doesn"t know what he"s capable of. I tried telling her." "Are you attracted to her?" Nick looked over at Phyllis. "Of course not. I"m attracted to you." She glared at him. "Good..." "So what did my dear old brother have to say about me?" "A lot, and some of the things are quite disturbing, but I wanted to give you an opportunity to tell your side." "Tell my side?" Adam pulled the glass to his lips, and drunk some. "Whatever he said, it"s the truth. And I"m a liar too, this is vodka." He drunk the rest, and stood up. "I"ll leave you to your drink, this is normally the time when people get disgusted." He leaves. Her eyes followed him. She should have been scared out of her mind, but for some reason she wasn"t. She felt sorry for him. Maybe there was a time when he really was bad, but she didn"t see any evidence of it now. Unless he was hiding it well. She got up and headed upstairs. Adam was in his room, when he heard a knock at the door. He opened the door. "May I come in?" "You sure you want to? You do know I"m crazy right?" "I don"t think you"re crazy. But then again I hardly know you. All I know, is you"re my little drunk friend who sits at the bar, and spits out the funniest one liners, I"ve ever heard." "After that compliment, of course you can come in." Adam moved to the side, and allowed her entrance. Brenda walked in and looked around. "Not as junky as I expected." Adam closed the door. "I don"t know if you know this, but we have maids." She laughed. "I prefer to clean up after myself, I don"t like strangers rambling, through my things." Adam walked over to the sofa and sat down, putting his feet on top of the coffee table. "My life is an open book, ramble away." Brenda looked down at him, and grinned. The smiled left her face. "I have to ask, how could you do something like that?" "Like what?" "Like everything?" "I was in a bad place. I hated everything and everybody." "Are you still in that bad place?" Adam smiled. "Depends on the day." "I don"t believe that." "You don"t even know me, or are you psychic?" "No, just a hunch. Look, I"m not going to pretend like what you did, was ok, because it wasn"t. But I"ve done some crazy things too. Everybody deserves a second chance." "Where did you learn that, Oprah?" Brenda laughed. "Are you ever serious?" Adam smiled. "Sometimes." "Mr. Adam Newman, I have never met anyone like you." "And you never will." "I"m positive I won"t." They look at each other for moment. "Well, I won"t keep you, I"ll get out of your way." "Why are you leaving? Stay, I"ll order something to eat and drink." "I just ate." "You can eat again." Brenda dropped her purse on the coffee table, and sat down in one of the chairs. "I"ll just watch you eat." Adam grinned. "I have been told, I am sexy when I eat." Adam picked up the phone, and ordered some food. They make small talk, and of course wise cracks until the food arrives. The food has arrived, and Brenda still refuses to eat. Adam is eating, and he looked up at her. She is drinking a bottled water. "You"re doing nothing to dispel the rumor, that models don"t eat." "I just ate! I"m not going to eat again." "Suit yourself." He spooned some food into his mouth, then looked over at her. "Aren"t you too short to be a model?" "I don"t do runway, only beauty shots." "What"s a beauty shot?" "They concentrate on the face." "Oh, well you do have a lovely one of those." "Oooh a compliment, wow." "You should be grateful, I rarely give out those." Brenda chuckled. "I"m honored." *knock at the door* Adam stood up, and walk over and answered it. "Sharon?" "Hello Adam. May I come in?" Adam turned and looked at Brenda, then back at Sharon. "The more the merrier." Sharon walked in, and was shocked to see Brenda sitting in the chair. "Hi." Brenda smiled. "Hello." Brenda stood up, and grabbed her purse. "I was just leaving." "You don"t have to leave." "No, I"m tired." She walked passed Adam. "Thanks for the talk." "Likewise." She leaves. Sharon waited till the door closed. "A new friend?" Adam ignored her. "What are you doing here?" "I just came by, to see how you were doing." "I"ve seen you a couple of times this week, and you ignored me." "I"m sorry, I just.....never mind." She started fumbling with her fingers. He moved closer. She backed up a little. "I miss you, Sharon." "I miss you too, but Adam you keep doing all of these crazy things. It"s making things difficult for us." "Sharon, I apologized. But a lot of the things there are coming up, happened in the past." "You sure have done a lot, I never know what"s going to come up next." "You know I did a lot of things, if you are going to be with me, you have to learn how to accept it, and move on. And I told you, those things were from my past, I can"t go back and undue them." "I wish you could." She stared into his eyes. He reached up and caressed her face, then leaned in and kissed her. She pulled away. "I shouldn"t have come here, I have to go." She rushed out of the room, without giving him a chance to say anything. He shook his head and sighed. He loved her, but this whole song and dance, was getting old...... It was Saturday, and Brenda didn"t have anything to do. She was still kind of new in town, and the only person she knew was Adam. Of course she knew Nick and Victoria, and some other people from Newman, but she had the most fun with Adam. She showered and threw on some sweats. She walked down to his room, and knocked on the door. She heard some fumbling, and then the door opened. She looked him over. "You look a mess." She made her way inside, without even waiting on him to ask her in. "Throw on something, let"s go take a walk in the park." Adam pushed the door closed, and made his way back over to the bed. "I don"t take walks in the park, I take walks to the bar." Brenda laughed. She looked around, and saw a bottle of brandy and a glass. "Rough night?" "Not really, I just find great pleasure in drinking alone." "Well, I don"t have to work today, so you are going to keep me company." "I am?" "You are." She walked over, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to his feet. She walked him over to the bathroom, and pushed him in. "Shower, and throw on some sweats." "I don"t own sweats." "You wear suits everyday?" "Pretty much." "Do you even have a job?" "No." "So why do you wear them everyday?" "Nothing like a sharp dressed man." He winked. "The ladies just love it." "I"ve never seen you with anyone." "Thanks for raining on my parade." "Just put on something casual." She closed the door. Adam laughed, and went and turned on the shower.... Brenda decided to drag Adam to the zoo, instead of the park. She was shocked to learn, he grew up on a farm. "I can"t picture you on a farm." He shrugged. "Most people can"t." "Did you like it?" "Yes and no. I loved the times with my mother, but I always knew I was destined for other things. Not the kinds of things, I ended up doing, but....." "I know, you don"t have to talk about it." They walk in silence for awhile, and then Brenda looked over at him. "Adam, just talking to you, I can see how smart you are, why aren"t you doing anything with yourself?" "I told you, I"m like the plague, no one will come near me." "Why not leave?" "Leave?" "Yes, leave this town, and start fresh." They walked over to a bench and sat down. He smiled. "That would make my family so happy, and I can"t have that. But enough about me, where and how did you grow up?" Brenda told him all about how she grew up. How she started out in boarding schools, and how she ended up in Port Charles. Adam looked her over, and smiled. "You are somewhat nice looking, why aren"t you married?" "I"m allergic." He laughed. "I"ve made attempts, it just never ended up, how I wanted to." "What do you mean attempts?" "Let see, I got left at the altar twice. And then there was this time, my fiancée"s dead wife showed up." "Wow. I guess you are allergic." They laugh. "So where do you call home, Brenda?" "The majority of the time, Rome." "Rome?" "Yes. I have a place there. You ever been?" "Nope." "You should visit one day." "Maybe." "I love the animals, but two hours at the zoo, is enough for me. I"m ready to go. Are you ready?" "Yeah, let"s go....." Before heading back to the athletic club, Adam and Brenda stopped by the coffee shop. They were on their way out, when they ran into Nick and Phyllis. Nick looked at Brenda then Adam. "Brenda, you shouldn"t be hanging out with this guy, I told you he"s trouble." Adam rolled his eyes. "Thanks St. Nick, but I think she can make her own decisions." "Shut up punk, I"m not talking to you!" Brenda intervened. "Whoa! Look Nick, I appreciate the concern, I really do. But I"m a big girl. Got my big girl panties on, and I can handle anything that comes my way." Phyllis pulled on Nick"s arm. "Come on." He didn"t want to leave, she pulled harder. "Come on Nick!" He reluctantly leaves. Adam looked over at Brenda. "Big...girl...panties?" She rolled her eyes, and grabbed his hand. "Come on, before one of the buses come through again, you did tell me they come every five minutes." Adam laughed, and they headed out of the door. Sharon was coming in from the opposite direction, and saw them leaving, hand in hand...... Are You Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Part 3 Over the next few weeks, Brenda and Adam had become extremely close. They were often seen around town together. They were not a couple, or anything, they were just close friends. Brenda had just left Nick"s office, when she spotted Victor Newman in the hall. "Hello, Brenda." "Victor." "Do you have a minute? I would like to talk to you." She looked at her watch, she was supposed to meet Adam at the local bar. "Yes, I have a couple of minutes." He lead her to his office. She watched as he walked over to his desk, and sat down. "Have a seat." She sat down in one of the seats, that were located in front of his desk. "Brenda, you are really doing a wonderful job with the campaign. The buzz that is being created, is astounding." "I can"t take all the credit. That should go to the whole team." "Humble as well as beautiful." He leaned back. "I feel like I should warn you about, a certain person you have decided to call friend." "And that certain person, would be your son, right?" "Yes. Adam is a very sick, and troubled young man. I don"t think it is in, your best interest to be hanging around him." "No disrespect Victor, but I had a father already, and he died. I make my own decisions, and form my own judgments about people." Victor nodded. "You have been warned." "Actually more than once." She stood up. "Is that all?" "Yes." "Well, goodbye Victor." "Goodbye..." Adam popped a couple of nuts into his mouth. "So, my dear old dad was singing my praises?" "I guess you can call it that. And why do you insist on eating those nuts? That"s unsanitary." "I"m not dead yet." Adam finished off his beer. "I don"t want you to lose, that campaign because of me." "If I did, it wouldn"t be the end of the world. I am not hard up for work. And no one tells me what to do. And actually, they wanted me, not the other way around." Adam nodded. "Good to know." "Adam, I think we should go out of town for the weekend." "Out of town? Where?" "Let"s go to Atlantic City. It will be fun. And we can get out of this town, for a couple of days. And leave all of these wonderful opinions behind, at least for a little while. It has to weigh on you." The waitress brought Adam another beer, and he drunk some. "Not really. I"m part time snake." He pinched himself. "Thick skin." Brenda laughed. At that moment, Brenda saw Victoria and her husband walk through the door. Victoria immediately spotted them, and headed in their direction. Brenda sighed. "Here comes another bus." Adam turned. "Hello Sis." Victoria looked at him, and rolled her eyes. She looked over at Brenda. "Hey, Brenda, do you have a minute?" Brenda looked at Adam, then up at Victoria. "Yeah." Victoria motioned for her to follow her. She got up and they walk over to the bar. Adam looked over at them. Victoria"s husband, Billy, made his way over to the table. "You have to be blackmailing her?" Adam grinned. "Nope, not at the moment." "Why would she voluntarily hang out with you?" He shrugged. "Maybe she finds me irresistible?" "I doubt that." Adam caught Billy staring at Brenda. He shook his head and laughed. Billy looked down at him. "What are you laughing at?" "Close your mouth you are drooling." "I was looking at my wife." "Yeah, right. You might be married, but frat boy Billy, is still in there somewhere." "Why haven"t you been killed yet?" "Good question." Billy leaves, and Adam laughs. About a couple of minutes later, Brenda returned. "What did my loving sister want?" "It was actually work related, can you believe it? I thought she was about to give me a lecture." "This town is full of them, and normally she is one of the ring leaders, maybe she is taking the night off." "Maybe so. But whatever, we really should go to Atlantic City. What else do you have to do? You don"t have a girlfriend, nor do you have a job." "Just pile it on." Brenda laughed. "But seriously, it would be fun." "Ok, Miss Barrett, let"s go." She grabbed his beer, and drunk some. "Really?" "Yes really, and you do realize, that you have just swapped spit with the devil?" He reached over, and grabbed his beer. "And why Atlantic City?" "It doesn"t have to be Atlantic City. How about Cabo San Lucas?" "As in Mexico?" She smiled. "Yes." "Cool." She reached over and took the beer back. Adam laughed... Adam and Brenda decided to leave on Friday. They were walking down the stairs of the athletic club, when they ran into Sharon and Victor. They instantly noticed, the bags they were carrying. Victor spoke first. "Are you two going on a trip?" Adam looked over at Brenda, then at them. "Something like that." Sharon looked into Adam"s eyes. "Where...are...you going?" Before he could answer, Brenda spoke. "Atlantic City. I love to Gamble." Sharon looked briefly at Brenda, then back at Adam. "Oh." Victor grabbed Sharon"s arm, and looked at Brenda. "I hope you know what you"re doing." She smiled. "I do. Bye!" They leave. Brenda looked up at Adam. "For people who claim to not like you, they sure are overly concerned, about how you spend your time." "Tell me about it. Let"s go." They head out of the door... They are on the plane, riding in first class. Brenda is sipping champagne. "What is up with your ex wife?" "I don"t even know." "Are you two still in love?" Adam looked at Brenda. "How bold of you?" "I"m just wondering. I thought she wasn"t talking to you?" "She wasn"t. I guess she changed her mind. She does that a lot." "Everything on her terms?" Adam leaned back. "Seems that way doesn"t it?" Brenda nudged him, and smiled. "You"re not using me, to make her jealous are you?" Adam chuckled. "That"s not my style. I hang out with you, because you"re fun, smart, and you definitely don"t hurt my eyes." "I was just kidding, I don"t believe that for a minute. But I wouldn"t mind helping you get her back. I"ve been in love before." Adam sat up. "No, thank you." Brenda drunk the rest of her champagne. "Ok." "And who says, I want her back?" "No one. It was just a suggestion." "Sharon, only wants me when she wants me. She didn"t talk to me for months, now all of a sudden she"s interested." "That"s love for you." Adam looked over at her. "Why aren"t you involved with anybody?" "I like being happy." He laughed. "Somebody must have hurt you bad." "The story of my life, but the last few years have been great." "Well, let"s continue that trend." She smiled. "Works for me..." They finally made it to Cabo. And Adam had no idea where they were staying, he left it all up to Brenda. The cab pulled up to the hotel. They exited. He looked it over. "Who knew, the girl with the picnic basket, has really great taste." "I"m sorry, were looking forward to the hookers?" He laughed. "No, I didn"t bring enough money." "You"re in Mexico, you have enough money." He grinned and they entered the hotel... They were escorted to their room. Brenda told the bellhop, to put their bags in the living area. Adam looked confused. "Where is my room?" "Right here." "What?" Adam tipped the bellhop, and then he quickly left, leaving them alone. "Yes, you are going to stay right here. This room is huge. And the bedrooms are located on opposite sides, so you"ll feel safe." Adam smiled. "If you are fine with it, than so am I." "Adam, I"m not apart of the Genoa City faithful. And I don"t think you are evil, nor do I think you"re the devil. If I thought you were the devil, we"d definitely have to get separate rooms." He smiled. "So you"d still come to Mexico with me?" "Of course, the devil might be bad, but he sure is fun." Adam chuckled, and had the sexiest smirk, Brenda had ever seen. Brenda grinned. "Look at you, with the sexy smirk." "I have no idea, what you"re talking about." "Oh come on you now, I"m sure that"s how you get all the ladies." "I don"t get ladies." "You could if you wanted to. But it"s ok, it is really cool to see a guy, who saves himself." Adam laughed. "Saves himself?" "That"s what I said. So, which bedroom do you want?" "I don"t care." "I"ll take the left you take the right." "Works for me." Adam picked up her bags, and took them to her room. Brenda smiled. "Thanks." "I don"t know, if you know this, but I can be a gentleman sometimes." "You"ve always been a gentleman to me. I mean, you did share your beer." "No, you took my beer." They laugh, and head into their rooms... Part 2 After changing, Brenda headed over to Adam"s room, and knocked on the door. "Adam! Come on!" He opened the door. "Brenda I"m not deaf." She looked him over. "Looking good. So you don"t just walk passed the gym, you actually go in." "I"ve been known to do a couple of push ups." She reached over and grabbed his arm. "More than a couple." He smiled. "And I can wash clothes on your stomach." She grinned. "Enough with the compliments, let"s go get white boy wasted." "What?" "Just come on!" She grabbed his hand, and they head down to the pool.

"Are you happy I"m pregnant?" Adam looked over at her. "Where did that come from?" "I just want to know." "Why?" Chelsea threw her hand up. "Never mind, just forget it. I don"t even...know why I asked that question." "I"m ecstatic, Chelsea." "Are you being sarcastic?" "No, I"m really happy." He downed the rest of his drink. "No, you"re not." "I am, Chelsea." "I"m having trouble believing that. I saw shock on your face, but never happiness." "One minute you"re telling me not to touch you, and the next you"re telling me I"m not happy enough." She looked down. "I guess you have a point." *silence* Adam looked out of the window. "I was in disbelief when I first saw you. I knew it was mine...right away, I could feel it. I had to turn away, and get my emotions under control, because I desperately wanted to rush over, scoop you up, and kiss you all over." He looked briefly at her. "I still have that urge." *silence* "Adam, I really wish things were different." "Chelsea, it can be. There is still a lot of love between us." "A lot of hurt too." "Yes, but we can get passed it all." "Adam, you brought a hooker into our home, just to hurt me." "I"m sorry." "No, you"re not. If someone does something you don"t like, you act out. You did it with Sharon, when you sent her to jail, and now you"re doing it with me." Adam sat his glass down on the window seal. "Why are you bringing up my past?" "Because it"s your present. You are still doing the same exact things. I don"t know what you are going to do next." "I would never send you to jail. I can"t stand being apart from you. It was hard enough, when you moved out." "What else have you done, to get back at me? Do I even want to know?" Adam looked briefly at her, then back out the window. His silence told her all she needed to know. "I guess, I don"t want to know. I"m going to bed." She walked around the huge bed, and climbed in. She reached down and rubbed her stomach. Adam turned and his eyes fell on her. "The baby is moving?" She nodded. "But...you wouldn"t be able to feel it, not yet." He nodded. He moved away from the window, and preceded to blow out all the candles. After finishing, he walked to the other side of the bed, and got in. The bed was bigger than a standard king sized bed. So, there was no danger in them touching, unless they absolutely wanted to. "How long do you think we"ll be stuck here?" Adam looked over at her. "I don"t know, another day or two." Chelsea sighed and sat up. "Adam, I want you to take part in this pregnancy with me. I mean...if you would like to?" "Of course I would like to." "And if you would like to touch my stomach...you can. It"s your baby too." "But it"s your stomach." "I realize that, but I don"t want to be selfish. Not like this, and it wouldn"t solve anything. I just don"t want to use our unborn child in that way." Chelsea moved closer. She reached over and grabbed his hand, placing it on her stomach. "It"s ok." His eyes lit up. "It feels...fragile." She smiled. "It kinda is, there is baby in there." He smiled. "I guess you"re right." He sat up, faced her, and placed his other hand on her growing belly. "Wow. Any morning sickness?" "In the beginning." "What is your Doctor"s name?" "I"m using the same Doctor." That surprised him. "Dr. Carlise?" "Yes." "And everything is fine?" She nodded. "So far so good." "I would like to go to your next doctor"s appointment. That"s if...you don"t mind." "Ok." He smiled. "No fighting?" "I don"t want to fight with you, Adam. I really mean that." "And I don"t want to fight with you." She smiled. "Have you had your feel?" "Not exactly." He rubbed her stomach one last time, and held his hands up. "Ok, I"m done." She grinned and made her way back over to her side of the bed. "Goodnight, Adam." "Goodnight..." Part 2 It"s the next morning, and Chelsea is just waking up. She opened her eyes, and found herself, looking right into Adam"s sleeping face. He must have drifted over to her side of the bed, sometime during the night. She knew she should look away, but it had been a long time since she looked at him. Really looked at him. He looked so peaceful, and without thinking, she reached over, and touched his hair. She had not touched him, since the night they made love. Her fingers felt at home, and there was actually a time, when they served as his alarm clock. She pulled away. Times were different now. She got out of bed, walked over to the window, and looked out. She could not believe her eyes. The snow was so high. "Wow." *phone rings* She turned and looked at Adam. He didn"t budge. She walked over and answered it. "Hello." She heard Nick"s voice. "My God, Chelsea, I"ve been trying to reach you!" "I"m sorry...I...left my cell phone downstairs." "I had to get in touch with Chloe, to get this number!" "I"m sorry, I didn"t mean to worry you." "I"m just glad you"re ok." "I am. I"m fine." "Do you have electricity?" "No, it went out last night?" "Chelsea, you"re in that huge house, all alone, with no electricity?!" "No...Adam is here." "Adam?" "Yes, he got in yesterday." Nick sighed. "Well, at least you"re not alone. Is there anything you need?" "What are you going to do? Trek through the snow, and bring it to me?" Nick laughed. "I just might." "That would not be a good idea, and plus you would probably freeze to death." "I doubt it, just thinking about you will keep me warm." She grinned. "Is that right?" "Yes, it is." She looked over her shoulder at Adam. His eyes were still closed. She turned back around. "How is everything with you?" "No electricity, but we"re fine." "Glad to hear that. Well...thanks for calling." "Rushing me off the phone? Adam must be close?" "Yes." "Well, I guess this is the perfect time to ask you a question." "What?" "How did you feel when I told you I loved you?" Her eyes widen. "Wh-at?" Nick laughed. "I"m just kidding. I"ll save that question for another time, preferably when we are face to face. Ok?" "Ok." "Well, I"m happy you"re ok, and I guess I"ll talk to you later?" "Um...ok." "Ok." He laughed. "Take care, Chelsea." She smiled. "You too." As soon as she placed the phone on the receiver, she heard Adam. "Nick?" She turned. "Yeah...he just wanted...to make sure I was ok." Adam threw up his hand. "It"s fine, Chelsea. I was just asking." She still felt the need to explain. "Adam, he thought...I was here...all alone." "It"s ok, Chelsea." He looked away. "It"s ok." He sat up. "So, what would you like for breakfast?" "Are you cooking?" He smiled. "I am. The food should be fine, the electricity hasn"t been off for that long." He threw back the covers. "So, what would you like?" She grinned. "Surprise me, and I am going to need, more candles than that hooker." He laughed, then jumped out of bed, and went into the bathroom. A couple of minutes later he reappeared. "I"ll be back." Chelsea questioned him. "Would you like some company?" He smiled. "Are you my new shadow?" She grinned. "Ok, I guess I deserved that." He shook his head. "But seriously, no. It"s cold down there. Stay here, keep warm. I"ll bring it up to you." She nodded. "Ok." He left... Chelsea was sitting in the middle of the bed sketching, when Adam returned. She tossed her pad. "You"re back, and I"m starving!" He handed her a plate. She smiled. "Thanks." He sat his plate down and left. He returned with a couple of bottled waters, and also quite a few candles. Chelsea laughed. Adam began distributing the candles throughout the room, and lighting each one. "You wanted more candles than that hooker? I am giving you more candles than that hooker." "You are nuts, Adam Newman! Sit down. Eat." He grabbed his plate, and sat down in one of the chairs. "How is everything going with the fashion business? I haven"t received an update, since you thought Genevieve was your investor." She looked up. "That was on purpose, but would you really like to know?" "I really would like to know. You haven"t told me anything." "Well, I haven"t been able to catch you in between hookers, and bipolar ex lovers." Adam chuckled. "Ooooh. Ok, I guess I deserved that." "And a lot more." She winked. "But everything is going well. Fenmore"s decided to carry a couple more of my pieces." "Really?" "Yes, we couldn"t believe it at first, but I guess they really like my designs." "I"m proud of you, Chels." He extended his arm. "Blow it out!" She giggled. "Yeah...blow it out." Adam opened his bottled water, and drunk some. "There was a time when our fists would touch, hopefully we"ll get back there...one day." Chelsea looked down into her plate. Adam continued. "How did you and Chloe choose the name?" That question confused her. "The name?" "Yeah, of the business?" "Oh...that." *silence* "So, how did you choose it? Is it a secret?" She sighed. "No, it"s not a secret." "Well, how did you come up with it?" "It"s what I named...our last baby." Adam stopped eating. That caught him off guard. He did not expect that answer. Chelsea continued. "I saw it in a name book, after we lost the baby, and it stuck." "You never mentioned it." "You were never around." "I"m sorry." Chelsea shrugged. "I don"t want to talk about it anymore." "No, I think we should." "I don"t want to, Adam." She looked down. "It"s too painful." Adam sighed. "Chelsea, we need to talk about it, and there is no better time like the present." *silence* He was just about to give up, when he heard her speak. "I don"t want to talk about it, because you have no idea how badly you hurt me. We had just lost our baby, and you were nowhere to be found. I was devastated. I cannot believe you actually thought...taking care of Sharon, was more important. I will never...ever forgive you for that." "Chels-" Chelsea interrupted. "There is really nothing you can say. Nothing, just leave it alone." "No, there isn"t anything I can say, I was wrong. I admit it. I didn"t know how to help you. I didn"t know how to ease the pain. I honestly thought my past sins, caused us to lose the baby. Those past sins, included Sharon. I don"t love her, Chelsea. I love you." "So, you keep saying." "I do, Baby." He stood up and sat his plate down in the chair. "I don"t love you a little." He extended his arms. "I love you this much. Nothing"s changed." He walked over to the bed, removed her plate, and sat it down on the nightstand. He sat down in front of her. "I"ve made some horrible mistakes. Horrible. I miss you, Chels. So very much. I"ll do whatever I have to...whatever, just to have a shot at loving you again. I need you, Baby. I miss you. Everything I love and need is right here." She looked into his eyes. "I don"t know, Adam." "You said...that you still loved me?" She didn"t respond. "Do you love me this much?" He brought his hands together. "Or this much?" He extended his arms. Tears rolled down her cheeks. He reached over and wiped them away. His hand moved down to her stomach. He leaned over and kissed her. She pulled away. "I"m so angry with you." "I know, and I deserve it, but I still love you." "Maybe, love just isn"t enough." "It is, it use to be." He kissed her again, and this time she didn"t pull away. Her fingers made their way up the nape of his neck, deepening the kiss. All of a sudden he broke the kiss, and planted individual ones all over her face. He moved down to her neck, while at the same time, coaxing her to lie back. She closed her eyes, as she felt his tongue sweeping up against her neck. "Adam?" "Hmmm?" She opened her eyes. "I...don"t...think...this is a good idea." He raised his head. "Why not? What"s the alternative? Cards?" "Not having sex?" "I don"t want to have sex." "What are you doing?" He leaned in and kissed her lips. "Kissing you." "Oh, is that all?" He smiled. "Are you disappointed?" "No, of course not." "Yes, you are." "No, I"m not Adam. I meant it when I said, I"m still angry with you." "At some point, you are going to have to decide, whether we are going to move on...or not." "I did move on, and out, when I left you. I only came back, because you blackmailed me." "Chelsea, I would have never taken your funding." "How was I suppose to know that? And why would you want to bring unnecessary stress into my life?" "I just wanted you back here with me, but if I would have known about the baby, I would have never taken it that far. Chelsea, I have to ask you something?" "What?" "You knew about the guy I hired, to burn down those buildings, why didn"t you use that against me?" "I would never send you to jail, Adam. No matter how angry I am with you." She reached down and rubbed her stomach. He placed his hand over hers. "Let"s try again." "Why, because of the baby?" "Yes, and because I love you. Let"s just forget everything, and start over." "I wish it were that simple. You hurt me, Adam. I just can"t forget that." "We"ve hurt each other. Don"t you want us again?" "No, I haven"t lately, and you"ve made it very easy for me to feel that way." "Are you going to move out?" "I don"t know, Adam." "I hope not." He sat up and moved down her body. He pulled one of her legs up. "Adam, I don"t have any shorts on." "I"ve seen everything once or twice, I could probably pick it out of a lineup, if I had too. But I won"t look, I promise." He held up his thumb. "Pinky swear." He started rubbing her feet, one at a time. He looked down at her. "Do you want me to stop?" "Yes, but it feels so good." "All the more reason to continue." Adam continued. After finishing, he pulled her feet up to his mouth, and kissed them. "What are you doing?" "Kissing you. I"ve missed these feet." She grinned. "You are psycho." "I thought you knew." He made his way up her legs, kissing everything in his path. He moved up to her stomach, and pushed her shirt up to just below her breasts. He rubbed her stomach, and planted a single kiss on it. "I can"t wait to see what our love looks like. Boy or girl, it doesn"t matter." He kissed her stomach one last time, then reached up, and pulled her shirt down. He exited the bed, walked over, and looked out of the window. "We might just be stuck here for another day?" She sat up. "It hasn"t melted...at all?" He shook his head. "Nope." He turned and looked at her. "I"m going to take a bath, I"m a little stiff from the plane ride. You are welcome to join me." Her eyes widen. "Adam-" He held up his hand. "I was just kidding, Chelsea. Just kidding. Don"t shoot." He sighed. "I think I have a small radio, and if I"m not mistaken, it has batteries in it." He went into the closet, and returned minutes later, carrying a small boom box.He held it up. "Found it." He looked at her for a moment, then turned, and went into the bathroom... After filling the tub and undressing, he turned on the radio. Roberta Flack"s, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," was playing. He got in, leaned back, and closed his eyes... The door to the bathroom stood open. Chelsea stared at it. (Why was she contemplating on going in? What was wrong with her?) He put her through so much over the last few months. Between Sharon, the blackmail, and bringing a hooker into their home, it honestly made her question their whole relationship, and if he ever really loved her. She thought back to the day she first laid eyes on him. It was not love at first sight. It was far from it. They were both going through their own individual issues, and they just needed a friend. They were not looking to fall in love, it just happened. It was like a fairytale. The only thing was missing was the horse. She smiled. The first time I ever saw your faceI thought the sun rose in your eyesAnd the moon and the starsWere the gifts you gaveTo the dark and the endless skies Chelsea thought back to their wedding day. It. Was. Perfect. It was just the two of them. Their vows...playful, romantic, and honest. That was one of the most important days of her life. The first...the day she gave birth to Johnny. The night he proposed...a close second. It was important, because that was the day he told her, for the very first time...he loved her. It was surreal. Chelsea stood up. (Damn it, Chelsea. After everything he"s done, you cannot consider going back to him. Why would you ever want to?) She sighed. She knew why. She had never loved anyone like she loved him... The first time ever I kissed your mouthI felt the earth move in my handsLike the trembling heart of a captive birdThat was then at my commandMy love Adam knew he had really messed up this time. He ruined the best thing that ever happened to him. Hell, he didn"t even know how she even ended up with him. It"s not like he deserved her. He ran his fingers through his hair. (But she said she still loved him, and maybe she did, but she was obviously not in love with him anymore. He would just have to accept it. After all, he only had himself to blame) Adam felt the water move, he opened his eyes. "Chelsea?" "This tub is huge, might as well kill two birds with one stone...or one bar of soap." She sat down on the other side of the tub. Adam stared into her eyes. He didn"t know what to say, or if he should say anything at all. He had to say something. "You wash my back and I"ll wash yours?" She nodded. "Ok." His eyes widen. "What does this mean, Chelsea?" "We"ll have clean backs?" Adam smiled. "Funny." The smile left his face. "Does this mean...what I think it means?" She nodded. "Yes." "What made you come to this conclusion?" She smiled. "You rubbed my feet, and kissed my stomach, and...I think you are right...it is a start." "What happens when the snow melts, and it"s no longer just us?" "It should always be just us." Tears filled her eyes. "Adam, in spite of everything you"ve done, and you have done a lot. I am still in love with you. I-" Adam interrupted. "Don"t say another word." He moved to the middle of the tub, reached over, and pulled her over to him... Her legs are wrapped around his waist. He planted a single kiss on her lips. "That"s all I needed to hear. I honestly thought for a minute, you were not in love with me anymore." "Were you planning on blackmailing me into loving you? I know how much you love control and power." Adam laughed. "No. Chelsea, you are getting soft." "Am I?" "Yes, because you have all the power and the control, because I love you so much." "I love you too, with all of my heart, and I"m not saying you deserve me, because you don"t." He caressed her cheek. "I realize that." She continued. "But I love you, I do. I can"t help myself. Just...don"t ever hurt me again." "I won"t." He held up his pinky finger. "Pinky swear." He kissed the palms of her hands. "Baby, I"ve missed you." He kissed her collar bone, and trailed kisses up to her neck. He whispered in her ear. "My Baby is having a baby. My baby. Our baby." She ran her fingers through his hair, and pulled him up into a passionate kiss. Their tongues start a lovely war. He held her as tightly as her body would allow. She broke the kiss and whispered. "Make love to me." "On one condition." She cocked her head to the side. "Condition? Really Adam?" "Yep, only if I can spend the rest of the day making love to you." She smiled. "On one condition." He grinned. "Ok, let me hear it. Give it to me." "Even if I beg you to stop...don"t." He nodded. "I wouldn"t dream of it." She leaned over and kissed him, while at the same time reaching under water, and joining them. She moaned into his mouth. He placed his hands on her hips and pushed up and into her, causing her to fill the bathroom with her love cries. She threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him, as they moved in unison... The first time ever I lay with youI felt your heart so close to mineAnd I knew our joy would fill the earthAnd last till the end of timeMy love To be continued.... *The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face-lyrics by Ewan MacColl* Chelsea....Part 11 Chelsea yawned and sat up. The snow had finally melted, and it was now safe to travel. They both would be going back to work that day, after spending three whole days together. Chelsea looked over at a still sleeping Adam. She smiled and watched him for a little while. She reached over and ran her fingers through his hair. "Ok, sleepy head, it"s time to wake up." His eyes popped open. "I"ve been up for the last hour." She grinned and pushed him. "What have you been doing?" He sat up. "Watching you sleep." He slid his hand up the nape of her neck, and pulled her closer. "Good morning." He kissed her. She smiled. "Mmmm..." She leaned over and kissed him. "Good morning." Adam leaned down and kissed her stomach. "And good morning to you." Chelsea grinned. "If I had a dollar for every time you"ve kissed my stomach." Adam smiled. "You"d be a very wealthy woman." He kissed her again. "But you are a very wealthy woman, because what"s mine is yours." "Do you really mean that?" "I do. I love you, Chelsea. Whatever you want, you can have." "All I want is you. That"s all I have ever wanted. Adam, we can"t put anything or anyone before this...us...me and you...and our baby." "I agree. I made some mistakes, but it will never happen again." Chelsea smiled. "Ok, enough about the past, let"s focus on the present. Starting with...you wash my back and I wash yours?" Adam leaned over and kissed her. "I wouldn"t have it any other way..." After getting dressed Chelsea headed downstairs, and straight for the kitchen. She walked in and smiled. Adam looked her over. Chelsea was wearing a shirt that showed off her belly bump.

Brenda eyes widen. Katerina is staring at her, and mouthing the word, what. Brenda held up her finger, and mouthed, one minute. "Ok, Ronan, we can get together." "Are you sure Brenda?" "Yeah, maybe we can meet tonight?" "Ok, what time? And I"ll come to you." "Seven? I"ll have to send you the address. Do you have access to your email?" "Yes." "Ok, I"ll be emailing you." "Do that, talk to you later." "Yeah, ok." She disconnected the call. Katerina was about to burst, she wanted to know who Brenda was talking to. "What?" Brenda"s mouth fell open. "I was not expecting that." "Dammit Brenda, What?" Brenda told Katerina all about Ronan, Adam, and their date. "So, Adam is the guy you hung out with, and slept with the night of your date with Ronan?" She nodded. "And I never guessed in a million years, Ronan would actually come to Rome." "Yeah, but I think you kind of wished it was Adam, am I wrong?" Brenda shrugged her shoulders. "Can"t always have what you want. But Ronan is in Rome, wow!" Katerina leaned back, shook her head, and laughed...... Brenda is at back at her apt. She still couldn"t believe Ronan came to Rome. At that moment, her cell phone rung. She picked it up, and answered it. "Hello." "Lady with the best biscuits, how are you?" Her face lit up. "Adam....you called." She sat down on the sofa. "I said I would." "How is the job search going?" "Well, given I just started yesterday, I"ve managed to land a couple of interviews." "What? Really?" "Yep. I have my first one today." "That"s quick." "I know right. I couldn"t believe it myself. But it might have something to do with me being a Newman. But whatever I"ll take it." "I"m still proud of you. Let"s skype." "Ok." They take a moment to log on. After awhile, they are looking at each other. Adam smiled. "You look really nice." "Thanks." Brenda had on some fitted jeans, a loose fitting top, with a pair of heels. Adam could see her from top to bottom, because she was sitting Indian style in the bed. "So, are you nervous?" "About what?" "The interview." "No, I don"t get nervous. If I don"t get it, I"ll move on to the next. And I don"t know if I"m going to accept it anyway. They might be interviewing me, but I"m going to be interviewing them too." Brenda smiled. "Well good luck." "Thanks." "Why are you up so early? What time is it there?" "Seven." "You should be sleeping." "I should be, but I needed my Brenda fix." She grinned. "How exactly are you making it without me?" He smiled. "That"s a question I"m asking myself everyday. I do miss you." "Me too." "You miss you too?" She giggled. "You know what I mean. So, what time is your interview?" "In a couple of hours." "No wonder you"re up, and shouldn"t you be getting ready. You know....getting your mind prepared, relaxing." "Why do you think I called you?" She smiled. "You are piling it on today." He laughed. "What can I say, you help me get my mind right." She giggled. "Glad I could be of help." His eyes were glued to the screen, he couldn"t take his eyes off her. "Come back to Genoa City." Brenda wasn"t expecting that. "Where did that come from?" "I don"t know. It"s how I feel." "I can"t, my life is here. Come to Rome. You could easily move here. And I have an extra room." "So, we can be roommates?" "Don"t you think, we"d make the best roommates?" He chuckled. "And we could have sleepovers? You sleep in my bed, and I sleep in yours." Brenda smiled. "Promise?" Adam laughed. "Rapunzel, are you flirting?" "No, I don"t flirt." "The hell you don"t." She smiled. "Well, I don"t want to keep you. Go and get ready for your interview! And wear one of your black suits, you look good in them." "Yes, mommie." "Call me, and let me know what happened. I don"t care how late it is. I love you." (Oh sh*t.) She didn"t mean to say that. He saw the horror on her face. He smiled. "I love you too." She smiled. "Bye." He bowed. And they logged off...... Phyllis was sitting in the coffee shop, working her laptop, when her cell phone rung. She looked down, and instantly knew who it was. "Brenda! Hi!" "Hey Phyllis, how is everything?" "It"s great." Phyllis and Brenda have been emailing each other, since she went back to Rome. "I just had to call ,and tell you who showed up in Rome." Phyllis stopped what she was doing. "I"ll bite, who?" "Ro-nan." "What! I knew he left Genoa City, but I thought he was going back to Washington?" "He is in Rome. He called me this morning. We are supposed to meet later." "He must really like you." Brenda poured herself a glass of water. "I don"t know, maybe so." At that moment, Phyllis spotted Adam and Sharon. "Guess, who just walked into the coffee shop, and together?" "Who?" "Sharon and Adam." "Really? Maybe they just ran into each other." "I don"t think so, she just reached up, and adjusted his tie. Oooh, and she just kissed him on the cheek." "Oh....really?" "Yes. Did he tell you anything?" "Nope, not a thing." Phyllis pulled out her phone, and snapped a quick picture, and emailed it to Brenda. "Check your email." "Ok." "But back to Ronan, where are you going?" "I don"t know, dinner maybe. Has Adam left?" "Yes, but Sharon is still here. Why?" "Just asking." "Brenda, are you in love with Adam?" "Of course not, just worried about him." "Oh...ok." "Listen, Phyllis, I have to go, I"ll email you after I meet up with Ronan." "Ok." They disconnect the call. Phyllis felt extremely guilty. She always thought Brenda had a thing for Adam, but she always swore she didn"t. "Damn Phyllis." She closed her laptop, and left... Brenda opened the email from Phyllis, and clicked on the attachment. There stood Adam and Sharon. And they looked very much together. "He didn"t even mention it to me." She deleted it. "It"s his life." Brenda decided to go and buy herself a new dress, for her date with Ronan. She grabbed her purse and headed out of the door... Part 2 Brenda lived in a busy part of town. There were boutiques and restaurants everywhere. She had a car, but she rarely drove it. She liked walking. She ended up going to one of the boutiques, that was not too far from her apt. It didn"t take her long to find a dress. It was a beautiful dark blue dress. It stopped mid thigh, and fit like a glove. It didn"t have any sleeves, and the front and back were covered. It was all about the legs. After purchasing it, Brenda walked back to her apt. She passed by the restaurant, that was next door to her apt building, and looked inside. The bar was empty, she instantly thought about Adam, she always thought....about.....Adam... It"s almost time for Brenda"s date with Ronan. She is dressed and ready to go. She paired her dark blue dress with nude pumps. She loosely curled her hair, and pulled half of it up, and left the other half down. Brenda finished her makeup, and then her cell phone rung. She look down at the number, it was Adam. "Hello." "Hey good looking, watchu got cooking?" "Hi, how did the interview go?" "Log on, I want to see your face." She logged on, and a couple of minutes later, they were face to face. Adam smiled. "Wow, where are you going?" "I have a date." The smile left his face. "A date? With who?" Brenda could have lied, but she decided not to. "Ronan." "Ronan, as in Genoa City"s sorriest?" "Yes...he"s in Rome, and he called me." Adam was extremely shocked. "Really?" "Yes." "Did you know he was in Rome, when we talked earlier?" "Yes." "Why didn"t you tell me?" "I don"t know it slipped my mind. Why didn"t you tell me, you were back with Sharon?" "Because I"m not." "Phyllis saw the two of you, in the coffee shop." "And she called you?" "No, actually I called her, about the same time you two were walking in." "Am I missing something, I had no idea you were friendly with Phyllis?" "Well, we are." Brenda didn"t want to talk about Phyllis, she wanted to talk about Sharon. "Adam, why didn"t you tell me?" "Because there is nothing to tell. Does it bother you?" She didn"t say anything. "Brenda? Tell me how you feel. Because if it-" *doorbell* "Adam, I have to go. Ronan is here." "Call me, when you get back. And make sure he keeps his hands to himself." "Will you be keeping your hands to yourself?" "I have so far." "Bye, Adam" "No, I will see you later. Call me, please. And you look pretty, I wish you didn"t. Not for him." "I"ll...call you later." She logged off... Brenda took a deep breath and headed into the living room. She looked out the peephole, and opened the door. "Ronan." They hug. He smiled. "You look better than I remember, I didn"t think that was possible." She relaxed, then smiled. "Thank you. Where are we going?" "I was hoping you could help me out with that." "Of course." She grabbed her purse, and they head out... Adam walked into the office of Restless style, and spotted Phyllis working at her desk. She stopped typing when she saw him enter. He didn"t even ask if he could sit down, he grabbed a seat, and plopped down in it. "Hey Phyllis." Phyllis leaned back in her chair. "What do you want Adam?" "Why did you tell Brenda about me and Sharon?" Phyllis rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Honestly, I didn"t know it was a secret." "You knew what you were doing." Phyllis picked up a pen, and started playing with it. "Actually, I didn"t. I had no idea she was in love with you." "What are you talking about?" "I mean I"ve seen you two around, and always suspected their was something going on, but after talking to her, I dismissed it. But after I told her about you and Sharon, her reaction pretty much told me, I was right. Don"t tell me, you are oblivious to that?" Adam stood up. "Mind your business Red." Phyllis stared at him, he was crazy, but he didn"t scare her. They were cut from the same cloth. "Ok, psycho." He shook his head and left. Phyllis yelled. "Thanks for stopping by, please don"t do it again!" She watched him leave. "Creep..." "So how long are you in Rome?" "Just today, Wish it was longer, but I have to get to London. I"m working on a case." She sipped her champagne. "What kind?" "I can"t talk about it." "Not even a little?" He shook his head. "If I told you, I"d have to kill you. And you"re much too pretty too die." She ate some of her food. "Well you gave me quite a shock, when I learned you were in Rome." "My deepest apologies, but I am very smitten with you Miss Barrett." She smiled. Brenda was trying her best to show Ronan a good time, but all she could think about was Adam. "How long are you going to be in London?" "How ever long it takes. But hopefully, no more than a couple of days." Ronan stared at Brenda, who was fumbling with her fork. "Brenda, are you ok?" "Yes, I"m fine." "Are you sure?" She dropped her fork on her plate, and sighed. "I"m sorry if I"m ruining your evening. I just have a lot on my mind." "It"s ok, I understand. I just appreciate you making the time for me. Would you like to cut this short?" "No, of course not. You didn"t have to come to Rome, but you did. Forgive me." "You"re forgiven, but you don"t owe me anything." "I know, and I promise you will have a good time. Let"s eat, and then we"ll take a tour of the city." "Let"s." They finish their dinner, and spend the rest of the evening touring the city. They stopped at a bar, and had a couple of drinks. They ended up having a pretty good time. Ronan was so mysteriously handsome, and interesting. Under different circumstances she would have been interested in him. But the circumstances were not different, her heart belonged to the man, with the wild hair. The car waited, while Ronan walked her up to her apt. Brenda unlocked the door, and turned. "Thanks for a wonderful evening." "Thank you." He looked down at her. "Take care, Brenda." "You too Ronan." He leaned down and kissed her. "Whoever it is that has your heart, I hope he treats it right." She smiled. "Goodbye Ronan." "Bye Brenda." And he disappeared down the hall... Adam looked at the time, it was after six in Genoa City, which meant it was past midnight in Rome. He still had not heard from Brenda. He couldn"t wait any longer, he grabbed his phone, but at that moment it rung. It was Brenda. He answered on the first ring. "Hey." "Hey." "You just made it back?" "Yes." "Log on, I want to see you." They log on. "Where did you go?" "To dinner, and then we toured the city." "Did he kiss you goodnight?" "Yes." "Why did you let him kiss you?" "Why wouldn"t I Adam? Did you let Sharon kiss you?" Adam just stared at her. "Did you sleep with her?" "No, and where is all this coming from?" "I should ask you the same!" Brenda dropped her head. As the tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "Brenda, I don"t want to argue. I really just want to know, what is going on here?" She looked back up, and wiped her tears away. "I...don"t...know." "Why are you crying? Did I upset you? Because if I did, that was not my intention." He wished to God, that he could touch her. "No, I"m fine Adam. I"m going to log off, I"m tired, and I don"t feel like talking." "No you"re not. We are going to finish this." "I"ll call you in a week or so." "A week? Why a week? Are you going somewhere?" "No, I just think we shouldn"t talk for awhile, that"s all." "Why?" "Because....I....nothing. I"ll talk to you later." And then she was gone... Adam was about to call her back, when he heard a knock at his door. He closed his laptop, walked over, and answered it. It was Sharon. "Hey." "Sharon, I"m...in the middle of the something, can I call you later?" "I just wanted to know, how your interview went?" "Fine, they offered me a position." She smiled and hugged him. "I"m so happy for you." "Thanks, look I have to go." She pretended like she didn"t hear him. "We should celebrate....tonight?" Adam ran his fingers through his hair. "Not tonight." Sharon nodded. "Adam, what is going on with you?" "Nothing....I"m fine." "You don"t act fine." "I said, I was fine." "Adam, I realize you are in the middle of something, but please answer this one question. Because I don"t want to waste my time." Adam looked down into her eyes. "Shoot." "Are you still in love with me?" Adam did not see that one coming. He didn"t want to lie to her, so he said nothing. Tears filled her eyes. "That explains a lot." "I still care about you, Sharon." "But you"re just not in love." She wiped her eyes. "I guess I left one too many times." "Look, I"m sorry." "Me too." She turned and headed down the hall. Adam sighed, and went back into his room. He tried calling Brenda but she wouldn"t answer. He plopped down on the sofa, picked up his phone, and dialed his travel agent...... It"s the next day, and Brenda has the day off. She decided to go and get her hair done, at Katerina"s salon. It was a full service salon. She also got a massage, and a mani and pedi. She was extremely relaxed by the time she left. She had been at that salon for almost seven hours, but she felt better than she did last night. The salon was a couple blocks from her apt. She said her goodbyes to Katerina, and headed home. While walking home, she couldn"t help but stop in a couple of boutiques. She ended up buying a couple of pieces of jewelry, and then she continued on down the street. She walked passed the restaurant, looking in as she always did, all of sudden she stopped. There was something very familiar, about that guy sitting at the bar. She stood there for a moment, because she thought she was losing it. Once she realized, she was standing in front of the window, and people started to stare, she walked over to the door, and pulled it open. The host asked if she needed a table. She shook her head, and told her she was going over to the bar. Brenda walked slowly, and as she got closer, she felt like running. But she didn"t. He pulled the glass to his lips. She sat down next to him. "I hope that isn"t vodka." He sat the glass down. And turn towards her. He shook his head, his eyes smiling. "Nope, club soda." Tears filled her eyes. "Adam." She dropped her bags, he pulled her closer, and they hugged. She buried her face into his neck, holding on tightly. "You came....." He whispered into her ear. "Brenda, let"s go up to your apt." She lifted her head, and nodded. He gathered up her bags, and his, and they made their way out of the restaurant..... Brenda unlocked her door and they went in. He dropped the bags on the floor, placed his hands on both sides of her face, and kissed her. She melted into his arms. His lips felt like they were made for hers. The kiss started to build in intensity. Adam pulled away. "I need to shower." She nodded. "I have three bathrooms, just pick one." "I"ll be back." Adam grabbed his bag, and went into the main bathroom. A couple seconds later she heard the shower. She couldn"t believe he was here, in Rome. She went into her room, and pinned her hair up. She decided to take a quick shower, just to freshen up. After finishing, she slid on a pair of pajama pants, and a tank. She came out, and Adam was still in the shower. She released her hair, and sat down on the sofa. A couple of minutes later, she heard the shower stop. She was so happy to see him, but he was there to finish that talk. She started to get a little nervous. She couldn"t hide now. He came out. His hair was dripping wet, and he was only wearing a pair of boxers. He walked over and sat down near her, pulling her closer. He kissed her again, and ran his fingers through her hair. He took a piece as he often did, and twirled it around his finger. "I missed you. And you smell like heaven, and you look even better." She reached over and ran her fingers through his hair. "You and this hair." "I think you missed my hair." She nodded. "Yes I did, but not only that, I missed our friendship. I missed seeing you everyday, it was hard when I left." She caressed his face. "I agree, it was hard when you left." He caressed her face. "Adam, what are you doing here?" "You wouldn"t talk to me, so I had to come to you." "So, you came all this way to talk? I always thought you were missing some screws." He smiled. "We can talk later, if that"s ok." "Yeah...sure. Are you hungry?" He nodded. He leaned over and kissed her, and made his way inside, sweeping his tongue against hers. She moaned, and threw her arms around his neck, straddling him. His hands moved up under her shirt cupping her. She broke the kiss. "I don"t think we"re best friends anymore." Adam kissed her again. He stood up, with her wrapped around his waist. "Where is your room?" "That way." He walked into her bedroom. "Nice." "Thanks." He gently placed her on the bed, and looked down at her. "I"ve missed you Brenda. I don"t think I ever want to be without you again. How do you feel about that?" She sat up. He sat next to her. "You"re not going back to Genoa City?" "No." "Whatever happened with that interview?" "I got the job, but I turned it down." "Why?" "Because, being close to you was more important." He grabbed a strand of her hair. "You want to stay here, and be my roommate?" He shook his head. "Your bedmate. That"s if you"ll have me. I promise to clean, and cook, and lay the pipe whenever you want it." She started laughing. "Lay the pipe?" "How do you feel about that?" "Are you here because I"m your only friend, and that"s why you missed me?" "I have Jesus, or the devil, one of them likes me. I"m sure of it." She laughed. "I"m serious Adam." "I"m here because, I can"t be without you. Life just isn"t the same, without you in it." He sighed. "I don"t know what else to tell you. You have to know I love you." "Yeah, like a friend." He shook his head. "No not like a friend. I love you like a man loves a woman. I want to share all my hopes, dreams, failures, and successes with you, no one else. I don"t love Sharon, I love you. I don"t want her, I want you. I can be without her, but I can"t be without you." He pulled her onto his lap. "I love you Brenda. My beautiful Rapunzel." She smiled, and kissed his nose. He kissed her lips. "I"m hoping you feel the same way." "I think I can grow to love you." The smiled left his face. She started laughing. "I"m just kidding." She kissed his chin, and moved back up to his lips. Then looked him in his eyes. "You asked me a long time ago, why wasn"t I scared of you, it"s because I loved you so much." He smiled. "Do you have any idea, what you are getting yourself into?" She shook her head. "No, but I"m excited to find out." He kissed her hard. "Are your biscuits still full of butter?" She shrugged. "I don"t know, you"ll have to see." He moved her to the bed, and then made his way down her body. She felt her pants sliding down her legs. He stood up, and tossed them. He looked down at her. "Brenda, don"t ever let Ronan or any man touch you again. I will not hesitate in chopping them up, and throwing them into the pacific ocean." Brenda sat up and laughed. "That"s harsh. Why did you say that?" He stepped out his boxers. "Because I meant it." She started giggling. "You can"t go around saying stuff like that." "I won"t say it again." "Or doing it, Adam!" "As long as no one touches you." Her eyes widen. "You are serious.....aren"t you?" "As a heart attack." Something in his eyes, told her he was not joking. She should have been scared, but she loved her big bad wolf, and he loved her. He smiled, pushed her back onto to the bed, and parted her thighs. His lips found the sweetest of spots, and he began to blow her house down..... The End

Now Maryland was a beautiful place plus we had our own pool and I did have Will. With all of that I still missed my friend Nancy who I didn"t-couldn"t tell what had happened in the fall. Of course I did tell her about Will. How could I not? The guy was living right across the hall from me with all his beautifully toned muscles and nice tanned skin. For once I was pretty content with my life, or at least I thought I was until I had the biggest rude awakening of my life. I did some stretches to loosen my muscles taking everyone and thing in the park in. it was not very crowded today with the Holidays right around the corner. Yet what little snow had fallen had already evaporated leaving the ground ice cold but good for running. I slipped on my headphones and put in some Liz Phair after all even the staunchest supporter of a certain musical artist needs some different music every now and then. I started running the two miles thinking on the phone call. My best friend Nancy had called to confirm that she would be coming for Christmas. I couldn"t wait yet I was also feeling some dread. I had given her a brief very brief summary of what had happened. I didn"t think I could explain it to her what had happened. That aside I was feeling a different sort of dread, one I didn"t understand. It was almost like the thing with Marco had just been the beginning, which was weird because nothing else could happen. I rounded the corner and to my surprise I was coming upon the spot where the whole thing had first started. As I gained speed and momentum, I almost stumbled and fell as I glanced down into the ravine. Instead of seeing Will I saw men in armor and holding medieval weaponry, which was in possible. After finally stopping a few yards I turned back to get a better glance. What I saw took all the little breath I had left in me out. There in fact were men in armored suits, who were in fact dressed as if they were from king Arthur"s time. But more unbelievable was the fact they were talking about me or rather Lady of the Lake"s, which my parents and crazy Mr. Morton had taken to calling me. More scary in fact was that they were talking about my demise. Now in my defense I thought they were just a bunch of crazy people how was I to know they actually were series? I made my way carefully down the embankment making sure not to step on a twig. I was half way down still breathing heavily when I stepped on something. The guys, who close up, looked something out of Battlestar Galactica only without all the tin glanced up and looked directly at me. That"s when I decided to make a run for it or at least tried to. I started running up the hill, which was pretty steep to begin with, and me being out of breath was even harder. That"s when an arrow hit the ground exactly where my right foot had just been. After that all hell broke loose so to speak. Men with long beards started climbing after me. Now I may have been out of breath but when men with pointy swords climb after me I boot scoot and boogey it out of there. Mid way through the woods I lost them or they evaporated I couldn"t tell which and I finally burst out of the woods, running to my car. I hopped in and was pulling into the driveway when I remembered that my Discman with my name on it was still in the woods. In the scuffle I had dropped it. I leaned back into the seat trying to get my breathing under control before I went into the house. I didn"t have to deal with my parents at the moment but Will was a different story. He hadn"t believed any of the crap about him being King Arthur. I had told him I felt the way he did, but now? Now I wasn"t so sure. With Nancy coming my unsure ness would only increase as strange events started happening and this time they didn"t occur with Avalon or with Will they occurred with me! I was soon going to find out it wasn"t just a battle about good versus evil, it was a battle about people wanting MY life. It all depended on just how much they wanted and just how much I was willing to fight for it. reveiws please. love kat here it is the second chapter, i hope you like it. CHAPTER 1 I drove to the park to run the two laps like I did everyday. Though unlike everyday my dad who was a professor and who was suppose to be running with me had decided to stay home and read up some more about Sir Snoozealot. Okay I wasn"t being fair. After the whole Marco debacle my parents had been so protective as well as trying to get every little detail out of me, right down to Will"s dog"s name. I understood they are after all professors but after what happened my parents had decided to spend some more time in Maryland. Now Maryland was a beautiful place plus we had our own pool and I did have Will. With all of that I still missed my friend Nancy who I didn"t-couldn"t tell what had happened in the fall. Of course I did tell her about Will. How could I not? The guy was living right across the hall from me with all his beautifully toned muscles and nice tanned skin. For once I was pretty content with my life, or at least I thought I was until I had the biggest rude awakening of my life. I did some stretches to loosen my muscles taking everyone and thing in the park in. it was not very crowded today with the Holidays right around the corner. Yet what little snow had fallen had already evaporated leaving the ground ice cold but good for running. I slipped on my headphones and put in some Liz Phair after all even the staunchest supporter of a certain musical artist needs some different music every now and then. I started running the two miles thinking on the phone call. My best friend Nancy had called to confirm that she would be coming for Christmas. I couldn"t wait yet I was also feeling some dread. I had given her a brief very brief summary of what had happened. I didn"t think I could explain it to her what had happened. That aside I was feeling a different sort of dread, one I didn"t understand. It was almost like the thing with Marco had just been the beginning, which was weird because nothing else could happen. I rounded the corner and to my surprise I was coming upon the spot where the whole thing had first started. As I gained speed and momentum, I almost stumbled and fell as I glanced down into the ravine. Instead of seeing Will I saw men in armor and holding medieval weaponry, which was in possible. After finally stopping a few yards I turned back to get a better glance. What I saw took all the little breath I had left in me out. There in fact were men in armored suits, who were in fact dressed as if they were from king Arthur"s time. But more unbelievable was the fact they were talking about me or rather Lady of the Lake"s, which my parents and crazy Mr. Morton had taken to calling me. More scary in fact was that they were talking about my demise. Now in my defense I thought they were just a bunch of crazy people how was I to know they actually were series? I made my way carefully down the embankment making sure not to step on a twig. I was half way down still breathing heavily when I stepped on something. The guys, who close up, looked something out of Battlestar Galactica only without all the tin glanced up and looked directly at me. That"s when I decided to make a run for it or at least tried to. I started running up the hill, which was pretty steep to begin with, and me being out of breath was even harder. That"s when an arrow hit the ground exactly where my right foot had just been. After that all hell broke loose so to speak. Men with long beards started climbing after me. Now I may have been out of breath but when men with pointy swords climb after me I boot scoot and boogey it out of there. Mid way through the woods I lost them or they evaporated I couldn"t tell which and I finally burst out of the woods, running to my car. I hopped in and was pulling into the driveway when I remembered that my Discman with my name on it was still in the woods. In the scuffle I had dropped it. I leaned back into the seat trying to get my breathing under control before I went into the house. I didn"t have to deal with my parents at the moment but Will was a different story. He hadn"t believed any of the crap about him being King Arthur. I had told him I felt the way he did, but now? Now I wasn"t so sure. With Nancy coming my unsure ness would only increase as strange events started happening and this time they didn"t occur with Avalon or with Will they occurred with me! I was soon going to find out it wasn"t just a battle about good versus evil, it was a battle about people wanting MY life. It all depended on just how much they wanted and just how much I was willing to fight for it. CHAPTER 2 That night at dinner I asked my parents if I could look at their books for a school project. I didn"t want them thinking I was actually interested in that crap. I wasn"t I just wanted to know why those guys had chased me. After I ate I went to look at my mom"s books on medieval times particularly, King Arthur. Will, thankfully was at some meeting for the student council so I wouldn"t be having to answer any of his questions on why I wanted any of this information. As I sorted through the books there were several things that creeped me out. First of all the Lady of the Lake was a serious hoochy mama. First off Merlin was her mentor and then later lover. I"m sorry but I could never ever see myself with Mr. Morton. I mean he is my teacher (but not Merlin esquire like). Second it isn"t like I would ever imprison anybody-okay except Marco but he fully deserved it- hell I won"t even kill a freaking ladybug (and those things stain your clothes). Third, we defeated the evil, it"s not like it would come back again. They would have to be complete idiots, which of course they are but still why would they come after me? Of course if I had read farther on I would have found out about the Pendragons but I hadn"t and I didn"t know about them. That night I had a dream. A glowing woman was floating on a lake. She looked just like I did for the exception of fog surrounding her. She also looked almost faded or uncertain. She seemed to be floating farther down the river until she reached the end of it. She was falling, falling down a waterfall and at the end were sharp rocks. Men in medieval gear were shouting and chanting something. It sounded vaguely like," Death to the lady, death to the lakes!" She was scared. No it was I. She/I was in danger! I bolted straight up in a stream of sweat. I couldn"t breath. I staggered to the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. It was just a dream, I told myself, just a dream. Though I kept trying to make myself believe that I couldn"t shake the fear I had felt or the fact that maybe that dream was real. It couldn"t be though. I was positive that, that had been The Lady of The Lake. Why else would those people have been saying "death to the lady?' None of it made any sense. As much as I regretted doing it, I knew I had to talk to Mr. Morton. At 4:00 in the morning I knew it was fruitless going back to sleep. Instead I took a shower and then did homework for the next two weeks for most of my classes. Having professor parents will instill good school ethics. I was the first down to breakfast for a change. "Mom I need to use the car because I need to go to school early today," "Sure Hun go ahead," "Why do you need to go to school early Elle?" Will said as he came down the stairs. Before my mom could reply I said, "oh it is just a project." I said laughing it off. I high tailed it out of there and headed for my moms car. When I got to school I headed straight for English class as luck would have it Mr. Morton was there pouring over notes. "I need to talk to you now," I said barging in. "Miss. Harrison what are you doing here so early?" he said glancing up surprised. I guess kids weren"t suppose to come to school early or something. I forgot we were all empathetic, TV addicted, like Oh My Gosh did you hear what Brittany did today, Type of kids. "How did Lady of The Lake die?" I asked ignoring his question. "Well," he said pondering the question for two precious minutes! "There are several tales about how she died. Some say she died in a peaceful place at a ripe old age. Others say she was murdered on the lake that she found the sword. And still others say that she just disappeared after Merlin"s death." "Murdered? Why was she murdered?" I asked almost gasping for breath. "Well people who believe in the theory say that she was responsible for Arthur"s death. It is said that the group, The Pendragons killed her. Of course those are the ones who refuse to believe that Guinevere was an adulteress and that Arthur approved it, which is ridiculous. Miss Harrison are you all right?" he asked alarmed. Not bothering to answer I spun on my heels and ran out of the classroom. It couldn"t be. I had to have read it in one of the books that is why I had a dream about her. I was being ridiculous in believing that another cult group was after me. When the bell rang I hurried to class putting what I had learned into the back of my mind. When I got home Nancy had called again and after that nothing happened for a week. I even went running but nothing out of the ordinary happened. I even began to think that maybe I had dreamed it. That was until I was sitting on the front porch of my house and a man came by walking his golden Labrador. "It is a nice day is it not?" he asked in a clipped British accent. "Umm yeah sure, I guess" I said and laughed. I then continued doing my homework. "Such a nice day to swim at the lakes. In fact it reminds me of that Arthurian poem. Doesn"t it?" I glanced up at him surprised. "Does it?" I asked, standing and starting to gather my books. "Oh yes it definitely does. Anyhow come along Uther, we must be going." He said tugging at the leash and continuing on walking. I looked at the dog and I swear looked at me in an expression of beware and warning. I sat back down dumbfounded. I didn"t know that man and frankly I didn"t want to. There was one thing I was positive though, that I had been threatened or at least warned and not just by a dog either. I was even more positive when the next day after school I went running and fell. Getting up I noticed my hands were dirty. I rubbed them together to get rid of the dirt and grime but to no avail. I looked down and saw a slim wire on the ground. I followed it to a tree and looked up. Gasping in shock I saw a dagger with a note on it and blood was dripping from it. I looked at my hands again and stifled a scream. I had blood on my hands. advieand comments please love kat Chapter 3. It took me a few minutes to get over the initial shock. Wearily I yanked the knife out of the tree, which was no small feat and grabbed the note. Only it wasn"t a note. It was a medieval proclamation for The Lady of the Lakes death. I made a silent promise then and there never to run in the woods again. I would run on main street whether I looked like and idiot or not. I high tailed it out of there but not before taking the dagger and note. When I arrived at my car I was out of breath. I took out my water bottle and with an old towel proceeded to clean my hands. It wasn"t human blood I knew that. It almost looked like chicken or pig blood to me but then again I had never been an expert in the blood department, not that I would want to be. When my hands were in some semblance of order I got into my car and drove home. Either I was one lucky girl or I just had perfect timing because my no one was home. I knew Will had another school meeting but my parents I found put from a "real" note were grocery shopping. This in some ways made it easier to do what I did next and no it wasn"t commit a crime. I showered, changed, and then I broke into my parent"s office all in a days work. Not. I had brought the dagger, which I later learned was actually called an Athame. It was here that I finally learned about the Uther Pendragons and his beautiful order of the Pendragons. Why was it that all medieval rulers had to have orders and tables? I would have thought it would be most annoying. Obviously people were that superficial even back then. I got up and dusted myself off. This order thing couldn"t be coming after me could it? I"m not Lady of the Lake I mean I just wasn"t. It was all so strange and I was finding it was getting stranger by the minute. The next morning I left for school this time taking the bus with Will. He started talking to Lance and I glanced around carefully. For someone as young as myself I really had to stop being suspicious of everyone. Of course I told myself that until my eyes rested on a boy who was diagonal from me. He had black hair, creamy-white skin, brown eyes, and a look about him that made me shiver. I also noticed that he had been taking or at least staring at Will and myself. For a second our eyes locked, he nodded and then went back to his book which much to my chagrin was a king Arthur tale. For some reason I felt a connection to this man though why I didn"t know. All morning I tried looking for him but to no avail. He was in none of my classes and I didn"t dare ask Will or Jennifer if they had seen him. I doddled a lot on the way to my last class, which was English. I got to the door and stopped. In my desk-chair in the middle of the class was the guy I had seen on the bus. Contemplating whether or not to make a deal of it and opting not to I went and took a seat behind him. I settled in to long boring lectures. The only good thing I did in class was behind him I had the vantage point to see his name. It was Robert Morgan and when Mr. Morton asked him a question he replied with a soft British accent. I didn"t know this guy but from everything I was seeing and hearing he was making my insides wiggly and I had no idea why. After school Will of course had another meeting. I stopped by the library for information on report I was doing for Chem. Class. It was a nice day and since I had taken to boycotting the park I decided to walk home. Only when I decided to do it alone it didn"t happen. I was already well on my way when I guy jogged up to me. "Your Elaine Harrison right?" Robert Morgan asked. "Yeah, I am, I go by Ellie though. Can I help you with something?" I replied "Actually yes you can. Or rather I can help you, Ellie," "Oh really? And what can you help me with?" I said it jokingly but I knew, I knew what he was going to say or at least an idea. "Can we sit? This is very, very important." He motioned to a bench and I nodded and sat down with him. "I know all about The Lady of The Lakes. I also know what happened to you in the fall. Before you say anything please hear me out and understand I am on your side. More precise I am on The Lady"s side." After I nodded he continued. I am part of an order that protects The Lady of the Lakes interests. We keep her legacy alive so to speak. What you did was heroic, saving Will like that, but it also was a terrible move for you. There are people who have always wanted you dead, for many years they have thought that we had failed in keeping you alive. They realized they were wrong when you saved him. That move also showed you are just as powerful as you were fourteen centuries ago. He paused allowing me a chance to reply and reply I did. "Now hold it. I"m neither powerful nor am I Lady of the Lakes," I said the last bit with more passion then I actually felt. "I do realize that saving Will was heroic and that something might, all right did happen there but I highly doubt it has anything to do with me. Now I have to go. I guess I"ll see you at school." I jumped up before he could reply and made my way home. That night the dream returned only this time it was different: A glowing woman was floating on a lake. It was The Lady of The Lake and she had my face again. The same fog was surrounding her and She still looked faded and uncertain maybe even more so. She seemed to be floating farther down the river until she reached the end of it. She was falling, falling down a waterfall and at the end were sharp rocks. Men in medieval gear were again shouting and chanting. " Death to the lady, death to the lakes!" this time I knew it was the Pendragons. She was scared. No it was I. She/I was in danger! On the sidelines were two people, one I knew very well the other I didn"t know so well. They were upset and then all of the sudden the Pendragons turned their attack and viciousness on them as I fell down the waterfall. I woke up with a start in a pool of sweat. I made it to the bathroom and cleaned up then went back to my room. Mr. Morton had been right, Robert was right. I was sure of it. The only thing was, I didn"t know what to do. I needed to talk to Robert about the dream. He would know and would understand it. I needed to fix this fast before Nancy came. I took deep breaths remembering it. I couldn"t, would not let anything happen to my best friend. Sadly though I was beginning to believe that these day"s I was in control of very little and if I wasn"t then what would happen to Nancy and even to Robert? For they had been the ones the Pendragons had turned their fury on after they had killed me. Did that mean I would die soon to? In the dream I looked more faded did that mean something? I looked at a mirror and looked at my face. The face of death. comments and critique please. love kat

"Jess please believe me, I didn"t mean to ignore you I just, I didn"t want to get you in trouble," inside my heart crumbled but on the outside I just nodded curtly. He continued, "My dad got out of jail two months ago. If you remember that was when you started hearing less of me." I nodded again remembering all to well. "When my dad coming back he brought problems. Big problems. I tried to help at first but then it started getting too big so I stopped contact with you. And now, now my dad is missing jess. You were the only one I could think of to help me." Rob said in angst. It almost broke my heart to see him like this, but only almost. Obviously it was serious and rob was concerned or he wouldn"t be here that was evident I knew. No matter how many times I tried to reassure him that I would be fine he still worried about my safety. Rob wouldn"t put me in any danger unless it was serious. "Look I know what you must be thinking. I wouldn"t be here if I didn"t think you were in any danger either," he said as if reading my thoughts. I gaped at him. "What do you mean you wouldn"t be here if you didn"t think I were in any danger? Rob what are you not telling me?" "The people after my dad jess, they"re dangerous people. I don"t mean run of the mill type criminals I mean gangster mob kind. My dad got in deep with them and he tried to pull out but he couldn"t. Jess my dad isn"t a bad guy he only went to prison because he thought it would protect my mom and I. Then when he got out he came to me to warn me. By then I figured I shouldn"t contact you at all but then my dad told me it was to late. The next day he disappeared." I got up from the chair and sat next to him on the coach. My heart almost stopped as I took in the smell of him. The smell I remember as being Rob. "I"ll help you Rob. You can count on me." I said with confidence that I didn"t feel. For the next couple of hours we went over everything Rob knew about his dad and the mafia guys. We went over places where his dad could be or use to frequent. After two hours I got up to stretch. "You can stay here tonight. Tomorrow I"ll ask some people if they know anything about these guys." "Mastriani, Jess," rob said with that old familiarity. Gently he took my hand and pulled me towards him. I couldn"t breathe. He kissed my mouth, my cheeks, my neck, my hair. "You have no idea how much I have missed you," "I think I have an idea," I retorted trying to sound sassy but failing miserably when he kissed me. As he took it deeper I felt like my whole body was on fire. Any moment I was sure I would just melt away in a stream of giddiness and lust. He gently picked me up as if I was like porcelain and carried me into my bedroom. What had started out as a boring horrible day was turning into a wonderful night. I woke up to sunlight streaming on my face and turned sitting up. There beside me was Rob looking as beautiful as any roman statue. He was still asleep breathing ever so gently. I laid back down into the bed and sighed reflecting on last night. I fell back into a gentle sleep. I woke suddenly when I heard Rob shake me. "Jess you have to get up now," he said urgently. I sat up and that was when I heard the pounding. For the first time since I had heard Rob"s story I was scared. I started to put on my clothes when Rob told me to just pick them up. He opened the window in my bedroom and motioned me out. "Are you insane?" I shrieked at him. We were five stories up. He motioned for me to be quiet and whispered to me to get out. I shook my head until I heard the door break. Clutching Rob in one hand and my clothes in the other while still half dressed we walked on the narrow ledge. As we just about made it to the apartment next door I turned to see three men in black suits look out the window. I gasped in shocked and scared. Rob turned around shouting at me but I couldn"t hear him. Because in that instant splintered wood broke close to me making me almost loose my balance. Rob caught me but I still stared at the three men All of them were holding guns and they all had looks to kill. here is the seond installment i hope you like it! CHAPTER 2 They started firing as Rob and I made our way along the narrow ledge to the hopefully vacant apartment. We finally arrived leaving Wood and bullets in our wake as we made it through the window. Slamming the window shut we leaned against it out of breath. A few minutes later Rob headed towards the closet and started going through it looking for clothes. I paused a moment to thank the good lord for letting us out alive and as well as letting me see Rob in nothing but a see through white sheet. After all it was every girls dream wasn"t it? When I was done paying homage I went to the front of the apartment that was similar to mine except for being decorated in an expensive yet airy style. I opened the front door to see if the men in black were gone. I then quickly slammed it shut. I bolted it and ran back to the bedroom where Rob was less then presentable. "We have to go now," I said in a voice that I would say was pretty calm. Okay it wasn"t but would you be so calm after seeing men in black suits aim guns at your head not to mention actually shoot at you? Forcing you to crawl on a five-foot story ledge, then when you open a door pointing a gun at you and barring your escape root? I would think not. "Wh---?" Rob started to ask when he saw the look of dread on my face. He grabbed the clothes he had "borrowed" from the guy who lived here and we then went back out onto the ledge I was very definitely beginning to hate. Now I will state here and now that after this day if I Jess Mastriani makes it out alive I promise not to ever make fun of Cully or any other agents whether they be dorky or studdly. That is to say of course if I actually see tomorrow or the next or the day after. Oh yes and a date with Cully really isn"t looking as bad as it once. Rob and I started along the ledge this time without the bullets and after many strenuous minutes we made it to the next apartment, pausing outside it. The one thought that kept crossing my mind was if we didn"t loose the macho men, we would be up sh..s creek and definitely without a paddle. As luck would have it or not have it there was a fire escape, which we started climbing down right around the time that the egomaniacs in black suits decided to open fire again on us. Of course if the poor people in the street weren"t shocked enough to see two half naked people climb down a fire escape with no hint of a fire they freaked out when bullets started spraying. Really I felt sorry for the poor souls. I would be to if they saw me half dressed, though since I have been working with the FBI and occasionally kicking ass I didn"t look to bad. Rob and I made a dash for the parking lot where both of our cars were parked. Ironically they were parked side by side. "We need to split up. Meet me at the park in four hours. Approximately noon time," I told him. Before he could protest, "Look I have some contacts that can help you but we need to go NOW." Nodding at me he got into the car and drove off to where ever. I got into my car and proceeded to take my time and get dressed. If those guys even thought about coming and shooting me they would be in for a rude awakening. Obviously luck was on my side because no one came and I pulled out of the garage just as police cars pulled up to my building. When I was a safe distance away I stopped and pulled out myself phone from my purse. I wasn"t the type to carry a purse but I did have enough sense to keep one by my bedside in cases of one in a million emergencies, like the one that had just happened. I punched in a few buttons and put the phone to my ear. "Hey it"s me, Jess. Something"s come up and I need your help. Can I come by? I"ll be there in ten minutes tops." I hung the phone up and drove to my colleague"s house. I parked the car and went up to his townhouse and rang the bell. Jordan Cully came down and let me up. In his early thirties he was one of the best agents n the field. With a blonde crew cut a deep tan and muscles to match, he could have been a poster boy for Abercrombie. Only he actually had the guts that Abercrombie boys only showed. Jordan I guess you could say was my partner slash handler. He was also a friend and someone I trusted deeply. I guess you could say I had feelings for him of some kind or another. We had even gone out on a date, which was not too shabby. I guess the only thing that had gotten in the way of it ending up like last night was Rob. Frankly I didn"t know if I could trust a guy again which left me feeling po"d at times. "Jess are you all right? What happened?" he asked in a way that made me tell him everything whether I wanted to or not. He ushered me up to his kitchen where he set a steaming cup of coffee in my hands with lots milk and sugar on the side. He then busied himself making breakfast. He was still in a blue bathrobe and red boxers that fit him nicely. As he made scrambled eggs and popped bread in the oven I told him everything. Well not everything, of course I left out the bit about rob and I you know doing it. I also left out the part about how my feelings were screwed up, though I did let him in on my feelings about the $$h-es who had attacked and probably destroyed my apartment. He kept silent the whole time letting me rant. Only when he set breakfast before both of us did he start to comment. "We need to involve Krantz in this. Second if these men are after Mr. Wilkins then he needs to put under protection. As for you Jess if these men IDed you. You could be in some deep sh-trouble," he said correcting himself. "Jordan, I"ll be fine. You don"t have to worry about me." Though it is a pretty nice gesture and one that s greatly appreciated. "I can handle myself. I do agree with you on Rob though. As for Krantz, I don"t know." "I do Jess. These people are dangerous and I won"t let anything happen to you." Oh really? "That"s sweet of you really but I am a big girl," I said. "Well hey that"s what partners are for right?" he said. Oh right, so right, I thought to myself. After that we finished eating and he went to take a shower while I surfed through the TV. We then made drove in separate cars to the park. Though it was only ten o" clock I figured Rob would be there. Unfortunately he wasn"t he obviously had found another place to go to until our twelve o" clock meeting. "Look, Jess, someone should go and brief Krantz. Why don"t I stay here and wait for Mr. Wilkins and you can go brief him on what"s happening?" Jordan said after a half hour. As much as I would love to see the two of them meet I wanted to be there but I grudgingly acquiesced and drove off. When I got to the office it was pretty busy but Krantz wasn"t there. He had left some papers to look over which I did and by eleven twenty when he still hadn"t shown up I began to get worried. If there is one stickler and one person who loved his job it is Cyrus Krantz. In all the years that I have been working for him (which I admit haven"t been many) he has always been on time. As much as I hated pulling myself from the massive paperwork (not) I grabbed my keys and headed for my car. Krantz lived in a small-secluded neighborhood. Almost everyone worked in some form of government or another. I pulled up in front of his two-story house and made my way up the stone path to the front door. It was open which in my business was never a good sign. I scooted down and grabbed the gun that had been attached to my ankle. Now don"t think that I am some hardcore cop because I"m not. I have never ever fired it I don"t even think I could. Of course the criminals don"t know that which is the way I prefer it. I pushed the door open with my foot as to not smear any finger prints-if their were any- and slowly made my way into the house. Now the smart thing would have been to call for back up, but then I have never been what some might call smart, nor am I one to walk away from a fight, which is when ten seconds later a masked intruder in a black ski cap came barreling at me I fired the gun. I totally missed him but at least he was stunned for a minute, of course it was only a minute. I looked around wildly for a baseball bat but either Krantz wasn"t into baseball or the masked intruder had taken it. I was taking bets it was the later as shim swung it at me narrowly missing me. I ducked around him and ran into the kitchen, which is when I saw something I probably will never forget. Before I even had time to digest it I was running for my life. Who ever the person was shim was hell-bent on trying to kill me or at least give me one major headache. I ran into what must have been Krantz"s workroom and found some plywood that I could use as a weapon. Who knew Krantz had been into woodsmenship? I turned around just in time to raise the wood and then have it knocked out of my hands. "Now that isn"t fair is it?" I couldn"t help but say. The shim didn"t even have the courtesy to reply to me before he took another swing at me. He just kept making grunting noises. I grabbed another piece of wood and then another. Wherever Krantz had gotten that bat it sure was destructible. Running low on wood I made the mistake of trying to get around the person or I suppose alien. I couldn"t really tell with the mask. Shim hit my shoulder causing me to stumble I managed to make it back into the kitchen before he struck me this time on the side of my head. I fell to the floor and the last thing I saw was Cyrus Krantz bloodied body next to me, then everything went black. reviews please love kat here is the third chapter i hope you enjy it! Chapter 3 I woke up with my head feeling like it had split open and my shoulder feeling like it had been run over by a Mac track. I felt like something had been glued to my face. Slowly and unsteadily I got to my feet. Looking around I remember where I was. Looking down a few feet from where I had laid was Krantz covered in blood. I staggered to my purse where my cell was and after spending four minutes rummaging to find it only to realize it was in my lap and spending six minutes trying to work it I finally made the call. "This is Agent Mastriani, requesting an ambulance to Agent Krantz"s house immediately," after it was confirmed I hung up and passed out again. When I woke up bright lights were blinding me. It took me a minute to figure out that they weren"t the ones everyone talks about with near death experiences. Though with my head and shoulder it seemed close to one. I turned my head slightly to see Jordan standing by my bedside talking quietly on his cell pone. "no! I don"t give a damn if you have to uproot the metropolitan police we need to find these people and we need to find them now! No. I do not care about some stupid convention. Two agents were attacked we need to find these people now!" he said fiercely. Jordan turned around and seeing me awake hung up the phone without a good-bye. "your awake he exclaimed!" I tried to smile and managed a small one. "Yeah I am. You know that wasn"t very nice. You know hanging up on that person" "Yeah well they deserved it after everything that has happened today," he said sourly. That"s when everything came back to me "Oh My Gosh Jordan where"s Krantz? Is he okay? And where is Rob is he in custody?" I exclaimed. "In do time Jess. Right now you have to rest. I"ll be back in the morning to tell you everything." He kissed me on my forehead letting his mouth linger their for a moment before he headed out the door. The nurse came in and said stuff about making good progress and she was glad to see I was awake. She got me dinner and then gave me some pills. It didn"t matter. None of it helped me keep my mind off things. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed thoughts kept running through my head. They weren"t good thoughts either. Something bad had happened I knew it. Maybe multiple bad things had happened. With a sinking heart I had a suspicion I knew what they were. I woke up to sunlight streaming in and Jordan by my bedside again. a few minutes later the nurse came in with breakfast and more pills. I went to use the privy while Jordan who was reading the newspaper waited. It was then that I looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn"t one who focused on superficial things but even I knew I looked horrible. I had dark circles under my eyes and my right side was all swollen and discolored. Even my right shoulder looked swollen in the sling the doctors had put it in. I tried to tidy myself up the best I could and headed back to Jordan. He was reclining in a chair. The newspaper was discarded on a small table. I thought he looked just as handsome as ever of course it could be the drugs that were making me think that then again it probably wasn"t. When he saw me he got up and helped me back to bed making sure I was settled he began his report. "I know your wondering what is happening and I will tell you but first, the doctors said to tell you that you will be released this afternoon. You don"t have a concussion and only have mild bruising. You will be coming home to my townhouse rather then your apartment. I did send someone to get some belongings from your apartment," without waiting for me to reply he continued. "Agent Krantz is in critical but stable condition. At the moment the doctors aren"t sure whether he will pull through but they remain optimistic. I know you"re worried about Mr. Wilkins and I am afraid to say that you have reason too be concerned." He held up his hands for me to be silent and continued. " I waited for him until I got the call from headquarters about you and Krantz. I left someone there to wait for him but he never showed. I then went to the address he gave you and it was deserted. There was no sign of forced entry but then there was also no sign that anyone had even been staying there." "At the moment we are treating him as a missing kidnapped person but that could always change." He paused allowing me to take it in before he continued. "Now there is some more important business to attend to Jess. Wilkins stated that his father had gotten in with some mob criminals. We believe that we know what crime family he got into. The Calistoga crime family, they deal in drugs, weaponry, and human trafficking. They are not very nice people. We never had a case or enough evidence to prosecute them. I know you want to get back to work but I think it is best if you do that you work from home." Noticing I was getting dreary, "you rest and I"ll be back later to pick you up." He kissed me on the forehead again and left. I slept for the next three hours and by the time I awoke I was refreshed and ready to get out of the hospital. Jordan came back with some fresh clothes and toiletries. While he took care of checking me out I took a shower and tried to make myself presentable that was trial some considering of the greenish color of my face on the right side. When he was done he helped me to his car and drove me to his townhouse, which was going to become my home for the next couple of days. I got settled and slept the rest of the day away. I woke up around seven and Jordan got me some dinner to eat in bed. "are you okay?" he asked concerned sitting on a chair. I smiled at him. "Yes I"m fine except for a couple scrapes and bruises I have never been better," I said cracking a joke and pushing the tray away. He got up and took it and then sat on the edge of the bed. For the second time in three days my heart started to beat faster and faster. He took my hands and kissed both of them. "I just want you to be okay Jess. I know you don"t like me worrying about you but I do." Jordan then kissed me on the lips. After several minutes he stopped and looked at me with an expression that made my heart melt which doesn"t do that a lot. "Goodnight Jess," and with that he got up and left me pondering. That night I couldn"t sleep. My thoughts and feelings were all confused. I had feelings for Rob yet Jordan kissed me. It wasn"t the fiery furiousness that Rob"s kisses were. Jordan"s was sweet and gentle and set me off in whole different directions. There was also the tiny matter of where was Rob? Why hadn"t he called? It seemed he had left just as mysteriously as he had come if he had even left of his own free will. Then their was the last question the one that was most important. Who wanted Krantz, Rob and myself dead so badly? And if Rob was right who wanted his father dead? I fell into a pitiful sleep late at night and woke up late in the morning. I woke up in time to tell Jordan about a few things I needed of my computer and to say good-bye to him. I then busied myself getting a glass and cereal and started eating breakfast when my cell phone rang. "Hello?" I asked. "Is this jess Mastriani speaking?" a craggily voice asked. I guess he wasn"t one to screw around with pleasantries. "Yes, it is. Can I help you with something?" I answered respectfully. "Yes. Yes you can. I"m Rob Wilkins father and I am in dire need of your help." I stared in disbelieve at the phone. I made a mental note to never ever eat cereal again. love kat

With the pouch of Gil safely tucked away he made his way down to the waterfront. A wharf was constructed on the banks of the freezing Finath River. It was here that barges made their way up to trade with other cities. He crossed over a simple stone bridge with low railings. On the far side he saw that a traveling band had set up a tent and attractions. Fortune telling and maypoles held no interest for him but the barker"s speech outside the large tent caught his attention. "...half woman, half animal! Nowhere in Ivalice can you see such wonders for so little! Only twenty Gil!" The barker was a dapper man with a handlebar mustache and raven hair slicked back. He stood under the entrance flap of the tent so his bright red trousers and vest did not get wet. "How much again?" asked Germonik. "Twenty Gil!" replied the barker eagerly, "Ah, a visitor from another land." "In a manner of speaking," he replied pulling out two ten-Gil pieces. "As am I," said the barker with a twinkle, "I always appreciate a man of the world." "Show me the creature," stated Germonik tersely. "A man who speaks his mind!" replied the barker cheerfully pulling back a tent flap, "Take a seat anywhere." In the gloom Germonik saw a few benches arranged in a semicircle around a box covered by canvas sailcloth. He took a seat and let the water drip off his cloak onto the floor. Another patron got up and moved a few prudent benches further away from him. Not that he blamed him; he would have avoided himself as well. Finally the barker lured enough people into the tent and took his place next to the box. "We are all curious about the unknown and unexplainable...," he began. "Just open it already!" barked a satisfied customer behind Germonik. "I give you the result of a hideous grafting experiment of the demented alchemist Rugeven!" he yelled dramatically as he pulled away the sailcloth. Beneath was a cage containing what look at first like a dark-skinned woman with frazzled snow white hair. But looking closer he could see large ears like a Dreamhare"s and a small fluffy tail on her posterior. Long nails protruded from her elongated fingers and toes. She was dressed in a shapeless grey tunic and had a collar chained to the four corners of the cage. Her amber eyes lifelessly scanned the crowd that pressed up close for a better view. "A Viera," murmured Germonik thoughtfully as he rose from his seat. "Gentlemen, please do not poke the creature," ordered the barker sternly, "She cost a fortune!" Germonik pushed in between two other shady looking men so he was close to the Viera"s tattered right ear. "Viera," he whispered, "You are far from Eruyt village and Wood you once knew." Her eyes suddenly came to life, but she didn"t look up at him. "Imperial are you?" she whispered back, "Far from home are you as well." "How you must hate Humes," he guessed, "Would you kill us if you had the chance?" She simply nodded. He placed the wrapped pistol on the floor and slowly pushed it into the cage, where she quickly covered it with her hand. "Don"t disappoint me," he said and turned to leave. "Where are you going, friend?" demanded the barker, "You haven"t seen her performance yet!" Germonik felt like his skin would crawl off. "I have seen all I wish to see," he said between gritted teeth, "I wish you a smooth journey." The barker released his arm and stared at him slightly fearfully. Germonik smiled and walked out into the rain. He was halfway across the bridge when he heard the first shot. The second and third followed a moment later. Then pandemonium as the crowd screamed and ran for their lives. In his haste, one of the customers knocked him over the railing. He plunged into the icy waters and found himself dragged under by his armor and the fierce current. Well, if he drowned, that would finish things. "Do your worst!" he howled up to the thundering heavens in between gasps. Sometime later he slowly opened his eyes to see he was sprawled on a muddy riverbank near a stand of trees and tall grasses. Wildflowers bloomed nearby as he tried to get up and failed. It was then he noticed the man walking towards him. Although the stranger was dressed in a white robe, his feet weren"t dirty. He had a noble face with piercing hazel eyes and long silver hair that flowed past his shoulders. He carried a walking staff in one hand and smiled benevolently down at him. "Judge Germonik Albecross of Archadia," he said in a melodious voice, "What do you seek?" It didn"t occur to Germonik to be surprised that the stranger knew his name; he must be in the afterlife. "I just want...," he pondered, "Justice." "Follow me and you shall have what you wish for," said the stranger holding out a hand. "At what price?" he ventured squinting suspiciously up at him. "You must give up all attachments to this world," replied the man in white. "Let me consider it," said Germonik as he closed his eyes sleepily. "As you will." At first it was dark, but then he found himself standing in a large airy hall. Around him were Imperial soldiers in armor like himself. A Judge Magister was facing him and he could vaguely hear shouting. There was a sharp crunching sound of metal piercing metal. Looking down, he saw a sword protruding from his chest, right through the heart.... Geromonik woke up with a start, bathed in sweat. To his surprise he found himself in a four-poster bed with a canopy. He looked down and saw he had been bathed and was wearing a clean nightshirt. Faint sunlight drifted in through the latticework of the windows, illuminating a table and candelabra. Ornate tapestries hung on the walls depicting pastoral scenes of young women frolicking with chocobos. He pulled back the maroon blanket and tried to stand up, but found a dozen bruises all over arguing against that course. He sighed and slumped back onto the pillow. The door opened a crack and he heard a whispered conservation followed by some feminine giggling. "I hope you"re feeling better," said a woman striding into the room. She had long honey blond hair and bright blue-violet eyes. She wore a low cut blue gown that exposed her bosom, which was only partially concealed by a shawl. Some stray locks of her hair were bound with leather thongs and she wore a pendant around her neck. As she reached over to feel his forehead he caught the scent of her flowery perfume. Up close she was older than he had first guessed, but no doubt she had dyed the gray out of her hair. "Thank you, er, Miss...?" he began haltingly. "Madam, actually," she corrected quietly, "Madam Violet." "Geromonik," he replied, "How did I get here?" "You can thank Hilde," said Violet, "She"s waiting outside." Geromonik turned to the door and saw the Viera from before walk in. She was now dressed in a form-fitting black suit with a familiar looking red vest over it. "Greetings again," she said in a slightly husky voice. "You saved me?" he wondered still staring at the vest, "I thought you hated Humes." "I do, but save for a few," she replied glancing at Violet. Suddenly he had another thought. "Did you see another man where you found me?" he demanded, "A man in white?" She shook her head. "You were alone and delirious," she replied, "I thought it best to bring you here." "Hilde was working for me when she was kidnapped," said the Madam, "Thank goodness you found her." "Working here...was she-?" he began but was unable to complete the sentence. Violet laughed politely behind an unfurled fan. "Heavens no," she said, "She was working as my chef." "I made soup," added Hilde indicating an empty tureen on the table. "You were in a fever for days," added Violet, "You are quite lucky." "Perhaps not," he stated dryly as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Violet rose and took his arm to steady him. "So tell me why an Archadian Judge has paid Zarghidis Trade City a visit," she said. "I thought we were in Zeltennia," he said, his mind racing, "And I"m not a Judge anymore." "Fired were you?" wondered Hilde. In shock he looked at her but despite her bluntness he saw nothing but curiosity in her eyes. "In a manner of speaking," he said with a wry smile as he felt the scar on his chest self-consciously. "Are you in any pain?" inquired Violet leaning close to him in a way he found unnerving. Not that he was repulsed by her but he had shunned human contact for a long time and it was almost unbearable to experience it again. "I"ve had worse," he said brushing off her concern, "I"m sorry I cannot repay your hospitality." "I don"t want your Gil," said Violet stiffly, "You have something far more valuable you can give me." "Like what?" he wondered. She smiled uneasily, which she tried to conceal behind her fan. "Stop by Madam Violet"s when you are next in Zarghidis," she explained enigmatically, "And I"ll tell you." "Let us take our leave," said Hilde, "Our guest needs to rest." Out in the hallway a gaggle of young women were waiting. "How is he?" asked one. "Is he feeling better?" inquired another. "Can we help him?" suggested a third coquettishly. "Off with you girls!" barked Violet sternly gesturing with her fan, "He needs rest!" At that the girls quickly retreated to their rooms. "Like him, do you?" said Hilde. Violet looked at her helplessly and simply nodded. "Any man who would save a Viera he does not know," she stated reaching up to gently touch Hilde"s ears, "Has my gratitude and admiration." "I will go," she said, "Protect him I will." "Where is he going?" wondered Violet. "That I know not," admitted Hilde, "But go he must." Violet couldn"t reply to that; she simply embraced her old friend. Some time later Geromonik emerged from the room with his hair and beard neatly trimmed, wearing his armor and cloak. Someone had spent a lot of time cleaning off the rust and polishing the metal chestplate, still bearing the twisted serpentine symbol of Archadia. He walked to a courtyard where he found Violet and Hilde waiting by a small reflecting pool. The Viera noted with amusement her mistress admiring the Archadian while bashfully hiding her face behind her fan. He certainly had an air of nobility about him. "Again, you have my thanks," he said quietly, "But I have to take my leave." "Come by anytime," replied Violet extending a hand, which he took and kissed. "Let us depart then," said Hilde, gathering up her Sirius gun and a bag of ammunition. He stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. Who was he to argue with her? "It"s your funeral," he muttered. Chapter 2 The sun rose in the sky, burning away the mists that concealed the mountain peaks. Still the valleys were in shadow as the pair of golden-feathered chocobos made their way through the mountain pass. The giant birds were wearing leather harnesses and blinders that kept them calm. The mountains were made of white granite, covered with green grass and trees that thinned out to summits covered with snow. Germonik for once was glad for his cloak and scarf to fight off the cold. He wondered how Hilde could cope wearing so little clothing, but her dress seemed typical compared to the Viera he had seen in Archades. "Mount Germinas," she intoned pointing with a long finger. He followed her gaze to a tall majestic mountain that loomed to their left. "I"ll bet the view is lovely," he ventured. "Seen it I have not," she admitted. "Why not then?" he suggested. She looked at him blankly for a moment and then jerked the reins. Her chocobo began scaling the steep trail that led up to the peak. He quickly followed, finding the thinning air was winding the birds. Eventually they reached the top, where a staircase had been carved out of the rock. Germonik dismounted and led his mount up to the remains of a wooden platform and foundations. While he was still puzzling over their purpose, Hilde walked over and tied up the chocobos and left some greens for them to eat. "Guard post," she explained, "The border of Zeltennia." "What lies beyond?" he asked staring down the valley. The view was certainly magnificent. It was like they were on an island in a sea of clouds. Far below to the east he could make out a shimmering lake with a small village on the shore. "Poeskas Lake," she said, "And beyond lies Limberry." "Another kingdom?" he mused, "How many are there?" "Seven," she explained. "Another set of squabbling states," he sighed, "Just like Nalbradia and Dalmasca." "Better than Imperial vassals?" she countered. He looked at her and then chuckled softly. "Perhaps you"re right," he admitted. Together they watched the sunrise. It took them hours to ride down from the mountains into the flat plains of Limberry. Germonik finally spotted the village he had seen from the summit. It had a sad dilapidated air to it, like it would soon fall down. Although that would be a favor to everyone; ramshackle huts leaned into each other and fishing nets were stretched out along the shore. The smell was wood smoke mixed with dried fish. As their chocobos reached the center of town they noticed the crater. It was off to one side the size of a house, with steep pitch-black walls. A small crowd of townspeople were gathered around the edge, carrying garbage and fish bones. One by one they began to hurl trash into the center. "Horrid beast!" "Filth!" "Spare us from your poison!" "What"s going on?" demanded Germonik. The villagers looked up in surprise; most of them quickly retreated to their huts. "Not expecting company?" wondered Hilde as they dismounted. An elderly man emerged from the largest house and hobbled towards them using a cane. "Who are you?" he wondered, staring agog at Hilde"s ears. "Hilde," she replied then inclined her head, "Judge Germonik." Germonik opened his mouth to object, but decided to play along. "I"m Gras," said the old man, "I"m the mayor of this village." "What happened here?" inquired Germonik, trying his best to look dignified. "That accursed alchemist!" snapped the mayor angrily, "He got blown up in one of his crazy experiments!" Germonik walked over to the edge of the pit and peered down. The bottom was dark, but he could make out a pile of decomposing trash. "And you use it as a garbage pit now?" he wondered. He froze in his tracks when he saw movement in the pit. "We deposit all our refuse in there now," said Gras, "And our hatred." "Hatred?" asked Hilde. "Yes, we use it as a scapegoat. Things are much worse since the explosion. The fish are dying and our livelihood is in danger." Germonik jumped into the crater, sliding down the steep walls. At the bottom he found himself knee-deep in garbage. "Hello?" he called out. He pulled out a stick and cast a fire spell on it to make a torch. A small shape stirred to life and retreated to the far end of the pit. "Your Honor!" protested the mayor. "Don"t worry," said Germonik defensively, "I won"t hurt you!" He waded carefully through the broken furniture and bones to see a small girl cowering under half of a fish rack. She was dressed in filthy gray rags and her right eye was covered in a bandage. "Horrid beast," she whispered. "Sorry?" he said, blinking. "I have sinned," she added, touching her bandaged eye. "What crime?" he asked. "Father wanted to learn things," she said, "Forbidden things." Germonik could hardly contain his disgust; he almost wished that Judge Bergen would pay a visit to loot and burn this place. He knelt down and held out a hand. "What is your name?" "Megara," she replied, "Although Father just called me Meg." "I"m Germonik," he said with what he hoped was a smile, "Let"s look at that eye." "No!" she screamed, flames erupting around her. The fires spread to all the old wood and Germonik staggered back, coughing heavily. He fell over backwards and slumped against the wall, shielding his seared face with his hands. As quick as they had appeared, the flames dispersed, leaving a smoldering crater behind. Sometime later Germonik came to, and looked up and saw Meg looking fearfully down at him with an emerald eye, her ratty auburn hair streaming behind her. "Please don"t die!" she was begging. "I"m not dying," he said as he sat up with a sigh. As he inspected his singed cloak he couldn"t help but notice that his burns were gone. "Did you do that?" he asked, "You"re far too young to get a License." She just stared at him mutely. He bent over and picked her up and began to climb out of the pit. As they reached the top, Hilde leaned in and took his hand. "I found her down there," he said, trying to contain his fury. Hilde and Meg inspected each other curiously. Then the Viera closed her eyes. "I sense Nethecite in her body," she explained analytically, "Shards embedded in her chest and eye." "It"s that damned Alchemist"s fault," moaned Gras, "We need her to punish in his place." Meg clutched desperately at Germonik"s arm. "As a scapegoat," said the Judge coldly, "Very well, I"ll give you one." With that he shoved the mayor into the pit, where he screamed as he toppled down into the garbage. That brought out the other villagers, carrying cutting tools and spears. Hilde drew out her gun as Germonik drew out a Deathbringer sword. Meg hid behind his cloak. "Let us pass," she warned. "You can"t take away our scapegoat!" protested a young man. "There is no justice in revenge," snapped Germonik, "She has committed no crimes here." "Her powers are killing our fish!" cried a young woman. "It"s the salt," explained Hilde, "Water leaves, but salt has stayed." "We"ll take a dozen of you down," stated the Judge grimly, "Before you kill us." With that the villagers backed off. Hilde and Germonik mounted their chocobos and then he picked Meg off the ground. "Please leave me," she protested, "They need someone to punish." "Let them find someone else," he said as he snapped the reins. The birds galloped off to the setting sun, back toward the mountains. It was time to call in a favor. It was dark outside when they reached the gate of Zarghidis Trade City. Meg had long ago fallen asleep in the saddle in front of Germonik. They reached the main square and returned the birds to the Moogle on duty at the stable. He carried Meg is his arms as they made their way down the back alleys that were mainly deserted. Hilde led the way to a row of tall houses with narrow gables fronting the street. She opened a wrought iron gate and they entered a magnificent garden of flowers and medicinal plants that glowed in the moonlight. "Why is she a Madam?" he wondered out loud, "She should have been a gardener." "Ask her," suggested Hilde standing at a covered porch. They entered through double doors into a luxuriously appointed parlor. Several men were lounging there, some of whom gave them a guilty look. Violet glided in, followed by several of her girls. "Ah gentlemen!" she said, "So sorry to keep you waiting." She stopped in her tracks when she saw Hilde and Germonik. "Ladies, please take of our guests." As her girls dealt with the clients, Violet led them into a back room where Germonik laid Meg in a large bed. After he carefully tucked her in, they then walked out into the corridor. Hilde wordlessly headed out to the kitchen out back. "Orphan is she?" she inquired as she shut the door. "Yes," he replied, "How did you know?" "I was one myself," she replied with a strained smile, "It shows in the soul." "I"m sorry to ask yet another favor," he began. "Another mouth to feed," said Violet with a faint sigh as she put a hand on her hip, "I suppose it can"t be helped." "Violet!" he snapped his anger flaring up, "I mean...I...." She held up a hand and waved it dismissively. "It"s okay, I deserved that. Don"t forget that I"m a businesswoman, and I have to think of profits." He stared at the wall and then suddenly turned back to her. "Why sell yourself though?" he demanded, "Surely you could be selling flowers or herbs or jewelry." She laughed and unfurled her fan. "Of course I should," she retorted, "But I"ll need something from you first." "I told you I have nothing to offer," he stated morosely. "I want your name," she said, shyly taking his hand. It took him a moment to understand what she meant and even longer to realize she wasn"t kidding. He pulled his hand away forcefully and turned to face away from her. "T-that is the one thing I cannot give you," he stammered, "Not after what happened to my family." "You"re married?" she wondered, looking crushed. "I was," said Germonik sadly, "But Celeste died after a plague struck Archades." "And you had a child," guessed Violet glancing at the door where Meg slept. He couldn"t speak, but his distraught expression answered that question for her. She reached out and touched his face gently as she placed her other hand on the back of his neck. "Consider it a business arrangement," she whispered, "You get funding; I get respectability." He was flabbergasted. "How could we?" he wondered, "Surely you"re well known in Zarghidas." "We could leave together," she suggested, "Start over somewhere else." "You"d really do that," he stated flatly. It wasn"t a question; he knew she meant it. "Few decent men come to knock on my door," admitted Violet, "This may be my, no, our last chance." "Redemption," he murmured, "It may be too late for me." "But not the rest of the world," she countered, "You still want to bring justice to this land." He had to laugh at that. "Guilty as charged," he said with a defeated smile, "I suppose I can"t refuse." "Let"s just say it would be unwise," she said with a smirk.

Kelvina climbed up the side of Marinebasher. She flipped open a lever and the hatch opened. She threw a small bundle down and Billy caught it. "What is this?" he asked. "It"s for the children," she replied, "Unwrap it after I"m gone." The hatch swung down and sealed with a faint hiss. Everyone backed away as the thrusters on the end of Marinebasher"s fins fired up. The gear levitated and swiveled around. Then with a loud bang it rocketed off toward the ocean. As it vanished over the horizon, Billy undid the strings the bundle. A small wooden carving of an angel with one wing rested in his palm. He handed it to Primera, who held it up for the other children to see. "Brother Billy, is that an angel?" asked Lucy. "Yes she was," said Billy staring off into the distant waters. Chapter 2 The sun was setting over Nortune, casting the tall metal buildings in long shadows. A muscular olive green skinned giant lumbered through a back alley lined with garbage. Ricardo Banderas had a bright orange mane of hair flowing up and back, partly obscuring his long pointed ears. Small glowing yellow eyes with slit pupils glared from dark pits in his face. He wore baggy red pants with huge boots and metal riveted gloves decorated his fists. On his neck was a large metal ring shaped detonation collar. He paused to survey the people hurrying past him and noticed how little the city has changed in his absence. A gaudy neon sign advertised a nearby pub. The Wildcat Pub was packed with people. Some workers were laughing as one of them was drunkenly trying to sing along with a sappy love song playing on the jukebox. The waitress ran hurriedly to and fro as she tried to keep up with all the orders. A mole demi-human sat alone in a corner, morosely nursing a drink. Most of the customers recognized him and quickly looked away. As he got close to the bar, he could make out the bartender talking to a blond woman in a pink frilly dress. "And it"s purple, with a really biiig sword," she was saying in a slightly grating, high pitched voice as she spread her arms out wide. The bartender shook his head. "Nope, haven"t seen it." They both turned towards Rico, the woman gasping in shock. "Hello Champ," said the bartender amiably, "What"ll it be?" "Tequila," said Rico as he sat down, making the stool creak, "And don"t call me Champ." The bartender nodded and put a bottle and a small shot glass on the countertop. Rico pushed the glass away and began drinking straight from the bottle. "It"s really you Mister Champ!" said the annoying woman. He glanced at her. "You still here?" She nodded vigorously. The bangs of her long hair mostly hid her jade green eyes. Something about her innocent expression struck a familiar chord with him. "We met before?" he asked gruffly. "Absolutely Mister Champ!" she said, putting her hands together, "I looove your fighting technique!" "Hmph!" he grunted, "I don"t need Arena groupies." She stared at him solemnly and then began to giggle uncontrollably. He rolled his eyes and tried to savor his drink in peace. "You really don"t remember me?" she asked, delighted. He slammed the bottle on the counter. "Why, should I?" "I guess not," she said impishly as she placed her hand on his arm. "You can call me Bunny." He took another swig of the bottle, pulling his arm free. "Buzz off." She exhaled sharply in frustration and turned to regard the other patrons. Her face lit up as she saw a female dragon demi-human walk into the pub and take a seat further down the bar. Bunny elbowed Rico sharply. "Hey!" he snapped irritably. "Did you see her?" she asked excitedly. "Who?" asked Rico, instantly regretting the question. "That"s the dragon lady the mole man likes," she said cheerfully, "But he"s too shy to talk to her." "Yeah so?" he responded impatiently. "I"m gonna help him!" she said as she stood up. He grabbed her arm. "Don"t bother them!" he growled. She blinked in surprise. "Why?" "People like to be left alone," he said darkly. She began to grimace. "Owie." Feeling horrified, he quickly released her arm. "Sorry." "It"s okay," said Bunny smiling broadly, "I"m the angel of love!" He watched her bound over to the mole man. "The angel of love?" he echoed in disbelief. She leaned over the table and began whispering something to the mole man. He replied shakily after which she nodded. She waved to him as she ran over to the dragon girl. The mole man cautiously walked over to Rico. "H-hello," he stammered, clearly intimidated by him. Rico eyed him questioningly. "It"s quite an honor Champ," added the mole man, intertwining his claws. "Don"t call me that," replied Rico wearily. "Sorry!" said the mole man bowing hastily. Rico waved a hand. "Forget it." They both turned to see Bunny return with the dragon girl. Rico felt a slow sinking sensation that he was screwed. "I"m truly honored to meet you Mister Banderas," said the dragon girl bowing politely. Bunny handed Rico a pen and two scraps of paper. "Thanks for doing this," she said playfully. Rico"s brow furrowed in puzzlement. Then he looked at the mole man and dragon girl and sighed deeply. Reluctantly he signed his full name on both scraps of paper. He handed a piece of paper to each of them. "Wow! Thanks!" gushed the mole man. "You"ll always be the Champ to us!" said the dragon girl. Rico felt acutely embarrassed. "Yeah, well." They walked together to the mole man"s table and began to talk animatedly as they compared signatures. Rico glowered at Bunny. "You sneaky bitch!" he snapped. She giggled. "I"m sorry." "Like hell you are!" he said returning to his drink. "But you helped these people," she replied. He sat there and sulked. She sighed and stood up. "I"m sorry to be a bother Mister Champ," said Bunny as she walked toward the door. He suddenly stood and began to follow her. "Wait a minute!" he said. He reached for her shoulder but caught a lock of her hair instead. As she walked away the whole mop of hair came off her head. He stared down at the wig in his grip, then up to her quizzically. Her real hair was a mass of bright pink spikes with two large pink floppy ears that folded down to violet colored tips. "Seraphita!" he snarled. Seraphita grinned nervously and waved. "Oh gee, hi there!" He swung a massive fist at her. She hopped over him, using his shoulders as a springboard. "You tricked me!" he bellowed swinging around to face her. "Wait!" she pleaded, "Let"s not fight!" "Please take it outside!" shouted the bartender. Rico smashed the bottle over the back of a chair. The pieces of glass tickled softly as they hit the hardwood floor. Then he turned and headed out the door. Seraphita reluctantly followed him. Outside darkness had fallen, the moon bathing them in a mysterious glow. He threw the remains of the bottle against a wall. "You made me waste a perfectly good bottle of tequila," he groused. "I"m sooo sorry Mister Champ," said Seraphita, looking contrite. "What"s with the get up?" he demanded. She held up the fringes of the skirt and curtseyed. "Do you like it?" "That"s not the point!" he snapped. She nodded solemnly. "Commander Ramsus told me I had to look inconspicuous." Rico gaped openly at her, his fangs showing. "This is your idea of inconspicuous?" "Uh-huh," she said. He burst out laughing, putting a hand to his forehead. She began to laugh along uncertainly with him. He guffawed uproariously clutching his sides in pain. "So why are you really here?" he asked between chuckles. "I"m looking for Dominia," she replied, "Have you seen her?" "Maybe," he said suddenly serious, "What"s it worth to you?" Seraphita steeled her resolve. "Whatever it takes!" "Fight me then," he said evenly. She sighed and put up her fists. He walked over and put a massive hand on top of hers. "Not here, in the Arena," he clarified. She blinked. "You mean with gears?" He nodded. "Tomorrow evening." "But what-" she began. He shook his head. "No buts." Seraphita"s face lit up with understanding. "All right!" He patted her on the head. "Good girl." She reddened in the face a bit. He turned and walked off into the night. She watched after him for a long time. The lights went up in the room, brilliantly illuminating everything inside. The paddock was a tremendous hanger style building with metals walls and ceiling, with bare wires and pipes running between the steel girders. In the center of the room rested an enormous gear in the shape of a lion. It was brilliant pink with white trim. In the center of the forehead was a triangular seal. Two massive wings swept back from the shoulder blades and three claws protruded from each metallic foot. Rico stepped away from the light switch, faintly conscious of the distant roar of the crowd. He looked over to see Seraphita clutching one of the legs, whispering quietly with her eyes closed. He noticed she was in her familiar Element uniform now: a skintight red shirt with a green gem at the white collar, matching red wide shouldered gloves, and a pink sash around her midsection. A white and pink fluffy tail peeked out from her rump. She eventually opened her eyes and noticed him. "Hello there Mister Champ!" she said brightly. "What are doing?" he inquired. She giggled. "I"m talking to Grandgrowl." "Talking?" he asked looking up at the fearsome jaws. "Sure, I talk to him all the time," she explained. "Whatever," he said evenly, "Just remember I won"t go easy on you." She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!" "Fine," he said as he ambled out. She placed a hand on Grandgrowl"s paw. "I hope he"ll help us Growly." She climbed up the leg to the mane, tapping on a small square hatch, which swung open. She climbed inside and pulled up a series of levers. Grandgrowl roared to life, the lights in the eyes burning fiercely. She pulled back on the handles and pressed the foot pedals. It began to lumber toward a pair of massive doors that slowly opened. She blinked a bit against the glare of sunlight streaming through the viewers. She could make out a huge crowd seated in the circular arena muttering excitedly at her entrance. A vast grassy plain was spread out before her. "Our first surprise challenger is the lion gear Grandgrowl," echoed an announcer"s voice, "Piloted by the spunky little fireball known as Seraphita!" A huge roar erupted from the crowd as they waved their hands in excitement. "Uh, hi everyone!" she said through her loudspeaker. She saw doors on the far side of arena creak open. She magnified the view and saw an ungainly colossal green gear mounted on wheels. It had a mask with slits for a face and an enormous cylindrical tank bolted to its back. The left arm ended in pincer like claws. "And our second surprise challenger is the giant gear Stier," said the announcer, "Piloted by Nortune"s own former champion, Ricardo Banderas!" The crowd went wild, getting to their feet and cheering. Stier raised a claw and dropped it back to its side. "He"s big, but he"s not invincible Growly," reassured Seraphita. "May the best gear win!" said the announcer. Stier fired up its engines and careened wildly at her. Grandgrowl roared and spit out a glowing ring of energy straight at Stier. Rico maneuvered out of the way as Seraphita pounced on top of him, knocking him over. Stier swung its massive feet up and kicked off Grandgrowl, which flipped over in mid-flight and landed on its paws. They both fired off their thrusters and began circling each other warily, searching for a weak spot. "You"re really terrific!" said Seraphita through her speaker. "You"re not going to win by sucking up!" taunted Rico"s voice from Stier. Grandgrowl and Stier both shot out waves of energy that collided and canceled each other out. Stier lurched forward and pounded Grandgrowl with a punch to the face then an uppercut that sent the lion gear flying. Seraphita gritted her teeth and plowed forward biting Rico across the head, then pummeling him with both wings. They separated again, retreating to opposite ends of the arena. "You"re good!" shouted Rico, "But not good enough to beat me!" "We"ll see!" replied Seraphita. Seraphita leapt into the air and rocketed down of top of Rico. Stier caught Grandgrowl and flipped upside down, pummeling it into the ground. Explosions rocketed across the surface of Grandgrowl and its head drooped low. "And the victor is Ricardo Banderas!" yelled the announcer. The crowd cheered lustily for their former champion. Stier turned and regarded the mobs of chanting fans. The top hatch on Grandgrowl popped open and Seraphita climbed, shaking all over. "I can"t loose!" she said on the verge of tears, "I have to find Dominia!" The front hatch on Stier swung open. Rico clambered out grinning triumphantly. "Better luck next time bunny girl," he sneered. "Wait, I"m not done yet!" said Seraphita defiantly. Rico laughed. "Your gear is toast!" "Fight me one on one!" said Seraphita desperately. Rico shook his head. "You"re beaten, just accept it!" Seraphita leapt over to Stier and started pummeling Rico with her fists. "C"mon fight me you big coward!" she taunted. Rico shoved her backwards and watched her land on the grass below. "No one calls me a coward!" he roared. He leapt onto the ground as she just barely hopped out of the way. "It looks we"re having a rematch," said the announcer in wonderment, "Except this time without the gears." The crowd began to cheer and chant Rico"s name as he swung his fists at Seraphita, who nimbly dodged. She put her hands together and began to glow with a red aura. A pillar of fire surrounded Rico, searing him. He howled in pain and grabbed her by the throat. She gasped and choked as he shoved her headfirst into the ground. She flailed and then kicked him off. She shakily got to her feet and wiped blood away from her mouth. "I can"t lose!" she said, her green eyes aflame. Rico gestured her to get him. She sent a series of flying kicks into his chest, which felt like hitting iron. As he began to chuckle she switched to hitting him in the face. He bellowed and grabbed one of her feet but she managed to kick herself free. She glowed green for an instant and looked revived. He glowed with an intense aura and knocked her down with an outstretched arm. The then pummeled her with blows to her face and stomach. She skidded backwards into the grass. He then ran and leapt on top of her pinning her beneath his massive weight. When she stopped moving he sat up, breathing hard. "Had enough bunny girl?" he demanded between pants. Her bloodied body did not stir. He reached down to her throat, suddenly worried. There was a weak pulse. He gently scooped her arm into his arms, marveling how light she was as he rushed back toward Stier. "Another victory for the Champ...oh, it looks like his opponent was badly hurt," said the announcer. Stier fired up its engine and raced back toward the paddock. Cradling Seraphita in his arms, Rico hoped he wasn"t too late. Seraphita opened her eyes weakly, staring up at a kindly woman with dark hair. "How do you feel?" she asked. Seraphita looked around the threadbare metal walled room, with only a few chairs and a table. "Where am I?" she asked. "I"m the doctor for D-District," replied the woman, "You"re in my house." "How did I get here?" asked Seraphita gingerly touching the bandage around her forehead. "Rico brought you here," said the Doctor, "He was pretty upset." As the memories flooded back, Seraphita began to sniffle. "Hey," said the doctor, "Are you in any pain?" Seraphita grabbed the Doctors arm and began to sob. "I lost!" The Doctor patted her head reassuringly. "That"s okay, we all lose sometimes." "But I failed Dominia and Commander Ramsus!" she wailed. "You work for Ramsus?" asked the doctor in surprise. "Yeah, and he"ll never forgive me!" cried Seraphita. The Doctor sighed. "Rico, can you come in here for a minute?" she asked loudly. The door swung open with a bang and Rico rushed in. He knelt next to them. "Will she make it?" he asked. "She"ll be fine," said the Doctor. "Can you give us a minute then?" he asked with an edge in his voice. She nodded and walked into the back room. Seraphita buried her head in her arms. "Look, I"m sorry," said Rico hanging his head, "I know you hate me, but-" Seraphita looked up, tears still spilling out of her eyes. "I don"t hate you Mister Champ." Rico frowned. "Then why the hell are you blubbering like a baby?" "Because I failed the Elements," she said, dropping her head onto the pillow, "I can"t face them again." "Seraphita," said Rico sadly, "I don"t know anything about Dominia"s whereabouts." She looked up in shock. "But you said-" "I lied, all right?" he snapped, turning away in disgust, "You wouldn"t have won either way." She blinked on confusion. "But why?" "I wanted to fight you," he said. Seraphita painfully pulled herself upright. "That"s the way I measure people"s worth," he muttered, staring at his claw tipped hands, "By strength." She wobbled over to him and fell against his back. He turned around and held her up by the shoulders. "I"m fine," she said. He shook his head, "I may have beaten you, but I didn"t win." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his huge neck. "Seraphita," he protested. "Shh," she said, "You need a hug from the angel of love." Rico stared at his hands, completely unsure of what to do with them. With a free hand she pulled his arms around her shoulders. His breath made her ears gently sway. "This is wrong," said Rico his heart hammering. "I bet you love hugs," she replied. He looked away. "Bull!" he said with more conviction than he felt. "I"m sorry too Rico," she said evenly, "I saw you in the bar and well, I tried to meet you as a normal person." "I"m not normal," he corrected. "Well then none of us are," she replied. Rico stood there, holding this tiny slip of a girl is his arms and remembered a similar feeling from a long time ago. There was a polite knock on the door. The Doctor crossed through the room, doing her best to ignore them as she answered the door. A soldier in a long gray overcoat and a round black helmet saluted. "Sorry to bother you Doc," he said, "But we"re here for the Element." She peered at the dozen or so soldiers standing behind him and opened up the door all the way. Rico pulled away from Seraphita and crossed his arms angrily. "N-now we don"t want any trouble," said the soldier nervously. "It"s okay," said Seraphita, touching Rico"s arm, "I"m ready." The soldier saluted and escorted her outside. Rico followed them. "Thanks a million Doc," he said. "Anytime," she said. A steely man with an iron gray beard and moustache pounded away at an organ console, wrenching out a powerful but melancholy tune. He was dressed in flowing royal red robes and a small pointed hat. A servant in a gray coat appeared behind him. "The Element is here your Majesty." "Show her in," he responded. The door opened and Seraphita walked in. She stared at the Emperor in awe. He stopped in mid note and turned to look at her. "So, you"re one of Ramsus" Elements." "Yes Your Majesty," she said, bowing courteously. "I"m Seraphita the Element of Fire." "I"m Sigmund, the Emperor of Kislev," replied the old man. "Your Majesty-" began the servant, but he stopped when the Emperor held up his hand. "I"m pleased to meet you," she said bowing again. "That was quite a performance yesterday," said Sigmund. She gasped. "You saw the arena battle?" He nodded. "Both of them, on an unofficial basis of course." She looked down at her feet. "I didn"t do very well." "I think you did better outside of the battlefield than inside," said Sigmund with a twinkle. "Huh?" said Seraphita, "I don"t understand." "Never mind that," he said waving a hand in dismissal, "Let"s cut to the chase." She nodded; nervously resigned to whatever fate he had in store for her. "What do you think of Ricardo?" asked the Emperor eventually. She gaped openly. "Uh, oh, he"s a great guy!" "So you like him?" he asked. She thought it over and nodded. "Yeah." "Good, you may go now," said Sigmund, turning back to his console. Seraphita stood there and stared, completely bewildered. The servant took her by the elbow and guided her out the door. She glanced back at Sigmund as he began to play a new thunderous tune. The door shut behind her. He was losing himself in the reverberating melody when the door opened again and the servant returned. "I have to plan for the future," said the Emperor. "Of course your Majesty," said the servant bowing. "What did you think of her?" asked Sigmund. "A complete ditz with a soft heart and a hard head," said the servant superciliously. "Quite," said Sigmund with a smirk, "She"ll do." The servant waited for further elaboration, but the Emperor simply played out the fearsome tune. He bowed and walked away, once again mystified by his liege"s motives. Seraphita walked down the massive marble staircase leading into the Imperial Place. She saw Rico pacing nervously in the courtyard below, a cordon of soldiers keeping a watchful eye on him. He rushed up to her. "Are you all right?" he demanded, putting his hands on her shoulders. She nodded. "Yeah, I"m fine." "What happened in there?" he asked. She frowned slightly. "I"m not really sure." Rico stared at her, equally mystified. "Thanks for worrying about me though," she said smiling.

"I wasn"t mad at you," she said finally looking at the ceiling, "I was really angrier at myself." "Oh," he replied uncertainly. After a few minutes of silence she spoke again. "I"m glad I saw you again Tom," she said, "I felt bad about what I said." Tom waved his hand. "Don"t worry about it," he said evenly. "I can be a real bitch sometimes," she added frowning slightly, "Say what kind of tattoo is that?" He followed her gaze down to his arm. He pulled up the sleeve to expose the whole tattoo. "It"s a Hellmouth," he explained, "The entrance to Hell." "Do you believe in Hell?" she whispered. "Yes," he said gravely, "I may go there one day." "Or sooner," she added darkly. "What do you mean?" he inquired. "Does this hospital have a furnace?" she asked evasively. "Yes," he replied, looking lost. "Go over to my purse and look inside," she instructed, pointing with one of her restrained hands. Reluctantly he walked over to her purse and opened it up. "What am I looking for?" he asked. "A puzzle box," she said. Tom pulled out the box and saw it for a second time. In his bare hands it felt like it was both there and not there. "Do you want it?" he asked holding it out to her. She paled and began to shudder. He instantly regretted asking and set the box down. "Just burn it," she said, "They"ll be coming for it." "Who are they?" he asked. "You said you believe in Hell, Tom," said Amy, "This will take you there." A cold sweat broke out on Tom"s forehead. "Really?" he asked in amazement, "They want your soul?" Amy nodded in grief. "Promise me you"ll destroy it," she begged. "I-I promise," he said. Thomas decided that he would bring the box to Doctor Wentworth. Maybe with his help he could save Amanda"s soul from damnation. Chapter 2 Doctor Wentworth eyed the puzzle box with the appraising eye of a jeweler as he turned it over in his hands. Tom stood a respectful distance on the other side of the ornate oaken desk. "Have you ever heard of Philippe LeMarchand?" the Doctor asked abruptly. "No Doctor," said Tom blankly. "I doubt you know much about seventeenth century toy makers Tom," explained Wentworth with an indulgent grin, "This was his masterpiece." He set the box on the blotter, where Tom stared at it, half expecting it start moving on its own. "What is it?" he asked after a long pause. "Nobody knows for sure," said Wentworth, "But the Lament Configuration has passed through many hands over the centuries." "So this box has blood on it?" whispered Tom, somehow knowing instinctively that it had. Countless people must have killed and died for its secrets. He could almost hear the cries of the damned through the wooden sides. "Maybe we should destroy it, as she wished," he ventured, trying to ignore the gnawing fear in the pit of his stomach. "If the stories are true, then it"s impossible to destroy," said Wentworth sympathetically, "Do you really believe it can really summon demons though?" Tom nodded slowly. "I"ve already been to Hell," he explained quietly, "One that I made myself." "I doubt opening the box is such a good idea then," said the Doctor dryly, handing it back to Thomas, "But I"ll leave that choice with you." Tom fidgeted with the Lament Configuration nervously as he tried to work up the courage to ask a question. "Doctor, why did you save me?" he asked finally, "Was my life really worth it?" "I was just doing my job," said Wentworth with mild annoyance, "And yours is to save the souls of others." Tom bowed his head, feeling guilty for entertaining such doubts. "Forgive me," he said folding his hands on the desktop. "Don"t be silly Tom," said Wentworth patting his hand consolingly, "Now, I"m counting on you." Later Tom went down to his basement room and lay on the mattress, idling fiddling with the puzzle box. He turned it this way and that, looking for a seam or hinge. Frowning, he couldn"t find one; that LeMarchand guy must have been a devilishly clever man. Finally he noticed that the sunburst had a raised rim. He ran a fingernail into the box and traced a circle around the edge. He almost had it.... "Room sixteen," intoned Mike"s voice on the intercom, "code fifty-five." Tom threw the box on to the table next to the photograph of Martha and started to run. Too impatient for the elevator, he ran up the emergency stairwell, taking two steps at a time. The fluorescent lights on the stairwell dimmed briefly then snapped back on. He wondered if the generator was on the blink again as he pulled open the door and ran down the hallway, nearly knocking one of the nurses over. "Hey!" she barked angrily. He ignored her and raced down to the end of the corridor and into room sixteen. Mike and the middle-aged nurse were struggling to hold Amanda still as she writhed in bed, screaming. "They"re going to get me!" she yelled before coughing violently. Tom brushed past Mike and put a hand on Amy"s shoulder. "Miss Black, listen to me!" he exclaimed, "You were just having a bad dream!" It took her a moment to focus on him and recognize his voice. "Tom?" she rasped, "Am I...?" "You"re safe," he said quickly, "I burnt the box." Her relief was overwhelming as tears streamed out of her eye. "Oh, thank God," she said as she slumped back down into the bed. "She"ll be fine now Mrs. Mills," said Thomas to the nurse. "Wait, what did you burn?" wondered Mike. "Just a memento," replied Tom. He noticed as the adrenaline was wearing off how truly frightened he was. He started to release Amy, when she seized his arm with a manacled hand. "Don"t leave me!" she begged. "I won"t," he said reassuringly, "Michael, why don"t I take over?" "Sure," said Mike after taking a deep breath, "I could use a break." He inclined his head to the door and Nurse Mills followed him out of the room. Tom pulled a chair over with his free hand and sat next to her bed. In the silence the only sounds he could hear was the drip of the IV and the faint hissing of oxygen. "I can"t stand it," muttered Amy eventually, "I hate being so weak." "You"re stronger than you think Miss Black," stated Tom hopefully. She glanced up at him and squeezed his hand gently. She almost feared his hand would break, as if he was made of porcelain. "That"s sweet of you to say Tom," she countered, "But you"re still wrong." He began to chuckle hollowly. "Maybe I am," he replied, "But I still have faith in you." Amanda frowned at that. "How can you?" she asked, looking a little peeved, "You don"t even know me." "I knew her," he said with a distant, nostalgic look, "She would be your age now." "Who is she?" she inquired. "Martha Winterburg," he explained nodding over to the bed by the window, "You could have been twins." Amy half sat up and followed his gaze. "She was in this room?" she wondered. "Ten years ago," he added, "Right after I started working at Saint Matthias." "And she died, right," said Amy, finishing his thought for him. He merely shrugged. "I"m not so sure now," he said with a faint smile, "I"ll introduce you to her tonight, if you feel up to it." Amanda nodded, with a growing sense of dread. She wasn"t so much scared of Tom as scared for him. His spirit seemed to have crumbled until almost nothing was left. "Let me help you Tom," she said thinking fast, "My way of saying thanks." "That"s not necessary Miss Black," he said hastily, "Your getting better is all the thanks I need." "Get my billfold out of my purse," she said releasing his hand. He reached in and pulled out a leather wallet, which she unsnapped and pulled out a small card, which she held out to him. "What"s this?" he asked looking down at the card. It had a street address written on it in an elegant cursive. "Write this down: two, four, one, five, five" she said, "Look in the front hall closet." "For what?" he asked, still looking lost. But he took a pen from his shirt pocket and scribbled down the numbers. "The safe," she said simply, "Help yourself." "You want me to rob your house?" he sputtered, looking aghast. She laughed quietly as she gestured him to come closer. He leaned over her to hear better and she planted a kiss on his cheek. He backed away into the wall, blushing. "You know, you"d be cuter if you lost the moustache," she said with an impish smirk. Later on Tom was sitting alone at the back of a bus, making its way along a late afternoon thoroughfare. He was now dressed in a hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, a ratty green canvas backpack by his side. The only other passenger was an elderly woman who glared at him warily. When he crossed to the front of the bus to get off, he noticed she clutched her purse closer to her side. He stepped down to the sidewalk and idly touched his cheek with a hand. The bus took off and he walked down a side street. The street number wasn"t necessary since there was only one house that had burned. It was halfway up a tree-lined street, surrounded by yellow and black tape cordoning the area off. The house was a two story brick, with the roof completely gone, the timbers sticking out like ribs in a corpse. Half the windows were broken, the paint peeled away by the heat. He walked up the driveway to the backyard and put on a pair of gloves. He didn"t need to pick the back door lock, since it was already unlocked. He walked into a kitchen, covered with soot, the wallpaper half gone, the furniture smashed. He crossed into the front staircase and pulled open the closet. The safe was tucked in the corner, under a pile of singed clothing. He was surprised to find several men"s suits and jackets among the women"s shoes and overcoats. A set of five pins were mounted in a circle on the front. Within seconds he had the safe open. Inside were several bundles of hundred dollar bills, a handgun with an ammunition clip and several plastic bags. Each one contained hundreds of pills in different colors, like so much candy. Scanning the brand names, Tom quickly realized that they were all prescription medicines that were commonly used at the hospital. He unzipped his backpack and stuffed the contents of the safe into the bag. As he turned to leave he noticed a framed picture on the wall. Amanda was in a black dress sitting on a man"s lap, both of them smiling to the camera, with his arm around her waist. He was middle aged and good looking, with brown hair and green eyes. Tom guessed from his grey suit that he was a businessman of some sort. With a sinking feeling he knew this was the man Amanda had loved. Of course, a woman like her could have any man she wanted. Well, he decided that was all right, she still needed his help. It was unfair for him to get his hopes up like this. The next picture over sat in a cracked glass frame and looked like an artist"s rendering of the puzzle box. Frozen in his tracks, Tom peered intently at the details. They matched perfectly, the wooden sides, the brass etchings. Sweat broke out across Tom"s brow as he pondered the significance of that. Had Amanda collected the Lament Configuration deliberately? Or had this man tricked her? Amanda was counting the minutes down to midnight. As soon as Tom came in, she knew that she had been right. With his moustache now gone, his face looked softer, less feral. He had also combed his hair back away from his eyes, accentuating his high cheekbones. "Wow, I didn"t recognize you for a minute," she said with a smile. He scratched his head awkwardly. "Thank you Miss Black," he stammered, "I did what you asked." He placed the bills into her locker by the wall. "Wait, I said you could have the money," she said. He shook his head as he helped her up into a sitting position. "I would only misuse it," he said sadly. "How many years have you been clean?" she asked knowingly. "Ten and half-," he began before abruptly stopping, "I mean Doctor Wentworth helped me to get better." "I"m sorry to pry Tom," she said sadly, "But I can read people pretty well." "What do you think of the Doctor?" asked Tom, suddenly curious. "Sorry, but I don"t trust him," she replied coolly. "Well, he can help you," said Thomas, "But it takes time to build up trust." She nodded slowly. "You said I could meet Martha tonight," she ventured. "See the tree?" he asked, gesturing out the window. Amy glanced over and saw the thin and scraggly grey braches. "Martha loved that tree," he explained, "I often found her talking to it." "Can you take me to it?" she asked. He nodded and pulled a wheelchair in from the hallway. He then undid her wrist restraints and helped her sit up. Tenderly, he picked her up and sat her in the chair. Despite that she gasped in pain and coughed heavily. He then switched her canula to a portable oxygen tank attached to the back of the wheelchair. "Are you ready?" he asked eventually. "Are you kidding?" she asked, "I thought I"d never leave this room!" He wheeled her out in the hall past the nurses" station. Nurse Mills glanced at him questioningly. "Doctor Wentworth approved," he stated, "She needs to be more active." "Well don"t overdo it," she cautioned. Tom wheeled Amy out of Ward B past the elevators and cafeteria. He then turned around a corner down a side aisle. Several gurneys were lined up against one wall and several windowless doors on the other side. He unlocked one unlabeled door and propped it open. Amy felt a cool night breeze on her face as she looked into the muddy courtyard. But the tree in the middle looked sad and twisted. Only a weathered picnic table kept it company. "What a poor tree," she murmured. "Martha felt the same," he said, "That the tree was just like her." Tom pushed the wheelchair into the courtyard so she was in the middle. She reached out and put a hand on the rough bark. Glancing up, she saw something glinting in the darkness. Tom pulled a heart shaped locket from one of the lower branches and pressed it into her palm. "This was hers?" she asked snapping it open. A lock of black hair rested inside, along with a picture of a little girl. It looked just like her seventh grade yearbook photograph. "I"ll give it back to you," he said quietly. She gasped and looked up at him fearfully. "I-I can"t keep this Tom," she said. He smiled in a strange and distant way and returned the locket to the branch. "I couldn"t save her Miss Black," he said wistfully, "But maybe I can save you." She shook her head violently. "I don"t want some Galahad to come riding to my rescue," she said miserably, "I made this mess myself." "You wanted the box?" asked Tom, thinking of the picture. "Tony gave it me for my birthday," she began her eyes widening in horror, "He was torn to pieces!" "I"m sorry," said Tom. "He was a louse," she added almost casually, "But nobody deserves to die like that!" "I didn"t mean to upset you," he added. "I"m such a coward," she said hanging her head and looking down at her bandaged writs. "They wouldn"t be able to reach you?" he asked. She nodded meekly as tears streamed down her face. "I"ll take you back now Miss Black," he said. Within minutes they were back in room sixteen, where he helped her back into bed. As he was reattaching her oxygen supply she asked a question. "What did you do with the gun and the pills?" she inquired. "I incinerated the drugs and disposed of the gun," he averred, "Nothing can implicate you now." "If you were smart, you"d blackmail me," she said coyly. "If I wanted money, I would"ve taken it already," he retorted firmly. "You"re a strange guy Tom," she wondered aloud, "You"re decent in all the wrong ways." He walked over and carefully reattached her wrist restraints. "Miss Black, you are more right than you"ll ever know," he said taking her hand, "Thank you for everything." "Call me Amy please," she said longingly. He pulled his hand free and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" she demanded. "I will free you," he said with a creepy smile. She was too stunned for words as he left the room. He stopped at the nurse"s station for a moment. "Mrs. Mills, I need to get something," he explained, "I"ll be back soon." "Okay Tom," she answered, "Don"t be long." Tom took the elevator down to the basement and retrieved the backpack from his pallet, along with the candle and picture. He then went to the break room and out into the courtyard. Lighting the votive candle, he placed it carefully at the base of the tree along with the picture of Martha. He then pulled out the Lament Configuration and began turning it in his hands, pushing in one of the smaller circles with his thumb. A wedge-shaped section lifted up and out before retracting again. Then the every other sunray lifted out with wooden slats connected to each, twisted an eighth of a turn and settled in so that it now looked more diamond shape than cubical. Swirling winds blew into his face and he saw dark clouds gathering in the nighttime sky. A crack split up one of the courtyard walls and rumbled open, revealing bright cold blue light. A second crack opened up behind him. Both led to long twisting arched dark corridors. Grimly determined, Thomas pulled the gun out of the backpack and stuck it into his waistband. Then he pulled the locket from the branch and pocketed it. "Take me you bastards," he muttered, "You"ll find my soul a lot more appetizing." Far above through a second story window, Karl Wentworth watched Tom enter one of the tunnels and disappear from view. This had worked out even better than he had originally planned, he thought. "Give "em hell Tom," he said with a self-satisfied chuckle. Chapter 3 After ten minutes Thomas knew he was lost. The dark corridors ran into frequent intersections at odd angles, with a labyrinthine layout. The walls were made of cold stone, with a curved roof supported by pillars at regular intervals. He was surprised; he always pictured Hell as being hot, full of fire and brimstone. Finally he reached a door, a large oaken affair with a brass door knocker. With a shock, he recognized it as the front door of Amanda"s house. Tentatively, he pushed the door open. The hallway inside was the same as he had remembered it. A long staircase led up to the second floor, with the railings gone. The white wallpaper was cracked and peeled, exposing the singed woodwork slats. He crossed over into the kitchen and found the ruined table and furniture, the plastic coffeemaker twisted and warped into an abstract sculpture. The only difference was the corpse. It had once been a man, now horrifically burnt into little more than a charred skeleton that sat in a chair at the table. Its skeletal hands rested on the tabletop, a gold watch decorating one wrist. What was left of the suit was grey flannel; it was the same suit as the man in the picture. "Tony," said Tom, his voice quivering, as he drew out the pistol and began searching the room. From the hair rising on the back of his neck, he could tell that they were nearby.... "Hey, that"s my gun," said a raspy charnel voice. Tom turned to see the corpse staring at him with piercing green eyes. Tom screamed and backed into the stove, knocking several pots and pans onto the floor. "I"m s-sorry," he stammered hysterically. "How"d you get it?" demanded the corpse frowning. "Miss Black gave me the c-combination," he replied nervously, wondering how he could be holding a conversation with a corpse. Of course, he realized: this was Hell. "Amy made it?" inquired Tony casually. When Tom merely nodded, he let out a deep sigh. "Got a light?" he inquired. Thomas took a pack of cigarettes from his backpack and held it out. "Thanks, kid," he muttered as Tom lit the cigarette for him. He took a deep drag and the smoke drifted from his charred lips and between the ribs in his chest. "Should you be smoking?" wondered Tom, feeling insanely foolish for asking. "You really miss cigarettes here," stated Tony as he indicated a chair, "Have a seat." Tom slowly sat in a ruined chair and placed the pistol and backpack on the tabletop. "She"s in Saint Matthias hospital," explained Thomas hopefully, "I came here to offer my soul for hers." "You"re crazy," rasped Tony incredulously, "You have any idea what it"s like here?" "Some," replied Tom as he rolled up a sleeve, exposing the tattoo and faint needle marks on the inside of his elbow. "I deal only with prescription drugs," sniffed Tony as he narrowed his eyes at Tom warily, "Not that ghetto shit." "I"m not here to judge you," said Tom somberly, "I came to save Miss Black." Tony took another long drag on the cigarette before replying. "You like her, huh?" he murmured, "So what did that whore promise you?" "Don"t call her names...," began Thomas defensively. Before he could finish Tony had reached across the table and grabbed the pistol. "Don"t mess with me, pal!" he screamed in a terrible voice as he raised the gun, "She should be here instead of me!" "I-I...," said Tom raising his hands. "She opened the box, not me!" he bellowed, "That bitch deserves to burn!" "But you gave it to her...," said Thomas. "Karl wanted the box to be tested," said Tony coldly. "Karl...Wentworth?" whispered Tom, "Oh God." Back in room sixteen, a cold eerie light woke Amy up. She looked over to the window and saw the scraggly grey tree lit up from behind by a strange blue light. "Tom, what have you done?" she breathed. With difficulty she managed to pull herself into a sitting position. She paused for a breath and then swiveled her legs over the side of the bed. Gasping, she pulled the wheelchair over. Amy then climbed into the chair. She was fumbling with the oxygen tube when Wentworth strolled in.

Skyghene swooped in from overhead and knocked Stier over. It then expertly dodged fire coming from Renozukan, which was shooting with one arm and cradling the other against its chest. Marinebasher plowed sideways into Renozukan, knocking it through a building and out the other side. Brigand had brought out the whips and lashed Marinebasher"s flanks. "I need backup," said Kelvina, still calm. Renozukan stood up slowly and deposited Primera on top of a building. "Stay down Prim," said Billy"s voice. Primera ran over to the edge of the building and looked down. She spied a gear sitting in the middle of a partially collapsed building. It was painted a majestic purple with a long curved sword a visor obscuring the single lifeless eye. At once Primera knew it was Bladegash. Renozukan raked fire across on Marinebasher, still held in the grips of Brigand"s whips. Skyghene knocked the gun out of Renozukan"s grip. "Curse you!" said Billy, drawing out his back up pistols. Brigand retracted the whips for a moment as Marinebasher fell sideways on the ground. "Kelvina!" shouted Tolone. Brigand lashed out the whip again but found them wrapped around the blade of a long sword wielded by Bladegash, it"s single eye glowing a menacing crimson. "What the hell?" sputtered Bart. "Dominia!" said Seraphita, "Thank goodness!" Grandgrowl tackled Renozukan from behind. Stier caught Skyghene and flung it into the side of a skyscraper. "Something"s wrong," said Kelvina weakly. Bladegash stood over Marinebasher and pulled on the whips, drawing Brigand closer. Bart disengaged his whips. Renozukan managed to throw off Grandgrowl and glanced at a nearby rooftop. He saw Primera raise her right hand. He then turned and saw Bladegash raise its sword arm. "Wait Bart!" cried out Billy, "Primera"s trying to protect Kelvina!" In Skyghene Tolone followed Renozukan"s gaze. "Amazing," she muttered. Brigand lunged forward and began lashing Bladegash vigorously with the whips. Bladegash cut one of the whips off at the base then struck Brigand across the chest. Skyghene flew over to the rooftop and caught Primera in its clutches. Primera began to scream wildly. "Elements, retreat!" ordered Tolone. Grandgrowl and Marinebasher fired their engines and rocketed toward the exit. Bladegash pulled itself free and took off after Skyghene. "Primera!" shouted Billy. Renozukan took off after the Elements. Billy got there just in time for the elevator doors to close. "No!" he shouted, opening fire. Stier caught up and managed to restrain him. "Billy calm down!" roared Rico. "They have Primera!" said Billy, nearly hysterical. "We"ll get her back!" said Bart. In the elevator Grandgrowl and Marinebasher struggled to restrain Bladegash. "Dominia please, it"s us!" begged Seraphita. Primera fainted and Bladegash suddenly fell limp in their grip. Seraphita climbed out of Grandgrowl and managed to pry open the cockpit hatch. She gasped when she peered inside. It was empty. Chapter 5 Primera was vaguely aware of a shadowy presence. Slowly she opened her eyes to see a girl with bright pink hair and long bunny ears staring at her. Her green eyes sparkled. "Hi there!" she said waving, "I"m Seraphita." Primera reached out and touched Seraphita"s face, then began curiously tugging at her ears. "Owie!" protested Seraphita, "Hey, they"re real!" They both looked up to see a banged up Marinebasher settle into the bay next to them. Kelvina climbed out. Primera tried to sit up but saw she was still in the metal talons of Skyghene. "Tolone, let her go!" said Seraphita. The giant bird relaxed its grip and Seraphita pulled Primera free. She began sniffling and immediately ran over and embraced Kelvina. "Primera?" said Kelvina in shock, "How did you get here?" The little girl just sobbed and Kelvina picked her up and cradled her in her arms. "How"d you know her name?" asked Tolone as she jumped to the ground. "I"ve met her before," said Kelvina. "Wow, that"s great!" said Seraphita, "You"re already friends." Tolone smirked. "She may be the key we need." "Where"s the lock?" asked Seraphita blankly. Tolone sighed and began to walk away but Kelvina"s voice stopped her. "Promise me something," she said. Tolone didn"t turn around. "What?" "This child must not be harmed," said Kelvina holding Primera close. "She"s just a lamb," said Tolone. "Promise me," said Kelvina in a dark undertone that Tolone had never heard before. "Of course," said Tolone, "She"s of no use to us dead." Tolone left through the double doors. Seraphita put her hand on Kelvina"s shoulder. "Don"t worry, I"ll look out for her," she said quietly. Kelvina nodded. "Thank you." Seraphita leaned in close to Primera. "Aw, the poor thing must be terrified." Primera reached for her ears again and she backed away. Seraphita giggled. "Leave my ears alone!" "Her name"s Primera," stated Kelvina. "Can we be friends?" asked Seraphita as she held out a hand. Primera looked up at Kelvina and then put out her hand. Seraphita took it. Aboard the Yggdrasil Bart knocked on a door. "Billy?" he asked. There was no answer so he tried the door. Locked. He punched in the override code. The door slid open and he peered into the darkness beyond. Bart began to sweat. "Billy, are you in here?" "Come in," said Billy"s voice, "Leave the lights off." Bart walked in and found as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he could make out the form of Billy praying at the foot of his bed. The jacket and holsters hung neatly on hooks on the wall. A book lay open on the nightstand. "This was meant to happen," said Billy eventually. Bart frowned. "What do you mean?" "She was meant to be taken," explained Billy quietly, "It had to happen." "You"re nuts!" said Bart shaking his head, "I don"t buy that stuff about destiny!" Billy permitted himself a faint smile. "That"s because you wish to escape it." "Yeah, maybe," said Bart slumping in a nearby chair, "But nobody ever gives me a break about it." "Join the club," said Billy as he slowly stood up. Bart switched on the light switch. Billy stood dressed in dark gray pants and a bright green shirt. He smiled to Bart as he began to strap on his holsters. "I"ve chosen to place my faith in Kelvina," he said evenly, "She"ll take care of Prim." "You so sure about trusting our enemy?" asked Bart in disbelief. "Adversaries, "corrected Billy, "And sometimes that is the nature of faith." He put on the long jacket pulling his arms through the sleeves. "Are we still following them?" he asked. Bart stood up. "Yeah, we"re keeping far behind, but as long as they don"t use a gate we"ll be able to track them." Billy nodded. "Good." He walked out into the corridor. Bart followed him out, switching off the lights as he went. In a conference room Ramsus stared down at Primera doubtfully. She merely looked back at him, puzzled. "Run this by me again," he said slowly, "And don"t leave anything out." The Elements exchanged glances. "We found her in the Zeboim metropolis below the lighthouse," began Tolone, "I saw her demonstrate sympathetic powers." "So she feels sorry for us?" asked Seraphita gushing, "That"s so niiice!" Tolone ignored her. "She was able to remotely influence Bladegash." "Remotely?" interjected Ramsus, "So Dominia wasn"t in her gear?" The Element"s expressions answered that question for him. "I recommend we put her in Bladegash," suggested Tolone. "She"s just a lamb," said Kelvina. "Lamb or not, we may be able to use her to find Dominia," retorted Tolone. Ramsus looked down at Primera. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Put her in the gear," he said darkly as he strode out of the room. Kelvina looked downcast. Primera rubbed her eyes and yawned. "We"ll begin tomorrow," said Tolone. "Time to sleep," said Seraphita, "My favorite time of the day!" They walked down a hallway and entered into a long room with a pair of bunk beds on opposite walls. Primera could immediately identify the occupant of each. She hopped onto the lower right bunk decorated with mobile made of seashells and a sculpture of a dolphin. "Looks like she found your bunk," said Tolone with a smirk Seraphita stripped off her uniform, leaving just a sleeveless white shirt and shorts. She bounced onto the opposite top bunk. She picked up a stuffed pink lion and held it out. "Wanna play with Growly?" she asked. Primera pointed to another stuffed animal on Seraphita"s bunk. She sighed and tossed down a stuffed blue dolphin. Primera squeezed it tight. "She likes Bashy better," said Seraphita sadly. Kelvina smiled quietly as she took off her own uniform. Underneath she wore black form fitting long underwear. "Just keep her quiet," said Tolone, now wearing an undershirt and boxers. She undid her ponytails. "She can"t speak," said Kelvina putting her hand on Primera"s head. "She"s got a healthy pair of lungs," retorted Tolone now brushing her hair, "I heard her screaming earlier." "Yeah but that isn"t talking," said Seraphita sitting cross-legged on her bunk. Kelvina gestured for Primera to get under the covers. Kelvina then tucked her in. "No one will hurt you, I promise," she said. Primera nodded. "Will you help us find Dominia?" asked Seraphita. Primera thought about it and nodded. Kelvina began to stand up but Primera grasped her hand. She nodded and lay down next to her. "Aw, how cuuute!" said Seraphita, hugging her lion. "Just get some sleep," muttered Tolone as she slumped into the lower bunk under Seraphita. Seraphita hit the switch and rolled over. They drifted off together. The next day Ramsus sat looking at a monitor on his desk. Miang entered the room through a side door. "Couldn"t sleep again?" she asked. "I"ve almost forgotten what that word means," he said as he watched the Elements lead Primera into the hanger bay. They stood before Bladegash. It sat in the fourth bay, the fingers interlaced together around the hilt of the sword as if it were meditating. They walked up a staircase to a catwalk that led behind the gears. Primera began to look fearful as they reached the access hatch for Bladegash. "This is Dominia"s gear," said Seraphita, tapping the hatch. "She knows that already," Kelvina pointed out. "Just open it up," muttered Tolone. Primera nodded and to Tolone"s surprise slid up an almost invisible access panel and pushed a button that caused the hatch the smoothly swing open. "How did she-" began Tolone. Primera climbed inside. Kelvina began strapping her in place. "Now just focus your thoughts on Dominia," explained Kelvina, "Just picture her in your head." "Can she really fly Bladegash?" asked Seraphita nervously. "We"ll soon find out," stated Tolone grimly. "We"ll be right behind you, ok?" said Kelvina. Primera nodded solemnly. Kelvina took a step back and the hatch slid shut. "Let"s go," said Tolone. Ramsus watched as the Elements boarded their own gears. "Find her safe," he murmured. Bladegash awkwardly stood and started lumbering toward the bay doors. The doors slowly opened up, revealing a blue ocean far below. Primera began to feel dizzy. "Picture yourself soaring like a bird!" said Tolone. Bladegash fired its boosters and took off into the sky. A moment later Skyghene flew out, followed by Marinebasher, and finally Grandgrowl. They caught up to Primera. "Are you alright?" asked Seraphita. Bladegash nodded. Seraphita began to giggle. "Can you take us to Dominia?" inquired Kelvina. Bladegash began heading north. They had to fire their rocket engines to keep up with her. The four gears flew in a cross formation with Bladegash in the front and Grandgrowl to the rear with Marinebasher and Skyghene to the sides. They passed over small island chains and large stretches of open water until the sun began to set in the sky. Eventually they came upon an island with a large forest. As they followed Bladegash they saw a plume of smoke coming out of the center of the forest. Bladegash landed in a clearing next to a circular house nestled in the deepest forest. Smoke was curling from a chimney on the roof. The Elements landed nearby, and Tolone climbed out cautiously. "Hello?" she called out. Kelvina went over to Bladegash and opened the hatch. Primera sat in the cockpit, dwarfed by the pilot"s chair looking white as a sheet. Kelvina gingerly unstrapped her. "We always feel like this after our first time in a gear," explained Kelvina. Primera climbed into Kelvina"s arms. She carried her outside as Tolone approached the door and knocked. "Maybe nobody"s home," suggested Seraphita. "Go away!" barked a grouchy old voice from behind the door. "Sounds like someone is home," said Kelvina. "We"re here for Dominia," yelled Tolone. The door opened a crack, revealing a rotund old man in a white jumpsuit. Small black eyes peered out of a blue face with a fringe of white hair. "I"m the only one here!" said the old man, "Now get lost!" He began to close the door, but Tolone stuck her foot in the way. "Now, that isn"t very polite," said Tolone with a deadly smirk. "Are you sure she isn"t here?" asked Seraphita, looking worried. "We have reliable information she was here," said Kelvina. The old man paused at that. "What sort of information?" They all turned to look at Primera. The old man let out a huge sigh and opened the door. "Wipe your feet first!" he groused. Primera and Seraphita dutifully wiped their feet as Tolone tracked dirt onto the hardwood floor. She admired a pair of giant cylindrical tanks in the center of the room. Tolone began playing with one of the control panels. The old man swatted her wrist. "Stop touching things!" he admonished, "This equipment is very delicate." Tolone crossed her arms. "I know how a nanoreactor works." The old man stared at her strangely for a minute. "You must be Tolone then," he said eventually. She blinked. "How did you know my name?" she asked. "My name"s Taura," said the old man, "And your friend Dominia told me." "Where is she?" asked Seraphita. Taura pointed to an interior door. Seraphita ran through to the next room. Everyone followed her to find a young woman lying in a small cot next to the curved wall. She has dusky skin and long white hair. Her uniform hung on a hook above her. Seraphita was gently shaking her. "She isn"t waking up," said Seraphita. Tolone began to tremble. "What"s wrong with her?" "She was like this when I found her," said Taura, "I tried scanning her brain." They all stared at him expectantly. He cleared his throat. "We"ll have to wait for your boss," he finished. "Why?" asked Kelvina. Taura shrugged and set a tea kettle on the stove. "He was the reason she left in the first place." They heard a rumble overhead. Seraphita peered out a small window. "The boys are here!" she said. Tolone followed her gaze and groaned. Outside Stier was inspecting Grandgrowl. "Elements!" boomed Bart"s voice through his gear"s loudspeaker, "Release your hostage at once!" Kelvina patted Primera"s shoulder. "Go to your brother." Tolone blinked in amazement. "She"s the Etone"s sister?" she demanded. Kelvina nodded. Tolone walked over to the door and leaned against it. "Then she"s our trump card," she said. Kelvina shook her head. "I can"t let you do that Tolone." "You can"t let me?" sputtered Tolone. Taura sat by a small table and poured himself a cup of tea. "What a racket," he grumbled. "I won"t let you either!" said Seraphita. Tolone laughed grimly. "You can"t even tie your own shoes!" Kelvina smirked faintly. "Can you defeat both of us?" Tolone looked between them and moved aside. Kelvina opened the door and Primera ran into the front room. She turned to look at Kelvina who nodded. She pushed open the front door and ran outside. She looked up to see Renozukan looming over her. "Prim!" called out Billy. Renozukan"s hatch swung open and Billy jumped to the ground. He swept Primera up into his arms and kissed her face. "Oh thank goodness!" he exclaimed. She began to sniffle and buried her head into his shoulder. "Wow, they let her go," mused Bart. Stier opened up and Rico jumped to the ground. "Those chicks aren"t so bad." Bart climbed out of Brigand. As he hopped to the ground the door to Taura"s house opened and Seraphita peered out. "Aw, I love happy endings!" she said gushing at Billy and Primera. "It"s the ditz," said Bart with his hands on his hips. She giggled. "You"re the cyclone guy." "She means Cyclops," said Rico. "Come on in guys," she said gesturing. Reluctantly they followed her in. The other Elements stood around in the front room, drinking tea with Taura. "I"ve had nightmares like this," muttered Bart. Billy walked over to Kelvina. He smiled shyly at her. "Thanks for looking after Primera," he said. She nodded demurely and handed him a cup. "It was my pleasure Mr. Black." Rico watched Billy and Kelvina talking. Seraphita sidled up to him. "I think I"m gonna be sick," muttered Rico. Seraphita blinked. "Why?" He shook his head. "I hate mushy scenes." Seraphita elbowed him. "I"ll bet you"re a really mushy guy deep down!" Rico snorted. "Dream on, bunny girl!" "Where"s your twin?" asked Tolone. Bart frowned for a second. "You mean Sigurd?" "Tell him you really suck at cards," she said with a glint. "So why is everyone trampling over my house?" demanded Taura. "We just wanted to get Primera back," said Billy. "And we came for Dominia," said Kelvina. "Fine, take them both and get out!" he snapped. Tolone disappeared into the back room and came out carrying Dominia over her shoulder. She had her uniform draped over the other shoulder. "Is it okay to move her?" inquired Kelvina. "Too late," said Tolone walking outside. She looked up to see Ramsus" ship slowly come into view. A golden gear with long wings descended from the rear bay and landed in front of her. It drew out its sword and scanned the nearby gears. "Where is he?" demanded Ramsus through the loudspeaker. "He"s not with them," said Tolone holding out Dominia"s prone body. Wyvern reached down and gently scooped up Dominia. Ramsus clambered out and sat next to her. "Why did you do this to me?" he muttered placing a hand on Dominia"s forehead. The Elements emerged from Taura"s house. They looked worried. "Oh, not him again," said Bart peering up at Wyvern. Taura shuffled outside. "Khar Ramsus, correct?" Ramsus looked up with a confused expression. "Who are you?" "You have to call her back," said Taura, "Then you can all get lost!" Ramsus stood up angrily. "You can"t talk like that to me!" "Commander, he took care of Dominia!" said Seraphita. "Maybe I should have let her die," grumbled Taura. Ramsus tried to remain calm. "Why is she like this?" "You should know that already," said Taura, "After all, you did it to her." "What?" demanded Ramsus, "How?" "I scanned her brain," pointed out Taura quietly, "You told her to go." Ramsus paled and looked away. "That can"t be true!" said Seraphita. "Why would you do that?" asked Kelvina. Ramsus refused to look at them. "I-she questioned Miang"s loyalty." "So you told her to leave!" snapped Tolone. Ramsus slumped next to Dominia. "I was angry." "Call her back," said Taura. Ramsus looked up helplessly. "How do I do that?" Taura sighed and looked at the Elements. "Ask them." He pushed between Bart and Billy and walked through the door to his house, slamming the door shut behind him. A second later it reopened and he deposited Primera into Billy"s arms. "What should I say?" asked Ramsus, looking adrift. "Tell her the truth," said Tolone. "Tell her how you feel," suggested Seraphita. "Tell her how much we need her," said Kelvina. Ramsus put his hands on the sides of Dominia"s face and leaned over so their foreheads were touching. "Dominia...I"m sorry," he began, "I was mad for a while but I didn"t really want you to leave. Please, I need you." Dominia"s eyes slowly opened. It took a minute for her eyes to focus. She blushed furiously. "Commander!" she asked, "What"s happening?" He pulled her into an embrace and tried to fight off the hot stinging tears. "I"m sorry Commander," she stammered, "It wasn"t my place to question your judgment." "Just shut up!" he snapped as he held her fiercely. The other Elements jumped up and hugged both of them. "Dominia you"re okay!" exclaimed Seraphita happily. "Don"t scare us like that!" lectured Tolone. "I"m glad you made it," said Kelvina. "Thank you guys," said Dominia quietly, "But what happened to me?" "It was all just a bad dream," said Ramsus, almost choking on the words. "Yeah, I guess it was," said Kelvina. "Thanks guys!" yelled Seraphita waving down to Rico, Billy, and Bart. Billy smiled and waved back. Primera followed suit. "I think this our cue to skedaddle," said Bart with a lopsided grin. Billy nodded. "This has been one frickin weird head trip," rumbled Rico. "Amen to that it," said Bart. They returned to their gears and flew out of the forest back to the Yggdrasil. A few days later they were sitting around a conference table when the door opened and a young man strode in with long brown hair gathered into a ponytail. A beautiful young woman with flowing orange hair stood beside him. "Fei, Elly!" said Billy, "How was your trip?" "A nice change of pace," said Fei glancing to Elly. They shared a secret smile. "We researched more of the history of Nissan," said Elly. "So, what did we miss?" asked Fei. They exchanged helpless glances. "Nothing much," said Sigurd finally. Rico and Billy nodded hastily in agreement.

"You sneaky bitch!" he snapped. She giggled. "I"m sorry." "Like hell you are!" he said returning to his drink. "But you helped these people," she replied. He sat there and sulked. She sighed and stood up. "I"m sorry to be a bother Mister Champ," said Bunny as she walked toward the door. He suddenly stood and began to follow her. "Wait a minute!" he said. He reached for her shoulder but caught a lock of her hair instead. As she walked away the whole mop of hair came off her head. He stared down at the wig in his grip, then up to her quizzically. Her real hair was a mass of bright pink spikes with two large pink floppy ears that folded down to violet colored tips. "Seraphita!" he snarled. Seraphita grinned nervously and waved. "Oh gee, hi there!" He swung a massive fist at her. She hopped over him, using his shoulders as a springboard. "You tricked me!" he bellowed swinging around to face her. "Wait!" she pleaded, "Let"s not fight!" "Please take it outside!" shouted the bartender. Rico smashed the bottle over the back of a chair. The pieces of glass tickled softly as they hit the hardwood floor. Then he turned and headed out the door. Seraphita reluctantly followed him. Outside darkness had fallen, the moon bathing them in a mysterious glow. He threw the remains of the bottle against a wall. "You made me waste a perfectly good bottle of tequila," he groused. "I"m sooo sorry Mister Champ," said Seraphita, looking contrite. "What"s with the get up?" he demanded. She held up the fringes of the skirt and curtseyed. "Do you like it?" "That"s not the point!" he snapped. She nodded solemnly. "Commander Ramsus told me I had to look inconspicuous." Rico gaped openly at her, his fangs showing. "This is your idea of inconspicuous?" "Uh-huh," she said. He burst out laughing, putting a hand to his forehead. She began to laugh along uncertainly with him. He guffawed uproariously clutching his sides in pain. "So why are you really here?" he asked between chuckles. "I"m looking for Dominia," she replied, "Have you seen her?" "Maybe," he said suddenly serious, "What"s it worth to you?" Seraphita steeled her resolve. "Whatever it takes!" "Fight me then," he said evenly. She sighed and put up her fists. He walked over and put a massive hand on top of hers. "Not here, in the Arena," he clarified. She blinked. "You mean with gears?" He nodded. "Tomorrow evening." "But what-" she began. He shook his head. "No buts." Seraphita"s face lit up with understanding. "All right!" He patted her on the head. "Good girl." She reddened in the face a bit. He turned and walked off into the night. She watched after him for a long time. The lights went up in the room, brilliantly illuminating everything inside. The paddock was a tremendous hanger style building with metals walls and ceiling, with bare wires and pipes running between the steel girders. In the center of the room rested an enormous gear in the shape of a lion. It was brilliant pink with white trim. In the center of the forehead was a triangular seal. Two massive wings swept back from the shoulder blades and three claws protruded from each metallic foot. Rico stepped away from the light switch, faintly conscious of the distant roar of the crowd. He looked over to see Seraphita clutching one of the legs, whispering quietly with her eyes closed. He noticed she was in her familiar Element uniform now: a skintight red shirt with a green gem at the white collar, matching red wide shouldered gloves, and a pink sash around her midsection. A white and pink fluffy tail peeked out from her rump. She eventually opened her eyes and noticed him. "Hello there Mister Champ!" she said brightly. "What are doing?" he inquired. She giggled. "I"m talking to Grandgrowl." "Talking?" he asked looking up at the fearsome jaws. "Sure, I talk to him all the time," she explained. "Whatever," he said evenly, "Just remember I won"t go easy on you." She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!" "Fine," he said as he ambled out. She placed a hand on Grandgrowl"s paw. "I hope he"ll help us Growly." She climbed up the leg to the mane, tapping on a small square hatch, which swung open. She climbed inside and pulled up a series of levers. Grandgrowl roared to life, the lights in the eyes burning fiercely. She pulled back on the handles and pressed the foot pedals. It began to lumber toward a pair of massive doors that slowly opened. She blinked a bit against the glare of sunlight streaming through the viewers. She could make out a huge crowd seated in the circular arena muttering excitedly at her entrance. A vast grassy plain was spread out before her. "Our first surprise challenger is the lion gear Grandgrowl," echoed an announcer"s voice, "Piloted by the spunky little fireball known as Seraphita!" A huge roar erupted from the crowd as they waved their hands in excitement. "Uh, hi everyone!" she said through her loudspeaker. She saw doors on the far side of arena creak open. She magnified the view and saw an ungainly colossal green gear mounted on wheels. It had a mask with slits for a face and an enormous cylindrical tank bolted to its back. The left arm ended in pincer like claws. "And our second surprise challenger is the giant gear Stier," said the announcer, "Piloted by Nortune"s own former champion, Ricardo Banderas!" The crowd went wild, getting to their feet and cheering. Stier raised a claw and dropped it back to its side. "He"s big, but he"s not invincible Growly," reassured Seraphita. "May the best gear win!" said the announcer. Stier fired up its engines and careened wildly at her. Grandgrowl roared and spit out a glowing ring of energy straight at Stier. Rico maneuvered out of the way as Seraphita pounced on top of him, knocking him over. Stier swung its massive feet up and kicked off Grandgrowl, which flipped over in mid-flight and landed on its paws. They both fired off their thrusters and began circling each other warily, searching for a weak spot. "You"re really terrific!" said Seraphita through her speaker. "You"re not going to win by sucking up!" taunted Rico"s voice from Stier. Grandgrowl and Stier both shot out waves of energy that collided and canceled each other out. Stier lurched forward and pounded Grandgrowl with a punch to the face then an uppercut that sent the lion gear flying. Seraphita gritted her teeth and plowed forward biting Rico across the head, then pummeling him with both wings. They separated again, retreating to opposite ends of the arena. "You"re good!" shouted Rico, "But not good enough to beat me!" "We"ll see!" replied Seraphita. Seraphita leapt into the air and rocketed down of top of Rico. Stier caught Grandgrowl and flipped upside down, pummeling it into the ground. Explosions rocketed across the surface of Grandgrowl and its head drooped low. "And the victor is Ricardo Banderas!" yelled the announcer. The crowd cheered lustily for their former champion. Stier turned and regarded the mobs of chanting fans. The top hatch on Grandgrowl popped open and Seraphita climbed, shaking all over. "I can"t loose!" she said on the verge of tears, "I have to find Dominia!" The front hatch on Stier swung open. Rico clambered out grinning triumphantly. "Better luck next time bunny girl," he sneered. "Wait, I"m not done yet!" said Seraphita defiantly. Rico laughed. "Your gear is toast!" "Fight me one on one!" said Seraphita desperately. Rico shook his head. "You"re beaten, just accept it!" Seraphita leapt over to Stier and started pummeling Rico with her fists. "C"mon fight me you big coward!" she taunted. Rico shoved her backwards and watched her land on the grass below. "No one calls me a coward!" he roared. He leapt onto the ground as she just barely hopped out of the way. "It looks we"re having a rematch," said the announcer in wonderment, "Except this time without the gears." The crowd began to cheer and chant Rico"s name as he swung his fists at Seraphita, who nimbly dodged. She put her hands together and began to glow with a red aura. A pillar of fire surrounded Rico, searing him. He howled in pain and grabbed her by the throat. She gasped and choked as he shoved her headfirst into the ground. She flailed and then kicked him off. She shakily got to her feet and wiped blood away from her mouth. "I can"t lose!" she said, her green eyes aflame. Rico gestured her to get him. She sent a series of flying kicks into his chest, which felt like hitting iron. As he began to chuckle she switched to hitting him in the face. He bellowed and grabbed one of her feet but she managed to kick herself free. She glowed green for an instant and looked revived. He glowed with an intense aura and knocked her down with an outstretched arm. The then pummeled her with blows to her face and stomach. She skidded backwards into the grass. He then ran and leapt on top of her pinning her beneath his massive weight. When she stopped moving he sat up, breathing hard. "Had enough bunny girl?" he demanded between pants. Her bloodied body did not stir. He reached down to her throat, suddenly worried. There was a weak pulse. He gently scooped her arm into his arms, marveling how light she was as he rushed back toward Stier. "Another victory for the Champ...oh, it looks like his opponent was badly hurt," said the announcer. Stier fired up its engine and raced back toward the paddock. Cradling Seraphita in his arms, Rico hoped he wasn"t too late. Seraphita opened her eyes weakly, staring up at a kindly woman with dark hair. "How do you feel?" she asked. Seraphita looked around the threadbare metal walled room, with only a few chairs and a table. "Where am I?" she asked. "I"m the doctor for D-District," replied the woman, "You"re in my house." "How did I get here?" asked Seraphita gingerly touching the bandage around her forehead. "Rico brought you here," said the Doctor, "He was pretty upset." As the memories flooded back, Seraphita began to sniffle. "Hey," said the doctor, "Are you in any pain?" Seraphita grabbed the Doctors arm and began to sob. "I lost!" The Doctor patted her head reassuringly. "That"s okay, we all lose sometimes." "But I failed Dominia and Commander Ramsus!" she wailed. "You work for Ramsus?" asked the doctor in surprise. "Yeah, and he"ll never forgive me!" cried Seraphita. The Doctor sighed. "Rico, can you come in here for a minute?" she asked loudly. The door swung open with a bang and Rico rushed in. He knelt next to them. "Will she make it?" he asked. "She"ll be fine," said the Doctor. "Can you give us a minute then?" he asked with an edge in his voice. She nodded and walked into the back room. Seraphita buried her head in her arms. "Look, I"m sorry," said Rico hanging his head, "I know you hate me, but-" Seraphita looked up, tears still spilling out of her eyes. "I don"t hate you Mister Champ." Rico frowned. "Then why the hell are you blubbering like a baby?" "Because I failed the Elements," she said, dropping her head onto the pillow, "I can"t face them again." "Seraphita," said Rico sadly, "I don"t know anything about Dominia"s whereabouts." She looked up in shock. "But you said-" "I lied, all right?" he snapped, turning away in disgust, "You wouldn"t have won either way." She blinked on confusion. "But why?" "I wanted to fight you," he said. Seraphita painfully pulled herself upright. "That"s the way I measure people"s worth," he muttered, staring at his claw tipped hands, "By strength." She wobbled over to him and fell against his back. He turned around and held her up by the shoulders. "I"m fine," she said. He shook his head, "I may have beaten you, but I didn"t win." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his huge neck. "Seraphita," he protested. "Shh," she said, "You need a hug from the angel of love." Rico stared at his hands, completely unsure of what to do with them. With a free hand she pulled his arms around her shoulders. His breath made her ears gently sway. "This is wrong," said Rico his heart hammering. "I bet you love hugs," she replied. He looked away. "Bull!" he said with more conviction than he felt. "I"m sorry too Rico," she said evenly, "I saw you in the bar and well, I tried to meet you as a normal person." "I"m not normal," he corrected. "Well then none of us are," she replied. Rico stood there, holding this tiny slip of a girl is his arms and remembered a similar feeling from a long time ago. There was a polite knock on the door. The Doctor crossed through the room, doing her best to ignore them as she answered the door. A soldier in a long gray overcoat and a round black helmet saluted. "Sorry to bother you Doc," he said, "But we"re here for the Element." She peered at the dozen or so soldiers standing behind him and opened up the door all the way. Rico pulled away from Seraphita and crossed his arms angrily. "N-now we don"t want any trouble," said the soldier nervously. "It"s okay," said Seraphita, touching Rico"s arm, "I"m ready." The soldier saluted and escorted her outside. Rico followed them. "Thanks a million Doc," he said. "Anytime," she said. A steely man with an iron gray beard and moustache pounded away at an organ console, wrenching out a powerful but melancholy tune. He was dressed in flowing royal red robes and a small pointed hat. A servant in a gray coat appeared behind him. "The Element is here your Majesty." "Show her in," he responded. The door opened and Seraphita walked in. She stared at the Emperor in awe. He stopped in mid note and turned to look at her. "So, you"re one of Ramsus" Elements." "Yes Your Majesty," she said, bowing courteously. "I"m Seraphita the Element of Fire." "I"m Sigmund, the Emperor of Kislev," replied the old man. "Your Majesty-" began the servant, but he stopped when the Emperor held up his hand. "I"m pleased to meet you," she said bowing again. "That was quite a performance yesterday," said Sigmund. She gasped. "You saw the arena battle?" He nodded. "Both of them, on an unofficial basis of course." She looked down at her feet. "I didn"t do very well." "I think you did better outside of the battlefield than inside," said Sigmund with a twinkle. "Huh?" said Seraphita, "I don"t understand." "Never mind that," he said waving a hand in dismissal, "Let"s cut to the chase." She nodded; nervously resigned to whatever fate he had in store for her. "What do you think of Ricardo?" asked the Emperor eventually. She gaped openly. "Uh, oh, he"s a great guy!" "So you like him?" he asked. She thought it over and nodded. "Yeah." "Good, you may go now," said Sigmund, turning back to his console. Seraphita stood there and stared, completely bewildered. The servant took her by the elbow and guided her out the door. She glanced back at Sigmund as he began to play a new thunderous tune. The door shut behind her. He was losing himself in the reverberating melody when the door opened again and the servant returned. "I have to plan for the future," said the Emperor. "Of course your Majesty," said the servant bowing. "What did you think of her?" asked Sigmund. "A complete ditz with a soft heart and a hard head," said the servant superciliously. "Quite," said Sigmund with a smirk, "She"ll do." The servant waited for further elaboration, but the Emperor simply played out the fearsome tune. He bowed and walked away, once again mystified by his liege"s motives. Seraphita walked down the massive marble staircase leading into the Imperial Place. She saw Rico pacing nervously in the courtyard below, a cordon of soldiers keeping a watchful eye on him. He rushed up to her. "Are you all right?" he demanded, putting his hands on her shoulders. She nodded. "Yeah, I"m fine." "What happened in there?" he asked. She frowned slightly. "I"m not really sure." Rico stared at her, equally mystified. "Thanks for worrying about me though," she said smiling. He dropped his hands to his side. "It"s nothing." She giggled. "You silly." He sighed and gestured her to follow. They walked down the main avenue of Nortune. Seraphita marveled at the huge towering buildings. "This is a nice city," she said eventually. "It"s a cesspool," he said, "I thought I could come home again, but I was wrong." "It"s not the buildings that make a home it"s the people," she responded, "And the people here love you." Rico tried not to laugh out loud. "That"s ridiculous!" Seraphita sighed softly. "You don"t see it I guess." They went back to the arena area down a flight of stairs into a basement room with a counter protected by steel mesh. "Hi there Champ," said a woman at the counter. "We"re here to pick up the gears," said Rico. "At once sir," she said, pressing a button. They heard a faint rumbling sound. The guard at the far door let them pass into a large room. Stier and Grandgrowl stood side by side, both looking pristine. "You fixed Growly!" said Seraphita. "That makes us even, okay?" said Rico quickly. She turned and hugged him. "Thank you." "Sure," he said somewhat gruffly. She bounded over to Grandgrowl and climbed up into the cockpit. She waved down to him. "I hope we get to fight again!" she called out. He grinned toothily. "I"ll kick your fuzzy little tail again!" She giggled. "We"ll see about that!" Grandgrowl"s wings unfolded and it took off toward the edge of Nortune, streaking across the sky. Rico continued to watch long after she was gone. "The angel of love," he muttered as he touched Stier"s leg, "What a crock, eh boy?" Chapter 3 Bright crystalline stars illuminated the Thames as it leisurely made its way along the ocean surface. An enormous platform, complete with battleship style superstructure along one side, rested on four massive metal pillars. In the daytime, the rusting crumbling hulk looked like a floating pile of junk, but at night, it achieved a kind of strange grandeur, like an ageless battle scarred whale plowing the depths. The Captain standing in the bridge at the top of the superstructure fit in. He was a tall walrus demi-human with a peg leg and a pipe jutting from his mouth at a jaunty angle. He scanned the black horizon with a practiced sailor"s eye as he sucked on the empty pipe. "Hanz, any contacts?" he asked in a gruff voice. A dolphin demi-human looked up from his instruments and stifled a yawn with a flipper. "No Captain," he said wearily. "No slacking!" admonished the Captain waving a paw at his first mate, "You"re a man of the sea!" "This man needs sleep," muttered Hanz to himself. He blinked for a second then rubbed his eyes. A crimson bright point of light was flashing in the lower left corner of his scanner. "Contact Captain!" yelled Hanz, "Bearing north by northeast!" "Excellent!" said the Captain filling and lighting his pipe. The glow of the match briefly illuminated his look of grim satisfaction. "Orders Captain?" asked a grizzled man at the ship"s wheel. "Helmsman, steady as she goes!" responded the Captain, "Hanz, order general quarters!" "General quarters?" protested the dolphin, "But we haven"t attempted contact yet!" The Captain looked around him at the graveyard shift crew around him. "You can"t be too careful," he said finally, "After all...." Everyone groaned inwardly as they knew what was going to happen next. "I am!" "A man!" "Of the sea!" After spinning to face all four directions he returned his attention to his first mate. "Hanz, try contacting her." "Aye Captain," responded Hanz, "Attention unidentified ship bearing north by northeast, this is the mobile mining platform Thames. Please identify yourselves and your intentions." "Thames, this is the Yggdrasil," responded a high pitched squeaky voice laced with static, "Our intentions are peaceful." "The Yggdrasil?" said the helmsman incredulously, "Not them again!" "We"re still cleaning up the damage from last time," groused Hanz. "Invite them aboard!" bellowed the Captain cheerfully. He liked adventurers. "Aye Sir!" said Hanz, "Yggdrasil, proceed to main docking birth." "Understood Thames," said the distant voice, "Nice talking with you." "Strange crew," muttered Hanz, "But good taste in communication officers!" A sail of a giant submarine broke the surface of the water and came to rest against a docking platform. The hiss of a hatch on top opening briefly muffled the argument within. "Enough with the sermons!" yelled an impulsive young man as he climbed up the ladder on to the deck of the Yggdrasil. He had wild blond hair, an eyepatch over one eye and wore a red jacket with white pants He put his gloved hands on the railing and sighed deeply. A courtly bronze skinned man with silver hair and an eyepatch as well appeared out of the hatch. He was wearing a long elegant coat with blue trim. "Sire, you can"t just forget your responsibilities!" he protested. "Sigurd, you sound like old Maison now," said the young man bitterly. Sigurd Harcourt stiffened like a guard at attention. "I"d consider that to be an honor." Bartholomew Fatima stared out at the nighttime ocean and once again bitterly reflected on his fate. He was more cut out as a Pirate Captain than as the next ruler of Aveh, but all his followers treated him as if he was already King. With his shoulders slumped, he turned around and rested his elbows on the railing. "All right, what do I have to do?" "What have I always told you?" inquired Sigurd patiently.

"If I wanted money, I would"ve taken it already," he retorted firmly. "You"re a strange guy Tom," she wondered aloud, "You"re decent in all the wrong ways." He walked over and carefully reattached her wrist restraints. "Miss Black, you are more right than you"ll ever know," he said taking her hand, "Thank you for everything." "Call me Amy please," she said longingly. He pulled his hand free and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" she demanded. "I will free you," he said with a creepy smile. She was too stunned for words as he left the room. He stopped at the nurse"s station for a moment. "Mrs. Mills, I need to get something," he explained, "I"ll be back soon." "Okay Tom," she answered, "Don"t be long." Tom took the elevator down to the basement and retrieved the backpack from his pallet, along with the candle and picture. He then went to the break room and out into the courtyard. Lighting the votive candle, he placed it carefully at the base of the tree along with the picture of Martha. He then pulled out the Lament Configuration and began turning it in his hands, pushing in one of the smaller circles with his thumb. A wedge-shaped section lifted up and out before retracting again. Then the every other sunray lifted out with wooden slats connected to each, twisted an eighth of a turn and settled in so that it now looked more diamond shape than cubical. Swirling winds blew into his face and he saw dark clouds gathering in the nighttime sky. A crack split up one of the courtyard walls and rumbled open, revealing bright cold blue light. A second crack opened up behind him. Both led to long twisting arched dark corridors. Grimly determined, Thomas pulled the gun out of the backpack and stuck it into his waistband. Then he pulled the locket from the branch and pocketed it. "Take me you bastards," he muttered, "You"ll find my soul a lot more appetizing." Far above through a second story window, Karl Wentworth watched Tom enter one of the tunnels and disappear from view. This had worked out even better than he had originally planned, he thought. "Give "em hell Tom," he said with a self-satisfied chuckle. Chapter 3 After ten minutes Thomas knew he was lost. The dark corridors ran into frequent intersections at odd angles, with a labyrinthine layout. The walls were made of cold stone, with a curved roof supported by pillars at regular intervals. He was surprised; he always pictured Hell as being hot, full of fire and brimstone. Finally he reached a door, a large oaken affair with a brass door knocker. With a shock, he recognized it as the front door of Amanda"s house. Tentatively, he pushed the door open. The hallway inside was the same as he had remembered it. A long staircase led up to the second floor, with the railings gone. The white wallpaper was cracked and peeled, exposing the singed woodwork slats. He crossed over into the kitchen and found the ruined table and furniture, the plastic coffeemaker twisted and warped into an abstract sculpture. The only difference was the corpse. It had once been a man, now horrifically burnt into little more than a charred skeleton that sat in a chair at the table. Its skeletal hands rested on the tabletop, a gold watch decorating one wrist. What was left of the suit was grey flannel; it was the same suit as the man in the picture. "Tony," said Tom, his voice quivering, as he drew out the pistol and began searching the room. From the hair rising on the back of his neck, he could tell that they were nearby.... "Hey, that"s my gun," said a raspy charnel voice. Tom turned to see the corpse staring at him with piercing green eyes. Tom screamed and backed into the stove, knocking several pots and pans onto the floor. "I"m s-sorry," he stammered hysterically. "How"d you get it?" demanded the corpse frowning. "Miss Black gave me the c-combination," he replied nervously, wondering how he could be holding a conversation with a corpse. Of course, he realized: this was Hell. "Amy made it?" inquired Tony casually. When Tom merely nodded, he let out a deep sigh. "Got a light?" he inquired. Thomas took a pack of cigarettes from his backpack and held it out. "Thanks, kid," he muttered as Tom lit the cigarette for him. He took a deep drag and the smoke drifted from his charred lips and between the ribs in his chest. "Should you be smoking?" wondered Tom, feeling insanely foolish for asking. "You really miss cigarettes here," stated Tony as he indicated a chair, "Have a seat." Tom slowly sat in a ruined chair and placed the pistol and backpack on the tabletop. "She"s in Saint Matthias hospital," explained Thomas hopefully, "I came here to offer my soul for hers." "You"re crazy," rasped Tony incredulously, "You have any idea what it"s like here?" "Some," replied Tom as he rolled up a sleeve, exposing the tattoo and faint needle marks on the inside of his elbow. "I deal only with prescription drugs," sniffed Tony as he narrowed his eyes at Tom warily, "Not that ghetto shit." "I"m not here to judge you," said Tom somberly, "I came to save Miss Black." Tony took another long drag on the cigarette before replying. "You like her, huh?" he murmured, "So what did that whore promise you?" "Don"t call her names...," began Thomas defensively. Before he could finish Tony had reached across the table and grabbed the pistol. "Don"t mess with me, pal!" he screamed in a terrible voice as he raised the gun, "She should be here instead of me!" "I-I...," said Tom raising his hands. "She opened the box, not me!" he bellowed, "That bitch deserves to burn!" "But you gave it to her...," said Thomas. "Karl wanted the box to be tested," said Tony coldly. "Karl...Wentworth?" whispered Tom, "Oh God." Back in room sixteen, a cold eerie light woke Amy up. She looked over to the window and saw the scraggly grey tree lit up from behind by a strange blue light. "Tom, what have you done?" she breathed. With difficulty she managed to pull herself into a sitting position. She paused for a breath and then swiveled her legs over the side of the bed. Gasping, she pulled the wheelchair over. Amy then climbed into the chair. She was fumbling with the oxygen tube when Wentworth strolled in. "Amanda, what are you doing?" he inquired in a gently chiding voice, like he had caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. She took a deep breath before responding. "Tom is in danger," she explained, "There"s this puzzle box...." She stopped, knowing she"d sound like a raving lunatic. To her amazement, the Doctor walked over to the wall and unplugged her oxygen, reattaching the canula to the tank on the wheelchair. "I know about the box," stated Wentworth calmly, "Tom told me all about it." He began wheeling her out of room sixteen down the hallway. "Do you believe that it opens a door to Hell?" she wondered. Behind her, she could hear the doctor chuckle softly. "Oh, I believe that Tom believes it," he replied, "And that will put him in terrible danger." They stopped at the unattended nurse"s station, noticing the silence for the first time. They seemed to be the only ones on this floor. Wentworth wheeled her to the elevator and pressed the button. At least the elevator still worked. Within minutes they were in the courtyard. Amanda reached down to the base of the tree and picked up the photograph next to the votive candle. "Martha," she murmured, "Was she your patient?" "Yes, but the operation wasn"t successful," he said sadly, "Tom took it especially hard." "You"re the one who hired him?" said Amy, mentally putting the pieces together. Wentworth knelt next to her, placing an arm on her wheelchair. "He was in bad shape when they brought him in the E.R.," he said candidly, "Honestly I was surprised he lived." "Why would you want him to work here?" she asked, frowning. Something didn"t add up. "I"m shocked at your prejudice Amanda," said Wentworth with a grunt as he stood up, "Everyone is entitled to make a few mistakes." He positioned the wheelchair so it was facing one of the dark corridors. "Let"s hurry," she urged. It was then they heard the distant sounds of gunshots reverberating through the hallways. Thomas had managed to stumble out of the kitchen into the front hall. He clutched his shoulder as blood dribbled on to the wallpaper. He reached the door when another shot rang out hitting the oak an inch from his cheek. Tom spun and slumped against the door. Tony emerged at the far end and swiped some of the blood from the wall and tasted it. "We don"t want to spill too much," he said leisurely. "What do you want?" gasped Tom. "I want to live, you little junkie freak," he replied in casual spite, "Your blood will help me." "What are you going to do to her?" Tom demanded. "I"m going to drag her ass into Hell," he said as he raised the pistol in a skeletal hand. The whole house around them began to shift and creak. Harsh light filtered in between the slats of the walls and the floorboards. "No!" screamed Tony in anguish as he prepared to fire. A hooked chain shot of the wall and impaled his gun arm, pulling it to the side as a shot harmlessly hit the ceiling. A second chain hit his other arm pulling him spread eagled off the ground. "It"s not fair!" he roared as dozen of chains from all direction pieced what was left of his flesh. Then they pulled taught, pulling him into pieces. The gun spun across the floor, rebounding off of Tom"s shoe, a skeletal hand still wrapped around the grip. He felt bile rise in his throat as he tried not to vomit. Shadowy figure appeared in the doorways. A man in a long black overcoat stood in front of the dining room, his bald head devoid of any facial features, only stretched smooth skin where the eyes and mouth would have been. A long bladed sickle was held in a gloved hand. A hunched figure with metal spikes protruding from his neck, shoulders, and arms stood in the kitchen door. Black leather partially covered his body, leaving ghastly white flesh exposed, which was covered in blood red welts. It snarled its sharp crooked teeth at him. "What a pity," said a reverberating voice, "He never understood his own limitations." Tom looked up to see a magnificent figure standing at the top of the stairs; his pale white face and head crisscrossed with geometric rows of pins. He wore dark clothing, with two vertical leather strips piercing through his chest and a long trailing cape starting at the waist. Tom could sense cold commanding imperiousness in his gaze, like an exiled king. "You have summoned us," he said narrowing his black eyes, "And we came." Tom nodded and pulled out the Lament Configuration. The Lead Cenobite seemed to glide down the stairs and he reached out to the puzzle box. Small bolts of electricity arced out of his fingertips and the box reconfigured itself as a long thin needle-like pyramid. Thomas nearly dropped it on the floor in shock. "I...I opened the box," said Tom fearfully, "Because I want to make a trade." By now the Faceless and Spiked Cenobites has joined with their master in hovering menacingly over him. "What sort of trade?" asked the Leader with air of mild irritation. "The soul of Amanda Black for my own," proposed Thomas, "Take me in her place." The Spiked Cenobite began to chortle cruelly. "And why should we agree to this?" demanded the Lead Cenobite with dry amusement, "We can still take Amanda and you as well." Tom realized he hadn"t thought this through; still, he had to try. "If you want a soul to torture," he stated, "You will find my suffering far more exquisite." The Faceless Cenobite picked him up and threw him up against the door, drawing out the sickle. He began to dig the tip of the blade into Tom"s shoulder wound. He howled in frenzied agony as the Leader listened appreciatively, like an audiophile listening to a concert. "Enough," commanded the Lead Cenobite, "Yes, you have potential." "So...you"ll...accept?" said Tom between pants for breath. "We will consider your offer," he clarified, "Provided you bring another soul." "Another?" gulped Tom, "Who?" "The one who truly desires this box," he explained. Tom felt a chill run through his body. "Doctor Wentworth!" he exclaimed, "You want me to bring him here?" "You already have," said the Lead Cenobite with cold amusement. Then they seemed to melt away into the dark shadows of the ruined house. Tom slowly stood up, still gasping for breath as he clutched at his shoulder. With his free hand he retrieved the gun and headed out the front door. The outside corridor was enormous and completely different from the one that was there before. It towered overhead into a cavernous ceiling as he walked down and noticed a room ahead that looked equally vast. He found himself in a large circular room, like a coliseum, with a curved dome overhead. A single oculus in the center let the only light filter down. Tom heard a faint sound like a distant foghorn as he saw a sweeping beam of darkness briefly block out the light. The stone floor was inlaid with intricate circular and square metallic patterns as he made his way to the center of the room. "The Shadow of Leviathan!" shouted a voice. Tom whirled around and saw Doctor Wentworth and Amanda at the far end of the room. "Tom!" cried Amy, "You"re hurt!" He ran over to them and knelt in front of her. She embraced him tightly, aggravating his wound. Amy looked apologetic when she saw him grimacing. She unwound some her own bandages and wrapped his shoulder wound with it. "Miss Black, I"m sorry," he said sorrowfully, "My soul is not enough." "You idiot," she replied touching his cheek with a hand, "Who said you should try?" "They want your soul as well," he said glancing up to Wentworth, "In exchange for Miss Black"s." The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Not much of a bargain," he responded gravely, "But you should keep your part." "Don"t listen to him!" pleaded Amy, "We"ll all get out of here and find another way!" "They"ll pursue you forever if I don"t," he said taking her hand, "And I don"t want the Doctor to be sacrificed as well." "Well said my boy," said Wentworth, "Now go to the center of the room." "What will happen?" asked Tom as he stood. Amy refused to release her grip on his hand. "Leviathan will devour your soul," stated the Doctor clinically, "It is eternally hungry." "How do you know so much about it?" demanded Amy. "No time for questions my dear," said Wentworth holding up a gun at her. Tom felt at his waist and realized Tony"s gun was gone. The Doctor had managed to take it from him without noticing, along with the Lament Configuration. "Don"t kill her!" demanded Tom indignantly, "Please!" "Don"t worry Tom," she said defiantly, "He won"t." "Would you like her to call my bluff, Tom?" he asked, faintly amused. "No, please!" said Tom holding up his hands in surrender, "I"ll go." "Tom!" said Amy with a strangled cry. He smiled reassuringly to her as he walked into the center of the coliseum. Thomas stepped into the circle of light then took a deep breath before looking up. Another black beam of light swept through and enshrouded him in darkness. He looked down at a vision of a man strapped down to a gurney shrieking in pain. The man looked wasted and thin, with long ratty hair and a week"s worth of stubble. In numbing horror, he recognized himself as that man raving and foaming at the mouth as doctors tried to restrain him. He saw the specter of his past knock one of the nurses away before Wentworth injected him with a sedative. A split second later he had a vision of himself standing in a rain swept courtyard, staring at a ragged grey tree. A small sickly girl was in his arms, wrapped up in several blankets. She was smiling up at him, a locket clutched in her grasp. Slowly she pressed it into his palm as she whispered something about this being their special meeting place. The scene shifted again and he found himself hunched over an empty bed, his body convulsing with sobs. Doctor Wentworth had a comforting hand on his shoulder. He couldn"t live without her, but he had to go on, to make meaning of the suffering. To make meaning of the suffering.... With a jolt he found himself back in the light. He rubbery legs gave way and he slumped to the ground. It felt like some obscene entrance exam. Vaguely he wondered if he had passed the test. "Tom, are you alright?" yelled Amy. He looked up at her longingly as he heard a distant rumble. Twin circular pillars rose from the ground a foot on either side of him. They spun with surprising grace as they glided upwards, like corkscrews. When they finally came to a rest, he could see a hole though each one, about six feet up. Thomas slowly got to his feet and pulled out Martha"s locket. He looked at the picture and then up to Amanda. "Don"t look," he said softly. He raised his arms and stuck them through the holes. Spikes drove into both his wrists and the floor dropped from under him, so he was supporting his weight by just his arms. He howled in torment as blades sliced into his sides and shoulders. The locket fell from his grip onto the cold marble floor. The pillars began to sink back into the ground, and Thomas Rathburn slowly receded from view, although it took much longer for his screams to fade away. Amy watched in terror, covering her mouth with both hands to stop from screaming. Wentworth crossed over to the wheelchair and swiveled her around. She began sobbing as he wheeled her down a corridor. Poor child, thought the Doctor, she didn"t understand the gift that had been given. Chapter 4 Amanda had lapsed into an eerie silence by the time Wentworth wheeled her back into the courtyard. The tree looked as sad and forlorn as ever. Wentworth parked her wheelchair under the scraggly branches and bent over to lift up the footrests. As he did, she drew up her leg and with all her strength kneed him in the groin. He gasped and staggered back as she began raking at his face with her fingernails. "Argh!" He yelped almost petulantly, "Stop that!" "You bastard!" she shrieked, "He"s dead and you"re responsible!" Wentworth reached over, blocking her blows with a free hand, and unplugged her oxygen tank. Within moments her flame-scarred lungs struggled to get enough air to breathe. She began hacking and coughing. "I...kill you," she wheezed. "Don"t make me recant my Hippocratic oath, my dear," sneered Wentworth icily as he wiped the blood from his face with a pocket handkerchief, "Thomas has only just begun to serve his true purpose." "But...those things...," protested Amy before a fit of coughing stopped her. "Cenobites," he lectured as he gingerly plugged her oxygen tube back in, "I knew the moment I saw Tom in the emergency room that he was the soul I was looking for." "For what?" she wondered. Despite her rage, she was genuinely curious what this madman was planning. "He"s the bait that Leviathan couldn"t resist," he said triumphantly, "And when I return he will become my Trojan horse." "But...why?" she asked. Wentworth gave her an apologetic smile. "Having power over the lives of my patients no longer satisfies me," he said, "I want dominion over the souls of mankind." Secretly he was pleased that he had someone to confide in, someone who would understand. "How-?" she began before he cut her off. "Leviathan consumes the souls under its control," he explained, "It responds to desire, and his desire is truly a wonder to behold." Her puzzled look brought the smile back to his face. "You still don"t understand, do you," he said with a sigh, "I chose you to become his desire." It took her a moment to put the pieces together. "You were Tony"s supplier," she began finding the breathing a little easier, "You gave him the box, knowing what would happen." "Well, I had hopes that Tony would come through," said the Doctor regretfully, "But alas he was unworthy." "And then when they brought me here, you knew that Tom...," she breathed, "...oh my God." "Exactly my dear," said Wentworth beaming, "He would do anything to save your soul." "Because it would be like saving Martha," she muttered, "I"m so sorry Tom." "You played the part of the femme fatale perfectly," he added, "And now you are free to return to your miserable petty life." Wentworth pulled her out of the chair, making her gasp in pain as he set her down on the grass at the foot of the tree. He then detached the oxygen tank and laid it across her lap. He then folded the chair up and pushed it away. "I"m going to kill you, asshole," she swore darkly. Wentworth just laughed. "Don"t waste your oxygen my dear; there"s not much left," he said with a mock bow, "And now farewell." He rolled the wheelchair in front of him as he returned into the passageway. Amanda lay under the tree, lost in thought. She couldn"t understand why Doctor Wentworth had taken the chair with him. To prevent her from following him of course, but why would he care? Then it hit her: he was afraid of her; afraid of her influence on Tom. Every nerve of her being screamed at her to rethink her course of action, to just walk away. She could leave and forget this all happened. That"s what Tom wanted her to do.... "To hell with that!" she snarled as she woozily got to her feet. Amy wanted payback for all the men that had used her: Tony, Wentworth, and all those other losers she had let herself get involved with. She would save Tom, somehow.

"Look, I"m sorry," said Rico hanging his head, "I know you hate me, but-" Seraphita looked up, tears still spilling out of her eyes. "I don"t hate you Mister Champ." Rico frowned. "Then why the hell are you blubbering like a baby?" "Because I failed the Elements," she said, dropping her head onto the pillow, "I can"t face them again." "Seraphita," said Rico sadly, "I don"t know anything about Dominia"s whereabouts." She looked up in shock. "But you said-" "I lied, all right?" he snapped, turning away in disgust, "You wouldn"t have won either way." She blinked on confusion. "But why?" "I wanted to fight you," he said. Seraphita painfully pulled herself upright. "That"s the way I measure people"s worth," he muttered, staring at his claw tipped hands, "By strength." She wobbled over to him and fell against his back. He turned around and held her up by the shoulders. "I"m fine," she said. He shook his head, "I may have beaten you, but I didn"t win." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his huge neck. "Seraphita," he protested. "Shh," she said, "You need a hug from the angel of love." Rico stared at his hands, completely unsure of what to do with them. With a free hand she pulled his arms around her shoulders. His breath made her ears gently sway. "This is wrong," said Rico his heart hammering. "I bet you love hugs," she replied. He looked away. "Bull!" he said with more conviction than he felt. "I"m sorry too Rico," she said evenly, "I saw you in the bar and well, I tried to meet you as a normal person." "I"m not normal," he corrected. "Well then none of us are," she replied. Rico stood there, holding this tiny slip of a girl is his arms and remembered a similar feeling from a long time ago. There was a polite knock on the door. The Doctor crossed through the room, doing her best to ignore them as she answered the door. A soldier in a long gray overcoat and a round black helmet saluted. "Sorry to bother you Doc," he said, "But we"re here for the Element." She peered at the dozen or so soldiers standing behind him and opened up the door all the way. Rico pulled away from Seraphita and crossed his arms angrily. "N-now we don"t want any trouble," said the soldier nervously. "It"s okay," said Seraphita, touching Rico"s arm, "I"m ready." The soldier saluted and escorted her outside. Rico followed them. "Thanks a million Doc," he said. "Anytime," she said. A steely man with an iron gray beard and moustache pounded away at an organ console, wrenching out a powerful but melancholy tune. He was dressed in flowing royal red robes and a small pointed hat. A servant in a gray coat appeared behind him. "The Element is here your Majesty." "Show her in," he responded. The door opened and Seraphita walked in. She stared at the Emperor in awe. He stopped in mid note and turned to look at her. "So, you"re one of Ramsus" Elements." "Yes Your Majesty," she said, bowing courteously. "I"m Seraphita the Element of Fire." "I"m Sigmund, the Emperor of Kislev," replied the old man. "Your Majesty-" began the servant, but he stopped when the Emperor held up his hand. "I"m pleased to meet you," she said bowing again. "That was quite a performance yesterday," said Sigmund. She gasped. "You saw the arena battle?" He nodded. "Both of them, on an unofficial basis of course." She looked down at her feet. "I didn"t do very well." "I think you did better outside of the battlefield than inside," said Sigmund with a twinkle. "Huh?" said Seraphita, "I don"t understand." "Never mind that," he said waving a hand in dismissal, "Let"s cut to the chase." She nodded; nervously resigned to whatever fate he had in store for her. "What do you think of Ricardo?" asked the Emperor eventually. She gaped openly. "Uh, oh, he"s a great guy!" "So you like him?" he asked. She thought it over and nodded. "Yeah." "Good, you may go now," said Sigmund, turning back to his console. Seraphita stood there and stared, completely bewildered. The servant took her by the elbow and guided her out the door. She glanced back at Sigmund as he began to play a new thunderous tune. The door shut behind her. He was losing himself in the reverberating melody when the door opened again and the servant returned. "I have to plan for the future," said the Emperor. "Of course your Majesty," said the servant bowing. "What did you think of her?" asked Sigmund. "A complete ditz with a soft heart and a hard head," said the servant superciliously. "Quite," said Sigmund with a smirk, "She"ll do." The servant waited for further elaboration, but the Emperor simply played out the fearsome tune. He bowed and walked away, once again mystified by his liege"s motives. Seraphita walked down the massive marble staircase leading into the Imperial Place. She saw Rico pacing nervously in the courtyard below, a cordon of soldiers keeping a watchful eye on him. He rushed up to her. "Are you all right?" he demanded, putting his hands on her shoulders. She nodded. "Yeah, I"m fine." "What happened in there?" he asked. She frowned slightly. "I"m not really sure." Rico stared at her, equally mystified. "Thanks for worrying about me though," she said smiling. He dropped his hands to his side. "It"s nothing." She giggled. "You silly." He sighed and gestured her to follow. They walked down the main avenue of Nortune. Seraphita marveled at the huge towering buildings. "This is a nice city," she said eventually. "It"s a cesspool," he said, "I thought I could come home again, but I was wrong." "It"s not the buildings that make a home it"s the people," she responded, "And the people here love you." Rico tried not to laugh out loud. "That"s ridiculous!" Seraphita sighed softly. "You don"t see it I guess." They went back to the arena area down a flight of stairs into a basement room with a counter protected by steel mesh. "Hi there Champ," said a woman at the counter. "We"re here to pick up the gears," said Rico. "At once sir," she said, pressing a button. They heard a faint rumbling sound. The guard at the far door let them pass into a large room. Stier and Grandgrowl stood side by side, both looking pristine. "You fixed Growly!" said Seraphita. "That makes us even, okay?" said Rico quickly. She turned and hugged him. "Thank you." "Sure," he said somewhat gruffly. She bounded over to Grandgrowl and climbed up into the cockpit. She waved down to him. "I hope we get to fight again!" she called out. He grinned toothily. "I"ll kick your fuzzy little tail again!" She giggled. "We"ll see about that!" Grandgrowl"s wings unfolded and it took off toward the edge of Nortune, streaking across the sky. Rico continued to watch long after she was gone. "The angel of love," he muttered as he touched Stier"s leg, "What a crock, eh boy?" Chapter 3 Bright crystalline stars illuminated the Thames as it leisurely made its way along the ocean surface. An enormous platform, complete with battleship style superstructure along one side, rested on four massive metal pillars. In the daytime, the rusting crumbling hulk looked like a floating pile of junk, but at night, it achieved a kind of strange grandeur, like an ageless battle scarred whale plowing the depths. The Captain standing in the bridge at the top of the superstructure fit in. He was a tall walrus demi-human with a peg leg and a pipe jutting from his mouth at a jaunty angle. He scanned the black horizon with a practiced sailor"s eye as he sucked on the empty pipe. "Hanz, any contacts?" he asked in a gruff voice. A dolphin demi-human looked up from his instruments and stifled a yawn with a flipper. "No Captain," he said wearily. "No slacking!" admonished the Captain waving a paw at his first mate, "You"re a man of the sea!" "This man needs sleep," muttered Hanz to himself. He blinked for a second then rubbed his eyes. A crimson bright point of light was flashing in the lower left corner of his scanner. "Contact Captain!" yelled Hanz, "Bearing north by northeast!" "Excellent!" said the Captain filling and lighting his pipe. The glow of the match briefly illuminated his look of grim satisfaction. "Orders Captain?" asked a grizzled man at the ship"s wheel. "Helmsman, steady as she goes!" responded the Captain, "Hanz, order general quarters!" "General quarters?" protested the dolphin, "But we haven"t attempted contact yet!" The Captain looked around him at the graveyard shift crew around him. "You can"t be too careful," he said finally, "After all...." Everyone groaned inwardly as they knew what was going to happen next. "I am!" "A man!" "Of the sea!" After spinning to face all four directions he returned his attention to his first mate. "Hanz, try contacting her." "Aye Captain," responded Hanz, "Attention unidentified ship bearing north by northeast, this is the mobile mining platform Thames. Please identify yourselves and your intentions." "Thames, this is the Yggdrasil," responded a high pitched squeaky voice laced with static, "Our intentions are peaceful." "The Yggdrasil?" said the helmsman incredulously, "Not them again!" "We"re still cleaning up the damage from last time," groused Hanz. "Invite them aboard!" bellowed the Captain cheerfully. He liked adventurers. "Aye Sir!" said Hanz, "Yggdrasil, proceed to main docking birth." "Understood Thames," said the distant voice, "Nice talking with you." "Strange crew," muttered Hanz, "But good taste in communication officers!" A sail of a giant submarine broke the surface of the water and came to rest against a docking platform. The hiss of a hatch on top opening briefly muffled the argument within. "Enough with the sermons!" yelled an impulsive young man as he climbed up the ladder on to the deck of the Yggdrasil. He had wild blond hair, an eyepatch over one eye and wore a red jacket with white pants He put his gloved hands on the railing and sighed deeply. A courtly bronze skinned man with silver hair and an eyepatch as well appeared out of the hatch. He was wearing a long elegant coat with blue trim. "Sire, you can"t just forget your responsibilities!" he protested. "Sigurd, you sound like old Maison now," said the young man bitterly. Sigurd Harcourt stiffened like a guard at attention. "I"d consider that to be an honor." Bartholomew Fatima stared out at the nighttime ocean and once again bitterly reflected on his fate. He was more cut out as a Pirate Captain than as the next ruler of Aveh, but all his followers treated him as if he was already King. With his shoulders slumped, he turned around and rested his elbows on the railing. "All right, what do I have to do?" "What have I always told you?" inquired Sigurd patiently. "Never start something I"ll regret later," murmured Bart automatically. "And?" prompted Sigurd. "A King"s first duty is to his people," recited Bart. Sigurd folded his arms across his chest and regarded Bart with a familiar mixture of admiration and exasperation. "Let"s go Sire." They walked up the plank together and entered an elevator mounted in a screw shaped shaft. Bart pushed a button and the elevator began to ascend, spinning along the spiral grooves as it did so. They stepped out onto the main deck area. Bart was surprised to see so much activity going on at the dead of night. A pair of diving gears sat side by side as work crews adjusted and repaired the armor plating. A derrick lowered cargo into the gaping maw of a hatch that led into a storage hold underneath. "Remember, we"re here for supplies," said Sigurd, steering him clear of the gears. They made their way toward a random pile of crates around which some people had set up some small shops. Sigurd approached one as Bart noticed two people playing cards. As he got closer, he could see the woman in the gray hooded cloak was slamming cards on top of other cards at lightning speed, so fast the man in the white suit could not keep up. She slammed the last card down on the pile triumphantly. "I win again," she gloated. The man slammed a coin on the tabletop and angrily stalked off. "Thanks for playing," said the woman as she reached for the coin. Bart put his hand on top of the coin before she could take it. "Hey!" she snarled, suddenly turning pale as she saw his face. "I know this game," said Bart leisurely tossing the coin up in the air and catching it again, "You"re pretty good." "It"s just a matter of strategy," said the woman coldly. Bart placed the coin on the table. "You may be good sister, but not good enough to beat me!" "We"ll see about that," said the woman shuffling the deck Sigurd came over, his expression worried. "What are you doing?" "Just a little fun," replied Bart, as he took of his jacket and handed it to Sigurd. He stretched his arms off to the sides. The woman dealt quickly. Once the cards were laid out they began to pull four cards apiece from the central pile. Then they rapidly laid out the cards in order in two piles to either side. Bart drew and slammed down cards with reckless abandon, but the woman was playing her cards carefully. Within a minute it was all over. Bart stared down angrily at he three remaining cards. "You cheated!" he snapped. The woman smirked and held out a hand. Bart flipped a coin her way and stalked off, snatching the jacket from Sigurd on his way. "Jerk!" he shouted when he thought he was out of earshot. Sigurd laid his own coin on the table. "You want to play too?" asked the woman. "Why not?" said Sigurd with a twinkle, "I always enjoyed our matches Tolone." The woman pulled back her hood revealing long silvery unbound hair that reached past her shoulders. Her light blue eyes regarded him with arrogance tinged with fear. A small triangular cluster of electrodes decorated each cheek. "How did you know?" she asked. "It wasn"t hard," he said picking up the cards and shuffling them, "A true strategist recognizes technique." "But playing cards and fighting are completely different!" she insisted. Sigurd regarded her evenly and he dealt. "You still have a lot a learn." Tolone sighed and they began to draw cards. Both played defensively, trying to provoke the other to make a careless mistake. Neither of them did. It got down to the wire, and Tolone noticed she had no place to put any of her cards. She looked over to see Sigurd calmly waiting with his cards. He then placed his cards in a quick series of deals that Tolone could only barely keep up with. She was left with one card. "Damn it!" she snapped, "How could I lose?" "Losing is always a risk you take when you play," said Sigurd, "But not all losses are worth risking." She stared at him blankly. As he started to walk away, she caught his sleeve. He half turned to see her expression of animosity give way to one of fear. "It"s not too late for you Sigurd Harcourt," she said insistently, "Come with me." "Go where?" he asked. But he already knew the answer. They both did. Still she said it. "You can be forgiven!" He smiled faintly. "Does this offer apply to Hyuga and Jesse as well?" Tolone"s expression hardened. "They chose their path long ago." "Then why the special consideration for me?" he asked gently. Tolone looked to one side. "It"s killing the Commander to dispose of traitors like you!" "I know," said Sigurd, "It pains me as well." "Then why?" demanded Tolone, gripping his arm fiercely. Small motors whirled in her limbs as her grip became crushing. "How could you do that to Commander Ramsus?" He put his hand on top of hers. "We just see things differently that"s all." She dropped her arms to her sides. "One day I"ll have to kill you." He nodded. "It would be an honor Tolone." She faced away from him. "It"s not funny!" "I never said it was," said Sigurd sitting on a nearby crate. Reluctantly she sat next to him. "Tolone, I"m not going to patronize you," said Sigurd, "So follow whatever cause you believe in." "But," prompted Tolone quietly. Sigurd smiled briefly. "But try to see what you"re following with open eyes." "I owe him my life," said Tolone intensely, "He saw value in me that no one else saw!" "Maybe he"s looking for value in himself," suggested Sigurd. Tolone frowned. "How?" "By finding worth in others, he can find it in himself," said Sigurd. She shook her head. "How could he doubt his own worth?" Sigurd chuckled bitterly. "I think everyone goes through that, but I think with Khar it"s worse." Tolone grabbed his arm again. "What did he tell you?" "It was more what he didn"t say that told me," said Sigurd as he shook he head. "I wish we were back at Jugend," she said with a sigh. Sigurd nodded. "I miss it too." Tolone leaned her head against his shoulder. "You"re wearing your hair down," he commented. She nodded. "It looks better that way," he said. "Don"t," she said with an edge in her voice. "Don"t what?" inquired Sigurd. "Don"t be nice to me," she said bitterly, "It will make it harder in the end." Sigurd was still trying to think of a suitable response when Bart returned. "Hey Siggy, how much longer are you go-whoa!" he said in boredom that quickly gave way to shock. Bart reached down for the whips on his belt just as Tolone reached him. She backhanded him into a pile of spare gear parts. Sigurd helped Bart up as she ran toward the superstructure at full tilt. "Sigurd, what the hell was that?" demanded Bart. "Just let her go," said Sigurd sadly. "To hell with that!" yelled Bart as he ran off in hot pursuit. Sigurd sighed and reluctantly ran after his charge. The reached screw elevator and found the meshwork elevator doors closed. They heard the rumble of the elevator as it descended below them. "She"s headed for the sub deck!" said Bart. Sigurd stared upwards. "No, she"s climbing up the inside of the shaft." Bart frowned. "How do you know?" Sigurd shrugged. "Instinct." Bart punched the elevator button repeatedly until the elevator returned to their floor. Bart and Sigurd ran in and Sigurd hit the button for the top floor. "What"s she doing here anyway?" asked Bart. "Most likely gathering information," suggested Sigurd. The elevator spun and spun and finally came to rest at the bridge level. They walked into the bridge deck to see Tolone standing in front of the Captain. "I don"t have time for this!" Tolone was saying. "Ah but lass, you seem the seafaring type!" said the Captain cheerfully. They both turned to Bart and Sigurd. "Welcome to the Thames!" said the Captain. Bart gave a friendly wave. "Mind if we take this Element off your hands?" The Captain arched a bushy eyebrow. "Are you looking for trouble lad?" "Yes," said Sigurd with a faint sigh. "Siggy!" snapped Bart. "But it"s true," replied Sigurd. Tolone raised her hand above her head and began to glow green. Wind whistled through the room, blowing anything loose into a whirlwind that veered over towards Bart and Sigurd, who jumped in opposite directions to dodge. Tolone knocked Hanz over as she climbed onto the control panel. With her fist she punched through the plate glass window. The outside air whistled in, blowing Tolone"s hair behind her. She stared into the ocean far below. "Tolone!" called out Sigurd, holding out a hand. She glanced back at him, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes "Don"t do it you crazy broad!" shouted Bart. Tolone caught her hands on the top edge of the window and swung out and up, disappearing from sight. They heard her footsteps reverberate on the ceiling above them. "She"s on the roof!" said Bart. Hanz pulled a lever and a hatch opened in the ceiling. Bart leapt through it and clambered out onto the roof. The roof was rust red and covered with aerials and antennas. He didn"t see her. "Come out and fight you coward!" said Bart drawing out his whips. Sigurd quickly joined him. Tolone stepped from behind an aerial. "You lambs will not be forgiven!" She neatly sidestepped one of Bart"s whips and then ducked as the other whip knocked over an antenna. "Damn it Sigurd, help me!" yelled Bart. Sigurd folded his arms across his chest. "It is not our time to fight." Tolone leapt backwards toward the edge. She stared defiantly at them. They heard a distant rumbling sound, the distinct roar of a gear engine. "You will die next time!" shouted Tolone as she stepped of the edge of the roof. A yellow bird with a long needle-like beak and blue trim thundered past, it"s wings held close to the sides as the rocket engines spewed fire. Sigurd thought he could make out Tolone clinging to the neck of Skyghene as it raced away in the moonlight. He sighed deeply. "What was that all about?" asked Bart as he coiled up his whips. "Sometimes it would be better if no one had a past," said Sigurd sadly, "Then there would be no regrets." In the cockpit of Skyghene, Tolone tapped a button that closed the hatch above her, sealing out the bitter night cold. She took off the cape and stuffed it into a bin under her seat. Underneath was her Element uniform, a white and green shirt under a gold sash with matching shoulder length gloves. She then turned a dial on a console. "No information pertaining to Dominia could be found on the Thames," she said, "Returning to base." Skyghene sped on across the nighttime ocean, until slowly an aircraft came into view. It was long and needle-like, with six wings spread out along one end, three to a side. She maneuvered her gear alongside. The rear bay doors slowly opened and she cut the engines, letting Skyghene drift behind. She then maneuvered into a cavernous hanger bay.

Tom nodded and pulled out the Lament Configuration. The Lead Cenobite seemed to glide down the stairs and he reached out to the puzzle box. Small bolts of electricity arced out of his fingertips and the box reconfigured itself as a long thin needle-like pyramid. Thomas nearly dropped it on the floor in shock. "I...I opened the box," said Tom fearfully, "Because I want to make a trade." By now the Faceless and Spiked Cenobites has joined with their master in hovering menacingly over him. "What sort of trade?" asked the Leader with air of mild irritation. "The soul of Amanda Black for my own," proposed Thomas, "Take me in her place." The Spiked Cenobite began to chortle cruelly. "And why should we agree to this?" demanded the Lead Cenobite with dry amusement, "We can still take Amanda and you as well." Tom realized he hadn"t thought this through; still, he had to try. "If you want a soul to torture," he stated, "You will find my suffering far more exquisite." The Faceless Cenobite picked him up and threw him up against the door, drawing out the sickle. He began to dig the tip of the blade into Tom"s shoulder wound. He howled in frenzied agony as the Leader listened appreciatively, like an audiophile listening to a concert. "Enough," commanded the Lead Cenobite, "Yes, you have potential." "So...you"ll...accept?" said Tom between pants for breath. "We will consider your offer," he clarified, "Provided you bring another soul." "Another?" gulped Tom, "Who?" "The one who truly desires this box," he explained. Tom felt a chill run through his body. "Doctor Wentworth!" he exclaimed, "You want me to bring him here?" "You already have," said the Lead Cenobite with cold amusement. Then they seemed to melt away into the dark shadows of the ruined house. Tom slowly stood up, still gasping for breath as he clutched at his shoulder. With his free hand he retrieved the gun and headed out the front door. The outside corridor was enormous and completely different from the one that was there before. It towered overhead into a cavernous ceiling as he walked down and noticed a room ahead that looked equally vast. He found himself in a large circular room, like a coliseum, with a curved dome overhead. A single oculus in the center let the only light filter down. Tom heard a faint sound like a distant foghorn as he saw a sweeping beam of darkness briefly block out the light. The stone floor was inlaid with intricate circular and square metallic patterns as he made his way to the center of the room. "The Shadow of Leviathan!" shouted a voice. Tom whirled around and saw Doctor Wentworth and Amanda at the far end of the room. "Tom!" cried Amy, "You"re hurt!" He ran over to them and knelt in front of her. She embraced him tightly, aggravating his wound. Amy looked apologetic when she saw him grimacing. She unwound some her own bandages and wrapped his shoulder wound with it. "Miss Black, I"m sorry," he said sorrowfully, "My soul is not enough." "You idiot," she replied touching his cheek with a hand, "Who said you should try?" "They want your soul as well," he said glancing up to Wentworth, "In exchange for Miss Black"s." The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Not much of a bargain," he responded gravely, "But you should keep your part." "Don"t listen to him!" pleaded Amy, "We"ll all get out of here and find another way!" "They"ll pursue you forever if I don"t," he said taking her hand, "And I don"t want the Doctor to be sacrificed as well." "Well said my boy," said Wentworth, "Now go to the center of the room." "What will happen?" asked Tom as he stood. Amy refused to release her grip on his hand. "Leviathan will devour your soul," stated the Doctor clinically, "It is eternally hungry." "How do you know so much about it?" demanded Amy. "No time for questions my dear," said Wentworth holding up a gun at her. Tom felt at his waist and realized Tony"s gun was gone. The Doctor had managed to take it from him without noticing, along with the Lament Configuration. "Don"t kill her!" demanded Tom indignantly, "Please!" "Don"t worry Tom," she said defiantly, "He won"t." "Would you like her to call my bluff, Tom?" he asked, faintly amused. "No, please!" said Tom holding up his hands in surrender, "I"ll go." "Tom!" said Amy with a strangled cry. He smiled reassuringly to her as he walked into the center of the coliseum. Thomas stepped into the circle of light then took a deep breath before looking up. Another black beam of light swept through and enshrouded him in darkness. He looked down at a vision of a man strapped down to a gurney shrieking in pain. The man looked wasted and thin, with long ratty hair and a week"s worth of stubble. In numbing horror, he recognized himself as that man raving and foaming at the mouth as doctors tried to restrain him. He saw the specter of his past knock one of the nurses away before Wentworth injected him with a sedative. A split second later he had a vision of himself standing in a rain swept courtyard, staring at a ragged grey tree. A small sickly girl was in his arms, wrapped up in several blankets. She was smiling up at him, a locket clutched in her grasp. Slowly she pressed it into his palm as she whispered something about this being their special meeting place. The scene shifted again and he found himself hunched over an empty bed, his body convulsing with sobs. Doctor Wentworth had a comforting hand on his shoulder. He couldn"t live without her, but he had to go on, to make meaning of the suffering. To make meaning of the suffering.... With a jolt he found himself back in the light. He rubbery legs gave way and he slumped to the ground. It felt like some obscene entrance exam. Vaguely he wondered if he had passed the test. "Tom, are you alright?" yelled Amy. He looked up at her longingly as he heard a distant rumble. Twin circular pillars rose from the ground a foot on either side of him. They spun with surprising grace as they glided upwards, like corkscrews. When they finally came to a rest, he could see a hole though each one, about six feet up. Thomas slowly got to his feet and pulled out Martha"s locket. He looked at the picture and then up to Amanda. "Don"t look," he said softly. He raised his arms and stuck them through the holes. Spikes drove into both his wrists and the floor dropped from under him, so he was supporting his weight by just his arms. He howled in torment as blades sliced into his sides and shoulders. The locket fell from his grip onto the cold marble floor. The pillars began to sink back into the ground, and Thomas Rathburn slowly receded from view, although it took much longer for his screams to fade away. Amy watched in terror, covering her mouth with both hands to stop from screaming. Wentworth crossed over to the wheelchair and swiveled her around. She began sobbing as he wheeled her down a corridor. Poor child, thought the Doctor, she didn"t understand the gift that had been given. Chapter 4 Amanda had lapsed into an eerie silence by the time Wentworth wheeled her back into the courtyard. The tree looked as sad and forlorn as ever. Wentworth parked her wheelchair under the scraggly branches and bent over to lift up the footrests. As he did, she drew up her leg and with all her strength kneed him in the groin. He gasped and staggered back as she began raking at his face with her fingernails. "Argh!" He yelped almost petulantly, "Stop that!" "You bastard!" she shrieked, "He"s dead and you"re responsible!" Wentworth reached over, blocking her blows with a free hand, and unplugged her oxygen tank. Within moments her flame-scarred lungs struggled to get enough air to breathe. She began hacking and coughing. "I...kill you," she wheezed. "Don"t make me recant my Hippocratic oath, my dear," sneered Wentworth icily as he wiped the blood from his face with a pocket handkerchief, "Thomas has only just begun to serve his true purpose." "But...those things...," protested Amy before a fit of coughing stopped her. "Cenobites," he lectured as he gingerly plugged her oxygen tube back in, "I knew the moment I saw Tom in the emergency room that he was the soul I was looking for." "For what?" she wondered. Despite her rage, she was genuinely curious what this madman was planning. "He"s the bait that Leviathan couldn"t resist," he said triumphantly, "And when I return he will become my Trojan horse." "But...why?" she asked. Wentworth gave her an apologetic smile. "Having power over the lives of my patients no longer satisfies me," he said, "I want dominion over the souls of mankind." Secretly he was pleased that he had someone to confide in, someone who would understand. "How-?" she began before he cut her off. "Leviathan consumes the souls under its control," he explained, "It responds to desire, and his desire is truly a wonder to behold." Her puzzled look brought the smile back to his face. "You still don"t understand, do you," he said with a sigh, "I chose you to become his desire." It took her a moment to put the pieces together. "You were Tony"s supplier," she began finding the breathing a little easier, "You gave him the box, knowing what would happen." "Well, I had hopes that Tony would come through," said the Doctor regretfully, "But alas he was unworthy." "And then when they brought me here, you knew that Tom...," she breathed, "...oh my God." "Exactly my dear," said Wentworth beaming, "He would do anything to save your soul." "Because it would be like saving Martha," she muttered, "I"m so sorry Tom." "You played the part of the femme fatale perfectly," he added, "And now you are free to return to your miserable petty life." Wentworth pulled her out of the chair, making her gasp in pain as he set her down on the grass at the foot of the tree. He then detached the oxygen tank and laid it across her lap. He then folded the chair up and pushed it away. "I"m going to kill you, asshole," she swore darkly. Wentworth just laughed. "Don"t waste your oxygen my dear; there"s not much left," he said with a mock bow, "And now farewell." He rolled the wheelchair in front of him as he returned into the passageway. Amanda lay under the tree, lost in thought. She couldn"t understand why Doctor Wentworth had taken the chair with him. To prevent her from following him of course, but why would he care? Then it hit her: he was afraid of her; afraid of her influence on Tom. Every nerve of her being screamed at her to rethink her course of action, to just walk away. She could leave and forget this all happened. That"s what Tom wanted her to do.... "To hell with that!" she snarled as she woozily got to her feet. Amy wanted payback for all the men that had used her: Tony, Wentworth, and all those other losers she had let herself get involved with. She would save Tom, somehow. She staggered down the hallway, using the walls as support. All the passageways seem to go on endlessly twisting through subterranean levels. Finally she reached an intersection. Feeling lost, she wondered which way to go. A metal object glinted in the darkness. She gingerly picked it up and almost shrieked when she recognized the designs on its curved surface. It was the Lament Configuration. She felt a chill through her soul as she heard the faint rattle of chains around her. Almost panicking she looked up and saw she was now in a room full of chains dangling from the low ceiling, like a torture chamber; which it was. The Spiked Cenobite stood hunched over in the shadows nearby gnashing its teeth violently at her. She felt cold metal against her throat and saw the Faceless Cenobite holding up a sickle threateningly. "Ah, Amanda, what a joy it is to see you," said the Leader stepping from between several chains, "I am interested in why you have come." "Don"t you still want my soul?" she gasped. "Nothing would please me more," said the Lead Cenobite narrowing his eyes, "But your soul is already paid for." "You mean you"ve accepted their souls for mine?" she asked, her mind racing. He gave a faint nod to the Faceless Cenobite, who lowered his weapon. "You soul still belongs to us," he added, "But we will delay in collecting for now." "Then maybe I can help you," she said quickly, "Wentworth is planning to take over." "I would welcome a challenge," said the Leader sardonically, "But he is no match for us." He turned to go and Amanda spoke again, stopping him in his tracks. "Maybe not, but what about Tom?" she asked, "Do you know what Leviathan is turning him into?" "And what do you truly understand of Hell and suffering?" he demanded irately. "Not much, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend," she said with an odd smile. Strange that she liked the Cenobites better than Wentworth. At least they were honest. "Now it becomes clear," he stated, "You want us to spare Tom." "Please," she begged. "If he gives us his loyalty," said the Lead Cenobite, "I will consider it." "And if he doesn"t?" she wondered. "Go now," he commanded as they vanished into the shadows, leaving her alone. Slowly she made her way back to intersection, still clutching at the Lament Configuration. Slowly she turned it over in her hands and dislodged a side. She managed to twist the corners and reconfigure it into a cube. Far away she heard distant shrieks and the faint blasts of Leviathan"s song. In the distance the opening to the hospital courtyard slowly rumbled shut. She knew now that she would never leave. Turning around she walked into walkway. Far below she saw the endless corridors of a labyrinth with passageways opening over bottomless pits. Suspended in the air far overhead was a pyramidal metal monstrosity that slowly rotated, sweeping the area with black beams of light, like a lighthouse of doom. It was the monstrosity Leviathan. She knew now what she had to do. Angrily she ripped the canula off her face and threw it, oxygen canister and all, into the pit. As she fell to her knees she spread her arms open wide, waiting. "Take me," she wheezed, "Give me the power to destroy him." The black beam struck her square and she felt enveloped in wave after waves of memories. She saw a woman in a bar smoking and sharing drinks with a handsome young man. As they laughed and chatted she recognized herself and Tony. But behind him in a corner she saw Wentworth nursing a shot glass of whiskey, watching them intently. A moment later she saw Tony handing her a birthday present wrapped in a bow. She saw herself laughing and unwrapping the box. As she solved the cube she watched numbly as chains burst forth, impaling Tony. She saw in horror as the Cenobites appeared and tore him apart. She the candles on the table fall over and the rug caught on fire, then the curtains.... Again she was watching herself emerging from the drug-induced stupor in the hospital. She saw herself pull over a pair of scissors near a pile of dressing and methodically slice across her wrist. The blood trickled down, the life oozing out of her. With a shock, she found herself back in the present. She lay on the ground, panting heavily. Slowly two low walls raised on either side of her, like a narrow coffin. Half a dozen tubes with needlelike nozzles snaked out of either side. With almost relief she sighed as they pierced in between her ribs. Finally she could breathe easy. The coliseum was enshrouded in darkness, and then a faint shaft of light pieced the gloom. The twin pillars began to rise again, a figure in black armor dangling between them. What had once been Thomas Rathburn had ghastly white skin, the exposed joints of his body covered in scars and long pieces of metal impaling his elbows and abdomen. His head was a mass of muscle and tendons with the only skin stretched out like a mask over the bones, showing the familiar facial features. The Wounded Knight simply remained suspended with his eyes tightly closed as Wentworth stepped out of the gloom. "You are truly beautiful Tom," he said lovingly, "And you have finally saved her." "Martha...?" croaked the Knight in a guttural voice. "I left her by the tree," he said, "She will be fine." "There you are Doctor," said the Leader, "Still plan on denying your fate?" "Of course," said Wentworth leisurely, "You can have my soul if you dare." "Your suffering will echo through eternity!" sneered the Lead Cenobite coldly. "Tom, if you love me," said the Doctor, "If you love her, you must fight" The spikes withdrew from his wrists and the Wounded Knight fell to his knees in pain. Finally, he was getting what he deserved. He slowly got to his feet as they heard the faint flapping of loathsome leathery wings. He opened his eyes and looked surprised as a pair of bat wings descended from above. They separated as each grasped a shoulder of the Knight with a vicious claw. Black ichors spilled out of the shoulder wounds as the Knight withdrew the metal shards from his elbows. Then he pulled the long blades free from his abdomen, forming a crude pair of swords. The Spiked Cenobite charged him, knocking him off balance, but he roared as twin blade pierced his chest. The wings began to flap as the Knight withdrew the swords as he rose into the air. The Spiked Cenobite collapsed onto the floor as the Faceless Cenobite slashed at the Knight with his sickle. Another fresh wound opened up as the Wounded Knight flew up and out of sight. The Faceless Cenobite whirled this way and that, trying to anticipate its opponent. But the Knight unexpectedly dropped from above, carrying him up into the air. There was a sickening wet crunching sound as the legs of the Faceless Cenobite crashed to the ground to the left of the Lead Cenobite, followed a moment later by the head and torso on the right. The Leader glared up at the flying horror and a set of chains burst forth from the walls. The Knight barely managed to deflect the chains, cutting the hooks away before they could impale him. "Impressive," said the Leader appraisingly, "But futile." With another faint nod he sent the chains careening at Wentworth. The Wounded Knight flew in the way and was impaled on two chains. Another two chains pierced his wings and spread him out like part of an obscene butterfly collection. "No!" cried Wentworth in despair. Thirty years of meticulous planning was wasted in an instant. "Now you will feel an eternity of suffering!" stated the leader with a glint of satisfaction. "Wait!" They turned to see a rectangular sarcophagus emerge from the ground, the lid sliding open. From the depths emerged a female Cenobite, with black skintight suit covering her chest and abdomen, her arms and legs encased in matching gloves and boots. Her hairless white head had a series of hooks dangling from short chains in a fringe, giving her the appearance of a demonic medusa. Her Amanda-like lips curved into a faint smile as she drew out twin daggers. "I want to thank you Doctor," she said in a breathy, slight raspy voice, "I didn"t even realize what I was missing." Petrified, Wentworth noticed the tubes that ran out of her throat and ribcage, hissing faintly. "A-Amanda," he managed to stammer. "Oh no," she said wagging a dagger in the air like a disapproving finger, "I"m Martha, remember?" Wentworth only gradually realized that his bladder had released. "Martha..." croaked the Wounded Knight. "You must choose," said the Leader to the Knight, "You cannot serve two masters." The chains withdrew and the Knight hovered in the air again. "Tom, please...," begged Wentworth, "You were born to help me." "Come to me," she said simply. The Knight flew over to the Medusoid. Taking her hand, he knelt before her. The Doctor tried to make a break for it. A flash of steel buzzed through the air and Wentworth fell over, a dagger stuck into his knee. Crying out in pain, he tried to pull the blade free. He knew he was feeling shock and he had to fight the effects. The Medusoid ambled leisurely over and pulled it out. "Ow!" he screamed, "You bitch!" "No, you"re my bitch," she said casually, "Aren"t you pleased with your handiwork?" "Don"t kill me," he said grasping at her feet, groveling. "I won"t," she stated, "You belong to him." They stood to one side as the Lead Cenobite stepped forward. "No!" screamed Wentworth, "God, please no!" "Not God," said the Leader, "But close enough." The chains burst forth and hit their mark. As they pulled apart again some blood hit the Medusoid on the face. She wiped it off and licked it off her hand, feeling pleasure in such cruelty. Had these feelings always lurked underneath? It didn"t matter anymore. She gasped slightly as she felt cold metal on her throat. She looked down to see a locket draped around her neck, the Knight standing behind her enfolding her in his arms. She covered a wounded hand with her own. "Martha," he croaked in joy tinged with sorrow, "I"ll save you." She knew now that he was her burden to carry, as she was his. "You have," she rasped, "We will never be parted again." "Come," said the Lead Cenobite with grim satisfaction, "I have such sights to show you." They followed him back into the depths of the labyrinth. Content in their suffering, now they would always journey together. For eternity. THE END

"Don"t get your hopes up," retorted Tolone. "Hope may be all we have," pointed out Kelvina. "So you didn"t find out anything about Dominia?" asked Tolone. They shook their heads. All three of them regarded the empty bay. Tolone began to walk away. "What happened to your hair?" asked Kelvina without turning around. Tolone gathered up her hair into two bunches and tied them into two long ponytails on either side of her head. "Nothing," she said and walked through a pair of automatic doors that closed behind her. Chapter 4 Khar Ramsus paced restlessly on the gleaming white bridge of his ship. Around him soldiers attended their consoles. Although handsome with amber eyes and straw-blond hair his cold and hard expression made him look far older than he was. He adjusted the high black collar on his jacket and fingered the pommel of his sword. "How long are they going to keep me waiting?" he demanded. "They"ll be here soon." Ramsus turned to the woman who was always by his side. Miang Hawa wore her purple hair cut short and was dressed in a short white cape over a white spacesuit. Her expression was carefully neutral. "It"s not like them," he said scratching his face. "They"ve lost their unity," said Miang reasonably, "Dominia held them together." "She can be replaced," said Ramsus in a resigned tone. "Do you really believe that?" asked Miang with a hint of amusement. The doors opened behind them. They turned to see three of the Elements resplendent in their dress uniforms. "Elements reporting as ordered!" said Tolone saluting. "Report," said Ramsus. "Nortune was a big goose egg," said Seraphita. "Nothing around Ethos, " stated Kelvina flatly. "I found no pertinent information on board the Thames," said Tolone. "Incompetents!" roared Ramsus. Seraphita flinched and Tolone"s eyebrow twitched while Kelvina remained impassive. "How hard is it to find a single gear?" he demanded. "The odds of finding a gear are one in-" started Tolone. "Don"t!" said Ramsus holding up a warning finger. "I"m really, really sorry!" said Seraphita on the verge of tears. "Stop your sniveling!" snapped Ramsus. He glanced at Miang who wordlessly shook her head. Ramsus took a deep breath. "You did your best I guess," he said in a subdued tone. "What are your orders?" asked Kelvina. "Get some rest," he said waving a hand, "We can"t waste any more time looking for her." All of the Elements gasped. "Commander!" said Tolone. "Please no!" begged Seraphita, falling to her knees, "Give us another chance!" Ramsus looked pained. "Sacrifices are necessary to achieve our dream," he said. "Please reconsider," said Kelvina, also kneeling. "Damn it, we can"t give up now!" said Tolone, joining the others on the ground. Ramsus pondered what to do when a nearby console began chiming audibly. "Commander, we have a signal!" said a soldier. "Identify!" he said striding over to his station. The soldier frowned. "It"s the transponder signal from Bladegash!" Ramsus looked incredulous. "Why now all of a sudden?" he muttered. "Location?" asked Miang. The technician punched up a map of the planet. It dissolved into a three dimensional contour map of a small island with a lighthouse on one end. "Right there," said the soldier pointing. "Change course immediately!" said Ramsus as he returned to the commander"s station, "Follow that signal!" The ship began to veer toward the rising sun. Seraphita hugged Ramsus tightly. "What the-" he said. "Oh thank you Commander!" she said joyfully. He pushed her off. Then he smirked slightly. "Stop being such a baby," he said. She stood up straight and saluted. "Yes Commander!" Kelvina put her hands together. "At last we"ll find her." "Well, here"s hoping," said Tolone. "How long will it take to get your gears ready?" asked Ramsus. "Ten minutes at most," said Tolone. "See to it," said Ramsus nodding to them, "Dismissed." The Elements saluted and left the bridge. Ramsus looked troubled. "You think this signal is too convenient?" asked Miang. He smiled thinly. "If it"s a trap, we"ll make them pay." Far away, in the elevator shaft aboard the Yggdrasil Bart leaned forward and stared intently at Sigurd. "What?" asked Sigurd eventually. Bart grinned and shook his head. Sigurd sighed. "I just never saw you as the lady-killer type," said Bart admiringly. "Sire!" protested Sigurd. Bart smirked cockily. "Just what went on between you and the ice queen?" "Nothing that would compromise us," insisted Sigurd. The elevator stopped and the doors parted to reveal the corridor on the crew deck. Primera nearly collided with them. "Hey watch your step!" chided Bart as he ruffled her hair. She stared up at him solemnly and ran into a door to their left. They walked down to the end of the corridor through a large door. The hanger beyond was massive, stretching almost a third of the length of the Yggdrasil. Two rows of gear bays sat facing each other along the walls. About half the bays were filled with gears. They saw Billy talking to a technician, discussing ammunition. "We"ll get it loaded at once," said the technician before he scurried off. "Bart, good timing," said Billy. "When did you get here?" asked Bart as he grasped Billy"s hand. "Not long," said Billy, "We need to talk." "Is it an emergency?" asked Sigurd. Billy looked distant for a moment. "I don"t think so, but it worries me...." "We had our own adventure, didn"t we Siggy?" asked Bart, wrapping his arm around Sigurd"s shoulder. Sigurd disengaged Bart"s arm gingerly. "One that could have been avoided." "I ran into one of the Elements," said Billy. Sigurd and Bart exchanged a surprised glance. "Where?" asked Sigurd evenly. "Well, it was at the orphanage and I-" he began, "Wait, what happened to you guys?" "Something similar," said Bart; "The Elements are on the move." "But why?" speculated Sigurd rubbing his chin. "Dominia"s gone missing," stated Billy. "How do you know?" demanded Bart. "Well, unless Kelvina lied to me," said Billy defensively. Ten minutes later they stood around a map of the world in the strategy room. The map eerily illuminated their faces from below. "No enough information to fix their location," said Sigurd regarding the glowing points of light on the map. "Still, we"ve narrowed it down," said Billy. "So what"s our next move?" asked Bart. Both Sigurd and Billy looked at him expectantly. "Why me?" he asked. "We can"t wait for Fei and Elly to return," said Sigurd. "Of all the times for them to take off on us," muttered Billy. "We agreed to give everyone some time off," reminded Sigurd, "Citan and Rico aren"t back yet either." "We"re not helpless!" said Bart hitting his fist on the table, "We"ll handle this on our own!" "I"m open to suggestions," said Billy crossing his arms. "We"ll meet again tomorrow morning," suggested Sigurd, "We"re stopping by Nortune and we may have more options by then." "We"ll have Rico"s help at least," said Bart. Billy walked out of the meeting room and waved to a dignified old man standing behind a bar. He wore his white hair tied back in a small ponytail and tinted reading glasses over his eyes and he was dressed in a violet jacket and pants with a black trim over a white starched shirt. "Master Black, how may I be of service?" asked Maison. Billy shook his head and took a seat next to Primera, who was busying coloring pieces of paper with crayons. "How was the little imp?" asked Billy with a quiet smile. "She was no trouble at all," said Maison warmly. Billy nodded and put a hand on his little sister"s shoulder. She solemnly looked up at him and handed him a picture she was working on. Billy had little trouble recognizing the childishly scrawled picture of a woman in blue. His face reddened a little. "Who"s that?" inquired Maison staring over his glasses. Billy looked at Primera"s other pictures. They were of a dark blue dolphin, a small house with a windmill and a strange island with a lighthouse at one end. "Prim, what place is this?" he asked pointing to the lighthouse. She shrugged. Billy stared hard at it. "I think this may be where we"re going," he said eventually. In the morning light Ramsus couldn"t help but smile grimly. The image of the lighthouse hovered on all the main monitors. "Begin the operation!" he said. There was a faint rumble making the walls of the bridge shake and the image of Skyghene appeared on the monitors followed closely by Marinebasher and Grandgrowl. "Use deadly force if necessary," he stated. "Understood!" said Tolone. Strapped in the cockpit of Skyghene she flipped a switch on her console. Two small images of Kelvina and Seraphita appeared in the corners of her main screen. "Seraphita, you"ll take point," began Tolone. "Roger!" said Seraphita happily. "Kelvina, back me up," Tolone added. "Roger," intoned Kelvina quietly. They circled the lighthouse twice, Grandgrowl landing first in front of the main entrance. "Looks clear!" said Seraphita. "Stay on your toes," warned Tolone. Grandgrowl reached out and touched a console next to the rusted out doors. They creaked open slowly. "There"s still power," said Kelvina. "Amazing, considering how ancient this place is," said Tolone; "It may even date to the Zeboim culture." "What"s the zamboni culture?" inquired Seraphita innocently. "Zeboim you idiot!" snapped Tolone irritably. "Sorry," replied Seraphita contritely. Grandgrowl walked into the large elevator, followed by Marinebasher and Skyghene. Marinebasher pressed the down button with its nose. The elevator rumbled as it descended down into the depths of the earth. "It"s kind of creepy," said Seraphita. "Just as well I can"t see it then," said Kelvina dryly. The doors opened at the bottom. Reluctantly they disembarked into the vast darkness. Aboard the Yggdrasil"s bridge Bart openly gaped at Rico. "You met Seraphita?" asked Bart in wonder. Rico folded his arms across his chest. "Do I stutter?" he grumbled. "Amazing," said Sigurd. "We can analyze the situation later," said Billy, "If Primera"s right, Dominia"s on the island with the lighthouse. They glanced at Primera, staring quietly back at them. "This is one hell of a shot in the dark," breathed Bart. "I trust her instincts," said Sigurd firmly. "What are the odds of us running into the Elements separately?" asked Billy. "What were the odds of us meeting each other?" responded Sigurd. "Almost diddly squat," rumbled Rico. "Well, we"re getting close," said Bart, "Time to give our love to the girls." At that Primera quietly left through the door. "We"ll use Brigand, Stier, and Renozukan for this operation, agreed?" asked Bart. Rico and Billy nodded. Sigurd walked toward the communications station. "Franz, any contacts?" he asked. A small dolphin demi-human glanced up. "Just one, a Gebler ship." "Give us a visual, " said Bart. The ship appeared hovering over the lighthouse. "Damn, they beat us to it!" said Rico. "I"ll drop you off on the far side of the island," said Sigurd, his mind whirling, "Then the Yggdrasil will surface and lure them away. "That"s pretty dangerous," said Billy. "Nonsense," said Sigurd with a smile, "This is child"s play." "Let"s get to our gears!" said Bart punching a fist into his palm. They made it down to the gear bay and clambered into the gears. A massive door opened at the far end of the room and they rocketed out onto the shoreline of the island. They hid among the rocks and waited. "New contact!" yelled a soldier. "What?" demanded Ramsus, "Identify!" "Commander it"s the Yggdrasil!" said another soldier. "It"s him!" Ramsus snarled, "I knew it!" "Commander, what about the Elements?" inquired Miang. "They can look after themselves!" he snapped, "Pursue the Yggdrasil at once!" Bart whistled appreciatively as he watched the floating ship slowly recede across the horizon. "He"s a bigger dope than I thought!" "He"s just impulsive," said Billy, "Like certain people we know." "Let"s rumble," said Rico, pushing levers that made Stier rocket forward. They reached the lighthouse doors in record time. Billy inspected the control panel. "It"s been accessed recently," he reported. Stier rumbled forward and pushed the button. The elevator doors opened. They flew inside pressed the button inside. The doors shut behind them as the elevator moved down. "Any final thoughts gentlemen?" inquired Billy. "Check your cape," said Rico suppressing a chuckle. The single green eye of Renozukan scanned both shoulders and quickly zoomed in on the figure of a small girl clutching the cape on the left shoulder. "Primera!" echoed Billy"s voice angrily, "What are you doing here?" Primera glared back silently. Billy sighed deeply. "You wanted to see Kelvina again, didn"t you?" Primera nodded stubbornly. Renozukan reached up and gently picked her up. "You"re in big trouble Prim," warned Billy. The elevator doors opened. The vista of a ruined underground city stretched before them. Grandgrowl sat perched on a crumbling building opposite the elevator entrance. "Crap!" snarled Rico. Grandgrowl shot out a ring of energy that sent Brigand reeling over backward. Stier and Renozukan scattered down side streets on either side. "They"re here!" yelled Seraphita into her intercom. Halfway across the city Skyghene turned to Marinebasher. "They followed us!" said Tolone angrily. "Should we help Seraphita?" inquired Kelvina. "We"ll have to," said Tolone, "Spread out." They rocketed down different streets. Brigand slowly got up. "You"ll pay for that bitch!" growled Bart as another energy ring slammed into his gear. By now Stier had reached Grandgrowl, which took off and rebounded against the ceiling. "Owie!" said Seraphita. "We got you now bunny girl!" taunted Rico. Skyghene swooped in from overhead and knocked Stier over. It then expertly dodged fire coming from Renozukan, which was shooting with one arm and cradling the other against its chest. Marinebasher plowed sideways into Renozukan, knocking it through a building and out the other side. Brigand had brought out the whips and lashed Marinebasher"s flanks. "I need backup," said Kelvina, still calm. Renozukan stood up slowly and deposited Primera on top of a building. "Stay down Prim," said Billy"s voice. Primera ran over to the edge of the building and looked down. She spied a gear sitting in the middle of a partially collapsed building. It was painted a majestic purple with a long curved sword a visor obscuring the single lifeless eye. At once Primera knew it was Bladegash. Renozukan raked fire across on Marinebasher, still held in the grips of Brigand"s whips. Skyghene knocked the gun out of Renozukan"s grip. "Curse you!" said Billy, drawing out his back up pistols. Brigand retracted the whips for a moment as Marinebasher fell sideways on the ground. "Kelvina!" shouted Tolone. Brigand lashed out the whip again but found them wrapped around the blade of a long sword wielded by Bladegash, it"s single eye glowing a menacing crimson. "What the hell?" sputtered Bart. "Dominia!" said Seraphita, "Thank goodness!" Grandgrowl tackled Renozukan from behind. Stier caught Skyghene and flung it into the side of a skyscraper. "Something"s wrong," said Kelvina weakly. Bladegash stood over Marinebasher and pulled on the whips, drawing Brigand closer. Bart disengaged his whips. Renozukan managed to throw off Grandgrowl and glanced at a nearby rooftop. He saw Primera raise her right hand. He then turned and saw Bladegash raise its sword arm. "Wait Bart!" cried out Billy, "Primera"s trying to protect Kelvina!" In Skyghene Tolone followed Renozukan"s gaze. "Amazing," she muttered. Brigand lunged forward and began lashing Bladegash vigorously with the whips. Bladegash cut one of the whips off at the base then struck Brigand across the chest. Skyghene flew over to the rooftop and caught Primera in its clutches. Primera began to scream wildly. "Elements, retreat!" ordered Tolone. Grandgrowl and Marinebasher fired their engines and rocketed toward the exit. Bladegash pulled itself free and took off after Skyghene. "Primera!" shouted Billy. Renozukan took off after the Elements. Billy got there just in time for the elevator doors to close. "No!" he shouted, opening fire. Stier caught up and managed to restrain him. "Billy calm down!" roared Rico. "They have Primera!" said Billy, nearly hysterical. "We"ll get her back!" said Bart. In the elevator Grandgrowl and Marinebasher struggled to restrain Bladegash. "Dominia please, it"s us!" begged Seraphita. Primera fainted and Bladegash suddenly fell limp in their grip. Seraphita climbed out of Grandgrowl and managed to pry open the cockpit hatch. She gasped when she peered inside. It was empty. Chapter 5 Primera was vaguely aware of a shadowy presence. Slowly she opened her eyes to see a girl with bright pink hair and long bunny ears staring at her. Her green eyes sparkled. "Hi there!" she said waving, "I"m Seraphita." Primera reached out and touched Seraphita"s face, then began curiously tugging at her ears. "Owie!" protested Seraphita, "Hey, they"re real!" They both looked up to see a banged up Marinebasher settle into the bay next to them. Kelvina climbed out. Primera tried to sit up but saw she was still in the metal talons of Skyghene. "Tolone, let her go!" said Seraphita. The giant bird relaxed its grip and Seraphita pulled Primera free. She began sniffling and immediately ran over and embraced Kelvina. "Primera?" said Kelvina in shock, "How did you get here?" The little girl just sobbed and Kelvina picked her up and cradled her in her arms. "How"d you know her name?" asked Tolone as she jumped to the ground. "I"ve met her before," said Kelvina. "Wow, that"s great!" said Seraphita, "You"re already friends." Tolone smirked. "She may be the key we need." "Where"s the lock?" asked Seraphita blankly. Tolone sighed and began to walk away but Kelvina"s voice stopped her. "Promise me something," she said. Tolone didn"t turn around. "What?" "This child must not be harmed," said Kelvina holding Primera close. "She"s just a lamb," said Tolone. "Promise me," said Kelvina in a dark undertone that Tolone had never heard before. "Of course," said Tolone, "She"s of no use to us dead." Tolone left through the double doors. Seraphita put her hand on Kelvina"s shoulder. "Don"t worry, I"ll look out for her," she said quietly. Kelvina nodded. "Thank you." Seraphita leaned in close to Primera. "Aw, the poor thing must be terrified." Primera reached for her ears again and she backed away. Seraphita giggled. "Leave my ears alone!" "Her name"s Primera," stated Kelvina. "Can we be friends?" asked Seraphita as she held out a hand. Primera looked up at Kelvina and then put out her hand. Seraphita took it. Aboard the Yggdrasil Bart knocked on a door. "Billy?" he asked. There was no answer so he tried the door. Locked. He punched in the override code. The door slid open and he peered into the darkness beyond. Bart began to sweat. "Billy, are you in here?" "Come in," said Billy"s voice, "Leave the lights off." Bart walked in and found as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he could make out the form of Billy praying at the foot of his bed. The jacket and holsters hung neatly on hooks on the wall. A book lay open on the nightstand. "This was meant to happen," said Billy eventually. Bart frowned. "What do you mean?" "She was meant to be taken," explained Billy quietly, "It had to happen." "You"re nuts!" said Bart shaking his head, "I don"t buy that stuff about destiny!" Billy permitted himself a faint smile. "That"s because you wish to escape it." "Yeah, maybe," said Bart slumping in a nearby chair, "But nobody ever gives me a break about it." "Join the club," said Billy as he slowly stood up. Bart switched on the light switch. Billy stood dressed in dark gray pants and a bright green shirt. He smiled to Bart as he began to strap on his holsters. "I"ve chosen to place my faith in Kelvina," he said evenly, "She"ll take care of Prim." "You so sure about trusting our enemy?" asked Bart in disbelief. "Adversaries, "corrected Billy, "And sometimes that is the nature of faith." He put on the long jacket pulling his arms through the sleeves. "Are we still following them?" he asked. Bart stood up. "Yeah, we"re keeping far behind, but as long as they don"t use a gate we"ll be able to track them." Billy nodded. "Good." He walked out into the corridor. Bart followed him out, switching off the lights as he went. In a conference room Ramsus stared down at Primera doubtfully. She merely looked back at him, puzzled. "Run this by me again," he said slowly, "And don"t leave anything out." The Elements exchanged glances. "We found her in the Zeboim metropolis below the lighthouse," began Tolone, "I saw her demonstrate sympathetic powers." "So she feels sorry for us?" asked Seraphita gushing, "That"s so niiice!" Tolone ignored her. "She was able to remotely influence Bladegash." "Remotely?" interjected Ramsus, "So Dominia wasn"t in her gear?" The Element"s expressions answered that question for him. "I recommend we put her in Bladegash," suggested Tolone. "She"s just a lamb," said Kelvina. "Lamb or not, we may be able to use her to find Dominia," retorted Tolone. Ramsus looked down at Primera. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Put her in the gear," he said darkly as he strode out of the room. Kelvina looked downcast. Primera rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"I couldn"t save her Miss Black," he said wistfully, "But maybe I can save you." She shook her head violently. "I don"t want some Galahad to come riding to my rescue," she said miserably, "I made this mess myself." "You wanted the box?" asked Tom, thinking of the picture. "Tony gave it me for my birthday," she began her eyes widening in horror, "He was torn to pieces!" "I"m sorry," said Tom. "He was a louse," she added almost casually, "But nobody deserves to die like that!" "I didn"t mean to upset you," he added. "I"m such a coward," she said hanging her head and looking down at her bandaged writs. "They wouldn"t be able to reach you?" he asked. She nodded meekly as tears streamed down her face. "I"ll take you back now Miss Black," he said. Within minutes they were back in room sixteen, where he helped her back into bed. As he was reattaching her oxygen supply she asked a question. "What did you do with the gun and the pills?" she inquired. "I incinerated the drugs and disposed of the gun," he averred, "Nothing can implicate you now." "If you were smart, you"d blackmail me," she said coyly. "If I wanted money, I would"ve taken it already," he retorted firmly. "You"re a strange guy Tom," she wondered aloud, "You"re decent in all the wrong ways." He walked over and carefully reattached her wrist restraints. "Miss Black, you are more right than you"ll ever know," he said taking her hand, "Thank you for everything." "Call me Amy please," she said longingly. He pulled his hand free and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" she demanded. "I will free you," he said with a creepy smile. She was too stunned for words as he left the room. He stopped at the nurse"s station for a moment. "Mrs. Mills, I need to get something," he explained, "I"ll be back soon." "Okay Tom," she answered, "Don"t be long." Tom took the elevator down to the basement and retrieved the backpack from his pallet, along with the candle and picture. He then went to the break room and out into the courtyard. Lighting the votive candle, he placed it carefully at the base of the tree along with the picture of Martha. He then pulled out the Lament Configuration and began turning it in his hands, pushing in one of the smaller circles with his thumb. A wedge-shaped section lifted up and out before retracting again. Then the every other sunray lifted out with wooden slats connected to each, twisted an eighth of a turn and settled in so that it now looked more diamond shape than cubical. Swirling winds blew into his face and he saw dark clouds gathering in the nighttime sky. A crack split up one of the courtyard walls and rumbled open, revealing bright cold blue light. A second crack opened up behind him. Both led to long twisting arched dark corridors. Grimly determined, Thomas pulled the gun out of the backpack and stuck it into his waistband. Then he pulled the locket from the branch and pocketed it. "Take me you bastards," he muttered, "You"ll find my soul a lot more appetizing." Far above through a second story window, Karl Wentworth watched Tom enter one of the tunnels and disappear from view. This had worked out even better than he had originally planned, he thought. "Give "em hell Tom," he said with a self-satisfied chuckle. Chapter 3 After ten minutes Thomas knew he was lost. The dark corridors ran into frequent intersections at odd angles, with a labyrinthine layout. The walls were made of cold stone, with a curved roof supported by pillars at regular intervals. He was surprised; he always pictured Hell as being hot, full of fire and brimstone. Finally he reached a door, a large oaken affair with a brass door knocker. With a shock, he recognized it as the front door of Amanda"s house. Tentatively, he pushed the door open. The hallway inside was the same as he had remembered it. A long staircase led up to the second floor, with the railings gone. The white wallpaper was cracked and peeled, exposing the singed woodwork slats. He crossed over into the kitchen and found the ruined table and furniture, the plastic coffeemaker twisted and warped into an abstract sculpture. The only difference was the corpse. It had once been a man, now horrifically burnt into little more than a charred skeleton that sat in a chair at the table. Its skeletal hands rested on the tabletop, a gold watch decorating one wrist. What was left of the suit was grey flannel; it was the same suit as the man in the picture. "Tony," said Tom, his voice quivering, as he drew out the pistol and began searching the room. From the hair rising on the back of his neck, he could tell that they were nearby.... "Hey, that"s my gun," said a raspy charnel voice. Tom turned to see the corpse staring at him with piercing green eyes. Tom screamed and backed into the stove, knocking several pots and pans onto the floor. "I"m s-sorry," he stammered hysterically. "How"d you get it?" demanded the corpse frowning. "Miss Black gave me the c-combination," he replied nervously, wondering how he could be holding a conversation with a corpse. Of course, he realized: this was Hell. "Amy made it?" inquired Tony casually. When Tom merely nodded, he let out a deep sigh. "Got a light?" he inquired. Thomas took a pack of cigarettes from his backpack and held it out. "Thanks, kid," he muttered as Tom lit the cigarette for him. He took a deep drag and the smoke drifted from his charred lips and between the ribs in his chest. "Should you be smoking?" wondered Tom, feeling insanely foolish for asking. "You really miss cigarettes here," stated Tony as he indicated a chair, "Have a seat." Tom slowly sat in a ruined chair and placed the pistol and backpack on the tabletop. "She"s in Saint Matthias hospital," explained Thomas hopefully, "I came here to offer my soul for hers." "You"re crazy," rasped Tony incredulously, "You have any idea what it"s like here?" "Some," replied Tom as he rolled up a sleeve, exposing the tattoo and faint needle marks on the inside of his elbow. "I deal only with prescription drugs," sniffed Tony as he narrowed his eyes at Tom warily, "Not that ghetto shit." "I"m not here to judge you," said Tom somberly, "I came to save Miss Black." Tony took another long drag on the cigarette before replying. "You like her, huh?" he murmured, "So what did that whore promise you?" "Don"t call her names...," began Thomas defensively. Before he could finish Tony had reached across the table and grabbed the pistol. "Don"t mess with me, pal!" he screamed in a terrible voice as he raised the gun, "She should be here instead of me!" "I-I...," said Tom raising his hands. "She opened the box, not me!" he bellowed, "That bitch deserves to burn!" "But you gave it to her...," said Thomas. "Karl wanted the box to be tested," said Tony coldly. "Karl...Wentworth?" whispered Tom, "Oh God." Back in room sixteen, a cold eerie light woke Amy up. She looked over to the window and saw the scraggly grey tree lit up from behind by a strange blue light. "Tom, what have you done?" she breathed. With difficulty she managed to pull herself into a sitting position. She paused for a breath and then swiveled her legs over the side of the bed. Gasping, she pulled the wheelchair over. Amy then climbed into the chair. She was fumbling with the oxygen tube when Wentworth strolled in. "Amanda, what are you doing?" he inquired in a gently chiding voice, like he had caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. She took a deep breath before responding. "Tom is in danger," she explained, "There"s this puzzle box...." She stopped, knowing she"d sound like a raving lunatic. To her amazement, the Doctor walked over to the wall and unplugged her oxygen, reattaching the canula to the tank on the wheelchair. "I know about the box," stated Wentworth calmly, "Tom told me all about it." He began wheeling her out of room sixteen down the hallway. "Do you believe that it opens a door to Hell?" she wondered. Behind her, she could hear the doctor chuckle softly. "Oh, I believe that Tom believes it," he replied, "And that will put him in terrible danger." They stopped at the unattended nurse"s station, noticing the silence for the first time. They seemed to be the only ones on this floor. Wentworth wheeled her to the elevator and pressed the button. At least the elevator still worked. Within minutes they were in the courtyard. Amanda reached down to the base of the tree and picked up the photograph next to the votive candle. "Martha," she murmured, "Was she your patient?" "Yes, but the operation wasn"t successful," he said sadly, "Tom took it especially hard." "You"re the one who hired him?" said Amy, mentally putting the pieces together. Wentworth knelt next to her, placing an arm on her wheelchair. "He was in bad shape when they brought him in the E.R.," he said candidly, "Honestly I was surprised he lived." "Why would you want him to work here?" she asked, frowning. Something didn"t add up. "I"m shocked at your prejudice Amanda," said Wentworth with a grunt as he stood up, "Everyone is entitled to make a few mistakes." He positioned the wheelchair so it was facing one of the dark corridors. "Let"s hurry," she urged. It was then they heard the distant sounds of gunshots reverberating through the hallways. Thomas had managed to stumble out of the kitchen into the front hall. He clutched his shoulder as blood dribbled on to the wallpaper. He reached the door when another shot rang out hitting the oak an inch from his cheek. Tom spun and slumped against the door. Tony emerged at the far end and swiped some of the blood from the wall and tasted it. "We don"t want to spill too much," he said leisurely. "What do you want?" gasped Tom. "I want to live, you little junkie freak," he replied in casual spite, "Your blood will help me." "What are you going to do to her?" Tom demanded. "I"m going to drag her ass into Hell," he said as he raised the pistol in a skeletal hand. The whole house around them began to shift and creak. Harsh light filtered in between the slats of the walls and the floorboards. "No!" screamed Tony in anguish as he prepared to fire. A hooked chain shot of the wall and impaled his gun arm, pulling it to the side as a shot harmlessly hit the ceiling. A second chain hit his other arm pulling him spread eagled off the ground. "It"s not fair!" he roared as dozen of chains from all direction pieced what was left of his flesh. Then they pulled taught, pulling him into pieces. The gun spun across the floor, rebounding off of Tom"s shoe, a skeletal hand still wrapped around the grip. He felt bile rise in his throat as he tried not to vomit. Shadowy figure appeared in the doorways. A man in a long black overcoat stood in front of the dining room, his bald head devoid of any facial features, only stretched smooth skin where the eyes and mouth would have been. A long bladed sickle was held in a gloved hand. A hunched figure with metal spikes protruding from his neck, shoulders, and arms stood in the kitchen door. Black leather partially covered his body, leaving ghastly white flesh exposed, which was covered in blood red welts. It snarled its sharp crooked teeth at him. "What a pity," said a reverberating voice, "He never understood his own limitations." Tom looked up to see a magnificent figure standing at the top of the stairs; his pale white face and head crisscrossed with geometric rows of pins. He wore dark clothing, with two vertical leather strips piercing through his chest and a long trailing cape starting at the waist. Tom could sense cold commanding imperiousness in his gaze, like an exiled king. "You have summoned us," he said narrowing his black eyes, "And we came." Tom nodded and pulled out the Lament Configuration. The Lead Cenobite seemed to glide down the stairs and he reached out to the puzzle box. Small bolts of electricity arced out of his fingertips and the box reconfigured itself as a long thin needle-like pyramid. Thomas nearly dropped it on the floor in shock. "I...I opened the box," said Tom fearfully, "Because I want to make a trade." By now the Faceless and Spiked Cenobites has joined with their master in hovering menacingly over him. "What sort of trade?" asked the Leader with air of mild irritation. "The soul of Amanda Black for my own," proposed Thomas, "Take me in her place." The Spiked Cenobite began to chortle cruelly. "And why should we agree to this?" demanded the Lead Cenobite with dry amusement, "We can still take Amanda and you as well." Tom realized he hadn"t thought this through; still, he had to try. "If you want a soul to torture," he stated, "You will find my suffering far more exquisite." The Faceless Cenobite picked him up and threw him up against the door, drawing out the sickle. He began to dig the tip of the blade into Tom"s shoulder wound. He howled in frenzied agony as the Leader listened appreciatively, like an audiophile listening to a concert. "Enough," commanded the Lead Cenobite, "Yes, you have potential." "So...you"ll...accept?" said Tom between pants for breath. "We will consider your offer," he clarified, "Provided you bring another soul." "Another?" gulped Tom, "Who?" "The one who truly desires this box," he explained. Tom felt a chill run through his body. "Doctor Wentworth!" he exclaimed, "You want me to bring him here?" "You already have," said the Lead Cenobite with cold amusement. Then they seemed to melt away into the dark shadows of the ruined house. Tom slowly stood up, still gasping for breath as he clutched at his shoulder. With his free hand he retrieved the gun and headed out the front door. The outside corridor was enormous and completely different from the one that was there before. It towered overhead into a cavernous ceiling as he walked down and noticed a room ahead that looked equally vast. He found himself in a large circular room, like a coliseum, with a curved dome overhead. A single oculus in the center let the only light filter down. Tom heard a faint sound like a distant foghorn as he saw a sweeping beam of darkness briefly block out the light. The stone floor was inlaid with intricate circular and square metallic patterns as he made his way to the center of the room. "The Shadow of Leviathan!" shouted a voice. Tom whirled around and saw Doctor Wentworth and Amanda at the far end of the room. "Tom!" cried Amy, "You"re hurt!" He ran over to them and knelt in front of her. She embraced him tightly, aggravating his wound. Amy looked apologetic when she saw him grimacing. She unwound some her own bandages and wrapped his shoulder wound with it. "Miss Black, I"m sorry," he said sorrowfully, "My soul is not enough." "You idiot," she replied touching his cheek with a hand, "Who said you should try?" "They want your soul as well," he said glancing up to Wentworth, "In exchange for Miss Black"s." The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Not much of a bargain," he responded gravely, "But you should keep your part." "Don"t listen to him!" pleaded Amy, "We"ll all get out of here and find another way!" "They"ll pursue you forever if I don"t," he said taking her hand, "And I don"t want the Doctor to be sacrificed as well." "Well said my boy," said Wentworth, "Now go to the center of the room." "What will happen?" asked Tom as he stood. Amy refused to release her grip on his hand. "Leviathan will devour your soul," stated the Doctor clinically, "It is eternally hungry." "How do you know so much about it?" demanded Amy. "No time for questions my dear," said Wentworth holding up a gun at her. Tom felt at his waist and realized Tony"s gun was gone. The Doctor had managed to take it from him without noticing, along with the Lament Configuration. "Don"t kill her!" demanded Tom indignantly, "Please!" "Don"t worry Tom," she said defiantly, "He won"t." "Would you like her to call my bluff, Tom?" he asked, faintly amused. "No, please!" said Tom holding up his hands in surrender, "I"ll go." "Tom!" said Amy with a strangled cry. He smiled reassuringly to her as he walked into the center of the coliseum. Thomas stepped into the circle of light then took a deep breath before looking up. Another black beam of light swept through and enshrouded him in darkness. He looked down at a vision of a man strapped down to a gurney shrieking in pain. The man looked wasted and thin, with long ratty hair and a week"s worth of stubble. In numbing horror, he recognized himself as that man raving and foaming at the mouth as doctors tried to restrain him. He saw the specter of his past knock one of the nurses away before Wentworth injected him with a sedative. A split second later he had a vision of himself standing in a rain swept courtyard, staring at a ragged grey tree. A small sickly girl was in his arms, wrapped up in several blankets. She was smiling up at him, a locket clutched in her grasp. Slowly she pressed it into his palm as she whispered something about this being their special meeting place. The scene shifted again and he found himself hunched over an empty bed, his body convulsing with sobs. Doctor Wentworth had a comforting hand on his shoulder. He couldn"t live without her, but he had to go on, to make meaning of the suffering. To make meaning of the suffering.... With a jolt he found himself back in the light. He rubbery legs gave way and he slumped to the ground. It felt like some obscene entrance exam. Vaguely he wondered if he had passed the test. "Tom, are you alright?" yelled Amy. He looked up at her longingly as he heard a distant rumble. Twin circular pillars rose from the ground a foot on either side of him. They spun with surprising grace as they glided upwards, like corkscrews. When they finally came to a rest, he could see a hole though each one, about six feet up. Thomas slowly got to his feet and pulled out Martha"s locket. He looked at the picture and then up to Amanda. "Don"t look," he said softly. He raised his arms and stuck them through the holes. Spikes drove into both his wrists and the floor dropped from under him, so he was supporting his weight by just his arms. He howled in torment as blades sliced into his sides and shoulders. The locket fell from his grip onto the cold marble floor. The pillars began to sink back into the ground, and Thomas Rathburn slowly receded from view, although it took much longer for his screams to fade away. Amy watched in terror, covering her mouth with both hands to stop from screaming. Wentworth crossed over to the wheelchair and swiveled her around. She began sobbing as he wheeled her down a corridor. Poor child, thought the Doctor, she didn"t understand the gift that had been given. Chapter 4 Amanda had lapsed into an eerie silence by the time Wentworth wheeled her back into the courtyard. The tree looked as sad and forlorn as ever. Wentworth parked her wheelchair under the scraggly branches and bent over to lift up the footrests. As he did, she drew up her leg and with all her strength kneed him in the groin. He gasped and staggered back as she began raking at his face with her fingernails. "Argh!" He yelped almost petulantly, "Stop that!" "You bastard!" she shrieked, "He"s dead and you"re responsible!" Wentworth reached over, blocking her blows with a free hand, and unplugged her oxygen tank. Within moments her flame-scarred lungs struggled to get enough air to breathe. She began hacking and coughing. "I...kill you," she wheezed. "Don"t make me recant my Hippocratic oath, my dear," sneered Wentworth icily as he wiped the blood from his face with a pocket handkerchief, "Thomas has only just begun to serve his true purpose." "But...those things...," protested Amy before a fit of coughing stopped her. "Cenobites," he lectured as he gingerly plugged her oxygen tube back in, "I knew the moment I saw Tom in the emergency room that he was the soul I was looking for." "For what?" she wondered. Despite her rage, she was genuinely curious what this madman was planning. "He"s the bait that Leviathan couldn"t resist," he said triumphantly, "And when I return he will become my Trojan horse." "But...why?" she asked. Wentworth gave her an apologetic smile. "Having power over the lives of my patients no longer satisfies me," he said, "I want dominion over the souls of mankind." Secretly he was pleased that he had someone to confide in, someone who would understand. "How-?" she began before he cut her off. "Leviathan consumes the souls under its control," he explained, "It responds to desire, and his desire is truly a wonder to behold." Her puzzled look brought the smile back to his face. "You still don"t understand, do you," he said with a sigh, "I chose you to become his desire." It took her a moment to put the pieces together. "You were Tony"s supplier," she began finding the breathing a little easier, "You gave him the box, knowing what would happen." "Well, I had hopes that Tony would come through," said the Doctor regretfully, "But alas he was unworthy." "And then when they brought me here, you knew that Tom...," she breathed, "...oh my God." "Exactly my dear," said Wentworth beaming, "He would do anything to save your soul." "Because it would be like saving Martha," she muttered, "I"m so sorry Tom."

"Yeah! I"m not hungry." Stevie said casually. "Come on Stevie! How long has it been since you"ve eaten something?" Lisa looked Stevie in the eye. "You have to eat sometime!" Stevie drummed her fingers on the table, thinking. "I have no idea when I last ate something." She said truthfully. "But I"m not hungry! And I"m fine!" "But we"re worried about you!" Lisa cried. "You haven"t eaten anything in three days!" "So?" Stevie questioned angrily. "So! You need to eat something!" Carole demanded. Stevie got up. "You can"t make me." She looked both of them in the eye. "I"m fine. What"s the big deal?" Lisa looked at the ground, leaving Carole to answer. "We just want to make sure you"re okay." She said calmly. Stevie sat back down. "Well I am. So please stop bugging me about it." "Okay. We won"t." Lisa said. "We promise." Stevie gave a sigh of relief. A few moments later, Scooter came by with their order. "One chocolate milkshake for you!" He slid it across the table to Carole. "And one strawberry for you!" Scooter handed Lisa her milkshake. "Are you sure I can"t get you anything Stevie?" He asked. Stevie turned away and refused to answer. "Um...we"re good." Lisa said quietly. Scooter just nodded and walked off to deliver another order. The girls talked for a while. They talked about horses, and how they were so glad they didn"t have school for a while. After a while, Lisa leaned against the chair and pushed her half-eaten milkshake away. "I"m done!" She said yawning. "Me too." Carole said, taking one last sip. "Are you sure you don"t want anything Stevie?" Stevie shook her head. "Nope. I"m fine!" She replied. Carole shrugged and they got up to leave. Stevie laid her money on the table as Lisa was digging in her purse. "Wait! Stevie, I"ll pay for it!" Lisa laughed. "You didn"t even eat anything! It"s not right that you"d pay!" Stevie grabbed Lisa and Carole"s arms and pulled them away. "Nah, it"s fine!" She said honestly. "I don"t mind! Now come on! Your mom"s here!" They ran out the door and hopped in Lisa"s mom"s car. "How"d it go girls?" Her mom asked. "It was great!" Stevie replied. Carole looked at her strange. She thought it was great, but she didn"t even get anything? That didn"t sound like her at all. Carole figured Stevie was just being polite, but that wasn"t like her either. "Yeah, thanks mom!" Lisa smiled. "Oh, no problem!" Lisa talked with her mom the rest of the way. Carole and Stevie continued not talking, and both stared out the windows. "We"re here!" Lisa said excitedly. Everyone got out quickly. They thanked Lisa"s mom, and ran into the barn. Red motioned Lisa over. "I"ll be right back girls! I"ve got to use the restroom!" She lied. "Oh Lisa! Why didn"t you go at JB"s?" Carole laughed. Lisa shrugged and ran off. Carole and Stevie looked at each other for a moment before separating. They went to their horse"s stalls. Meanwhile.... "So how"d it go?" Red asked. "Oh it was fun! We talked about school, and horses, and-" Red cut Lisa off. "No, I mean.....about Stevie," He said. "How"d it go?" Lisa sighed and Red groaned. "She didn"t eat anything, and when we tried to get her to eat something, she got mad at us." Lisa explained. "I don"t know what"s wrong. She"s not still sick is she?" "Huh. I don"t know. Thanks for telling me Lisa. I knew I could count on you." Red turned around and buried his head in his hands. He was obviously frustrated. Lisa took this as a good moment to leave. She met up with Stevie and Carole. They had already saddled up Belle and Starlight, and they even managed to do Prancer. "Wow! Thanks guys!" Lisa smiled. "Oh, no problem! With the two of us, it didn"t take very long!" Stevie said casually. Lisa grinned. She was so glad they had managed to work together to do something, without arguing! Maybe they were close to becoming friends again! Lisa didn"t get her hopes up, she still was unsure. "Hey Stevie, can you come here a sec?" Red called from the office. "Sure! I"ll be there in a minute!" Stevie called back. She turned to Carole and Lisa. "Wonder what that"s about?" Lisa shrugged nervously. "Who knows?" She said, her voice trembled, but Stevie didn"t notice. "Oh well, I"ll be back in a minute! Do you mind waiting?" Stevie asked. Carole and Lisa both shook their heads, and Stevie ran off to talk to Red. "Yes?" She asked as she entered the office. "What is it you wanted me for?" Red sighed and motioned to the couch. Stevie sat down. "We need to have a talk." He said. Stevie groaned. Red raised his eyebrows and continued talking. "Lisa, Carole, Phil, and myself have discovered a change in your eating habits. Are you feeling okay?" He asked. Stevie rolled her eyes. "You too?!" She shrieked. "I can"t believe you! Why is it so important?" She asked. "Because! You need food to survive! Why won"t you eat anything? Are you sick?" Red demanded. "NO! I told you, I"m just not hungry!" Stevie yelled. "But you need to eat something!" Red pleaded. Stevie gave an angry sigh. "You can"t make me do anything." She said quietly. "I will if I have to!" Red yelled. Stevie got up from the couch. "Sit down! We"re not finished!" Stevie shook her head. "I don"t have to." Red gasped. "But I told you to!" He motioned to the couch. "Please, sit down!" "No." Red clenched his fists. "Sit-Down- Now." He said, his voice full of rage. "No, I don"t have to! What if I prefer standing?" Stevie cried. She turned to leave. "Don"t make me-" Red placed a firm hand on Stevie"s shoulder. Big mistake. Stevie swung around quickly and landed a firm punch on Red"s left cheek. Red recoiled in a hiss of anger. "What was that for?" He yelled, his cheek turning red. He did have to admit though; it was a really good punch. Stevie looked down at her hands open mouthed. She looked at Red. "I"m so sorry, I-" She gave a whimper and ran out the door. "Stevie come back!" Red ran after her but she was too fast. She ran over to Belle, spooking Carole and Lisa. "Hey, how"d it go?" Lisa asked. Stevie ignored her and hopped on Belle. With a kick, Stevie was off, galloping towards the pasture. Lisa and Carole looked at each other, and then at Red, who was walking over to them. His cheek was slowly turning purple. It stung horribly. "Oh my gosh, Red, what happened?" Lisa cried. He sighed. "I.....may have lost my temper with Stevie....and... I may have accidentally tried to force her to do something...." He sighed again. "Stevie did this?" Carole asked hesitantly. "Yeah." Red looked away. Carole suppressed a laugh. "Whoa, I had no idea she could do that!" Lisa gasped. "Did she punch you?" Red nodded and told them what had happened. Lisa rolled her eyes. "Oh, well now I see. You sooo deserved that." She turned to Carole who nodded. "Yeah, no offense Red, but I thought you knew better!" Carole laughed. Red shook his head with a sigh, and gingerly held up a hand to his cheek. "Man, she has a strong arm." He mumbled. Lisa and Carole laughed as they mounted. They gave their horses a kick, and cantered off in the direction they saw Stevie headed. They needed to talk. Meanwhile... Stevie grasped Belle"s mane as they approached the paddock fence. It was a smaller fence though, nothing like what they did in lessons, and Belle glided over it with ease. There weren"t any horses in the pasture because it was an extra, and hadn"t been taken care of for months. The grass was tall and dead, and weeds sprouted up all over the place. Also, the pasture was really large, and it took forever to catch and find all the horses when you needed them. "Whoa girl! Easy," Stevie soothed. Belle slowed to a trot, and then a walk. They walked along the fence slowly. Stevie wasn"t really upset, Red had deserved what he got for treating her like that. She just needed some alone time. She pulled Belle off the rail and they picked up a canter. Belle leaped over a fallen log as Stevie lead her towards it. There were several fallen logs, crevices, and rocks that made good jumps in this paddock. Stevie smiled as she enjoyed some time to herself. She enjoyed jumping, and was glad no one was there to judge her, and nothing to worry about. Or so she thought. Carole and Lisa slowed their horses as they approached the pasture. They saw Stevie and Belle cantering around, jumping over objects. Several times Stevie would start near a huge rocky structure, and go over jumps as if she was doing a course. Lisa and Carole watched from the trees. They didn"t want to interrupt Stevie"s practice, and they could tell she was having fun on her own. They just wanted to watch and make sure everything went okay. Especially after the way Stevie had been acting for the last few days. "She looks like she"s just having fun," Lisa noted. Carole turned to her. "Yeah, I guess, but we sure stay and make sure nothing happens. They suddenly heard a shriek, which was followed by a loud neigh. "Stevie!" Lisa gave Prancer a kick and they galloped off towards the pasture. Carole followed close behind. They swerved in the road and jumped the fence one at a time. Belle was rearing over by the rocky structure. "Belle! Belle, stop it!" Stevie cried. She was relieved when she saw Carole and Lisa galloping towards them. She was also a bit suspicious. How had they gotten here so fast, when she"d only just screamed? She pushed that thought aside and brought Belle to stand. She backed her away from the cliff. "Easy girl!" Stevie leaned forward and pat Belle on the neck. "Stevie! Stevie, what happened?" Lisa called as they approached them. "I don"t know! I was going to start another round of jumps when Belle freaked out. I don"t know what was wrong." Stevie let her breathing slow. "Huh. That"s unlike Belle." Carole observed. "Yeah, I know. Hey, how did you get here so fast?" Stevie questioned, although she had already suspected the answer. Carole turned to Lisa who was turning red. "We um....we were in the area." She lied. Well, only partially lied, they were in the area after all, but they were also spying. Stevie shrugged. She obviously didn"t care. "Okay. I"m just glad you"re here. Want to jump a couple rounds with me?" Stevie asked. "It"s good practice for cross-country at the show next week! If you can jump on hills and rocks, than you can do it in a soft, flat arena!" Stevie mentioned. Lisa nodded. "Okay! Sounds like fun!" She turned to Carole who nodded as well. "Great! I"ll start, so I can show you the course!" Stevie led Belle back towards the rock. Suddenly, Belle gave a snort and shied away. "Belle, what"s wrong with you?" Stevie asked, pushing Belle towards the rock. "Come on!" Belle obeyed, finally, but was still a bit nervous. "Sorry about that!" Stevie called to the girls. They shrugged. Stevie turned Belle towards the first jump. She gave her a cluck, but Belle did not move. Already agitated, Stevie gave Belle a large thump with her legs. Belle shrieked and reared up. Stevie grabbed Belle"s mane quickly. Lisa started to walk Prancer forward, but Stevie stopped her. "It"s fine! I think I kicked too hard! She"s not used to that!" Stevie called. Lisa shook her head. Stevie tried again. "Come on Belle! We can do it!" She gave Belle one final cue. Belle stood, frozen. "Hey Stevie, maybe she"s tired! Why don"t you try to show us the course instead? Let her have a break!" Carole yelled from across the field. "Hmm....okay!" Stevie tried to turn Belle towards Carole and Lisa, but she refused to do so. Instead, she carefully lifted her head as to scent danger. Stevie realized what she was doing, but it was too late. With a nasty snarl, a lone wild dog burst from underneath the rock formation. Belle gave a whinny and reared up again. Stevie, unprepared for this, slid from her horse and onto the ground, five feet from the dog. "Stevie!" Lisa yelled. She started to back up but Carole stopped her. "Don"t make any sudden moves Stevie! Otherwise it"ll attack you!" She called. "Just stay there, and move very slowly!" Stevie got up shakily. She moved slow, like Carole had said. The dog stared first at her, and then at her horse.. Belle was rearing and kicking in a frenzy of fear, but didn"t land one hoof on the dog. She looked like she was having a fit. "Nice doggy, nice doggy..." Stevie soothed. The dog let out a deep growl. "Or not nice doggy, whatever works best for you!" Stevie said sarcastically. Lisa and Carole were slowly walking towards the dog. Starlight gave a nervous whinny, but otherwise was fine. Stevie backed away slowly. The dog growled again, saliva dripping from its exposed fangs. It took a step forward. Suddenly a bird hiding in the grass flew up about a foot away from Stevie. She shrieked and jumped backwards quickly. The dog gave a low bark. Then, it charged. Stevie ran as fast as she could, but the dog was gaining on her. She turned around and jumped ahead as it snapped at her heels. She screamed, although it wasn"t going to help anything. Suddenly Stevie felt her foot get caught. She looked down to see it was one of the crevices. One she had spent so much time jumping over again and again. She felt her foot get twisted as she fell to the ground. Wincing in pain, she tried to get up but the dog was on top of her. Snarling and barking, it snapped at her neck. Stevie screamed as it bit through her skin, and clawed at her arms. She felt its hot breath, and the gooey saliva dripping onto her back. Black dots danced in front of Stevie"s eyes. The pain was almost unbearable, until she was rescued. Belle came galloping over in an instant. She pawed in the air and landed a few strikes on the dog, careful not to hit Stevie in the process. By now Carole and Lisa were running over on foot. The dog let out a whine and retreated from Stevie. It ran, tail tucked between its legs, as Belle chased it out of the pasture. With a satisfied snort, she returned to Stevie. Stevie rolled over onto her back, groaning in pain. The last thing she saw was Belle"s muzzle, before everything went black. Stevie awoke a few minutes later to Carole and Lisa"s worried faces. "Stevie! Are you alright?" Lisa asked, concerned. Stevie groaned and tried to sit up. She immediately felt a wave of dizziness overcome her and she laid back down again. "Stevie?" Lisa repeated. "What? Yeah, I"m fine." Stevie replied. Carole looked at her funny. "Are you sure?" Stevie closed her eyes for a second before answering. "No." Lisa leaned forward and helped Stevie sit up. She winced at the pain in her neck. "Thanks Lisa, I don"t know what I"d do without you guys." Stevie said. Tears welled in her eyes; from the pain, exhaustion, or the emotions, she didn"t know. Probably all three. "Oh, don"t worry. It"s okay." Lisa soothed, patting Stevie"s leg. "I know, but seriously. What would I have done if you hadn"t been spying on me? Yes, I know that"s what you were doing." Stevie smirked. Lisa and Carole exchanged guilty looks. "I"m so glad to have you guys as my friends!" Stevie leaned forward and hugged Lisa. Carole sat, watching awkwardly. Stevie glanced at her. "You too Carole! You"re my friend too!" Stevie laughed. "Really? You"ll forgive me?" Carole asked. "Of course! I forgave you when you came to my aid earlier. I couldn"t have a better group of friends!" Stevie said gratefully. Carole gave a sigh of relief and she joined in the hug, accidentally putting her arm around Stevie"s neck. "Ow!" Stevie pulled back immediately, rubbing her neck. "Oh my gosh! I"m so sorry!" Carole cried. "It"s fine, just a little sore." Stevie pulled her hand away and started to wipe it on her pants, but Lisa grabbed it first. "Stevie! You are not fine!" She yelped. Stevie"s hand was red. Lisa crawled over and sat behind Stevie, pulling her hair away. She gasped as the back of her neck was revealed. It was covered in scrapes and cuts, most of them decently deep. The skin was torn, and blood oozed from every cut. It dripped down her back and onto her shirt. "Carole, come here!" Lisa motioned to Carole. Carole put a hand over her mouth when she saw. "Stevie, we need to get you back to Pine Hollow before this gets infected." She had also noticed a few scrapes on Stevie"s arms, but they weren"t that bad. Stevie sighed. "Okay. Here, let me get up." Stevie groaned as she heaved herself to her feet. Careful of her right foot, the one that had gotten caught, she stood. "Come on, let"s go." Carole started to walk towards the horses who had crowded together and were munching on the grass. Stevie took a step forward and her ankle gave way. She collapsed onto the ground. She closed her eyes and winced at the pain that jolted through her leg. Stevie bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain. "Stevie!" Lisa rushed over. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, fine." Stevie said as she brushed herself off. "Just tripped." She got back up shakily. Lisa was right behind her. She stood there, unsure of what to do. "Go ahead Stevie, we need to get back." Lisa gave Stevie a gentle nudge. Stevie gulped nervously, she didn"t want anything to be wrong with her ankle. She took another step forward, and fell again. This time though, she couldn"t help but cry out as her foot his the ground. Lisa went to her knew next to Stevie. "Tripped?" She smirked. Stevie stuck her tongue out at her. "Yeah, yeah, I know, I was just a bit worried." Stevie sat up, cringing at the harsh pain. By now, Carole had come back over. "What"s wrong?" She asked. "Oh, nothing, it"s fine." Stevie replied, much to Lisa"s dismay. "No! It"s not fine!" Lisa cried. "Stevie"s busted her ankle! She can"t walk!" Carole turned to Stevie. "Is this true?" Stevie nodded sheepishly. Carole sighed. "It"s okay, don"t be embarrassed. It wasn"t your fault! Come here!" Carole grabbed Stevie"s hand and helped her up. She stood, leaning on Lisa. "I"ll lead Starlight and Prancer." Carole explained. "Belle will follow you, right Stevie?" Stevie nodded. "Lisa, you help Stevie. We"ll walk home." Lisa gave a quick nod and took a few slow steps forward. Stevie leaned on her and followed. Together, they walked home, Stevie limping, Carole leading two horses, and Belle following with no human guidance. They would have quite a story to tell when they got back. Later... About thirty minutes later they arrived at the stables. Red was busy mucking out stalls, but Drew was giving Veronica a private lesson in the arena. He immediately noticed something was wrong when he saw Stevie leaning on Lisa, and Belle leading herself. "I"m afraid we"ll have to take a short break Veronica. If things are too bad, we might have to reschedule this lesson for tomorrow." Drew said to Veronica. patting Garnet on the shoulder. "What? We"ve had this lesson planned for weeks! You can"t reschedule it now! Not when we"re halfway through a lesson!" Veronica shrieked. Drew glared at her. "I"m sorry, but I have much more important matters to attend to right now." Drew motioned to the Saddle Club girls and Veronica growled. "Fine." She dismounted Garnet and left him in the arena, untied. "But since it is my lesson, I get to come with you." She smirked. Drew sighed but didn"t argue. "Fine. Hurry up." He ran out the arena and towards the Saddle Club. "GIRLS!" He called as he approached them. "Girls, what happened?" He looked between the three of them. Finally, it was Stevie who told the story. "Well...me and Red had a disagreement earlier and I ended up running off to be alone. I just went to that large pasture, the one we aren"t using." Stevie started. Drew nodded, clearly knowing the place. Veronica sighed impatiently. "I was just riding around, jumping over obstacles. You know the rock formation in the middle of the pasture?" Stevie asked. "Yes, I do." Drew replied. "Well, I was leading Belle towards it when she started rearing up. I screamed and Carole and Lisa, who were spying on me, came into the pasture too. We were going to jump the course when Belle started rearing again. I ended up deciding to let Lisa go first, but Belle wouldn"t turn away when I asked her to." Stevie gave a cough as Veronica made a face at them. Drew glared at her and she stopped. "Anyways, then a lone wild dog ran out from under the rock. I wasn"t prepared, and so when Belle reared I fell off and-" "Is that how you apparently "hurt" your foot?" Veronica interrupted, sarcasm oozing from her voice. "Hah, I wish!" Stevie smiled. "But no. Carole told me to stand still, and so I did. The dog was only five feet away. Then a bird flew up from the grass, and I got scared and jumped backwards." "The dog chased after me. I was running away when my foot got caught in a crevice, and I tripped. That was how I hurt my foot." Stevie said, throwing a look towards Veronica. Drew saw it, but did nothing to stop it. "Go on," He said patiently. "Then.....then the...then the dog....." Stevie stuttered. She clearly didn"t want to relive the moment. "The dog attacked her while she was on her back. It bit and clawed her neck hoping to....you know...." Carole said. "Yeah. Then Belle ran over and saved Stevie by kicking the dog away. She chased it out of the pasture, but I don"t know if it"s truly gone for good." Lisa finished. Drew looked at Belle amazed. She clearly loved Stevie a lot. "Hah, you expect us to believe that story?" Veronica spat. "It"s pathetic!"

"Girls, don"t start something, the movie"s almost over." Mom nudged my shoulder and I fell silent. I did not want to cause any problems. About five minutes till the movie ended I felt a weight on my shoulder. I looked over. Alex had fallen asleep and was slumped against my shoulder. I smiled warmly and gently moved her head to my lap, where I proceeded to softly stroke her hair. She was so cute when she was sleeping, I thought. When the movie ended everyone started talking, as usual. Cam and Mitch were arguing over whether Thor or Captain America was hotter, and Jay and Phil were conversing about the plot. Luke was punching Manny like Hulk, and Gloria was trying to stop them. When I looked down Alex was still asleep. How she managed to sleep through all the noise was a mystery. Mom sat behind me and put her hands on my shoulder. She looked down at Alex. "Is she asleep?" She asked. I nodded. "Yeah, I can"t figure out how she does it! Everyone is being so loud!" Mom nodded at this. "She"s always been odd, yes." Mom stood up. "We"d better get going, Hayley, will you wake her? Gently!" She reminded me. I rolled my eyes and shook Alex"s shoulder slowly. She stirred and opened her eyes. "Is the movie over?" She asked sleepily. "Yeah, it"s over. We have to get home." She nodded and slowly stood up. I got up after her and she leaned on me and hugged my arm. We walked together the rest of the way out, her holding onto me like that. It was sweet. However, I came to the conclusion that she was not awake yet, because there"s no way she"d do this, in public if she was awake. We got in the car and drove home. Mom made us go straight to bed since it was already late. I walked upstairs, Alex still holding my arm tightly. Her eyes were half open, and she yawned every two minutes. "Somebody"s tired!" I joked. She didn"t respond, and I took that as a yes. I walked over and sat on my bed, Alex sitting next to me. "Alex, sweetie, it"s time for bed." I pulled her off my arm and scoot away from her. She sat there, almost like a zombie. "Alex, come on! I want to go to bed to!" I whined. When she didn"t respond again I slowly got up. Walking over to her, I grabbed her arm and dragged her towards her bed. She flopped down on the mattress and immediately fell asleep. I smiled and draped a blanket over her. She stirred, but didn"t wake. Getting into bed, I shut off the light and closed my eyes. Alex"s POV: I don"t know when, but sometime in the night I was woken up from a noise outside. I sat up in bed, surprised to find myself in my bed. The last thing I remembered was dozing off at Grandpa"s house. I didn"t even remember coming home. I shrugged off the blanket that was on top of me and walked towards the window. A dark shape was moving in our lawn. I shrieked softly and ran over to Hayley. "Hayley, Hayley, wake up!" I shook her hard. She shot up immediately. "What?!" She whispered harshly. "There"s something, or someone in our yard!" I replied, scared. She shot me a confused look before glancing out the window. We watched as the figure, definitely human, slinked through the yard towards our house. The shadow moved towards the backyard. "Hayley, did you close the backyard door this afternoon?" I asked. She had opened the door when she went to go get a pair of shoes she had left in the yard. This was right before we had left for Jay"s house. She looked at me, her face pale and her eyes wide. "No! I thought you closed it!" "Why would I have closed it? I didn"t go outside!" I scolded. We both fell silent at the sound of the back door opening and closing from downstairs. I whimpered and Hayley walked towards the door. "Let"s go check it out!" She said, worried. I nodded. "Oh, wait!" I ran back over towards my bed. "What now?" She asked annoyed. I pulled out my journal from under my pillow. Hayley rolled her eyes. "Really?" She asked. "Yes." I slid open the cover and pulled out the fish knife. Hayley looked at it wide eyed. "What?" She gaped. "Nothing, let"s just go downstairs." I shushed her. Still confused, she opened the door and we slowly walked downstairs. Creeping into the kitchen, we saw the figure was bent over at the sink, washing their hands. They had all black on, including a black ski mask. It was a burglar, I thought shakily. I started to slink forward when Hayley clamped a hand on my arm and pulled me so I was pressed up against her. She dug her nails into my arm and I shrieked. Hayley threw her hand over my mouth by it was too late. The black masked figure spun around and yelled when it saw us. We. Were. So. Dead. Alex"s POV: I shrunk back as the figure yelled. Surprisingly the figure was about the same height as Hayley, and just a little taller than me. The black clad human walked over to us. "Do something!" Hayley yelped. She had grabbed my shoulders and was using me as a shield. The person advanced. I thrust the fish knife out and the human froze. "Put it down." It spoke, the voice female. "No, I won"t! Leave! Leave our house now...you!" I growled uncertain. The girl laughed. "Very funny Alex." I gulped nervously. Somehow they knew my name. "Get back! I"m not afraid to use this!" I waved the knife around. "Maybe not on yourself, but on someone else...that"s a different matter." The mouth in the ski mask smiled. I felt my face pale. How could they know about.... the cutting? Something weird was going on. "What do you mean?" I asked nervously, hoping they didn"t mean what I thought. I was wrong. "Oh you know what I mean!" The girl checked the watch on her wrist. "Well, I have to get going, got some stuff to do. Have a good summer... emo!" The figure laughed and jogged out the back door. I let out a shaky breath as we watched the person leave our yard and jog along the sidewalk. I sighed in relief and turned to Hayley. "What was that about?" I asked. "I don"t know, but whoever it was, they were here for you, not me." She looked me in the eye. "What did she mean? Maybe not on yourself.....emo.....?" She questioned. I felt my palms get sweaty. I bit my lip nervously, ready to make up some lie when I noticed something on the floor. It was a slip of paper. "Oh look!" I picked it up, trying to get her off the other topic. Opening it, I showed it to Hayley. "Dear Alex, I hope you"re happy now. Community service sucks. You will sooo pay! Sincerely, Peg." Hayley read aloud. I shrieked and dropped the paper. It was Peg, somehow she knew about me, and where I lived, and what I did. I felt myself start to sob. "Oh Alex, it"s okay!" Hayley comforted me. She thought for a moment. "How about we don"t tell mom about this, okay?" She looked at me. I nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay. Sorry, I just really don"t like that girl." I smiled nervously. Hayley grinned. "I know, she"s a bitch. Now let"s just go back to bed, okay?" She led me upstairs and I crawled back in bed. Hayley"s POV: I watched as Alex climbed into bed. A multitude of thoughts were racing through my head, none of them good. I was mostly worried about what I had witnessed tonight. Peg calling Alex an emo. I thought I knew it wasn"t true, and that she was only saying that because she was trying to get on Alex"s nerves, but when Alex had grabbed the knife from under her pillow, I had started to get scared. Why did she have that there? And when I had asked her about what she thought Peg had meant, she had frozen up. Scared, I walked over to Alex"s bed. She was asleep, and I prayed she would remain that way. I slipped my hand under her pillow and pulled out her journal. I held it for a few minutes, worried about what would happen if Alex found out. Tossing fears aside, I opened it to the front page. The fish knife fell out of it and landed on the floor. I picked it up and walked over to my bed. Sitting down, I examined it. Not a trace of human blood, or any blood on it I noticed. Then again, she could have washed it, I thought. I set it on the bed next to me and opened up the book. Then I closed it. I had promised her I wouldn"t read it without her permission. "It was for important information!" A part of me said. "But it belongs to her! You promised!" The other part argued. Finally, I put the knife and book back and sat on her bed. It was unfair to her for me to do that. She had never read my journal without permission. I gently pulled the comforter back. Alex stirred, but she did not awaken. Slowly and quietly I rolled back both the sleeves of her pajamas. I gasped. There were cuts all down her left wrist and her left arm. Quite a few were either scabbing, or had scarred, but there was also a decent amount that looked recent. The more recent ones were red, and a few even had dried blood around them. I felt a few tears form in my eyes. It had been almost two weeks since...the incident...and most of the cuts should have healed by now. I also thought it was odd that they were all so close to each other, and so fine, not like they would be if caused by glass. Had Alex lied? It had started to dawn on me that she had. She had lied about the broken window. Of course, she could have also picked at the scabs, and that"s why some were red and bloody, I reassured myself. Keeping that last thought in my head, I rolled her sleeves back down, pulled the blanket over her, and walked to my bed. Slipping under the covers, I closed my eyes and went to sleep. Claire"s POV: I woke up earlier than usual. Yawning and stretching, I got out of bed and walked downstairs. The kitchen was dirty, and I sighed. Just more cleaning for me. I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the carton of milk. Pouring myself some cereal, I sat down at the island. The sun was just coming up, and it was still mostly dark. I turned on the coffee maker and waited. I sat there, silent, listening to the gentle hum of the coffee maker. It was so peaceful. But there was stuff to be done. I set my unfinished bowl of cereal on the island. Placing my coffee mug in the sink, along with all the other dirty dishes, I yawned. After that was done, I got out a wipe and cleaned off the counters and the island. Then, I tossed that and opened the fridge. I pulled out the frozen salmon we had, and set it on the counter to thaw. We would be having fish tonight. I turned around. Alex was standing right behind me. I jumped back, frightened, and bonked my head on the cabinets. "Ouch! Alex, you scared me!" I rubbed my now sore head. Alex remained standing there, not responding. "Alex?" I walked over to her and shook her shoulder. She jerked away and blinked several times. "Huh? What am I doing downstairs? I didn"t stay down here, did I?" Her eyes widened and she spun around. I placed a hand on her shoulder. "No honey, you came downstairs. I think you were sleep-walking again." I smiled warmly. She nodded, still confused. "Oh, okay. Sorry about that!" She sat on a stool and rested her head on the island"s surface. "You look tired." I noted. She nodded sleepily. "Yeah, I woke up in the middle of the night and had a hard time falling back asleep. Then I woke up early....." She trailed off as she closed her eyes. "Alex!" I snapped. She shot awake again. "What? Where?" She hung her head and yawned. "Oh, sorry, I didn"t mean to trail off like that." I shook my head. "Honey, if you"re tired just go back to bed." She shook her head. "No, I"m fine, just not awake yet." She replied half-closing her eyes. She sleepily hobbled over to the bar and sat down. She grabbed my unfinished bowl of cereal and started eating it. I stared at her, confused. "Um, Alex?" "Yeah?" She placed the spoon back and looked up at me. "That"s my cereal." I laughed. She tilted her head, confused, and looked down at the cereal. "Oh my gosh! I"m sorry!" She slid the bowl towards me and laid her head on the table. "I don"t know what"s with me today." She replied. "Maybe you"re tired." I ran a hand through her hair. She didn"t stir, and I saw her breathing slow. Yep, I thought. It was definitely lack of sleep. I smiled as Hayley walked in. She eyed Alex curiously and then walked over to me. "Hey mom, can I talk to you?" She asked. I nodded. "Yeah, anytime! What"s the problem?" I asked. Hayley eyed Alex and then sighed. "We can"t talk now, but later, away from you know who." She pointed to Alex and I frowned. "Is something wrong?" I asked. "Yeah, it is. But we can"t talk now. Perhaps later." She smiled awkwardly and walked back upstairs. I watched her, curious. I glanced at Alex, who was still asleep, and thought. What could possibly be so wrong? I didn"t know, but I didn"t know if I wanted to find out. Sooo sorry if it took me a little while to update. I was on vacation! ^^ I appreciate the commentary and critiques, they help me become a better writer! I also thank anybody who"s read, Favorited, or followed this story. I would stop writing if it weren"t for you guys! Thank you so much! And if you want me to continue with writing author"s notes, let me know. I"m usually pretty bad about remembering to do it. But if you enjoy the A.N, I will try to keep doing them each chapter. This update is dedicated to Anya Vargas, who insisted I continue writing this and post a new chapter Enjoy! Alex"s POV: Something was wrong. I noticed it when I first woke up on the island. Hayley was goodness knows where, and mom was still in the kitchen. Mom glanced at me and smiled sadly. "You okay Mom?" I asked. She walked over to me and gave me a hug. Kissing me lightly on the head, she ruffled my hair. "I don"t know." She replied after a while. She then walked over to the couch and sat down. My eyes followed her, curious. What was wrong? I walked upstairs and into the bedroom. Hayley was lying on the bed. She looked up as I walked in. "Hey Alex." She muttered. I looked at her, she seemed down too. "Are you okay?" I asked, as I had asked Mom minutes ago. "I don"t know." She replied. I groaned. She had given the same answer Mom had given me. "What is up with everyone today?!" I cried. Hayley looked at me, confused. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Well, when I woke up I one, found myself at the island. Two, you and Mom are acting all sad!" I yelled. Hayley got up and walked over to me. She sighed before grabbing my shoulders and looking me in the eye. "Please tell me what Peg said was untrue." She whispered. I froze. Hayley did know what Peg had meant by all that. And what"s worse, was that she told mom. Or so I thought... Tears welled up in her eyes as the silence grew longer. I couldn"t lie to her, but I couldn"t tell the truth either. I was trapped. "Alex! Say something!" She cried. "I-I-I don"t know...." I trailed off quietly, looking at the floor. A harsh sob was heard, and Hayley looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. I felt a few tears drip down my own face, and I realized the harsh sob had come from me. "I"m so sorry Hayley!" I sobbed. She looked at me, her eyes filled with disbelief and pain. "Alex?" She walked over to me but I flinched away. "Just leave me alone!" I snapped. I grabbed my journal, and my backpack and headed downstairs where I crashed on the couch. I heard mom get up from where she was and I quickly wiped away all my tears. Mom walked past me and headed upstairs. I felt panic rush through me. She was going to find out. Mom, and Hayley were going to find out, if Hayley didn"t already know. As soon as I heard the door swing shut I opened my backpack. Two days" worth of clean clothes was at the bottom. My toothbrush and toothpaste were there as well. I had a box of Band-Aids, a first aid kit, my dad"s old pocket knife, three bottles of water, a box of crackers, and a loaf of bread. I also had my wallet with $400 dollars in it, my hairbrush, a blanket, a flashlight, and a box of pencils. My phone in my pocket, I had everything I needed, or would need. If I ran away. I had made this bag a long time ago, when the pain was fresh, and the sorrow was real. When Peg was bullying me at school, and when I would come home and retreat to the bathroom. This bag was always there with me, just in case. Sadly enough, I realized that if Mom found out the truth, I would need this bag for real. I wrote all this down in my journal and stuffed that into the bag. I grabbed a few cookies and stuffed them into my pockets. I also proceeded to rip out a few of the more important pages of my journal and stapled them together. The pages explaining why, and when, and with what. So they would know. I took the stapled packet and taped them to the fridge, along with a quick note apologizing for everything. After about twenty minutes of last minute checking, Mom and Hayley came downstairs. It was time. Claire"s POV: I heard someone come downstairs, and I realized it was time to go upstairs. I had to find out what was wrong with Alex. I walked past Alex, who must have come down. She was on the couch, trying to quickly wipe up tears. I ignored her, facing the more important things. I walked upstairs and into the girls" room, where Hayley was sitting at the foot of her bed, crying. Running over, I sat next to her. I placed my arm around her and pulled her into a hug. Her sobs racked through her whole body, and it took some time for her to finally calm down. When she did finally calm down, she pulled herself away from my grasp and looked into my eyes. "Mom, I have something I need to tell you. It is very disturbing, and I want to make sure you"re ready to hear this." She warned me. I laughed softly. "Oh don"t worry honey, if it concerns me, I"ll always want to know." I replied. She smiled warmly at me. "If you say so," She took a deep breath before continuing. She explained about how Peg had come in the other night and said some stuff. She also explained about the fish knife, and how it was under Alex"s pillow. "Really?" I asked. "I wondered where it was! I need it for fish tonight." I remembered. "Yeah, well, Alex had it, under her pillow." Hayley told me. I shook my head, unbelieving. "So where is it now?" I asked. "I have it." Hayley walked over and grabbed it off her bed. She handed it to me. "So why would Alex have it?" I asked, hoping it wasn"t what I thought. A few tears dripped from Hayley"s eyes as she whispered it to me. "I think she"s been cutting herself." I gaped at her. "What?! Alex!? No, no, no, she wouldn"t!?" I cried. I thought back to the bullying incident, and how much depression and pain it had caused her. Was it possible? "Do you have proof?" I asked frantically. Hayley told me about checking her arms, and the new cuts. "There"s only one way to find out." I said after a while of silence. I didn"t want it to be true, but we had to know. Hayley nodded slowly. "We have to ask her." She mumbled. I sighed. "She"s downstairs on the couch right now, let"s go." I got up and grabbed Hayley"s hand. Together we walked downstairs to confront Alex. I just hoped with all my might, that everything we just talked about wasn"t true. Alex"s POV: I stood in the center of the living room, my backpack slung over my arm. Hayley and Mom stood in front of me. Both had tears in their eyes, and I felt guilt and sorrow pierce my heart. "What"s wrong?" I asked shakily, although I already knew. Mom walked up to me and placed a hand on my arm. I winced, in pain, and tried to pull away, but she kept her grip. "Alex, honey, I need to see something." She said slowly, and controlling. I gave in and let my arm go limp. She looked me in the eye before she slowly rolled up my sleeve. The cuts were revealed, most of them scabbing or red, few healing. She gasped and stepped back. Hayley sobbed and Mom let a few tears slip down her nose. "Alex, how did this happen?" She asked me. "I picked at the scabs?" I tried weakly. Mom glared at me. "Alex, how did this happen?" She said again. "I-I-I don"t know!" I whimpered. "How did this happen." She wasn"t asking now, she was demanding. I shrunk back as I felt my throat give up. "I did it." I said softly. Mom choked on her own tears, and Hayley fell to the floor. "H-how....how did y-you do it?" Mom asked shakily. "Um....I used the fish knife..." I trailed off. Mom shook her head in dismay. "Alex! How could you?! You should"ve talked to us! We"re your family! You can always trust us! Why on Earth would you do something like that to yourself?!" She cried. I felt numb. "I-I had to." I said after a while. Tears were flowing down my face and I felt my body shaking. "Oh, honey, you never had to do anything! Sweetie, you can trust us! We won"t hurt you." Mom took a step closer but I flinched back. "NO! I CAN"T TELL YOU! I COULDN"T TELL YOU! I didn"t need you to know..." I yelled. "YOU SHOULD"VE TRUSTED US!" Mom yelled back. I looked into her eyes one last time. They were a mix of anger, confusion, and sorrow. But deep inside, I could see love. "I"m so sorry." I whimpered. "I"m a disappointment to this family." I looked up at mom. "Goodbye." I said. She tilted her head in confusion. "Goodbye?" She questioned. I nodded and walked towards the kitchen. Mom remained frozen in the living room. By the time she figured it out I was already at the door. "ALEX! NO! ALEX WAIT!" She screamed. I turned and ran. Sprinting along the sidewalk, I left it all behind. And I didn"t turn back once.

Phi was the first one up in the morning. He yawned and stretched his arms. Veronica stirred, but was still asleep. Stevie was out cold. She hadn"t moved from the position she was in the other night. Phil got up and went to the bathroom. He combed his hair, and then walked into the kitchen. Mrs. R had a toaster in the cabinet and a loaf of bread in the pantry. There was some butter and jam in the fridge that Phil pulled out as well. Phil also pulled open the curtains. Light flooded the kitchen area, making things bright again. There was a groan from the floor. "Who turned on the lights?" Veronica sat up slowly. "Errrrrr, Phil!" She got up and went to the bathroom. When she came out, (thirty minutes later) she looked like the normal Veronica again. "Oh. Toast." She scowled at the toaster Phil had set up on the counter. "My favorite." Phil smiled. "It"s all we got, take it or leave it!" He grabbed a plate and put the newly cooked toast on it. With two quick swipes he covered one side with butter, and the other with jam. Phil slid the plate over to the bar where Veronica was sitting. "Thanks." She said sarcastically as she sat down at the table. Although she complained about it, Veronica ate all the toast anyways, and was asking for seconds. After breakfast Phil pulled out a board game and him and Veronica went a couple of rounds. It was around 8:30 AM when Stevie woke up. Neither of them noticed she was up until she sat down at the table next to them. Everything went quiet. "Hey Stevie, get a good night"s sleep?" Phil asked cheerfully. No response. Stevie sat there as if in a trance, her eyes fixed on some spot across the room. She didn"t even acknowledge he was there until he got up and placed a hand on her shoulder. She almost jumped out of her skin. "Hey." Stevie said. "Hey." Phil motioned to the kitchen. "I have toast!" "No thank you." Stevie spoke. She didn"t even glance at Phil. "Oh. Are you sure? I"m sure you"re hungry!" He pushed a plate towards her. She looked down at it for a while before finally grabbing one of the pieces. She took one bite and set it back down. "Done." She said, pushing her plate towards Phil. "Thanks." Phil stood there stunned. Something horrible must have happened, he thought. She was a totally different person. He got up to put the plate away when Lisa walked in the door. Carole wasn"t with her. "Oh, hey Phil!" She said cheerfully. "Have you seen-" She glanced at the table and saw Stevie. "Oh Stevie! I was so worried about you!" She ran over and pulled up a chair in front of Stevie. Stevie just sat, frozen. She didn"t even say hi. "Stevie?" Lisa waved a hand in front of Stevie"s face. No response. "Stevie, are you okay?" Phil sighed and sat down next to Lisa. "What"s wrong with her?" Lisa asked. From the tone of her voice, he could tell she was scared. "I don"t know." He replied. "She"s been like this all morning." He didn"t mention last night for fear of freaking Lisa out. "Yeah, we don"t know what"s wrong with her." Veronica piped up. "Oh, hey Veronica. Hey, did you two spend the night here?" She questioned. "Yeah, so?" Veronica scowled. "Just curious." Lisa said. She returned her gaze to Stevie. "Stevie, are you okay?" She repeated. Again, no response. As if Stevie wasn"t there. "Oh." Lisa looked at the ground. Phil had to do something to cheer her up again. "So, Lisa, what exactly happened yesterday afternoon?" Phil asked hesitantly. He wasn"t sure he wanted to know. "Oh. That." Lisa took a deep breath before repeating what had happened. When she was finished, Stevie started shaking. Veronica and Phil stood open mouthed. They were both equally stunned. Without warning, Stevie laid her head in her arms on the table and started sobbing again. Lisa got up quickly and rushed over to her."Stevie, oh Stevie," She stood there for the longest time before Stevie finally got up. Her face was red, and her eyes were puffy. She looked miserable. "Hi Lisa." She said. Lisa grabbed Stevie and pulled her into her arms. Stevie broke into a sob again and Lisa guided her back towards the couch. There, Stevie laid across Lisa"s lap, sobbing and gasping. Phil watched all of this, mortified. That was when Carole walked in. "Hey guys, how are you-" She froze when she saw Stevie sprawled out on Lisa"s lap. Lisa put a finger to her mouth so Carole knew to be quiet. Carole brought her hand to her mouth. She was horrified. Stevie looked terrible. "Oh my gosh," She ran out the doors. Phil ran after Carole. "Carole, wait up!" Phil caught up to her and grabbed her arm. "Carole, how could you?" He looked her in the eyes. "I-I don"t know. I didn"t mean to say such horrible things, and now!" She glanced back at the lounge area. "Oh she looks terrible, and it"s all my fault!" She yanked her arm out of Phil"s grasp. "Is she okay?" She asked hopefully. Phil winced, and shook his head. "She doesn"t respond to anything. Movement, sound, it"s like she frozen." He explained what happened last night. Carole took all this in. "It"s even worse than I thought! Oh, what have I done!?" She started to run off, but Phil stopped her. "Just apologize to her Carole!" He motioned to the lounge. "I don"t think it will help." Veronica had approached them from behind. "She"s too far gone." "Who?" Phil asked, confused. "Stevie you idiot!" Veronica rolled her eyes. "You"ve seen her! Something is wrong with her! She has changed!" Veronica continued. "She doesn"t respond, she isn"t eating, and all she does is cry!" Veronica turned to Carole. "Whatever you did, Stevie is never going to be the same person ever again." With that, Veronica turned and walked into the lounge. Carole sighed. "She"s right." She said at last. "I don"t think Stevie will ever want to see me again. And I couldn"t blame her. I wouldn"t want to see myself." Carole hung her head and walked off. Phil sighed. Things couldn"t get any worse, he thought. But he was wrong. Phil walked back into the lounge. Stevie had passed out across Lisa"s lap. Lisa turned her head when Phil walked in. "How did it go?" She asked. "It was fine. Carole is really upset. She really wanted to apologize to Stevie, but Veronica didn"t think it would help anything." Phil looked over at Veronica. "What? It"s true!" She said annoyed. Phil ignored her and bent down and stroked Stevie"s hair. Her eyes fluttered open. "Hey Phil." She spoke quietly. "Hey Stevie." He smiled. "Tired?" "Yeah." Stevie smiled back at him and Phil was overjoyed. Lisa smiled too, and then looked at her watch. "Lessons start in ten minutes, let"s go tack up." She said quietly. Stevie nodded and got up. She was still dressed form yesterday, and so she and Lisa walked out of the lounge. As Lisa was shutting the door, she motioned for Phil to come along. Phil nodded, but had a few chores to do first. Stevie and Lisa walked into the barn. Carole was with Starlight, but she paid no attention to them. Lisa was surprised to see Prancer already tacked up. "How did this happen?" She asked Red as he walked by. "Oh, I didn"t want you to be late again so I tacked up for you. You can help Stevie if you want." Red motioned to Belle"s stall. "Okay, thanks Red!" Lisa smiled and guided Stevie towards Belle"s stall. She stood while Lisa grabbed her bucket. "Come on, here Stevie." She handed Stevie the currycomb. "Why don"t you start with that. I"ll get her hooves!" Lisa bent over while Stevie brushed. About five minutes later, Belle was tacked up and groomed. Lisa handed Stevie the reins. "Here you go! Would you mind stopping by Prancer"s stall with me? We"ll walk to the ring together!" Lisa said. "Sure!" Stevie replied. She seemed to be in a much better mood, but she still wasn"t herself. Lisa and Stevie walked towards Prancer"s stall. Prancer nickered to Belle as Lisa grabbed the reins. "Okay, lead the way!" Stevie slowly walked Belle towards the ring. Carole was already mounted, and was warming up on the rail. Stevie placed her foot in her stirrup and hopped on. Lisa did the same. They warmed up on the rail together, but Carole wasn"t with them. "All right everyone, bring it in!" Red yelled from across the ring. Within a couple minutes, everyone was lined up in front of Red. "We"re doing jumping today in practice for the show next Saturday. We only have a week and a half to practice, so let"s make the best of it!" He numbered everyone off. "When I call your number, you"ll enter the ring. You know the course. Everyone else may wait over on the rail by the gate." Red pointed at Lisa. "You"re first!" Lisa glanced at Stevie who was completely zoning out. She hoped Stevie had heard what Red said. Lisa was relieved when Stevie pulled Belle towards the gate. She had clearly been paying attention. Stevie brought Belle to a halt near the gate. Carole was on one side of her, and Veronica the other. Veronica looked over at Carole who was watching Lisa. Stevie watched as Lisa cleared every jump perfectly. "Way to go!" Carole cried as Lisa finished. Stevie remained silent. "Nice one Lisa!" Red clapped. "But keep an eye on your diagonals; you were on the wrong one at jump 4." "Oh, okay! Thanks Red!" Lisa said as she walked over to the gate. She brought Prancer to a halt next to Carole. Veronica was up next. "Nice job Lisa." Carole said with a smile. Lisa nodded at looked over at Stevie. Stevie was watching Veronica, but seemed to be kind of zoning out as well. Carole followed Lisa"s gaze. "Is she alright?" She asked Lisa worriedly. "Hmm?" Lisa snapped to attention. "Yeah, she"s alright. It"s just going to take some time." Kristi clapped as Veronica finished, with only one pole knocked down. Veronica smiled and went to join her in waiting. Carole gripped Lisa"s hand as Stevie approached the center. It was her turn. Lisa looked at her hand, and then at Carole. "It"ll be okay." She said with a smile. They returned to watching Stevie. Stevie had picked up a canter as her and Belle approached one of the jumps. Belle was on the wrong lead, but Stevie didn"t seem to notice. They flew over the jump with ease, not hitting a single pole. "Nice one!" Lisa called out. Carole almost said something, but figured it wouldn"t be very appropriate of her. Considering how Stevie was feeling. The rest of Stevie"s jumps went alright. She only knocked down one pole, but her leads and diagonals were everywhere. She wasn"t on the correct one once. "Stevie, come here for a sec," Red called. He motioned for Carole to go ahead and jump. She gave a cluck and Starlight picked up a canter. "Stevie, what"s wrong with you?" Red asked. "First yesterday, now today! Is something wrong?" He looked up at Stevie but she didn"t respond. Again, she was staring off into space. "Stevie?" Red shook Stevie"s leg gently. "Stevie, answer me!" But Stevie failed to do so. Instead, she gave Belle a squeeze and walked over toward Lisa. Carole had just finished her round perfectly. No mistakes at all. Red turned to Carole. "Nice job! You"re sure to place first in all the classes at the show!" He said with a smile. "And if you talk to Stevie, tell her to meet me in the office after the lesson. We need to have a talk." He said angrily. "Um.....okay." Carole replied. She and Starlight walked over to Lisa and Prancer. She told Lisa what Red had told her. "Can you tell Stevie for me? I don"t think she"ll listen to me." Carole asked. Lisa frowned. "No, you should do it! Red asked you, not me!" Lisa gave Carole a nudge with her fist. "Come on, you can do it!" Carole sighed and walked over to Stevie. "Hey Stevie," "Hey Carole," "Um...." Carole held her tongue, unsure of what to say. "Red asked me to tell you that.....that he wants to talk to you?" Carole said hesitantly. "Mmm, okay." Stevie replied. She didn"t look at Carole once. "Okay than, um....yeah." Carole sighed and walked back to Lisa. "How did it go?" Lisa asked. "It was fine, she didn"t seem upset at all. But she didn"t even turn her head when I spoke to her. It"s like she"s in a trance." Carole replied. Lisa nodded. "She"s been like that all morning." Red waved his hand signaling that the lesson was over. Everyone dismounted. Lisa and Carole walked over to join Stevie. "Hey, I heard what Red said." Lisa told Stevie. "If you want us with you, just ask!" "No. I"ll be fine." Stevie replied. She turned to Carole. "Starlight looks good today. You two are definitely ready for the show." She smiled and walked off. Lisa and Carole turned to each other with wide eyes. "She.....she didn"t seem mad." Carole said excitedly. "Maybe she"s okay now!" Lisa frowned. "Hmm...I don"t know if she"s back to normal or not. But I know how we"re going to find out." Lisa cupped her hand to Carole"s ear. "Let"s spy on her when she talks to Red! If she act normally, than she"s fine!" Carole smiled and nodded. "Okay, but what if she doesn"t talk again?" Lisa gulped. "Then we"ll have some serious work to do." With that, she and Carole walked off to quickly groom. They had some spying to do! Stevie approached Max"s office. Max was gone, and Drew was out with students, so it would be just her and Red. She sighed, and slowly opened the door. Red turned at the sound of the door. Stevie walked in and sat down without speaking. "Thanks for joining me Stevie." Red said. Stevie continued staring across the room. "Okay...um...I need to discuss your behavior with you." He scratched his head, uncertain of how to say it. "It"s just....um....well, what you did today was extremely rude. I"m afraid I might have to cut you out of the show next weekend." Red looked up worriedly. But Stevie didn"t respond. Outside the door, Carole and Lisa sighed. "Stevie? Is something wrong?" Red asked. He sat down on the couch next to her. She didn"t even turn around. "Stevie? Are you okay?" Red shook her gently. "Hm?" She turned. "Are you okay?" He repeated. "Mmmm...." She sighed and turned away. "Is that a yes? No?" Red asked impatiently. He was getting worried. Stevie never acted like this. "Stevie, answer me!" He shook her harder, but she still didn"t respond. Red sighed and got up and started pacing. Lisa decided it was a good time to, "Walk in casually", and she opened the door. Red turned. "Lisa, I need your help." He gave a relieved sigh. "Yes?" She asked, as if she didn"t know she was needed. Carole snuck her a thumbs up from behind the window. "There"s something seriously wrong with Stevie." He pointed to the couch and Lisa sat down. She looked at Stevie. "She seems fine to me." Lisa replied matter-o-factly. "She won"t answer me. And she didn"t even look at me as I spoke. She"s clearly not herself." Lisa looked at Stevie again. "Stevie, are you okay?" Stevie turned to Lisa. "Yeah, why?" She asked quietly. Red clenched his hands into fists. He was a bit frustrated. "Are you sure?" He asked. Stevie turned to him. "No." She replied casually. Red got up and kneeled in front of her. "Stevie, what"s wrong?" She looked down at him and closed her eyes. She than got up and walked over to the chair, where she sat down. Lisa sighed. "We don"t know Red. She"s been like this all morning." Lisa replied. Red sat down next to Lisa and she told him about what happened. Stevie started shaking again, and Lisa rushed over to her. Red sat stunned. He thought the Saddle Club girls were friends, but apparently not anymore. "Stevie, I am so sorry. I didn"t know." Stevie turned to him. She had stopped shaking. "It"s okay." She said quietly. Red got up and went over to her as she stood from the chair. "My mom"s expecting me soon." She said. Then, without warning, she got up and walked out the door. Red and Lisa stood there, staring. After a few minutes, Red turned to Lisa. "What should we do?" He asked. Lisa shrugged and walked out the door, leaving Red completely confused. Carole joined Lisa as they walked out of the barn. "This is going to be hard." She said plainly. Lisa nodded in agreement. "At least we have a while to work it out." Lisa pointed out. It was winter break and all. Carole smiled and they walked off to find their parents. The next day was much better. At least, so Carole and Lisa thought at first. Stevie arrived with a smile and she ran over to meet Carole and Lisa. "Hey guys!" She said happily. "Hey! How are you feeling today?" Lisa asked. "Much better I presume?" "Uh huh," Stevie nodded and handed Lisa a bag. "Do you like peanut butter and jelly?" She asked hopefully. Lisa cautiously took the bag. "Yeah, why?" She peered inside. It was Stevie"s lunch. "Cause" I don"t want it." Stevie replied. "But it"s your lunch," Carole piped up as Lisa showed her the contents of the bag. "Yeah, but I"m not hungry." "But you might be hungry later!" Lisa replied, handing Stevie back her lunch. "No. I won"t." Stevie pushed the bag into Lisa"s hands. "But thanks for asking!" She turned to Carole. "Hey, guess what?" She asked excitedly. Carole cowered away. "What?" She asked nervously. "IT"S GOING TO SNOW TODAY!" Stevie yelled happily. Carole jumped. She wasn"t expecting that kind of response. Lisa nodded slowly. "Yeah.....and?" "And snow is wonderful!" Stevie said smiling. Lisa looked at Carole. Their eyes met and they clearly agreed on one thing. Stevie had changed for the better, but it honestly wasn"t much better. She"d gone from being in a trance, to now being overly peppy. "Are you sure you"re okay?" Carole asked hesitantly. Stevie laughed, which creeped Carole and Lisa out. "Of course! I"m just so excited it"s going to snow!" She smiled. "Aren"t you?" "Uh huh, yeah, we"re so excited too!" Lisa replied. She was obviously lying, but Stevie didn"t notice. "Great! We"ll all enjoy it together!" Phil walked up to them. "Hey Stevie, how are you?" He asked. "Great!" She replied smiling. Phil shook his head. He couldn"t believe what he was hearing. "That"s..... great?" He replied. "Yes it is!" Stevie ran up and hugged him. Phil tensed up. Something was clearly wrong. "Hey, guess what?" She asked him. "What?" He replied. "It"s going to snow today!" She laughed and ran back over to Carole and Lisa. "Um....sure," Phil looked at Carole and Lisa but they shrugged. Nobody knew what was going on. Red motioned to Stevie and Lisa from across the road. He wanted to talk to them again, in private. Lisa grabbed Stevie"s hand. "Let"s go! Red wants us!" They ran across the road and into the office. "What did you want Red?" Lisa asked. "I just wanted to know how things were going." He motioned to Stevie who was staring intently at the coffee maker. "Why don"t you ask her for yourself." Lisa grabbed Stevie"s arm and dragged her away from the coffee maker. Stevie gave a small sigh. "Um, how are you today Stevie?" Red asked nervously. "Very good and getting better!" She smiled and turned to Lisa. "Can we go back outside now?" She asked, glaring at the coffee maker from the corner of her eye. Red stood open mouthed. He wasn"t expecting her to be so joyful. "That"s great Stevie! Glad to hear!" He said after a while. "Hey Red, guess what?" Stevie asked excitedly. Lisa rolled her eyes. "It"s going to snow today!" Stevie yelled. She didn"t even wait for a response. Lisa pulled Stevie towards the couch. "You don"t have to tell everyone it"s going to snow!" Lisa whispered harshly. "But everyone should know!" Stevie clapped happily. Lisa stood dumbfounded. She pushed Stevie onto the couch. "Sit.....stay," Lisa said cautiously. Stevie watched her with curious eyes before returning to glare at the coffee maker. She let out a small growl. Lisa shook her head. "Sorry about that Red." She said. "Oh, it"s fine." He was staring at Stevie as she watched the coffee maker. "What"s wrong with her?" He asked. "She"s acting like she"s four!" Lisa frowned. "I know, it"s a bit creepy. But we don"t know what"s wrong with her. She"s completely different than yesterday." "Huh. I can see that." Red sighed. "Oh, look!" He glanced out the window. "It is snowing!" Stevie suddenly got up and ran to the window. "SNOW!" She yelled. "What did I tell you?" She grabbed Lisa"s hand and dragged her out of the office and down the steps. They ran outside gleefully. "Stevie, slow down!" Lisa cried. Stevie stopped suddenly and held out her hand. A single snowflake landed in the center of her palm. Stevie gave a yelp of surprise, and her body shivered. "Stevie?" Lisa asked cautiously. Stevie froze and was staring at her hand. Her body shivered again. Then, without warning, Stevie collapsed onto the ground. Lisa rushed over to the limp figure sprawled across the snow. Carole and Phil had started to run over, and Red sprinted from the office. "Stevie?" Lisa asked worriedly. Phil dropped to the ground beside Stevie. "Stevie! Stevie, say something!" He yelled. Stevie did not move. Phil grabbed her by the shoulders and laid her in his lap. Her eyes were closed, and her face was pale. Her arm hung limply at her side. "What"s wrong?" Red asked, as he paused to catch his breath. He glanced at Stevie. "I don"t know! She was catching snowflakes in her hand and all of a sudden she collapsed. I don"t know what happened!" Lisa was on the verge of tears. Carole pat her on the shoulder. "It"s okay, it"s not your fault." Carole whispered. "Let"s get her inside, she"ll freeze out here." Red motioned to the office. Phil gently stood up and he and Red walked towards the office. Carole and Lisa followed. Once inside the office, Phil laid Stevie across the couch. Red grabbed a blanket from the cupboard and draped it over her.

I gently scraped the last pancake onto Alex"s plate. Phil had wanted to eat it, but I had made him save one for Alex. She hadn"t eaten anything yet. I shook my head thinking back to when she had screamed at Hayley. That was all just minutes ago, but still. She seemed like a totally different person nowadays, and I worried for her. I felt as though I was losing my connection with her. Of course, I had a plan for that... I turned as I heard her come in. She walked by quietly and sat down at the table to eat. A small smile graced my face as she turned to look at me. "Hey honey, are you okay?" I asked calmly. She smiled, which almost melted my heart. "Yeah, I"m fine!" She continued scarfing down her breakfast, as if she hadn"t eaten in weeks. "Hey Alex sweetie, how do you feel about going shopping with me today?" She paused and looked up at me. "Just you and me?" "Yeah, just us." I replied. I could see her relax as she got up to put her plate away. "When are we leaving?" "How about now." I grabbed my purse and the car keys and we walked out the door. I scribbled a quick note to Hayley, who was in the shower, and followed Alex to the car. She seemed so much chipper than earlier, and I wondered how one person could calm down so quickly. Later at the Mall... We walked by some clothing stores and came to a stop in front of the sports dept. Phil had asked me earlier that week to get him a new pair of shoes if I was ever over here. As I walked over to the counter to pay for them I noticed Alex over by the hunting section eying a small hunter"s knife. It didn"t seem like the kind of thing she was into. I thanked the clerk and walked over to her. "Hey sweetie!" She jumped and swerved around. "Oh, mom, it"s you. You scared me!" She smiled again, which left me feeling woozy. As sad as it sounded, I rarely got to see her smile. "What are you looking at?" I picked up the box holding the knife. Her eyes got wide, and she bit her lip in a panicked motion. I had no idea why she was so nervous all of a sudden, but then again, she was acting pretty odd today. "Do you want this?" I asked. I was hesitant about buying her a knife, but it was Alex, not Luke, and I knew she could handle it. "No! No, I"m fine, I was just looking." She grabbed the box from my hands and set it down. "Let"s just go." She walked out of the store, not waiting for me to respond. I followed, curious as to why she was being so odd. Hopefully this is just a phase she"s going through, I thought, as I walked with her towards the parking lot. Alex"s POV: I couldn"t believe myself. As much as I hated it, a part of me had led me towards those hunting knives. A part of me had wanted one, wanted one to use to hurt myself. I shivered at the thought, and felt my mom"s arm close around me. "You okay?" She asked me for the third time today. "Yeah, fine, just a bit...cold." It was a lie, I had a jacket on to cover my arms, and actually felt a bit hot. But she couldn"t know the truth. She must have thought it was a lie, because she looked at me funny. "You have a jacket on!" "Yeah, I know..." I trailed off. "But it"s nearly summer vacation! It"s warm outside!" I smiled and nodded glumly as we walked towards the car. I didn"t want her finding anything out, so I kept quiet. I could feel her staring at my back and I did my best to not snap at her. We got in the car and headed back home. "Alex, honey," My mom started. She looked at me through the mirror. "Yes?" "You know you can tell me anything right?" She said concerned. I turned away and looked out the window. A few stray tears fell down my face, and I bit my lip to keep from crying. I wanted to tell her, but I couldn"t. Not yet. "Alex," She reached out a hand and pat my arm gently, still keeping both eyes on the road. I winced at the touch, not because of fear, but because of pain. It hurt, I realized. The cuts hurt, and not just on the outside, but the inside too. As if each cut was a new lie, a new fear. But it felt good, much better to have fear, than to have pain and sorrow. My mom pulled her hand back and placed it on the steering wheel. She looked at me, worried. "What"s wrong?" She must have wondered why I flinched. I did my best to smile at her. "Oh nothing, sorry, you just startled me." Another lie. It felt horrible, but she couldn"t know the truth. "Okay, sorry honey." She returned her focus to the road and we continued to drive home. About five minutes later, we arrived. I was hesitant to get out of the car, mostly because I didn"t want to face Hayley and her persistence again. Yet I did anyways, and gently crossed my fingers behind my back as Mom opened the front door. Hayley was in the kitchen texting somebody. Dad had taken Luke out Go-Karting, so it was just the three of us. It was kind of nice. I turned to head upstairs to my room, but hesitated. "Hey mom?" I called to her. She turned on her way to the kitchen. "Yes?" "Um.....thanks for.....thanks for taking me shopping today." I smiled. She nodded and smiled back. "No problem! Anytime!" I nodded and headed upstairs. As soon as I entered the room I ran over to my bed. The knife and notebook were still under my pillow, undisturbed. I let out a relieved sigh and placed them back, reminding myself to put the knife away later. Sitting on my bed, I pulled up my sleeve. The blood had smeared from the jacket and dried, and the jacket sleeve was red on the inside. I stroked my arm tenderly for a second before rolling my sleeves back up. I had picked up one of my books when Hayley walked in. Hayley"s POV: I walked into the room. Alex was sitting on her bed and shrunk back when I walked in, pulling her book to her chest protectively. A wave of guilt washed over me and I approached her bed. "Hey Alex?" I asked quietly. She looked up at me, scared. I bit my lip nervously. I didn"t want her yelling at me again. "Yeah?" She replied. Her voice barely more than a whisper. "I um.....I wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier. I"m sorry I looked in your journal. Next time, I"ll ask first." She squinted. "And will you take no for an answer?" I hung my head shamefully. "Yes, I will." When I looked up she was smiling. "I"m sorry I got so mad too. Friends?" She asked. I felt a small flicker of relief in my chest and I smiled back. "Of course!" I got up and walked over to the bathroom to grab my lipgloss. I could feel Alex tense up as I walked in. At first, I thought she had done something, but everything looked fine. I grabbed my lipgloss off the counter and walked over to my bed to Skype Dylan. Alex relaxed and opened her book to read. For a few hours after that, everything was peaceful. But even peace like that can"t last long. Hayley"s POV: "Lunch is ready!" Mom called to us from downstairs. I said my goodbyes to Dylan and shut off my laptop. Tossing the lipgloss onto the floor of the bathroom, I started towards the door. Of course, Alex still hadn"t gotten up yet. "Come on Alex, lunchtime." I reminded her. I paused when I didn"t get a response. "Alex?" I turned and walked over to her bed. She had fallen asleep while reading and was breathing quietly. I felt a small smile creep onto my face. She looked so cute when she was sleeping. "Alex, come on sweetie," I gently shook her but she only groaned and turned back over. "Alex, come on," I shook her again and her eyes fluttered open. "Urrrrrrrr....what time is it?" She moaned. I glanced at the clock on the table. "12:15." I responded with a smile. She yawned softly before slowly getting up. She sat on the edge of her bed, wiping her eyes lazily. "Is lunch ready yet?" She asked. I nodded. "Yeah, mom just called us down." She nodded slowly and got to her feet. She swayed at first, and I placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Thanks." She looked at me and smiled before continuing to walk downstairs. I followed, making sure to leap over the stupid step. Phil and Luke had gotten home from Go-Karting, and were sitting at the table laughing and talking about the fun time they had. Mom looked at me as I sat down next to Alex. "Well you two were upstairs for a long time! What were you doing up there?" She asked. "Oh, the usual. Just chatting with Dylan." I replied. Alex just sat there, obviously not awake yet. "Alex?" Mom looked at her. Alex had hung her head over the table and was fighting off sleep. "Huh? Oh, I was just reading." She finally answered, ending with a yawn. Mom smiled and handed us our plates. "Okay, so Luke, how was the Go-Karting?" Mom asked Luke as she sat down next to him. "Oh it was great! It"s like real life Mario Kart! I was soooo Bowser the way I kept bumping everybody around." Phil answered. Claire glared at him from across the table. She turned to Luke again. "It was awesome! I totally beat dad!" He replied with a huge grin. Dad frowned. "That was only because I would have run into the corner if I kept going so fast, so I had to slow down! Otherwise you"d never have beaten me!" Dad argued. Mom shot him another look, and then smiled at Luke. "That"s great honey!" She frowned for a moment. "Say, school is tomorrow, do you all have your homework done?" I bit my lip. "Um, no. But I"ll do it later." I assured her. She didn"t seem very assured. "You have less than a week of school left, I expect no late assignments or you"ll be grounded for the first week of summer. Now that wouldn"t be very much fun, would it?" She grilled. I groaned. "Sure mom, whatever." "Okay!" Luke answered cheerfully. "Luke, is your homework done?" She shot him a curious glance. "Yeah, I got it done yesterday, remember?" Claire nodded sheepishly. "Of course, I helped. Alex? What about you?" Mom turned to Alex, who was seconds away from falling asleep again. "Alex!" I jabbed her in the shoulder, hard. She shot awake. "Wait-What?" She glanced around the table. "Is your homework done Alex?" Mom asked. Alex rolled her eyes. "Of course mom, what do you expect?" She shook her head in dismay. "Sorry, shouldn"t have asked." Mom got up from the table and picked up everyone"s dishes. Alex stood up and stumbled lazily towards the couch where she collapsed. I got up to head upstairs, and when I looked back, she was already asleep. Poor kid, I thought. She"s so hard on herself. I walked in my room and picked up my binder. As much as I hated homework, I did not want to be grounded during my first week of freedom. Alex"s POV: I awoke to find myself sprawled over the couch. Mom was in the kitchen cleaning, and Dad was out playing baseball with Luke. I had no idea where Hayley was, but that was the least of my concerns for now. I got up, stretched, and walked towards the table. Mom looked up at me. "Oh, you"re up. How was your nap?" "Huh?" I looked at her, confused. I hated naps. "Your nap, honey, you fell asleep on the couch after lunch." She smiled sweetly at me. "I did?" I shook my head. "Wait, I had lunch?" I barely remembered anything past Hayley waking me up after I had fallen asleep reading. Man, I scolded myself. Twice in one day! Not a good habit! "Yeah, you did. You almost fell asleep during lunch too." She walked forward and gave me a hug. I shrunk back and avoided the gesture. I also hated hugs. "Oh, how long have I been asleep?" I yawned groggily. I was exhausted, but I had no idea why. "Oh not long, about three hours." I gaped at her. Three hours?! That"s a long time! I shook my head in confusion. It was 3:30 in the afternoon. I had been asleep way too long. "Oh Alex, don"t be too hard on yourself. Taking a nap is a great thing! I would do it all day if I had time!" Mom grinned at me and I smiled. She hugged me again, and this time I didn"t flinch away. "Okay, I guess." I sighed and headed upstairs. The rest of the night was fine, there were no problems. In fact, it went so great, I was able to go to bed early. I crawled in my bed after taking a shower and rinsing off the dried blood. Luckily, that mood had long gone, and I was ready to start school again. Luckily, I had forgotten the horrors school brought, and was able to sleep. But I didn"t know I had quite a day at school tomorrow. And there was going to be nothing good about it. Alex"s POV: I awoke that morning, dread filling my stomach. I had to go to school, which meant I had to go back to them. Them, this group of girls who were constantly saying horrid things to me, about me. Last week one of the girls had punched me in the stomach, leaving a nasty bruise there. They had also threatened to do it again, worse, today. I got up quickly and got dressed. I was downstairs with ten minutes to go. Quickly eating a simple breakfast, I was already out the door by the time my mom came downstairs. "Ready to go Alex?" She asked. "Yep, let"s go!" I ran out the door and into the car. I had hoped the earlier I got there, the better prepared I would be. "Wow, somebody"s eager to get to school!" My mom noticed as she started the car. "Yep." I looked out the window. A part of me told me to just skip school, and not even have to deal with them, but another denied. I did only have three days of school left, and so I would be okay for a little while. About ten minutes later we arrived at school. I took in a harsh breath when I saw Peg and her small group of friends standing by the women"s bathroom. I just knew they were waiting for me. I thanked my mom and got out of the car. I speed walked towards class, hoping they wouldn"t catch me, but was too late. They rounded the corner, trapping my between them and a wall. "Hey Alex, how are you today?" They said with mock concern. I whimpered nervously. "Please-please don"t hurt me!" I pleaded. Peg, the ringmaster, laughed. "Oh we won"t hurt you, not yet." She smiled maliciously before they walked off to class. The rest of the day went by so fast, I didn"t know whether that was a good thing or a bad one. By the time the last period had ended, I was walking towards the orchestra room to pick up my cello for cello lessons. I walked in, and Peg and her group were standing there, waiting for me. They walked over and cornered me as soon as I opened the door. I dropped my books and tried to run, but Peg grabbed me by my jacket. "Peg, stop!" I whined. She just continued to laugh as she threw me onto the ground. "Lucky the orchestra teacher leaves early! And lucky the orchestra room is at the end of the school, where no one will hear you cry for mercy!" She sneered. "Otherwise we"d have to do this somewhere else!" She grabbed my collar and pulled me to my feet. I choked on the heavy amount of pressure forced onto my neck. She dropped me and I fell to me feet. Before I could move she landed a rock hard punch at my stomach. I crunched over, my breath coming in raspy gulps. She laughed as she raked her nails across my cheek. I could tell by the bitter taste in my mouth that she had drawn blood. I managed to get to my feet by was knocked over with a strong kick to my shoulder. How someone could kick that high, it scared me even more. I tried to stand again but she grabbed me by my arms and swung me into the wall. I let out a shriek as she pressed harder onto my arms, and black dots swam into my eyes. The impact from the wall hit me hard. I turned towards the door and was met with a strong punch to my right eye. My glasses shattered and I closed my eye so glass wouldn"t get in it. I screamed, knowing I would have a black eye by the end of the day. In my fit of rage, I managed to land one good punch into her nose. Blood gushed from her nose and onto the orchestra carpet. Somebody"s going to wonder about that, I thought glumly. I started to run towards the door but was shoved forward by Peg. I tripped over one of the instruments and landed painfully on the ground. My ankle throbbed, and I hoped it wasn"t broken. I closed my eyes and covered my head as Peg proceeded to kick me repeatedly in the back. With each kick I let out a small scream. I didn"t know when it had ended, but eventually the kicking stopped and I heard the door close. I stood up and winced as my foot touched the ground. I limped over and grabbed my binder off the floor. Hopefully mom won"t mind if I miss lessons today, I thought as I walked past my cello. As soon as I left the room I ran as fast as I could down the street and towards home. I had missed the bus, and would have had to walk anyways. My vision swan, and grew blurry. From the pain, or the tears, or both, I couldn"t tell. About thirty minutes later I arrived at home. I opened the door and dumped my stuff onto the floor in the doorway. Limping towards the couch, I felt a strong surge of dizziness overcome me. The last thing I remember was wondering where mom was, before the room went black. Claire"s POV: I smiled as Hayley climbed into the car. Phil was picking up Luke and they were going out for sundaes. Why, I don"t know. "How was your day honey?" I asked. She just sighed and collapsed into the passenger seat. "Tiring, I"m ready for school to be over!" She complained. "Me too, me too," I muttered sarcastically. We drove the rest of the way in silence, mainly because Hayley was too busy texting her friends to talk to me anyways. We arrived home shortly, and Hayley leaped out of the car and ran in the door. I was about to open the garage when I heard Hayley scream. I dropped my bag and ran inside, to the living room. A hand clamped to my mouth at what I saw. Alex was lying unconscious in the middle of the living room floor. Her left ankle was bent at an awkward angle, and she had bruises all over her legs beneath her shorts. She had three dark lines of blood across her cheek, and she was breathing awfully harshly. Her left eye was swollen, and bruising. The lens for that eye had shattered, leaving tiny cuts underneath her eye. I dropped to my knees next to her and cradled her in my arms. The back of her head was matted with dried blood, and I winced. "Oh my God, oh my god what happened?" I shrieked. Hayley was sobbing, and had fallen to her knees next to me. "Oh, mom..." She cried and leaned on my shoulder. She slowly reached out a hand and gently stroked Alex"s hair. "Come on Hayley, let"s take her upstairs and get her cleaned up. You can do it in my bathroom. I"m going to call Phil." I watched as Hayley gently carried the limp figure up the steps, sobbing the whole way. I ran into the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Phil honey-yes, it"s me-no, not fine-Alex is hurt-pretty badly-hospital later-might have broken ankle-don"t know how this happened-thanks, bye." I hung up and sprinted upstairs. Hayley had laid Alex on the floor and was dabbing her cheek with a wash cloth, the cloth coming back more and more red with each press. I kneeled next to Alex and propped her head up with a pillow. I was about to examine her ankle further when she stirred. Alex"s eyes fluttered open and she looked at me, her eyes cloudy. "Mom?" "Alex, honey, what happened?" I asked softly. She whimpered and opened her mouth to speak. However, no words came out. Instead, she coughed harshly, and a spit up blood. "Oh sweetie," I cradled her in my arms. She started sobbing hysterically and her whole body was shaking. I gently touched her back to soothe her and she let out a muffled scream. "Honey, does it hurt there?" She nodded weakly, but didn"t move. "Can I see?" I propped her up and waited for her to take her jacket off. She started to take her jacket off and then froze when she got to the sleeves. Biting her lip, she pulled her jacket back on and shook her head no. "Okay, one step at a time." I motioned to Hayley and she stopped with the cloth. I slid Alex"s body into her arms and crawled over by her feet. Her left ankle was swollen, and started turning purple. I touched it gingerly and Alex jerked away. She started shaking again. Once she had calmed down, I looked her in the eye. It was time to get some answers. "Alex, I"m going to ask you a few questions. I want you to answer them honestly and truthfully. Okay?" She nodded glumly and sat up. "First off, who did this to you?" She opened her mouth to speak. "Peg..." her voice raspy from crying. I scrunched up my eyebrows. "Peg?" "Kid at school..." She groaned and clutched her stomach. I was worried she was going to be sick, but she was just in pain. "Okay, um, why did she do this?" There was a pause as Alex thought for a moment. I could tell Hayley was as tense as I was, and I wondered how she was taking this. "I don"t know." Alex gave me a look of confusion. "I could never figure out why..." This got me curious. "Has it happened before?" She nodded, which took my breath away. "Since the sixth week of school." I felt myself go numb. Almost all school year? "It was mostly shoving and verbal, never physical like this." She coughed again and hacked up more blood. I gently handed her the cloth and she wiped her mouth. "Okay, have you gone to anyone about it?" Alex shook her head and then clutched it, as if shaking hurt. "No, she always threatened to hurt me if I did." "Why did she decide to hurt you more tonight?" Alex shrugged. "I don"t know, maybe since school is almost over." I nodded. It was a reasonable guess. "Okay, I"m going to take you downstairs and we"re going to get you a snack, something to drink, okay?" I stood up and bent down. Gently grabbing Alex"s legs I bridal-style carried her downstairs and into the living room where I set her on the couch.

"I"ll pay ton-" "It"s my trea-" Their hands once again met on top of the bill. Jack"s sprung away, internally he was grinning. Like I"d ever pay the bill he thought to himself. He thought he spotted redness on Will"s cheeks, but pretended not to notice. Well that worked. I knew it, he"s feeling something. Yes, I"ve waited years for this to happen! Now how to go about this... "Jack!" "Huh?" Jack was looking absentmindedly away from Will now, thinking about what was occurring. He turned to see his friend"s face staring at him intently. "Come on, the movie starts in 10 minutes!" Jack yelped and got up with a start. They ran to the door, and checked out their coats. Will helped Jack put his on, and Jack quietly leaned into him slightly. He could tell even without looking that Will was blushing. Together they headed out into the night. Will"s mind was disjointed. What is wrong with me? swing life awayswing life awayswing life awayswing life away (Wow, 3 chapters in one night! I"ll probably either do another chapter of Fin or of this tonight, depending on how I feel. The last song for the fic didn"t work out greatly, I couldn"t find something to match what I wanted, and that was the closest I could get. This one is better, "Stay With You" By the Goo Goo Dolls. Enjoy!) These streetsTurn me inside outEverything shinesBut leaves me empty stillAnd I"ll, burn this lonely house downIf you run with meIf you run with me The theatre wasn"t crowded at all when Jack and Will arrived. They were out of breath from running so far, yet there was no line to deal with, just a few stray people wandering outside of the theatre. They both stood for a moment to catch their breaths. Jack leaned a little on Will, and to both of their surprise, Will allowed it and moved a little forwards to support him. When they had both regained their composure, they got their tickets and went inside. Jack"s eyes wandered around the lobby of the theatre. Few people were inside, and he could see into the theatre they were to occupy, it held only a few people. "Guess nothing popular is out" he said, rubbing the back of his head in confusion. Wasn"t this movie supposed to be a big blockbuster event? He hadn"t read the reviews, but surely more people would come than this? He didn"t know why he was nervous, but his mind twanged on the fact that they"d be almost completely alone in a dark theatre for 2 hours. It sent shivers of anticipation up Jack"s spine. Would he make a move? He didn"t know; he"d just have to go with the flow. I"ll stay with youThe walls will fall before we doTake my hand nowWe"ll run foreverI can feel the storm inside youI"ll stay with you He turned and spotted Will at the counter, buying a pack of Milk Duds. "No wonder you"re fat, if you eat like this!" Jack said, bouncing over to retain his usual Jack-ness. Will rolled his eyes. "Grace always rags on me if I don"t bring her home theatre candy, you know that, now come on." They left the lobby and entered the theatre doors just as the pre-movie commercials came on. They took a seat towards the back of the theatre, in the direct center of the center aisle. Will decided to be a little sneaky, and dumped his jacket on top of Jack. "Be my coat hanger, won"t you?" he asked, nudging the younger man. Jack grappled with the jacket and took it off of his head before throwing it into the seat next to him. "Is that what I am to you Will Truman, a coat rack for you to put your size extra-extra-chunky coats on?" Will plopped down and put an arm around Jack, giving him a squeeze hug. "With your atrociously lanky body, why yes my dear Jack." Jack was glad that the theatre was dark, Will wouldn"t be able to see him blushing from the hug. Fooled by my own desiresI twist my fateJust to feel youBut you, turn me toward the lightAnd you"re one with meWill you run with me? They turned their heads away from each other as the actual movie came on. It was a dull romantic comedy, the acting was horrible, and the storyline made no sense. 20 minutes into the movie, Will felt Jack nudging him. "What now?" he murmured, turning his head to Jack. He was surprised to find that his best friend had fallen asleep, so bored by the movie, and his head had slid to rest on Will"s shoulder. Will controlled his heart from racing, and, deciding to be bold, put an arm around Jack. He smiled down at the younger man, now that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he could see how cute Jack looked curled up next to him. Damnit Will, he"s your best friend, you can"t have feelings for him! However, the arm did not come away from around Jack, and Will pretended to go back to watching the movie, though his brain was thinking about how nice and warm Jack felt. Jack"s eyes slowly opened, and his vision was met with a lopsided view of half of the screen, the other half blocked by the chair. He had been sleeping for about 10 minutes. Yawning quietly, he froze when he realized that Will was giving him a half embrace with his arm as he slept. His eyes moved up toward Will"s face, but the other man was concentrating on the screen. Jack sat up slowly, yawning and settling back into his own chair, pretending nothing had happened. "What"d I miss?" he asked. Will shook his head. "Nothing much" he said, removing his arm from around Jack. Both men were secretly wishing that the moment could"ve continued. I"ll stay with youThe walls will fall before we doTake my hand nowWe"ll run foreverI can feel the storm inside youI"ll stay with you The movie ended after another hour, and both men left the theatre. Jack"s eyes had been drooping through the rest of the movie, and Will wished he"d fall asleep again, but Jack had managed to keep awake. "That was one of the worst movies I"ve ever seen" said Jack, groaning. "It was worse than Glitter! And Mariah broke my heart with that one! So much wasted talent!" he said, throwing his arms up in disgust. Will nodded in agreement. "What was the whole plot point about with the gay dog?" Jack shrugged. "Beats me. I wish I could beat the canine up to get my 8 bucks back." Will rolled his eyes. "You mean my eight bucks?" he asked. Jack nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, that"s what I said." Both men fell silent for a while, thinking their own thoughts. I should"ve made a move in there, now I won"t get any privacy! Jack thought. There were a lot of people around at that time of night. He suddenly got an idea. "Want to wander down to the area by Ducky"s Donuts and stare at all the closeted gay business men?" he asked. Will grinned at the idea. "Sure, but if we run into anyone I know, I want to know their exact degree of gayness so I can get some favors out of them. Your gaydar is still good, right?" Jack scoffed at him. "How dare you Will Truman, you know I have the best gaydar in all of New York, no, all of North America! No wait, even bigger, all of the United States!" His bad display of geography elicited a shocking move from Will, who wrapped an arm around his shoulders and grinned at him. "Ah yes, I"ve forgotten that the UN declared America to be a continent now." What am I doing! He thought, putting his arm back down. Now come in from this stormI taste you sweet and warmTake what you needTake what you needFrom me Jack hid a blush, and the two men walked down the street towards the donut shop. There were few business men in the area at this time of night, they both knew this already, but they pretended to be shocked at the lack of them. They had just passed an alleyway when Will"s eyes shot open. "Crap, it"s that guy I dated, quick, hide!" he said, spotting a man about to cross the street over to them. He whirled himself around and skidded into the alley, putting his back against the wall. The force of the movement whipped Jack around, and like a ballroom dancer he twirled into the alley. Will reached out to catch his friend as he stumbled, trying to regain balance after being so forcefully pulled. His arms wrapped around Jack"s waist, steadying him. Both men straightened up fully, and found themselves not more than an inch or two apart, facing each other. They both stared for a moment, thoughts running through their minds: Will"s in a fit of confusion, Jack"s in a battle over a decision. One side won out finally for the younger man, and Jack moved closer, brushing his lips against Will"s. He pulled back, waiting to see what would happen. Wake up this worldWake up tonightAnd run to meRun to me now Will"s eyes were wide in shock when Jack pulled away. He... what did he just... oh my god... he thought, staring for a good ten seconds. Jack was beginning to feel uncomfortable in Will"s gaze, and averted his eyes. Will"s mind raced. Was that... I need to know for sure. He moved his arms, resting on Jack"s waist, upward slightly, holding his lower torso, and pulled him closer again, allowing them to kiss once more. They held the kiss for what felt for like eternity, before pulling away. It was... but this is nuts Will thought. Jack wasn"t speaking, why wasn"t he speaking? The younger man"s eyes were now as open as Will"s were, he hadn"t expected Will to return anything from the kiss, and being pulled into another one shocked him. As he struggled to find words to say something, Will"s stomach dropped, and a cold sweat of fear came over him. What did I just do, I can"t do this, it"ll ruin our friendship! Think Will, you"ve got to do something! "I... uh..." he stammered, letting go of Jack"s hips. His stomach was now doing somersaults, and his mind was clouding. He needed to think, so he did the only thing he could think of. He bolted. Jack watched Will run away from him, down the street, back from where they had come. Resting his back against the wall, he slid down and curled up, clutching his knees to his chest and putting his head on top of them. He held back tears. He doesn"t love me, I scared him, damnit Jack, what were you thinking, you idiot! Droplets of water began falling from the sky, as a storm broke onto the city, and to Jack, these were the realizations of his feelings at the moment. He let the tears come, blending in with the rainwater of the cold, dark night. I"ll stay with youThe walls will fall before we doTake my hand nowWe"ll run foreverI can feel the storm inside youI"ll stay with you And I"d give up forever to touch youCause I know that you feel me somehow You"re the closest to heaven that I"ll ever beAnd I don"t want to go home right now The rain beat down on the busy streets of New York on the July night. Businessmen and classily dressed people ran for shelter from the storm, while others let the rain soak into their skin. Puddles splashed underfoot Jack as he blindly trudged down a street. His destination was unknown, not even he knew where his feet would take him that evening. His hair was matted down to his face, black silk strands on a peach canvas of perfectly proportioned cover-up. Jack was thankful that he"d worn waterproof makeup that night; otherwise his face would look as if it"d been through a mudslide. His eyeliner and mascara was smudged as it was from the constant use of his hand to wipe tears from the corners of his eyes; the side of his hand was blackened as a result. His green sweater and jeans were also soaked, and if he didn"t change he"d probably catch a cold. But that wasn"t on Jack"s mind right now. He was thinking about Will. Across town in a suburb of Manhattan, Will was leaning out his balcony window and breathing in the night air, cooled by the constant patter of raindrops. His own hair was soaked from running through the rain, and the blanket he had draped over himself was beginning to get wet. He"d changed into his pajamas as soon as he"d gotten home, and now clutched a glass of red wine to his chest as he stared blindly out into the city night. He wouldn"t catch a cold, but colds weren"t on his mind now. He was thinking about Jack. And all I can taste is this momentAnd all I can breathe is your lifeCause sooner or later it"s overI just don"t want to miss you tonight The rain grew fiercer, but only the rain; the wind stayed at a breeze. No thunder or lighting pervaded, just a constant, dull rain storm. Jack"s mind was like a hurricane however, category five and mounting. How could I have been so foolish? I waited for more than 15 years, what made me think this night would be any different? I hadn"t had a friend"s night out with him in so long. That was the reason. I"d missed him so much, and we had never been that busy to be so much apart before. I overreacted and forgot what we usually act like. That must be it. But that kiss... he thought to himself. That kiss was magical. Jack recalled every second, the first kiss that he had enacted was blurry, but the second one, the one that Will had started, sparked energy through Jack"s body. The first taste, every sensation, every movement of their tongues and lips; Jack had never felt that during a kiss before. Every hair stood on end, every particle of his being raced and danced with joy throughout it, and he never wanted to let it go. But eventually, like all kisses, this one ended. Then the pain... he thought again. Will had bolted, a confused look shadowing his face as he turned and raced into the night. Jack tried to remember if there was pain on that face, and he saw none. No malice or hate either, just shock, slight confusion, and there, in the smallest of smiles, love. Love he thought again. And that is what has me so confused. I saw love there, but it ran from me, and I think I"ve lost it forever. Jack had spent a decade and a half chasing Will around New York City, and he now realized that the love he had seen that night had always been there, but had never been exposed so fully as through that kiss. And I don"t want the world to see meCause I don"t think that they"d understandWhen everything"s made to be brokenI just want you to know who I am I can"t believe I ran Will thought as he sipped the wine in his glass that was slowly being permeated by random drops of rainwater. Drinking wine on a balcony during a rain storm seemed stupid to him, but he had done a lot of stupid things that night, and he figured, why stop now? He kept hiding the glass under his blanket, but every time he pulled it out to drink, more water entered, and eventually, Will set the glass down on the table next to him. He watched it fill and bubble over, the red of the wine slowly seeping away as the dull grey of rainwater replaced it. He couldn"t sit on the chairs on the balcony; they were already soaked by the rainstorm. Will didn"t want to leave the rain. He liked the feeling it gave him; he wasn"t wearing footwear, and his feet was both warmed and cooled by the little puddle forming under him. His legs and torso had been protected by the wool blanket, but it had already soaked through and now he was wet to the bone again. He didn"t mind though. He let the blanket slip from his shoulders and felt the true force of the storm beat down on him. Feeling the tendrils of water curl down the ends of his hair, he continued to think. What am I going to say to Jack when I see him again? What was I thinking? I should"ve ended it there, stopped after the first kiss and brushed it off as an easy mistake, even though we both knew it was on purpose. But no, I had to make sure that- What was I making sure of? I don"t have feelings for Jack, do I? He stared downwards at the streets below, then closed his eyes and pictures Jack. Jack, the klutz, the paranoid, hyper, flamboyantly gay best friend of his. Jack, who showed him 15 years ago what it meant to love someone despite their sex. Jack, who"d told him he had loved him a year after they met, and had been rejected by Will. The man pondered this for a moment. And now I know he wasn"t kidding, and those feelings had never left him. But were they ever in me? Will smiled and recalled the times when they"d had "couple" incidents, when people mistook them as a couple, or something happened that made them ponder the possibilities. Will had eaten a whole box of rocky road ice cream the night after the incident with Psychic Sue and her prediction of him spending the rest of his life with a man named Jack. Usually ice cream of that sort was reserved for breakups and heartache, so both he and Grace had found it odd for him to curl up on the couch with it. Grace had asked him if he"d broken up with a secret boyfriend, and Will had laughed it off as being just an irregularity. But why, when he slept that night, did he picture what it might be like with Jack? A dream of a small apartment in the city, two kids and a dog, Grace visiting on weekends with Karen, a bedroom, and... Will would usually shudder at the last part, a semi-pornographic scene involving him and Jack. But now he pondered it, as if analyzing the metaphorical meanings of a long winded poem. And at the end of it, with them curled up together in bed... Will"s heart was moved by the scene, and he drank it in with true joy. I do have feelings for him. What had taken 15 years to analyze and form into a coherent thought took a second to admit. And it didn"t feel wrong or awkward, it felt warm and comforting. It drove back the cold of the night rain and filled him with so much emotion that he began to cry. He leaned his head on the railing and sobbed, letting out feelings of both pain and happiness. The happiness came from finally admitting it and embracing it, but the pain came from realizing that he"d hurt Jack so much in the past, and tonight had hurt him even more. And now he realized, if he didn"t want to hurt Jack again, Will would have to tell him. And you can"t fight the tears that ain"t comingOr the moment of truth in your lies When everything seems like the moviesYeah you bleed just to know your alive Jack"s cell phone was off as he continued to walk, making it impossible for Will to call and... do what? Who knows, but I don"t want to find out right now. Finally, after an hour, he collapsed onto the stoop of an apartment building and huddled there, sobbing into his knees. There were no people around to see Jack"s pain, and he was glad, because he felt so vulnerable, and didn"t like feeling that way. What if I"m wrong? he thought to himself. What if he doesn"t love me? I don"t want to lose his friendship... no Jack McFarland, you"ve wasted enough time crying over Will and trying to convince him, you need to move on. But I can"t he realized. I need to tell Will the truth. If he rejects me, maybe I can move on. But I can"t just let him go on not knowing. I can"t lie to myself or him anymore. Jack looked upwards as the rain pelted down. The sky was blank of stars, but if he closed his eyes, thousands appeared on the inside of his mind. They soothed him; Jack had always loved the night sky. But their comfort didn"t last long, and Jack put his head on his knees again. If I"m wrong, then I don"t know what I"ll do. And I don"t want the world to see meCause I don"t think that they"d understandWhen everything"s made to be brokenI just want you to know who I am Will raced down the street, back towards the area of Ducky"s Donuts. After several attempts to call Jack over his cell phone, and then cursing the phone company that designed the off button for them, Will threw on a loose outfit of sneakers, jeans, and a T-shirt, grabbed his jacket, and had run out of the apartment. He knew that Jack probably wouldn"t have gone far; whenever he was depressed, Jack stayed put. He"s more reliable than I thought Will thought to himself, giving a half-hearted chuckle. It died in his throat at the thought entering his mind as he walked. What if he hates me? Will asked himself. I just bolted on him; he probably thinks I rejected him. What if he never wants to speak to me again? The thoughts weren"t washed away by the copious amounts of rain, and the distant beginnings of thunder and lighting flashes only heightened his fears. The mood of the city was that of tension, and the cracks of thunder hung on the already thick air. I"ve got to believe it"s not true. I"ve got to believe. There he was. Will had spotted Jack on the corner stoop of an apartment. The younger man was clutching the ticket stub from that night and staring at it. Will couldn"t tell if he was crying, or if it was just the rain, but he didn"t care. He avoided almost getting run over by a cab, and crossed over the street to Jack. The younger man continued to stare at the stub as Will knelt down in front of him to get to eye level. "Jack?" he said softly. The younger man cringed, and his eyes closed, tears peeking out of their corners. "I"m sorry Will, I should"ve have done that, I-" Jack was cut off by Will placing a finger against his mouth to quiet him. His chin was lifted up slowly to face Will, but his eyes remained closed. "Jack, please look at me." Jack heard the tone of Will"s voice. It wasn"t mad, it wasn"t cruel. Will was begging him, and Jack could tell he was doing it with every fiber of his being. He slowly opened his eyes. I don"t want the world to see meCause I don"t think that they"d understandWhen everything"s made to be brokenI just want you to know who I am Will"s face stared back at him, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and joy. His mouth smiled softly, and looked inviting to Jack. He was silently horrified with himself about thinking about how arousing Will looked at a time like this, but the though was cut off as Will moved in and kissed

Michael"s attitude towards her nudity is surprising. In the beginning of her relationship with Gould (even in Jamaica it seemed, she couldn"t escape him), he would watch her walking around the room, whistling and calling her "a sexy piece of ass." (How the fuck had they lasted so long?) She"d say nothing, just blushing and running into the bathroom or grasping for a bathrobe. Towards the end of their relationship, he would simply stare, saying nothing (he looked a little like Hannibal Lecter when he did this, but she had never found a head in their freezer.) But Michael seems to understand Jan. Even someone like herself has reservations about their body, and is hesitant in letting someone see her so exposed (so vulnerable, and Jan Levinson never lets anyone see her vulnerable.) There are different attitude towards nudity that Jan takes between the escapades of the night and the morning after. They"d been partially dressed when the lights went off, and there hadn"t been enough light from outside to see much afterwards (not that she needed to see Michael unhook her bra with his teeth, it had sent shivers up her spine, and then a bit of pain when he"d bitten down on her accidentally instead of the material). Instead that night had focused on the sensations of feeling: bodies mingling in sliding and groans and heat, and then tasting: skin and sweat (and other fluids that need not be named). Michael seems to know Jan"s hesitations (how he could know this and not other things, she"d never figure out), and respects this by allowing her the dignity of dressing without an audience. He respects her wishes (he respects her). She finishes and walks out of the bathroom, wrapped in one of the white towels hanging on the rack. Michael has brewed a pot of coffee and is back in bed, sipping a cup and holding another out for her. "You look good in white," he says, grinning at her and offering the cup. She watches him for a moment, taking in his smile and his face and his form (his oddly wonderful form), and smiles to herself. She walks over, taking the cup and placing it down on the bedside table. As he watches, she removes his cup from his grasp and places it next to hers. "Jan?" He"s looking at her quizzically. "What"s wrong?" She smiles and lets the towel drop (and appreciates the pleased gasp immediately afterwards). She will let herself be vulnerable this once. 2. She hangs up the receiver, rubbing her brown in frustration (when is he ever not frustrating?) Michael"s incessant blabbing over how sorry he is about getting a lap dance was driving her crazy. When he started getting cheeky and calling her "the best GD (abbreviations. Really Michael?) girlfriend ever," she had to hang up to keep from snapping at him. She stares into the cold cup of coffee on her desk from this morning and sighs. She"s got work to do, and worrying about him becoming a blubbering mess over something that doesn"t even bother her (too much) will do her no good. She picks a paper off the looming pile and begins scribbling. Really, she thinks, she"s got no reason to worry (that she"ll admit). She knows Michael"s antics by now, and a stripper would not be out of his abilities. It doesn"t bother her (it does) that he got a lap dance. It annoys her (It comforts her) that he gets so concerned over something so trivial (so huge). In the end, she"s glad he was honest, but it doesn"t mean anything (it means more than she can express). After all, Jan isn"t the jealous type (she"ll kill any woman who goes after her man). When a bouquet of flowers arrives the next morning, addressed to "the best GD girlfriend ever," she tells herself that while it"s sweet, it doesn"t change anything (it gives her the assurance she needs). Still, she can"t help but chew her lip thoughtfully (nervously) as she stares down at the petals. It"s no big deal, but she can"t help but think it might be (it makes her wonder about things she never thought she would). 3. They"re at her sister"s house. Heather invited her for Sunday dinner, and insisted she bring any and all "important men" in her life. When Michael asked her what time Josh Porter would be arriving, she swatted him playfully and told him to put his pants on so they could leave (afternoon sex makes her giddy). They"ve just finished eating an enjoyable dinner. Michael and Jonathan were conversing excitedly about some sports event through the meal (well, Jonathan was excitedly blabbing; Michael was nodding as if he actually knew what the other man was talking about). Michael wanders into the living room with Heather"s kids (twin boys, aged eight. Heather tells her that the terrible twos have nothing on this stage of life), while Jan enters the kitchen to help her sister and brother-in-law clean up. The plates are whisked out of her hands, and she"s pushed out of the kitchen, told to leave the cleaning to them (Heather was always a bit of a control freak) and to go relax with Michael. She finds him sitting cross legged on the floor, a boy on either side. There are three controllers hooked up to the video game console on the floor, and each male has their eyes glued to the TV. It"s some kind of racing game, and Jan watches as the twins wipe the floor with Michael (she suspects that he is trying to lose after falling off the same cliff for the 50th time; though with Michael, you can never be sure). George, the boy on the left, jumps up with a whoop as his car goes over the finish line first, his brother close behind, and Michael still back on his second lap (Jan prays he"s a better driver on actual roads than on virtual ones). Michael gets up and turns to her, grinning. "Your nephews should be in NASCAR, they"re quite the little speed demons." She grins back at him as they force the controller back into his hands for another round (she would"ve never suspected him to be such a masochist). After the next round, George has won again. While he does his victory dance around the room, Paul, the other twin, turns to Michael with a curious look on his face. "Mr. Scott?" he asks, tugging on the sleeve of Michael"s jacket. Michael turns to look at him. "Are you and Aunt Jan married?" he asks, eyes round (and wide) as dinner plates. George stops jumping and turns to look at the two, waiting for a response. "Oh, uh..." Jan speaks up, trying to explain their situation ("he"s my boyfriend but I"m also his boss, which leads to a lot of issues," just doesn"t seem like the best answer). Before she can respond however, Michael cuts her off. "Shhhh," he whispers loudly, motioning for George to come closer so he can hear. The two boys huddle around Michael eagerly. "Don"t tell Jan," Michael whispers, (loudly enough for Jan to catch). "We"re already married, she just doesn"t know it. I"m trying to keep it a secret for a little bit longer so she doesn"t kill me when she finds out." The boys dissolve into a fit of giggles. Michael looks back at her and gives her a wink before calling for another race (three out of five!) Heather comes in and stands next to Jan during the middle of the next game, wiping her hands on a dishcloth as she watches the group. "He"s pretty good with kids, isn"t he?" she murmurs to her sister, patting her on the shoulder. "That"ll be good if you ever have your own." Jan can say nothing to this (Frankly, she thinks, nothing needs to be said). 4. Her head is pounding, and her throat is on fire. The toilet bowl has become the new home for her face (and it"s not even high school). Her legs are tucked under herself, and her hands grip the sides of the bowl weakly as another torrent billows up from her throat and deposits itself into the marble receptacle. One hundred and three. She hasn"t had a fever this bad in years. Jan Levinson doesn"t get sick (or sick enough that a little makeup doesn"t mask everything). She knew something was wrong this morning when she woke up and couldn"t even stand without gripping the table. Her first sick day in years. She hopes her secretary can handle the office on her own (it"s not like she"s had to do it before, which is what worries Jan the most). An hour later, she thinks she might be able to go back to her bed. However, her stomach apparently isn"t as empty as she thought it was, as her head is forced back over the bowl. When she comes back up for air, she hears something moving outside in the hallway (and unless she"s hallucinating, she"s never kept a pet). She hears footsteps coming down the hall, and her heart jumps into a frantic beat (great, sick and robbed on the same day, what else could go wrong?) "Jan?" "Damnit Michael," she coughs, watching the door swing open to reveal his form. "At least call out before you come barging in, you scared me half to death." She notices the bags in his hands (an angry cartoon man of Arabian descent is on the side of one) and gives him a questioning look. "Sorry Jan. Don"t tell my boss, but I stopped by my girlfriend"s house to help her out after I heard she was on death"s doorstep." He gives her a cheeky grin and puts the bags on the counter of the sink. "No, Michael," she tries to insist as he walks over. "You"re supposed to be at your office, working." "Already taken care of," he says, wrapping an arm around her torso and helping her to her feet. "I"ve left Dwight and Jim in charge and told them that I"ll be back at the end of the day." "Oh great," she mumbles sarcastically as he walks (more like drags) her down the hall. "How long will it take before Jim encases Dwight in a Jell-O mold?" "You"ve lost your breakfast but still retain your humor. Jan Levinson, you really are the best girlfriend ever." They"re in her bedroom now. He helps her climb into bed and tucks her under the covers before looking around. "Any vomit in here I need to mop up?" She shakes her head and settles back into the pillows, mumbling "made it to the bowl in time." Her eyelids are heavy, and the energy she"s had to use for vomiting has left her exhausted. "Get some rest, I"ll have lunch ready when you wake up," he says, giving her a kiss on her forehead. She"s asleep minutes after he leaves the room. When she wakes up, she can smell something wonderful coming from the kitchen. There"s a glass of water on the table next to her, which she picks up and drinks greedily (the taste of vomit hasn"t fully faded). The door to her room opens a few minutes later, and Michael comes in, bearing a short tray table with a bowl and a glass of orange juice on it. "Soup"s on," he says, placing it in front of her. "Where did you get this?" she asks, picking up the spoon and giving it a taste. Wonderful warmth invades her mouth, and she thinks it would be even better if she could actually taste it, but her taste buds have been temporarily killed by the fever. "Ever watch Seinfeld?" he asks, walking around the bed. He gently sits on the other side and scoots over until he"s lying next to her, arm draped over her shoulders. "Remember the Soup Nazi dude? You know, "no soup for you!' I found out that it was a real guy! So I totally had to go get soup from him after I heard about it." "How"d you find him?" she asks, taking another bite. She feels strength returning to her weakened body with each spoonful (Nazi or not, the guy makes a damned good soup. It"s actually curing her inability to taste). "Well, Dwight looked him up for me and got me Mapquest directions to his store. There are like six of his stores in the city though, so I ended up finding one before I got to the one Dwight had looked up. He wasn"t there, but I got a picture with the cardboard cutout of him that"s in the store." (Of course, she thinks. Another celebrity for Michael"s Celebrities I"ve Sort of Met Photo Album.) She finishes the soup and orange juice, feeling a lot better. Michael takes the tray back to the kitchen and returns to the bedroom, carrying DVD cases with him. "I hope you bought something besides bad lesbian porno," she says, giving him a grin. He puts on a mock pouting face in response. "But Jan, lesbian porno is the perfect cure for a fever! Besides cowbell!" (Oh Michael, must you use overdone SNL jokes?) Later, she"s fallen asleep while they"re watching Break Point. The next thing she feels is Michael pulling away from his spot next to her. She mumbles incoherently, opening her eyes to see scrolling credits. Michael takes the movie out of the machine and walks over to her, giving her another forehead kiss. "I"ve got to get back, they"re expecting me sometime," he says. "Call me if you need anything, okay?" She nods, and he leaves. The clock says that it"s sometime around six (why did he stay so long?). That"s means he won"t be back to the office until around eight (he should"ve left earlier). Given the general chaos expected from leaving both Dwight and Jim in charge, she doubts he"ll be finished with his work until about eleven or so (he shouldn"t have to stay so late). He"ll stay tonight until it"s finished, since he doesn"t want Jan to have to deal with any incompetence on his part when she comes back to work. Sometimes, she thinks, she doesn"t know how lucky she is to have him around (she doesn"t know, but she"s still thankful for it). 5. It starts when she gets and envelope in the mail. They"ve been dating about eight months, and it"s the first time he"s sent anything in the mail to her home (the office is always easier to reach her at). Her address is scrawled in his handwriting, a loopy cursive that looks like it"s trying to fly off the page. She opens the letter and tips it over, a dozen plastic rings dropping onto the counter with a note. She picks up the paper and reads. Dear Jan, Sending this in the mail "cause I can"t email plastic! (she"s going to stop his bad jokes one of these days...) We"re getting everybody in the office rings in celebration of being the #1 branch (how he pulled that off, she"ll never know) in the region. Since you"re the best boss ever, you get one too! Try on the rings and send me back the size. Love, Michael She picks up the plastic circles, chuckling to herself. She"s been the same ring size since high school (her class ring and old engagement ring are in the same plastic bag in her jewelry box). In a moment she sends him an email, thanking him for including her, reminding him about the limit he can charge on the company card for this, and also reminding him about their dinner that night (she always was a good multitasker). As she drops the plastic rings into the garbage, a thought comes to her mind, but she brushes it away. He couldn"t possibly be thinking about that, could he? She picks up the plastic circle that fits her size and slips it onto her left ring finger. The feeling is familiar (she"s always feared that putting a ring on that finger again would be repulsive, but instead it feels oddly comforting). Giving a shrug, she lets the ring fall back into the garbage and turns back to her work. Two days later, she gets a call from Dwight, asking her to come to the office on Friday for a little celebration of the branch"s success. She hasn"t expected a party, and asks how they plan to cover it under the company"s budget. "Oh we don"t need to worry about that Jan," Dwight says, giving a little scoff. "Michael is paying for it. He says that it is a very special occasion and it needs to be perfect." After he hangs up, Jan stares at the phone for a moment, pondering. Michael isn"t against paying for parties, but usually he at least tries to weasel his way into getting the company to pay for it (and rarely succeeds). She wonders why he would insist on paying, unless... No, she thinks. You"re going crazy (but her heart beats a little faster at the idea). On Thursday, she calls into accounting to ask how much Michael is asking to cover the cost of the rings. However, the person she speaks to tells her that Michael has not charged anything to the company card (at least, nothing relating to this. The accountant has a few questions about his other purchases), leaving Jan to wonder why he is paying for the rings as well. Why is he going to all this trouble, and paying for this all himself? Surely this couldn"t mean that much to him? Unless it"s for something more important... having to deal with ring sizes... (Her head spins at the thought.) Friday comes, and Jan is on the road to Scranton. The entire drive, she plays the possibility of what Michael might do over in her head. Will he do it? If he does, will she accept? What would that be like? (She won"t admit it, but it"s one of the best feelings she"s had in a while.) She pulls into the parking lot and makes her way into the building, giving a cheery smile to the security guard (it startles him so much that he almost knocks his coffee over). When she walks into the office, she"s expecting him to either be hiding behind the desk, waiting to shout surprise, or down on one knee. Instead he"s mingling with the other office workers, joking about something that happened during the day. Her heart sinks as she sees people walking around, wearing similar looking rings and wearing party hats. Why did she get herself so worked up over this? It"s no big deal (it is, and she knows it). Michael spots her and comes over, holding a small red box in his hand. "Jan, baby, you"re here!" he says, giving her a hug and a kiss (everyone knows about their relationship. Hell they all probably knew before she did). "I"m glad you made it, I was starting to worry I"d been stood up." He gives her a grin, winking for the cameraman in the corner as he does. She gives him a halfhearted smile in return. "Here"s your ring," Michael says, holding the box out to her. He looks so eager for her to open it. But she really doesn"t feel all that up to it at the moment. Taking the box, she pockets it. "Thanks, I, uh, need to go to the bathroom. I"ll be right back." His face falls, and he starts to protest. "But Jan-" "No Michael," she says sharply (she winces; she hadn"t meant to be that mean). "I"ll be back in a few minutes." Turning, she walks briskly into the break room and through the bathroom door (she doesn"t notice that every eye in the room is following her.) The first tear appears as she grips the counter, hunching over the sink in the dull glow of the eighty watt bulb (what were you thinking Jan? That he was ready? That he"ll ever be ready? He"s Michael. For all he is, he"s still the insecure, uncommitted man he always was). She"s glad that she"s alone in the room, she hates it when women try to comfort each other during these types of things (she sort of wishes Pam was here. The other woman knows about how hard it is to wait). The weight of the box in her pocket is killing her heart. She takes it out and drops it onto the counter in front of her (it"s such a pretty box. It seems too expensive for some little company ring). The box seems to stare up at her, mocking her and her hopes. She can"t let it get to her though. She"s got to go out and put on a happy face. She picks up the box and opens it (she needs to wear it to be an "encouraging superior figure." Stupid company bull...) The thought fades on her brain, and she cries out in shock (Oh my god... Michael...) Tucked into the soft silk of the little box is a shimmering engagement ring, diamonds bursting with reflected rainbow light on a platinum band (she won"t even try to count the karats). It"s like all of her hopes coming together in one tiny thing, and the tears this time are from absolute joy (and relief). "Please don"t flush that, it"s kind of expensive!" She hears him calling from outside the door, and pearls of laughter escape from her mouth at his words. She turns and practically lunges for the door, opening it to find him standing there, a desperately hopeful look on his face (he always reminds her of an overly optimistic puppy for some reason). "Well?" he asks. "Will you marry me?" Her face drops for a moment into a frown. "You"re a cruel bastard for fooling me like that, you know?" she says (her smile is still sparkling in her eyes.) He knows her well enough by now. "I"m guessing that"s a yes?" She gives another laugh and swats him on the shoulder before wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing him into a deep kiss. There are hoots coming from their left, and they break the kiss to see the entire office cheering them on. Michael takes the box from her and removes the ring, tossing the box to the side and slipping the ring on her finger (it"s the best fit she"s ever had). She pulls him back into another kiss, and feels herself being lifted up as he grasps her by her waist and spins her around him (it"s like a movie, and she"s the heroine who finally got her man). They are surrounded in a moment by the office workers, offering them both hugs and congratulations. (Pam gives her a wink, and Jan decides that she"s going to get that girl a boyfriend if it kills her. She deserves it. Dwight slaps Michael on the back, blubbering like an infant, with Angela at his side. They came out as a couple months ago, and all agreed that however odd it seemed, it worked, so it was best not to question it). In all the chaos, Jan can"t help thinking about the future. She"s a little scared (she"s not afraid to admit it anymore). Looking at Michael however, she decides that being a little scared is good (and with Michael by her side, the future isn"t as scary as it once was).

My Brother"s Keeper By Cheeky Notes: Chapter Three"s ending has been modified ever so slightly. Please read again if you have the time, okie? Mucha mucha thanks! To: All readers ~ My sincerest apologies to all of you for not updating this fiction for more than a month. I hadn"t abandoned this fic, simply because I never abandon any of my work. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I lost the motivation to write after Chapter Three, mainly because the pressure of rewriting the whole story kinda overwhelmed me a little. And then I got caught up with work, education and *hides sheepishly* my other Slam Dunk fics so I kinda shelved this fic for a very long while. I still love Tooya x Aki though!!! If not, I would never have started on this fic, and I promise you I will complete this. Unfortunately, I"m very very very sorry to say, I shall be taking a break from updating any fics because my exams are coming this April. So once again, my apologies for having to lurk again after this. Nonetheless, rests assure that all your encouragements and long reviews will be staying with me and no matter what, I will finish this story. Oh dear, I think I"ve said too much already. Should have used the text for the story instead... And now, just a couple of feedback to my reviewers ~ Lina Inverse ~ Thank you for reading even though you"re not into yaoi. ^^ Am glad you think this is good writing! Hana no Ceres ~ *grins* Me thinks Tooya x Aki is kinda cute... that"s why I"m writing about this pairing... ^___________^ Rhapsody ~ *sheepish grin* Yeah, your comment gave me pause and I was actually questioning my ability (and sanity!!) on whether I could really accomplish this difficult task. But as I reread the reviews, I realized that I just could not abandon you guys, and thus, I present to you Chapter Four! I"ve also modified Chapter Three"s ending so that Aya"s feelings for Aki overshadows her feelings for Tooya, do let me know if this is better, okie? EeGuaNa ~ I hope you"re still reading this! Eheheh, sorry sorry sorry for not updating sooner... natacha ~ Thank you so much for making my story the one that you post your first review. ^^ And yes, I do intend to focus a whole lot more on Aki (though not as much in this chapter) because I wholeheartedly agree that he is sadly overshadowed and under-valued in the anime/manga. Sheesh, even Shiso gets more actions... chinoz ~ Wah!! Complicated storyline!!! I"m having trouble just trying to rewrite the script!! But if this goes well, I won"t mind doing another AnC fic one day... yaoi of course! ^_______^ ^_^ ~ My smiling anonymous reviewer... your review for an update was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise. Thank you very very much. Silvermagess ~ Thanks... your unexpected review helped too! Hopefully, this chapter will explain just what Aya thinks about erm... Tooya loving another guy. ^^ * * * Chapter Four ~ The Honest Truth "Hey Aya... you don"t look so good. Are you alright? Did Tooya do anything to you last night?" "I"m fine. But thanks for asking." Leaning her head against the headrest, Aya Mikage closed her eyes with the hope that the gesture would discourage Yuuhi from talking. Unfortunately, the young man had his eyes on the road and missed the none-too-subtle hint. "Are you sure? You look kinda pale to me..." "I told you, I"m fine." The unexpected harshness startled Yuuhi and he had to swerve to avoid an incoming collision. As the car skidded to a stop right next to the pavement, both occupants breathed in heavily at their near fatal accident. The stricken look on Aya"s face touched a chord in Yuuhi and he found himself flushing guiltily for not paying attention whilst driving. But before he could express his sincere apologies, Aya burst into tears, leaving a bewildered Yuuhi looking on helplessly. After several seconds of staring in shock, Yuuhi tentatively reached out to touch Aya"s shoulder in a bid to comfort her. The boy then gave a loud gasp of in surprise when Aya suddenly launched herself on him as she cried her eyes out. Initially, Yuuhi thought it was the near-death experience that was the cause of Aya"s distress, but her incoherent mumbling of Tooya and Aki"s names made little sense to that assumption. With her face against the lapels of Yuuhi"s jacket, Aya"s mind replayed the conversation she had earlier with Tooya. /Flashback/ "Tooya..." "No wait, let me. About last night... I"m sorry... I shouldn"t have behaved in such an inconsiderate manner." "No, there"s no need for you to apologize... You... you merely told me the truth. I should be the one to apologize for behaving like a spoilt child." "Aya..." "It"s okay, I"m alright. Really." "That boy... Yuuhi... he called early this morning and I gave him my address. He"d be here to pick you up in thirty minutes." "Oh... Thank you." "Aya..." She cut him off before he could continue. Hanging on to Tooya"s arm in a death grip, Aya"s blue eyes held Tooya"s as she pleaded, "Tooya... what you said last night... about loving Aki... did you mean what you said?" There was not the slightest hint of hesitation in the man"s voice as he answered evenly, "Every single word." The slender arm dropped limply as Aya avoided Tooya"s gaze, "Oh." "I swear I"ll bring him back to you." "Why?" Tooya blinked in surprise but as Aya continued, he realized that they were thinking different thoughts. "Why does he mean so much to you?" "Because I love him." /End Flashback/ "Aya! Stop crying, please. You"re scaring me!" The gentle but persistent shake of her shoulders brought Aya back to the present. Staring up into Yuuhi"s worried gaze, Aya let loose a mirthless laugh as she mumbled sadly, "Yuuhi... Tooya, he... he told me last night that the one he loves is not me, but my brother Aki." "Aki?!" Fingering the soft material of Yuuhi"s jacket, Aya dropped her eyes as she continued, her tone distinctively softer now, "And it hurts... it hurts so much..." Fresh tears spilled from Aya"s cobalt orbs and Yuuhi gently cradled the girl in his arms as he continued muttering words of comfort, "Sssh... it"s going to be okay. I"m here for you, remember?" "But I want him to love me!" /And I want you to love me.../ Despite the hurt he was feeling after hearing Aya"s insistence, Yuuhi kept his thoughts to himself as his arms around the girl tightened. He knew Aya would not appreciate hearing his confession right now, not when she was emotionally wounded for being... dumped by her crush in favour of her brother. Inwardly Yuuhi gave a tired sigh, love was such a complicate game to play... ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Blond hair fell softly across the pillow as bright blue eyes stared listlessly upwards at the white ceiling. Night had fallen, and yet Aya found herself unable to drift off to dreamland. Her thoughts were still in turmoil and the worried gaze thrown in her direction by Yuuhi doing dinner had in retrospect, brought forth alien emotions. Unfamiliar feelings that even Aya could not put a finger to. It was a cross between pain and regret. Pain for seeing his pain, and regret for being the cause of the hurt. Perhaps... perhaps she cared for Yuuhi more than she was willing to admit to herself... Not liking the direction her mind was going, Aya quickly turned her thoughts back to Tooya as she pushed away the earlier thought. She only cared for Yuuhi as she would a good friend, because that was what he was, a good friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Holding up her right hand into the air, Aya started tracing Tooya"s outline as she mused softly to herself into the empty room, "I thought I could ignore the tug of my heartstrings, but I cannot... Oh gods, but I love you so much... if only, if only you would love me in return..." "And Aki? What happened to the "blood in thicker than water" conclusion?" She gave a slight shake of her head, as if willing her conscience to leave her alone. But the tiny voice in her head merely grew louder. "You are nothing more than a selfish spoilt brat. How dare you claim to love your brother and still insist on conquering Tooya"s love when he does not feel anything for you? What if Aki were to love Tooya in return? Would you still persist in trying to attract Tooya"s affection knowing fully well that you will be the cause for multiple heartaches?" Placing both hands over her ears, Aya let loose her frustration as she screamed into the empty room, "Shut up, just shut up!" The tiny voice in her head fell silent and the room suddenly felt strangely empty. A choking sob escaped Aya"s lips just as her gaze fell onto the present Aki had bought for her. After the initial hesitation, she finally opened the box and resting among the soft cotton was the same pair of crimson-coloured earrings that she had bought for Aki. The tears slid down her cheeks as Aya buried her face in her hands... They looked and thought alike, as identical twins usually are. But like most fraternal twins, their minds and souls were inseparable. She loved him. There was no longer the nagging doubt in Aya"s heart. She had always known that she loved Aki; loved and worshipped him with every single breathing and living fiber of her soul. And with that unconditional love, Aya knew she could not bear to hurt Aki, any more than Aki could bear to hurt her. Aya"s heart suddenly lightened, as if a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. A soft chuckle escaped from within and Aya found herself envisioning Tooya as she offered the man a stern warning. "Hurt my brother, and you will suffer my wrath. This I swear on my father"s grave." t.b.c. My Brother"s Keeper By Cheeky To: chinoz ~ *gulps* Sorry for MIA for such a long while... anyways, I genuinely don"t mind criticisms as long as it"s relevant to the plot. ^____^ And the reason for Aya"s "self-discovery" is cause she annoys me in the original anime and I want her to start thinking like a sensible person instead of being such a silly airhead... . As to how important it will be to the story, well, I"m sure I"d figure something out in later chapters to tie it in... ehehe... I tend to do that quite often. ^^ Lastly, you request for more "Aki action", I hope this chapter satisfies. *grins* Lillian ~ *cheeky nodding her head off* Yeah, I so agree with the Aki dying bits... like why does he has to die? And Tooya too... *grrr* So nobody"s gonna die in this fic, except maybe Grandpa Mikage... *wicked grin* Silvermagess ~ *grins* Maybe it"s better if you don"t finish watching the anime cause as I mentioned to Lillian above, both bishounens die in the end, which is really crappy. Hana no Ceres ~ *laughs* Is my anti-Aya sentiments that obvious in the fic? Anyways, I"m going to try my best to er, change her selfish ways. ^^ Have a couple of crazy ideas up my sleeve. Nyahaha... MistyEyes ~ *grins* Sou sa... that"s why Aya won"t be the leading character in this story. ^^ Crimson Night ~ Talk about pressure! ^^ Rhapsody ~ More emotional turmoil here, on Aki"s part. But lucky for him, Tooya"s there to lend a shoulder to lean on. Eheh, just gave away the spoilers for this chapter. Read on! ^______^ Lina Inverse ~ Just knowing that you"re reading is good enough for me. *huggies* ^_^ ~ Just to reiterate, talk about pressure!! Ehehe, will do my very best!! ^_____^ Remmirath ~ *blinks at the review* Wow... you sounded really genki there... ehehee... ^^ As for your comments, *cheeky baps self for the identical twins mistake* Ugh... that was rather unforgivable... sorry ah... I"ve changed it now. As for the reason for Aya"s OOCness, well, I can"t stand the original Aya, so I"m adding more substance into that brain of hers... *smirk* Chibisah ~ Nyahahahaha... I really liked how you"ve described Aya"s "attachment" to Tooya... funny ya... ^^ Kat ~ *grins* That"s why I"m here. Ehehe, to spread the love of Tooya x Aki. ^^ Koneko ~ And I present to you the fifth chapter... ^^ And yeah, we certainly need more Tooya x Aki fics... ehehe... MidnightLoner ~ *laughs* Yeah, I know what you mean, the first time I surf the net for info, I was confused too. But that"s what happens when anime transcends borders, the translation gets changed to suit the market... even the romaji names tend to differ. Ah well... at least it gets exported, so no complains there! ^^ * * * Chapter Five ~ Shiso"s Descendant His head hurt. It was almost bordering on the edge of unbearable as Aki slowly opened his eyes, the pounding ache on his temples threatening to crush his skull. After several moments, his eyes finally grew accustomed to the bright lights boring down on him. No wonder it was so cold, he was lying half naked on one of those metallic surgery tables. Six pairs of spotlight shone down on him and he once again scrunched up his eyes in response when he could no longer take the brightness. "Ah... so you"re finally awake." It was a statement that demanded his full attention but Aki loathed giving it. He recognized the voice of his grandfather, the jovialness nothing more than a mask of deceit. What a fool he must have been to trusted the man... Then again, who would have thought he"d be betray by his own grandfather... "I"m talking to you boy..." Aki sighed inwardly; might as well get it over with as soon as possible, no telling what his grandfather might do if he maintained his silence. And so the young boy started turning his head towards the voice as he painstakingly sat up, squinting his eyes every now and then to make out the silhouette of his grandfather standing several feet away in the shadows. Evidently pleased at his grandchild"s show of obedience, Grandfather Mikage started laughing heartily, the sudden loud crackle breaking the stillness of the room. Nevertheless, the harsh sound merely fuelled Aki"s headache and trying his best to ignore that the fact that his skull was ready to burst, Aki hissed out wrathfully, "What"s so funny?" The old man merely laughed harder before supplying the answer with an evil smirk, "Your futile show of anger, of course. Always the aggressive and foolish hothead, just like your father. Well, it"s about time you learn to control your anger, boy, least it controls you. I"m sure you don"t want to end up in the sorry state as your father..." Grandfather Mikage left the sentence hanging as he thoughtfully surveyed the unwavering defiance in Aki"s amethyst orbs. When it became clear that Aki wasn"t going to back down, the old man threw out his trump card as he added maliciously, "We"ll finish our talk tomorrow, Aki. No doubt you"ll be needing your rest after the three-hour long operation..." The last statement succeeded in getting the elderly man the reaction he wanted. Watching Aki"s knuckles turned faintish white as the boy gripped the side of the table, the smirk on Grandfather Mikage"s face widened till it threatened to crack the side of his face wide opened. And there was no mistaking the slight quiver of his grandson"s voice as the young boy echoed uneasily, "Operation? What operation?" But it was Aki"s cousin who supplied the answer, "During your unconscious state, we were able to study your brainwaves and manipulate them according to will." He turned to stare wide-eyed at the brunette. Fear gripped his heart and Aki was almost afraid to ask, "I don"t understand..." Kagami looked almost kind as he clarified further, "After analyzing how Aya transformed into Ceres, it was evident that Ceres had seized control of Aya"s sub-consciousness, hence the Celestial Angel was able to "appear" at will. And since you displayed no signs of transforming, I thought with a little radioactive assistance, we could somehow, well, induce Shiso to come forth sooner..." Swallowing painfully at that bit of information, Aki visibly paled as he whispered in disbelief, "What about me?" Grandfather Mikage snorted in disgust, "Don"t start acting so cocky, boy. Don"t forget that your body is nothing more than a "stand-in" tool for your ancestor, so you might as well get use to the idea of sacrificing yourself for the greater good." His nails were probably cutting into the insides of his palms but he no longer cared about the pain. Shaking from both his emotional rage and the cold, Aki sworn violently, "Damn you! What greater good?" The old man held Aki"s amethyst eyes as he answered steadily, "The greater good of the Mikage family of course. You are not the first child to be sacrificed." The emotionless logic was all too much to bear and Aki felt hysterical laughter threatening to spill from within. Dear gods, what a load of crap. Was he nothing more than a guinea pig, an experiment raised for sixteen years just to be destroyed at a whim? For gods" sake, he was a breathing living being whose brain was now permanently screwed, no thanks to the two nutcases standing before him. Leaning slightly forward in his seat, Aki curled his lip as he voiced out in deep resentment, "So I am not even giving a chance to a fair trial? I am to be sacrificed, just as Aya is to be killed as well?" The barest of nods from Grandfather Mikage was the breaking point. Without warning, Aki slid himself off from the table, his body shivering uncontrollably as his bare feet touched the cold tiles. Turning to face both men squarely in the face, Aki snarled out furiously, "Well, screw you both! Like hell if I"m going to be a tool in your filthy hands..." Kagami realized all too late that his surgical tools were lying in a metal tray next to the boy. But before any bodily harm could be done, the blade was roughly knocked from the boy"s hands, followed by a loud yelp of pain and an equally loud reprimand. "Don"t be stupid. Killing yourself isn"t going to change anything." Aki"s lips parted as his eyes widened in disbelief, "Tooya..." Seizing the chance of the brief distraction, Kagami nodded his consent and a nurse stepped forward with a needle as she expertly plunged the sharp edge into the side of Aki"s neck. Wordlessly, the woman then took a respectful step backward as Aki promptly dropped into Tooya"s arms in a dead faint. After the initial shock of the attack had passed, the redhead then turned blazing eyes towards his employers as he furiously demanded, "Was that necessary?" Grandfather Mikage snapped back with a scowl, "I don"t recall asking for your approval." Kagami on the other hand, answered lightly as he swept away an imaginary dust speck from his coat"s sleeve, "You of all people, should know how important Aki is for the C Project. Now bring the boy back to his room and watch him. I don"t want a similar incident to happen, understood?" Tooya swallowed back his anger as he nodded wordlessly before gathering the boy in his arms. Walking passed the brunette however, Tooya couldn"t refrain himself from hissing softly under his breath, "Bastard." Choosing to ignore the raw show of insolence, Kagami instead followed after Grandfather Mikage in the opposite direction. His mind however, was still on the two young men they had left behind. Kagami mused inwardly to himself; he genuinely liked Aki, or more specifically, he admired the young boy"s fighting spirit. It was certainly a pity that he was going to have to "kill" his cousin. If only there was another way out of this mess... t.b.c. My Brother"s Keeper By Cheeky To: Everyone: Gomen nasai!!!! I know more than a month has passed since the last update but my exams are finally over so it"s safe to say that updates will be regular from now on. My most sincere thanks to all the readers, and especially the reviewers, who have stayed with me for so long. Every word counts, so keep "em coming! *cheeky distribute aki and tooya plushies for all* Hana no Ceres ~ Heh, don"t worry, Grandpa Mikage will get his due soon... *evil gleam* Kat ~ Unfortunately, because of ff.net"s policy, R is the most I can go. -___- So it looks like you"re gonna have to let your imagination do the rest. *cheeky smirk* chinoz ~ You might wanna change your mind about Aki having no one after this chapter... *cheeky can"t stop grinning* And I"ll be over to read your fic after this, woo hoo, more T/A lovin". ^o^ Rhapsody ~ *grin* Careful what you wish for, you might get more than you bargain for... Hmm, Kagami slashed? Never thought about that... let"s see if I can fix him up with someone. Alex? Wei? Grandpa? *cheeky bits off own tongue at the last choice* Koneko ~ And the cheekyfox serves... ^__^ Lina Inverse ~ *nod nod* Grandpa Mikage is like the baddest character I"ve ever come across in any anime. But I think he"s even worse in this story... heh... *cheeky sharpens claws in preparation on how to do away with the old man* Chibisah ~ *blink* What a response... Heh... T/A is sweet, that"s why I write em". ^o^ REN!!! ~ Heh, shall glomp you over at the ML... aki aki aki ~ your mail"s on the way... ^_^ mainey ~ Heh... as much as Aya annoys me too, I still kinda need her in the story. But don"t worry, there"ll be more T/A stuff than Y/A... ^o^ And not forgetting MistyEyes, ^_^, saessmah and Crimson Night, thanks so much guys for reviewing!! *huggies* * * * Chapter Six ~ I"ll Be There After what seemed like an eternity to Tooya, his young ward finally stirred from his forced slumber. Leaving his silent vigil by the door, Tooya took several hesitative steps forward before stopping by the bed.

"Are you two done speaking already?" spoke Kaede with annoyance written clearly on his face as he began approaching the other two figures. Akira turned half-way as he commented cheerfully, "Hisashi was just expressing his concerns in regards to our violent game. . ." Kaede"s eyes narrowed as he looked down at the sitting figure, "It"s none of your business, human child. And besides, I have plenty of experiences. If you must know, I received my first bow-and-arrow set when I was eight, and my first sword when I was eleven." Hisashi scratched his head as he posed another question, his brow furrowed with obvious worry, "You may say that. . . but isn"t sword-fighting much too violent and dangerous for little girl elve- AAH!" In an attempt to avoid the sharp end of Kaede"s blade lunged without warning towards his head, Hisashi bend double and to his utmost horror, lost balance and promptly slid off the tree branch. As he began free-falling, Hisashi"s hands reached up instinctively towards a hanging branch. To Akira"s relief, the boy child successfully stopped from descending downwards. Then looking up towards the two faces peering down at him, one still reflecting a mixture of horror and relief, while the other remain strangely impassive, Hisashi yelled angrily with his feet hanging precariously over empty air, "Hey, what"s the big idea?" Kaede nimbly leaped two branches down, his sudden weight causing Hisashi"s support to bend even further. Paying no heed to the boy"s shout for him to get away, Kaede muttered between clenched teeth, "Who are you calling a "girl"?" Hisashi matched the elf"s dark scowl with one of his own as he snorted derisively, "Ch, I take back what I said about you being beautiful. . . You"re as violent as the next axe-swinging dwarf!" He shuddered involuntarily when the elf"s blue eyes turned extremely chilly. And Hisashi had a very bad feeling when the elf suddenly smiled thinly without humour. "Like an axe-swinging dwarf huh?" "Kaede, NO! Don"t do it!" Ignoring his cousin"s shout of protest from behind, Kaede swung the metal blade and with a loud scream, Hisashi began plunging downwards. Reaching the young elf"s side, Akira violently gripped Kaede"s shoulders as he chided furiously, "You"ll kill him!" Shrugging off the hands, Kaede stated evenly, "The leaves will cushioned his fall." Then without sparing his cousin another look, he sheathed his own sword before leaping towards a neighbouring branch. Shaking his head in disbelief at his cousin"s callous behaviour, Akira replaced his own sword before leaping downwards. To the elf"s utmost relief, he found the boy alive and well, if only a little dazed at the sudden drop. He held out a hand, "Are you alright, Hisashi?" Shakily getting to his feet, Hisashi spoke with a mixture of awe and disbelief, "I"m still alive. . ." Akira answered in an offhand manner, "Yeah well, Kaede did say the leaves will cushioned your fall, and as much as it pains me to say this, he"s right as usual." Hisashi stared, "Did you just say Kaede"s a "he"?" The elf grinned widely, "Uh-huh. That"s why he gets so pissed off when others mistake him for a girl. . ." Tilting his head backwards, Akira then added as his grin widened even further, "Come on, as a gesture of goodwill, and to apologise for my cousin"s rude behaviour, I"ll lead you out of the woods. Where are you staying, by the way?" "At the House of Hanagata. . . my parents are guests there. . ." Akira"s smile faltered, "Oh dear, that means Kaede is going to get into some serious trouble later. . ." Hisashi stared curiously, "What do you mean?" The elf began walking as he gestured for the boy to follow, "Well, Kaede is the second son of King Toru, so uncle isn"t going to be very pleased to hear what happened. . ." "Don"t worry, I have no intention of telling anyone about the incident. . ." stated Hisashi in a gracious manner. To Hisashi"s surprise, Akira merely threw him an unreadable look as he muttered more to himself than to the boy beside him, "Hmm. . . Kaede"s not going to appreciate being indebted to a human. . . but I suppose he deserves it for his previous actions. . ." Not quite catching the meaning behind the elf"s words, Hisashi inquired further, "I"m sorry, I didn"t quite get what you just said." Akira patted the boy in a friendly manner, "Don"t worry too much about it. Come on, we better get back before Kaede does, otherwise there"s going to be more trouble than either of us hope to get out of. . ." Still a little unsure of his saviour"s enigmatic words, Hisashi could only nod in agreement as he doubled his pace. His thoughts however, were still full of the bossy little elf that had bewitched his senses and unknowingly ensnared his heart. t.b.c. ~~~~~~~ A/N: Harlo all again, it"s been a while since I"ve written anything remotely shounen-ai-ish. Heh. =p Does anyone still remember me?? Anyways, if you"re a SenRu fan, dun worry cause I hadn"t abandoned my first love. ^___^ I"ve merely branched out a little cause the YAOI world needs more MitRu.. kekeke.. Anyhow, hope you all enjoyed the prologue, more happenings in the upcoming weeks! Needless to say, dun forget to review, otherwise I wouldn"t know whether I have a happy audience or not. . Cheerios!~ Chapter One By Cheeky /Present Day/ "Lord Hisashi, if you"re not careful you"re going to fall," cautioned a stocky tanned man from below. Said man merely grinned as he leaned as far out as possible, "You worry too much Shinichi. . . and besides, I"ve experienced the worst fall possible when I was thirteen. Nothing can top that. . ." Shinichi sighed, "If you say so m"lord. . ." A young boy suddenly emerged from the shadows, one hand leading two black stallions, the other arm holding onto the reins of a chestnut-coloured pony. Meeting Shinichi"s eye, the boy nodded briefly before adding, "They are near, the horses have sensed their presence. . ." "In that case. . ." Looking up once more, Shinichi raised his voice as he gestured for his lord"s descent, "M"lord, it"s time to leave. . ." A sudden rustle of leaves and Hisashi was standing by their side. Seeing the stunned look on the young boy"s face, Hisashi playfully rustled the dark hair as he praised, "What we would do without a magician"s apprentice by our side?" Having heard the comment, Shinichi snorted derisively as he mounted his ride, "What good is he, m"lord. . . since he can only speak with animals. . ." Hisashi shook his head as he defended his young stable master, "Shinichi, your words are too harsh. . . If not for Hikoichi, we would not have known what befallen my younger sister. . ." To both men"s surprise, the boy furiously shook his head as he mounted his filly, "M"lord, your steward speaks the truth. . . if not for my family"s ill luck with money, I would be able to complete my studies and serve you as a proper magician. . . Alas, as Fate would have it, I am nothing but a poor stable boy. . ." Hisashi lightly rapped the boy at the back of his head as he reprimanded with disapproval written clearly on his face, "Now you"re being stupid. . . as Fate would have it, you have the gift of tongues. . . a talent I"m sure even Shinichi cannot but admit its usefulness to our present task. . ." Catching his master"s meaningful glance, the steward grudgingly nodded as he looked towards the 14-year-old, "Our lord is wise. . . and you would do well to serve him faithful and true. . ." Hikoichi rigorously nodded his head in earnest as he pledged his loyalty to the son of Anzai for the umpteenth time since they had left familiar ground. Shaking his head in mock exasperation at the boy"s display, Hisashi snorted to himself before goading his stallion forward. To be fair, he was feeling rather impatient himself. If the elves were near, then it was to their benefit that they rode in haste to catch up. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Hisashi always prided himself on being a good judge of character, particularly when it came to ascertaining the behaviour of elves and other non-human creatures. Thus, looking at the elf before him illuminated by the faded moonlight, Hisashi decided with an inward nod that he really did not like the narrowed green eyes and haughty stance. But upon catching Hikoichi barely perceptible shake of the head, Hisashi sighed ruefully to himself as he reluctantly removed his fingers from the hilt of his sword. Pasting a forced smile on his face, the 20-year-old then offered the elf leader a half-bow as he introduced himself, "I am Lord Hisashi, son of Anzai, and these two are my loyal servants. We are in search of an elf, but it appears he is not one among your group. As such, please accept my sincere apologies for the disturbance. . ." But the arrows aimed in their direction did not lowered as the elf leader"s amused laughter rang shrilly in Hisashi"s ears. Arms crossed, the elf leader sneered as his green eyes passed across the three invaders, "What a coincidence! We too are in search of a human. . . So if you wish for us to spare your lives, you better start praying that one of you is the human we are looking for. Otherwise, I"m afraid even I cannot guarantee your freedom. . . For your information, our Prince is not known for his patience, and he will kill those who have outlived their usefulness. . ." "Why you smug little bastard-" Before Shinichi even had the chance to unsheathe his sword, a slim arrow was fired, missing the steward"s foot by a hair"s breath. Hikoichi let out a half-shriek in response, shutting up only when Shinichi glared furiously at him. Hearing a soft chuckle high up among the canopy of leaves, Shinichi turned his heated glare upwards, but made no further attempt to attack. Hisashi finally broke through the watchful silence as he tilted his head slightly forward at the smiling elf leader, "I apologise for my steward"s brashness. We will come with you so do lead us forward. . ." "Good. It would have been a great pity to have to kill you. . ." answered the elf leader with a formidable smile. He really did not like the narrowed green eyes and haughty stance. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ "What is it Kenji? I thought I told you not to disturb the Prince. . ." "I know, Akira, but I have with me three humans from beyond the Forbidden Forest. . ." Clearly pleased with the look of interest that glimmered in the pair of sapphire orbs, Kenji continued happily as a child would talk of a favourite toy. "The leader is Lord Hisashi, from the House of Mitsui. He brings with him two servants and they have deliberately crossed the border in search of an elf. . ." The taller elf of the two suddenly smiled, "Lord Hisashi from the House of Mitsui? Well, well. . . who would have thought that after all these years. . ." Kenji raised an inquisitive eyebrow but Akira"s smile merely widened as he shook his head, "Be patience, later you will understand. Wait while I go and wake our Prince. . . He will be. . . hmm. . . explosive, for the lack of a better description. . ." Still feeling clueless despite years of experiences dealing with Akira"s odd manner of speaking, the elf leader nevertheless bowed his head as a sign of acquiescent. Waiting patiently outside the makeshift tent, Kenji smiled to himself when he heard a loud growl of annoyance from within. And then the young elf bowed respectfully to the waist when his Prince finally appeared minutes later, eyes still barely opened from a clear lack of sleep. Under Akira persuasive coaxing, Prince Kaede finally straightened himself to a more dignified position as he removed his arm from Akira"s shoulder. Then throwing the elf leader a sidelong glance, the Prince muttered darkly under his breath before starting forward, "This better be worth my time, Akira. . . otherwise both you and Kenji will suffer the consequences. . ." Falling back to walk alongside the elf leader, Akira commented cheerfully to his ashen-white comrade, "Don"t let his words bother you, Kenji. Kaede"s all bark and no bite, and he"s always this grumpy when he wakes up, no matter what time it is. . ." Kenji swallowed painfully, "Easy for you to say, you"re his dear beloved cousin. I, on the other hand, am just a dispensable elf leader. . ." Akira shook his head as he disagreed, "I happened to know that Kaede holds you in high regard, so you need not worry too much about his previous words. And I bet you Kaede would have forgotten all about his threat after meeting Lord Hisashi. . ." As they had reached the three humans, Kenji refrained from questioning any further. He was however, eager to perform the necessary introductions but his Prince didn"t seemed the least bit concerned about the humans" identities for he merely stopped before the human leader as he questioned in a bored monotone. "So you know the present whereabouts of my brother?" From the moment his eyes had caught sight of the elf Prince, Hisashi"s gaze had stayed glued upon the eternal beauty, a faint stirring of recognition brewing slowly in his human mind. The young elf"s elegant yet decidedly purposeful stride, the slight upturned of a sharp chin and the positively proud gaze from beneath half-lidded eyes, all screamed "royalty" and the demand to be looked. And when the elf Prince finally stopped inches away from him, Hisashi was certain he knew the icy cold blue eyes from eight years ago, knew it with such strong conviction that he would have spoken the elf"s name aloud had his thoughts not been interrupted by the Prince"s sudden question. Hisashi sighed ruefully to himself; the Prince was still as rude and spoilt rotten as the day they first met. He would have loved to give the arrogant Prince a false answer, but since he really didn"t have an idea what the elf was talking about, Hisashi decided honesty was the best, if not the most amusing policy to take. Shrugging his shoulders unconcerned, he remarked almost mockingly, "I"m sorry to disappoint you, but I have absolutely no idea what you"re talking about. And even if I did, I still wouldn"t care less. . ." Blue eyes widened in disbelief, though it was probably due more to Hisashi"s manner of answering, than to the answer itself. Turning around sharply, the elf addressed his cousin in a loud and accusing voice, "You told me they knew where brother was. . ." Akira opened his eyes innocently wide as he answered, "I said no such thing, my dearest cousin. I merely told you that Kenji has brought with him three humans of whom I believed would be of great interest to you. You formed that particular conclusion yourself, so it"s no use blaming me. . ." Paying no heed to the wrathful glare now aimed in his direction, Akira moved forward before slinging an arm around Hisashi"s shoulder as he added with a mischievous wink, "By the way, this here, my sweet Prince, is Lord Hisashi from the House of Mitsui. . ." Kaede crossed his arms as he snorted with disinterest, "So what? That name means nothing to me. . ." Akira looked meaningfully at his cousin"s sheathed sword as he pressed further, "Are you sure? Think back eight years ago. . . this is the same man you felled after he interrupted our. . . ahem, conversation high up in the treetops. . ." The pale face remained impassive but Akira caught the slight flicker of the eyelids, clear signs that his cousin finally remembered the incident. But instead of acknowledging the man"s presence, the elf Prince merely snorted derisively as he made to leave the group, "I don"t know what you"re talking about and I don"t care. Let the humans go back to where they came from, I"m going back to sleep. . ." Hisashi halted the Prince"s movements with a sudden grip of the elf"s arm. Deliberately ignoring the incredulous look on the elf"s face, and the sudden raise of arrows all aimed at his head, Hisashi spoke aloud his displeasure, "Kaede, you are as rude and obnoxious as the day we first met. For crying out loud, have you not learned any manners at all in the last eight years?" The rebuke was swift and furious as Kaede came close to snarling, "How dare a human as lowly as yourself addressed me without a honourific? And who are you to be calling me rude and obnoxious? You were the one who first insulted me by calling me a "girl" eight years ago!" Hisashi drawled out with a lazy grin, "Ah. . . so you do remember me. . ." "That"s only because you"re-" "Unforgettable, I know. . ." interjected the young man with a cheeky grin. Despite his furious tugging, the grip on his arm did not relent and releasing a low growl of annoyance, the elf snapped back with an unexpected nod, "Yes, you"re unforgettably disgusting. . ." "With a uncouth mouth as yours, I"m finding it hard to believe that you"re actually a Prince. . ." shot back Hisashi as he leaned his face closer, as if wanting to scrutinised the sudden narrowing of sapphire orbs. From the side Kenji exclaimed with a furious snarl as he withdrew his sword, "How dare you insult our Prince, you foul-mouthed barbarian!" The elf"s blade however, clashed heavily against Shinichi"s as the young man tensed out between clenched teeth, "You are in no positioned to judge, for you are as ill-mannered as your Prince!" As the battle between both fighters began in earnest, Hikoichi tugged nervously at Akira"s long shirtsleeve as he pleaded for the grinning elf"s assistance, "Erm, sir. . . don"t you think you ought to say something to appease their anger?" Akira looked down at the boy child as he chuckled with deep amusement, "Why should I? Not since Princess Haruko ran away with her big fat lamb had I had so much fun . . ." Hikoichi could only stare back with utmost disbelief, as he inwardly wondered if the elf was mad. Perhaps the elf Prince"s cousin had sensed the magician apprentice"s inner thoughts, though it was more likely that Akira had laughed enough to last him for the rest of the night. But whatever the reason may be, it was to Hikoichi"s relief when Akira finally removed his own shiny blade as he stepped forward to break the fight apart. Despite the looks of surprise, Akira"s smile did not wavered as he gestured at the sparring duo, "We had better stop their verbal argument before they draw swords. . . Kaede doesn"t fight fair when he"s in a bad mood. . ." Giving Kenji a knowing look, Akira then added, "Particularly when he"s in a bad mood due to a lack of sleep. . ." Satisfied when the elf leader lowered his sword, Akira then turned to Shinichi as he continued, "I am of course, speaking on the assumption that your master is an honourable man. . ." Shinichi bowed his low as he replaced his own sword, "On my Lord"s behalf, I thank you for the compliment." Akira"s grin widened, "Good. Now that we"re all on the same side, let"s see what we can do about those two. . ." In the last few minutes the argument had only gotten far more abusive as Kaede stared back defiantly while stating in a clear and loud voice, "It is because of men like you that impinged upon me to despise the entire human breed!" "And if you were a girl I would have punch you for that vulgar statement!" shot back Hisashi without a moment of hesitation. "Ooh, I liked that. . ." chuckled Akira, to which Kenji"s green eyes opened wide with incredulity. Not noticing the crowd that had gathered, Kaede hissed out furiously, "How dare you imply that I"m weaker than a girl!" "You said that. . . I did not," responded Hisashi with an unconcerned shrug. Having noticed the pale fingers inched towards the sheathed blade, the elf Prince"s cousin hastened to point out in a loud and clear voice, "You know what, I think you two are starting to sound like a married old couple. . ." Both whirled around to face the grinning elf as they snapped back simultaneously, "We do not!" Shinichi suddenly laughed aloud, "How about that? They even think like a married old couple!" The elf Prince and the young man fell silent, unsure of whether to glare at their grinning audience, or at each other. Seizing the temporarily peace, Akira started forward as he slung one arm around his cousin"s shoulder, and the other arm around the son of Anzai. Smiling wide, the young elf then remarked in a diplomatic fashion. "Come now, we are all friends, are we not? As I"ve just been told, Lord Hisashi is looking for an elf, just as we are looking for a human. I"m sure if we all unburdened our problems, the opposite party will be able to lend great assistance to our respective cause." Realising that it was unlikely for the elf Prince to concede first, Hisashi graciously offered, "You are wise as usual, Akira. . ." When the elf bowed slightly in acknowledgment, Hisashi then added, "We are indeed looking for an elf. The truth is, my sister has run away from her pre-nuptial ceremony, and according to Hikoichi, she was last seen confiding with a male elf. We can only surmise that she has sought the assistance of the said elf in her escape plan." Under Akira"s heavy scrutiny, Kaede relented after much reluctance, "Hmph. . . Well, we"re facing the same problem too. Only difference is, it"s my older brother who has run away. He was last seen four days ago travelling with a human girl, but unfortunately, he managed to give his chasers the slip, and hasn"t been seen or heard of since."

"She has one of those?" Charlie wondered. Mo slapped his shoulder, a scold on her face. "Man do you have a good arm for a girl!" Charlie whispered. Mo hit him again but harder. "Ow!" Wen laughed "You guys are so weird." He told them. "But that"s why I love you." All the sudden, Olivia and Liam entered through the door and a small bell rang throughout the room, announcing their arrival. She caught eye contact with Wen for a split second before taking Liam by the hand and pulling him toward the counter where they were greeted by Emma. Everyone followed Wen"s gaze and turned around to see the two. "Wow... you can actually feel the awkwardness in the room." Stella stated, waving her arms" around. "Stella!" Mo hissed. She turned back to Wen. "Maybe they"re just here for a quick visit. They"ll leave after they get their order so it"ll be ok..." She tried to reassure him. "No it won"t Mo!" Wen snapped at her. Mo"s mouth shut and she recoiled, sitting back farther in her chair. Seeing her friend"s actions, Stella jumped in. "But how about we get Olivia to-" She started to say. "Forget it Stella! It"s not going to work so just stop trying to play the big bad leader and come back to reality!" Wen told her. Stella"s mouth snapped shut and she frowned. Noticing all his friends" looks toward him, Wen got up from the table and stormed out of the shop, sending a ring from the bell all around. It was almost eight o"clock, about 30 minutes until the concert started. Well, at least until the Scene Stealers opened up for the band. Which Wen wasn"t really looking forward to. He quickly peeked around the corner to see a bunch of reserved seat in the front row. One for Emma, Mrs. Reznik and her husband and three kids, Olivia"s Gram, Mo"s mom, Charlie"s parents and brother, Stella"s family, Luke"s dad and sister, and then right there practically 7 feet from the stage was a paper that read: Reserved for Norman, Georgie, and Sydney Gifford. Wen looked across the room to see Olivia, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. He narrowed his eyes and headed over to see what Stella and Luke were doing with their guitars. "Hey Luke, you excited buddy?" Wen asked him. "Are you kidding? I am so stoked! My first concert and I just got my guitar fixed! Just learning a few chords for the new song." Luke replied. "What new song?" Wen asked. "Well since Liam is so good with music, we asked him to perform with Lemonade Mouth, along with Scene Stealers." Mo stated, coming up from behind. "What?" Wen gave her a puzzled look. Did he even hear her right? "Yeah, so we"re using a song he wrote." Stella added. "I e-mailed it to you." "You did?" Wen asked. Pulling out his phone and checking for her message. Stella nodded and winked at Mo who smiled. "Wait." "What?" "This song has a rap in it." "Yep." "Who"s doing it?" "Liam." "What!" Wen raised his voice a little. "Liam really can rap and that"s why he"s doing this song with Olivia." Stella answered. "But what about the piano? I don"t know that keys." Wen reminded them. "We already thought of that. Since you never checked your messages and you never learned the keys, Mo offered to play the keyboard and we"ll have Liam"s bass player help us out." Stella told him. "No it"s fine. I can do it." Wen said through his clenched teeth. "Well ok, but you know I can do it if you"re confused and can"t do it or bring it up." Mo stated, reminding him of what happened in the fight earlier. Then the two girls walked past him, smirks on their faces. Wen sighed and the guys patted him on the back. "Classic: all the girls team up and making the guy"s life even harder, never letting you forget your mistakes." Luke told him. Wen groaned and hit his head on the wall repeatedly. "What"s up World Rockers!" Liam cheered into the microphone, making the crowd scream. "I"m Liam and we"re the Scene Stealers. We"ll be opening for the awesome and talented Lemonade Mouth!" The crowd cheered even louder as Liam"s band started their music. I see you and me cruisin" down the freeway in my AMGTop back with my muffler screamin" look at meI like my subs to hit that high velocityTonight"s gonna be, tonight you"re gonna seeLovin" and laughin", this night isn"t overLet"s keep on dancin" and when we get older we could beThat"s what I see, I see you and meTonight"s gonna be, tonight you"re gonna seeLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrate todayLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, let"s celebrateMe and you, doing whatever that"s what we want to doHands on the wheel, baby, just keep me close to youNo matter which way we go, we can"t loseTonight"s gonna be, tonight you"re gonna seeLovin" and laughin", this night isn"t overLet"s keep on dancin" and when we get older we could beThat"s what I see, I see you and meTonight"s gonna be, tonight you"re gonna seeLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrate todayLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrateLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrate todayLet"s celebrate, throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrateIt doesn"t stop, no it"s never gonna stopNo feeling doesn"t stopNo it"s never gonna stop, noYep, right now it"s goin" downLet me tell you what we"re all aboutDance, dance it"s your chanceShake those pants, do that danceJump, jump, move that junkChange that sound and make it funkIf you want to jump, jumpWe"ll keep goin" "til the sun comes upLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrate todayLet"s celebrate, throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, we"ll celebrateLet"s celebrate and throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrate todayLet"s celebrate, throw our cares awayLet"s celebrate, celebrate! The crowd as Liam and his band took a bow together and left the stage. "You were great!" Olivia cried, tackling Liam into a hug. "Thanks Liv, but you guys will be way better." He replied. Wen snorted. "That"s for sure." He muttered. Olivia shot him a quick glare and smiled back at Liam. "You better go get ready, I"ll there soon." She told him. Liam nodded and headed over to Mo and Luke to hang out for a few minutes. Olivia sighed. "Will you ever stop acting like a baby?" She asked. Wen pretended to think for a second. "Uh, no. I don"t think I will." He smirked. "You"re such a jerk." Olivia mumbled. "Nice combat Livy Bear." Wen teased. "Stop calling me that!" Olivia whispered harshly. "Will you stop calling me a jerk?" Wen wondered. "No." "Then no, Livy Bear." "Ugh!" Olivia groaned, stomping out onto the stage with Wen right behind her. She took her place next to Liam and they both got ready for their cue. Liam: I was thinking about herThinking about meThinkin bout usWhat we gonna be?Open my eyes,it was only just a dream...Both:So I travel backdown that roadWill she come back?No one knowsI realizeIt was only just a dream.Liam:I was at the top and now it"s like I"m in the basementNumber 1 spot, Now she find her a replacementI swear now I can"t take itKnowing somebody"s got my baby Now you ain"t around, baby I can"t thinkI should"ve put it down, should"ve got that ringCause I can still feel it in the airSee her pretty face, run my fingers through her hair My love of my life, My Shorty, my wifeShe left me, I"m tied.Cause I knew that it just ain"t rightBoth:I was thinking about herThinking about meThinkin bout usWhat we gonna be?Open my eyes,it was only just a dream... So I travel backDown that roadWill she come back?No one knowsI realizeIt was only just a dream.Olivia:When I be ridin" man I swear I see your face at every turnTrying to get my usher on but I can"t let it burnAnd I just hope she know that she the only one I yearn forMore and more, I miss her, when will I learn?Didn"t give her all my loveI guess now I got my payback Now I"m in the club thinking all about my babyHEY, she was so easy to loveBut wait, I guess that love wasn"t enoughI"m going through it every time that I"m aloneAnd now I"m wishin" wishin" she"d pick up the phoneBut she made a decision that she wanted to move onCause I was wrong.Both:I was thinking about herThinking about meThinkin bout usWhat we gonna be?Open my eyes,it was only just a dream... So I travel backDown that roadWill she come back?No one knowsI realizeIt was only just a dream...Liam:If you ever loved somebody put your hands upIf you ever loved somebody put your hands upAnd now they"re gone and you wish you could give them everything Both:I was thinking about herThinking about meThinkin" about usWhat we gonna be?Open my eyes,it was only just a dream... So I travel backDown that roadWill she come back?No one knowsI realizeIt was only just a dream... "Olivia, that was amazing!" Liam exclaimed once they were all back-stage again. "Me? That song you wrote was amazing, don"t give me credit!" Olivia replied. "Listen, we have another gig at the Summer Showcase at the park this Saturday, you want to perform with us?" Liam asked. Olivia looked back at Wen for a split second and he shook his head. Then she looked back at Liam and nodded. "I"d love to." She said with a smile. And then the two walked out of the room hand-in-hand. "I can"t believe it." Wen whispered after they were gone. "What?" Stella asked. "Did you guys just see that?" Wen asked them, motioning to where Olivia and Liam were standing. Everyone shook their heads. "Can"t you tell? He"s stealing her away from us! It"s just a matter of time before Olivia joins Scene Stealers and leaves us in the dust!" Wen grabbed his things and headed for the doors. He looked back over his shoulder. "I don"t know about you guys, but I"m not going to let Olivia abandon me." Ok, I hope you guys liked that one! Again I"m so, so sorry for how long this took! I started school and I"ve been sick for a few days so I"ll be piled with missed homework! Wish me luck and the next chapter will be "The Way She Loved You". And great job to the reviewer who thought of the song "The Way I Loved You" by Taylor Swift because that"s exactly right! I love you all and hopefully I"ll be back soon! Be Hear! Be Strong! Be Proud! ~Suki17 I am so sorry I haven"t updated in a really long time, school took up more time than I expected and I"m having a bit of friend drama. :'( But either way, I"m not going to waste your time on a small author"s note, so please read on! This was nauseating. It was the second concert at the Music Hall and Wen watched as Olivia and Liam joked around and laughed, writing a new song for their next gig. Wasn"t that their thing? After they wrote Determinate, him and Olivia would always write their songs for Lemonade Mouth together. How long was this supposed to go on? Her ignoring him and hanging out with Liam? Olivia would never, ever, be late for band practice, and guess what happened today? She said it was because she had to get ready for tonight, but it"s still band practice! That"s where you actually get ready for a concert! But it didn"t matter now, they had 7 more minutes until their concerts and everyone was getting ready. "Where"s your bass?" Charlie asked Mo, as she put the strap over her shoulder. It wasn"t her usual white instrument with the checked strap, this one was bright red with a white strap and scratch plate, which made it look like a guitar. "Oh, Liam"s bass player let me borrow it since Luke cut my bass strings."She answered. "Wait, so your bass is broken?" Charlie laughed. Mo smiled sheepishly and nodded. The two laughed with together. Wen looked over when Olivia and Liam laughed even harder, if that was possible. Olivia shot him a quick smirk and continued giggling. Wen rolled his eyes...and then he got an idea. "Two can play at that game." He smiled smugly. He quickly walked over and hooked his arm around Mo"s neck. "Hey Momo, how"s it goin"?" Mo shot him a puzzled look. "Fine...I guess." She replied. "So, you look pretty good tonight, love the dress." Wen raised his voice, making sure Olivia could hear him. "Um, thanks Wen, but you know I"m wearing jeans, right?" Mo answered. Wen glanced down at her outfit and mentally kicked himself. "I can"t wait for this weekend, we"re going to have a blast!" He told her. "What about this weekend?" Mo asked, still confused. "Play along!" Wen whispered harshly. But all the sudden, he felt a tug on his shoulder. Wen turned around to see Charlie pulling him out of the room. "We"ll be right back." He faked a smile and yanked the red-head around the corner. "What are you doing!" Wen hissed. "Me? What are you doing!" "Trying to get Olivia jealous!" "Well can"t you do that with Stella, I already have enough on my plate with Mo falling for Luke, and you"re not helping. I don"t need you going after her too!" Charlie stated. Wen sighed. "Fine, I won"t use Mo to make her jealous!" He said, heading back towards the others, but then stopped the both of them. "But do you think it was working?" Charlie rolled his eyes. "Why do I just happen to hang out with the guy who has more girl problems than I do?" He muttered to himself. Lemonade Mouth walked out onto the huge stage after Mrs. Reznik announced them. Then she ran off to her own family, which consisted of a husband, a son, and two daughters. They all sat in the front row, along with the rest of the band"s families. Unlike last time, Wen actually knew the keys to this song, since Olivia wrote it and everyone practiced it earlier today. Thank goodness Liam wasn"t performing with them tonight, but it made it even weirder on how he came with Olivia to band practice and how he showed up tonight back stage. But the crowd cheered as the six made their way to their instruments. The song started out with a simple beat and Luke playing his guitar softly on his guitar. Wen saw Olivia start to tap her foot, as if counting down to her cue: He is sensible and so incredibleAnd all my single friends are jealousHe says everything I need to hear and it"s likeI couldn"t ask for anything betterHe opens up my door and I get into his carAnd he says, you look beautiful tonightAnd I feel perfectly fineBut I"ve been screamin" and fightin"And kissin" in the rainAnd it"s two a.m. and I"m cursin" your nameYou"re so in love that you act insaneAnd that"s the way I loved youBreakin" down and comin" undoneIt"s a roller-coaster kinda rushAnd I never knew I could feel that muchAnd that"s the way I loved youHe respects my space and never makes me waitAnd he calls exactly when he says he willHe"s close to my motherTalks business with my fatherHe"s charming and endearing, and I"m comfortableBut I"ve been screamin" and fightin"And kissin" in the rainAnd it"s two a.m. and I"m cursin" your nameYou"re so in love that you act insaneAnd that"s the way I loved youBreakin" down and comin" undoneIt"s a roller-coaster kinda rushAnd I never knew I could feel that muchAnd that"s the way I loved you Wen looked up from his keyboard to see Olivia looking back at him. She kept singing the lyrics as she clutched her chest as if her lungs would burst. He didn"t get her hint and quickly converted his gaze back to his keyboard. Olivia"s shoulders slumped and she loosened up, taking a deep breath before continuing in a softer tone. He can"t see the smile I"m fakin"And my heart"s not breakin""Cause I"m not feelin" anything at all And you were wild and crazyJust so frustrating, intoxicating, complicatedGot away by some mistake and now I"ll be screamin" and fightin"And kissin" in the rainIt"s two a.m. and I"m cursin" your nameI"m so in love that I acted insaneAnd that"s the way I loved youBreakin" down and comin" undoneIt"s a roller-coaster kinda rushAnd I never knew I could feel that muchAnd that"s the way I loved youAnd that"s the way I loved youI never knew I could feel that muchAnd that"s the way I loved you. The song ended and the crowd loved it. But it was like the band couldn"t hear them. Wen saw Mo look back at him, a scowl on her face and she shook her head. He turned around to Charlie, who just shrugged. Wen sighed and Stella said "Goodnight" to the crowd and Mrs. Reznik took over, having the band exit the stage. Later that Night: "What was that?" Mo yelled at Wen. The concert had ended and everyone was now in their regular clothes, sitting in a room behind the stage where there was a couch, a few chairs, a small coffee table, a lamp, and a table with water bottles and quick snacks for them. Most of the band was chilling out, but Olivia was still getting dressed and would probably leave with Liam soon. "What was what!" Wen shouted back. "Out there on stage! Tell me you didn"t miss the signals Olivia was giving you!" Mo cried. "I don"t know what you"re even talking about!" Wen defended. "You"re just as clueless as I thought you were." Mo muttered. "What was that?" Wen asked. "Mo"s right, you"re practically turning into Charlie!" Stella agreed. "Excuse me?" Charlie cut in. "No offence, but you"re as clueless as Alex Walinski and he thinks girls are from Jupiter." Stella told him. Charlie thought for a minute and then shrugged. "You"re probably right." He said nodding his head. "Guys! Can we get back onto the subject please?" Wen reminded them all. "Look, I don"t know what was going on with Olivia out there and if it"s that important then she"ll tell me herself, but you guys shouldn"t be sticking your noses where they"re not wanted." He told them. Mo stepped back and raised her eye-brows. "We"re not "sticking out noses" in Wen, we"re being good friends. Something you wouldn"t understand." She snapped back, walking out of the room along with Stella. Wen sighed and rubbed his temple. "Nice going dude, now they"re all mad." Luke stated. Him and Charlie patted him on the back and left the room, leaving Wen alone. Suddenly, a pair of brown eyes popped into the doorway. Wen heard the click of heels and immediately knew who it was. "What now Sydney?" "I just wanted to congratulate the band, but they"re not here apparently." She replied, walking over to him. "Feel free to thank me for that." Wen told her. "Well Olivia really did a great job on the song tonight; she was kind of iffy about the lyrics." Sydney stated. "How do you know that?" Wen asked. "I wrote it with her." Sydney simply said. Wen snorted. "Great, my step-mother is a part of my band now." Hw snapped. "No, not at all. I couldn"t take that away from you, how cruel do you think I am?" She asked. "Enough to throw my life off." Wen muttered. Sydney frowned and sighed. "I"m sorry Wen, I really am, but Olivia"s going through a really tough time right now, and I want to help her through it. I know it"s weird, but I"m just trying to be nice and you know that. You"re not the only one who has any type of feelings for her you know, I care about her too." She told him. Wen didn"t reply and there were a few minutes of silence. "She does care about you." "What?" Wen wondered. "Olivia, she really does care, a lot actually." She repeated. "She has a funny way of showing it." Wen mumbled. "Well so do you." Sydney reminded. Wen grunted and rolled his eyes. Sydney took a deep breath. "You know, that song, she wrote it for you." "The song she sang tonight?" Wen asked. Sydney nodded. "So when she was looking at me during the concert, she was trying to tell me something?" Sydney nodded again. Wen groaned. "Olivia!" He yelled, running out of the room. Sydney laughed. "Good luck." She said to herself. Ok, I know it was really short and not my best work, but I just couldn"t keep you guys waiting any longer and plus today was a snow day! :D But either way, Wen finally knows the truth and now he has to clean up the mess he"s made, I can"t wait to get the next chapter posted and I should be updating "Speak Now" pretty soon too. So keep your eyes open and wish me luck with all the drama! As always, I love you guys! Be Heard! He Strong! Be Proud! ~Suki17 Hey guys, I"m sorry I haven"t updated in forever but I"ve been having so much friend drama and activities after school that I haven"t had much time to my self. But now I"m on Winter Break and ready to update! I hope you guys like it! Olivia walked through the doors of the Music Hall, Liam trailing right behind her. She looked up to see all her band mates in the room, either on the stage or running around the isles of chairs, playing around. Mo and Charlie were sitting on the stage, their legs dangling off the edge , while Stella and Luke were running around with water bottles, soaking each-other in the process. And of course Wen was hiding behind his keyboard going over the new song that was for practice today. Olivia smiled. This is what she wanted to see everyday when she walked into the Music Hall. Her friends smiling, laughing, and having fun. That"s all she ever wanted, for her friends to be happy. Liam laughed. "Is it like this everyday?" He wondered. "I hope so." Olivia said absent-mindlessly. "What?" Liam smiled. Olivia shook her head and snapped out of her trance. "Oh, yeah, pretty much." She replied quickly. Liam chuckled and looked back at the band. "Cool." After he heard the doors click, Wen jumped and rushed to hop off the stage. He hurried over towards Olivia. "Hey Olivia, we need to talk." He told her.

Brayla snorted. "Right after she gets rid of that eye shadow." She replied. The two laughed. "Who"s up for a surf sesh?" Danny asked. Everyone cheered and headed for the beach. There we go! A quick update before I start school! Still a little scared, but tonight"s my Open House. Anyways, the next chapter will be a little short, but I think you"ll like it. It kinda tells everyone about the OCs" home lives and personalities. And I will focus mostly on the actual characters, and promise that. But since I"m starting school, I might not be able to update as much. I"ll let you guys know if it"s really drastic though. And remember, if you have any ideas what so ever, please tell me! I really need some help and tell me what you think! Live, Laugh, Surf! ~Suki17 Ok, I know I haven"t been back in forever and I"m really sorry. But this is the 5th chapter and it"s about the time everyone goes surfing and the bonfire they have after. And I"m really desperate for ideas write now because I don"t have any more lined up until the end, so if you guys want me to update more, send in any idea or request what-so-ever. I"ll repeat this at the end because most people read the last Author"s Note instead of this one. Anyway, I hope you guys like it! At the Office: "Yeah! Go Danny!" Fin cheered from the shore. The Groms had all ditched their worries about work and let the peace of the beach take over. The guys had called the next shot at the waves and Danny had just pulled a Rodeo Clown all by himself. It seemed like everyone there liked surfing. Even Sophie tried with her black board with skull designs and did a few cool tricks. Lo sighed. "He"s such a great surfer. Wow, we have so much in common. He likes surfing, I like surfing. He has siblings, I have siblings. He likes the color purple, I like the color purple! He does like the color purple right?" She babbled. Fin laughed. "Ok, am I sensing some unshared feelings here?" She wondered. Lo"s face expression suddenly turned to a look of disgust. "What? Me and Danny? Ew, no way, he"s a whole year younger!" She stated. "He"s a whole year older than you." Fin pointed out. Lo"s face lit up. "No way, he is?" She squealed. "So you do like him." Fin smirked. "Maybe a little." "Is that "I Heart Danny" written on your hand?" Lo looked down at her wrist where in bright pink letters, courtesy of her large gel pen collection, was Danny"s name inside of a heart. She slapped her other free hand over to try and cover it. "No." Was all she could say. Fin burst out laughing. Lo shot her a glare. "Ugh! You"re so immature!" She growled, crossing her arms. "It"s not my fault you"re boy crazy." Fin answered. "At least I"ve actually had a boyfriend in the past year." Lo snapped. Fin shrugged. "You say that like it"s a bad thing." "How long has it actually been anyway?" "About a year or two." "Wow, really?" Fin counted the months on her fingers and nodded. "Yep, that last guy dated was named Justin, we were together for 3 months." She stated. "Whoa, how old were you?" Lo asked. "15." "Awww, was that like your first experience of Puppy Love?" Fin nodded. "Talking about me girls?" Reef said, walking up to them literally collapsing onto the sand. "In your dreams Shrimp Eyes." Fin scoffed. "It"s ok, a lot of girls pin me as their first major crush, you"re not the only one." Reef tried to reassure her., putting a hand on Fin"s shoulder. "And a lot of girls pin you as a psycho-path and want a restraining order against you, so don"t worry, I"m not the only one." Fin replied, shaking his hand off her shoulder. "You"re getting pretty good with your combats, Blondish-Betty." Reef told her. "Thanks, I had a lot of practice over the past year, but I don"t think I needed it." Fin answered. "Don"t get too cocky, Smart Mouth." "At least I can pull Smart Mouth off." Fin whispered in Reef"s ear before standing up and grabbing her board, heading toward the water. "You gotta give the girl props for messing with a guy"s head." Lo stated. Reef looked back at her. "What?" He asked. Lo shrugged. "Just saying." Then they both looked back at the waves, a confused look still on Reef"s face. Tori let out a heavy sigh. Emma turned her way, worry written all over her face. "What"s wrong Tors?" She asked/ "It"s just, I haven"t been surfing in a really, really long time and I"m afraid I"ll mess up." Tori confessed. "Why are you scared?" Emma wondered. "Everyone"s so good here, and I didn"t even own a surf board until Lo bought me one yesterday! I"d just be an outcast if you guys saw me surf." Tori said, hanging her head. Emma gave her a sympathetic look that slowly turned into a wide grin. She stood up in front of Tori and held her hand out toward her. "What are you doing?" Tori asked her. "I"ve never been a good surfer myself, but everyone always helped me out and they never looked down on me. And besides, it"s our first time surfing together, and you"re not the only one who wipes out every so often. Not too long ago, Tony and Danny both messed up." Emma reminded. Tori laughed. "That"s because Tony fell over onto Danny"s board so they both crashed." She replied. Emma laughed with her. "Tell you what, if you"ll grab your board and at least try to surf, I"ll go too." She told Tori, motioning to her hand. Tori stared at it for a minute, and then took it in hers. Emma pulled her up and they both started running towards the water. As they passed by, Fin and Lo cheered them on. "Let"s go Knight!" Fin screamed. "Show "em what ya got!" The two threw their boards out in front of them and lunged as soon as the water was knee-high. Emma started clawing at the water, working her muscles. She could tell Tori was struggling, franticly pulling at the ocean. Emma stopped paddling and let her catch up. "Try not to slap the water, kinda push yourself with long, calm, strokes." She instructed, doing a quick demonstration. Tori soon followed and went a few yards forward. "There you go! Great job!" Emma cheered as Tori kept on going. She hurried to catch up, and the waited, scanning the horizon. She was searching for the best wave for Tori, something not too hard or rough, but not too easy and small either. For the perfect beginner/experienced wave. Emma was about to go a few yards deeper into the ocean when she spotted something to her left. She smiled. "Perfect." Emma nudged Tori in the side gently. "Come on, our ride"s here." She told her. Tori nodded uneasily and started paddling along with her friend. Emma paddled out until she felt the rise of the wave and pushed herself up. "Stand up!" She called over to Tori. Tori hesitated, but stood up quickly, wobbling a little. Emma smiled to herself as she regained her balance. She was doing great for someone who hasn"t surfed in so long. Emma put her hands out, remembering the night Broseph had taken her out surfing for the first time. "Hula Hands." She reminded herself. She was just gliding along peacefully when she saw another surfer a few yards in front of her pull a classic Barrel trick. Emma snorted. "My turn." She muttered with a smirk on her face. Emma then pumped for last minute speed. She quickly positioned her upward, turning her hip. She grabbed her board, leaning down and jerked herself up and to the left, spinning in a circular motion. Then she fell back onto the surface of the water with a smack, hearing all of her friends go wild at the shore. Emma suddenly remembered what she was here for in the first place. She looked back at Tori, who was still steady on her board. She mentally sighed with relief. Emma stopped pumping and drifted back to her. "You"re doing great! Why don"t you try a slide?" Tori nodded and tried to swerve her body. To her surprise, the easy trick was a success and Tori felt a wave of pride wash over her. She became a little too proud, because the nest time she turned, Tori went a little too far into the water and the board slipped out from under her, the she toppled over. First she saw Emma try to reach out for her, heard a scream, and felt a sheer cold cover her body, then everything went black. "I really didn"t mean to freak you guys out!" Tori told everyone, as she leaned up on her elbows. "Too late for that! You scared us all half to death!" Lo yelled, putting her hands on her hips. "Why would you even try to slide anyway? You knew you couldn"t do it, but you never fail to have too much hope do you Tori!" "Come on Lo, having hope isn"t a bad thing!" Emma replied. "Having too much is! Besides, this isn"t even Tori"s fault, it"s yours!" "Me? How is it my fault?" "You"re the one who took her surfing in the first place! And who are you to push her into doing something she couldn"t?" "But who are you to be putting the poor girl down? She thinks down on herself enough, she doesn"t need your help Lo." "Ugh! You"re so i-" "Don"t even say it! You know, out of everyone here you"re the one who"s acting the most immature. Whether you like it or not, not everything can be perfect Lo! We"re human, we mess up, we can"t always have the best of everything like you and your glamorous little life, in your fancy penthouse! No wonder your dad kicked you out last summer, to try and teach you some manners, how to actually live on your own!" Lo recoiled at the words Emma was letting escape her mouth. She glared a bit before Fin came up behind her and grabbed her arm. "It was her first time Lo, she didn"t know what she was getting herself into." She stated. "Well wiping out ounce is something, but six times? I mean, she could"ve gotten seriously hurt!" Lo cried. Fin rolled her eyes. "Let"s go, Reef and Broseph need a little help making the fire anyway." She said, pulling her friend along to the other of the beach. Tori sighed and turned her head to her right to look at the person next to her. "I"m sorry." She apologized. Emma"s eye brows furrowed. "Why?" She asked. "For scaring you, causing a fight with Lo, for messing up... being me." Tori explained. Emma smiled softly. She moved over and put her arm around Tori"s shoulders. "You don"t have to apologize for that, it was my fault for pushing you too fast, I just didn"t want you to turn out like me." She stated. "What, a champion surfer?" Tori mumbled. Emma chuckled slightly. "No, a klutz. It took me over a year to become the surfer I am today, and I"m still not perfect." She reminded. Tori snorted. "Yeah right, you just pulled a 360 and landed it perfectly!" She cried. "Sure, but not champion perfect. You don"t see me on the cover of any surf magazines, do you?" Emma smirked. Tori sighed. "But I have to be a good surfer!" She screamed. "Why?" Emma asked her. "Because! I"m the-" Tori suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. "Because why?" Emma pressed on. "Because... I"m the only one that"s really terrible at surfing." Tori said, her shoulders slumping. Emma smiled and stood up next to her. "You won"t always be, with a little hard work, practice, and a good teacher you"ll be a pro by the end of the summer." She reassured. Tori smiled back. "Thanks Emma." She thanked. Emma nodded, then she let out a sigh. "Well looks like it"s getting pretty dark, the fire should be going by now." She stated, holding out her hand for the second time today. But this time Tori didn"t hesitate and took her hand. Emma pulled her up with a hard tug, causing Tori nearly to fall over. The two girls paused for half a heat-beat to regain balance and then burst out laughing. They laughed as the continued towards the others. They had a total of 5 logs sitting around the large bonfire that was flickering inside a ring of small rocks. Reef was poking the burning wood with a stick as everyone got settled. Emma pulled Tori over and took a seat next to Fin, Lo, and Monni. Lo shifted uncomfortably in her seat and finally turned to face her red-headed friend. "Look, I"m really sorry about getting all worked up Emma, I guess seeing Tori wipe-out just brought back memories of when you almost drowned." She admitted. Emma smiled. "It"s ok Lo, I just didn"t want Tori to turn out like me, never really having the guts to push myself forward, but I guess I pushed her a little too hard." She replied. "Awww, Em!" Lo gushed, pulling her in for a hug. Reef gave them a confused look. "Why are you always the first one to say you"re sorry or forgive someone?" He asked. The girls let go and turned toward him. "What do you mean?" Emma wondered. "I mean come on! You literally can only hold a grudge for like... 6 minutes!" Reef cried. "Even if someone robbed you, you"d forgive them!" He stated. The girls were laughing really hard as he went on with his tantrum. "Well you stole my surf-board and I forgave you." Fin pointed out. "Yeah, but I"m adorable, no one can stay mad at me for long." Reef said with pride. "You broke it in two!" "So!" "So, I was ticked at you for 2 weeks! Wait, make that nine months." "What? You couldn"t be mad at me for that long!" "Well I was, and still am!" Everyone sighed as the two went on with their childish back and forth insults. Tori stood up. "We can"t just let them go on like this." She started to walk toward Fin and Reef, but Broseph grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Don"t even try to Chiquita, none of us can get them to stop." He told her. "They can go on for days." Lo added. "Then they"ve never met me." Brayla stated, standing up. Broseph tried to stop her too, but she was too quick. She walked up behind the two, unnoticed. When they were too caught up in the fight, she pinched Reef hard in the back of the neck. At first, he winced in pain, then his face showed relaxation. "Are you calm?" Brayla asked. Reef nodded slightly. Brayla smiled to herself. "Good, now repeat after me: I"m sorry Fin," "I"m sorry Fin," Reef recited. "I shouldn"t have stolen your board," "I shouldn"t have stolen your board," "Will you forgive me?" Brayla finished. "Will you forgive me?" Fin laughed. "Yeah, how"d you learn to do that?" She wondered. Brayla shrugged. "I teach yoga back in Hanna Lu Lu." They both laughed and Brayla let go of Reef. He spun around, rubbing his now sore neck. "Hey! Why didn"t you do that yogi thing to her?" He yelled. "First of all, it"s yoga, and second, haven"t you ever heard of Girl Power?" Brayla smirked, walking back to her bench with Fin. "What!" Reef cried. "It"s alright man, just sit down." Jay told him, pulling Reef down onto the log. "But it"s so unfair!" Reef pouted, crossing his arms. "I know, I know." Jay replied. Everyone laughed as Reef let out of small "Humph" and stck his nose into the air. Later that Night: "Ugh, I swear, if I eat another bite I"m going to explode." Danny stated. Everyone had roasted marshmallows, weenies, an apple, nuts, Reef even attempted to roast corn in hope of it turning into popcorn, and anything else you could put on a stick and hang over a fire. Now all the teens were full and took a spot in the sand next to one another and staring up at the starry sky. Jay let out a sigh. "I hear ya." He said, taking a seat next to his best friend. There were a few minutes of everyone staring up at the sky, gazing up at the twinkling lights above them. All the sudden, Brayla pointed her hand up into the air. "Look there"s tons of consultations. Like right there: it"s a dolphin." She stated. Everyone nodded as they looked to where she was pointing. "There"s an old lady with a skirt and umbrella!" Danny cried. The Groms smiled at him. "See, a flower in a vase." Emma added. "Oh! I see a hand!" Tori exclaimed. "No way! It"s a alien pushing a baby carriage!" Reef corrected her. "All I see is a blob." Monni replied. "Sometimes I think I"m too stupid to be in my family." Fin suddenly sat up. "Why would you think that?" She asked. "I just feel like I"m this one big letdown. My brother and sister are perfect, everything my parents wanted, but I"m the total opposite. Sure, I don"t really suck in school, but I"m just not the definition of "perfect" my parents are looking for. No wonder they ignore me." Monni confessed. Jay sighed. "I wish my parents would ignore me. They"re always watching my every move, just waiting for me to mess up. They just can"t accept I love water sports, and that I"ll never be able to try harder than I already am. I"ve always done well in school, listened to what they say, and never treated them badly on purpose. But they"re always able to point out just one flaw. Sometimes I feel like I"m under a microscope." He admitted. Danny snorted. "Try living with 5 siblings. It gets so tiring have to constantly have to share everything I own. I always have to give up what I want for them. Don"t get me wrong, I love my little brother and sisters, but it"s like I don"t even have my own name. I"m not referred to as "Danny", instead it"s Danny and Logan, or Danny, Mai, and Alice. I"m surprised I could even come here without one of them begging to go with me." He stated. "I"d take siblings any day over always being referred to as the "Freak Hippie"." Brayla replied. Monni giggled slightly. "But Brays, that"s kinda what you are." She reminded. "It"s not funny! What"s wrong with caring for the environment? At least I actually try to help the Earth and the creatures that live on it! Most people wouldn"t even lift a finger to save water, or help animals, or plant a tree in their backyard. No wonder Earth Day isn"t considered a major holiday, because no one even cares to mark it on their calendar! I mean if you say one thing about not owning a car, or being a vegetarian, or even about peace, people just stamp the word weirdo on your forehead!" Brayla cried. There were a few minutes of silence and her hard breathing. "Wow, I"ve never seen you spas out like that before." Monni told her. "Yeah, I mean who would judge you for caring about something else than looks, what"s in, or the newest celebrity gossip? Because I don"t put you in the category of a freak and I don"t know anyone who does." Emma agreed. "I would." Liam smirked. Everyone shot him a glare. Tori groaned. "At least you guys know who you are! I couldn"t tell you who I"ll be if it"d save my life! All my life I"ve felt out of place, and I thought if I came here, I"d finally feel differently. But seeing all you guys and how great you are at surfing reminded me I"d never fit in with a group like you. You all seem so sure of yourselves; I"d do anything to be that confident. Every day I look in the mirror and I see the same thing. And I think: Who am I kidding? However much I try, I"ll never be as good as the other surfers." Tori shed a silent tear, but quickly wiped it away. Emma sniffled, tearing up herself. "Aw, Tori. Don"t even think that. You are the sweetest, kindest girl I have ever met and you never have to put on a brave face for us. Just remember, we"re not just surfers, but we"re your friends too." She told her. Almost everyone agreed and all piled up, forming a group hug around Tori. Tony sighed. "I"d take not knowing who I am over actually knowing who I am." He stated. "Why?" Audrey asked him. "Because even though I know who I am, people just accept it. I always feel like I"m someone"s shadow, everything I do is hidden behind someone else. Everything good I do is always shown up be something better. I know it"s the thought that counts in a good deed, but I would like just a little appreciation here and there, you know?" "Awww, Tony we appreciate you!" Tori cried, wrapping her arms around him, and all the other girls followed. "How does he do it?" Broseph wondered. "Hugh-kiss up!" Reef faked a cough. Tony shot him a glare when he was free from the girls" grasps. "I don"t suppose Little Miss Perfect has any problems, does she?" Sophie smirked. "Actually, there is one thing..." Audrey started. "I"m trying to get into an advanced surfing college in California." "What"s the problem there?" Lo asked. "Well me sister is attending her first year right now, but she had to work 10 times harder to get in, let alone get a scholarship. I"ve had my heart set on going there, even when I was a little girl. That"s why I always need everything to be perfect, because if it"s not, my life would just totally fall apart. I know I sound like I"m exaggerating, but it"s true. I have nothing else planned out if I don"t get into ESAC. {Expert Surfing Advancements, California.} My life is kinda like a book: if one chapter goes wrong, than the entire book gets thrown out of place." Audrey admitted. After a few minutes of silence, Sophie stood up and started clapping. Everyone gave her a puzzled look, but she ignored them and walked to the front of the circle. "Wonderful, wonderful performances everyone, they were very entertaining. I even began to think that a few of them were worth my sympathy." She scoffed. "Let me guess, ice runs through your veins and there"s a heap of metal where your heart should be?" Fin shot back. "Do you really think I care?" Sophie snapped at her. "I think you should." Emma spoke up. "Look, not all of us can have a perfect worry-free life like you, but that doesn"t mean -" "Perfect? Ha! My life is far from perfect!" Sophie cut her off. "You don"t know anything about me!" "Well I"d love to get to know you over the summer; you don"t have to hide things from us." Emma told her.

Lo sighed. "He"s such a great surfer. Wow, we have so much in common. He likes surfing, I like surfing. He has siblings, I have siblings. He likes the color purple, I like the color purple! He does like the color purple right?" She babbled. Fin laughed. "Ok, am I sensing some unshared feelings here?" She wondered. Lo"s face expression suddenly turned to a look of disgust. "What? Me and Danny? Ew, no way, he"s a whole year younger!" She stated. "He"s a whole year older than you." Fin pointed out. Lo"s face lit up. "No way, he is?" She squealed. "So you do like him." Fin smirked. "Maybe a little." "Is that "I Heart Danny" written on your hand?" Lo looked down at her wrist where in bright pink letters, courtesy of her large gel pen collection, was Danny"s name inside of a heart. She slapped her other free hand over to try and cover it. "No." Was all she could say. Fin burst out laughing. Lo shot her a glare. "Ugh! You"re so immature!" She growled, crossing her arms. "It"s not my fault you"re boy crazy." Fin answered. "At least I"ve actually had a boyfriend in the past year." Lo snapped. Fin shrugged. "You say that like it"s a bad thing." "How long has it actually been anyway?" "About a year or two." "Wow, really?" Fin counted the months on her fingers and nodded. "Yep, that last guy dated was named Justin, we were together for 3 months." She stated. "Whoa, how old were you?" Lo asked. "15." "Awww, was that like your first experience of Puppy Love?" Fin nodded. "Talking about me girls?" Reef said, walking up to them literally collapsing onto the sand. "In your dreams Shrimp Eyes." Fin scoffed. "It"s ok, a lot of girls pin me as their first major crush, you"re not the only one." Reef tried to reassure her., putting a hand on Fin"s shoulder. "And a lot of girls pin you as a psycho-path and want a restraining order against you, so don"t worry, I"m not the only one." Fin replied, shaking his hand off her shoulder. "You"re getting pretty good with your combats, Blondish-Betty." Reef told her. "Thanks, I had a lot of practice over the past year, but I don"t think I needed it." Fin answered. "Don"t get too cocky, Smart Mouth." "At least I can pull Smart Mouth off." Fin whispered in Reef"s ear before standing up and grabbing her board, heading toward the water. "You gotta give the girl props for messing with a guy"s head." Lo stated. Reef looked back at her. "What?" He asked. Lo shrugged. "Just saying." Then they both looked back at the waves, a confused look still on Reef"s face. Tori let out a heavy sigh. Emma turned her way, worry written all over her face. "What"s wrong Tors?" She asked/ "It"s just, I haven"t been surfing in a really, really long time and I"m afraid I"ll mess up." Tori confessed. "Why are you scared?" Emma wondered. "Everyone"s so good here, and I didn"t even own a surf board until Lo bought me one yesterday! I"d just be an outcast if you guys saw me surf." Tori said, hanging her head. Emma gave her a sympathetic look that slowly turned into a wide grin. She stood up in front of Tori and held her hand out toward her. "What are you doing?" Tori asked her. "I"ve never been a good surfer myself, but everyone always helped me out and they never looked down on me. And besides, it"s our first time surfing together, and you"re not the only one who wipes out every so often. Not too long ago, Tony and Danny both messed up." Emma reminded. Tori laughed. "That"s because Tony fell over onto Danny"s board so they both crashed." She replied. Emma laughed with her. "Tell you what, if you"ll grab your board and at least try to surf, I"ll go too." She told Tori, motioning to her hand. Tori stared at it for a minute, and then took it in hers. Emma pulled her up and they both started running towards the water. As they passed by, Fin and Lo cheered them on. "Let"s go Knight!" Fin screamed. "Show "em what ya got!" The two threw their boards out in front of them and lunged as soon as the water was knee-high. Emma started clawing at the water, working her muscles. She could tell Tori was struggling, franticly pulling at the ocean. Emma stopped paddling and let her catch up. "Try not to slap the water, kinda push yourself with long, calm, strokes." She instructed, doing a quick demonstration. Tori soon followed and went a few yards forward. "There you go! Great job!" Emma cheered as Tori kept on going. She hurried to catch up, and the waited, scanning the horizon. She was searching for the best wave for Tori, something not too hard or rough, but not too easy and small either. For the perfect beginner/experienced wave. Emma was about to go a few yards deeper into the ocean when she spotted something to her left. She smiled. "Perfect." Emma nudged Tori in the side gently. "Come on, our ride"s here." She told her. Tori nodded uneasily and started paddling along with her friend. Emma paddled out until she felt the rise of the wave and pushed herself up. "Stand up!" She called over to Tori. Tori hesitated, but stood up quickly, wobbling a little. Emma smiled to herself as she regained her balance. She was doing great for someone who hasn"t surfed in so long. Emma put her hands out, remembering the night Broseph had taken her out surfing for the first time. "Hula Hands." She reminded herself. She was just gliding along peacefully when she saw another surfer a few yards in front of her pull a classic Barrel trick. Emma snorted. "My turn." She muttered with a smirk on her face. Emma then pumped for last minute speed. She quickly positioned her upward, turning her hip. She grabbed her board, leaning down and jerked herself up and to the left, spinning in a circular motion. Then she fell back onto the surface of the water with a smack, hearing all of her friends go wild at the shore. Emma suddenly remembered what she was here for in the first place. She looked back at Tori, who was still steady on her board. She mentally sighed with relief. Emma stopped pumping and drifted back to her. "You"re doing great! Why don"t you try a slide?" Tori nodded and tried to swerve her body. To her surprise, the easy trick was a success and Tori felt a wave of pride wash over her. She became a little too proud, because the nest time she turned, Tori went a little too far into the water and the board slipped out from under her, the she toppled over. First she saw Emma try to reach out for her, heard a scream, and felt a sheer cold cover her body, then everything went black. "I really didn"t mean to freak you guys out!" Tori told everyone, as she leaned up on her elbows. "Too late for that! You scared us all half to death!" Lo yelled, putting her hands on her hips. "Why would you even try to slide anyway? You knew you couldn"t do it, but you never fail to have too much hope do you Tori!" "Come on Lo, having hope isn"t a bad thing!" Emma replied. "Having too much is! Besides, this isn"t even Tori"s fault, it"s yours!" "Me? How is it my fault?" "You"re the one who took her surfing in the first place! And who are you to push her into doing something she couldn"t?" "But who are you to be putting the poor girl down? She thinks down on herself enough, she doesn"t need your help Lo." "Ugh! You"re so i-" "Don"t even say it! You know, out of everyone here you"re the one who"s acting the most immature. Whether you like it or not, not everything can be perfect Lo! We"re human, we mess up, we can"t always have the best of everything like you and your glamorous little life, in your fancy penthouse! No wonder your dad kicked you out last summer, to try and teach you some manners, how to actually live on your own!" Lo recoiled at the words Emma was letting escape her mouth. She glared a bit before Fin came up behind her and grabbed her arm. "It was her first time Lo, she didn"t know what she was getting herself into." She stated. "Well wiping out ounce is something, but six times? I mean, she could"ve gotten seriously hurt!" Lo cried. Fin rolled her eyes. "Let"s go, Reef and Broseph need a little help making the fire anyway." She said, pulling her friend along to the other of the beach. Tori sighed and turned her head to her right to look at the person next to her. "I"m sorry." She apologized. Emma"s eye brows furrowed. "Why?" She asked. "For scaring you, causing a fight with Lo, for messing up... being me." Tori explained. Emma smiled softly. She moved over and put her arm around Tori"s shoulders. "You don"t have to apologize for that, it was my fault for pushing you too fast, I just didn"t want you to turn out like me." She stated. "What, a champion surfer?" Tori mumbled. Emma chuckled slightly. "No, a klutz. It took me over a year to become the surfer I am today, and I"m still not perfect." She reminded. Tori snorted. "Yeah right, you just pulled a 360 and landed it perfectly!" She cried. "Sure, but not champion perfect. You don"t see me on the cover of any surf magazines, do you?" Emma smirked. Tori sighed. "But I have to be a good surfer!" She screamed. "Why?" Emma asked her. "Because! I"m the-" Tori suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. "Because why?" Emma pressed on. "Because... I"m the only one that"s really terrible at surfing." Tori said, her shoulders slumping. Emma smiled and stood up next to her. "You won"t always be, with a little hard work, practice, and a good teacher you"ll be a pro by the end of the summer." She reassured. Tori smiled back. "Thanks Emma." She thanked. Emma nodded, then she let out a sigh. "Well looks like it"s getting pretty dark, the fire should be going by now." She stated, holding out her hand for the second time today. But this time Tori didn"t hesitate and took her hand. Emma pulled her up with a hard tug, causing Tori nearly to fall over. The two girls paused for half a heat-beat to regain balance and then burst out laughing. They laughed as the continued towards the others. They had a total of 5 logs sitting around the large bonfire that was flickering inside a ring of small rocks. Reef was poking the burning wood with a stick as everyone got settled. Emma pulled Tori over and took a seat next to Fin, Lo, and Monni. Lo shifted uncomfortably in her seat and finally turned to face her red-headed friend. "Look, I"m really sorry about getting all worked up Emma, I guess seeing Tori wipe-out just brought back memories of when you almost drowned." She admitted. Emma smiled. "It"s ok Lo, I just didn"t want Tori to turn out like me, never really having the guts to push myself forward, but I guess I pushed her a little too hard." She replied. "Awww, Em!" Lo gushed, pulling her in for a hug. Reef gave them a confused look. "Why are you always the first one to say you"re sorry or forgive someone?" He asked. The girls let go and turned toward him. "What do you mean?" Emma wondered. "I mean come on! You literally can only hold a grudge for like... 6 minutes!" Reef cried. "Even if someone robbed you, you"d forgive them!" He stated. The girls were laughing really hard as he went on with his tantrum. "Well you stole my surf-board and I forgave you." Fin pointed out. "Yeah, but I"m adorable, no one can stay mad at me for long." Reef said with pride. "You broke it in two!" "So!" "So, I was ticked at you for 2 weeks! Wait, make that nine months." "What? You couldn"t be mad at me for that long!" "Well I was, and still am!" Everyone sighed as the two went on with their childish back and forth insults. Tori stood up. "We can"t just let them go on like this." She started to walk toward Fin and Reef, but Broseph grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Don"t even try to Chiquita, none of us can get them to stop." He told her. "They can go on for days." Lo added. "Then they"ve never met me." Brayla stated, standing up. Broseph tried to stop her too, but she was too quick. She walked up behind the two, unnoticed. When they were too caught up in the fight, she pinched Reef hard in the back of the neck. At first, he winced in pain, then his face showed relaxation. "Are you calm?" Brayla asked. Reef nodded slightly. Brayla smiled to herself. "Good, now repeat after me: I"m sorry Fin," "I"m sorry Fin," Reef recited. "I shouldn"t have stolen your board," "I shouldn"t have stolen your board," "Will you forgive me?" Brayla finished. "Will you forgive me?" Fin laughed. "Yeah, how"d you learn to do that?" She wondered. Brayla shrugged. "I teach yoga back in Hanna Lu Lu." They both laughed and Brayla let go of Reef. He spun around, rubbing his now sore neck. "Hey! Why didn"t you do that yogi thing to her?" He yelled. "First of all, it"s yoga, and second, haven"t you ever heard of Girl Power?" Brayla smirked, walking back to her bench with Fin. "What!" Reef cried. "It"s alright man, just sit down." Jay told him, pulling Reef down onto the log. "But it"s so unfair!" Reef pouted, crossing his arms. "I know, I know." Jay replied. Everyone laughed as Reef let out of small "Humph" and stck his nose into the air. Later that Night: "Ugh, I swear, if I eat another bite I"m going to explode." Danny stated. Everyone had roasted marshmallows, weenies, an apple, nuts, Reef even attempted to roast corn in hope of it turning into popcorn, and anything else you could put on a stick and hang over a fire. Now all the teens were full and took a spot in the sand next to one another and staring up at the starry sky. Jay let out a sigh. "I hear ya." He said, taking a seat next to his best friend. There were a few minutes of everyone staring up at the sky, gazing up at the twinkling lights above them. All the sudden, Brayla pointed her hand up into the air. "Look there"s tons of consultations. Like right there: it"s a dolphin." She stated. Everyone nodded as they looked to where she was pointing. "There"s an old lady with a skirt and umbrella!" Danny cried. The Groms smiled at him. "See, a flower in a vase." Emma added. "Oh! I see a hand!" Tori exclaimed. "No way! It"s a alien pushing a baby carriage!" Reef corrected her. "All I see is a blob." Monni replied. "Sometimes I think I"m too stupid to be in my family." Fin suddenly sat up. "Why would you think that?" She asked. "I just feel like I"m this one big letdown. My brother and sister are perfect, everything my parents wanted, but I"m the total opposite. Sure, I don"t really suck in school, but I"m just not the definition of "perfect" my parents are looking for. No wonder they ignore me." Monni confessed. Jay sighed. "I wish my parents would ignore me. They"re always watching my every move, just waiting for me to mess up. They just can"t accept I love water sports, and that I"ll never be able to try harder than I already am. I"ve always done well in school, listened to what they say, and never treated them badly on purpose. But they"re always able to point out just one flaw. Sometimes I feel like I"m under a microscope." He admitted. Danny snorted. "Try living with 5 siblings. It gets so tiring have to constantly have to share everything I own. I always have to give up what I want for them. Don"t get me wrong, I love my little brother and sisters, but it"s like I don"t even have my own name. I"m not referred to as "Danny", instead it"s Danny and Logan, or Danny, Mai, and Alice. I"m surprised I could even come here without one of them begging to go with me." He stated. "I"d take siblings any day over always being referred to as the "Freak Hippie"." Brayla replied. Monni giggled slightly. "But Brays, that"s kinda what you are." She reminded. "It"s not funny! What"s wrong with caring for the environment? At least I actually try to help the Earth and the creatures that live on it! Most people wouldn"t even lift a finger to save water, or help animals, or plant a tree in their backyard. No wonder Earth Day isn"t considered a major holiday, because no one even cares to mark it on their calendar! I mean if you say one thing about not owning a car, or being a vegetarian, or even about peace, people just stamp the word weirdo on your forehead!" Brayla cried. There were a few minutes of silence and her hard breathing. "Wow, I"ve never seen you spas out like that before." Monni told her. "Yeah, I mean who would judge you for caring about something else than looks, what"s in, or the newest celebrity gossip? Because I don"t put you in the category of a freak and I don"t know anyone who does." Emma agreed. "I would." Liam smirked. Everyone shot him a glare. Tori groaned. "At least you guys know who you are! I couldn"t tell you who I"ll be if it"d save my life! All my life I"ve felt out of place, and I thought if I came here, I"d finally feel differently. But seeing all you guys and how great you are at surfing reminded me I"d never fit in with a group like you. You all seem so sure of yourselves; I"d do anything to be that confident. Every day I look in the mirror and I see the same thing. And I think: Who am I kidding? However much I try, I"ll never be as good as the other surfers." Tori shed a silent tear, but quickly wiped it away. Emma sniffled, tearing up herself. "Aw, Tori. Don"t even think that. You are the sweetest, kindest girl I have ever met and you never have to put on a brave face for us. Just remember, we"re not just surfers, but we"re your friends too." She told her. Almost everyone agreed and all piled up, forming a group hug around Tori. Tony sighed. "I"d take not knowing who I am over actually knowing who I am." He stated. "Why?" Audrey asked him. "Because even though I know who I am, people just accept it. I always feel like I"m someone"s shadow, everything I do is hidden behind someone else. Everything good I do is always shown up be something better. I know it"s the thought that counts in a good deed, but I would like just a little appreciation here and there, you know?" "Awww, Tony we appreciate you!" Tori cried, wrapping her arms around him, and all the other girls followed. "How does he do it?" Broseph wondered. "Hugh-kiss up!" Reef faked a cough. Tony shot him a glare when he was free from the girls" grasps. "I don"t suppose Little Miss Perfect has any problems, does she?" Sophie smirked. "Actually, there is one thing..." Audrey started. "I"m trying to get into an advanced surfing college in California." "What"s the problem there?" Lo asked. "Well me sister is attending her first year right now, but she had to work 10 times harder to get in, let alone get a scholarship. I"ve had my heart set on going there, even when I was a little girl. That"s why I always need everything to be perfect, because if it"s not, my life would just totally fall apart. I know I sound like I"m exaggerating, but it"s true. I have nothing else planned out if I don"t get into ESAC. {Expert Surfing Advancements, California.} My life is kinda like a book: if one chapter goes wrong, than the entire book gets thrown out of place." Audrey admitted. After a few minutes of silence, Sophie stood up and started clapping. Everyone gave her a puzzled look, but she ignored them and walked to the front of the circle. "Wonderful, wonderful performances everyone, they were very entertaining. I even began to think that a few of them were worth my sympathy." She scoffed. "Let me guess, ice runs through your veins and there"s a heap of metal where your heart should be?" Fin shot back. "Do you really think I care?" Sophie snapped at her. "I think you should." Emma spoke up. "Look, not all of us can have a perfect worry-free life like you, but that doesn"t mean -" "Perfect? Ha! My life is far from perfect!" Sophie cut her off. "You don"t know anything about me!" "Well I"d love to get to know you over the summer; you don"t have to hide things from us." Emma told her. "Don"t you ever worry about what people will think of you? How they"d treat you once you let them in?" Sophie wondered. Emma laughed. "Of course, who doesn"t? We all worry about stuff that"ll never happen; it"s just a part of life." She stated. Before Sophie could reply, Liam cut in. "Ugh, just stop right there! I"m sick of hearing how horrible you think your pathetic little lives are! You should be happy you"re even breathing right now! I"d take any of your guys" problems over my dad"s ridiculous girlfriend!" He yelled. "You"re parents are divorced?" Emma asked him. "Yeah, what"s you point?" Liam answered. "Nothing, that just explains a lot." "Explains what?" "Why you"re always so moody, you"ve been through so much." "Oh, so we"re playing that game now, huh? Fine, whatever. While you guys sit here whining, I"m outa here!" Liam snapped, his large boots crushing the sand beneath his feet. After that, everyone went silent, not daring to make a sound for the rest of the night. Yay! I finally updated! Sorry it took so long, but school got the better of me! But like I said before, I"m deperste for ideas, and I don"t have any others lined up for chapter 6, so until someone helps me out a bit, it might take awhile to update. But thanks for being so patient with me and my busy schedule. I"ve kinda decided I should make this s little more fun and add a question for each chapter for you guys to answer with your reviews, so here"s the first one: Which new Grom do you relate to the most? Hope you guys liked the chapter and I"ll see you soon! Live, Love, Surf! ~Suki17

Told me you want me I had it all But let you fool me Fool me completely I was so stupid To give you all my attention Cause the way you played me Exposed your true intention One day I"ll have you be begging on your knees for me One day I"ll have you crawling like a centipede You mess with me And mess with her So I"ll make sure you get what you deserve" Scott tried to exit through the side, but Charlie and Wen blocked him. "Whoa, hey buddy!" Wen shouted. "You"re not going anywhere." Charlie stated. "Yeah, you should stick around." Wen added. Scott groaned and stepped back. Mo came over and pulled him out on stage again. She put her arm around his neck which made him tense up. "So watch your back Cause you don"t know where or when I could get you I"ll set the trap and when I"m done You will know what I have been through Oh, mister player do you feel like the man now?" Mo made pretend muscles at him. "I bet that you"re nervous cause this song makes you freak out!" Mo shook her head, throwing her hair everywhere. "One day I"ll have you begging on your knees for me One day I"ll have you crawling like a centipede You mess with me And mess with her So I"ll make sure you get what you deserve One day you"ll be begging on your knees for me I know I"m being bitter But I"m gonna drive you under Cause you just don"t, don"t Don"t deserve a happy ever after Cause what you did to me After you told me You never felt that way And it"s only just a game" Mo jumped around, having fun with her friends. She looked to her right to see Charlie and Wen dancing all over the place. She smiled and ran over to Stella, hooking her arm around her neck. Stella laughed at her action. Mo held the mike up to Stella. Stella looked over at Scott and said: "You had it all!" Then Mo ran to Olivia and sang with her: "It was only just a game!" She quickly ran across the stage and pulled Charlie and Wen out. "You"ll get what you deserve!" They shouted. Mo laughed and continued. "One day I"ll have you begging on your knees for me One day I"ll have you crawling like a centipede You mess with me And mess with her So I"ll make sure you get what you deserve One day you"ll be begging on your knees for me!" Scott finally got the chance to escape. After Mo finished, Charlie and Wen patted him on the back. "Ouch." Charlie stated. "That"s gotta hurt man." Wen added. Mo smiled and waved to Scott. He shook his head and stalked off stage. Stella took the mike and cheered: "Now that"s what I call getting burned!" She smirked. Wen and Charlie walked over to them and put the arms around the girls for a group hug. Backstage: Everyone burst out laughing back stage. "Did you see his face!" Stella laughed. "I know! He was so upset!" Mo replied. Ray and his "crew" came up and stared. "Can we help you?" Wen asked. "Why"d you do it Mo?" Scott asked disappointed. "Because, you asked for it. You should"ve known not to mess with me and Lemonade Mouth." Mo crossed her arms. "That"s getting burned again." Stella smirked. "Real mature." Ray told her. "Oh go lose your voice Ray." Stella snapped back. "Why don"t you make me "Miss Expression"?" Stella stepped a bit closer narrowing her eyes. Ray did the same. "Stella, don"t listen to him. He"s just a creep." Mo stepped between them. "Stay out of this Mo." Scott stated. Mo turned around slowly. "Excuse me? I didn"t ask for your opinion." She commented. "No, but I think you need it." Scott responded. "No, I don"t. I can"t believe I was upset about you cheated on me with Jewels again. I was always better off with you. We all are." Mo stated taking her friend"s hands. Scott was at a loss of words. "Whatever." Is all he said, stomping off with his conceited band. Lemonade Mouth started cracking up. "That felt pretty good." Mo said breathlessly. "You really know how to take "em down!" Stella high-fived her. "What you guys say to going to that new place down the street and getting some smoothies?" Wen suggested. Everyone agreed and headed out. "Uh, Charlie," Mo called. He looked back and waited. "Thank you, for everything." Mo thanked. "No problem." Charlie replied. "No, it was really sweet." She stood on her toes and gently kissed his cheek. Charlie blushed and smiled. Mo smiled back and stared walking away. Charlie grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He looked into her eyes and leaned in. "Hey guys, we"re all waiting outside- Oh! Sorry!" Olivia jumped. Charlie sighed and Mo laughed slightly. "Ok, we"ll be right there." Charlie said through his clenched teeth. Olivia caught his hint. "Ok, I"m gonna... go then." Olivia stuttered leaving quickly. Mo smiled. "She has perfect timing right?" She joked. Charlie laughed with her. "Totally on the dot perfect." He added. Mo laughed again and leaned up, pecking Charlie softly on the lips. Charlie stood dazed for a minute. "Come on, everyone"s waiting on us." Mo stated walking away. Charlie snapped out of it and jogged to catch up with her, clasping her hand. They walked out to the courtyard together, catching up with their friends. "There you guys are, what took so long?" Wen asked. "Just talking. That"s all." Mo answered. "Sure." Stella said not convinced. "Well, race you guys to the smoothie place!" Wen shouted running away. "Hey, no fair!" Olivia called running after him. Stella, Mo, and Charlie laughed. "I love those guys." Stella stated. "What"s not to love?" Charlie asked. "How long do you think it"ll take for them to get together?" Stella asked. "I"ll give it a week." Mo replied. "I think a few weeks." Charlie stated. Stella snorted. "I bet I can get "em together this week." Stella said. "You"re on!" Stella and Charlie shook hands. Mo laughed. "You guys are a riot." She joked. "Yeah, you wanna know a secret Mo?" Charlie put his arm around her. "What that?" Mo asked. "1, 2, 3 GO!" Charlie began racing toward the smoothie place. "Charlie wait!" Mo laughed running after him. Stella snickered. "And I give you guys at least two weeks." She said to herself. Ok! That"s the first chapter. I think I"m gonna make this story into a series between Wen and Olivia, and of course my favorite, Charlie and Mo. Again, if someone could tell me how to send the request for the category thing, I"ll add Lemonade Mouth to the list. I just can"t find the send button for it. Well, bye guys! Hoped you enjoyed! Love Suki17. Hey guys, sorry I"ve been gone for a few days. And here"s a question, do you think after this Lemonade Mouth story that I should make a crossover between Victorious and Lemonade Mouth. It"s called "Battle of the Bands" and it"s when Mo"s old friends {Victorious Gang} come to visit, and Stella notices how they"re all musical talented. She begins to think that they"re trying to steal Mo as a bass player, so she confronts everyone about it. Jade, who doesn"t really like being accused, challenges her to a battle of the bands to see who Mo likes performing with better. And whichever Mo likes more, that"s the band she"ll go with. So, tell me what you think about that please! Enjoy this chapter! "Aaaahhhh!" Olivia and Mo squealed. They were already at Stella"s house and set everything up. Stella"s parents and step brothers were gone for a few days, and they agreed to let the girls stay over so Stella wouldn"t get bored. Brenda, Olivia"s grandmother, had easily let her go, and so did Mo"s mother. Another reason Mo was happy her father wasn"t home. "I can"t believe he asked you to Prom!" Mo cried. "I know!" Olivia had explained everything since the "fake fight" between her and Wen. Mo had grabbed Olivia"s hands and started jumping up and down. Stella laughed at the scene as she pulled a big bowl of grapes and a pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge. "Why are you guys so excited about Prom anyway? It"s a dance, not a wedding." She reminded. Mo chuckled. "You won"t be saying that when Luke asks you." She teased. Stella rolled her eyes. "He won"t be asking me anytime soon." "Oh please, you guys have so much in common!" Olivia gushed. "You both play the guitar, he"s a vegetarian like you, and you guys make your own shirts..." She went on. "Ok, ok, we have a lot in common, I get it." Stella laughed. They all snickered and hopped up on the stools by the counter. "Speaking if Prom, why are you so happy about it already Mo? You don"t have a date yet either." Stella stated. Mo shrugged and popped and grape in her mouth. "I"m thinking about asking Charlie." She replied. Olivia and Stella shared a look and then fell right out of their chairs onto the floor. They started laughing. "Not funny guys, I"m serious." "We were just kidding; I think it"s a great idea." Olivia answered. "Hey, don"t you think it"s funny," Stella took a sip of her lemonade, "That we"ll all probably have dates within Lemonade Mouth?" "So you are going with Luke." Olivia smirked. Stella laughed. "No, seriously. That"s kind of weird right?" She asked. "Now that I you mention it, it kind of is." Mo answered. "Is that a bad thing?"Olivia inquired. "Not really. I mean, it is a bit of a coincidence." Stella replied. "Speaking of the guys, what do you think they"re doing now?' Mo wondered. Stella sighed. "Probably something stupid all guys do." And she was absolutely right. With the Guys: "You what?" Luke screamed. He was throwing various pillows at the red head furiously. Wen had explained everything about the prank at Em"s and how Olivia got her license. Everything. Everything includes a certain question Olivia said yes to. Luke jumped onto his back and threw them both to the ground. "You asked her to Prom!" He yelled holding Wen down. "I"m sorry! I panicked!" Wen shouted back. "Why did you even tell me that?" Luke asked. "Because you asked genius!" You had to admit, Luke was pretty strong. As hard as Wen struggled to get free, Luke wouldn"t give up. Wen glanced over at the couch where Charlie was sitting, enjoying the show. "Uh, a little help please!" Charlie shrugged. "You would"ve let Ray slap me silly, now its payback time." He stated. {In the movie, when they chose the band"s name, Ray looked like he was going to knock the wind out of poor Charlie!} Wen groaned. He closed his eyes tightly. "Just remember, if you kill me you"ll have to find a new keyboard player." Wen prepared for the hit, but it never came. Instead, Luke sighed and helped him up. "Sorry man, I just thought we were going to ask the girls at the same time. Get them all together and pull some kind of stunt you know?" Luke explained. Wen nodded. "I know what you mean. Sorry I messed up your plans." He apologized. "It"s alright. It"s cool that you finally asked her though right Charlie?" Luke looked his way. "Yeah sure, whatever." Charlie muttered. He really didn"t like having Luke around. It was so annoying. Why did he even invite him into his house again? It"s like Luke read his mind. "And thanks for having me over today Charlie, but don"t you think we should head over to Stella"s?" He asked. Charlie checked the clock; "4:32" it read. He nodded and grabbed his jacket, heading out the door with his friends. Well, friend anyway. Later at Stella"s: The girls were having a blast. They were out by Stella"s pool with a bunch of instruments. Even ones they didn"t know how to play. Like how Olivia was toying with a keyboard and how Stella had her old ukulele out. They"ve gotten quite a few songs done too. There were a total of six songs in less than three hours. There were smiles, laughs, blushes, and even a few serious moments. But they were all really glad they came. Stella had stated; "Sleepovers aren"t really my scene." But even she was having fun. Everything was going great. That is until the doorbell rang. The girls shared a confused look and Stella jogged to answer the door. She expected the, very late, pizza guy, but when she opened the door, there stood something worse. "Hey Stella!" Charlie greeted, walking into her house along with Luke and Wen. "Hi guys, I thought you were coming at 5:30." Stella reminded. Wen shrugged. "We figured you guys were bored, so we thought you"d like some exciting company." He told her. They all started toward the pool and behind them, Stella made a face. She sighed and trudged along with them. Mo and Olivia were taking a break from the song writing and were sitting on the ground close to the water. The guys were really quiet and slowly creeped up behind them. They set their stuff down and Wen nodded over toward them. Luke smiled slyly and they headed over. "I wonder who was at the door." Olivia stated. Mo shrugged. "We ordered pizza a while ago; it might"ve been him- ahhh!" Mo squealed. "Mo, look out!" Olivia cried. Luke and Wen had taken her by the arms and legs and were swinging her from side to side over the pool. "Guys no please, put me down! Put me down!" Mo pleaded. The boys both shrugged. "Ok!" They shouted throwing Mo right into the water. She screamed and then there was a splash. It took her a few minutes to resurface, and she started a coughing fit. Luke and Wen burst out laughing. Olivia hurried over and held out her hand. Mo took the offer, and was hoisted up out of the water. Wen and Luke had trouble turning around. They started running away when they saw the anger in Mo"s eyes. "Outa the way! Scary Indian Princess coming through!" Luke called running past Stella and Charlie. They looked over at Olivia, who opened her mouth to speak. Stella held her hand up. "I don"t even want to know." She told her. Olivia and Charlie laughed as the boys and Mo ran through them. "You guys are so dead!" She yelled, grabbing Luke by the ear. Stella walked over to them. "Look guys, I think we all need to just... cool off!" She shouted pushing them both into the pool. Stella, Wen, and even Olivia started laughing. Mo and Luke burst through the water, Luke laughing and Mo still mad. "Are you kidding me!" She screamed. Everyone just laughed harder. Charlie reached out his hands and pulled her out. Luke cocked his head. "Hey, what about my hand up?" He asked. Charlie rolled his eyes and Stella helped Luke out of the pool. Later that Day: After everyone was dried off, everyone was in Stella"s living room. They were watching a horror movie called "The Roommate". {I"ve watched it before, and it is seriously freaky!} Stella, Olivia, and Wen were all on the couch, and then Mo and Charlie were both on the floor. Only Luke wasn"t there. And Mo was the first to notice. "Hey, where"s Luke at?" She wondered. Charlie muttered something that she couldn"t hear, Olivia was paralyzed from what was on the screen, Wen apparently didn"t hear her, and Stella just shrugged. "Last I saw him, he went to get popcorn." Mo gave her a confused look and got up. She walked out of the living room and into the hallway. There was padding and a few pillows on a windowsill and there sat Luke, guitar in hand, strumming and humming a soft tune. Mo walked over and sat next to him. "You ok?" She asked him. Luke looked up and smiled. "Yeah, you remember that song I sang when I met you guys?" He replied. {Chapter 2} Mo nodded. "I still haven"t figured it out. I"m just really stuck." Luke admitted. "Show me what you have so far." Mo told him. Luke shrugged and began to strum again. Baby, get upOpen your eyes now, the world"s waking upYou realize we"ll walk to the beat so suddenlyWhile we make believe that this will last foreverWe won"t sleep "til 3 in the morningThis song speaks, and it"s singing the real thingIt feels like we"re living a dreamBut tonight we"re gonna make this one rightWe"ll set the stage and let the records play on a SaturdayAnd we can dance foreverWe"ll burn the light that makes the city swayWhen we set the stage, we can dance foreverForever, forever, foreverForever, forever, forever, foreverAnd we can dance foreverWe"re crazy enough to feel alive nowYou"ve got the stuff when we arriveWe"ll walk to the beat so suddenlyAnd then you tell me that we could stay togetherWe won"t sleep "til 3 in the morningThis song speaks, and it"s singing the real thingIt feels like we"re living a dreamBut tonight we"re gonna make this one right... "I got another verse in, but I"m stuck again." Luke stated. "Well maybe if you try a different cord..." Mo answered, going behind him. She reached her arms around him and put her hands over his. "Try this." She started to softly sing a few lyrics. We"ll set the stage and let the records play on a SaturdayAnd we can dance foreverWe"ll burn the light that makes the city swayWhen we set the stage, we can dance foreverForever, forever, foreverAnd we can dance foreverForever, forever, forever. Luke laughed. "That"s not bad. How about you come down to the Music Hall a little earlier before practice and we can finish it." He told her. "It"s a date." Mo responded shaking his hand. "Ok, that movie was freaky right?" Wen asked everyone walking out of the living room. They all stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Luke and Mo. Stella smiled as she saw Charlie"s jaw clench. "Well, I think you guys should get going, it"s pretty late." Stella said pushing them out the door. "But it"s only 7 o"clock." Luke reminded. "Yeah, love you guys too, and good bye." She called shutting the door. Stella turned back to the girls. "Ok, now let"s get this party started!" They all cheered. Sorry I didn"t update, I was kinda busy. I"ve been a little stuck lately, but I read in the book when Olivia went to Wen"s house and he wasn"t home, so Sydney offered to do her toenails. I thought I"d use that as the next chapter. If you have any more ideas you want me to add, please tell me. But remember, this is still rated K+ so make sure it"s in that range. I just get a little uncomfortable with M and sometimes T. But, I still love you guys and I"ll update as soon as I can. ~Suki17 Hey guys, I"ve decided to do the Victorious and Lemonade Mouth crossover. It might take awhile, but I will write it sometime. Well, this is chapter 11 and in the book there was a part when Olivia went over to Wen"s house, but he wasn"t home yet. So Sydney suggested they hang out for awhile. That"s what this chapter is about, except it"s with Mo and Stella. I hope you all enjoy! "I will need some sleep eventually you know!" Wen complained. "Oh stop being such a baby!" Stella scoffed. "Easy for you to say, you didn"t get 5 hours of sleep last night!" Wen shot back. Stella rolled her eyes. "Come on Wen, 5 hours? Now you know that wasn"t my fault." "True, but part of it was. Sydney needed our help moving her pottery wheel and where to display her pictures." Wen told her. Stella laughed and walked through the doors of Em"s. "Why are you telling me this? All I did was call you at 7 A.M.wake you up, I didn"t keep you up all night." "Well why did you call at 7? I would"ve gotten the text from Mo saying to come to Em"s myself." Wen reminded. Stella sighed. "Must you take the fun out of everything?" She asked. Em"s had opened 10 minutes ago and there were already 5 tables filled. Emma had her hands full with her tray and notepad, so she didn"t even bother to look up at them. "Hello and welcome to Em"s, how can I help you?" She greeted. Olivia giggled. "Emma, it"s us. We don"t need anything right now." She stated. Emma looked up and smiled when she heard Olivia"s voice. "Um, actually I"d like a Strawberry Splat. Thanks." Charlie quickly jumped in. Emma laughed. "Coming right up." She replied, walking behind the counter and into the kitchen. After she left, Lemonade Mouth started to look around for their bass-playing band mate. They scanned the room and tables, and then everyone spotted her. Mo was sitting on the stage, one leg hanging off the side, playing with the strings of her bass. Everyone"s gaze followed her when she looked up toward a tall, skater-haired boy behind his guitar. "Hey, there"s Luke!" Stella exclaimed. Charlie rolled his eyes. "Oh goody." He muttered. The band apparently didn"t hear him and walked over to the stage. "Hey, what"s up? Why"d you text us to come here "Pronto"?" Wen wondered. Luke glanced up from his guitar and stood up. "Well, Mo and I finally finished "Dance Forever" this morning at the Music Hall and we got kinda bored so we decided to come here to hang out with Emma." He answered. "So?" Charlie asked. "So, when Emma had to get to work, we sat down and wrote a new song." Mo finished. "Awesome, what"s it called?" Stella wondered. "It"s called Song2You and we were going to play it for you guys when everyone got here." Luke told them. "Well what are you waiting for? Start strummin"!" Stella urged. Luke and Mo laughed and started to play. I don"t wear designer clothesI don"t go to the finest schoolsBut, I know I ain"t no fool babyI may not be a starI"m not driving the sickest carBut, I know I can make you happy babyI don"t know what you been used toNever been with a girl like youBut, I can give you a love that"s true toYour heart, not material thingsI"ll give you my songThese words to youSing you what I feelMy soul is true.I don"t have the worldCan"t give it to you girl,But all that I can do (All that I can do)Is give this song to youNah NahNah NahNah NahYeah I know that you are blessedBut there"s something you"re missing yetYour own melody... oh babyI don"t know what you been used toNever been with a girl like youBut, I can give you a love that"s true toYour heart, not material things(Mo)I"ll give you my songThese words to youSing you what I feelMy soul is true (My soul is true)I don"t have the worldCan"t give it to you girl (can"t give it too you girl)But all that I can do (All that I can do)Is give this song to youI"ll give you my heart, my song, my words baby (Give this song to you)What I can say, I"ll sing it. (Give this song to you)Oh, Oooh, Oooooh (Give this song to you)I"ll give my song and the rest to you baby, babySing you what I feel, my soul is trueI"ll give you my song (Song)These words to you (Words)Sing you what I feel (Yeahh)My soul is true x2I don"t have the worldCan"t give it to you girlBut all that I can do (All that I can do)Is give this song to you!

The three looked down to the end of the corridor waiting for their rebellious friend. "Come on Stella! We really want to see your outfit!" Olivia called. Stella grunted and opened her door. Olivia and Sydney gasped, and Mo just smiled smugly. Stella was wearing light pink dress that had vertical ruffles on the top, and a few on the bottom. She had her red laced boots back on, which made her look hilarious. "Did you and Mo switch clothes?" Olivia asked, causing Mo to laugh. Stella sighed. "No, she made me try this on for our next concert." She answered. "Oh, when is this concert?" Sydney wondered. "Um, next week at the Music Hall. Mrs. Reznik is letting us have a few big performances there." Olivia answered. "That"s great! Would it be ok if I come?" Sydney asked. "Of course! We would love to have you there!" Mo replied. Sydney smiled at the three of them. "Anyway, I figured Stella needed a softer look, so she needed some regular clothes." Mo explained. Stella opened her mouth to speak, but she cut her off. "That are not ripped our torn!" Stella"s shoulders slumped and she sighed again. "Oh, I got an idea! How about we have a little fashion show and record it for the boys." Sydney suggested. "That"ll be fun guys! Come on." Olivia pleaded. Her and Sydney both did "Puppy Dog Eyes" "Fine, but as long as I can wear the clothes of my choice, I"m happy." Stella stated. The girls agreed and went back inside their rooms while Sydney got her phone ready. "Alright, everybody ready?" She called. There were various "Yeses!' and Yeps!"s in the hallway. "Ok, here we go. I"m Sydney Gifford and I"m here live at Debra"s getting ready for a fashion show featuring the Lemonade Mouth girls; Stella, Olivia, and Mo. Oh look! Here comes Stella now!" Right on cue, Stella opened her door and walked out into the hall. "There she is in her stunning, yet cute, style." Sydney pointed the camera toward Stella, who did some real wacky poses. She was wearing blue colored jeans, a bright white tee with a black butterfly print on the front, with lots of colorful paint spatters all over. She had a grey jean vest over, which was un-zipped. Stella also had a single hand glove that went all up her arm. She tried her best to model walk back to her room, but it didn"t work out too well. Instead, Stella tripped over her own feet and ,luckily, Mo was standing by her. She caught her by the arm, but just barely. Mo grunted at the weight and surprise. Right after, everyone burst out laughing. Mo then helped Stella back to the door and ran into her own room to quickly get changed. "And now our beautiful Indian Princess; Mohini!" Sydney announced. Then Mo entered the hallway. She had a short black dress with three ruffles at the skirt. What really made it cool was that it had a ton of yellow, blue, and pink paint splatters everywhere. There was a black Fedora covering the top of her long dark hair, with a ribbon around it, holding a small peacock feather. Mo had two wrist bands on, but they were up by the top of her arm. One was piano keys, and the other one had four strings, representing her bass. She twirled around a few times and the girls applauded. "Well today seems to be a paint splatter day. Very creative and unique." Sydney said into the camera. Stella chuckled and walked around her in circles. "Not bad Princess, not bad. I especially love the hat and peacock feather." She stated holding the one in her hair up. "Thanks Stella, I think." Mo replied. They all turned to the next door. "Ok, Olivia! Blow us away!" Mo shouted. You could hear Olivia take a quick deep breathe. Then she swung the door wide open, walked out, and struck a pose. She was wearing a Fedora, similar to Mo"s, but a different color. Hers was white and it matched her T-shirt. It had a picture of a heart and read; Is All We Need. She had light colored jeans, which were slightly ripped at the knees, and a rose printed scarf hung loosely around her neck. "Here comes our gorgeous Olivia, wearing her soft, but bold choice of outfit." Sydney exclaimed. Olivia smiled and did a quick walk down the corridor. She walked back and Sydney turned back to her phone. "I"m Sydney Gifford, and you just experienced the greatest fashion show of your life. Stay tuned for more Lemonade Mouth action with the girls." She said. She then shut the camera off and looked back at the girls. "And that"s a wrap!" She cheered pulling them in for a hug. The girls laughed and went to get changed into their normal clothes. After they came out, Mo started pulling Stella toward the cash register. "Come on, you are totally buying that dress." "No I"m not!" Stella answered, trying to get free. But Mo"s grip was too strong. "Yes you are!" Mo said laughing a little. Olivia and Sydney chuckled at the scene. "Are you guys always hanging out like this?" She asked. Olivia nodded. "All the time. Thanks for taking us today Sydney, it means a lot." Olivia thanked her. Sydney cocked her head. "Why is that?" "It"s just, I"ve never really been shopping with my mom because we didn"t have enough time together. And what girl likes to go shopping with their dad all the time? I"m just saying that you really remind me of the mom I"ll never have again." Olivia started to tear up. Sydney quickly put her arm around her. "Sweetie it"s ok. I loved doing this with you girls today, and we"ll do it again soon I promise. If it makes you feel any better, you can always referrer to me as your mom ok?" She smiled. Olivia wiped her eyes and smiled back. "Thanks Sydney, you"re really sweet." She whispered. Sydney kissed the top of her head like a mother would do. All the sudden, Mo and Stella came back. "Hey guys, I found those cool guitar pick necklaces and picked Luke up one. It even has his name on it and everything!" Stella stated showing them. "And I picked Charlie out a shirt with a drum set on it." Mo added pulling it out of the bag. "That"s great guys, but I need to ask you one thing..." Olivia started. Mo and Stella looked at her confused. "Where did you find those awesome wrist bands Mo?" Mo laughed and sighed with relief. "Come on, I"ll show you!" She exclaimed, pulling her toward the rack. Ok, I know it"s a little long, but I tried to fit it all in. And I failed, because this is only part 1 of 2. The next chapter is when the girls go to a couple more stores and then they go home and do other stuff. Then Wen and the guys walk in and that leads to some trouble between him and Olivia. Well I love you guys and I"ll see you all soon! ~Suki17 Hey guys, I saw someone else do this for their chapters on another Lemonade Mouth story and I thought it would be more useful for you guys. And I"m so, so sorry I didn"t update! And any last minute ideas are needed! Summary: Ok, here"s chapter 12 and part two of 3 Musketeers Plus One! It"s about the girls" other adventures in the mall and a certain fight Olivia gets into at the end. It might be a little shorter than before, but I hope you guys like it! Couples: {Romance} WenXOlivia, MoXCharlie, a little StellaXLuke {Friendship} OliviaXStellaXMo, OliviaXSydneyXMoXStella {Family} SydneyXOlivia "Ugh! Brain freeze!" Stella cried, grasping her head. Olivia laughed. "That"s what you get for eating it so fast!" Sydney had taken them to a frozen yogurt shop inside the mall. They had a total of 20 flavors, Stella counted, tons of flavored syrups, and way too many toppings to keep track of. Sydney got the Cake Batter with a little Cookies and Cream mixed in. She put marshmallow cream on the top and a few strawberries. Stella immediately poured the Dark Delight {Dark chocolate} into her cup and drowned it in caramel sauce. She then topped a bunch of chocolate chips over, followed by cookie dough chunks. Olivia got a simple vanilla and strawberry with rainbow sprinkles and white chocolate syrup. Mo"s was more of a tropical mix. She had coconut, pineapple, and mango mixed together with blueberries and cherries. Stella had instantly started gulping down her frozen yogurt only to be thanked by a Brain freeze. "Put your thumb on the roof of your mouth!" Mo suggested. Stella did as she said and her shoulders slumped, relaxed. "Awww!" She sighed with relief, causing Sydney to laugh. "You girls are so much fun. I"m glad we did this today." She stated. "We are too Sydney. And thanks again for buying us yogurt." Mo replied. "Well I should treat my girls right don"t you agree?" Sydney joked. The girls laughed and continued walking. "So what songs are you going to be playing at your concerts at the Music Hall?" Sydney asked. "We don"t really know yet. We haven"t taken a vote with the band, so we need to wait for that." Olivia answered. All the sudden, Stella nudged Mo in the arm to get her attention. "Hey, check out that store over there." She motioned over to an Indian culture store. It had elephant statues, running water stone fountains, various silks and pillows, and cloaks and wraps in the window display. "Do you really wear those kinds of things in India?" Olivia asked. Mo nodded. "From the wraps to the piles and piles of jewelry. But there are certain clothing arrangements for a woman when her parents finally find a suitor and they happen to sell them here." She answered. "No offence, but I don"t think I"d like the idea of my parents picking the guy to marry for me." Stella stated. Mo chuckled. "Neither did my parents. That"s why they moved here when I was a baby and my sister was maybe 4." "I never knew you had a sister." Olivia looked up from the windowsill and over at her friend. "Yeah, her name"s Ameena. She"s in college now, but I think she"s doing ok. My parents don"t talk about her that much, but they call her every once in awhile." Mo told her. They were still staring at the window display and you could tell by Stella"s tapping of her foot and shifting her weight from one leg to the other that she was getting impatient. When she finally couldn"t take it anymore, she let out a loud sigh. "Don"t just stand there, come on!" She said pulling them all by the arms. "Stella! Wait a second!" Mo tried to get out of her grasp, but Stella didn"t listen. She just kept trudging toward the back of the store, ignoring the complaints and odd glances she was getting from fellow customers. Then she let Mo, Olivia, and Sydney go. "Stella! You can"t just run through a store like that! That could get us kicked out." Mo scolded, rubbing her wrist. "But you know a bunch of people here don"t you?" Stella asked. "Yeah, I"ve know Hasita and Shari forever." Mo replied. "Why?" "Then why would they kick you out? You"re practically family here." Stella stated. Mo rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don"t do anything stupid while I"m getting changed." She warned. "Ok, I promise to contain my stupidness." Stella pledged holding up one hand while trying to stifle a laugh. Mo shot her a look and left to find a piece of Indian clothing she liked. After she was gone, Sydney laughed. "You really know how to push people"s buttons don"t you?" She joked. Stella shrugged and smiled. "It"s a gift." She simply said. "Well "Oh Gifted One" let"s leave Mo at peace for a few minutes and wait for her outside the Dressing Rooms." Olivia stated pushing her towards the books and posters. A few minutes later, Mo unlatched the lock on her door and stepped out, causing the other girls to look up from the giant picture of the Taj Mahal. Olivia gasped. "Oh Mo, you look great!" She gushed. "You say about everything I try one Olivia!" Olivia giggled. "That"s because it"s true. So is this what you would wear to a wedding in India?" Mo nodded. "Then who are you marrying, Charlie?" Stella teased. Mo laughed. "No, this is what you would probably wear if you were one of the Bride"s Maids. Instead of having matching dresses, you would have just different colors instead." She explained. "I love the idea of that. If I had an Indian wedding, Stella would wear red, Mo would wear blue, and Olivia would wear purple or maybe pink depending on what she"d like most." Sydney stated. "Awww, we"d be your Bride"s Maids?" Mo asked. "Of course, now let"s give our Indian Princess some time to pay for her beautiful foreign outfit and we"ll be on our way." Sydney replied smiling. "Oh, I"m not buying this." "You"re not? I thought you loved it." Olivia reminded. "I do, but my dad just got used to me being myself and if he saw this in my closet, things would just go back to the way they were." Mo said, trying to contain a frown. "To the way they were, meaning never being you." Stella nodded in understanding. "Exactly." Mo sighed. "Hey, speaking of your dad, where has he been? I haven"t seen him around your house at all." Stella added. "He"s gone visiting some old friends and family. He should be back in a few days." "That"s great Mo! You can finally tell him about your scholar ship and audition!" Olivia exclaimed. Mo nodded quietly, but didn"t respond. "Well anyways, I was thinking about what we should do f-uh!" Olivia started, but she was suddenly smack in the head with something hard, which knocked her over. "Olivia!" The girls cried. "Liv, are you ok?" Stella asked, helping her to her feet. Olivia let out a small groan, but she nodded. "Yeah, I"m fine." She said rubbing her throbbing head. "Oh my!" The woman shouted, hurrying over to her. "I am so sorry sweetie! Are you alright?" Olivia smiled weakly. "I"m ok, accidents happen." She reassured. "Well that true, but that painting was pretty thick, are you sure your head"s ok?" The woman asked again. Olivia looked down until she found her nametag. It read: Hasita. But Olivia quickly looked up when she saw her worried eyes. She repeated that she was fine and started talking with the kind woman. She didn"t look a day over 34. "So what"s the painting?" Olivia asked trying to change the subject. Hasita smiled and picked it back up. "Oh, it"s our newest portrait. It"s the Hindu god of prosperity..." She started, her gaze falling to Mo. "It"s Ganesh, right?" She jumped in. Hasita smiled and nodded pleased. "That"s right. Isn"t he beautiful?" She showed them the picture of an elephant with golden skin and very complex jewelry layered all over his head and body. "This has to be one of the most breathtaking things I"ve seen all day." Sydney gasped. "I know, Shari and I would stare at it for hours when we were little." Mo stated. "Hey, where is Shari anyway?" She asked Hasita. "She"s working the register today; you can go talk to her if you want." Hasita said pointing over to the middle of the store. Mo nodded and headed over with the Olivia and Stella behind her while Sydney talked with Hasita. Mo walked up behind Shari when she pinched her arm. Shari jumped back in surprise and then sighed with relief when she saw it was only Mo. "Come here Monu." She laughed pulling her in for a hug. Shari was a very pretty girl. She had long, shiny black hair with small blue flowers in it. She was wearing a long blue skirt with a few Indian prints on it and a black shirt with white short-sleeve jacket over. {Like Mo"s when she was playing her violin in the movie} They started talking until Shari giggled and pointed behind her. "Monu, aren"t you going to introduce me to your friends?" Shari asked. "Oh, right! Sorry. Shari, this is Olivia, our lead singer for Lemonade Mouth. And this is Stella, our lead guitarist of the band and over here," Mo walked over to Sydney and put her arm around her, "Is our keyboardist"s stepmom and our new best friend." She joked pulling Sydney in for a side hug. "Right, you"re all in that new popular band Lemonade Mouth." Shari recalled. Everyone nodded. "I love your music! Would you mind signing my C.D.?" Shari asked with a hopeful look in her eyes. Stella laughed. "We"d love to." She answered. Shari smiled brightly and fished for her album in her bag. Stella, Olivia, and Mo all signed it with a black sharpie marker Stella always kept in her pocket "Just in case." She says. Afterwards, Mo said goodbye to Hasita and Shari and left the store. When they were finally out of ear shot, Sydney snickered. "Well, Shari seemed like a big fan of you girls. Lemonade Mouth is really getting popular." She stated. "I know it"s great! I can"t wait until our concert at the Music Hall, the place will be packed!" Stella replied excitedly. "I bet. I"ll make sure to get there early to get a good seat." Sydney answered. The girls were just about to head home. There were about 5 more stores until they were at the exit. They were all pretty tired and barely pushing themselves along with all their bags. At the second to last store, Stella stopped abruptly. "What"s wrong?" Olivia wondered. Stella nodded to her left, where a small store called Sam"s Old Music Shop was. "Stella, we barley have enough energy to make it to the Parking Lot and you want to go in there?" "Oh come on! We went to all your guys" favorite stores! Now it"s Miss Yamada"s turn." Stella replied crossing her arms and standing her ground. Mo sighed. "She"s got a point; we did go to Hasita"s store and then Debra"s. And plus, I need a new bass." She said the last part quickly and as quiet as she could. "What, why?" Olivia asked. "Stella, you remember how Luke says: "Stella, if you don"t hurry up, I"ll cut your guitar strings" or something like that?" Mo reminded. Stella chuckled. "Oh yeah, he"s pulls that card at least 20 times." Mo laughed with her. "Yeah..." Her face suddenly went dead serious, "He actually did that." "No way!" Mo nodded. "Yep, one day I was taking my time getting stuff from my locker and next thing you know, I have two broken bass strings when I get to practice." She explained. Stella burst out laughing. "You poor thing! I always thought he was bluffing!" She exclaimed. "Nope, so watch out from now on." Mo warned. The girls laughed. "Alright, Stella we can go into the Music store, but not for too long. The boys will be home really soon." Sydney told her checking her watch. "It"s a deal. Now let"s go! I have my eye on a lime green ukulele in the back!" Stella cried, pulling them along. And like a child on Christmas morning, Stella grabbed the ukulele down from shelf and started strumming it. "I don"t know where I"m going I don"t know where I"d like to be I cannot see beyond this moment But let this moment swallow me." She sang. "And I- I"m singing a new song I-I"m singing a new song I-I"m singing a new song I"m singing a new song." Stella stopped strumming and struck a weird rock star pose. "Stella, who knew you could play songs like that!" Olivia exclaimed. "Stella shrugged. "You"re not the only one with talent." She simply replied smiling. "Apparently not." "Well, I"ll be back soon. I"m going to check out the bass prices." Mo stated waving to them as she walked in the other direction. Stella seemed quite interested in the ukulele, so Sydney and Olivia explored the store for a few minutes. "So how have you and Wen been doing?" Olivia asked her. "Better than before. Now he can tolerate being in a 10 foot radius of me." Sydney joked. Olivia laughed. "Don"t worry, he"ll come around." She reassured. "Thanks Liv. I have to say, even if you are almost 10 years younger than me, you"re still one of the best friends I"ve ever had." Sydney put her arm around Olivia"s shoulders. "You too. Do you by chance have any musical experience?" Sydney giggled. "A little, why?" She answered. "Maybe you could help me write a song sometime." Olivia offered. "I"d love to." Sydney smiled at her. Just then, Stella rushes over with a bright yellow bag in her hand. She was smiling like a maniac. "Guys, guess what?" She almost screamed. "Sam gave me the ukulele, a yellow case, and an actual amp fir a whole 40 bucks!" Olivia gave her a confused look. "Do they even make amps for ukuleles?" She wondered. Stella shrugged. "I guess so!" She was so happy that she didn"t even notice Mo walk back empty-handed. "Didn"t find a bass?" Sydney asked her. Mo shook her head. "Just a little out of my price range, but I"ll definitely be back." "Oh, girls we gotta get going! Norman and the boys will be home in less than 30 minutes!" Sydney told them. The girls grabbed all their things and made a dash for Sydney"s car in the Parking Lot. Sydney managed to get the girls home before the boys even walked through the door. It was pretty good timing considering she let Olivia drive. And of course, as always, Norman, Wen, and the boys were late, so they had about 26 minutes to spare. SO the girls wouldn"t be bored, Sydney pulled out her toenail polish and painted their nails. Olivia chose a really light pink with a small rose sticker, Stella, of course, got hers painted bright red with black stripes and a skull sticker, and Mo had hers painted a dark green with a few twirls of black paint. Who knew Sydney was such a great artist? She even showed them a few of her drawing from when she was in college taking her photography classes. "Hey, maybe I could draw a portrait of each of you sometime." She said. The girls happily agreed that they do it next Saturday, when the boys would be seeing a movie. "That trick he did was unreal!" Charlie cried, walking into the house with the rest of the guys.

"That"s fine, we kinda expected that anyway." He answered. "Alright, then follow us." Broseph stated as he and Reef led the two boys up to their old room. They opened the door and ushered them inside. Jay and Danny stopped and looked around. "Hmm, better than I expected." Jay said picking up his bags and tossing them onto one of the beds. Reef and Broseph exchanged confused glances. "Really? You thought it would actually be worse than this?" Danny nodded. "Course we did. This place is tons better that being stuck at my house, totally bored out of my mind all summer. And it has walking distance from the beach! Walking distance man! I have to walk two miles just to reach the waves." He flopped onto a bed with a soft "thump". "Awww, I could get used to this." Danny sighed with pleasure. All the sudden, the guys heard a high-pitched laughter. Broseph and Reef smiled smugly. "New girls! Nice!" They said, going through their usual hand-shake routine. The guys all headed downstairs to see Fin, Lo, and a girl with another guy behind her talking with them. "Well it"s nice to meet you. I"m Fin and this is Lo." Fin greeted shaking the girl"s hand. The girl had long brown hair, pulled up into a high pony-tail. She was pretty tan and had chocolate brown eyes. She was wearing a light pink tee, like Emma"s, but with a hot pink Hawaiian Flower on the front, worn out jeans, and there were glasses upon her face. The only thing that was strange is that the glasses didn"t have lenses in them, but they looked really good. They gave her a certain "Brainy" heir. The girl giggled. "Thanks, and I"m Audrey, Audrey Vega. That"s my friend Tony over there." Audrey pointed to a boy with black, shaggy skater hair that covered just the corner of his hazel eyes. He had a brown shirt with a plain short sleeve white t-shirt with a black hoodie, half zipped, over. He had dark blue board shorts and sandals, with a seashell necklace around his neck. He was carrying two duffle bags, one black and the other army green. Under his arm was a blue surf board with black wave graphics. "Hey, um... where should I put these?" Tony asked. "Upstairs, second door to your left." Reef instructed. Tony nodded in response and headed up the stairs. He heard them creek and he stepped back. Tony looked toward the others. "Should I be worried?" Fin laughed. "No, they"ve been doing that forever. You"ll be fine." She reassured. Tony slowly nodded and he began climbing the creaking stairs again. "Sorry about him, he"s just kinda paranoid." Audrey stated. "It"s cool. So, where are you staying?" Lo wondered. Audrey shrugged. "I actually don"t know. Isn"t there some sort of rooming decision the boss makes?" She asked. "Probably. We"ll find out after everyone gets here." Fin replied. Audrey smiled and picked her bags up. The girls headed into the kitchen to set her things down. 2 Hours Later: The girls, plus Tony, were laughing like crazy while Audrey told them the time her sister forgot her keys in her car and had to call their dad to come pick them up. "So we were at this frozen yogurt shop and we were just coming out. I turned to Daniela and asked her to unlock the car doors. She nodded and fished for them in her back pocket where she always keeps them. All the sudden her eyes go wide and she franticly checking everyone of her pockets. I ask her what"s wrong and she screams "I can"t find the keys!" So after about 15 minutes of looking through her bag, we look into the windows and see her car keys on the dash. She tried to stick her hand through the slightly cracked window, but then her arm got stuck, so that"s when I called my dad." Audrey told them. "Oh, I would hate that! How"d she get her car keys out?" Lo asked. "Our dad took a metal hanger and bent it into a little handle type thing, and he picked them up by the key-ring. After that, we"ve never stopped teasing her about it." Audrey answered. Everyone chuckled again. "Come on Tors, we"re almost there!" A voice called from outside. All new and old Groms walked outside to see three girls coming up the path toward them. One had long brown hair that went a little past mid-back, her bangs fell in her face, covering a large amount of her dark, almost black, eyes. She was wearing a short light brown dress that went just above her knees with a bunch of white Hawaiian flowers on the side. She had floral white lace leggings under that were a little past her knees with a simple sandal. There was a small seashell tied to a soft braided string and a headband wrapped around her forehead. {Hippie Look} She carried two ocean blue bags and a light green surfboard with a sea turtle in the middle. Another girl had long wavy brunette hair with slight red streaks. She had a bright smile and lively cheekbones. She was wearing a black tank top with a purple and black plaid shirt that was un-buttoned over it. She had dark jeans and black and white cowgirl boots. She was carrying a purple suitcase and a brow velvet messenger bag. Strange thing was, she didn"t have a surfboard with her. Then there was the girl to the far right. She had medium length blonde hair with blue mixed in. {Basically, wide blue highlights everywhere.} It was pulled back into a messy pony-tail. She had sparkly ice blue eyes, similar to Jay"s but more lively. She was wearing a black t-shirt with the word "Dreamer" written across in light blue letters {Blue is like her color} and white jean shorts that looked like they were cut at the bottom. There was a prideful smirk on her face and she had two duffel bags along with her shoulder back-pack and maroon colored surfboard. They all approached the Staff House and the Groms. "Nice shirt." Fin looked at the blonde. She nodded. "Thanks, I made it myself." "Really, that"s awesome!" Fin complimented. "I could teach you how, if you"d like." The blonde offered. "Cool, I"m Fin by the way." Fin stretched out her hand. "I"m Monica Tyler, but call me Monni." Monni said shaking Fin"s hand. "Monni, huh? I like it. Love the hair too." Fin added. "You know, it wouldn"t look bad on you." Monni stated, playing with Fin"s hair. "Well I"m getting it cut later today. Wanna come?" Fin asked. "Sure, you"ll need some company at those places. They take forever in there just to do highlights!" Monni told her. "I know!" Fin laughed. "I think we"ll get along just fine this summer." Monni smiled. "Oh, I totally forgot! Everyone, this is the lovely and sweet Tori Knight!" She motioned over to the brunette in the plaid shirt. She waved. "And this is the beautiful, down-to-Earth gal, Brayla Anderson!" Monni announced pointing to the girl with the Hippie Look. Brayla smiled and started shaking everyone"s hand. "Hi," She said when she came to Broseph. "Um... hi." He replied, a dreamy look in his eyes. Brayla giggled and moved on to Jay and Danny. Reef leaned over to Broseph. "You know, I actually thought the new girls would look a lot different this summer." He whispered. "That Tori chick"s not bad, but way too shy for me." "Well she"s all yours anyway." Broseph whispered back. Reef gave him a weird look and waved his hand in front of his face. When Broseph didn"t move, Reef followed his gaze to what he was staring at. His eyes suddenly went wide. "Oh no, no way man!" He started freaking out. "Not Miss Hippie over there! You don"t even know her!" "Yeah, and neither do you." Broseph shot back. "But we"re player"s man! We don"t tie ourselves up to just one girl, we leave them hanging until they come and chase us! We don"t chase them!" Reef reminded. Broseph rolled his eyes and ignored him. Lo quietly walked up to Tori and smiled. "Um excuse me, but why don"t you have a surfboard?" She asked softly. "Oh, I don"t have one." Tori simply stated. Everyone gasped. "What?" "Oh, you poor unprivileged child! That"s it, we are taking you board shopping first thing in the morning, no "buts" "ifs" or anything." Lo commanded. Tori laughed. "Ok, ok, I"ll go. No need to worry." She agreed. "Great, now let"s get you girls unpacked before Lo makes us go shopping the whole day tomorrow." Fin joked. Everyone laughed and headed upstairs. "You guys are going to love the waves here! They are amazing!" Fin told them, pulling one of Monni"s bags along with her. "She"s right, it"s gorgeous! Tomorrow we"ll go-" Lo swung the door open to her a grunt and a thump. She looked behind to see Danny on the ground, rubbing his sore head. She gasped. "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! Can I get you anything? Water, ice?" She rambled, helping him to his feet. "How about another room?" Fin smirked. "What are you talking about? We were assigned to this room." Danny answered. "No, this is room 202, this was our room last year and it"ll be the girl"s room this year." Fin explained. "Girl"s room? No, no, no, you got it all wrong. This is the Guys" room, Reef said so." Jay stated. Fin sighed. "Reef, I should"ve known. So what does this mean? The girls all have to share one whole room together?" She asked. The boys shrugged. "That"s the stupidest thing I"ve ever heard! There are 7 girls here already and more to come! There are two other rooms for the guys and with Johnny gone; Reef and Broseph have two extra beds!" Fin yelled. "Look, we"re just following what the Staff House Director says. We don"t make the rules, Reef does." Danny told her. "The Staff House Director? Ok, that"s it! He"s dead!" Fin shouted spinning around on her heels. "Fin wait, beating Reef up won"t do us any good." Lo said, pulling her back. "Then what will?" Fin wondered. Lo smiled smugly. "Oh believe me, I"ve got it covered." She reassured. Fin sighed again. "Well until then, you guys will be rooming with us. I guess some of us can sleep on the couch and some on the floor." She said walking up yet another flight of stairs. Most of the Groms were downstairs either in the kitchen or out on the deck. The deck, happened to be reserved by the girls, and the kitchen was where the guys were eating a late lunch or early dinner. "Aren"t you hungry Tony? All the other guys are." Lo asked him. Tony shook his head. "There is no way I"m eating in there with those animals." He replied. "Besides, you guys are way more fun to hang out with." "Awww! You are so sweet!" Lo gushed, hugging Tony with the rest of the girls. He laughed and hugged back. All the sudden, the loud sound of a revved up motor filled their ears. The girls let go of Tony and the guys all ran out onto the deck. "All right! Finally, another guy!" Reef cheered. The rider pulled the key out of their cherry red Yamaha. They pulled off the dark, shiny black helmet to reveal a head full of long, wavy blonde hair. The girl hopped off her motorcycle and smiled. She was almost totally dressed in leather. She had a blank tank top, big black laced boots, dark shades, ripped jeans, and a leather jacket that was half way zipped with a dog tag around her neck. All the guys" mouths hit the floor except Tony"s. Monni noticed their looks and leaned over to Fin. "Are they always like this?" She asked. Fin nodded. "Pretty much, yeah." She answered, laughing as Monni made a disgusted look. "Hey, I"m Sophie Davison. How you all doing?" She greeted. No one replied immediately. "You"re a-a g-g-g," Reef stuttered. "Yes she"s a girl so now you can leave her alone." Fin snapped putting her around Sophie. "Hi, I"m Fin and I"d really like to stick around and get to know you better, but I have some hair to chop off." She patted her on the back and walked off with Monni behind her. "Ok then," Lo said watching her friends leave. She turned back toward Sophie. "Sorry about that." She apologized. Sophie shrugged. "It"s fine, I"m used to it. I lived with 4 brothers for 12 years, I think I can handle this place." She answered. Lo smiled. "Come on, you"ll have to share with us until we get this whole rooming thing squared away." She stated, looping her arm with Sophie"s and pulling her up the stairs. Later that Night: It was about 11: 45 at night and Fin and managed to sneak out of her overly crowded room, down the creaky stairs, and into the kitchen. She sulked over to the freezer and pulled out a small pint of Cookie Dough ice cream from her special hiding place where she kept her late night snacks. She pulled out a bowl from the cabinet, along with some chocolate syrup and began to make her little sundae. Fin was just about to drown it in chocolate, when she heard a familiar voice. "Hungry?" It asked. Fin gasped and jumped around, still holding the bottle. From all the pressure sent from her hand, the chocolate went flying at the surpriser"s face. The liquid dripped down Reef"s cheeks and from his hair. Fin put the bottle back on the counter. "I am so sorry!" "Are you really?" Reef asked. "Yes, kinda, sorta, no. Not really." Fin laughed. Reef laughed with her. "That"s what I thought. Pass me a towel." He replied. Fin did as he said and started making two bowls of ice cream. She handed one to him and they both sat down at the table. "So what are you doing down here so late anyway?" Reef wondered. "I should the one asking that don"t ya think? Why are you down here, trying to scare me to death?" Fin answered his question with a question of her own. "Well I asked you first." Reef reminded. "I asked you second." Fin shot back. Reef laughed again and rolled his eyes. "I was down here because Broseph was snoring way too loud and I couldn"t sleep so I came to chill down here. There I told you my part of the story." He told her. "I was down here because I couldn"t sleep either, I was bored of staring at the ceiling for the past 2 hours, and I remembered I have a secret little stash of stuff down here in the freezer, so I came down here expecting to be alone." She said eyeing him. "What, so you don"t want my company?" Reef asked. "Well usually I"d say get lost but since it"s too late to argue, I guess you"re ok." Fin responded. Reef nodded and they let a short silence take them over while they finished their ice cream off. He took Fin"s bowl and his own, and put them both in the sink. "You know, I can"t believe I"m saying this, but I actually missed you Betty." He stated. "Thanks, I think. I actually missed you too." Fin answered. Reef smiled, only to catch himself. What was he doing? He wasn"t supposed to be nice to Fin, let alone hang out with her. He was just telling Broseph how not to let one girl tie you down. How to keep moving from one fish to another in the sea. He just said that! And yet here he was, talking to the girl he"s been rivals with since the day they"d met. Man, could life get crazy sometimes. Ok, I know chapter 2 was pretty long, but that isn"t all the OC"s yet. I know you"re probably like: "How many does she have?" but there"s only a few more. And yes, I did base Tori off of Tori Vega from Victoriousa bit. But Emma will finally enter in the next chapter! And Johnny"s not "gone" he"s still works at the hotel, but you"ll find out about him in chapter 4. Well, I hope you all enjoyed and please let me know if you have any ideas for later chapters! Tell me what you think! Who should date who, if I should have certain characters in certain chapters, your favorite character, anything! ~Suki17 Hi guys, sorry I didn"t update sooner but I"ve been having a ton of writer"s block and it kinda sucks. But I"m back now and this chapter is when are wonderful clumsy {Not for long!} red head comes into the picture along with a certain bad-boy. I loved writing this, and I hope you all like it! "What!" All the guys yelled in panic. Bummer shook his head. "Sorry Beach Bums, but Room 202 now belongs to the girls again." He told them. "What?" Broseph and Reef screamed, exchanging a panicked look. "B-but can"t you change it back? Come on, me and Broseph were just getting used to being on our own! Haven"t you ever had a buddy and wanted just to hang out and do nothing?" Reef asked. Bummer stopped to think for a few seconds. "Nope." He then replied flatly. "And no changes. Girls get their two rooms and so do you." He added, before walking away ignoring them totally. Reef sighed. "Why do good things always happen to bad people?" He whined, referring to Fin and the girls. Broseph shrugged. "It"s probably Karma." He answered. Reef rolled his eyes. "I don"t see what the big deal is. We get two rooms and the girls get two rooms, what"s the problem?" Jay asked. "Because that"s showing them we"re all equal!" Reef shouted. "But aren"t we?" Reef sighed again and rubbed his temples. " I have so much to teach you about the girls in our Staff House." He said, putting a hand on Jay and Danny"s backs, pushing them out the door. But on their way out, they passed by a very attractive teen girl. She was wearing black shorts with a red belt and a dark purple shirt and in scarlet letters it said: Surfer Girl. Her hair was half up {Her bangs was pulled back} and it was a very deep red, almost black. She had a few lighter red highlights probably from the sun and bright, lively cobalt eyes that could light up a room. There was a small white stone necklace around her slender neck and a few bracelets around her wrists. Her skin was healthy looking and she was about the height of Fin, maybe even a little taller. She was carrying two fair sized duffel bags and a light pink surfboard with a Hawaiian flower on it. "Hi," Tony said with a smile on his face. Reef nudged him in the ribs, causing Tony to wince in pain. "Ow, what was that for?" He whispered. "That"s not how you do it." Reef whispered back. He plastered a wacky side smile on his face and winked at the girl. "Hey," He greeted in a fake deeper voice. The girl giggled. "Hi." She said quickly. Reef could"ve sworn he"d heard that voice before but he couldn"t be sure. So he decided to forget it. Tony rolled his eyes as Reef gave the girl another stupid look. "Come on Lover Boy." He snapped, pushing Reef out the door. "Poor girl." He muttered under his breath. The girl laughed again after they were gone. She then headed for the front desk where a dark skinned guy with his back turned to her stood. She gave him a little tap o the shoulder and he glanced back at her. The boy quickly put down what he was doing and turned toward her. "Welcome to Surfer"s Paradise! We are Surfing!" He greeted with a wide smile. "Hello sir, I"d like to check in." "Of course, here"s your key and you"ll be staying in room 517 on the 5th floor. And I"m Johnny if you ever need anything." Johnny handed her a small gold-colored key with a whale figure on the bottom. The girl tried her best, but she couldn"t hold it in anymore. She just bursts out laughing right there, leaning on the desk for support. Johnny gave her a puzzled look. "Excuse me ma"am, I don"t mean to be rude but... what are you laughing at?" He wondered. "You!" "Me? What did I do?" "Johnny, it"s me, Emma." She told him. Johnny"s eye-brows furrowed and he shook his head. "No way, Emma looks nothing like you." He stated. Emma put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? Well who else knows you slept with your teddy bear until you were 13?" She shot back. Johnny"s eyes widened. "I can"t believe it. Emma, is that really you?" He asked. Emma nodded eagerly. All the sudden, Johnny laughed. "Emma!" He walked around the counter and gave her a hug. "You look so different!" Emma giggled. "Thanks, you look great too." Her eyes wandered on his desk until she came across a small picture frame with a girl with brown hair and it was pulled back into a pony-tail. "Who"s that?" She asked. Johnny looked down to try and hide a smile, but Emma could still see it slightly. "Oh, that"s my girlfriend Mara." He prepared for what was coming and smiled when it came. "Awww! She"s so cute!" Emma gushed. Johnny laughed. "Thanks, she actually-" But he was cut off by the loud sound of yelling. "JOHNNY! Stopped mingling with the pretty guest and get back to work!" Bummer screamed. Emma sighed. "Same old Bummer?" "Yep." Johnny replied. "And did he just call me pretty?" Emma asked, her eyes wide. Johnny chuckled. "Yes, yes he did. But I think it"s because he didn"t recognize you." He reminded. "Johnny!" He sighed. "Well, I gotta go. My job might be on the line." "Ok, so I"ll see you later at the Staff House." Emma stated. "Actually, you won"t. I got an apartment e few blocks away and Bummer says because I have a place of my own means he won"t have to pay to feed me." Johnny told her. "Feed you what? Pink slop?" Emma joked. The two laughed. " Then I"ll see you when we all start working again." "That you will." Johnny added. Emma chuckled and looked over her shoulder. "And Johnny, don"t save me this time. I can take care of myself." She whispered, leaving a very confused Johnny behind. {If you don"t get it, message me.} Emma turned to her bags and leaned over to pick them up by the handles, along with getting her surfboard. But when she stood back up, she bumped into someone from behind. "Oh, I"m so sorry!" She cried, jumping around. But before she could see who she hit, they were already replying. "No it"s my fault. That"s what I get for being so absorbed in my video camera." Emma knew that voice. She turned around to see one of her best friend"s older brother. "I"m Ty." He looked down at her bags. "Staff House?" He asked. Emma nodded, not knowing what else to do. Ty laughed. "Here, let me help." He offered, before taking a bag out of Emma"s hands. "So you must be new."

"That"s because Reef"s an idiot sometimes. But you forget Ty; I have the gift of making friends." Lo replied, batting her eyelashes. "I figured that out from the kids you babysat last year." Ty smirked. "I told you! They were EVIL!" Lo shouted, stomping her foot on the hard floor. Ty laughed and left to pick something up from the DR. Later that Day: "Hey Chiquita!" Broseph greeted walking through the sliding doors. "Broseph!" Lo cried, running over to give him a hug. "It"s been like, forever!" "You"re telling me. I"ve been dyeing to hit the waves all year!" Lo examined him and noticed something. Broseph hadn"t changed much. The only things different were that he had grown a few inches taller, his skin looked a little darker, and he must"ve gone to the dentist over the winter because his teeth were way whiter. "Wow, you"ve changed so much since last summer!" Broseph said walking around her in circles. Lo smiled and stood still. Broseph was right; she did look a whole lot different from when he saw her last. She had a new pink dress on with Hawaiian flowers on it and a small yellow ribbon wrapped around the waist. {Basically Emma"s dress in "Waves of Cheese".} She finally grew about three inches taller, and her hair was pulled back into a loose pony-tail. "Did you get pink highlights?" Broseph asked, holding up a single strand of her hair. Lo laughed. "No, more like highlight. I got a hot pink streak on my bangs. I thought I really needed a change." She told him. {Thanks to co owner, Goodgirl21 for that idea!} "Well it looks perfect Chiquita! Maybe I should do that with my hair." Broseph said, tugging at his blonde afro. Lo laughed again and they both heard a car horn honk from outside. The two exchanged glances and ran out there too see Reef pulling his stuff from the trunk. "Hel-lo Surfer"s Paradise! Your Surf Instructor is here and ready to shred!" "Reef!" Lo and Broseph both called. "What"s up bro!" Broseph said, giving him a high-five. "Nothing much. Who else is here?" Reef asked looking around. Lo giggled. "Why? Looking for Fin?" She teased. "No way! I can"t wait to rub my new skills in her face!" Reef answered. All the sudden, the window rolled down and Reef"s smiling mom appeared. "Hi everyone! Remember me? I came to visit everyone last summer." She tried to remind them. "They remember you mom! It"s ok, you can go now." Reef said through his clenched teeth. "Wait a second, I"m looking for Fin. Where is the little sweetheart at?" His mother asked. "Sorry, but Fin"s not here yet. I think she"s on her way now." Lo answered, saving Reef"s life. "Oh, well that"s too bad. If you see her, can you give her this Lo honey?" She asked, handing Lo a small wrapped box. Reef tried to grab it from her, but Lo was too quick. "Sure, I"ll make sure she gets it." Lo stated. Reef"s mom smiled. "Thank you so much sweet heart. And did you get the pictures I sent you?" She asked. Lo nodded. "Yeah, and I saved them on the computer. Thanks for them again." Lo thanked. "Of course sweet heart. Well, I better get going. Oh, Reefy, did you remember to take your itch cream with you?" Lo and Broseph burst out laughing. "Mom! Yes, I did. Now bye!" Reef growled. "Ok honey, have a great summer and call me every night before you go to bed. I love you sweetie!" His mom waved from out the window as she pulled away. Reef faked a smile and waved back, but as soon as she was around the corner and out of sight, he sighed with relief. "I forgot how fun your mom was." Lo joked. Reef shot her a glare. "Not funny!" He yelled. Lo laughed. "Calm down, I was only teasing. Gosh even Fin isn"t that defensive." She stated. "Um, speaking of Fin..." Lo and Reef turned around and saw Broseph"s eyes go wide and his mouth almost hit the floor. They followed his gaze and Reef"s mouth dropped too. There stood a tall, slender girl with very long blonde hair, which hung in her face. She had white jean shorts on, with a long sleeve white tee with a picture of a beach and it read; Florida International University underneath. {That"s the college Cody"s going to this fall and the one I"ll probably go to too.} With the sleeves rolled up. There were two boys with the same hair color and skin color as Fin with her. They were in a red Camaro with all the windows rolled down. The three all hopped out and started pulling bags out of the trunk. "Hey guys," The girl greeted putting her suitcase down. "What are you all staring at?" She asked. All the sudden, Reef smacked Broseph in the back of the head. "Fin my foot! She"s way too pretty to be Fin you dork!" He shouted. "Um thanks, I think. But guys, I am Fin." The girl replied. Instead of saying something, Reef and Broseph just stood there shocked, their mouths wide open again. Lo noticed Fin"s confused look and hit them both in the arm. "Stop drooling and say something!" She snapped. Reef and Broseph shook their heads vigorously and regained focus. "Um... hi?" Reef tried to say. "Sweet ride!" Broseph cried running his hands across the hood. "Thanks, I got it for my 16th birthday." Fin answered. "Wait, so you can drive? Awesome! Now I don"t have to take the bus everywhere!" Reef cheered. "You"re hilarious. My brothers are taking it back to my house on their way home, so no car for you." Fin said in a baby voice. Reef rolled his eyes. "Oh forget them! Come give me a hug!" Lo reminded, opening her arms. Fin laughed and took the offer. "You look so different!" She said. "Looks who"s talking! These guys didn"t even recognize you until you said something!" Lo answered. "That"s only because she actually has hair now! And we"ve never seen her in shorts or long sleeves!" Reef defended. "About that, I set up an appointment to get my hair cut later this afternoon. I"m dying in this hot weather!" Fin admitted, wiping her damp forehead. "I bet! Your hair is longer than mine and I have a record." Lo stated. "Well you can keep it. I don"t know how you live during the summer!" Fin responded. Lo snickered and gave Fin another quick hug. "Ok Fin, you"ll be seeing these guys all summer. It"s us you should be hugging. Come give your big bros some hugs too." Jake told her. Fin smiled and rolled her eyes, hugging them both, one at a time. "Promise not to leave for Florida until I get home?" Fin whispered in Cody"s ear. "Surfer"s Swear." Cody whispered back. Fin smiled again and let go. "Awww! I wish my brothers were like that!" Lo gushed. "Thanks for dropping me off guys. Be careful on your way back." Fin told them both. "No problem little sis". Just call us if you forgot anything, I"m going to be bored out of my mind this summer without someone to annoy." Jake stated. "Kay, bye guys! Call me as soon as you meet Sam and dad! Don"t scratch my car!" Fin called as they pulled away. "No promises!" Cody called back. "Love ya Finns!" Fin"s smile slowly faded as they drove out of sight. She sighed. Lo put her hand on her shoulder. "You ok?" She asked softly. Fin nodded. "I"m fine. Why wouldn"t I be?" She asked. "Because of your mom not-" But Fin didn"t let her finish. "Hey! How about we all go back to the Staff House, unpack, and then hit the waves?" She suggested. "Read my mind!" Reef replied grabbing his stuff. The others followed and headed for their old Staff House. "You totally missed Reef"s mom dropping him off!" Lo laughed. Fin chuckled. "Really?" What"d she say?" She asked. "Oh, she actually was looking for you. Turns out, Reef talks about you a lot." Lo answered. Fin raised her eye bows. "Can you keep any secret?" Reef pretty much screamed. "Well, not if there yours." Lo smirked. Reef gave her another annoyed look. Fin sighed. "Here we are." She said. In front of the Groms was the big, old, and falling apart Staff House. It was pretty much the same, but there were now two couches on the deck. "Yep. I missed this place." Reef stated. Everyone looked at him confused. "What?" "You actually missed this dump?" Fin asked. "Sounds crazy, I know. But this is where we all really clicked. It brings back memories." Reef smiled at the thought. "Wow Reef that almost sounded sweet." Fin joked. "Oh! I forgot! We get to have the upper level of the house since we"re older!" Lo stated. "Really? Why didn"t you tell us before Chiquita!" Broseph shouted before running up the stairs with Reef. When they burst through the door, they were... shocked? The room was a little bigger, they now had four beds, since there was two bunks, a huge ancient rug in the middle of the floor, a window with a view of the trees, and only the trees. No beach, no hotel, no nothing. Just the once again, green tree tops. So that was the only downer, but they were both still excited. "Oh man, this is awesome!" Reef cried, calling one of the top bunks by throwing his stuff up there. "You guys are really happy? With this room?" Lo asked. The guys nodded eagerly. "Really?" They nodded again. "Take it away Fin." Lo stated pointing over to her. Fin was always better a "slapping sense" into to people then she was. "You guys are nuts! This room is just as gross as your old one! There a possum hanging in front of your window." Fin said pointing to the small rodent. Lo screeched and hid behind her blonde friend. "Only difference is that you guys have four beds now." "This is the exact reason to be excited! It feels so much cooler up there." Reef replied. Fin rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Come on let"s hurry up and get down to the bus station to catch up with The Kahuna before the new kids get here." She said, walking out of the Staff House with her fellow Groms. And that"s my first chapter! I"m really kinda nervous about this one and I hope I get fair amount of reviews. And if you guys ahve ANY ideas for this fic at all, please tell me! I"m kinda stuck on few of the chapter so I need your help. The next chapter is when our beloved little red-head Emma arrives and all our new Groms. And just so you know, here are all of my couples I"ll be doing: ReefXFin EmmaXTy LoXOc {She"ll totally have a really nice boyfriend.} BrosephX ? OC {Broseph"s is a mystery, even to me. I haven"t decided yet.} OCXOC {There might be a few OC pairings in this as well.} Anyways, I might not be around for awhile because I"m in the middle of quite a few stories, so it"s kinda crazy. But I love you guys and tell me what you think! ~Suki17 Aloha! Ok, now I know I said Emma would come in this chapter, but I"m not really sure yet. It"s going to take awhile with all these OC"s coming in, but I also want you guys to know, that they won"t be in this story too much of the time. There will be certain chapter where it"s about them, and I promise that. But anyways, I"ll let you get your reading on and I"ll talk to you guys later! Fin, Lo, Broseph, and Reef were all sitting on a bench at the bus stop waiting for The Kahuna to show up. Well, half of them were on the bench. Lo and Fin had their backs to each-other and had their legs sprawled out over it, making Reef and Broseph stand. They had called him to see if he wanted to hang out for awhile, and being as oblivious as he is, he agreed. But it was now 2 hours past the time Kahuna was supposed to arrive. "Ugh! He said e would be here a 4! It"s 6 now and the new kids will be at the Staff House really soon!" Reef complained. "Oh, just get over it. Remember how many times the Whale Bus broke down last summer? Well it"s probably even worse now." Fin stated. "I don"t care! Why can"t he ever be on time?" Reef whined. And as soon as he said that, a purple bus with a whale on the top pulled up next to him. The doors slowly slid open, revealing a smiling Kahuna behind it. "Kahuna!" Lo cried, running up the steps and giving him a hug. Kahuna laughed and put her down. "Hey guys." He said casually. He took a quick glance at them. "Wow, you guys really changed in the last week." Everyone gave him a puzzled look. "Um... Kahuna, we"ve been gone for almost 9 months now." Lo reminded. "Really?" They all nodded. "Oh. Then it"s great to see you guys again!" Kahuna replied. The Groms cheered. Then Kahuna took one really good look at them all. Man, had they changed. He noticed how Reef didn"t look like his normal self. He had an old black tee, which looked like he cut the sleeves off with scissors, ripped jeans, his hair was a little more flat than usual, and he had slight highlights probably from the sun. Reef also had a new shark tooth necklace around his neck. His face was less smug too. Then there was Broseph. He had his normal trunks on with an old t-shirt with the top ten surfers for that month. Fin especially liked it, because number three was Allie K. A female surfer, that just happened to be her role-model. Then he noticed something. Kahuna hooked both his arms around Reef and Broseph"s neck, pulling them in closer. "Who"s the new betty over there?" He asked. Broseph laughed. "Bro, that"s Fin." He answered. Kahuna"s face went blank. "Seriously?" He wondered. Fin smiled and waved at him. Kahuna then looked her in the eyes and remembered. It really was Fin under all the hair. "Whoa! You look like your 18 already!" He exclaimed, pulling her in for a hug. "I will be this July." Fin mumbled. Kahuna let go and shook his head in disbelief. "You guys," He said, "Don"t ever change on me again." He then pulled everyone in for a group hug. But all the sudden, they heard the purr of a motor, a few laughs, and cheers. Everyone broke apart to see a single red convertible drive right pass them. Kahuna sighed. "Looks like I gotta go. Some of the new kids are gonna need a ride." He stated. "Aw man! That means they"re gonna beat us there!" Reef cried, starting to run toward the Staff House. "Bye Kahuna! We"ll see you later!" Fin called waving, and jogging down the sidewalk. Kahuna waved back and then he hopped into his bus. Back at the Staff House: The Groms were out of breath. They had run all the way from the bus stop, to the Staff House and beat the new kids there. They were all now panting and leaning on each-other, about to fall over. Everyone was surprised they actually beat them there. But that changed very quickly. About after 2 minutes of panting and gulping down water, the red convertible pulled up with two teenage boys inside. They parked, hopped out, and started lugging their bags and surfboards toward the House. One had platinum blonde hair, had a slight tan, a perfect smile, and a muscular body. He was wearing a plaid long sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up and dark jeans. He had black Converse sneakers with blue laces. He had black shades, but even with them on, they couldn"t hide his sparkling blue eyes. Fin eyed him suspiciously and leaned over to Lo. "Is it just me, or does he look like a mix between both of our brothers?" She whispered. Lo shook her head. "No, you"re right. He has Ty"s smile and body, and then he looks like Cody in the face and his hair." She replied. "Weird huh?" "Hi," The blonde greeted, "I"m Jay Tyler. We were told to come to the Staff House by some angry, middle-aged guy." Lo giggled. "You came to the right place. And that angry guy you were talking about is our boss. His name"s Baumer, but we call him Bummer behind his back." She explained. Jay nodded. "Cool. Oh, and this is my friend Danny Rhodes." He motioned over to the brunette boy behind him. He was wearing blue and white plaid shorts and a light colored grey tee. He was barefoot at the moment and had a tangle of string wrapped around his ankle. "Nice anklet." Lo told him. Danny smiled his shiny white smile. "Thanks, my little sister made it for me." He stated. Lo turned back toward Fin, trying to hide a blush that creeped onto her cheeks. "Well, if you don"t mind, can we go see our room for the summer?" Jay wondered. "Sure, but you might have to share with a few other dudes though." Broseph warned. Jay shrugged. "That"s fine, we kinda expected that anyway." He answered. "Alright, then follow us." Broseph stated as he and Reef led the two boys up to their old room. They opened the door and ushered them inside. Jay and Danny stopped and looked around. "Hmm, better than I expected." Jay said picking up his bags and tossing them onto one of the beds. Reef and Broseph exchanged confused glances. "Really? You thought it would actually be worse than this?" Danny nodded. "Course we did. This place is tons better that being stuck at my house, totally bored out of my mind all summer. And it has walking distance from the beach! Walking distance man! I have to walk two miles just to reach the waves." He flopped onto a bed with a soft "thump". "Awww, I could get used to this." Danny sighed with pleasure. All the sudden, the guys heard a high-pitched laughter. Broseph and Reef smiled smugly. "New girls! Nice!" They said, going through their usual hand-shake routine. The guys all headed downstairs to see Fin, Lo, and a girl with another guy behind her talking with them. "Well it"s nice to meet you. I"m Fin and this is Lo." Fin greeted shaking the girl"s hand. The girl had long brown hair, pulled up into a high pony-tail. She was pretty tan and had chocolate brown eyes. She was wearing a light pink tee, like Emma"s, but with a hot pink Hawaiian Flower on the front, worn out jeans, and there were glasses upon her face. The only thing that was strange is that the glasses didn"t have lenses in them, but they looked really good. They gave her a certain "Brainy" heir. The girl giggled. "Thanks, and I"m Audrey, Audrey Vega. That"s my friend Tony over there." Audrey pointed to a boy with black, shaggy skater hair that covered just the corner of his hazel eyes. He had a brown shirt with a plain short sleeve white t-shirt with a black hoodie, half zipped, over. He had dark blue board shorts and sandals, with a seashell necklace around his neck. He was carrying two duffle bags, one black and the other army green. Under his arm was a blue surf board with black wave graphics. "Hey, um... where should I put these?" Tony asked. "Upstairs, second door to your left." Reef instructed. Tony nodded in response and headed up the stairs. He heard them creek and he stepped back. Tony looked toward the others. "Should I be worried?" Fin laughed. "No, they"ve been doing that forever. You"ll be fine." She reassured. Tony slowly nodded and he began climbing the creaking stairs again. "Sorry about him, he"s just kinda paranoid." Audrey stated. "It"s cool. So, where are you staying?" Lo wondered. Audrey shrugged. "I actually don"t know. Isn"t there some sort of rooming decision the boss makes?" She asked. "Probably. We"ll find out after everyone gets here." Fin replied. Audrey smiled and picked her bags up. The girls headed into the kitchen to set her things down. 2 Hours Later: The girls, plus Tony, were laughing like crazy while Audrey told them the time her sister forgot her keys in her car and had to call their dad to come pick them up. "So we were at this frozen yogurt shop and we were just coming out. I turned to Daniela and asked her to unlock the car doors. She nodded and fished for them in her back pocket where she always keeps them. All the sudden her eyes go wide and she franticly checking everyone of her pockets. I ask her what"s wrong and she screams "I can"t find the keys!" So after about 15 minutes of looking through her bag, we look into the windows and see her car keys on the dash. She tried to stick her hand through the slightly cracked window, but then her arm got stuck, so that"s when I called my dad." Audrey told them. "Oh, I would hate that! How"d she get her car keys out?" Lo asked. "Our dad took a metal hanger and bent it into a little handle type thing, and he picked them up by the key-ring. After that, we"ve never stopped teasing her about it." Audrey answered. Everyone chuckled again. "Come on Tors, we"re almost there!" A voice called from outside. All new and old Groms walked outside to see three girls coming up the path toward them. One had long brown hair that went a little past mid-back, her bangs fell in her face, covering a large amount of her dark, almost black, eyes. She was wearing a short light brown dress that went just above her knees with a bunch of white Hawaiian flowers on the side. She had floral white lace leggings under that were a little past her knees with a simple sandal. There was a small seashell tied to a soft braided string and a headband wrapped around her forehead. {Hippie Look} She carried two ocean blue bags and a light green surfboard with a sea turtle in the middle. Another girl had long wavy brunette hair with slight red streaks. She had a bright smile and lively cheekbones. She was wearing a black tank top with a purple and black plaid shirt that was un-buttoned over it. She had dark jeans and black and white cowgirl boots. She was carrying a purple suitcase and a brow velvet messenger bag. Strange thing was, she didn"t have a surfboard with her. Then there was the girl to the far right. She had medium length blonde hair with blue mixed in. {Basically, wide blue highlights everywhere.} It was pulled back into a messy pony-tail. She had sparkly ice blue eyes, similar to Jay"s but more lively. She was wearing a black t-shirt with the word "Dreamer" written across in light blue letters {Blue is like her color} and white jean shorts that looked like they were cut at the bottom. There was a prideful smirk on her face and she had two duffel bags along with her shoulder back-pack and maroon colored surfboard.

"No problem." Wen answered. Olivia looked down and laughed. "I think Emma might"ve made a mistake making me a waitress." She joked. Wen smiled. "Well if you fall, I"m here to catch you." He reassured her. Olivia smiled back. Stella and Charlie began to make the most popular smoothies and they would put them in the freezer for later. Charlie didn"t really know how to use Emma"s weird blender, so after he poured the fruit, juice, and ice in,{Her smoothies have no sugar added, so they"re actually good and healthy!} and he started it up. But as soon as he presses the button, Charlie remembered he forgot to put the top on. It was too late, and it just so happened that Stella turned around when it went flying. She got a face full of juice unexpectedly. Stella glared at him and Charlie backed toward the door. "I"m sorry Stella, I really am!" He said with a worried look on her face. Stella wiped her face off with a towel. "Charlie Delgado, prepare to die." She snapped. Charlie"s eyes went wide and he bolted out of the kitchen. Stella ran out after him. He darted around the tables, only to have Stella run around them. Charlie glanced around the room, and then he noticed Olivia and Mo were setting up a table near-by. He ran over to Mo and picked her up by the waist and hoisted her up. She yelped in surprise. "What are you doing?" She yelled. "Trying to stay alive!" Charlie shouted back. Stella charged from behind him, causing Charlie to let go of Mo. He was trying to pull away from her grasp, but it wasn"t working. Stella had a pretty tight grip on his hair. Charlie hissed in pain. As fast as they could, Luke and Mo hurried over to the two and tried to pry them apart. Luke took Stella by the arms, and Mo went between them. "Knock it off guys!" Mo growled aggravated. As soon as she said that, Stella lost her grasp on Charlie"s hair. Luke was still pulling on her, so they fell over each-other with a "thump!' The same happened with Mo and Charlie. She fell right on top of him, her head on his chest. "Sorry." Charlie whispered. "It"s ok." Mo answered. She got on her feet and helped Charlie up. Mo giggled. "That"s what you get for using me as a human shield." She teased. Charlie laughed too. He started walking back to the kitchen. "If that"s what I get, I"ll be doing it for often." He muttered. Later that Day: It was about 3: 32 in the afternoon and the place was on fire! It was packed! Emma had to have Charlie become a waiter for the rest of the day since it was so busy. It was a good thing they froze the smoothies earlier in the morning, they had a lot of orders. Every few hours, Lemonade Mouth would go up on the stage and perform a song or two, and then they"d get back to work. Mo was happily taking her next order that was pretty close to the door. "Hi welcome to Em"s, how may I help you?" She greeted. "Hi, um I"d like a Blackberry Blitz and- Mo? Is that you?" The customer asked. Mo looked up from her notepad and on her inside, her heart sunk. The last person she"d ever want to see. Scott. And he had brought a few friends. There sat Ray, Jewels, and Patty Norris. {Ray"s girlfriend from the book} Jewels and Patty snickered. "Nice outfit Mo." Jewels mocked. Mo looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a blue neon t-shirt Emma gave her, a retro, short, black ruffled skirt, blue leggings {like her shirt} , and her red ankle-tie wedges. Mo smiled and looked up again. "Thanks, oh and Jewels I heard. But I didn"t think the nose job went that bad." She shot back. Jewel"s eye brows furrowed. "I didn"t get a nose job." Jewels replied, making a face. Mo hissed as if she was in pain. "Really? Then I think you need one." She smirked. Jewels gasped and hid her face with her hands. "Scotty, do something about her!" She whined to Scott, who was trying to fight the urge to laugh. He cleared his throat and his face expression hardened. "Hey, you can"t talk to my Jewels that way." Scott snapped. Mo just shrugged. "Mo, come on. It"s time for our next set." Charlie stated stepping onto the stage. Mo turned around and smiled. "Sorry, gotta go." She waved walking away. At the moment, Lemonade Mouth actually looked like an 8o"s band. Like Mo"s outfit, Stella and Olivia had something similar. Stella had a short neon green, almost yellow, skirt that had black lace on the one single ruffle at the bottom. She was wearing yellow leggings under it. "For Lemonade Mouth" she said. And then she had a black Em"s shirt that she had tied in a knot behind her. Stella also had Mo"s yellow opened-toed flats on. Olivia had a high pink and black plaid skirt on that went up to her waist. She had her neon pink Em"s shirt tucked in, and black leggings. And Olivia had white flip-flops on too. And for the guys, well they just looked like normal teens. Except for the pink Em"s shirt Charlie was wearing, but he didn"t care. Even though Wen and Luke were fighting on who was going to wear it, he willingly offered to put it on. Instead, Luke had a Red Em"s shirt on, and Wen had neon green. They all wore jeans and some were even ripped. Luke"s no doubt. Jewels and Patty went back to their own table that just so happened to be right next to the stage. Mo went over to Stella and whispered something in her ear. She smiled and nodded. Stella mouthed something that Scott or his friends couldn"t make out. Everyone nodded and began playing. {Mo"s singing and Olivia"s back-up.} It"s strange to think the songs we used to singThe smiles, the flowers, everything is goneYesterday I found out about youEven now just looking at you feels wrongYou say that you"d take it all back, given one chanceIt was a moment of weakness and you said yesYou should"ve said no, you should"ve gone homeYou should"ve thought twice "fore you let it all goYou should"ve known that word"Bout what you did with her"d get back to meAnd I should"ve been there in the back of your mindI shouldn"t be asking myself whyYou shouldn"t be begging for forgiveness at my feetYou should"ve said no, baby and you might still have meYou can see that I"ve been cryingAnd baby you know all the right things to sayBut do you honestly expect me to believeWe could ever be the sameYou say that the past is the past, you need one chanceIt was a moment of weakness and you said yes. Mo jumped onto Patty and Jewel"s table with the loud smack of her wedges. The two girls yelped in surprise. Mo sang there and jumped around the table, causing the girls to run over to Mudslide Crush"s table. Scott put his arm around Jewels and smiled at Mo behind Jewel"s back. He had to admit, Mo had spunk. Mo leaped back over to the stage and continued the song. You should"ve said no, you should"ve gone homeYou should"ve thought twice "fore you let it all goYou should"ve known that word"Bout what you did with her"d get back to meAnd I should"ve been there in the back of your mindI shouldn"t be asking myself whyYou shouldn"t be begging for forgiveness at my feetYou should"ve said no, baby and you might still have meI can"t resist before you go tell me thisWas it worth it? Was she worth this?No, no, no, no, no, noYou should"ve said no, you should"ve gone homeYou should"ve thought twice "fore you let it all goYou should"ve known that word"Bout what you did with her"d get back to me The crowd was going wild. Scott shot his head around and looked at Ray. He nodded. "Look, I got them kicked out of Dante"s. I think I can get them kicked out of here. I hear the owner"s a 25 year-old chick." Ray laughed. And I should"ve been there in the back of your mindI shouldn"t be asking myself whyYou shouldn"t be begging for forgiveness at my feetYou should"ve said no, baby and you might still have me! On the last verse of the song, Mo had jumped off the stage and walked around, having fun with the crowd. But on the last line, Mo fell. Ray had stuck his leg out on purpose when she came by, and she tripped right over it. The band stopped playing and instantly ran over to Mo. Mo hoisted herself up, seeing that there was blood on the ground where she fell. She touched her nose and figured out where the red liquid was coming from. She sighed. Charlie rushed over and pulled her up. He turned her head toward him. "Oh my gosh, Mo your nose is bleeding!" Olivia gasped. After that, Emma ran over to her. She tilted her head up and gently touched it. Mo flinched. "You might need an x-ray sweetheart." She said caringly. Behind her, Emma could hear an obnoxious snicker. She turned around, her hands on her hips, to see a young boy with blond hair. "That"ll get "em outa here for sure." Ray told his band. Emma tapped his shoulder. "It"s the owner right?" Ray asked. Scott and Dean nodded. Ray smiled slyly. "Perfect." He said. Ray spun around and was instantly amazed. He didn"t think Em was that pretty. "Oh, you"re way far from perfect kid." Emma snapped. "I don"t what you"re talking about, but how old are you again?" Ray put his arm around her. Emma shrugged it off. "You know exactly what I"m talking about, and you"re not even in college yet."She shot back. Ray frowned. "Look, I"m just a normal guy enjoying the show." He said innocently. Emma rolled her eyes. "I think it"s time for you and your friends to all get out." She narrowed her eyes, warning him. Ray"s expression hardened. He grabbed his jacket and stomped out the door with his band and girlfriend. Emma turned back to Mo and the others. "Honey, I think you need to get this checked out." She said referring to Mo"s injury. Mo nodded. "I"ll drive you to the hospital." Charlie quickly offered. "You don"t have a car!" Olivia reminded. Stella snapped her fingers. "Luke does. He can take Mo." She stated. They all looked at Luke. "Yeah, I"ll take her." Luke responded pulling his keys out of his pocket. He put his arm around Mo and steered her toward the parking lot. Watching them leave, Charlie glared. At least Mo would get to the ER faster. I used a few things from the book, and I don"t own anything from it. I thought "You Should"ve Said No" fit Mo and Scott"s relationship perfectly. The next chapter will be a Wen and Olivia since a lot of people wanted it. I love all the ideas and I need just a few more. Anyways, I love you and happy reading! ~Suki17 {Remember Wen and Olivia next chapter and check out my pole before I change it!} Hey fellow readers! This is chapter 9 and as I promised, it"s a Wen and Olivia. It doesn"t start out that way, but it will happen later. I"ve also been updating a bit more, because of all the great ideas and the spare time I have lately. Anyways, this is when Mo sees the band for the first time after her injury, and she"s not so thrilled. And then Olivia has her driving test today. I"d also like to give a shout-out to SilverMoon276 for giving me the idea of having a guy hit on Olivia and he won"t stop bugging her, so Wen pretends to be her boyfriend to give him the hint. Love your stories by the way SilverMoon276! Ok, enjoy! Mo stepped through the first set of doors to the Music Hall. She walked down the long hallway with her bag and bass. She decided to go the longer way and enter the stage from the back doors for band practice today, because of what happened at Em"s. Luke had driven her to the hospital and she had to get an x-ray. She wasn"t too excited for that, but it had to done. Mo mentally kicked herself for showing off so much yesterday. If it wasn"t for Ray, she"d be fine with going to practice today and facing her friends. She also remembered how her mother replied to the accident. And to Luke driving her home. Mo was thanking the heavens her father wasn"t there to see either of them. Her mother was worried about her like any other would be, but they had spent the night talking and laughing on how it happened. Mo"s face even turned a light shade of pink when her mom asked who Luke was. She explained and they both continued laughing the night away. That was when Mo wasn"t self-conscious about her injury. But today was a new day. Mo was wearing a short vintage dress. It had two small ruffles at the top and more at the bottom. It fell just above her knees. It had floral designs of pink roses and the green vines. The back-round was a light cream color. Mo also had white opened-toed flats on. She had a white hoodie over it and dark sunglasses. Mo clutched the hood harder and hid her face best she could. She then entered through the doors and onto the stage. She walked quickly and put her things down. Still not turned around, Mo was trying to avoid her friends" view of her face. "There she is!" Wen cheered. "We were starting to think you really hurt yourself." Charlie laughed. Mo pulled her bass out of the carry-case and put the strap around her. She started tuning the strings. "Why were you guys waiting? You could"ve started without me." She told them. "True, but we wanted to make sure you were ok after what happened." Wen answered. "I"m fine. Let"s just start practice already and get it over with." Mo stated quickly. Stella"s eye brows furrowed. "Now wait a minute, why are you so jumpy today?" She asked. Mo shrugged. "I"m not jumpy, I"m just not feeling very well." Mo responded. "Look, if this is about Ray, he"s just a jerk." Luke stated. "Yeah, he"s not someone to get upset over." Stella agreed. Mo then un-zipped her jacket, spun around on her heels, threw off her glasses, and ripped the hood off her head. Revealing a long white strip across her nose. "Still think I shouldn"t be upset?"She snapped. Everyone"s eyes went wide and they hopped out of their seats, running up to her. "Whoa! What is that thing?" Charlie wondered, reaching to poke it. Mo quickly slapped his hand out of her face. "Stop touching it!" She cried. "And Ray did this?" Olivia inquired. Mo nodded. "But it"s only a little bruised. I only have to wear the tape for a few days." She said. The band sighed. "I can"t believe Ray would go this low." Wen stated. Stella snorted. "I can. It seems just like the "Ray" thing to do." She answered. "But hurting Mo like he did? That"s not acceptable." Charlie replied. "Charlie"s right, we should get back at him." Luke added. Mo sighed. "Guys no, we can"t just "get back at" everyone who"s not our friend." "But Mo, this is Ray. He got us banned from Dante"s, he tried to sabotage us at the Halloween Bash, and I bet he set Scott back up with Jewels..." Stella went on. "Stella!" Olivia whispered, nudging her in the arm. "Just leave Scott out of this." Stella shrugged and looked back at Mo, who was shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "But all of that worked out ok Stella." She said quietly. "After Dante"s we got to work with Emma, and she really cares for us. We survived the Bash, and we already got revenge on Scott. It"ll be ok." Stella sighed. "Fine. If you want to do nothing and just let it go, we won"t pull anything." She said putting her guitar strap over her shoulder. "Thank you." Mo nodded her head. Everyone head over to their instruments and got settled. "Alright, so what should we practice?" Luke asked. They all looked at Olivia. "Well, while Mo and I were in History Class together, we wrote a new song." She responded. "Oh, so little Olivia wasn"t paying attention in class huh?" Charlie teases. Olivia smiled. "Hey, it was silent reading. We were both bored." She joked. Everyone laughed. "Ok, so this one"s pretty easy." Mo stated handing Stella and Luke the guitar chords and along with Wen. "And Charlie, you can just kind of make up your own beat." Charlie nodded and began to follow along to Stella"s slow guitar notes. There"s a street, there"s my right, my left feet,There"s a road of nowhere that ends meet.I"ve got the sun, I"ve got the sand,I"ve got that rock "n" roll band,Here I stand!I"ve told you that when the morning comes,I"ll be there my left hand in your right one.Oooh!This is my this is my paradise,I"m at home above all I got it byLet the sun on my shoulder shine!We can run beneath this clear piece of sky,This is my paradise!Lemonade, summer games we remember,Colder days with a haze in DecemberLet"s get some grooveGoing through with being too cold to move,Sunshine is overdue.I"m breaking out in my summer dress, yea!I"m singing, I"m dancing, I"m obsessed, yea!This is my paradise,I"m at home above all I got it byLet the sun on my shoulder shine!We can run beneath this clear piece of sky,This is my paradise!Breaking the waves out on the sandAnd I still hear that band,Knowing tomorrow comes I"m not scared,Cause I know sunshine"s gonna be there.Oooh!This is my, this is my paradise!This is my, this is my paradise!Oooh!This is my, this is my paradise!I"m at home above all I got it by,Let the sun on my shoulder shine,We can run beneath this clear piece of sky.This is my Paradise! "You guys really wrote that?" Wen asked. Mo nodded. "It was really fun writing it together." Olivia stated hugging Mo. Stella chuckled. "So what should we play now?" She asked. "Oh I"m so sorry, I can"t. I have to go." Olivia answered gathering her things. Everyone looked at her puzzled. "Why?" "Driver"s Test today." Mo stated before Olivia could speak. The band nodded in agreement. "Really?" Charlie asked. "Yeah, and I need to get an 80 on the test or else it"s not even considered passing to me." Olivia explained. "Oh, stop being so dramatic, you know you"re gonna ace it." Luke told her. Olivia laughed. "We"ll see about that." She said. "Well how long are you gonna be taking the test?" Wen wondered. Olivia thought for a minute. "Maybe a few hours." "How about I go with you?" Wen asked. "A- are you sure? It might be awhile Wen." Olivia replied. Wen smiled. "It"ll be worth the wait to see you come out with a huge grin on your face and your license." Olivia giggled. "Plus I need a ride home." Wen joked. Olivia slapped his arm gently. "Then we better get going. My test is in 45 minutes!" She cried running out of the room. "Ok, meet us at Em"s when it"s over!" Mo called after her. She could hear a faint "Bye!' just as the doors slammed. Later that Day: Olivia and Wen were out of breath when they burst through the doors of the testing building. Since both of them couldn"t drive, and Luke couldn"t take them because of band practice, they had to run 5 blocks to get there on time. But it was worth it. It turned out; Olivia was next to being called just as they run in. "Olivia White please?" A tall woman with long brown hair called. As she looked around the room, her long pony-tail swung from side to side. Olivia quickly stood up and started walking over to her. But Wen pulled her by the arm. "Go get "em tiger." He whispered in her ear. Olivia smiled and nodded, walking off to take her test. Olivia had taken her written test already and it"s only been about an hour. Way shorter than she expected. She hopped into the car gently and put her seat belt on. Olivia adjusted her mirror and shifted uncomfortably. She finally picked the right way to sit, grabbed the steering wheel, and sighed. "Are you alright sweetheart?" Liz Montez, her driving instructor who is really sweet, asked. Olivia immediately straitened up. "Oh, um it"s nothing. I"m just really nervous." She answered. Liz smiled. "Oh honey, you"ll be fine. But for our little secret, you passed your written test." She stated. Olivia"s head shot up. "I did? How?" She inquired. "Are you kidding? You got almost a perfect score!" Liz responded. Olivia smiled. "Let"s finish this thing!" She said sitting up straight. "Yeah! That"s my girl!" Liz cheered. Olivia sighed and began her Driving Test slowly, but surely. One Hour Later: Wen had been waiting on a bench outside for almost two hours. He"d been texting the rest of the band about what was going on. Often, Stella or Luke would text; Did she pass yet! Which kind of annoyed Wen. He looked up and suddenly saw Olivia come out of the testing building with a frown on her face. Wen quickly hopped out of his seat and run over to her. "Hey, how"d it go? Did you knock "em dead with your mad skills?" He asked laughing a bit. Olivia"s frown didn"t fade. But soon, Wen"s smile did. "What happened Liv?" Olivia sighed. "I didn"t get an 80 on the test." She admitted. Wen"s mouth dropped. "No way! I"m so sorry Olivia. Those guys are crazy not giving you a 100 on the test!" He stated. Olivia tried to hide a smile, but she couldn"t handle not letting it show. Wen looked at her confused. "Why are you smiling?" He asked. Olivia laughed. "I got a 95 Wen! I totally passed!" She cheered. "What? Wait, how did you find out so quickly?" Wen asked puzzled. "Liz is like the best driving instructor ever! She let me know what I got as soon as I stepped off the brake!" Olivia replied. "I got a 95! I can"t believe it!" She screamed. Wen laughed and picked her up. He spun her around a few times. "That"s great! I knew you could do it Liv!" He shouted back. Olivia and Wen continued laughing and talking until they let go of each-other. But Olivia didn"t unhook her arms from around Wen"s neck. They stared into each-other"s eyes for a few minutes and then Wen began to lean in. They both kept leaning in until there wasn"t a space between them anymore. They stood there for awhile until both of them broke apart, pressing their foreheads together.

Issei"s eyes shoot open from the image of a giant red dragon surrounded by flames Issei pants as he gets up and sits on the bed. He looks around to an unfamiliar room. "Where am I?' *Crash* Issei turns his head to see his best friend, Irina at the door with a spilt bottle of water at her feet. She runs over to him with tears in her eyes and hugs him tightly and cries into his chest. "Issei! Issei! I thought you wouldn"t wake up!" She yells. Footsteps can be heard as both Irina"s mother and father enter the room. "Issei, thank god you"re awake. I thought you"d never wake up." Irina"s mom says. "Sorry." Issei"s eyes then change to dull and emotionless. "I guess this mean that my mom and dad are..." Tears form in his eyes as he holds onto Irina. "We are sorry about them. I was in charge of protecting them...I failed my job to protect you and your parents." Irina"s father says. "...it fine...none of this is your fault...it"s that mans fault!" Issei starts to let go of Irina. "Who?" She asks. "Father called him...Cocoball...Kokabill...Kokabiel!" Issei"s eyes show hatred for that man...the man that killed his parents. "Kokabiel...can you prove it?" "I know who he is and what he looks like." "*sigh* even then...I don"t think that church will believe us...the church will do anything if it can prevent another Great War. I"ll still talk with them." Irina"s father says. "Yes, I"ll stay here with the kids." His wife adds. -Flashback End- Issei sits down on the couch next to Asia. Akeno and Yuuto look down at their feet. Koneko walks over to Issei and places her hand his shoulder and Rias looks like she is in the verge of tears. "So...did the church do anything?" Asia asks. "They moved me and my new guardians to Italy. There, my friend Irina and I trained. We become a well know Exorcist group with Freed. But other than that...they didn"t do anything." Issei clenched his fist. "And the Excalibur?" Yuuto asks next. "It wasn"t taken, what my father gave to him was a copy of a holy sword that failed. I gave the Excalibur back to the church." Yuuto looks to Issei with slight anger in his eyes. "So what happened next?" Koneko asks. "Well when I was 12, Freed was labeled a Rouge Exorcist, he attacked Irina and me. We won, but I used my Angles form for the first time. I saved her, but Freed got away. About a month later, a message was sent to the church, and I went to heaven to become an Angel like my father. I was treated differently because I was half Angel but I got through it. During my training, I awakened my Boosted Gear while trying to focus my energy to form a light spear. After that I left Heaven and went back to the church after two years." Issei finished and everyone in the room expect himself and Asia has wide eyes. Rias looks at Issei with a little fear. "Y-you"ve been to Heaven?" "Yes. I"m a pretty good with manipulating light." Issei stands and forms a black light spear. "Though this is new." "What do you mean?" Asia asks. "Well the spear used to be a light blue, now it"s black." Akeno moves her and to the spear and pokes it. It changes to a yellow color, then back to black. "Issei?" Rias asks. "H-how powerful are you?" Issei stood there for a few moments. "I don"t know." "How could you not know?" Koneko asks. "Soon after I got back, I got into a fight with a top Exorcist. He confronted me because of my Angel blood and power, he wanted me to train him...when I refused he attacked me saying that just because I am an Angel, doesn"t mean I should keep the power all to myself. I killed him in 2 minute on the church floor. After that I left the church fearing I might cause more disruption." "But it"s not your fault for him attacking you." "It is actually, the aura of a dragon can do two things, make strong people to seek me out and fight me, and bring women to gather around me. And it was my fault for killing him. The aura of a dragon can be a bad thing...but I personally love the fact that women gather to me." Issei"s face changes as he thinks naughty thoughts. Koneko slaps his back which makes him fall forward. "...you better not be thinking of us, pervert." "Haha...sorry." Issei replies. "Where did you go after you left the church?" Yuuto asks. "Well...I trained with Ddraig and I traveled the world during that training. I met many people who helped me train. When I was in Italy...I met Asia." Issei looks over to Asia, who blushes. "I found her laying on the side of a path in northern Italy. She was wearing a nun"s outfit but it was worn, though she wasn"t wounded, but she looked like she hadn"t eaten in days. So I helped her by making a shelter and giving her food and water. When she woke, she prayed to god that he helped her." Issei started to laugh a bit. "What is it?" Rias asks. "It"s nothing. Anyway, put a sleeping spell in her so I could take her to a place she could be safe for a while. I prayed that the Fallen wouldn"t get to her, but they did. It doesn"t matter now. She is here safe." He walks back over to Asia and pats her head. "I cannot say how much thankful I am to you. I try my hardest to repay you." Asia says. "No need, as long as you are happy, that"s more the enough." Rias looks over to Asia and glares at them. Akeno walks up to Rias and whispers. "Is someone jealous?" Road blushes and replies with a no. Akeno"s giggles and goes back to Issei. "Anyway, I came back to Japan to live here, in my home town after some "events" happened and I needed a rest from training and from the supernatural. But then I met you guys and you all know the rest." "Ok... Are you glad you become a Devil and my servant?" Rias asks. "Yes actually. I"ve met you people and became friends with you. And it has helped my gain power that I couldn"t have gotten before. This will most likely help keep a promise I made to a dear friend." *Knock* *Knock* They all look to the door. "Come in" Rias says. The door opens and Sona, along with any others come inside the room. "Ah, Sona. What do you need?" Rias says. Sona wake up to Rias and whisper into her ear. "Well... It"s about Issei. I looked into him more and found he not only worked for the church but he visited Heaven and he is..." Rias cut Sona off. "I already know." "You do? How?" "Issei just told us everything." Sona steps back and look at Issei. One of Sona"s peerage goes up to Issei and slaps his back. "Hello newbie. I"m Genshirou Saji. You may call me Saji and only Saji. You got that." Saji pokes at Issei"s chest. "D-did he j-just call me n-newbie?!' Issei"s gets angry. "Saji." Sona says. "You don"t look to tough. I geuss you just have looks and no strength." "Saji!" Sona says again to Saji, who ignores. "You kinda pissed newbie, want to go at it? Even though I don"t look strong, I consumed four Pawn pieces. So don"t think you can win easy." "Stop Saji!" Sona yells. "But..." "If you basing how strong you are by the number of piece you consumed, you only took four...Issei too all eight of Rias"s, and two of them were mutation pieces." She stares coldly at Saji. Saji looks at Issei in shock and back away. "But if it"s a fight you want, then it"s a fight you"ll get. If Rias agrees, I"d like to have our new pawns battle." She turns back to Rias. Saji tries to run but is caught by Koneko. "Well...if Issei agrees, then I"ll agree." Rias looks to Issei, who nods yes. "Let"s go outside, I"ll set up a barrier." Sona and her peerage walk outside, followed by Rias and her peerage. "I want you to only use your Boosted Gear, but only go up to three boosts." Rias whispers to Issei. "That if I can get to three before he loses." Issei gives a blood thirsty grin. Issei and Saji stand far apart with one of Sona"s peerage stands in between them. "Ready, set, Fight!" She yells. Issei just stands with his eyes closed as Saji rushes at him. Saji gets to Issei and starts throwing punches and kicks, but Issei, still with his eye closed, dodges them all. Issei finally opens his eyes and uses his palm to move and throw Saji a few feet behind him. The watchers all gasp as they look at Issei"s eyes. They have turned yellow with a black slit for pulps. "What the hell happened to your eyes?" Saji yells. "This is my dragon eyes, with this I can see the movement of any living object, even if they"re behind a wall or my eye lids." Issei says in a cool tone. "How did you get dragon eyes?" "Because I"m this generations Sekiryuutei..." Issei forms his Boosted Gear. "And I have a strong connection with the dragon." "Haha. Never heard of you. And you"re not the only one with a Sacred Gear." Saji forms a black lizard looking thing I his arm. "It"s called Absorption Line." Issei gets irritated with Saji. "Rias, I"m going to go past 3 boosts, but I"ll never touch him." Issei says as his Boosted Gear glows. "Issei?" Issei then shoot a black magic circle at the barrier and it gets absorbed into it and the barrier changes. [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] "What...wait...Issei!?" Rias yells. [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] The ground starts to shake violently. [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] "What"s going on?!" Saji yells as he falls on his knees gasping for air, some for some of the others. [Boost] [Boost] "Issei, stop! I give! I give!" Saji then falls to the floor. Issei just stars at him with a blood thirsty smile, but soon lowers his energy and the ground stops shaking. Saji soon stands up as Issei shoot another black circle at the barrier and shatters it. Sona, Rias, and their peerage walk up to Issei as Saji is hung by his arms around two of Sona"s peerage. "What was that you shot at the barrier?" Sona asks. "Well the first one was another barrier the strengthened your barrier. Yours would have shattered quickly and let my energy flow through it. My barrier was made to stand up to that energy that I released, and to hide its presence." "Why would you want to hide it?" Rias asks. "You know how you guys felt, imagine in you were human. They would be out cold or worse. And other beings could sense it and come here to pick a fight." They all nod. Sona looks to Rias, "You have a smart and powerful Pawn. I"m sure he can keep the days around here lively." She then looks to Issei. "And I hope you can be more careful. Some of the weaker members of my group fainted." She adjusted her glasses and starts to walk away with her peerage behind her. "What"s her problem, she acts like she has a stick up her butt, or something else." Issei whispers. But Koneko heard him and kick him. "Ow, ow, ow. I"m sorry I said that..." Fav. Follow and Review. A/N: I"m sorry about the delay...again. I haven"t have time to write lately, but I will try to post the chapters when I can. again, sorry for the wait. Chapter 5: The Hidden Past and an Empty Room Issei enters his house after leaving Rias and the rest of the O.R.C. after fighting Saji. He walks to him room and fall asleep on the bed. -Issei"s Dream- Issei stands in the middle of a blank white room, and then he starts to hear voices. "Don"t forget me Issei." "Will you promise to kill the dream?" "We"ll meet again Issei Hyoudou!" "On behalf on my faction...I"m sorry about your family." "I"m sorry I have to go, when I get back, I"ll be strong enough." "My, friend?" "ISSEI!" "No, why are you doing this?" "I"ll kill you!" The room becomes a deep red. "We"ll fight again." "You are not all mightily and Holy." "You smell as holy as your father." [ISSEI!] "Will you stay with me?" [WAKE UP!] "I"m sorry, but I can"t protect you any longer. Not after what I did." An image of girl crying appears. The girl has light brown hair in twin tails with purples eyes. [WAKE UP ISSEI!] A large red dragon surrounded by fire replaces the girl. -Ends of Dream- Issei"s eyes shoot opens as he jolts forward and sit up on his bed panting. "What? What was that?" [You had a nightmare boy.] "A nightmare? That"s all it was." Issei continues to gasp for air as he tries to calm down. [You"ll have to tell them sometime.] "About what?" [Everything that you hide from, the promise to the infinite, the white dragon, and that girl. Before it catches up to you can and causes problems.] "I"ll let them know when the time is right. Not even I, myself can deal with them alone. But I won"t let them bear any weight until its necessary." [About that, what are you going to do about them, are you going to stay, or leave.] "I"m going to stay...I"ve grown attracted to them and they have to me. They"re my friends now, and I like them." Issei firms a weird smile. [Oh really now? Is your dream to have a harem part if the reason too?] "Hehehe...a little." [*sigh* how many are you going to keep attracting before you are satisfied?] "I don"t want a super large one, I want to keep the girls happy too, and having too many of them will cause some conflict around them and me." [Very smart, boy.] "Thank you, now, I need to sleep. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be eventful." [As do I.] -Next Day- "Issei?" Issei looks to his large breasted master. "Will you out with me?" Issei widens his eyes and falls to the floor. "WHAT?!" "N-not a date, just go out and get some stuff with me, besides" Rias looks to the floor, "I"d like to get to know my servant..." "Um...sure, I guess. Yeah I"ll go with you." Issei tries to gain himself and stands. "Good. And look nice, so don"t walk around in your school uniform." She looks ecstatic but still gives him the order. "Yes, Prez." Issei walks out of the room. "I kinda wish it was a date, then maybe she"d let me hold those huge tits of hers" Issei starts to imagine him cuddling Rias with his face between her naked breasts. Blood starts to drip out I him nose. "Yeah, that would be nice." Back in the room Rias is thinking, "Did he really think I meant in a date? Well...I wouldn"t mind but...no, that"s not right, he is my servant and I"m the master...but he"s so cute and manly!' Rias"s face starts to get really red and she plops herself on one of the sofas and half screams in a pillow. "That pervert." "My, my, did someone take hold of our princess"s heart?" Akeno walks out behind of the curtain with wet hair and towel around her. "What?! No..." Rias yells back to her. "Hmm...If you say so prez." Akeno walks to another set of door in the room and exits the one Rias is in. "No..." Rias blushes as she goes back to her pillow. -Next Day- Issei is waiting outside the club room in a dark red shirt under a white, fully unbuttoned dress shirt and grey pants. The door opens and Rias walks out in a white shirt and a red skirt that is about as red as her hair. Issei blushes severely when he notices how tight the shirt looks on her breasts. Rias takes notice and turns the other way trying to hide her figure. "Let"s just get going, shall we?" Rias asks. Issei realizes that he"s starring and tries to regain himself, "s-sure." Rias takes the lead and make Issei follow her. "Where are we going, Prez?" "Just around, get some things, but I"d also like to get to know more about my new servant. See his gains and downsides of being on my peerage." "Are you saying that I"m not worthy of the Red haired Lucifer"s younger sisters peerage?" Issei says mockingly. Rias gets a little shocked by this statement, "You know my brother is Lucifer?" "Well he"s not the really Lucifer, he died in the Great War. Your brother is a very powerful Devil and has gained the title of Lucifer. One of the Four Great Satan"s." "You know a lot about the Devils for an Exorcist." "Remember I"m also an Angel, I was taught about the Devil society to better protect myself from starting a war sense I can"t always stay in Heaven and I live here, so I had to know about important figures in the Devil society and their relatives and friends so I know who not to mess with or piss off. But now that I"m a Devil myself and a servant to the heir of the Gremory Clan and the sister to Lucifer, I"m sure I"ve made it good with the Devils that don"t know I"m an Angel." "Oh...you do know they"ll figure it out right?" "About me being an Angel? Yes I do know. I"m just hoping that the Devil society won"t kill me because of that. Your brother is Lucifer so that might bring lesser hate then it would have if it wasn"t like that." "Yeah." Rias and Issei end up in a park, the same park the Issei was killed at. "Hey Issei?" "Yeah?" "You are an Angel, but you are a pervert and thus you have lust and you have said you have sinned before, right?" Issei looks to the right. "Yes I have. And you don"t have to say it so bluntly I"m a pervert." He whispers the later part. "Then...Then why haven"t you Fallen? Even if you killed people, your lust in itself is a sin to an Angel and you would have fallen. Why aren"t you a Fallen Angel?" Issei stand were he"s at and sighs. "I knew this would happen. You are right in that I do commit sin and I should be a Fallen Angel by now. The reason why I"m not is because of the human side to me. I"m more, well was more human then Angel and it"s in human nature to commit sin sometimes. And added to the fact that I"m the Sekiryuutei and part dragon, so it mostly my nature to sin. Those cancel out the effects of committing sin to fall. It simple really." "Oh...that"s weird. That might also explain why you can be my servant. Normally Angels can"t be used for the Evil Pieces." "Yeah. But now that the human part of me is gone and been replaced with a Devil part, I commit as many sins as I want too and never ever fall." "So that now makes you as Half Devil, Half Angel in a humanoid Dragon body? I have made an interesting servant." The two start to walk away from the park. "Let"s get going, we still need to pick up some things and I"m getting hungry." -Later- Issei sits on one of the couches as Akeno serves him tea. Rias is sitting at her desk looking at some papers. Akeno catches Issei looking at her breasts and gives a smirk and starts to show them off. "You like what you see Issei?" Issei stares at her in a blush as she starts to lift them up with her hands and move them around. "Akeno!" Rias yells. "Yes, Prez?" Akeno looks at her with an innocent smile. "Don"t do that to my Issei, you know how he thinks." "Yes I do. And "My Issei"?" Issei just sits and watches the argument between the two. Yuuto and Koneko walk in and sit on the opposite couch of Issei followed by Asia who sits next to him. "Noisy..." Koneko whispers. Yuuto just sits there and watches. And Asia clings onto Issei"s arm. "Hey Asia?" "Yes Issei?" She looks up to him. "I"ve been meaning to ask, where are you staying?" "Aaaahhh...um...I live her for the moment. But Rias said she try to find a place for me after some stuff is over with." Asia rubs her hands together. Rias stops talking with Akeno as she hears what Asia said. "Ah yes about the Asia..." Rias looks to Issei. "I was going to ask earlier but I forgot to. Issei would it be too much to let Asia stay at your place? It would be better for her to live with one of us and sense you both have come from the church, she would feel better, plus she has quite the attachment on you." Asia blushes as Issei looks from her to Rias and closes his eyes. He opens back up after a moment and smiles. "Yeah. I"m the only one living in a three bedroom house so that won"t be a problem." Asia gains a big smile. "Plus, I do get a bit lonely living by myself." "Thank you Issei! Thank you!" Asia gives Issei a big hug. Issei blushes as he feels her breast rubbing against him. Koneko stands up and smacks his arm. "...Pervert." "Hey! How do you want I"m thinking?!" He yells back. "The look on your face tells all..." "Well I"m sorry I love breasts!" Issei yells back. Koneko it taken back by this and turns around. She looks down and puts her hands on her small breasts. She then sits back down next to Yuuto. "Anyway, it"s getting late, you all and go home now. I"ll help you bring your stuff to Issei"s, Asia." Rias says after clapping her hand together. "Yes Prez." Akeno then bows. "Of course." Yuuto does the same and head out with both Akeno and Koneko. "...Bye..." Rias, Asia and Issei are all that"s left in the room. "I guess I"ll go ahead and clean out one of the rooms for you Asia, how does the master sound?" "The master bedroom? But don"t you sleep in there?" Asia blushes. Issei stares at her. "Oh no. I sleep in one of the others rooms; the master and one other room are empty at the moment." "Oh, I"ll sleep in the other room. I don"t have very much and a master would be too big for me anyway. Thank you." "You sure? Ok. I"ll be taking my leave then, see you two soon." Issei make a crimson portal at his feet and teleports away to his house. "Strange..." Rias comments. "What is?" Asia looks over to her. "That teleportation circle he used looked my houses, but the middle crest was different and the circle had a black hew to it. "What do you mean?" "Well if anyone from my house hold and their peerage members use any magic that involves a magic circle, it"s the color red with a crimson hew and the Gremory crest in the center. But Issei"s magic circle was completely crimson and had a black hew with a crest that was not the Symbol for the Gremory house." "Is that bad?" "No not really, but it is indeed strange. I"ll have to look more into this matter." "I have a thought." "Do tell." "Well maybe he"s not using his Devil powers to use that magic but his Angel or other type."

As he walked inside, he took off Derf and his mantle and set them next to his bed on a desk. Then he walked onto the small balcony outside of his room and leaned against the railing looking out to a small river and forest. Saito stayed there for a long time, completely oblivious that a figure had walked into the room. The figure walked up behind him. "Her Majesty trusts you a lot." Saito turns slightly to see Agnes next to him. "For some who isn"t from this world, you have made very good friends and allies and have gotten used to this world quite a bit." "How long have you known that I"m not from here?" He asked. "I"ve known for a while. When we first met, I had asked Her Majesty about you and why she trusted you. When I asked about where you were from, she only said "Somewhere. Not here. But somewhere.' That"s when I knew. Besides, you talk about how everything is so different here then were you are from." "She is right. I"m not from here. The world that I"m from is different from this place." "What is your world like Saito?" Agnes looks at him with curiosity. "Well, for starters, it doesn"t have kings, queens, nobility, knights, and peasants. We used to, but that stopped hundreds of years before I was born. It only has one moon. And because our world doesn"t have magic, we rely on something called electricity and machinery." Saito looked up to the sky with a saddened look. "No magic and no kings or queens. Your world sounds like a place where everyone can be equal." "You could say that, but there are still people who have power to control others, but there are laws I place so people don"t go power hungry, but they don"t work sometimes. Sometime I miss that place. We actually thing magic is a tale and that wizards, witches, ogres, and monsters aren"t real. Man, I truly wound up in a fairy tale." "Saito? Do you wish to return back to your world?" "I used to think that. I mean, I was forced to be here and I miss my family, so I wanted to return. But...after being here for as long as I have, I actually wish to stay. Even though this world is nothing like my world, I like it here." He paused. Plus, I"m WAY more lucky with the ladies here than home! He thought to himself. "This place is something out of a fairy tale." "I see." she gave a nod."Anyway, do you need something? I thought you went to tell your troops about tomorrow." Saito said as he walks back into the room. "Oh, I already talked to them. I can here to warn you not to try anything with the girls or I will deal with you personally. So don"t do anything." Agnes looked intensely at Saito with a sharp gaze. "Alright, alright. I wasn"t going to do anything anyway." He replied. "Good. Now that that is out of the way, I must return to her Majesty." She then walked over to the door to leave. "Thanks for the talk." She said quietly before leaving. Once she is gone, Saito went over to a mirror in the room and looked at himself. An image of himself in his old clothes appeared in the mirror as if it was a picture and in the background were his parents, family, and friends smiling as his home city"s skyline towered in the background. Then the image started to blur and a new image starts to appear. The new image had Saito wearing the clothes his has on now with his mantle on with Derf on his back. The Academy was in the background and behind him was Tiffania, Henrietta, Siesta, Tabitha, Agnes, Kircke, Mr. Colbert, Montmorency, Guiche, Old-man Osmond, Jessica, Scarron, Julio, and Louise... "My life has changed so much. For good or for bad, my life is different from the one I used to have. I"m sorry, mom and dad, I may never see you two again, but I can"t leave this place. I love it and the people here so much." Saito said to his mirror self as tears fell from his face and hit the floor. -Next Day- The sun rose and shined through the window onto Saito"s face the next morning. As he tried to move his right arm to cover his eyes, his notices that he couldn"t move that arm, and he could feel something soft and smooth against it. Lying next to him was a sleeping young girl with purple hair. And between her breasts was his arm and between her thighs was his hand. Saito moved a little to try and break free of Henrietta"s grip on his arm, but his action only succeed in making her moan and she brought herself closer to him. She was almost completely on top of him now. With both legs on his right side of his body and her right arm on his left side. She now has her head on top of his chest. *Knock* *Knock* As the door opened, Saito started to sweat in nervousness. When the door was half way opened, Agnes walked inside. She looks over to Saito and Henrietta on the bed. "Please get up your Majesty. We need to get you ready for the trip." Agnes sais to the presumably Henrietta. Though said girl began move around and then rose up from atop of Saito and was now straddling him against his waist. She looked fully awake and aware of the surroundings and situation. Still on Saito, she turns to Agnes. "*sigh* Fine. Let"s go." She said sadly as she moved her left leg over Saito and stands next to the bed. Saito notices that she isn"t wearing very much clothing apart from a bra and panties under a light purple, see through nightgown. As they both leave, Henrietta looked back to Saito and gave him a wink. "Was she awake the whole time?" Saito asked no one. Leaving that thought for later, Saito got out of bed and walked out to the balcony. Standing against the railing and looking at the view, he takes in the fresh air. "Come on, we need to get ready for the trip too, partner." Derf said from a table in the room. "Yeah." Saito put his vest on, then Derf, and finally his mantle. Saito stood in the mirror looking at himself. "I have everything. Let"s go Derf." In Henrietta"s room, Agnes is stood next to the door while Henrietta is in her closet getting clothes. "You need to control yourself, your Majesty. I know I said I would support your relationship with him. But sleeping in the same bed as him, that a little far for the moment." She is a concerned tone. "I want to be close to him while I still can. Tomorrow he is going to leave, and I don"t know how long it would be until I see him again. I know it might seem not like me to act this way, but I want to be with him for a while." "Fine. But don"t go giving away yourself to him. You"re still a queen. Remember, he is a dead man and a mere peasant to most nobles and your council might be very unhappy with it." "But I am a woman before a queen." Henrietta walked out of her closet in her normal white dress and clothes across her arm and sat them on her bed. Agnes gave a heavy sigh. Saito stood on the deck of the ship as it flew off from port. The ship rose at a steep angle, then evens itself out as they get further from land. He was watching the view of land, and all the women walking about on board the ship that he is the only male on. "I"m so lucky to be here. On board a ship with only women. All I can do is look, but that"s enough." Saito said to himself in a very low whisper while making a goody face. But he stops once he hears the thump of boots walking in his direction. He slowly turns to find Agnes heading towards him. "Remember what I said yesterday." Agnes whispered as she walked by to one of her subordinates. Saito got a chill down his spine, but shook it off, deciding to go walk around the ship to pass the time, maybe talk with Henrietta. It was at night fall when they reached the port in Albion. The ship was emptied, besides six members of the Musketeers that are guarding the ship. The rest are at the Archduke of Albion"s mansion. Once arriving at the mansion, Henrietta and her uncle talked while Saito and Agnes stand by the door. "It"s good to you again uncle." Henrietta said happily. "Same to you. You"ve grown so much since I last saw you dear. It is wasn"t for the war, I would have visited you sooner." He smiled. "I"m so glad you are well." "Yes, what happened over a year ago was very frightening. The death of James and his son took its toll on all of us, but I"m glad that you were safe and the Albion is in relative peace." "Thank you, uncle." Henrietta"s uncle smiles at her and put his hand on her shoulder. They talked a bit for before she gave a slight yawn. "I"m sure you must be tired from the tip. I would be good to get some rest. But before that, won"t you introduce me to your friends over there?" He pointed to Saito and Agnes at the door. "Oh, yes." Henrietta motioned them to come over and they moved to her, each on one side of her. "This is the captain of my Musketeer corp., Agnes Chevalier de Milan, and this is my personal Knight, Saito Chevalier de Hiraga." Both Saito and Agnes bow to the Archduke. He looked at them both with a curious eye, but mostly at Saito. "Nice to meet the protectors of my niece. She can be a handful at times so it is good to know that she has people she can trust." He said with a laugh at the end. "Ah well, it is getting late, and you have to leave in the morning. I advise you get some rest for tomorrow." "Yes uncle. Let"s go Saito, Agnes." The Queen said as she turned to her friends, but before they were able to make it to the door, the Archduke called out to them. "Wait. Before you go, I wish to speak with you, Knight." Henrietta looked at her uncle with a confused stare. "Of course." Henrietta said warily before Agnes and herself leave the room while Saito stayed. "You want to talk with me?" Saito said while pointing at himself. "Yes. I have two questions for you. You may not answer them if you don"t wish too." "Ok." "What is your relationship with my niece?" Shocked by the question, Saito jumps a little. "W-what do you mean?" He said nervously while tugging at his collar. "I mean, are you strictly her Knight, friend, or lover?" The Archduke asked in a cheery tone, but it caused Saito to stiffen up and turn his face red. "Ha-ha, guessing from your reaction, I"d say you are a friend that wishes to become something more?" "Y-yes." Saito answers. "But I could be seen as her lover.' He thinks. "It"s good that she has a friend to protect her in a time of need. You might get a chance with her if you wait. I understand that she was deeply affected by the death a Prince Wales, do you know what I"m talking about?" He asked seriously. Calming down a bit, Saito answered, "Yes. I was there, delivering a letter when Wales was assassinated by Wardes. She was heartbroken, and even though I wasn"t her Knight, I felt it was my responsibility to cheer her up because I was unable to stop Wales from dying." Saito clenched his hands into fists as he was reminded of when Reconquista used Wales to kidnap her and almost kill her. That then reminded him that he still has to return that ring to the water spirit. "Well I"m glad you were able to help her. But now on to my next question." His voice completely changed from joking to a more serious tone. "I have heard a rumor that started a month ago about a man with blue eye with a talking gold sword facing the army of 70,000 and mysteriously disappeared before he died. So judging by both your eyes and the golden sword you have, that man was you, wasn"t it?" He queried. Saito looked at him strangely and tilted his head down in both shame and regret, but before he was able to say anything, Derf spoke for him. "Yes, this boy is that man from that night. And for the record, he did die." Derf said as he rose from his sheath. "What"s with that Derf?" Saito yelled at him. "I"m sorry partner, but this is the best opportunity." Saito looked back and thought of Derf"s words. "A talking sword. Interesting. So what I"ve heard is true. Then how did you do it? How did you escape the army? And how are you still alive if the sword said you died?" His voice was now less serious and more curious than anything. "I used a teleporting spell to send him to a forest before he died. That was where he died, but soon after, a young girl with blond hair came by, resurrected him and took care of him." Derf explains. "A young girl with blond hair?" The Archduke remembered hearing rumors of a blond fairy in the woods that healed injured passersby. "Yes, she is an elf. More precisely, a half elf." Saito said with a lax tone. He goal was to see how the man in front of him would react. If he was truly Tiffa"s father, but now would be the best time to find out and how he thinks of her. Once finishing the sentence, the Archduke looked at Saito with wide eyes. "What"s her name?" He asked hastily. "Her name is Tiffania. She says she is your daughter." That was all Saito had to say before the Archduke fell to his knees with a sad and defeated look on her face. His hands were balled up into fists as they tugged at the lush rug underneath him. "So she is safe, yes? Please tell me she and her mother are safe?" He said as he continued to stare at nothing. Pain was clearly written across his face. "She is fine. But her mother, she had past four years ago. I didn"t go too far in that conversation in fear of her remembering a bad memory." Saito said as he watched the Archduke try to stand back up and adjust himself. "Thank Brimir. Thank goodness she is ok. Her mother was a kind person. I fell I love with her even though she was an elf." He had paused as if he was recalling a memory. "I"m sorry about what I did to her and her mother by abandoning them. My family was prepared to kill them if I didn"t cast them away. She must hate me, and I understand why." "I know. I"ve abandoned people before; I still think about what might have happened in I went back." "Well, thank you telling me she is ok. Can you tell me where she is so that I can see her?" He asked hopefully. "I"m sorry, but I can"t." Saito looked to the ground. He did not want to keep the morning father from his daughter, but he didn"t want to jeopardize her safety until she said it was alright. "Why not?" "I"m sorry, but I promised to keep her location secret, even from her father. She is afraid of what people might think and do her because she is a half elf." "Oh. Well, if she wants to see me, she can. I admit, I"ve never been a very good father to her and haven"t seen her since she was born. So I understand if she doesn"t want to see me. But the next time you see her, tell her I love her." "I"ll do so. And thank you for understanding." "It"s fine." With a sigh, he continued, "You may leave now. I"m sure my niece is waiting for you; she has been at the door for a while now." He points to the door. Saito rose his brow as he walked to the door and opened it to find Henrietta trying to sneak away passed a corner. Her whole body started shaking from nervousness as she waved to Saito, who had his head out the door. "H-hi Saito. N-n weather outside t-tonight." And with that, she tried to run to her room. "What will I do with her?" Saito commented as he shook his head and ran after her. -Next Morning- Saito woke up early in the morning to the same sight he saw the previous day; Henrietta in the bed with him, clinging to his right arm. He carefully looked at her peaceful sleeping face and decided to poke her check to try and wake her up. She moved a little and he poked her again and this time she slowly opened her eyes. After a slight moan, she spoke, "Good morning Saito." She said while raising her arm above her head, showing off her revealing night wear. "Good morning, Henrietta. How did you sleep?" "G-good. Thank you for letting me sleep in your bed with you." She said nervously with her head down, embarrassed. "I don"t mind, but you snuck in here after I went to sleep." "Hehe, yeah." He laughed as she scratched her cheek with her index finger. Henrietta moved over so that Saito has room to move as well. She leaned back down against him and lied across his chest. "So you are leaving today and I won"t see you for a long time." She looks over to him with a tear in her eye. "Don"t be sad. I am your Knight, and if you call, I"ll be there for you. I won"t be gone as long as you think." "I know. I"ll miss you very much. I"m happy that I can say goodbye this time." She brought Saito into a deep embrace and buried her head into his chest. "Please. Come back safe." She said weakly. "I will. I promise I will." The two lied in bed together in each other"s embrace. This went on until the sun was fully up in the sky. "Let"s go. Agnes should be awake by now." Henrietta said as she lifted her head from his chest. "Yeah." They both got up and Saito put his vest, Derf, and mantle on as Henrietta waited for him at the door. They walked to Henrietta"s room, which was two doors down and she walked inside the room to change. "No peeking." She said from behind the door. A few moments later and she came out of the room in her usual dress. As she had exited the room, Agnes waked down the hall towards them. "Oh, I see you two are already awake. The preparations for the departure to the palace are done. But your uncle wishes to speak with us before we leave." Saito, Agnes, and Henrietta stood in front of a carriage and in front of them was the Archduke. "I hope the meeting goes very well, my niece." He gave her a hug. "The new king is very kind, but he can be a formidable foe in terms of debates. He is cunning, but he will do what his in the best interest for the people, even if it conflicts with his own beliefs." He smiles and walks over to Saito. "And for you, Knight." A maid walked up to Saito and handed him a bag. "This is a thank you gift for what you told me yesterday. You did a very good thing." Saito looked inside the bag and find it contained a copper colored armor. A small chest plate, a pair of gauntlets that covers the lower arm and the top of the hand, and a pair of grieves that cover the lower leg. "They may look like training armor, but they are made from a very strong metal alloy infused with magical resistance charms. I can reduce the power magic attacks, but it won"t make you invincible, just for durable. You can"t protect someone without something protecting you." He instructed Saito. "Whoa, thanks." Saito said as he looked to his armor with stars in his eyes. "The thanks is all mine. I hope you see all again." Saito nodded and gave his thanks once more. Once the goodbyes were said, Saito, Agnes and Henrietta get in their carriage and they ride off. A little way from the mansion, they stopped at the outskirts of a small town and let Saito off. "I"m going to miss you Saito." Henrietta said sadly. "I know. And I"ll miss you too, and Agnes. I promise to come back when I can." He said to her after a hug. "I"ll be waiting. Please be safe." She gives him a kiss in his check and got back in the carriage, but looked out to window at him. You could see small tears well up in her eyes. "I will. See you guys later." Saito said as he closed the door and Henrietta road off into the town they"re passing through. After a few minutes, Saito walked into the town getting strange looks from the town"s people. He walks around the town asked if there was a place that had a map of Albion. A townsmen directed him to the plaza where there was a message board with a map tacked one. Finding the location of Westwood, Saito left the town and headed in that direction. It was before dusk when he reaches the town of Westwood. Again, walking into town, he got strange states from the people. He went to a local restaurant to get some food after is long journey. Henrietta had given him some gold coins to use in case he needed to rent a room and for some food. After eating, he headed for the forest. Once he reached the forest, he knew where to go. He ran deep into the forest in a way that made him look like he was lost, but he knew exactly where he was going. His seemingly random turns were to just confuse anyone who might have been following him. Once getting to a small clearing at dusk and stood in the middle of the clearing, turned left and ran until he found a small wooden cabin in the trees. In another room, a young girl with blond hair, green eyes, elf ears and an over large bust was changing for the night and was about to fall asleep. "I had only been with him for a month and he had only been gone about two weeks, but I miss him so much." She brought her hands to her chest were her heart is. "I always feel this way when I think about him. Is this love?" She started to remember the time they had spent together. And the night before he left when she snuck into his room and slept next him. The peacefulness of his face, his spiked black hair, and the texture of his body. She started shacking head. "No no Tiffa, you shouldn"t think about that." She was then startled by the door to her house open and close and the sound of footsteps. Who could be here?! She thought. No one should had been able to find the location of the cottage because of the enchantment placed around the area. She grabbed her wand and headed to the door of her room. Slowly opening it and heading down the hall. She got to the corner that leads to the main room and the door. Poking her head out the corner and found a man wearing a black mantle that falls down to his ankles. He turned his head slightly so she can only see one side of his face. Her eyes widen, recognizing the man in the room. She quickly moved so she was in full view of the man. "Saito." "Tiffa." END.

"I"m sorry, Shang. Please forgive me." There was nothing else to say. Besides, if there was anything to say, Mulan couldn"t very well have because of the enormous lump in her throat. "Nothing to be sorry about," said Shang stiffly, disappointment glistening in his eyes. He steered his eyes from Mulan and set them straight on the road. "I"ve just fooled myself, that"s all, into actually thinking that you would care." He was back to his military self, cold and calm. It was as if Ping was again his recruit, and he was her captain. "Shang..." "It"s getting late. We"d better go," said Shang curtly. He kicked Kuei"s flanks and sped off, not waiting for Mulan. Copyright © SwordSkill 2000 True To Your Heart [4] True To Your Heart Part IV by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: Geez, I really had to work on Rong Lei-lei and Kuan Ming"s characterization so they could look beautiful and handsome respectively. (grin) They"re adding to the complications of the plot. BTW, I want to clarify something. There is not much gender distinction in Chinese names, so don"t confuse Xiao Ling (an original character) with Ling. Xiao Ling is a figment of my imagination, and she"s Mulan"s good friend in this fic (and oh yeah, she"s a girl) and Ling is the male recruit in the original movie of Mulan (he doesn"t appear in the fic at all). Please R/R! Mulan felt miserable as she rode K"han into the city. She felt as if something priceless had been taken away from her, which was, of course, Shang"s friendship. Why must she lose it in this way? Well, it was Shang"s fault, anyway. If he didn"t bring the subject up, everything would have been fine. Now he"s spoiled everything. Just when she was about to take the bend in the road which led to her house, she stopped. She couldn"t face her parents now, after all that"s happened; they would be so disappointed, and they wouldn"t understand! And what about Grandma? Her sharp tongue would be the death of her. Instead, Mulan felt herself wandering aimlessly throughout the city, seeking solace, yet unable to find it. She finally set herself by a pond and jumped down from K"han, seating herself on the grass and watching the little fishes swim by. "You"re looking pale, Mulan. What happened?" Mulan turned and saw her friend Xiao Ling approach her. She was about Mulan"s age, and Mulan knew that she wasn"t exactly a great comfort because of her unintentional bluntness, but she would and can listen. "Just about the most terrible thing," said Mulan chokily. "Have you heard of the rumors about Shang and I?" "Who hasn"t?" snorted Xiao Ling, which made Mulan feel worse. Mulan proceeded to tell her about the last ten months, Shang"s new assignment, and finally, the horrible proposal. All the while Xiao Ling listened with great attention. When Mulan finished, Xiao Ling burst out, "And you"ve gone and refused Shang. What a stupid thing to do!" "Do you call refusing to marry a man I don"t love stupid?" asked Mulan icily, trying hard not to cry. "I don"t love him, Xiao Ling, and I probably never will after all that"s happened. "Love? You don"t know love when you see it, Mulan," said Xiao Ling, spiritedly. "You think it"s a...a more grandeur thing, and not coming humbly from a man like Shang." "And I suppose you"re an expert at making your mind to whom people should marry?" said Mulan, keeping her emotions in check. Xiao Ling softened and said, "You should probably go home now. Home"s the greatest comfort, and besides, your folks might be worried sick about you." Mulan sighed and slowly mounted back on K"han"s back. "I guess. I"m sorry if I bothered you. It"s just that losing Shang"s friendship is..." "Such a big blow, I know." Xiao Ling patted K"han"s nose. "I know how it feels, like when a very close friend of mine died." Mulan cringed. It reminded her that Shang would be away after two weeks. As if reading her mind, Xiao Ling said. "Think it over, Mulan, before it"s too late. Try to patch things up with Shang. You know, persuade him to be a friend again." "We are beyond patching," said Mulan. "But I"ll give it some thought. Well, so long and thanks for listening!" Mulan spurred K"han and dashed home. After Mulan settled K"han back at the stable, she quickly and quietly tried to get in the house without bumping into any of her family. She had to be alone to arrange the barrage of thoughts that attacked her. She crept in the door, past Fa Li who was busy cooking, past Grandmother who was snoring by the couch, past Papa who was absorbed in writing calligraphy by the living room table, and zip to her room. She closed the door, sat down the bed, and sighed. Now their comradeship was broken and Shang would regard her as a girl who played with him and amused herself. She buried her head on the pillow. She"ll never live this down. It was all Shang"s fault. She never showed any signs of affection, and if Shang ever did, he was a poor shower of signs. Why was he so arrogant that he couldn"t accept the fact that they were only friends? All day long she tried to believe what she thought, but her conscience was weighing her down. During meals, her family could see her poking around the bowl and not joining any of the conversations. That night, she couldn"t get rid of the flashbacks of what had happened that day, and how awful she felt for turning him down. Someone ya know is on your side can set you free. I can do that for you if you believe in me. Why second-guess What feels so right? Just trust your heart, And you"ll see the light! Yes. That"s it. Somehow she"ll have to go to him and persuade him to accept her as only what she was offering: a friend and nothing more. If he refuses...well, she"ll just have to live without him. The next day, Mulan ate a hurried breakfast and put a modest robe. She didn"t want to look any more fascinating, if that"s what Shang had thought of her. Telling her family that she had left something in Shang"s house, she quickly walked towards Shang"s house. Just on the bend that led to Shang"s house, she happened to bump into Xiao Ling. "Oh, hey Mulan," said Xiao Ling. "You going to Shang"s to see if... "Yes, I am." Xiao Ling looked a bit uncomfortable before saying, "I just came from the market, and, well...this is just a rumor, Mulan, so don"t get too excited, but there are a lot of people saying that Shang switches from one girl to another as normally as changing clothes." "Oh." Mulan swallowed. Then as calmly as she could, she said, "And?" "And they say that Shang"s been seeing this girl called Rong Lei-lei since yesterday." "So?" Mulan bit her lip when she said this. Xiao Ling looked a little surprised as she said, "Well, I thought that I should warn you since you might get a little disturbed when you seem them...uh, together." "Disturbed? For what? Who he"s courting...er, seeing now isn"t my business." There was a little edge in Mulan"s voice. Xiao Ling noticed the edge and said, "But don"t worry, it"s just a rumor." "Who"s worrying?" Mulan gave a little titter. "Why should it matter to me who he"s with? I"m just going there to tell him to be friends again." "Uh-huh." Xiao Ling sounded like she didn"t believe her. Then she shrugged and said, "It probably would simmer down. You know how rumors are." "Of course." "Right. Well, I"ll have to get going now. Mom"s expecting these scallops." Xiao Ling quickly went to her way. Mulan called, "See you soon, Xiao Ling," and faced Shang"s house. Very well, he"s free to his own will, anyway. No one"s stopping him. Mulan tried to feel calm as her blood began to boil. Then she thought, Of course, it wouldn"t hurt a bit to see this "Rong Lei-lei." She quickly climbed over the vines growing on the wall of Shang"s gate. Still not forgetting the techniques she learned at boot camp, she craftily climbed through the trees and slid down the wall without making a sound. Quietly, she made her way to the main house and settled herself at the hedge. She peeped into the window. There was Shang, coming out of a room. He seemed to be talking with somebody from that certain room. Mulan inched her ear a bit toward the window. "...looking very nice today, Lei-lei," she heard him say. "Well, I"m very honored to be with the general of the troops," said a tinkling, female voice. Then she stepped out. Mulan felt very raggedy just seeing her. Rong Lei-lei was tall and ravishingly beautiful, with soft, creamy skin that contrasted her long, shining, raven hair. Her dark eyes gleamed and her face was blemishless. She wore an elegant dark-blue gown that accented the voluptuous curves in her arms and the arc of her delicate neck. Suddenly, Mulan"s alert instincts rang out. She hurriedly slipped to the other side of the wall just as Shang and Lei-lei opened the door and walked out. Mulan peeped. Shang was looking exceptionally handsome, wearing a red, formal robe reserved only for special occasions. He smiled at Lei-lei as she chattered nonstop, and Mulan felt something twinge somewhere below her heart. Mulan kept silent as she watched them go out of the gate, then she blew out the breath that she wasn"t aware she was holding. She couldn"t blame Shang. Lei-lei was beautiful beyond imagination and she had a happy, cheerful disposition. And that hair...Mulan fingered her own hair. She had shorn it short before the war, but it was growing fast again. Maybe, just maybe, she could let it flow like Lei-lei"s. Mulan slowly scaled the gate, thinking. The way Shang smiled at Lei-lei was a sure sign that he was in love with her. What man wouldn"t be? Just leave Lei-lei on the square and the boys will stick to her like bees on honey. And the way he complimented on Lei-lei...Shang"s never done that to Mulan. Well, I won"t be discouraged, thought Mulan, trying to convince herself. So Shang got a beautiful girl; I should congratulate him. He certainly won a prize for himself. Then with vengeance she did not realize she harbored, She"ll certainly be a pleasant change to Shang after hanging around with me. Mulan sighed as she walked down the streets. Well, maybe having Lei-lei around would be a good thing. Maybe she and Shang could be friends again. Mulan wouldn"t have to see Shang scowling at her, and it would be clearer on her conscience that Shang was very happy. It was just unfortunate that something was telling her she wouldn"t be as happy as he was. She heard drops of rain splatter on the sidewalk. She looked at the sky and to the dark clouds that hovered above the rooftops. And without her unbrella too. Her house was a good distance from Shang"s, and now she"d have to run for cover. "Oh no." The torrent of rain came with a swish and a rush. Soon, Mulan was shivering in her thoroughly wet robe. And then there was a voice behind her. "Excuse me, maybe you could use this. A beautiful girl like you shouldn"t be getting wet." Mulan looked behind her. Tall, handsome, chiseled features, and that rich, golden voice--yes, the man that Mulan had once wished for before Shang entered the scene. His green robe dressed his well-built frame and his dark, melting eyes pierced straight into Mulan"s heart. He held out an open silk umbrella for her. "Why, thank you," said Mulan uncertainly, taking the umbrella. It could only house one. "Are you sure you won"t need it?" The handsome stranger smiled and shook his head. "There"s a small shelter there. We could wait until the storm blows over." The two hurried to an empty stall and thankfully sought its shelter. "That caught me by surprise," said Mulan laughing, holding up her askewed hair and looking at the unknown. It was then she realized he was staring at her admiringly. Her heart thudded wildly. Mulan coughed and said, "Are you from these parts? I"ve never seen you before." He laughed and said, "How rude of me! I"m Kuan Ming, and my family just moved up here today. And I have the honor of addressing..." "Fa Mulan," she said. Kuan Ming"s eyes suddenly brightened and he said, "Surely not the brave Fa Mulan who killed the notorious Shan Yu and saved China?" "Well, yes, that"s me." What was wrong with her heart? "Then the honor if even greater!" Ming smiled, showing his sparkling teeth. Mulan blushed. Soon, the two were talking affably as they waited for the rain to settle. Kuan Ming came from another city and was the son of a very wealthy jewel merchant. He also had distinguished blood. His grandfather had been one of the lords of court, and Ming"s blue blood certainly was displayed on his features. Mulan had never seen a man so comely. When the rain stopped, Ming walked Mulan home and ask for her permission to call. Mulan, lost in the mist of romantic thrills, readily gave him permission and sent him home a happy man. Copyright © SwordSkill 2000 True To Your Heart [5] True To Your Heart Part V by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: I"m getting a few mixed reviews about the story so far ^^;, but I assure you it will end quite satisfactorily. I had the whole story outline planned before I wrote Part 4 anyway. So for those "Mulan luvs Shang and vice-versa" people, hold on for a while, and for the opposition, enjoy Kuan Ming and Lei-lei while you can!^^ "Wait a minute." Fa Zhou looked straight at his daughter during lunch. "You refused Shang?" "That"s preposterous!" said Grandma, shaking her head. "I don"t see why everyone thinks I have to be married to Shang," grumbled Mulan. "Because you two were made for each other," said Fa Li. "Well, there"s no hope for that anyway," said Mulan. "Shang"s seeing this absolutely beautiful girl called Rong Lei-lei." She couldn"t help adding, "And I"m a poor excuse for her." "Oh, Mulan, that"s must be horrible for you." Fa Li looked at her sympathetically. "No it"s not, Mama," said Mulan, feeling slightly nettled. "See, if Shang goes with Lei-lei, then I"ll have a clearer conscience." She shrugged. "I can still be his friend, even if all the girls in China clung to him." Heaven forbid, she thought. "I"m not withholding any happiness from him." "You already did withhold him happiness in the first place," said Fa Zhou. "And that must be the reason why Shang is seeking this Lei-lei, if the rumors are proved correct." "And not only that," said Grandmother Fa. "You met Kuan Ming?" "I hear he comes from a a very distinguished family," said Fa Li. "Rich, too," added Grandma. Fa Zhou had no comment. He still preferred the brave general"s son rather than a merchant"s son. "He"s very nice," said Mulan. "He even asked if he could come calling tomorrow, and for some more other days." "And?" Fa Li raised her eyebrows. "I agreed." "You"d better think about this carefully, Mulan," said Fa Zhou. "Since the army will be moving two weeks from now, you"d better think what to do with Shang if you"re quite certain about this Kuan Ming." "I"ve made up my mind," said Mulan. "I"m going to ask Shang for our friendship, and hopefully he"ll accept it. In fact, I"ll look for him tomorrow." "I thought you were going with Kuan Ming tomorrow." "So I"ll take him with me." "That"s not a very wise thing to do, I think," said Fa Zhou, shaking his head. "Don"t worry, Papa," said Mulan. "Everything is under control." Did I just say that? Shang I know I saw her peeping by the window yesterday. It was no illusion. I saw Mulan...and she looked... "Shang?" I looked back at Rong Lei-lei. Ayaah, Rong Lei-lei, daughter of my father"s friend. You are very beautiful and very kind, but you"re not Mulan. No, no one will ever be. "Shang, you"ve been tuning out ever since we got here." Lei-lei nestled below the shade of the tree. "Oh, I"m sorry," I said politely. This is ridiculous. My father"s friend had dropped by with his daughter yesterday to see how my mother was, and although Mother tried to dissuade him, he insisted that Lei-lei and I get to know each other. I did it yesterday by the restaurant. And today I"m doing it by the lake. Thankfully he didn"t know about Mulan and I, or else it would have been worse. "Shang, is something bothering you?" Lei-lei asked, arching her neck. "No, no...I mean, yes. I mean..." "Shang?" I heaved a breath. "Lei-lei, you"re very nice and very attractive..." She smiled and said, "But?" "But you see, I already..." "Shang! I"ve been looking all over town for you!" That voice. It could only belong to one person. My neck pricked. I turned to see a very cheerful Mulan...riding with a very handsome man that I immediately did not like. "That"s him, Ming. You can stop now." Immediately, that man jumped down from the horse and carefully assisted Mulan down the horse. "Thank you, Ming." My chest tightened. Mulan could have gone down from that horse very well on her own. "Yes, Mulan?" I said, surprised at the coolness of my voice. But she was obviously prepared for it. "Before I say anything else, I"d like you to meet Kuan Ming." Kuan Ming bowed. I bowed back, envying him for many things. "And this is Rong Lei-lei," I said, introducing my companion. "Good afternoon," Mulan and Ming said. Then Ming looked straight at me and said, "Mulan had been telling all sorts of things about you." "Is that good or bad?" I asked coldly. "Either way, I cannot voice my opinions to unwelcome ears." I think Mulan felt how the tension that was heightening, so she said, "Shang, can I have a private word with you?" "Of course." Keeping my emotions in check, I moved a good distance away from the others and Mulan followed. "Kuan Ming"s very nice, isn"t he?" asked Mulan conversationally. "I think he"s a pompuss," I couldn"t help saying. "Well, he has a way with words." "That must be what I lacked," I said bitterly. "Shang!" Mulan looked uncertain. "Look, I just came to say after all that"s said and done, I just want to say my feelings for you haven"t changed." "Meaning you still will never love me." "Shang! This is already really difficult for me, alright? So give me some leeway here." "Sorry," I said, smiling weakly. "Guess I"m still feeling a little sore." "So will you still be friends with me?" I shrugged. "Sure, why not?" although I knew we"ll never have what we had before. "Thanks. That"s all I need to hear from you." Mulan smiled. She was about to go back when I felt myself say, "Of course that"s all. You have that Kuan Ming to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Just be careful not to break his heart." I stopped. I couldn"t believe the nastiness of my voice. There was a very long and quiet pause. Then Mulan swung to me, her face burning. "I will never break his heart," she said hoarsely. "He"s too good for that." I felt a spasm run across my heart. "Oh, and I"m not good enough for you," I said sarcastically. "You have a reason?" "Hundreds," she answered spiritedly. I flinched. I had to answer. "Good. Then that should keep you away from me for a long time. I don"t want any peeping-Toms disturbing me and Lei-lei." She gave me one long look. Then she turned away and ran back to Kuan Ming. I tried to calm my wild heart. That must had been the worst thing I"ve ever said to Mulan. I had never seen her so close to tears. As I watched Kuan Ming and Mulan say goodbye to Lei-lei and leave, it was then when I realized that my hands were trembling and my back was drenched with sweat. Did I love her that much? Of course. And I had just made the situation worse. "Shang, you don"t look so well," I heard Lei-lei say. "Maybe we should go." I brushed my hand on my forehead. "Yeah, yeah. No, I"m fine." I walked her back to her house, thinking. I must had been horrible to each of the girls. So when we reached Lei-lei"s gate, I faced her and said, "I"m sorry if I didn"t talk to you much. I"ve been preoccupied with...er..." "The girl," she said, meaning Mulan. "I understand." "Really?" "I"ll just wait until you can...care for me." She touched my arm and turned for her house. I felt very much troubled when I left. Mulan I blinked my tears away as I walked back to Ming. "Mulan!" Ming looked concerned. "Are you all right?" "I"m fine." I sniffed, as he helped me to the horse. "We just had a little disagreement, that"s all." Little disagreement, my foot. How could Shang be so mean? All I asked for was our friendship, and he spoiled it again! For the second time! Did he...did he really mean to end whatever it is we had? "Ming," I said when Ming took hold of the reins. "Would you mind if I keep quiet? I...I have to think." "Do what you must," he said gently and with no trace of annoyance. He was so gentle, and so kind! So unlike Shang. Maybe that was why I refused Shang. Maybe because I knew there was someone better for me. "Mulan?" "Yes?" "Please don"t be offended, but was Li Shang your..." "No," I said quickly. "He never was." "I see. Thank you." He looked straight ahead. I couldn"t hold myself. "But he asked me to marry him, if that"s what you want to know," I blurted out, "and I refused. And...and he"s not very happy about it, and..." "Mulan," he said softly, not looking at me. "I"m not forcing you to say anything. I don"t know the whole story, but I think you"re very affected by it." He looked at me carefully. "And I want to make sure that you"re all right." I wanted to tell him everything, everything! From the beginning when I met Shang and upto the Rong Lei-lei business. But then something prevented me from saying it; I didn"t know what it was. I felt so confused with my own feelings. Everything was so contradictory! "Well, I believe that everyone has a right to try to propose," said Ming, quietly. "And you are certainly no poor prize to be won." I had a hard time taking my eyes of him. I don"t think anyone had ever showered me with so much compliments and affection. And the way he looked at me, and cared for me...perfect epitome of love. Everytime he was near me, something would send tingles up my spine. I spent the rest of the ride dreaming and thinking that Ming had to nudge me and say, "Mulan, you"re home." When I jumped down from his horse and was about to say goodbye, Ming leaned close to me and said, "Don"t worry too much; everything will be fine. And if you need any help, I"m only a few blocks away from you and I"ll do everything in my power to help you." I bit my lip to keep myself from hugging him. As far as I know, a man caught touching a woman would be scandalous. Instead, I said "Goodbye, Ming," and waved at him as he rode his horse home. I closed the gate and walked slowly toward the garden. I crossed the bridge that hung over the little pond and leaned on the railing, watching my reflection on the water. It looked like a girl madly in love with a very handsome merchant"s son. Forget Shang, I thought. He had hurt me for the last time. I knew, I knew for sure, that Kuan Ming was the man the gods had been planning for me. There had to be no one else. My reflection stared back. Oh, you think so? How can you be so sure? Oh yeah, as if Shang can even give me a grin today. You saw how he nearly bit my head off. He"s just jealous. Didn"t you want that? You finally caught his attention. For your information, I never wanted his attention...or his affection, in that case. Who are you trying to kid? This is your heart talking. Both of us know that you"ve fallen for him ever since you first laid eyes on him. How dare you! I dare..oh, I do so dare. Know what? I even dare doing this! The waters shimmered and my reflection disappeared. Suddenly, another image started to form in the quiet water. It was Shang! Do you know what I"m doing? Instead of reflecting your outside features, I"m reflecting you heart. This is what"s in your heart, am I not right? "Will you stay out of this?!" I yelled, picking a pebble and throwing it into the pond. Shang"s face disappeared and the reflection went back to mine. I"m trying to help you before it"s too late. "Oh, go talk to the pigs!" I shouted at the pond. "You don"t know anything! You"re as blind as a bat and as deaf as a post!" "Mulan?" I faintly heard Mama"s concerned voice. I woke up from my deep thoughts and realized what I had just done. From the look on Mama"s face, she must had been wondering why in the world her daughter was yelling at the pond. "Oh, hi Mama, " I said weakly, embarrassed. "Are you all right?" she asked. "I think someone"s been standing too long under the sun," added Grandma in a teasing, singsong voice. I wanted to throw a pebble at her. "Yes Mama, I"m fine," I said, glaring at my reflection. The image there glared back. Mama and Grandma gave each other knowing looks and quickly shuffled off. I stared back at the waters, brooding. It felt as if everyone knew about my case and had their own opinions about it. Why couldn"t they mind their own business and just let Ming and I be? If I were you, which I really am, I"d...

"I don"t even know what use we"re supposed to have to Ramsey," said the cigarette man, playing with the safety lock of his own rifle. "You say that everyday, Bodenmann," replied the other guard with a touch of annoyance. "What"s the point?" Bodenmann ignored him, using the barrel of his rifle to point upwards at the steeples of the castle. "You see those snipers up there? They can take out anything that budges. Best part is they got a roof over the head so they don"t end up with blasted bird droppings on their noggins." "And they get a better view of the sunset than we do," said his friend, his eyes straining to see the sun sink behind the mountains under the hazy, dyed clouds. "Don"t care about sunsets, but if it makes you happy, yeah, they have a better view," shrugged Bodenmann, pulling his cigarette from his mouth to exhale a cloud. The wireless radio fixed on his head and plugged into his ear squawked quietly. "Bodenmann here," he answered after turning on the radio and tapping the tinny microphone hanging by his mouth. "Shoot." "South gate, report status." "Just peachy. Not a living creature in sight. See anything, Meier?" "Nein." "That"s a no from my partner, Central." "Our scanners are detecting two humans together heading your way, and Mr. Ramsey isn"t expecting visitors." "Distance?" "Roughly fifteen meters from where you"re standing," the other line replied. "Just nearly outside of the forest perimeter." "Armed?" "Make that a yes. Pistols." "Roger that, Central, we"re on it." Bodenmann armed his rifle and motioned at Meier with his index finger to stay where he was. Without making a sound with his heavy boots, Bodenmann swiftly made his way into the fir-lined greenery, gingerly avoiding twigs on the ground that may alarm his presence. Shafts of the sunset penetrated into the forest gloom and a solitary fowl twittered once in a while. "Central, you still have those two on your scans?" Bodenmann whispered into the mouthpiece. The operator sounded surprised. "Don"t you see them? They"re just behind you." "What?" Bodenmann whirled around quickly, his rifle aimed at whatever movement he may perceive. There was nothing. His eyebrows knitted together into a frown. "I don"t see anything." "Three o"clock, South gate one." Central sounded urgent. "Just two meters from you." Bodenmann turned to his right, barely missing the rustle of bushes. He looked frustrated and he gripped his gun even more firmly, narrowing his eyes. "I hear them. Be my eyes, Central." "They"re closing in on you. We"ve alerted the rooftops to cover your back, but there"s just too many leaves blocking their sight to get a good lock." There was a buzz as the other security operators notified the snipers. "Roger that, Central." Bodenmann swore as he tried to locate where the two intruders were in vain. Everytime the operator gave him a location, he would find nothing except some trampled leaves. "Still together, Central?" "Seven o"clock. They"re just-" Bodenmann never heard the rest of the instruction from Central. All he heard was a sharp sound behind him just before someone grabbed his neck and broke it. Bodenmann fell to the earth with a frozen grimace, prostrate. Kirika calmly slipped Bodenmann"s wireless device from his head and tossed it to Mireille. Mireille, her long hair pulled back in a ponytail, lifted it to her ear and shook her head, hearing nothing but static. She threw it back on Bodenmann"s face just before a sniper"s bullet ricocheted into a tree, almost hitting her if not for the distracting foliage. Three more followed and Mireille and Kirika jumped away harmlessly "We got one of the south gate, but the rooftops are shooting," Mireille said to her own mouthpiece, backing behind a tree. "Jam their transmission and get our cover ready." "On it, N1," crackled the other line with Schwarz"s voice. A bullet streaked across Mireille by a hairsbreadth and she leaped away smoothly, jumping and planting her feet firmly into the thick trunk of a tree before shoving herself out of harm"s away and rolling across the dirt as another shot rang out, driving the bullet into the tree, barely missing her. She could see with the corners of her eyes Kirika running towards the opposite direction with hardly a sound, gun gripped in her hand. The young assassin evaded the rain of bullets in an effortless dance, as if she knew where the next shot was coming from, until she reached the south gate, unscathed, but in the open range of gunfire. The red, alarm sirens scattered over the Ramsey fortress were blaring panic. "Your cover"s there, N1, and so is N2"s," Schwarz came in, like a blessing to Mireille"s ears. She knew Kirika was matchless when it came to avoiding shots, but no one could stand against an entire battalion of snipers firing together in the open. Mireille turned and hid behind a tree just in time to see dozens of Schwarz"s men, dressed in fatigues, scaling up the thick branches of the trees quickly with sniper guns strapped on their backs, some already aiming at the south wall. Those were Kirika"s sniper cover. Hers was behind her, awaiting her move towards the forest edge facing the east wall, as they had planned. "And their radios are jammed," she heard Schwarz add satisfactorily. "We"ll have our own snipers well on the tops of the trees before the rooftops even get wind of what"s going on." "Good," said Mireille shortly. Kirika"s snipers were already positioned on the high branches with their lethal weapons targeted at the black figures running around the rooftops like ants without their queen. One, two, then three more shots rang out, and five figures disappeared from one battlement. A barrage of shots followed. When Mireille decided that Kirika was safe enough in the hands of her cover, she led her own snipers in a quarter-circle around the perimeter towards the east, brazenly darting in and out of the forest edge to make sure that the fortress sentinels saw her. Bullets rained on their path and sometimes took one down from her pack, but they speedily made their way to the forest facing the east wall, jumping over broken tree trunks and flinging away the bushy arms of green plants. Mireille especially was in superb form, dodging away from the shots with every trick her body knew. The fortress snipers never left them. They reached the east wall forest and as she stayed behind a tree, her men climbed nimbly up the treetops, perching themselves for a good aim of the east wall snipers. They began shooting with perfect ease. She could hear the guns going off and empty bullet cartridges bouncing off the tree branches and thudding into the forest ground. Mireille caught her breath and held her mouthpiece. "I"m at the east wall. How are you, south gate?" "One of the guards gave me the passcode for the gate when I held him," Kirika replied, her breath gasping as she sidestepped the ringing bullets aimed at her while trying to pound the sticky C4 explosive into the south door, "but looks like their security system just changed it when they gave out the alarm." Kirika gave a grunt as she stuck the detonator fuse into the plastic clay of C4. "I had to take down all of the south guards on the head; they were wearing bullet-proofs and wouldn"t leave me alone." A bullet Mireille neatly zwinged across the space between Mireille"s ponytail and her head and flew into a tree. Her heart jumped at the nearness of the shot but she had not yet finished talking to Kirika. "Need any of my cover?" "Thank you, but my own cover is fine and you"re also doing fine as the distraction." Kirika sounded matter-of-fact. Mireille"s instinct urged her and she leaped lightly up the tree, grabbing the branch with both hands and swinging herself up before another bullet burned into where she had been a second ago. She let herself go before anyone got a lock on her and rolled on the ground to sit back up against another tree. "Fire in the hole," Kirika"s voice announced on the radio. Mireille heard Kirika"s footfalls as the girl took cover into the forest and braced herself. There was an explosion and debris flew everywhere amid the acrid smoke. The south wall snipers had stopped momentarily in surprise. Metal careened in all directions from the impact of the bomb, making a huge, gaping hole on where the south door used to be. Concrete rained on the entrance, mixing with the already blinding smoke of the blast. "N2?" There was no answer except a reply of static. Mireille knew that something that slight wouldn"t harm Kirika, especially from where the girl was hiding, but one could never be sure. "Kirika?" There was a pause then Kirika"s impassive voice was back online. "I"m fine, N1." She was hurrying back to the south gate. "I"m going in." cunae, end A/N: Story like this could open a lot of possibilities, lol, but I can"t answer the questions yet that were asked in the reviews. It would spoil a trifle too much. I"m glad, however, that my fic made the readers think beyond the parameters of what was written. ^^ You don"t always get responses like that. Liberi Fatali Chapter Four: Mala Mireille had suggested infiltrating the fortress by means of stealth and deception, but Schwarz had shaken his head, saying that he had already thought of that but had found it unfeasible. The Ramsey chateau was shut as tight as an oyster and their radars prevented anyone from getting too close to it, making it impossible even to take a glimpse of the gate passcodes, of which there were four, one for each side. Schwarz, however, had managed to acquire old floor plans of the castle before it had been sold to Ramsey. Although it would not help them as much as the blueprints of Ramsey"s re-furnished fortress, Schwarz was sure that Ramsey could not have torn down the old castle"s inner walls and rooms. It still was a resting-house. He merely might had installed his security systems and placed guards, but that was all. Ramsey was well-known for his love of ancient humanities, and that played to their advantage. They would just have to figure out the most logical places that Ramsey would occupy. Schwarz suggested that an open and frontal assault would have to suffice, despite its huge odds against success. A force of entry failed most of the time, but it was their only alternative. Besides, it was not entirely unpractical; Dreamscape Inc., upon appointing to Schwarz the responsibility of getting rid of Ramsey, had given him and his company a large budget to achieve the assignment. From the money, he had hired well-trained snipers, strongboxes of arms, poison, and explosives, a small home-base crew who had turned the Ramsey floor plans into an interactive, three-dimensional computer environment that could be navigated, hidden cameras attached on the assassin"s clothes, and other odds and ends, such as the plane tickets and "information money." He had already formulated his plan long before they arrived on Switzerland; the two assassins were actually the last part of the preparation before the siege itself. As Schwarz stayed behind with the crew to monitor their progress, they would need two people for one to act as a distraction as the other blasts the south gate with explosives. The south gate was the nearest entrance to what they theorized as Ramsey"s bunker; they assumed that once the security systems were in full alarm, Ramsey"s men would lead him to the shelter in case of assassination. Once an entrance was opened, one assassin would be sent to disable all the security systems to weaken the bunker and in preparation for their escape while the other be sent to deal with Ramsey. Ramsey"s security would have to divide their forces into three: one to give chase to the enemy snipers to keep them from entering the fortress, another to eliminate the one in charge of wrecking the security systems, and yet another one to provide Ramsey with the best human-shield defense while on their way to the bunker. And Schwarz knew that the less united an army force was, the easier it would be to destroy it. Mireille was still facing the east wall, currently tapping her mouthpiece. "Home, this is N1. Did N2 manage to destroy the surveillance cameras and sensors directed on the south gate?" "That"s the first thing she did when she arrived in the open," replied Schwarz, sounding awed. "She shot them down without wasting a bullet. And with such speed! Mein Gott, she has the best aim I"ve ever seen. She"s not human at all." "That"s Kirika all right," said Mireille unconsciously, flinching as a bullet scraped into the bark of a tree, flinging splinters towards Mireille"s face. Then she launched herself into a full run, leaving her sniper cover behind for the next step. As she cut through the foliage towards the south wall to join Kirika, she could already see in her mind"s eye how her partner would break past the armed squad that would have been sent as reinforcements of the south gate. Mireille flipped into the air and landed down perfectly, jumping over a tangle of twisted roots and shirking bullets on her tail. It would be an old tactic that Kirika would be using, one that Mireille herself was familiar with. People usually made use of only four sides of a cube when monitoring their surroundings; they always kept their senses trained on their front, back, right, and left. They took for granted the other remaining sides of the cube: the top and the bottom. Mireille and Kirika frequently took advantage of this overlooking during assignments. Kirika would clamber up the small extended roof that had been undamaged by the explosion and would lie in wait for the dust to clear and for the reinforcements to show themselves just behind the wrecked gate, the young assassin unnoticed because of the destroyed surveillance cameras. Once the reinforcements let down their guard because they could not detect her, she would instantly let the upper half of her body down, with only her legs to support her on the small roof. With her uncanny aim, she could shoot each of them on the head perfectly without breaking a sweat, staring at their pale faces upside-down. Mireille panted, breaking out of the forest and into the open south wall, with Kirika"s cover behind her. She had tried that tactic many times and could do it herself, but not with Kirika"s perfection in targeting. And she knew that she would always be second to Kirika in the assassination business, and Kirika second to none. Mireille danced away from the bullets of the south snipers, heading towards the blown gate. There was a litter of inert bodies surrounding it and leading into the inner chambers of the fortress, empty magazines lying on the floor, which Mireille recognized to be Kirika"s. No one alive was guarding the south gate. She could hear Kirika"s Beretta still firing deeper into the castle; she must be on her way to the bunker already. Mireille, however, had her own part to play. "Schwarz, I"m in," she said. The radio crackled noisily. "I"m going for the security systems." "N1, you"re breaking up," she heard Schwarz reply. Then came a few buzzes as Schwarz was nearly cut off, but she heard the phrases "jamming our transmission" and "on your own." Then there was an impertinent break and then she could hear nothing but static. Mireille turned the comlink off. She would have to hunt for the main center of the coordinated security systems on her own, although she did remember Schwarz telling her that the security center was most likely located in the heart of the castle, the second-floor hall, that was large enough to contain it. She stepped into the castle. Although Ramsey truly did not tear down any of the original curtain walls, he had added roofs and additional walls to integrate the different towers and stronghold keeps into one, united building. It made the European castle look smaller to Mireille as she surveyed her possible routes. She was currently standing on the outer bailey, the first courtyard between the outer and inner walls. There had been a roof added. She would have to find a way to get through the inner walls, then around the inner bailey to finally reach the shell keep where the main halls of the castle were, and where she could finally get down to business. Kirika was nowhere to be seen, and the gunshots were echoing less and less audibly. Mireille chanced upon a broken shard of glass and saw a three guns aimed at her, and she sprang into action, pulling her own pistol. Her would-be assailants fired each a shot before they fell down, the skulls smashed by the bullets that entered their heads. Giving Mireille no chance to rest, more bullet-proofed men came streaming from all directions, apparently having lain wait for her all the time to catch her alive. Mireille bit her lip as she ran around the spacious bailey in a wandering direction, firing and reloading, furious that she had not studied in more detail the floor plans that had been shown to her. And she was still in the outer bailey, with inner walls, an inner bailey, and spiral staircases to deal with later. Two men jumped on her and she hit one squarely on the groin with her boot before he landed, forcing him to drop his gun from pain before hitting the ground and squirming in agony. A well-aimed kicked on his head ended his misery as Mireille stepped back to shoot his companion. Kirika must be waiting for me now, wondering why the bunker"s still holding, thought Mireille in exasperation as she leaped in an arc and brought down three bodies with her. And here I am, stuck outside, because I didn"t read directions properly. Kirika. Mireille"s eyes suddenly flashed at the thought as her trigger finger pumped lead. Of course. Kirika had gotten farther into the castle earlier, killing all that came close to her, leaving a trail. The piles of dead bodies. Mireille looked at the corpses at her feet as she ran as hard as her legs could carry her. They all led to a certain direction and all she had to do was follow them. She remembered that the bunker was located down the basement, what used to be the dungeons, led by a staircase downwards from the ground-floor keep that was enclosed by the inner bailey. Kirika should have made all the way from the outer bailey to the ground-floor keep and into the basement, leaving her trademark, and from the ground-floor keep, Mireille could just look for the staircase leading to the second floor where the security hall was and do what had to be done. She evaded a fist aiming for her jugular and grabbed the arm that had been reaching for her, pulling the man down and shooting him at the back of his head. She panted, her eyes following the trail and her other senses alerting her of incoming bullets or attacks that she skillfully warded off or confronted with the muzzle of her gun. But as much as she neutralized her assailants, there seemed more pouring out from every hole from the wall, the sight of bullet-proof vests almost suffocating her. Apparently, there were more security guards in the building than what Schwarz had calculated. There seemed to be an endless supply of them. Her breath almost gave out before she saw Kirika"s trail lead into a smashed door, the lock blasted by a bullet and the door kicked down. She gave a strangled but triumphant cry as she ducked in the embrasure and into the inner bailey. The inner bailey was a courtyard even more vast and wider than the outer one, but even without the help of Kirika"s litter, she could make out the door into the keep and the halls just a few meters away from her. Summoning whatever that was left of her strength, Mireille tore past her attackers, the sight of the door growing nearer and nearer before her eyes. A red-faced guard appeared in front of her, pulling the trigger, but she grabbed his shoulder almost unconsciously before catapulting herself into the air, firing rounds, and alighting on her feet as smoothly as a cat would. She had to get to the main security hub in time. Without warning, a bullet suddenly grazed her upper left arm, tearing her shirt and leaving a gash on her skin. She winced as the blood began to seep out and drip on the floor. She crashed into the door leading to the keep with a puff, her shirt steeped in perspiration and her legs throbbing. She longed to slow down into a jog, her heart pumping as if her entire body would burst and the rims of her eyesight turning red from the exertion, but there was no time. Her hand was already trembling from exhaustion and her throat screaming for breath, but the glimpse of the spiral stairway built upon the spiral vault that went round the central newel gave her a fresh pump of adrenaline. Five men blocked the entrance to the staircase and she broke into a run, planning how to take all five of them at once, but before she reached them, she saw with her peripheral vision Kirika coming up from another stairway that came from the basement. She was harrassed by attackers of her own, the nearest one just a mere arm"s distance away from her, with a rain of bullets solidly behind her, pinging and poinging into the castle wall.

"Mulan. You saw the army off?" Mulan heard Ming"s resonant voice and said shortly, "Yes. Did you?" "I did not." He came to her side. "So many men out to die. Brave, I must say, but foolish." "Foolish?" Mulan bit her lip, trying to control the intensity of her voice as she faced Ming. "They are young men who love their country and would die for it." Ming sighed and said, "Well, yes, your point is well taken." "Would you do it?" asked Mulan suddenly. "Excuse me?" "Would you die for your country?" she said. She was wondering what he would say. She knew Shang would give an immediate yes. "Well..." Ming hesitated, then flashed a disarming smile. "With you in it, I would gladly go into battle for you." Mulan nodded. So Ming wasn"t as brave as Shang. Well, she must have realized that. Besides, Shang was a military man. But then she argued, But what has bravery got to do with love? "Shall I walk you home?" asked Ming, interrupting the train of thoughts. Mulan said sweetly, to hide her disappointment, "Of course, Ming." Mulan was very much quiet on the way home. For once she found a flaw in Ming. Well, of course everyone has flaws, but it seemed as if this was her first time to see Ming as...somehow imperfect. Was it because Shang already left and she... Of course not. Shang was gone and Ming was staying. At least that was what she thought. A few days went, and before Mulan knew it, a week had already passed after Shang"s leave. She had felt strangely melancholic the whole week, as if something was missing, which she acknowledged as Shang. But why would she miss him? Hadn"t he thoroughly insulted her, and showed her that he hated her? Well, maybe hate was a bit too harsh...that he did not want her friendship...as if she was not worthy of him? But there was Ming, whose true feelings for her were starting to manifestate. Mulan would usually blush at the thought. He had been a very gentle, manly gentleman to her, and was starting to get bolder. They"ve had many days alone just talking and being with each other. But he lacked something that Mulan had dearly shared with Shang: being fun. Humor. Light-heartedness. She was starting to forget what they were. Often times Mulan would have to sit through a whole lecture of Ming"s view on the significance of life philosophy. Ming never said humorous things...well, if he did, Mulan would just permit herself a feeble smile. But even so, she consoled herself, Ming was a very good man to her. She knew very well that he was soon going to ask her THE question. In fact, she was looking forward to it so she could have all this maddening parrying with her feelings over. And her wish came soon enough, on an innocent, Saturday afternoon... Ming had asked her for a walked by the glades in the valley that morning. The moment he asked her, she knew what was going to happen. Ming was there, more punctual than usual, and he was dressed in a more formal robe than usual. When he met her and finished paying her the usual niceties, he stopped talking and his eyes went straight to hers. Mulan"s heart banged in her chest. He gave a very poetic speech about her, laced with compliments and drama. Then he asked her. Ming waited. She waited. The whole world waited for the fateful yes. This was it. She took a breath with a big red "Yes!" flashing in her head, opened her mouth, and said... But nothing would come out! Instead she found herself stuttering, "I..uh...er...I don"t think...no, wait a minute..." "Yes, Mulan?" asked Ming smilingly, thinking that Mulan was so affected that she couldn"t get the words out. "I...I...I c-can"t!" "What?" Ming"s eyes widened. "What I meant was," said Mulan, trying to control her dizziness and confusion, "I meant that ye..uh..no!" "No?" Ming looked slightly perturbed. "No, meaning that of..of cour...uh..." Mulan started panicking. What was wrong with her?! There seemed to be a dizzying battle raging in her head and a heavy feeling weighing on her heart... You can"t say it to him. Yes, I can so! You can"t, because you love Shang. I do not! Don"t lie to yourself, Mulan, especially not to your heart... True to your heart! You must be true to your heart! That"s when the heavens will part, And show the world what you believe in! Open your eyes, Your heart can tell you no lies! And when you"re true to your heart, Then you"ve got all you need to make it through! The crushing feeling was lifted from Mulan"s chest as she finally stammered, "Ming...I...," she gasped, "I can"t marry you!" There was silence. "Are you...quite sure?" asked Ming, looking hurt. Mulan nodded numbly. No, not again! "Please," she said hoarsely, "please, you must understand, Ming." "I understand very well. You"ve let me in a very long goose-chase," said Ming, trying to work up a weak smile. "No," said Mulan, feeling a dreadful case of deja vu coming. "Honestly, I really thought..." "Is it because of him?" asked Ming in a low voice. Shang, Mulan thought. Was it because of him? She had thought she would automatically give Ming her word, but something blocked her from saying it. Images of Shang had filled up her head and she couldn"t think straight. All she knew and believed at that perfect moment was that she could not give her word to anyone but... "Yes," she whispered, letting her head sink to her chest." She heard Ming give a miserable groan, "I thought so." With head down, Mulan apologizingly said, "I"m..." "No, don"t say you"re sorry," Kuan Ming said bitterly. Mulan couldn"t believe it. She had refused another man again! What was wrong with her? Everyone would think of her as the most hard-to-please girl in China if she kept this up! "Well, I am very sorry," she said, feeling confused. "I don"t know what"s gotten into me." "Whatever it is, I can"t say that I"m very much in tune with it," said Ming wryly. "Neither am I," said Mulan, thinking of Shang. "But whatever the case is, we can still part as friends, can"t we?" "If you can"t accept me as anything more," said Ming slowly, "I suppose we could." "Thanks," said Mulan, relieved. At least he didn"t had to have a tantrum about the whole thing. "Just tell me if you change your mind," said Ming. That won"t be necessary. "You"re very kind, Ming." She paused and said, "Could we go home now?" "Sure." "You"ve lost your head, Mulan." Xiao Ling shook her head in amazement. Mulan had gone straight to her house and had just told her the whole story, and frankly, Xiao Ling thought that even if the whole male population was shoved up in Mulan"s face, she wouldn"t have any of them. "Except a dashing general who"s out of town," she murmured. "What was that, Xiao Ling?" "First you ditch Shang..." began Xiao Ling. "Please, don"t rub it," muttered Mulan. Ahh, here was progress! noted Xiao Ling. She said, "I"m not one who usually says "I told you so", but I have to say it: I told you so." Mulan glared at her. "I don"t even know what"s going on inside me; how could you know?" Xiao Ling shrugged. "So let"s go back to the original issue here, all right?" "Which is?" asked Xial Ling innocently. "Why I just refused Ming?" Xiao Ling thought for a while. Then she said quietly, "Why have we never talked about "Why I refused Shang"? Is it because-" "Enough Shang!" yelled Mulan angrily. The pent up emotions that she had long kept in check had started to leak. She couldn"t keep it holed up inside her anymore. Something seemed to burst near her heart. "I know I made a mistake, all right? And there"s no chance of Shang coming back to me, so let"s leave it as is! How could I know that I didn"t really love Ming? He was a decent man, wasn"t he? And he didn"t make any big fuss about this whole thing like Shang did..." "Mulan..." "Besides, I"m really starting to get sick of Shang," raged Mulan on. "True, so maybe I loved him once, but now, I don"t think so. I couldn"t care less if he died! " Tears started to spill on her eyes. "Don"t say things like that, Mulan!" "And why not?" Mulan choked. "All he"s ever given me is one heavy load of conscience! Everytime I set my eyes on another guy, his image flashes, and I can"t even control my own thoughts, or my own actions! Everything I do has to be according to his will!" "Mulan, for heaven"s sake, get a grip of yourself!" Mula stopped her rant, breathing heavily. There was a wild look in her eye as she stared at Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling stared solidly back. "You know what you have to do, Mulan. Just give yourself another chance. You and Shang. Trust your heart; it"s not yet too late." Copyright © SwordSkill 2001 True To Your Heart [7] True To Your Heart Part VII by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: Whee! Batch prophecy is currently on hold, so I finally got to do Chapter Seven!(It"s the shortest chapter I"ve written though, I think.) Anyway, in response to one of the reviews that expressed an opinion about imperialism and all, I just wanna say that not all of the soldiers were greedy or selfish. Some of them were very willing to die; they had sincere motives. Honor does exist...or am I just to defensive of my ancestry? (shrug) Ah well, different strokes for different folks. Anyway, enjoy the fic! R/R! Mulan hung the wet linens on the silk clothesline by the garden. This is ridiculous. I had never felt this way before. Why did it had to happen to me? she thought as she walked back to her washing. She wished she would never again be asked to be married to someone. It was just too unpleasant an experience. She scrubbed the robes into the water with vehemence. Okay, so maybe I was wrong. Maybe I had been too rash with Shang. After all that"s said and done, I shouldn"t have been so harsh to him. Maybe we could become friends again and start all over. Maybe if he forgets Rong Lei-lei. That"s a pretty big MAYBE. Oh, be quiet. Suddenly, she heard two loud, quick raps by the gate. Shang! Don"t be silly. That can"t happen. "Could someone get that, please?" she heard Mama say. "I"ll get it!" Mulan called, drying her arms. She went her way towards the gate, hoping nevertheless that it was Shang. When she was about to reach the gate, she bumped into, who else?Grandma Fa. "Well, you"ve finally finished your moping," said Grandma , looking satisfied. "I was not moping," said Mulan regally. "Now excuse me, Grandma." She quickly scooted towards the great brown gate. She shut her eyes, gave a little silent prayer, and breathlessly opened the gate to behold... Rong Lei-lei, of all people. Oh dear. There she was in her stunning beauty, her face blemishless and her figure perfect, standing by their gate. Mulan didn"t even try to hide her annoyance. "Have we met?" Lei-lei looked as if she had been expecting that. "Yes, I believe so," she said. "Fa Mulan, right?" "Right," said Mulan, leaning at the gate, arms folded. "And you"re... "Rong Lei-lei." "Of course." No one said anything else, so Lei-lei began, "Well, I guess you know that we first met in a very awkward situation." Mulan didn"t answer. Lei-lei acknowledged this as a yes. "And you were edgy about Shang then." "Edgy?" said Mulan coolly. "Well, yes, because he was with me..." "Excuse me, but Shang and I were kaput by then. I was with a man called Kuan Ming." Lei-lei smiled. "Yes, I remember. But that"s not the point." "Then what is?" "The point is-" "Did you say that to rub it in my face?" Mulan felt herself growing nasty. Lei-lei looked quite taken aback. "Oh no, I-" "I understand that Shang and you are quite an item now." "But we never had anything going on." "And that you guys are still an...wait a minute...what did you say?" "I said, Shang and I never had anything going on." Relief flooded Mulan in a second. So Shang never did love Lei-lei! Was it possible that he still... "I should explain," Rong Lei-lei said. "A girl named Xiao Ling had just told me that you were once Shang"s...Shang"s, er..." "And?" "And I"m afraid that Xiao Ling was quite brusque telling me that I had butted in." Lei-lei gave a little chuckle. "Anyway, I want to put you to ease, saying that Shang never loved me or anything...he told me so himself." "He...he didn"t?" said Mulan faintly. "Oh no. Apparently, he said it wouldn"t work out." "Oh." "Well, I"m sorry if I...uh...made you worry or anything." "Oh, you never did," said Mulan airily. "But thanks for telling me all the same." "You"re welcome. Now I must be going." Rong Lei-lei gave a small bow, carrying her beautiful self toward the streets. Mulan watched her walk away. Then she shut the gate and leaned on it. That big-mouth of a Xiao Ling, she thought. I"m going to butcher her. Thanks. Mulan paced in her room in glee. So it wasn"t too late. There was still hope! Hope for what? Hope to regain their friendship. At least that was what Mulan thought. She sat down on the mat, thinking. Somehow she wanted to do something about it. She couldn"t wait until Shang came back from war. Their friendship was as precious as rubies to her, and she wanted it mended now. It may not be like the one they had, but still a friendship. She had heard recently that a messenger would be coming to take any letters or food for the troops. This could be her chance. She could write him a letter, apologizing profusely of course, and give him time to think about. Of course she wouldn"t be asking much, only a petition for friendship, and she"ll leve the rest to the gods. If she was fated to be married to him, she wouldn"t complain. And if she weren"t...well, she"ll deal with that. She took the calligraphy brush and a piece of writing paper. She mixed the concoction for black ink, and dipped the brush into it. She waited, brush poised over the paper. Then she bent down and wrote, Dear Shang Myabe it would be good to patronize a bit. Dear General Shang. Much better. I want to apologize for my very cold demeanor to you before you went away. I had been very much put out. But I must admit that you had hurt me deeply. Mulan"s hand shook as she remembered that afternoon. She bit her lip and continued writing. I never had such hurtful words thrown to me. That must be what triggered my coolness to you. Mulan felt a lump grow at her throat. She swallowed it and continued. I felt as if I never wanted to see you again. And with Rong Lei-lei hanging with you, I felt myself being in the way. So that"s what I did. I tried to avoid you as to prevent any more skirmishes that I did not appreciate. But then I heard from Lei-lei herself that you and she never had anything going. I was relieved, I confess. I felt that you... She glared fiercely and quickly scratched the last phrase off. She suddenly switched the topic. Things were getting a little touchy, and besides, she didn"t want to ruin the letter by crying on it. You must also have wondered about Kuan Ming. He was a gentleman, quite a dear, and he even proposed. And I turned him down. Yes, I did. I felt that he wasn"t the man for me. I feel no one is. Mulan flinched. She felt like she had just told a lie. I guess I"ve grown too independent. Well, maybe being once under your tutelage does that to a person. So it"s kind of your fault too? You shouldn"t train people so unfeelingly. Mulan shuddered. Unfeelingly? Yeah, right. You must be very busy, so I"ll wrap the thing up. Now that Kuan Ming and Lei-lei don"t have to provide the complications and formalities, I"d like to ask you for our friendship back. Mulan paused. Then she scribbled furiously. Once again, I"m sorry if I can"t provide you any more than friendship. So let"s forget the whole unpleasant experience, be friends again, and move on with our lives. Who knows, maybe you"ll find a girl who"ll love you the way you want to be loved... A few tears threatened to spill, but she blinked them back hastily. Quickly, she wrote, So I look forward to you coming back... Big understatement. ...and hope that things will be all right. I remain faithfully, Fa Mulan. She pored over the letter carefully, thinking. Something was missing. Something that should remind Shang of their friendship. "Mulan! Time for dinner!" She hastily bent down and scribbled something. Then she folded the paper and laid it on the bed before she made her way to the other room. Copyright © SwordSkill 2001 True To Your Heart [8] True To Your Heart Part VIII by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: (gulp...there"s a mob after me!) Gomen nasai, minna-san! (oh dear, I"m in the wrong language...all comes from indulging myself to too much anime ^^;;;) I mean, I"m sorry everyone! To keep you waiting and all (so many reviews! I never expected anything like this! Arigato!). I mean, seniors really must have one hectic life, geez. Oh, and to anyone who"s interested, my batch prophecy was a hit! Yeah, they loved it! (does a jig) OK, that"s settled, now on with the story! Please, as usual, R/R! "The messenger"s here! The messenger"s here!" Mulan could feel her family"s eyes boring into her as she ate her dinner. She glanced at them, laid down her chopsticks, and said, "What?" "Don"t you have anything to say to General Shang?" asked Fa Li. Mulan shrugged. "Well, yeah. But I"m not that much of a hurry. I hope you"re not expecting me to jump for joy now that the messenger"s here. No one said anything. Mulan"s excitement was starting to get the better of her. "Excuse me," she said, rising from the table and making a beeline for her room. She could hear her family"s soft laughs as she grabbed the letter by the bed. Well, this is it...She rolled it into a cylinder and tied a piece of red string over it. "I"ll be back in a while!" she hollered, running for the door. She could feel her heart beating fast as she dashed to the main gate. I hope he understands..., she thought. She flung open the gate. There were about fifty people huddled, yelling, shouting over a bent figure right at the middle of the crowd. "What..." Mulan quickly threw her way in the crowd, brushing past many hot bodies to finally be faced with... "Yao?" The short, stocky soldier tried to stand up as someone shoved up a letter down his mouth. "You"re the messenger?" Mulan asked, her eyes widening. "Hey, wait your turn, capeesh?!" yelled Yao, spitting out the piece of paper in his mouth. Turning to Mulan, he said sheepishly, "Guess who lost the bet." Mulan grinned amidst the noise of the thinning crowd. Yao looked suddenly uncertain as he said, "Now gimme whatever you wanna give to Shang so I can get my butt out of here." Mulan gave him the rice parchment and he quickly snatched it from her. "All right, that"s it," he muttered, turning his ankle to leave. "Yao?" "What?" "Anything wrong?" "No, hehe...what makes you say that?" Yao gave a nervous smile. "Right." Mulan said suspiciously. Yao had never been like this to her. Something was definitely up. Better play along first. She looked away and said, "So, uh, how is..." "Shang?" said Yap a bit too quickly. "Yes..." "Oh, he"s...he"s great. He"s great." Yao reddened and started his exit. "Never been better, you know? He"s doing fine...fine." Bingo. Mulan grabbed Yao before he could run away. "You"re not leaving until you tell me what"s happened to him." "Nothing, I told you." Yao shook his arm away. "I"m late; I have to go!" "Yao." Mulan"s voice was final. Ya forced himself to look at her. "What happened to Shang. Tell me." Yao didn"t answer. "Yao, if you were ever my friend, if you were ever Shang"s friend, you will tell me." "It"s exactly us being friends that I"m...I"m telling you that Shang"s...Shang"s...fine." Yao coughed. That did it. "Something bad happened to him, am I right?" Yao chose to look away. "Am I right?" Mulan repeated. After making sure that no one was listening, Yao mumbled something and turned away. "What?" she asked, grabbing his shoulder and whipping him to face her. Yao said wearily, "I said, he"s poisoned, all right?!" ... "P-poisoned?!" Yao winced at Mulan"s ghostly gasp. "How...what..." Mulan fought for composure. She was suddenly sweating and breathing heavily, her palms clammy and her breath labored. She gulped a few breaths of air and said shakily, " You"re kidding, right, Yao? I mean, you"re always a funny guy...well, trying-to-be-funny guy, and you"re up to your tricks again, aren"t you? You thought I"d fall for that? No way. There is no way Shang can get poisoned. "Fess, up, Yao, that was corn..." "Mulan!" Yao grabbed her shoulders. "Stop!" Mulan stopped her blathering. "It"s true, okay? I"m not kidding," Yao said. "The army"s getting depressed already because there"s the general down and... "Down? DOWN?" Mulan"s pitch jumped an octave higher. "He"s dead?" "Thank the gods, no," said Yao. "The head medic says he has a fifty-fifty chance to live. If they can stop the poison from getting to the vital organs, he"ll be fine." "Is...is there an antidote? A cure? Just tell me and I can work on it. I"ll get the herbs and start mashing..." Once again, Yap had to restrain her. "The medics are working on it. Thankfully they"ve found some herbs at camp that should make the antidote." There was silence. Then, "How did it happen?" Yao wiped his brow and said, "We were ambushed by the Huns, a whole army of them. They were about twice our size." "Then?" "I"m not sure how it happened because I was busy fighting for my life too, but after two hours of battle, the Huns retreated and we went back to camp. That"s when Shang came in looking drunk and he fainted. He was carried away and the medics told us that they found a thorn sticking out of his neck. It was blown out from a blowpipe, and it carried a very lethal poison that spreads through the victim"s organs and eventually kills him. Luckily, when the medics discovered it, it hadn"t spread to any vital organs yet. There"s still a chance, Mulan, so don"t look like that!" Mulan had paled at the mention of thorn. She pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and whispered, "How is he?" "Balances between consciousness. You know, wakes up, faints, wakes up, faints...he"s been going like that for days. When Mulan didn"t answer, Yao quickly jumped in, "This is secret matter, okay? So far, you"re the only one who knows about this. Don"t frighten his mother or anything." Mulan nodded and said, "No on will know." Yao looked relieved when he said, "Good." "Because I"m going back with you." Yao was prepared. "No." "Yes." "Not on your life." Mulan"s eyes went ablaze. "I will. I"ve run away to the army before; I can do it again." "I just told you, Mulan...no!" "I will go!" "Forget it." "Yao!" "Do you think Shang would want that?" Mulan couldn"t answer. She knew he wouldn"t. "He"s got enough troubles already about the recruiting Huns, and now he"s got you to worry about." Mulan blinked the tears stubbornly and before she could stop herself, she said, "He needs me." Yao"s eyes widened, then his weather-beaten face softened. He said, "That will help. Very much. I"ll make sure to tell him that." "I am going." Yao paused, looking as if he was about to relent. Then he cast his eyes down, and he mumbled, "Forgive me, Mulan." "Wha...!" She saw a great fist hit her between her eyes, and everthing went black. P.S. To anyone who"s ever read Anne by L M Montogomery, I bet you have a gut feeling on what"s gonna happen. But mine has a twist. Kind of tragic, but just leave it to me...it"ll be just fine. Oh and don"t expect chapter 9 to come out real quick. I"ll be out for a while (stopover at Japan! Yea! Animecountry!) So it"ll come out probably by mid-April-May, something like that. Ja ne!

Don"t you fret, Monsieur Marius, I don"t feel any pain. A little fall of rain Can hardly hurt me now. You"re here, that"s all I need to know, And you will keep me safe, And you will keep me close, And rain will make the flowers grow. Eponine, "A Little Fall of Rain," Les Misérables Part One: Mireille The rain simply isn"t going to stop. And the view here from the sofa to the little window is the perfect vantage point to watch Paris virtually drowning in the Second Great Flood. Apparently, that new blouse would have to wait. I looked at the little clock on the mantlepiece. Four o"clock. It had been raining for hours. There was a small, muffled sound as Kirika slid the shower door and fumbled for her clothes. Then she quietly stepped out of the bathroom, hair towelled, and took her seat by the window on the straight-backed wooden chair, chin nestled on the palm of her unmoving right arm placed serenely on the window-sill. Now she"s staring out at the dirty weather without so much as an expression. I shifted my weight, the humidity making my skin stick. How typical. She can stare just like that until Doomsday and wouldn"t budge an inch unless someone"s holding a gun on the back of her head or something. Mon Dieu, I would bet my last Euro she wouldn"t even have to move to kill the poor fool holding the gun. I wouldn"t hold it past her; she"s quite creative. Some way or another, he"s going to drop dead, just like that. I wonder if she knows to do anything else aside from killing people? Well, that"s a terrible thought...and I should be one to talk. Besides, she does have a hand in drawing after that little encounter with that Czechoslovakian fellow, nasty as it may have ended. And she shares a fetish for forks with that strange Chloe, which, I think, is beyond all planes of reason. And I"ve seen her in the kitchen wielding the knife...it"s a little eerie watching her chop carrots. It"s terrifying how everything she touches turns into a potential murder weapon. One day I think I"m going to see her kill someone with a hat. No, wait, that would be too easy. You could suffocate someone with a big-enough hat. Even I could do that. But she -- she"ll have to do it with a little spark of perverse ingenuity, even with a hat. Maybe she"ll jam it into his throat and let him choke... "Mireille?" I turned my eyes from the potted plant to face her, still thinking about Kirika and the hat and someone on the floor turning purple in his dying moments. "Yes?" Really, it"s not completely true that Kirika"s face is unreadable. For example, she actually does have an expression on her face right now - the expression of being expressionless. It"s the sort of face that I call Her Tea Face. "Would you like some tea?" she asked. I think she"s bored. When she"s bored, she goes tea-ing. I"ve noticed. Perhaps there"s something about preparing tea that entertains her; she is, after all, from Japan, and they have that tea ceremony where everyone sits and just drinks tea. Fancy having a ceremony just for drinking tea! It"s unbelievable. "Sure," I heard myself answer. "I"d love a cup." I watched her walk away. She looks so ordinary. Sometimes I think she could have been a florist. When I look at her, she does look like florist-material to me, all demure and quiet. Or maybe a milliner. I"ve seen her with a sun-bonnet that matched her dress perfectly; of course, does it matter that she was carrying a sub-machine too when she walked out into the porch with that get-up and completely wiped out the Soldat squad that was after us? Not really. I guess you really can"t take away the gun image from her. Sometimes I think the gun is part of her, like an extension of her arm. Or it could be the other way around: maybe she"s just an extension of the gun, what with all her perfect aim and scientific accuracy. Like I said, she terrifies me. And it takes quite an effort not to show it. And now she"s back from the kitchen, with a pot of tea and two cups on the little lacquer tray. Just look at her laying them down on the table in front of me; you wouldn"t have guessed those pale hands of her are the hands of what could be the most accomplished assassin of practically the entire world. My, she really does have this tea-pouring business down pat, doesn"t she? I"ve never quite noticed it. Maybe that"s the problem. Maybe I"ve been too bowled over by her combat skills that I never thought she could be actually good in something as trivial as pouring tea. Now I"m getting too serious for my own good. She"s looking at me with those soulful eyes of her again. I swear, sometimes I think she"s looking straight into my soul. It makes me feel rather edgy. She took a small sip, her eyes never leaving me. And when she does that, it means either she"s about to say something profound or she"s staring straight at the enemy behind me, marking him. "Mireille," she began. I"ve often thought about the way she calls me. It sounds like "Mireiyu"...it"s the lingering Japanese accent, I know. I"ve never had anyone call me that way before. It"s kind of nice, I suppose. Rather cute, actually. I suppose she thinks the same way with how I call her "Kirika" with a French accent. It must be amusing to her, although she never shows it. Well, at least we"re even. "Mireille?" she repeated, with a little more urgency. It"s funny -- Kirika would never continue unless you give her a sign of acknowledgement that you just heard her. Which is completely unlike me -- I"m so used to Kirika being so deadpan that I can just plow through with my words like a tank running into tissue paper. So yes, I nodded and asked, "Something on your mind, Kirika?" She nodded back, setting the cup of tea down. She hesitated. Then, "We need to talk." I think my eyes dilated for a moment there, and I almost dropped by cup. Did I just hear that correctly? Warning red flags started waving in my mind"s eye and I could feel a growing panic rising into my chest and exploding coldly into my arteries and veins. You would think that after all those times of silence from Kirika, I would actually appreciate a chance like this. And here I am, feeling this horrible apprehension because Kirika"s staring straight at me again with that indescribable look on her face. And if she actually says that "we need to talk," I can only imagine the gravity of the situation. "Of course," I managed to say unfalteringly as I braced myself, telling myself not to lose my wits no matter what happened. "Feel free to shock me." Kirika looked a little puzzled at my remark but she continued nonetheless, "I"ve been thinking, Mireille --if it isn"t too much of a bother, I"d like to go to Japan." Oh. I suddenly felt pleasantly drained. Was that all? And here I was, having delusions of Kirika revealing another terrible tidbit of her already traumatic past. I felt the heat of my face slowly subside as I silently exhaled a sigh of relief. "Of course, Kirika, why not? We need a little break now and then. I know the air fare for Japan is scandalous, but I think we have enough for a bit of a vacation, n"est pas?" "Eto..." she murmurred, averting her eyes from me. I stiffened. Eto was never good if it was said without direct eye contact, as I had found out. I forced myself not to think; it was making my head hurt. "Kirika, you"re making me very nervous," I couldn"t help saying, emptying my cup to get rid of the adrenaline being pumped into my system. The rain was pounding even harder outside. She gave a small bow from her head and said cautiously with what I think was very a Japanese attempt to be tactful, "This isn"t going to be a trip for...for the both of us." Yes, there was a small break in the middle of her breath. But that merely meant that she would be the only going to Japan. Well, there"s nothing wrong with that, is there? She certainly was an odd potato. I chuckled, although with a little reservation, "If you"re worried that you think I would assume that you"re slacking off, it"s nothing like that. You could have been a little more casual, Kirika; I think I can handle myself alone for a week." But I did appreciate the thought. "It"s going to take more than a week," she replied evenly. I looked back at her with a quick flick of my eyelids from the leaves in my teacup and to her eyes, alert. "A month, then?" I prodded, trying to block the ominous thought that was looming in my mind. She didn"t move. "I"m not sure how long." There was a pause as I let the implications of that sentence register. So. Kirika was finally leaving. The indefinitness of the time made sure of that. Ah. How silly of me not to have foreseen this. Of course, some time or another, we would have to part ways. We couldn"t go on living like this, like fugitives, making money out of the deaths of people. She just wanted to find out who she was; I dragged her into this mercenary business. But that really doesn"t matter now. This scene had long kept me awake for many nights; I had even prepared a little speech for myself in case this would happen. No, wrong words...not "in case." This was inevitable, and now I"ve forgetten that little speech and I don"t know what to say. I think my mouth has gone dry. I think I need another cup of tea. "Mireille?" Kirika looked a little concerned. "You"re turning a little pale." "Am I?" I replied almost immediately, the calmness of my voice shocking me, as if the strange tightness of my chest didn"t matter. My voice grew robotic. "I feel fine. Maybe it"s just the effect of the weather. You were saying?" "I"ll have to go away to Japan for a pretty long time," she said slowly, as if giving me time for its meaning to sink in. "Alone." I chewed my lip thoughtfully, trying to control the gaggle of questions screaming to come out of my mouth. I felt chilly inside; my stomach was turning into an icicle. I think I was going into a slow shock. "And I"m assuming there"s a reason for that?" "I"ll be searching for my roots," she said, her voice distant. She was like a statue, with only her mouth moving. She continued, "I"m sure I had parents, blurry as my past was, and if there is a place where I could find a clue as to who I am, that would be in Japan. I"m certain I had a family too, Mireille, and if there"s one thing certain about me, it"s that I"m Japanese." I took the pot and poured the contents into my cup, saying nothing. I didn"t want to think. I just wanted her to keep talking and talking while she was still here. I didn"t want to make a decision. I didn"t want to know. I didn"t want to have anything to do with this. I didn"t know why. I drank the cup I poured. Jasmine tea. Chinese. Then I swore silently. Why was Kirika always so obssessed with her past? Why couldn"t she accept that the present is all she had? What use would it be, hunting the entire Japan for her family tree? She didn"t even know her real name; this would be a doomed enterprise from the very start. She would be so much better staying here with -- Something caught at my throat and I almost crushed the dainty, porcelain cup in my hand, frustrated with myself. I closed my eyes, tensed my muscles, let go, breathed, and tried to relax. When I opened my eyes, Kirika was looking at me with a great deal of anxiety. She started, "Maybe this isn"t the right time -" "What are you talking about?" I cut in abruptly, keeping my voice mild as I placed the cup back on the tray as delicately as I could. "There"s nothing wrong, Kirika. Of course you have every right to find out who you are. Please, don"t let me stop you." A thunder rolled violently outside. "Then it"s all right with you?" Her voice sounded a little queer. I wasn"t sure whether she was happy or not. Her face wasn"t helping either: one, it was blank, and two, looking at her made it worse. But I trained my eyes on her, maybe just for the masochistic pleasure of it, as much as it was crushing me. "Why shouldn"t it be?" I remembered to answer, measuring the intensity of my voice before it could turn into a shout. "That was the whole point of you coming to me, right? You just need to wrap it up by looking for your biological family." I think she missed the sarcasm in my voice because a small smile made its way to her face, making her glow a little. "Thank you, Mireille. I knew you would understand. Merci beaucoup." I felt hurt, for a reason I was not willing to acknowledge. Look at her, she seems so happy. Shouldn"t I be too? Not really; I shouldn"t actually be feeling anything because this doesn"t concern me. Well, for one thing, there"s a tight knot in my stomach and there"s a strange lump in my throat. How did those get in here anyway? But she"s a grown girl, and she can certainly fend for herself better than anyone else. So obviously I"m not worried about her safety. I"m worried about something else; I don"t know what, but I"m glad I don"t. She"s a grown girl, and this really is none of my business. Kirika is leaving for Japan indefinitely, and it"s not a big deal. It had been an experience being with her, but it had to end. It certainly had to. "Alors..." I drummed my newly-polished fingers on the seat of the sofa, watching them steadily as I crossed my legs, "when will you be leaving?" "Maybe two, three days from now," she said a little absent-mindedly as she rose from her place. She glanced at the lacquer tray glistening under the light and my empty cup. "More tea?" "Thank you, no, I"ve had enough," I said politely before she bent over to take them away. It was hard to imagine not having her mysterious presence around the apartment anymore. Once I almost sat on her at the sofa in broad daylight because she had been so quiet. For goodness" sake, I had to say something. I raised my voice to defy the roar of the horrible weather outside. "Kirika?" "Yes, Mireille?" she answered a little eagerly as she straightened up, looking expectant. I wasn"t sure why she looked like that, but I proceeded, despite the growing need to escape. "Are you sure you want to do this?" That was the most I could utter without sounding resentful. "I"ve given it a lot of thought, Mireille," she replied, not missing a beat, not even blinking, but the strange eagerness still there. "I need to find out who I am." I nodded intermittently, hoping I looked convinced. I wished she wouldn"t keep repeating my name so much with that little accent of hers. "That"s...good," I finally said after an awkward silence. It was my turn to hesitate. "It"s just going to be awfully quiet here without you. Well, actually you"re already very quiet by yourself, so there really isn"t going to be much difference..." I stopped, at a loss, then gave a faint smile, not sure how much to reveal. "I supposed I"ll have to get used to singing solo again during contracts." She looked at me a little sadly, perhaps looking lost herself. Then she put down the tray without a word and stretched her arm, giving me a tight little squeeze on my arm. "It"s going to be different without you too, Mireille." I felt something moist on my cheek as she reclaimed the waiting tray and made her way towards the kitchen. Bien, I thought, as I heard her rinse the cups and I wiped my cheek dry; now even I"m leaking. I remember the poet and novelist Theophile Gautier writing, "Only a Frenchman could understand the fine and subtle qualities of a cat." I stared at the tawny cat in front of me sitting on its haunches on the pavement, its graceful form slinked into a regal posture, green orbs of its eyes staring imperiously at me as I tried to finish the baguette on my plate. I"ve noticed that Kirika had always had a fondness for cats, un-French as she may be. She"s generally kind to animals, but she"s scandalizing when it comes to the feline species. Any little furball which makes the slightest "aeiou" is enough to melt her heart and have her sitting on her ankles, spoiling the thing and murmurring in rapid Japanese smack on the middle of the road. You would think that an assassin would have a little more poise. Oh. Wait. I forgot. She"s not going to be an assassin anymore, God forbid, no. She"s going back to Japan to "find her roots." I stabbed the half-eaten baguette murderously with my fork. My stomach twisted and my appetite had gone. I lifted the piece of bread with the untensil and sullenly threw it near the little white feet of the cat. It stooped down and sniffed it distastefully. Then it looked up and gave me a catty Look, and deliberately padded loftily away near the gutter, sheltered under the striped awnings of the café. It"s rained for two days already, this being the third. I surprised myself when I inadvertently gave a small sigh and stood up to pick the baguette myself and toss it into the trash receptacle nearby. Then I went back to my table and called for the bill. My half-drained coffee had turned tepid. Kirika would be leaving tomorrow morning, at early dawn. And I think she had noticed that I had been deliberately avoiding her by frequently shopping in the streets and isolating myself in cafés - generally staying away from the apartment as much as possible - as she packed for her trip. This morning she asked me if I was sure about this entire matter and I nearly lost my temper. I replayed the scene in my head as I picked up my thick cup by the handle and drowned myself in the heady smell of Colombian expresso. We were by the pool table; I had been checking my mail in my laptop, still wearing my robe, when she came in, tying her apron around her. She asked how I wanted my eggs and I said I was going to have my breakfast outside. Then she asked if she could come along with me, but I told her, wasn"t she too busy packing? I guess she picked up the poison in my voice because she asked me if everything was all right. I didn"t answer, partly because I was busy deleting some junk mail from my Inbox, and mostly because I didn"t want to. Anyway, whichever reason she thought it was, she asked me again and added that I had been gone virtually the entire day yesterday from the apartment; did she need my help? I couldn"t help retorting. I didn"t raise my voice, but I knew it stung badly. I answered that she was going to be gone from France for goodness knows how long; I didn"t go meddling in her business, asking if she needed my help, did I? Couldn"t she pay me the same respect? The look on her face nearly broke my heart; I was close to tearing up myself. I just stared back at the laptop"s LCD screen to compose myself. After a frightful silence, she asked if I was sure it was all right for me that she was going away. To be completely honest, now that I think of it, I suppose I was hoping that she would add that she wouldn"t leave if I didn"t want her to, or something similar. But she didn"t and I guess I felt cheated. So I stood up, closed the laptop, and told her that she had some nerve thinking that everything I did had something to do with this trip of hers. I stormed to my room to change my clothes, saying that now if she pleased, I had a breakfast to attend to. When I came out, she was gone from the living room. I think she was frying something in the kitchen. "Your bill, mademoiselle." The arrival of the waiter broke my train of thought, and I was grateful. Somehow, everything I saw brought only memories that were only better off unearthed, and the more I indulged on them uncontrollably, the more I was being dragged into the empty cavern in my stomach. I concentrated on rummaging for my wallet in my purse. "Terrible weather, isn"t it?" the waiter commented. "Just lovely." I paid the bill and drank the last of my coffee without relish. Yes, I think she"s noticed that I had been avoiding her, this being the second day. And here I am now, unable to go back to my own house for fear of seeing what my idiocy had done so early in the morning. I stood up and opened my umbrella as I left the café. A/N: I have done the unmentionable, the impossible...I have tried to get into Kirika"s head to tell the story from her point of view. @_@ LOL. Best luck to that anyway. -_-;; The ending"s really anti-climactic...it"s too hurried (this ending chapter was a bit of a rush job); che, guess emoting vignettes really isn"t my area...just needed to get it out of my system ^^;;. Oh well, better luck next time *bows and runs off*. A Little Fall of Rain Part Two: Kirika The hands of the clock had lost much its luminous glow by this time, but I could still see its faint outline pointing towards ten-thirty. Hours later I will have to rise to leave for the airport. I rolled on my backside, pulling the covers closer. I had tried fixing myself a glass of warm milk, but to no avail. Sleep was apparently not going to come easily tonight. I stared at the vague form of the empty chair opposite the bed, seeking answers. Mireille, why have you been keeping away from me? Do you or do you not want me to go? You know my decision rests on yours; if you were to say that you don"t want me to leave, I won"t. But you said no such thing; you did not stop me from going. Yet I can"t help thinking that that is not your decision. I"m confused, Mireille. What is it you want me to do?

I felt hurt, for a reason I was not willing to acknowledge. Look at her, she seems so happy. Shouldn"t I be too? Not really; I shouldn"t actually be feeling anything because this doesn"t concern me. Well, for one thing, there"s a tight knot in my stomach and there"s a strange lump in my throat. How did those get in here anyway? But she"s a grown girl, and she can certainly fend for herself better than anyone else. So obviously I"m not worried about her safety. I"m worried about something else; I don"t know what, but I"m glad I don"t. She"s a grown girl, and this really is none of my business. Kirika is leaving for Japan indefinitely, and it"s not a big deal. It had been an experience being with her, but it had to end. It certainly had to. "Alors..." I drummed my newly-polished fingers on the seat of the sofa, watching them steadily as I crossed my legs, "when will you be leaving?" "Maybe two, three days from now," she said a little absent-mindedly as she rose from her place. She glanced at the lacquer tray glistening under the light and my empty cup. "More tea?" "Thank you, no, I"ve had enough," I said politely before she bent over to take them away. It was hard to imagine not having her mysterious presence around the apartment anymore. Once I almost sat on her at the sofa in broad daylight because she had been so quiet. For goodness" sake, I had to say something. I raised my voice to defy the roar of the horrible weather outside. "Kirika?" "Yes, Mireille?" she answered a little eagerly as she straightened up, looking expectant. I wasn"t sure why she looked like that, but I proceeded, despite the growing need to escape. "Are you sure you want to do this?" That was the most I could utter without sounding resentful. "I"ve given it a lot of thought, Mireille," she replied, not missing a beat, not even blinking, but the strange eagerness still there. "I need to find out who I am." I nodded intermittently, hoping I looked convinced. I wished she wouldn"t keep repeating my name so much with that little accent of hers. "That"s...good," I finally said after an awkward silence. It was my turn to hesitate. "It"s just going to be awfully quiet here without you. Well, actually you"re already very quiet by yourself, so there really isn"t going to be much difference..." I stopped, at a loss, then gave a faint smile, not sure how much to reveal. "I supposed I"ll have to get used to singing solo again during contracts." She looked at me a little sadly, perhaps looking lost herself. Then she put down the tray without a word and stretched her arm, giving me a tight little squeeze on my arm. "It"s going to be different without you too, Mireille." I felt something moist on my cheek as she reclaimed the waiting tray and made her way towards the kitchen. Bien, I thought, as I heard her rinse the cups and I wiped my cheek dry; now even I"m leaking. I remember the poet and novelist Theophile Gautier writing, "Only a Frenchman could understand the fine and subtle qualities of a cat." I stared at the tawny cat in front of me sitting on its haunches on the pavement, its graceful form slinked into a regal posture, green orbs of its eyes staring imperiously at me as I tried to finish the baguette on my plate. I"ve noticed that Kirika had always had a fondness for cats, un-French as she may be. She"s generally kind to animals, but she"s scandalizing when it comes to the feline species. Any little furball which makes the slightest "aeiou" is enough to melt her heart and have her sitting on her ankles, spoiling the thing and murmurring in rapid Japanese smack on the middle of the road. You would think that an assassin would have a little more poise. Oh. Wait. I forgot. She"s not going to be an assassin anymore, God forbid, no. She"s going back to Japan to "find her roots." I stabbed the half-eaten baguette murderously with my fork. My stomach twisted and my appetite had gone. I lifted the piece of bread with the untensil and sullenly threw it near the little white feet of the cat. It stooped down and sniffed it distastefully. Then it looked up and gave me a catty Look, and deliberately padded loftily away near the gutter, sheltered under the striped awnings of the café. It"s rained for two days already, this being the third. I surprised myself when I inadvertently gave a small sigh and stood up to pick the baguette myself and toss it into the trash receptacle nearby. Then I went back to my table and called for the bill. My half-drained coffee had turned tepid. Kirika would be leaving tomorrow morning, at early dawn. And I think she had noticed that I had been deliberately avoiding her by frequently shopping in the streets and isolating myself in cafés - generally staying away from the apartment as much as possible - as she packed for her trip. This morning she asked me if I was sure about this entire matter and I nearly lost my temper. I replayed the scene in my head as I picked up my thick cup by the handle and drowned myself in the heady smell of Colombian expresso. We were by the pool table; I had been checking my mail in my laptop, still wearing my robe, when she came in, tying her apron around her. She asked how I wanted my eggs and I said I was going to have my breakfast outside. Then she asked if she could come along with me, but I told her, wasn"t she too busy packing? I guess she picked up the poison in my voice because she asked me if everything was all right. I didn"t answer, partly because I was busy deleting some junk mail from my Inbox, and mostly because I didn"t want to. Anyway, whichever reason she thought it was, she asked me again and added that I had been gone virtually the entire day yesterday from the apartment; did she need my help? I couldn"t help retorting. I didn"t raise my voice, but I knew it stung badly. I answered that she was going to be gone from France for goodness knows how long; I didn"t go meddling in her business, asking if she needed my help, did I? Couldn"t she pay me the same respect? The look on her face nearly broke my heart; I was close to tearing up myself. I just stared back at the laptop"s LCD screen to compose myself. After a frightful silence, she asked if I was sure it was all right for me that she was going away. To be completely honest, now that I think of it, I suppose I was hoping that she would add that she wouldn"t leave if I didn"t want her to, or something similar. But she didn"t and I guess I felt cheated. So I stood up, closed the laptop, and told her that she had some nerve thinking that everything I did had something to do with this trip of hers. I stormed to my room to change my clothes, saying that now if she pleased, I had a breakfast to attend to. When I came out, she was gone from the living room. I think she was frying something in the kitchen. "Your bill, mademoiselle." The arrival of the waiter broke my train of thought, and I was grateful. Somehow, everything I saw brought only memories that were only better off unearthed, and the more I indulged on them uncontrollably, the more I was being dragged into the empty cavern in my stomach. I concentrated on rummaging for my wallet in my purse. "Terrible weather, isn"t it?" the waiter commented. "Just lovely." I paid the bill and drank the last of my coffee without relish. Yes, I think she"s noticed that I had been avoiding her, this being the second day. And here I am now, unable to go back to my own house for fear of seeing what my idiocy had done so early in the morning. I stood up and opened my umbrella as I left the café. A/N: I have done the unmentionable, the impossible...I have tried to get into Kirika"s head to tell the story from her point of view. @_@ LOL. Best luck to that anyway. -_-;; The ending"s really anti-climactic...it"s too hurried (this ending chapter was a bit of a rush job); che, guess emoting vignettes really isn"t my area...just needed to get it out of my system ^^;;. Oh well, better luck next time *bows and runs off*. A Little Fall of Rain Part Two: Kirika The hands of the clock had lost much its luminous glow by this time, but I could still see its faint outline pointing towards ten-thirty. Hours later I will have to rise to leave for the airport. I rolled on my backside, pulling the covers closer. I had tried fixing myself a glass of warm milk, but to no avail. Sleep was apparently not going to come easily tonight. I stared at the vague form of the empty chair opposite the bed, seeking answers. Mireille, why have you been keeping away from me? Do you or do you not want me to go? You know my decision rests on yours; if you were to say that you don"t want me to leave, I won"t. But you said no such thing; you did not stop me from going. Yet I can"t help thinking that that is not your decision. I"m confused, Mireille. What is it you want me to do? I closed my eyes for what seemed to be the thousandth time tonight. She had not been with me for two days, the two days that I thought would be the most precious to me before I left for Japan. Instead, I had spent them alone in the apartment, packing my bags and clearing the shelves and the wardrobes, wondering if it was something I said that had caused the only true friend and family I had to avoid me. Our last conversation had pierced me and finally made me think that perhaps I had been too presumptuous to think that Mireille felt towards me the same way I felt for her. Maybe what was between us was merely professional, but I had read too much into it. I forced the tears welling not to sting my eyes and I buried my cheek on the pillow, clutching the edge of the mattress with my fingers. I had no one to blame but myself for that. It was my own desperation for a companion that had led me to fool myself into thinking that way. And now Mireille is feeling forced to return that affection, but she just can"t; maybe that"s why she is avoiding me, to avoid an unpleasant confrontation for the both of us. I had left my Beretta on her bedside table before I went to sleep. Perhaps it is the least I can do - that I give her what I had found on the very first day of my life that I could remember. To her, it might be a parting souvenir from the business deal we had; to me, it will always be much more. Mireille said something very meaningful on the very night that I left Japan to come to France. She was wondering why I would feel a sadness in leaving the hometown that had never provided me with a family. She had leaned on the doorjamb, looking a little amusingly quizzical, and she said,""Even when I"m surrounded by people, I"m always alone.'" It was a quote from Ernest Hemingway, and the moment she had recited it, I knew I had found the perfect person to help me find out who I am. She had promised to kill me, but I had answered, "I"ll be waiting," because, perhaps, I had almost wished that she would kill me when the time comes. I had been afraid, had always been afraid, that the one who would strike me the death blow would be no other person"s hand but mine. Ernest Hemingway had shot himself with his own gun. I was afraid I would do the same. But I knew that while Mireille was still with me, I would never do such a thing - for the very simple reason that I knew someone was waiting for me. I knew there was someone who cared whether I was dead or alive, who would shed tears if I were to depart from this world - that gave me enough reason to live. But now I am not so sure. I may had just been deluding myself without my knowing it, so desperate I was to grasp on any straw. I feel as empty as I had felt on the very first day I woke up. There was a faint sound at the door of a key being inserted into the lock and turned. Mireille was finally back. I looked at the clock, squinting. It was ten-forty. Mireille must have thought it safe to return without running the risk of having to deal with me. My ears strained to hear her footfalls echoing on the floor, her high-heeled boots clacking. With bold strides, she made her way to the bathroom and I heard the squeaky tap of cold water being turned on. Then she went for her room and locked the doorknob. I heard nothing else. I sighed and turned again to face the wall, my back facing the door. How did things come to this? I arched my head to look at the window. The rain had already stopped early this evening and the clouds had already cleared. Look at the full moon tonight. It"s beautiful. So round, and so bright; not flawless, but beautiful all the same. By tomorrow night I would be looking at the same moon in another place - a place, if I found no success, that would hold nothing for me but the consoling sight of the moon. Perhaps it was best that I now knew that whatever I had ever thought of Mireille"s friendship towards me had been nothing but a foolish fantasy. It was only sad that I had believed in it too much. I closed my eyes again, determined to go to sleep. The earlier I sleep, the quicker the morning would come. I had already set the alarm on the clock to wake me at five in the morning. I would dress, take my bags, and quietly leave the place I had used to think of as home. It was best this way, I thought, as I felt a tear slide from my eye to my pillow. I felt no embarrassment, only a distinct numbness. Suddenly, I heard Mireille wrench her doorknob and open the door. My eyes snapped open as her feet padded cautiously towards my room and she quietly turned the doorknob. My door opened with a creak and a ray of light spilled into the floor and climbed to the wall that I was facing. I could see her silhouette clearly. I froze. Then I closed my eyes again and consciously mimicked the serene, breathing movement of a person in deep sleep. Mireille thought that I was asleep; I will, at least, respect her for that and give her no further embarrassment. This way, both of us will save face. I heard her coming near me and looking over to see if I was truly asleep. After a few seconds, I thought she would go away, but instead, she pulled the chair closer and sat down quietly. She didn"t sound as if she was going to leave for quite some time. I could barely keep my perplexity as I forced myself to look even more convincingly asleep. What is Mireille doing here? Then I heard it, the cock of a gun. I was facing the opposite direction but I knew it was my Beretta that she had just cocked, just one foot away from me. The sound echoed in my room, bouncing in all directions, and it filled my ears to the brim. I closed my eyes even tighter. This was it. Mireille was finally going to fulfill her promise, just as she had said. She had been unable to do it the last time she had tried, that one rainy night that had seemed so long ago, but this was our last chance to repay all debts. I felt no fear. I felt nothing but peace. She might as well do it; now that I had realized the truth and had lost my joy over being accepted by at least one person, I had nothing else to lose. I may find my entire clan in Japan, but they would mean nothing to me. Not now. I waited, but nothing happened. Minutes passed, the gun cocked and ready, I pretending to be asleep, Mireille sitting in front of me - but she did not pull the trigger nor did I hear a bang. She just sat there, not moving. I could not wait any longer. I did not mind dying, but I minded the wait very much. This was like that rainy night in the graveyard again, after Chloe had revealed to her who I truly was... "Mireille," I whispered, more to myself than her. "Ute. Shoot." There was a very loud pause. Then... "Kirika?!" I forced myself to turn around to face her. From the moonlight, I could see her, still dressed in her outdoor clother, her eyes gleaming brightly and her cheeks a little wet, and in her trembling hands was my gun. But it was not pointed at me. "Kirika?!" Mireille"s voice had a strange quality to it and she dropped the gun onto her lap in utter amazement. "You"re...you"re still awake?" "Shoot now, Mireille," I pleaded, trying very hard to keep my voice steady. "What? What are you talking about?!" Mireille"s eyes widened and she sounded confused. "Wait, you thought I was going to..." Aghast, she looked at the gun then back at me, shock registering on her pale face. "No, no...oh, my dear, I would never-" Then she caught herself. She stood up and turned away from me, leaving the Beretta on the chair. I sat up. "Mireille, wait-" She raised a hand and I stopped. Then she turned back to me again, looking more composed, but her eyes were still bright. "Mireille-" "I came to say...to say thank you," she began, before I could say anything else. "This is a beautiful gun you are leaving me with." My breath caught at my throat and I could not speak. "But...but I can"t take it," she finished. After a moment of deliberation, Mireille picked up the gun and sat on the chair, handing the weapon to me gently. I could see she was biting her lip. "I already have a gun," she said evenly. "I don"t need another one. You do." I flushed. I could not bring myself to believe that Mireille would refuse to accept the only thing I could give her. "I...I could always buy a new one," I said hoarsely. "No." She sounded gentle but adamant, handing the gun even closer. "This gun wasn"t meant for anyone"s hands but yours." "And I"m giving it to you," I returned, my voice tight. I could not read her eyes and it frightened me. She sounded almost coaxing. "Kirika...". "No." I did not care any more about saving face; this charade had gone far enough. "I understand if you don"t think of me as...as anything much, but please, Mireille, at least try to understand in return, in the name of everything we had ever gone through, that I want to leave you something to remember me by." I almost choked and Mireille"s face altered. "I want to leave thinking I left a mark here. It may not be true, but at least I did all I could. Please." I reached out with shaking hands to close Mireille"s fingers on my gun and I pushed it back to her. "Even just for the sake of appearance." Mireille could not say anything as she stared at the gun before looking at me. She was not stopping her tears, tears that shocked me so much that I said in astonishment, "Mireille, you"re...you"re crying." She gave a faint smile and she finally took the gun and set it aside. "Well, I thought you might as well see me do so before you leave, if it"s so strange to you," she chuckled through her tears as she reached out and embraced me tightly with both arms. "My dear," she said, her voice muffled, "you have no idea how big a mark you have already left here." I was too overcome to say anything in reply; I could only return her hug even tighter, my own tears streaming unceasingly on her shoulder. I knew the scent of her perfume all too well. Mireille...I"m glad...I"m so glad... "I"m sorry," she said softly, gently stroking my hair like the big sister I"ve always wished for. "I"m sorry I had to go through some teenagery-tantrum the last few days. I guess I just found it hard to accept that you were leaving. I have to thank you for being so patient with me." It felt so warm just to be held by Mireille; it was the best feeling in the world. I didn"t want to let go, didn"t want to speak in fear of ruining the feeling, but I finally found my tongue and asked in a small voice, burying myself deeper into her hair, "Do you want me to leave?" Mireille gave an audible sigh and the regret was unmistakable, but she did not let go of me. "It"s not up to me to decide that, Kirika." "But I want to know if it"s all right with you. If you don"t want me to go, I won"t. I"ll stay here with you for as long as it lasts," I said earnestly. Mireille gave a laugh and held me tighter. "Slice me and take my heart out, why don"t you? As if it wasn"t hard enough for me already." Then she dropped her hand from my hair and said, "If I could have my own way, I"d wish you could just stay here with me. But you have as much right as anyone else to try your best to locate your origins. And I place that above my own preference." She paused then placed a hand on my shoulder, the other brushing the tears off my face. "Just promise to come back, all right, no matter how long it takes?" "I promise," I said, smiling in spite of myself, still sniffing. Mireille smiled back at me. "Do you remember when you said the other day that there was only one thing you were certain of yourself - that you"re Japanese?" "Yes?" "Well, you were wrong. There"s one thing you missed: that you"ll always have me waiting for you here." Mireille hugged me again before completely letting go. "There. You"d better get back to sleep, dear, if you don"t want to miss your flight." It took me quite some time to release practical, practical Mireille, but I finally did, and she tucked me under the covers, saying goodnight. Before she left, she took my Beretta and said, "You know I"ll be guarding this with my life. I will miss you very, very much. Kanarazu. For sure." "Sayonara, Mireille." "I prefer to think of it as "Oyasumi,' Kirika," she said smilingly as she closed the door. "Goodnight." I stared at the ceiling again, feeling the most content I had ever felt in my entire life. One person actually cared for me in this world; I felt fulfilled. I felt human. I felt loved. I guess that"s my reason for living. I could not keep the broad smile from my face as I shifted by weight comfortably and closed my eyes, my mind drifting drowsily. Tomorrow...tomorrow I will leave this place for an uncertain future...so soon...so fast... ...but one day, I"m coming back, because someone is waiting for me. Kanarazu. end

Shang, Mulan thought. Was it because of him? She had thought she would automatically give Ming her word, but something blocked her from saying it. Images of Shang had filled up her head and she couldn"t think straight. All she knew and believed at that perfect moment was that she could not give her word to anyone but... "Yes," she whispered, letting her head sink to her chest." She heard Ming give a miserable groan, "I thought so." With head down, Mulan apologizingly said, "I"m..." "No, don"t say you"re sorry," Kuan Ming said bitterly. Mulan couldn"t believe it. She had refused another man again! What was wrong with her? Everyone would think of her as the most hard-to-please girl in China if she kept this up! "Well, I am very sorry," she said, feeling confused. "I don"t know what"s gotten into me." "Whatever it is, I can"t say that I"m very much in tune with it," said Ming wryly. "Neither am I," said Mulan, thinking of Shang. "But whatever the case is, we can still part as friends, can"t we?" "If you can"t accept me as anything more," said Ming slowly, "I suppose we could." "Thanks," said Mulan, relieved. At least he didn"t had to have a tantrum about the whole thing. "Just tell me if you change your mind," said Ming. That won"t be necessary. "You"re very kind, Ming." She paused and said, "Could we go home now?" "Sure." "You"ve lost your head, Mulan." Xiao Ling shook her head in amazement. Mulan had gone straight to her house and had just told her the whole story, and frankly, Xiao Ling thought that even if the whole male population was shoved up in Mulan"s face, she wouldn"t have any of them. "Except a dashing general who"s out of town," she murmured. "What was that, Xiao Ling?" "First you ditch Shang..." began Xiao Ling. "Please, don"t rub it," muttered Mulan. Ahh, here was progress! noted Xiao Ling. She said, "I"m not one who usually says "I told you so", but I have to say it: I told you so." Mulan glared at her. "I don"t even know what"s going on inside me; how could you know?" Xiao Ling shrugged. "So let"s go back to the original issue here, all right?" "Which is?" asked Xial Ling innocently. "Why I just refused Ming?" Xiao Ling thought for a while. Then she said quietly, "Why have we never talked about "Why I refused Shang"? Is it because-" "Enough Shang!" yelled Mulan angrily. The pent up emotions that she had long kept in check had started to leak. She couldn"t keep it holed up inside her anymore. Something seemed to burst near her heart. "I know I made a mistake, all right? And there"s no chance of Shang coming back to me, so let"s leave it as is! How could I know that I didn"t really love Ming? He was a decent man, wasn"t he? And he didn"t make any big fuss about this whole thing like Shang did..." "Mulan..." "Besides, I"m really starting to get sick of Shang," raged Mulan on. "True, so maybe I loved him once, but now, I don"t think so. I couldn"t care less if he died! " Tears started to spill on her eyes. "Don"t say things like that, Mulan!" "And why not?" Mulan choked. "All he"s ever given me is one heavy load of conscience! Everytime I set my eyes on another guy, his image flashes, and I can"t even control my own thoughts, or my own actions! Everything I do has to be according to his will!" "Mulan, for heaven"s sake, get a grip of yourself!" Mula stopped her rant, breathing heavily. There was a wild look in her eye as she stared at Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling stared solidly back. "You know what you have to do, Mulan. Just give yourself another chance. You and Shang. Trust your heart; it"s not yet too late." Copyright © SwordSkill 2001 True To Your Heart [7] True To Your Heart Part VII by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: Whee! Batch prophecy is currently on hold, so I finally got to do Chapter Seven!(It"s the shortest chapter I"ve written though, I think.) Anyway, in response to one of the reviews that expressed an opinion about imperialism and all, I just wanna say that not all of the soldiers were greedy or selfish. Some of them were very willing to die; they had sincere motives. Honor does exist...or am I just to defensive of my ancestry? (shrug) Ah well, different strokes for different folks. Anyway, enjoy the fic! R/R! Mulan hung the wet linens on the silk clothesline by the garden. This is ridiculous. I had never felt this way before. Why did it had to happen to me? she thought as she walked back to her washing. She wished she would never again be asked to be married to someone. It was just too unpleasant an experience. She scrubbed the robes into the water with vehemence. Okay, so maybe I was wrong. Maybe I had been too rash with Shang. After all that"s said and done, I shouldn"t have been so harsh to him. Maybe we could become friends again and start all over. Maybe if he forgets Rong Lei-lei. That"s a pretty big MAYBE. Oh, be quiet. Suddenly, she heard two loud, quick raps by the gate. Shang! Don"t be silly. That can"t happen. "Could someone get that, please?" she heard Mama say. "I"ll get it!" Mulan called, drying her arms. She went her way towards the gate, hoping nevertheless that it was Shang. When she was about to reach the gate, she bumped into, who else?Grandma Fa. "Well, you"ve finally finished your moping," said Grandma , looking satisfied. "I was not moping," said Mulan regally. "Now excuse me, Grandma." She quickly scooted towards the great brown gate. She shut her eyes, gave a little silent prayer, and breathlessly opened the gate to behold... Rong Lei-lei, of all people. Oh dear. There she was in her stunning beauty, her face blemishless and her figure perfect, standing by their gate. Mulan didn"t even try to hide her annoyance. "Have we met?" Lei-lei looked as if she had been expecting that. "Yes, I believe so," she said. "Fa Mulan, right?" "Right," said Mulan, leaning at the gate, arms folded. "And you"re... "Rong Lei-lei." "Of course." No one said anything else, so Lei-lei began, "Well, I guess you know that we first met in a very awkward situation." Mulan didn"t answer. Lei-lei acknowledged this as a yes. "And you were edgy about Shang then." "Edgy?" said Mulan coolly. "Well, yes, because he was with me..." "Excuse me, but Shang and I were kaput by then. I was with a man called Kuan Ming." Lei-lei smiled. "Yes, I remember. But that"s not the point." "Then what is?" "The point is-" "Did you say that to rub it in my face?" Mulan felt herself growing nasty. Lei-lei looked quite taken aback. "Oh no, I-" "I understand that Shang and you are quite an item now." "But we never had anything going on." "And that you guys are still an...wait a minute...what did you say?" "I said, Shang and I never had anything going on." Relief flooded Mulan in a second. So Shang never did love Lei-lei! Was it possible that he still... "I should explain," Rong Lei-lei said. "A girl named Xiao Ling had just told me that you were once Shang"s...Shang"s, er..." "And?" "And I"m afraid that Xiao Ling was quite brusque telling me that I had butted in." Lei-lei gave a little chuckle. "Anyway, I want to put you to ease, saying that Shang never loved me or anything...he told me so himself." "He...he didn"t?" said Mulan faintly. "Oh no. Apparently, he said it wouldn"t work out." "Oh." "Well, I"m sorry if I...uh...made you worry or anything." "Oh, you never did," said Mulan airily. "But thanks for telling me all the same." "You"re welcome. Now I must be going." Rong Lei-lei gave a small bow, carrying her beautiful self toward the streets. Mulan watched her walk away. Then she shut the gate and leaned on it. That big-mouth of a Xiao Ling, she thought. I"m going to butcher her. Thanks. Mulan paced in her room in glee. So it wasn"t too late. There was still hope! Hope for what? Hope to regain their friendship. At least that was what Mulan thought. She sat down on the mat, thinking. Somehow she wanted to do something about it. She couldn"t wait until Shang came back from war. Their friendship was as precious as rubies to her, and she wanted it mended now. It may not be like the one they had, but still a friendship. She had heard recently that a messenger would be coming to take any letters or food for the troops. This could be her chance. She could write him a letter, apologizing profusely of course, and give him time to think about. Of course she wouldn"t be asking much, only a petition for friendship, and she"ll leve the rest to the gods. If she was fated to be married to him, she wouldn"t complain. And if she weren"t...well, she"ll deal with that. She took the calligraphy brush and a piece of writing paper. She mixed the concoction for black ink, and dipped the brush into it. She waited, brush poised over the paper. Then she bent down and wrote, Dear Shang Myabe it would be good to patronize a bit. Dear General Shang. Much better. I want to apologize for my very cold demeanor to you before you went away. I had been very much put out. But I must admit that you had hurt me deeply. Mulan"s hand shook as she remembered that afternoon. She bit her lip and continued writing. I never had such hurtful words thrown to me. That must be what triggered my coolness to you. Mulan felt a lump grow at her throat. She swallowed it and continued. I felt as if I never wanted to see you again. And with Rong Lei-lei hanging with you, I felt myself being in the way. So that"s what I did. I tried to avoid you as to prevent any more skirmishes that I did not appreciate. But then I heard from Lei-lei herself that you and she never had anything going. I was relieved, I confess. I felt that you... She glared fiercely and quickly scratched the last phrase off. She suddenly switched the topic. Things were getting a little touchy, and besides, she didn"t want to ruin the letter by crying on it. You must also have wondered about Kuan Ming. He was a gentleman, quite a dear, and he even proposed. And I turned him down. Yes, I did. I felt that he wasn"t the man for me. I feel no one is. Mulan flinched. She felt like she had just told a lie. I guess I"ve grown too independent. Well, maybe being once under your tutelage does that to a person. So it"s kind of your fault too? You shouldn"t train people so unfeelingly. Mulan shuddered. Unfeelingly? Yeah, right. You must be very busy, so I"ll wrap the thing up. Now that Kuan Ming and Lei-lei don"t have to provide the complications and formalities, I"d like to ask you for our friendship back. Mulan paused. Then she scribbled furiously. Once again, I"m sorry if I can"t provide you any more than friendship. So let"s forget the whole unpleasant experience, be friends again, and move on with our lives. Who knows, maybe you"ll find a girl who"ll love you the way you want to be loved... A few tears threatened to spill, but she blinked them back hastily. Quickly, she wrote, So I look forward to you coming back... Big understatement. ...and hope that things will be all right. I remain faithfully, Fa Mulan. She pored over the letter carefully, thinking. Something was missing. Something that should remind Shang of their friendship. "Mulan! Time for dinner!" She hastily bent down and scribbled something. Then she folded the paper and laid it on the bed before she made her way to the other room. Copyright © SwordSkill 2001 True To Your Heart [8] True To Your Heart Part VIII by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: (gulp...there"s a mob after me!) Gomen nasai, minna-san! (oh dear, I"m in the wrong language...all comes from indulging myself to too much anime ^^;;;) I mean, I"m sorry everyone! To keep you waiting and all (so many reviews! I never expected anything like this! Arigato!). I mean, seniors really must have one hectic life, geez. Oh, and to anyone who"s interested, my batch prophecy was a hit! Yeah, they loved it! (does a jig) OK, that"s settled, now on with the story! Please, as usual, R/R! "The messenger"s here! The messenger"s here!" Mulan could feel her family"s eyes boring into her as she ate her dinner. She glanced at them, laid down her chopsticks, and said, "What?" "Don"t you have anything to say to General Shang?" asked Fa Li. Mulan shrugged. "Well, yeah. But I"m not that much of a hurry. I hope you"re not expecting me to jump for joy now that the messenger"s here. No one said anything. Mulan"s excitement was starting to get the better of her. "Excuse me," she said, rising from the table and making a beeline for her room. She could hear her family"s soft laughs as she grabbed the letter by the bed. Well, this is it...She rolled it into a cylinder and tied a piece of red string over it. "I"ll be back in a while!" she hollered, running for the door. She could feel her heart beating fast as she dashed to the main gate. I hope he understands..., she thought. She flung open the gate. There were about fifty people huddled, yelling, shouting over a bent figure right at the middle of the crowd. "What..." Mulan quickly threw her way in the crowd, brushing past many hot bodies to finally be faced with... "Yao?" The short, stocky soldier tried to stand up as someone shoved up a letter down his mouth. "You"re the messenger?" Mulan asked, her eyes widening. "Hey, wait your turn, capeesh?!" yelled Yao, spitting out the piece of paper in his mouth. Turning to Mulan, he said sheepishly, "Guess who lost the bet." Mulan grinned amidst the noise of the thinning crowd. Yao looked suddenly uncertain as he said, "Now gimme whatever you wanna give to Shang so I can get my butt out of here." Mulan gave him the rice parchment and he quickly snatched it from her. "All right, that"s it," he muttered, turning his ankle to leave. "Yao?" "What?" "Anything wrong?" "No, hehe...what makes you say that?" Yao gave a nervous smile. "Right." Mulan said suspiciously. Yao had never been like this to her. Something was definitely up. Better play along first. She looked away and said, "So, uh, how is..." "Shang?" said Yap a bit too quickly. "Yes..." "Oh, he"s...he"s great. He"s great." Yao reddened and started his exit. "Never been better, you know? He"s doing fine...fine." Bingo. Mulan grabbed Yao before he could run away. "You"re not leaving until you tell me what"s happened to him." "Nothing, I told you." Yao shook his arm away. "I"m late; I have to go!" "Yao." Mulan"s voice was final. Ya forced himself to look at her. "What happened to Shang. Tell me." Yao didn"t answer. "Yao, if you were ever my friend, if you were ever Shang"s friend, you will tell me." "It"s exactly us being friends that I"m...I"m telling you that Shang"s...Shang"s...fine." Yao coughed. That did it. "Something bad happened to him, am I right?" Yao chose to look away. "Am I right?" Mulan repeated. After making sure that no one was listening, Yao mumbled something and turned away. "What?" she asked, grabbing his shoulder and whipping him to face her. Yao said wearily, "I said, he"s poisoned, all right?!" ... "P-poisoned?!" Yao winced at Mulan"s ghostly gasp. "How...what..." Mulan fought for composure. She was suddenly sweating and breathing heavily, her palms clammy and her breath labored. She gulped a few breaths of air and said shakily, " You"re kidding, right, Yao? I mean, you"re always a funny guy...well, trying-to-be-funny guy, and you"re up to your tricks again, aren"t you? You thought I"d fall for that? No way. There is no way Shang can get poisoned. "Fess, up, Yao, that was corn..." "Mulan!" Yao grabbed her shoulders. "Stop!" Mulan stopped her blathering. "It"s true, okay? I"m not kidding," Yao said. "The army"s getting depressed already because there"s the general down and... "Down? DOWN?" Mulan"s pitch jumped an octave higher. "He"s dead?" "Thank the gods, no," said Yao. "The head medic says he has a fifty-fifty chance to live. If they can stop the poison from getting to the vital organs, he"ll be fine." "Is...is there an antidote? A cure? Just tell me and I can work on it. I"ll get the herbs and start mashing..." Once again, Yap had to restrain her. "The medics are working on it. Thankfully they"ve found some herbs at camp that should make the antidote." There was silence. Then, "How did it happen?" Yao wiped his brow and said, "We were ambushed by the Huns, a whole army of them. They were about twice our size." "Then?" "I"m not sure how it happened because I was busy fighting for my life too, but after two hours of battle, the Huns retreated and we went back to camp. That"s when Shang came in looking drunk and he fainted. He was carried away and the medics told us that they found a thorn sticking out of his neck. It was blown out from a blowpipe, and it carried a very lethal poison that spreads through the victim"s organs and eventually kills him. Luckily, when the medics discovered it, it hadn"t spread to any vital organs yet. There"s still a chance, Mulan, so don"t look like that!" Mulan had paled at the mention of thorn. She pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and whispered, "How is he?" "Balances between consciousness. You know, wakes up, faints, wakes up, faints...he"s been going like that for days. When Mulan didn"t answer, Yao quickly jumped in, "This is secret matter, okay? So far, you"re the only one who knows about this. Don"t frighten his mother or anything." Mulan nodded and said, "No on will know." Yao looked relieved when he said, "Good." "Because I"m going back with you." Yao was prepared. "No." "Yes." "Not on your life." Mulan"s eyes went ablaze. "I will. I"ve run away to the army before; I can do it again." "I just told you, Mulan...no!" "I will go!" "Forget it." "Yao!" "Do you think Shang would want that?" Mulan couldn"t answer. She knew he wouldn"t. "He"s got enough troubles already about the recruiting Huns, and now he"s got you to worry about." Mulan blinked the tears stubbornly and before she could stop herself, she said, "He needs me." Yao"s eyes widened, then his weather-beaten face softened. He said, "That will help. Very much. I"ll make sure to tell him that." "I am going." Yao paused, looking as if he was about to relent. Then he cast his eyes down, and he mumbled, "Forgive me, Mulan." "Wha...!" She saw a great fist hit her between her eyes, and everthing went black. P.S. To anyone who"s ever read Anne by L M Montogomery, I bet you have a gut feeling on what"s gonna happen. But mine has a twist. Kind of tragic, but just leave it to me...it"ll be just fine. Oh and don"t expect chapter 9 to come out real quick. I"ll be out for a while (stopover at Japan! Yea! Animecountry!) So it"ll come out probably by mid-April-May, something like that. Ja ne! Copyright © SwordSkill 2001 True To Your Heart [9] True To Your Heart: Part IX by SwordSkill Author"s Notes: As usual, I"m behind schedule...(sigh)...and I haven"t been writing for a long time. So, here"s a little something I wrote before I take a break from Mulan and devote my time to a few other projects (and think of a few new ideas for this dragging fanfic). Keep on R/R-ing! She was in the battlefield once more. Mulan was fighting, a hand-to-hand combat with a roaring Hun. With one blow of her fist, she knocked the Hun down victoriously. She reached at her side for her sword to finish him off, but what nestled in her hand was a blowpipe. With a whoosh of her mouth, she shot a deadly thorn that pierced its way to the Hun"s neck. Suddenly, the Hun"s face evolved, turning into Shang"s, with the thorn wooing blood out of his neck. His eyes were filled with fear and hatred. Mulan realized what she had done. "Shang?" she said numbly. With his hand trying to pull the thorn off, he said hauntingly, "You never loved me, and now you have killed me. My lonely spirit shall find no rest. Remember that, you traitor, and suffer for the rest of your LIFE!" The last word was a scream. His hand, up in midair, sank down on the ground. The ground gave a rumble, and opened a chasm, swallowing Shang"s body within it. "Shang!" Mulan cried. Her arm shot out, but it was too late. From the dark abyss, she could his voice, crooning softly, "Remember...remember...traitor...." NO!!!!!!! Mulan suddenly jolted up awake in her room. Her heart was thudding unceasingly, her palms were cold with sweat. She sat on the mattress, her chest heaving and her body trembling. "That dream again," she whispered hoarsely. "Why can"t it leave me?" It had been three days since Yao had hit her, preventing her from going to Shang"s rescue. Vehemently denied by her parents for her permission to go see Shang, she did not eat very much, and only sat by the pond, absorbed in her thoughts. And in her sleep, that dream of killing Shang plagued her, giving her no peace at all. She buried her wet face on the pillow. It was too much to bear. Shang was going to die without knowing what her true feelings were. "Mulan?" Fa Zhou, garbed in his evening robe, had quietly entered the room. "The dream again?" She nodded mutely. Fa Zhou sat at the edge of the mattress and laid a heavy hand on Mulan"s shoulder. "Papa?" "Yes?" "Is he going to die?" Fa Zhou hugged his daughter. "I don"t know, Mulan. But he is a strong fellow, and that gives me hope." "Hope," said Mulan bitterly, pulling away from her father. "What good does hope do? All it does is give a false sense of security." "It gives a reason to live," said Fa Zhou quietly. "I know it"s hard, but you had nothing to do with it." Mulan did not answer but laid down and rolled on her back. "I would like to go to sleep now, Papa," she said in a muffled tone. Fa Zhou stood up and walked to the door in silence. When he closed it, he leaned on the wall, and closed his eyes. "Merciful gods," he prayed, "help my Mulan. And for her sake, let the boy live."

"I don"t know about Nancy," said Jughead softly, "but I"m sure turned on." Betty twisted back to face him, sure he was just making another joke, but his gaze was still south of her waist. He was looking at the space of bare leg between the bottom of her skirt and the top of her socks with such concentration, he might"ve been measuring it to see which IKEA end table would perfectly fit within those boundaries. "Very funny, Jughead," she said, a little self-consciously. She sat back on her bed, crossing her legs and staring hard at the papers in her hands. If she didn"t address the lingering tension, it would just go away, as it had the other times they"d approached and retreated from a high level of intimacy. There was just too much going on. Conflicting timetables, the unforeseen threat of Toni, and now the sudden entrance of a hooded murderer interrupting the regularly scheduled programming of their teenage drama. The first two would"ve been more than enough for Betty to contend with, and that was merely to find time to spend with her boyfriend. Being in the same room instead of infrequently texting. Holding hands instead of cradling phones to their ears, trying to drown out the background noise of their increasingly separate lives in order to even get past "What are you up to?" and "How was your day?" The further away in time they got from the night the Serpents had disrupted their activities (which Betty still felt had been leading to sex), the more recreating a private moment like that felt closer to impossible than unlikely. There was a little zip as Jughead drew her blinds shut. Betty looked up, startled. "For all we know, he has eyes on your house," he offered in explanation, shrugging. The edges of the sheets crumpled in her hands as she fell back to horizontal. "Great," Betty moaned, closing her eyes. She felt the pages being eased from her grip and the slump of the mattress as Jughead sat down next to her. Betty sighed and rolled towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her forehead to his denim-covered hip. She drew her legs up, bending her knees to cover her butt with her feet. "Jug," she mumbled against him. "Hmm?" There was the rustle of paper. "You still have my sock." It landed suddenly on her neck and Betty flinched, opening her eyes. She picked the sock off of herself, but didn"t put it on, depositing it over the side of the bed. "Do you really think he"s watching the house?" she asked quietly, glancing up at Jughead. He stopped looking at the pages and set them on the bed on his other side. Then, he laid back as well, wrapping an arm over Betty and pulling hers over his chest. It was a sudden, powerful reminder of them waking up together. Betty had been wanting to feel elated about that recent occurrence, but it had seemed so accidental after the fact that she never felt like dwelling on it. Had they slept that way simply out of exhaustion and convenience? Were they a pair of senior citizens? Would their relationship ever last that long if they couldn"t push past the so-far impermeable barrier of PG? Betty shifted her head onto Jughead"s chest, listening to the primordial pump of his heart. "We know the Black Hood"s been here," he began, "because he left that first envelope for your mother. Watching the house though? No, I think that would be too risky. I mean, nobody knows exactly what he looks like, but everybody"s heard Archie go on and on about those green eyes by now, so the psycho has at least one clear identifier." Jughead let out a deep breath. "Personally, I wouldn"t be hanging around anywhere near Archie"s place if I were the Black Hood. We both know young Robert Redford"s lost the plot a little lately." "So you don"t think Archie"s presence might draw the Hood in?" Betty asked, trailing her fingers across Jughead"s t-shirt contemplatively. "No. If anything, I think Archie"s presence is protecting you. I wish I could do that," he finished faintly. Betty"s heart leapt in her chest. "You do do that," she insisted, propping herself up on one elbow to look down at him. "You helped me figure out the cypher." "That was pure greediness, Betts. With puzzles and secret codes, I"m like a kid in a Dan Brown-themed candy store." "You"re here with me now," she offered, trying again. "That counts." Jughead shrugged, reaching up to twist the elastic out of her hair, but he was starting to look convinced. "You shut the blinds in case he comes around and tries to stare up at the window. That was for my sake," Betty insisted, poking Jughead"s chest and smiling. "But I"m a selfish creature, Betty. It was mostly for mine." His fingers dug deep into her hair, making her head tingle. "Oh yeah?" she whispered, letting him guide her face down. "Mhmm," Jughead confirmed, his dark blue-green eyes making a final sweep of her face before closing, when he pressed his lips to hers. She felt his other hand creep up the back of her neck, giving her goosebumps. Pressing her fingers a little more firmly into his chest, Betty started to get curious. She kissed him harder, sensing her whole body wanting to strain into the motion. Getting a grip in her hair, Jughead opened his mouth wider under hers and angled her head to intensify the kiss. Betty took a deep breath, touching her tongue to Jughead"s as the smell of him filled her nose, making her hungry in a way a burger at Pop"s couldn"t help with. He responded eagerly, pulling her in by the tongue, then sliding his hand from her neck down her back to press her closer. Betty was trying to comply, shuffling her limbs so that her body wasn"t so contorted, when her bent knee grazed the front of Jughead"s thigh. He made a sort of choking grunt and released her hair, gripping the back of her head instead as he kissed her with ardour. His other hand slipped down her back before running over to her hip, along her leg, and catching the back of her knee. Curling his finger around to get a good hold, Jughead twitched her knee forward suggestively. His hand was comfortably warm on her bare skin, but she shivered all the same. Jughead twitched her knee again and their kiss began to slow like thickening cement, so that she was aware of every nudge of his chin, every poke his straight nose gave her cheek. She felt his fingers twirling more sensually through her hair and the drag of her pale sweater across her chest every time she pressed forward to kiss him. She thought about the fact that neither of them needed to be anywhere else right then, and that both of her parents would be occupied―maybe for hours―at another town hall meeting that her mother had pushed for after the disruption of the last one. Betty let her bent leg be towed across until her thigh was on top of Jughead"s, then in his lap, then she gave in and got on hands and knees to fully move her leg to the far side of his hips. With her legs wide to straddle him, Betty was extra-conscious of the length of her skirt which was, compared to others she owned, not very substantial. Jughead was conscious of it too, smoothing out the fingers of the hand that had been grasping her knee until they stretched up the back of her thigh... Betty shuddered and broke the kiss, raising up on her hands to stare down uncertainly at Jughead. He scooped her hair to one side, keeping it out of her face, and Betty studied him. His hat had slid back on his head, his eyes were shiny and dangerous in the soft light of her lamp, and the reddened lips of his wide mouth were still parted from kissing her. He"d kissed her before, lots of times, but not like that. And he"d looked at her after kissing her before, but not like he was now. Normally there was a kind of gentle satisfaction in his face, but now his expression seemed to be trying to tell Betty that he wasn"t done, just beginning. "If you"re going to say we should get back to Nancy Drew-ing, then you"re right." His hand travelled a little higher up her thigh. "I just really don"t want to." Jughead"s gaze moved down to her lips, which Betty bit before replying. "I thought solving mysteries was your favourite pastime," said Betty, pushing Jughead"s hat the rest of the way off and edging her fingers around his face, playing with his black hair. "I"ve been thinking about that," he said, and she felt the hem of her skirt lift slightly as his fingers slipped underneath. Her heart was pounding. "And?" "Well..." Jughead trailed off. Betty could tell he had begun to distract himself as well. She leaned down, kissing his neck lightly. He turned his head to press his cheek to her hair. "I think it would be rash to pick a favourite without trying out a few more." "Any ideas?" "Oh, I always have ideas," he assured her with a smirk. Next thing she knew, Jughead was up on his elbows, pulling himself backwards so his legs weren"t hanging off the side of her bed. Betty could have climbed off of him to let him readjust without obstruction, except the look in his eyes stopped her. Also, the bulge in his jeans, which she only saw now, but had been hovering over obliviously since sometime after straddling him. So, for the first time in ages, Betty acted out of desire instead of fear or desperation. She crawled after Jughead, watching his smile spread across his face as he watched her, still on his elbows. At his hips, Betty drew her knees in against him and sat. In this position, her skirt was of no use to her at all, her underwear alone separating her from his jeans. They stared at each other for a long moment, then Betty looked down, sliding her hand under the bottom of Jughead"s t-shirt. In response, both of his hands came up the front of her thighs. She smiled, tilting forward to kiss him while her fingers discovered his abdominal muscles. Jughead repositioned one hand on her lower back, pressing her against him and letting his other hand slink straight up her skirt. Betty felt the negligible pressure of her underwear"s elastic disappear when Jughead burrowed his fingers under the fabric to feel the continuous skin of her uncovered hip. Drawing out of the kiss, her breathing shaky, Betty pressed down, rubbing across his erection. She realized she"d definitely been getting wet and felt a complementary, almost painfully present contraction of the muscles most invested in the situation. Jughead forced his hand completely through the leg of her panties and reached around to grab Betty"s naked backside. He didn"t push her, but when Betty rocked across him a second time, she could feel Jughead"s fingers tense on her ass. He laid back, taking her with him, then leaned into Betty, rolling her onto her back while his weight settled over her. Instinctively, she bent her knees to make way for Jughead"s hips. One of her feet landed on the loose sheets of paper they were supposed to be focusing on and she rebelliously kicked them away to flutter onto the floor. With a look Betty wanted to call giddy―but wouldn"t do so aloud for fear of injuring his reputation―Jughead wedged a hand behind her back, drawing her sweater up to the fastening of her bra, then hooking his fingers beneath it. It was the second time he"d maneuvered his hands between her lingerie and her skin and Betty didn"t need a cypher to crack this code: he obviously wanted to feel more of her bare skin against his. She"d been teasing him, stroking her fingers (over Jughead"s t-shirt) down his chest towards his hips until she felt the muscles of his abdomen jump, but now, with one of his hands tracing the ridges of her vertebrae and the other headed back up her thigh, things were getting serious. Things were getting hot and heavy, like myriad "80s rock songs had promised her they would. As he fingered the lacy hem of her underwear, Betty jolted. "Tops first?" she suggested, figuring the exposed upper half of Jughead"s body would be less intimidating to her than the lower half. "Are we working down to the socks, or what?" Jughead grinned then kissed her, fiercely but briefly. Betty touched her cheeks with both hands, fingertips, then the backs of her fingers, trying from the heat of her skin to gauge how brightly it had flushed. "Maybe for you," she replied shyly, "but I only have one sock." "Then let"s get that off first," Jughead said, his hand withdrawing from her skirt to skim down to her knee, where the top of the sock reached to. "Good first step in case you get cold feet." He yanked her sock down and Betty lifted her foot slightly so he could remove it. "That is a terrible joke, Juggy." But she stretched her neck up to kiss his cheek. He turned his face, quickly pulling her into a disorienting kiss that made Betty breathe hard through her nose, getting caught up and tossed around in his masculine smell all over again. She wondered if he always smelled like this or if it was some sort of evolutionary hormonal thing designed to lure her in and let him do what he liked with and to her. Betty was winding her foot around his calf, nudging her crotch against the hardened dick testing the stretchiness of the front of Jughead"s jeans, when she recalled she"d actually had sort of a plan. She turned her face away abruptly, but Jughead, undeterred, just switched to kissing down her neck instead. When he reached the base of her throat, she started wishing she hadn"t worn a crewneck sweater... but hopefully it wouldn"t be on much longer anyway. "Tops!" Betty insisted, swatting lightly at his shoulder. Jughead groaned in pretend frustration against her skin and sat back, peeling his shirt over his head and flinging it away in one seamless motion that seemed to Betty like a prime example of her boyfriend"s casual sexiness. Her next thought was that maybe starting at the top might not have been the least intimidating route after all; Jughead"s leanly muscled torso was beautiful―smooth and flawless like he"d been folded in half vertically and cut out to leave a perfect symmetry of hotness. She hoped that the way he"d apparently been aligning himself with the Serpents didn"t lead to any fights that marred this unblemished canvas. She felt extraordinarily possessive of Jughead, seeing him like this. "You," he said expectantly, already running his eyes over her still-clothed chest and shoulders. Betty was fairly certain she couldn"t remove her top as gracefully as Jughead had just done his, since she was lying flat on her back, but luckily, he didn"t seem too interested in waiting as she struggled through it. His palms smoothed up her ribcage, taking the sweater with them, and all Betty had to do was lift her shoulders, raise her head, and stretch out her arms, while Jughead got her down to her bra. She made up for a less accessible sweater choice with her undergarments and was thoroughly gratified by the way Jughead"s gaze landed on the translucent lace of the cups of her bra and lingered... until he broke his own trance and felt behind her to pinch the clasp open and drag the whole thing off of her. He leaned down to her, bringing their bared chests together and Betty thought it was incredible, wrapping her arms around him to touch the curve of his ribs, the sharp jut of his shoulder blades. Feeling her nipples rub across his skin was taking her to a higher altitude of arousal and Betty moaned without thinking about the sound before it left her lips. Daringly, she shot her hand down in the opposite direction, gliding her palm over his ass. "Well if below the waist is fair game now..." he murmured, the ends of his hair sweeping across her forehead as he closed in and kissed her. Jughead found the zipper of her skirt and undid it. Betty eagerly raised her hips, making Jughead gasp and grind against her. In apparent retaliation, he tugged her skirt down and took her panties with it. The top half of her body had been one thing―territory he"d seen bits and pieces of when she wore tank tops or anything with a deeper V neckline―but this was something very different. Unlike after Jughead had removed her sweater and bra, Betty couldn"t just cuddle against him, enjoying her nudity while also hiding it. Now, she had to stay calm as her boyfriend backed up enough to get the layers down her legs and off, with the entire length of her body exposed the whole time. The positive side was that she wasn"t cold; even without the abundant heat Jughead was radiating when in contact with her, Betty"s body was keeping the temperature nice and high. Terrarium-high. If she"d been a lizard, she would"ve been very happy. Of course, having Jughead in her bedroom at night was more than enough to make her glad to be human. His eyes didn"t skip over anything, but Betty discovered it was actually easier to be this open―literally, with him still kneeling between her parted thighs―when he made his appreciation of her so obvious. Jughead"s fingers went to the fastening of his jeans and she noticed his hands were trembling. Her stare flew back up to his face, which was watching her intently. "Should I―should I not?" he stumbled out, his fingers stilling (as much as they could through the shaking) after popping his button free. "No," Betty said, smiling, then realized it sounded wrong. "I mean yes! Yes, take them off." Now she sounded too eager and, to her relief, they both burst out laughing. Jughead reached down for her hand, holding it tenderly and seeming to get as much satisfaction from that touch as from any other. "Help me. Ok?" Betty nodded and let him move out from between her legs so that she could get herself up to kneeling as well. Jughead pressed his palm to her cheek and Betty could tell he wasn"t trembling anymore. He swept her hair back from her face once, twice, then tangled his fingers in it, cupping the back of her neck while Betty"s own fingers felt out his zipper and lowered it. The skin of his abdomen against the back of her hand was warm, but even through his boxers, Betty could tell that, lower down, it was even hotter. Struggling to keep her eyes on his face when she mostly wanted to turn away in embarrassment, Betty put her hand on him, feeling his length through the cotton. Jughead sucked in a breath she thought would never end, then nodded to her. She wasn"t sure whether that meant to do it again or to continue with the process of divesting him, but Betty went with the latter, moving her hands to his hips and borrowing Jughead"s little trick of taking both layers down at once. Betty leaned her forehead against Jughead"s shoulder, trying to be inconspicuous about glancing down and checking out his size, but when she flicked her eyes back up, he was failing to contain a smug smirk. Apparently emboldened rather than embarrassed, Jughead shaped his hands to Betty"s hips and slid them up the curve of her waist and inward to her chest, where he confidently cupped her breasts. Betty breathed unsteadily, Jughead"s hands rising and falling with her body as she searched frantically for the usually natural rhythm of her lungs. Suddenly, one of his hands dropped away, his fingers letting her know they still existed by diving forward and sliding through the wetness between her legs. Apparently, Betty"s resting heartrate was something she wouldn"t be discerning again for a while. Winding their arms around each other and bringing their mouths together earnestly, Betty and Jughead progressed from kneeling apart from each other to sitting, legs partially entangled, to shuffling further back onto the bed, until they ended up with Jughead sitting, legs straight out and back against the wall, with Betty again in his lap. She was feeling good about this, like she was back on home turf―after all, she"d imagined climbing on top of Jughead in her bed before, though the real thing was so much more, in every way, than she"d fantasized. For one thing, there were his fingers, back between her legs, spreading her wetness over her clit in a way that made her feel lightly electrocuted, if there were such a thing. For another, there was the solid presence of his erect cock standing stiff and flushed between them. Jughead let his fingers slide back to her entrance and after a few moments, pushed one inside. Betty felt awkward and alarmed for a second, then he crooked his finger and she let out an unearthly moan, digging her fingernails into the flesh of his shoulders. She felt his dick pulse against her abdomen as she unconscious shifted closer to him, wordlessly begging as she levelled him with a lustful stare. Jughead curled his finger into her again and Betty"s eyes closed in pleasure. She tilted her hips to press her wetted clit against his shaft and stroked downwards, making every nerve in her body seem to tingle and ending in the weightier bliss of Jughead"s fingers―two now―plunging into her. She started moving eagerly but uncoordinatedly and Jughead grabbed her hip, maybe a little rougher than he would"ve if most of his mind hadn"t been focused on the way she was rubbing herself off against his cock. "Still... miss the... socks?" she panted, her lips parting in a sloppy smile as her body was flooded with heat coming straight from her core.

When the ground was just below them, Diana unwound herself from him and Steve let her, surely knowing by now that this drop would be well within her capabilities to handle. Her boots carved troughs into the earth and she stood a little shakily, unsettled by the thought that she had just fallen from the sky. Steve kept his feet as he landed with a run, until he stumbled just in front of her. Diana stepped into him, leaning her trembling body against his as he unfastened the buckles and shed his harness. The descent had sent them spiraling back towards the runway and Diana walked down it beside Steve in silence as the feeling came back to their legs and they fully realized that they were alive. "Wait," he said, gripping her gauntlet and pulling her close. Diana instinctively flicked her eyes down at his hand, then up to his face. Another man would never have willingly made contact with her armour in this way. If Steve had seen how these curls of metal had channeled her power and destroyed Ares, perhaps even he would be hesitant. "I missed this," he whispered, smoothing the long loose curls of her hair, overflowing his hands with her dark tresses. Diana"s warm eyes met his, filled with confusion, though her smile was gentle and patient. "When we were in London, I tried to make you someone... someone you"re not." His eyebrows pulled together. "I"m sorry, Steve. I couldn"t do it." She shook her head slowly. "I couldn"t walk around in stiff, heavy clothes, skirts down to my boots, any more than I could pretend to be your secretary. I only hope that you weren"t disappointed." "Dis―?" Steve cut himself off, laughing. "Disappointed? If you were anything less than what you are, I wouldn"t be standing here right now. The only thing I am is grateful. Thank you, Diana." His blue eyes were earnest. "Thank you for what you did." The corners of her mouth rose into a smile; their last exchange of thank you"s following the battle on the shore of Themyscira was on her mind. "I channeled everything I have, all that I am, into defeating Ares. Like you, I saw the wounded. I saw the hungry and the suffering, but all along I was focused on one. You, Steve," she laid a palm on his cheek, "would have given your life for thousands. You were thinking of everyone." He shook his head steadily. "You"re wrong." Diana frowned, raising her other hand to grip his shoulder. Surely, Steve―her comrade, her honorary Amazon, her partner―would not shun this recognition of his bravery. He had earned this, and far more. "You can"t be―" He took her face in his hands abruptly. "I was thinking of you." Steve pressed his mouth to hers. His urgency tilted her head back, but he slid one hand around to cradle the back of her neck. Diana gasped into his mouth, in that moment truly awakening to the thought that the kiss in Veld could have been their last if she hadn"t reached Steve in time today. She wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him, being what Zeus had first intended for the Amazons to be: not warriors, but women, guiding men to peace. Steve responded readily, digging firm fingers into Diana"s hair and rocking his body unshyly against hers. The hangar was ablaze, but the last heat of Ares" hatred would now purify the ground on which he"d inspired good men to act with wickedness. It created a warm glow behind Diana"s closed eyelids as Steve backed her into the side of one of the planes that would never leave the ground with another load of poison or explosives. His hips alone seemed to guide her and they disappeared behind the broad metal wing, their nearest possible observers hundreds of miles down the airstrip, men who were still embracing each other in the unpolluted spirit of humanity. A part of Diana wanted to join them in their celebrations, just as drawn to the innocence of their convivial cheers as she had been to the sweet face of the first baby she"d seen in London. However, there were so many of them―dozens of Germans plus a Native American, a Frenchman, and a Scot―sharing the love of friendship and renewed hope that it felt right to her to stay with Steve and express another kind of love. Diana could have lifted the plane with her bare hands and sent it looping through the sky, away from the rising smoke of the wreckage, so joyful was she to be out in the world, a world at peace; instead, she deferred to Steve"s strength, letting him grip the underside of her thighs and pull her feet away from the ground so that she was balanced on his hips, pinned to the fuselage. His mouth worked desperately at hers and she was unable to resist when the nudge of his jaw parted her lips. Steve"s tongue caressed and tugged at hers and she felt herself giving in to him. Below, his hand slipped under her skirt to clench at her backside as he rolled his swollen length against her, recalling to Diana the rise and fall of their little boat on its journey from the island of the Amazons to the island of the Brits. There was nothing to do but embrace this precious chance to give herself to him once again and Diana tightened her legs, fixing him against her. Steve groaned into her mouth and gripped the flesh of her thigh. His hands were freezing and though it didn"t bother her―the fire ignited by her love for him had not been suffocated―she knew he would be making himself uncomfortable to continue under these conditions. She reached up and behind her, continuing to move with him through their kiss, and felt for the door"s latch. Steve registered enough of her movement to close one hand around the bend of her elbow, running his palm downwards along the inside of her upper arm hungrily and bumping his erection sharply between her legs. Diana broke the kiss, gasping, and ground herself against him. Her eyes opened to see him grinning smugly at her and licking his lower lip before rubbing himself intimately against her again. Diana"s body went a little limp as she let Steve move them together, like she had when they were dancing. She began to drop her hand, forgetting the latch, and her gauntlet scraped the plane. "God!" Steve cringed at the sound, looking from her face up to her hand. "What are you doing?" "Opening the door." Diana shrugged and tilted her head back. She spotted the latch and flipped it open so the door swung out towards them. "Oh, you don"t want to just crumple this one?" He gave her an impudent look, setting her on her feet so that they could both step clear of the door"s arc. Diana tugged the zipper of his jacket down sharply and smoothed her hand down in its wake. She took a calculated step up to him so that the length of her body was just brushing the length of his. "I can be a little rougher." She raised an eyebrow. "If you think that"s best." Diana bent her knee, angling her thigh so that it gave the hard weight of his cock a firm press. Steve"s eyes widened and he breathed in roughly through his nose. "On second thought, an un-crumpled door will provide so much more privacy." Diana smiled at him in satisfaction and moved away, springing into the plane. Steve heaved himself up after her, seemed to trip, and caught her around the waist, making her bump against the interior and sending her down onto her back in the aisle. The cargo hold of the plane was empty, awaiting a batch of poisonous gas that would never be made. Steve raised himself on his hands above her, grinning. Diana narrowed her eyes, her lips pursed accusingly. "You did that on purpose." He shifted and slammed the door shut with a bang. "Or..." his eyes idly roamed the ceiling before returning to hers, "...I have really poor balance. We can"t all be Amazons." Diana dipped her chin and smiled at him sincerely. "We would be lucky to have you, Steve Trevor." "Yeah, but I couldn"t do the skirt." He frowned. Diana shook her head at his ridiculousness. "You are a hero nevertheless." "I think... right now..." He lowered himself down onto his forearms and Diana brought her legs up slowly to cage his hips. "I"d just like to be a man." "And what would a man do?" she asked softly, pushing up the hem of his shirt under his open jacket. "Ah, well, I can see how you wouldn"t know too much about that." He shrugged one shoulder, reaching beneath her to unclip her bodice. Steve"s lips ran along her neck and she sighed into his hair. She decided she would let him have his joke, since it was creating such pleasurable anticipation. "A man," he continued, "would help a lady." He tugged at the garment that was both comfortably shaped to her and as strong as the steel of the plane that held up, peeling it off and laying it aside. "A man would be observant..." Steve"s gaze went straight to her chest. "...and attentive." He laid careful kisses backed by desirous pressure down her neck. Steve"s tongue lined her collarbone. He shifted down her body suddenly, tracing the tip of his tongue around and then over her nipple. Diana cried out, tangling her fingers in the longer hair at the top of Steve"s head after they skimmed the short sides, leaving her palms tingling. "And this," Diana"s breath caught as Steve dug his fingers into her other breast, squeezing sensuously, "is how a man is attentive?" He raised his head, looking at her with hazy, hungry eyes. He shook his head with no uncertainty. "Definitely not. No man will ever get the opportunity to be attentive to you." Diana laughed, cupping his cheek. "You are not making any sense, Steve. You yourself are a man." "Right." He looked at her smugly. "And I would never take you for granted by being merely attentive." She rolled her eyes, smiling. "And what does that mean?" "Why don"t you hold onto that question and summarize it for me later?" He winked at her and unfastened her skirt, sitting back to bring it down her hips. Diana had not been raised to feel awkward in her nudity―there had never been any reason. However, as she held her bent legs open, still accommodating the way he kneeled between them, and Steve slid his impassioned gaze over her, Diana felt humbled. Nothing in Steve"s eyes told her she was less than him, but she would gladly have gotten on her knees before him; his love and desire for her were bound together in that look and she was overwhelmed to be loved so much. So much and so well. He let the jacket fall from his shoulders and down his arms, signalling to her with the smallest gesture that she should sit up. Diana raised herself on her hands, lowering her eyes when Steve leaned forward, their cheeks stroking each other"s in passing. The scratch of his unshaven face filled her with want and Diana"s chest heaved. She found she was arching against him, the inside of her thighs pressed to the outside of his. The swell of his crotch was pronounced when Steve tipped forward, laying his jacket out behind her for Diana to recline on. It was gallant, but did not occupy her mind very much in that moment. Holding herself up on an angle, Steve"s body slanted forward and parallel to hers, Diana pressed her nose to the side of his face. With her eyes closed, his uneven breathing was an intimate whisper fluttering her hair. She reached out and removed her boots one at a time, bending her body into his. Steve"s lips danced along the underside of her jaw and one of his hands ran over the curve of her hip. Her feet free, Diana let her hand glide sideways, over Steve"s thigh, then pressed her open palm to his erection. Steve mumbled a slow, grating groan and ran his hand up her back, laying her down underneath him as he stretched out over her. In what he must have seen as a fair exchange for her lingering touch, Steve trailed his fingers up Diana"s inner thigh. She could feel the wet heat of herself and when his fingertips graced the juncture of her thighs, moving smoothly through her arousal, Diana pressed her hips back against his hand, wanting more. He refused her anything other than the gentlest of touches, so she plucked the material of his shirt between her fingers and eased it up his stomach. Steve"s fingers moved off of her to sling the shirt over his head, but, the task accomplished, did not return to the place where she needed them to be. He stroked over her hip bone, then rubbed his flat rough palm down to mold itself to the crook where her inner thigh met her hips. With unhurried determination, Steve kissed across the top of Diana"s chest, halting where her heart beat hard under her skin. She breathed quicker, enjoying herself despite wishing she could force him to hasten his movements and get himself inside her more swiftly. If he was going to act like there was all the time in the world―which she knew she"d had before he entered her life―then so would she. Diana slid her hands between them, down Steve"s chest to his abdomen, where her fingers stroked leisurely across his skin. His grip tensed, clutching her pounding pulse point, and his mouth came up to kiss her neck. She felt lower, unbuttoning his pants and slipping just her fingertips below the fabric of his underwear, scraping lightly with her nails. Steve jumped, nudging his covered erection against her, then sending his hips into retreat as he moved his hand between her legs once more. Diana moaned. She grabbed at his shoulder with one hand and tunneled the other lower to run her palm down the hot length of him. He pushed shaking fingers through her wetness, spreading it thickly from her entrance over her clit before pressing there and manipulating it up and down. The action was sudden and she locked her arm behind the back of his neck, concentrating all her energy on the pleasure he was providing. Diana clasped his erection and gave it a similarly abrupt stroke. Her name came tumbling from his generous lips, muffled when he pressed them to hers. Leaving his thumb to tend to her external pleasure, Steve pushed a finger up into her, curling it with great intention. When her mouth opened to cry out, he introduced his tongue, kissing her passionately. Even the arm he was using to support himself shuffled inward, squeezing the back of her neck as he continued and her head rocked from side to side. Diana instinctually lifted her feet off the floor, wrapping her strong legs around Steve. It was difficult to summon the will to tear his hand away from her, but she did it, though he fought to deliver a final flick to her clit; Diana let go of his neck, taking Steve by the wrist and bringing his hand under his layers to meet hers. He drew his face back, looking at her with surprise, but Diana only smiled, rubbing her hand over the back of his and encouraging him to pump his shaft. Steve panted as, together, they painted her wetness over him. Diana freed her unoccupied hand and gripped the back of Steve"s neck, kissing his mouth, then down his throat when his breathing became too heavy. She determined he"d had as much as he could take and tilted her hips against his so that he was pushed onto his back. Their hands came away and Diana backed down his body, taking his remaining garments with her. She tugged the boots and socks from his feet and left everything in a pile, then copied his earlier action, moving her gaze slowly along his body and loitering longest at that above average part of him. Arrogantly, Steve tucked his arms beneath his head and stared back at her. "They didn"t have this in any of those 12 volumes, did they?" "Actually," Diana began, lowering her face to run her tongue up his inner thigh, "there were several anatomical diagrams. It"s just that," she looked hard into his eyes then parted her lips over the head of his cock, applying the briefest suction, "they are only books, after all." "Goddamn," he muttered, unfolding his arms to grab her around the waist and toss her down onto her back. He moved with urgency, kissing her with a fervour that made Diana wonder if the fire was burning in him as well. Steve felt again for her clit, making sloppy circles as he plunged inside her; their moans were simultaneous, full of shock and want. She hooked one leg over his hip so that he was held against her, but still able to move―which he began to do. With fiery abandon. Steve caressed her from the inside out, running his lips from her shoulder to her jaw while driving into her with rolling thrusts. Diana voiced her pleasure freely, looking into his eyes to allow Steve the gratification of seeing how he satisfied her. He bit at his full lips, focusing, angling his hips to reach deeper, to connect with her just right. Diana curved her torso up, letting the fine hair on his chest scratch at her nipples, then grasping his shoulders, anchoring herself before pitching her hips down onto his. Her body"s pleasure separated into layers―a buzzing tingle rising above the deep thrum at the base of her need. She knew Steve"s jacket was soft under her shoulders, but she couldn"t feel its texture. She knew the belly of the plane must be as chilled as a field at dawn, but she was held fast in Steve"s heat, her skin sweating under his palm when he held her lower back. Diana would have liked to take him on his back, triumphant in her victory―one that would surely find its way into the annals of her people―and several times felt the muscles of her legs twitch, yearning to flip and ride him. And yet, she couldn"t, because it was his victory too. Steve"s fingers deserted her clit as they moved as one into the last throes of their joining. Diana hiked her other leg up to trap his hips completely. His arms crossed behind her back, pulled her up against him. The look in his bright blue eyes went from stunned to anguished to overwhelmed―she knew she was watching him relive their last hours. Diana"s head fell back and she felt him twisting his fingers into the ends of her long hair and then she felt much more, all at once. Steve pressed into her sharply, like a honed blade, and let his face drop against her neck, mumbling how he loved her. They seemed to be frozen like a statue as Diana gave herself up to the sensation, trusting it not to let her fall though it seemed to take her so far above the earth. Trusting him. She blinked rapidly and sighed with an exhaustion she hadn"t known her body was capable of feeling. Steve laid her back, taking care not to let her head knock the ground by placing his hand under it. He took himself out of her and rolled onto his back at her side, blinking with what appeared to be amazement at the ceiling. Diana shifted over to look at him, placing her palm cautiously on his chest. Steve turned his head quickly, wincing as he strained his neck, and let his eyes run all over her face. "Come here," he whispered. Diana slid her hand across his skin until her arm lay flat. He kept staring at her, so she wound her leg over his as well, her stomach pressing his hip. "Are you cold?" He rubbed his hand along her arm. "No." She gave his cheek a lingering kiss. He turned his eyes to the ceiling, drumming his fingers nervously on the back of her hand. Diana buried her face in his neck, waiting for him to say whatever it was that he was trying not to. "I... I was afraid today." She drew her face back and he turned his head to meet her eyes. "Do you not ever feel fear in battle, Steve?" His forehead creased as he thought. "Yes. I mean, of course. Always a little. You can be confident, prepare as much as you can, but you"re only ever in control of yourself. But it wasn"t the Germans who made me afraid. Or even Ares," he added. "Who were you afraid of?" "Not of, for. I was afraid for you, Diana." His gaze touched her lips, probed deeply into her eyes. "It was a challenge, but it was worth it. You should never be afraid when what you will achieve is greater than what you face." His mouth raised in an easy grin. "Well, naturally you weren"t afraid." "I was very, very afraid, Steve." She shook her head slowly. "But you just said―" "What I said is what I will always strive for, but it was not the truth for me today." "I guess that"s fair." He shifted. Touched her hip. "It"s not every day you go up against a god." Diana smiled and propped herself up so that she could kiss him. Steve responded eagerly and she pulled back, smiling wider. "You have just made the same point and still you do not understand? I was afraid for you only, Steve. Ever since I saw your plane flying towards Themyscira I have not wanted to see you fly away." She paused, her smile wilting. "I love you and I don"t ever want to see you put yourself in danger." Diana"s voice grew increasingly choked until tears began to slip down her cheeks. Steve stroked his thumb carefully under each of her eyes, kissed her forehead, and then her lips. "You love me?" he asked softly, running his fingers through her hair. Diana nodded readily. "Wow," he said, bringing back her smile. "You know," she said, after giving him a few moments to think, "we Amazons have trained ourselves with the anticipation of war for so long, but it was love, not swordsmanship, that was our original reason for being. The greatest ambition must then also be love. As long as we do not fear love, then we will never taste failure." "And...?" Steve"s smile flickered across his mouth like a shadow. Diana tipped her head, confused. "Are you afraid?" he clarified. "Not now," she said, laying her hand over his heart.

"You said you were lonely, so many times," she added suddenly. "You said that you"ve never been loved. But you don"t have to feel that way anymore!" She rose, turning to her. "I-I-" She blinked. Chikane felt the musician"s eyes burn deep into her, and at that moment everything went haywire in her mind. "What?" she gasped. "No, you can"t-" "I love you," Himeko said, grasping her shoulders. "I know it"s-" Those purple eyes darted away. "I know it"s so sudden. But how often...how often do you find someone who understands you more than yourself?" "But-but-" Chikane" mind was a hurricane. She fought her away, breaths deep and terrified. "You can"t! There"s too much about me you don"t know! I"m-" She felt her gaze lower itself, from the burden of all the lies she had told. "I was brought up by dragons!" she said. "The ice breath, the claws, they"re all-" "That doesn"t matter!" Himeko shouted out in reply, stepping forward when she backed away. "You"re the chance I"ve waited for all my life-the chance for me to lose my pain..." The dragon girl stepped back again, shaking her head so hard, crying. She couldn"t. She couldn"t, because she had something to do, and she would only pull her back. She couldn"t, even though she loved her too. "Hi-Himeko...I"m not who you think I am," Chikane whispered, clenching her fists, eyes narrowed. "These claws-" she looked down at them. "-They aren"t for carving. They"re for killing. They"re-" Then her eyes were suddenly stirred up in deep terror. "You-" she gasped, shaking her head. "No, please-no..." "Yes, I"m the murderess they"re looking for!" Chikane snarled and bared her teeth, eyes burning with tears. "I won"t be here forever! Soon I"ll leave, and I"ll kill all the children here. And then the hunters will claim me!" Himeko should have been afraid. No, she should be scared out of her wits. She should be fleeing from the house at this instant. But somehow, she felt as if electricity were running through his nerves, her soul so terrifyingly calm. "Why?" she murmured. "Why must you give up your life like that?" More tears. "My father," she whispered. "My father-" She stepped forward, reaching out, suddenly understanding. But she only flung his hand away, drawing further and further away. "Do you know what happenedto me?" she screamed."My father called me a murderess, just because my mother died! He left me to die in the snow, to be eatenby dragons!" She collapsed against the wall, sobbing. "I"m nothing but unwanted! An unwanted creature, unloved, unneeded! Why must this all be my own pain to take?" She whirled around, teeth bared like a wild animal. "Well, he called me a murderess! So I"ll show everyone-" Himeko should have gone to light the flare. She knew she should have. But she only reached out to hold her face in her hands, because she knew that pain so well. "You can change, can"t you, Chikane?" she asked angrily. "You can leave behind!" She watched as her eyes opened, tears falling from her eyelids. "Chikane, who am I to you? Do my words count as anything? What am I?" Her lips parted slightly. "Everything," she finally gasped. "Everything, Himeko-" She tilted her face towards her, and kissed her. Chikane fought desperately for moments, before ceasing and closing her eyes, more tears falling. Moments swung by. She pulled herself away, breathing deeply. "You can"t do this," the girl whispered. "I won"t change, Himeko-I have a debt to claim-" And sudden as it had left, the monster returned, filling her eyes with sheer poison. "He didn"t want me, so he took everything away,"she screeched, panting. "I"ll take everything away from them! Take everything away!" There was a demon there in her eyes. A dark monster, which finally drove the terror too deep. She whirled away, snatched the flare from the wall. "No!" Chikane screamed, flinging herself, claws sprawled, at her. She sidestepped her, lit the flare, tossed it out the window. Both stared as the blue sparks exploded into the sky, and shouts began to resound through the streets. "You had the chance, Chikane," Himeko gasped, turning to Chikane. Her throat burnt with tears, but she refused to show it to her. "You had the chance." The sparks were exploding over the rooftops. Everyone turned, and instantly the shouts began. But the men and robots were too frightened. And only one went running, when the blue fireworks soared into the open sky. Natsuki Himemiya, best hunter in Genbu city. "Five minutes," they made arrangements among themselves. "If Himemiya doesn"t send news in five minutes, we go check on her. All of us." They nodded and murmured, obscuring the terror from their gazes. "Himeko!" Chikane roared, shaking. "HIMEKO!" Her eyes were glazed, her expression silent. And as the images of her distant smile echoed through her memory, she felt despair sink in upon her. Love had always been false. She should have realized, before she hurt herself this way. For those minutes, she had almost made her believe in love again. But she had only been lying. Now it was too late to change anything. The door slammed open, a hunter appearing at the doorway, gleaming rifle in hand. "Freeze," she growled. Cold panic gripping her, she glanced up at the knives on the shelf. Just out of reach. She turned her gaze back to her, and snarled. But something changed in her expression with no warning, eyes filling to the brim with shock. Chikane stopped, confused. She looked dizzy, faint-disbelieving. "Oh, Goodness," she gasped. "It"s you, Chikane... You-you look just like your mother-" The sound of her name from unfamiliar lips dazed her for a moment. But then, she realized that the voice wasn"t unfamiliar at all. "My-father," she replied, the fire quickly returning to her eyes as she growled and raised her claws. "My father." After seventeen years. Seventeen long, painful years of brooding and wondering. Where did I come from? And everything shattered, the curtains of silence torn to shreds. Chikane screamed. Leapt for the knives, spun, charged towards her. The first knife caught her leather glove; the second slit her left arm-but as she drew back, she snatched her wrists with so much force she thought they might crack. "FATHER!" she kicked her, spat at her, clawed at her arms. "Why,Father?" "Chikane, listen to me!" she called desperately. "Listen! I always knew I shouldn"t have done that! I"m sorry, Chikane!" "Well, I don"t believe you, Father!"She twisted her right arm and freed it from her grip, thrusting her knife towards her neck-but her hand caught it again. She gasped in despair. "You threw me away. You wanted me to die!" Without her bidding, tears were welling in her eyes as she sent another useless thrust at her neck. "No, no-please, listen! You"ve got it wrong," her father pleaded, her grip on her hands growing tighter. "I went back to look for you! Oh, I wish you"d come back earlier..." Her eyes grew even more earnest. "Come on, it isn"t too late-we can still run away, start over-" Too late. Far too late. Shouts rang from outside the window. Then twenty hunters charged into the house, weapons ringing against each other. And there was only one thing in their eyes: hunger, for victory, for a fruitful hunt, for the blood of a criminal. Her father cried out in protest, furious protest. But still gunshots rang, their cries for blood swelling. They fell upon her, a flock of vultures to carrion-swooped down with ropes and cloths and fists clenched in glory, yellow eyes that swivelled and teeth gnashing in crazed joy. Binding her down before her next breath, rough fingers groped at her, pulled her hair. She kicked, cried, bit-but no one heeded her pleas, her tears, as she was dragged further and further from redemption every moment. And she was hauled out of the house, while they congratulated each other with slaps on the back. The cold of night doused her face as the hunters marched her down the streets, crying in triumph and drugged joy. Blinded, she heard the cheers from the households all around, from the men and women who left their homes to watch the procession. "It"s the great murderess!" they cried. Spat at her, jeered at her. "Exile her! Exile her!" She thought of her father"s eyes, Himeko"s words. You had the chance. And alone in her heart, Chikane cried. "Well, miss," a hunter with a halberd chuckled. "You know what the punishment for murder is, don"t you?" They were standing facing the mountains, gazing up at the starlit peaks. "Exile," someone behind her laughed. She felt her throat throb with pain. "I am the daughter of the dragons," Chikane growled defiantly. "They will save me, as they did before. They will take their revenge, for what you have done to me." "And if that is so, then we"ll have to exterminate them,hm?" Behind the burly halberdier, the rest of the hunters roared in laughter. "No, miss. You"ll be chained down. The cold will kill you, daughter of the dragons." Chains. Cold. Chikane felt as if the breath had been knocked from her. At the mountain top, the view of the stars was divine, breathtaking. But Chikane didn"t see them. She swallowed, for she could hear the chains ringing, the cackles of witches. She closed her eyes. Braced herself. And her last hour began. In the darkness behind her eyelids, hands forced her back against the ice wall. Rings of ice were clamped around her wrists, chains wrapped twice round her body. She was lifted into the night air, her legs lowered deep, deep into the hole where she would lie for the rest of her life. She never looked. Not once. All the while, Chikane kept her eyes welded shut, as she watched the world spinning away-a world too bright and too wide for her to comprehend. She saw the ones she had killed, screaming in hysterical joy. She saw her dead mother shaking her head and turning away. Sobbing, she saw the stars vanish one by one, and she knew she would join them soon. Murder, exile. A child left to die in the snow.There were only so many times a single soul could survive this. Father...Father, why? This breath was weaker than the one before. Her legs felt nothing, not even the chains. But this was a good punishment, no? She had always been part of the darkness, the darkness that everyone else had forgotten. She had been condemned to it, the moment her father had abandoned her. She was darkness, where the rest of the universe was light. She had always known it, believed it, embraced it. Too many sins, too many wounds scourged upon her soul. And Chikane Himemiya would die, as all people of the darkness should. Without honour, without hope, without love. Chikane-nyan? Wake up, Chikane-nyan. The girl blinked and opened her eyes slightly. Morning had broken. Was this a dream? Or was this heaven? The coldness around her had seeped so deep. It brought her such comfort she almost fell back asleep, and she waited for her death with calm. But she could have sworn she had heard her foster father... Chikane-nyan! It"s me, Uncle. Blinking, she turned her head slightly, and saw a single tearful, grey eye. Don"t cry for me, she whispered. I"m just waiting now. You can"t go like this, her foster father replied. You are my daughter, and my daughter will not be killed by ice. Though she was already so frozen, Chikane felt tears rise to her eyes. Uncle turned away. Remember, Chikane? Sometimes love means pain. I can"t save you without hurting you. Father- Be quiet, Chikane, Uncle whispered in comfort, touching her muzzle to the girl"s forehead, while the tears fell from her eyes. Be still. You won"t die-not here, not now. Chikane felt a deep warmth sweep through her body. All too quickly, her tears began to freeze on her cheeks, as her body stiffened, lost feeling. Something had changed. She tried to sing, but her lips were locked. You will not be killed by ice, Chikane, Uncle repeated. Remember this, my daughter. I love you. So many times, her father had said those three words. But only now, only now did her heart beat painfully for them. And it was already so late, too late. Uncle brushed Chikane"s cheek with his tail. She felt nothing. I love you too, Chikane wanted to reply. But her lips didn"t follow her command. And she gazed on, forlornness deepening, as the dragon raised his silver wings and took to the sky. The weeks were swift, slow. And because she couldn"t close her eyes, Chikane watched. She watched, as the hunters combed the mountains, and the dragons were brought down, one by one. She watched, as the valleys grew empty, and all her childhood friends faded away. She longed to cry; yet she could not. She could only scream when the hunters came too close. It was the sound of a monster, a demon-a scream that no one understood. Sometimes, the hunters would set down offerings at her grave, in the hope of appeasing her-Hector tails, Leatty furballs-other beautiful things. And she would let the hunters go, for her throat was clogged with tears. Eventually, though she grasped them tight, her memories finally slipped through her grip and vanished-all locked away, deep, deep in the vault of time. They were all gone. All gone. The mountains echoed with the wind, and the glorious dragon cries were no longer existent. And the tears, the tears would always be trapped within the ice chamber. Chikane looked up into the night sky, at the North Star that pointed the way to the tip of the world. It sparkled alone, stirring slightly in the blue evening. She had waited this long, watching a clouded sky with dark eyes that would never cry again. But tonight, the sky had cleared, and the world of stars had finally showed itself. And what is that song...? The lights suddenly began to dance around that single point of light, the skies filling to the brim like heaven beyond the sunset. She fell silent with awe, listening to the voices, clearer now-ancient melodies that wove powerfully through the night. Faces rose and fell between the waves of the sky-faces, of people she had glimpsed before in her life-people who had died long ago. It was like listening to thunder and song and snow, all at the same time-it made her heart leap, though she was bound and trapped. Her gaze lingered for minutes, and she could almost the joy on her frozen tongue... Through the glorious halo of ghosts, a single voice suddenly reached out to her. Tentative, lonely. "Chikane..." Chikane blinked. A face so much like hers had appeared-the face of a woman worn down by exhaustion... Mother! She longed to shout in joy, but the words were trapped. Mother, it"s you, finally...! The ghost turned her gaze upon the girl, eyes brimming. "Chikane," she laughed, reaching out as if she could touch her lost daughter. "You"re so beautiful, Chikane! Oh, how I wish I had lived to see you grow up! I died because I loved you, my darling. I"m so sorry... I never, ever meant for you to suffer." Then she smiled. "But you"re alive, and isn"t that the most wonderful thing?" Chikane could feel the tears stinging in her eyes. No, she answered. No, it"s been a curse! Nothing but a curse! The girl felt herself go blind with pain. I"m just a murderess, Mother. A hated, disgusting murderess- She choked on her tears, gazing up into the pool of ghosts. All my life, I only wanted one thing, one thing Inever got! It"s the reason I was an angry person. The reason I became a killer. The reason I hated those children, who lived with their families and laughed with them- She felt her heart clench in her chest. Love. I just wanted someone to love me. The wind flooded the valley, and the sky fell silent. Her mother"s eyes were so gentle, so sad. "But I love you, Chikane,"she whispered. "Your father loves you. Himeko wasn"t lying either. And Uncle too-he loved you, as much as I do! We don"t care what you choose to do, Chikane. We don"t care if you"re good or evil, kind or cruel! We"ve always loved you, Chikane-all your life..." Chikane remembered now, those things she had never noticed. She remembered her father"s desperate gaze, as she pleaded with the daughter she had lost. She remembered her foster father"s tears, as he touched his muzzle to her cheek. She remembered Himeko"s smile, as her songs unfolded the tale of life. All gone, all flown away like the evening birds. And a fork of white bloomed through the sky. Chikane"s eyes were shattering. They turned into shards that cut the sky like tiny mirrors. They fell away like glass, like snow, broken promises scattering deep into the darkness. Tears were flooding her gaze-tears of a lost love, tears of a missed chance-tears that now streamed down her cheeks in sweet currents, and melted the snow. Crying, at last. The stars were still caught in their symphony, and Chikane was lost, lost so deep in their voices. She was everyone in the world, all at the same time-everyone who had loved, been loved, shunned it and embraced it. It was disgusting, it was beautiful. Footsteps crunched in the snow. A slight figure appeared at the mountaintop-a woman with a lyre in hand. She placed a bouquet at her feet, and rose again to look into her empty, broken eyes. "Chikane," she whispered, resting her forehead against the ice. "I"m...so sorry. I condemned you to death. Just because-I was afraid." More tears poured down her face, sparkling in the light of the North Star. She wiped them away, and raised her lyre. Is she even there? Will she hear me? But she pushed all her doubts and hopes aside, so the song alone filled her heart. Please, please, Chikane. Please hear me. Breathing deep, she plucked the strings of her lyre. Slowly, she sang, and the first thin note quavered in her throat. "We were only-" Suddenly she heard a soft hum. The musician froze, before cautiously continuing to sing. There it was again-a lonely voice, humming in harmony with the tune she played. She looked up at the statue in confusion and fear, reaching out to touch her tear-stained face- Her fingers leapt away. A heartbeat, throbbing gently within the ice. Yet more tears cascaded down her cheeks, as she found her breath again. She can hear me. Blinking, the lone youth strummed her lyre, and sang on. We were only two childrenAt the heart of a cold worldWith only one candleTo light us the way... ... but we danced to the edgesand dared all the devilsuntil, in the moonlight,we found a place to stay... Chikane was always a dreamer. On cloudless nights, she would gaze at the North Star, and watch as the ghosts danced around it with the most beautiful snow songs in the world. It wasn"t a legend; they dreamt and sang like the rest of the world, the souls of the dead who had been called to light by the Goddess. Sometimes she would hear her mother again, whispering the things she had never had a chance to say. Sometimes she would hear Uncle nagging, or one of her childhood friends calling her to play. And eventually, too, she knew that she would hear her father and Himeko among them, calling out her name. But she knew she would never join them. Sometimes, she would scream to the stars, until her heart was void and cold. Theywould bring gifts to silence her-gifts that made her heart break, again and again. And every so often, when she was alone, she would look up at the world, and ask. When, Mother? When will it end? Two voices would answer-the voice of a woman, and the voice of a dragon. It doesn"t matter, dearest! We will be with you all the way, and we will love you still. She would smile behind her shimmering tears, when she heard those words. It was like watching a glacier fill its pool, watching the mountains grow taller. But she understood, and she let go. So, alone on the mountaintop, Chikane Himemiya would hum a lonely harp tune to herself. Then she would fall back into her dreams, where she would wander the world like a lost child. Unto the world, a new story is finished. The wind is sweet, sweet as ever-sweeping the valleys, the mountains, the fields. It sings, flows, writes its own lyrics- and touching the Pikachus" noses as they raise their heads to the silver morning, inviting them to their dance. But something is different today, as they approach the silent altar. Curious, they sweep around it in a circle, tossing the petals from the bouquet into the air, whistling as the white pieces, more delicate than snow, flutter down upon the altar. In the sky, the night still hadn"t faded away. In the blue-and-indigo quilt above, the stars blink and glint like gemstones. And the witch of the hunter"s altar continues to gaze up upon them, at the North Star that points to heaven. Glancing at each other in surprise, the winds sweep up into the sky, racing each other to the summit. They rise until they are touching the North Star, waltzing and whispering songs between the ghosts. And as they gaze back down at the altar, they swear they can see two girls laughing. Falling back to the world, they trace the letters on the altar. Someone has carved new words beneath her. Whom, they have no idea. But these words make her smile-they can see it, if they look deep enough into those shattered snow eyes. And so they dance away into the world, laughing to themselves - for they know that today, Chikane Himemiya is happy, as there was someone else to stay with her now. Here lies Chikane and Himeko Himemiya Daughter of the Dragons and Singer to the Daughter Treasures of the stars Diend

Esdese just looked at him blankly, like Tatsumi had overlooked something obvious - but then, things Esdese called obvious tended to follow leaps of logic and private trains of thought that were hard for others to follow, and the younger man himself had positively zero fucking idea what legitimate common sense actually was. "Because," she said patiently, "Mein and I are going shopping, after which we"re coming back and I will be cooking you two dinner. She told me you"ve been living off Wild Hunt"s frozen food, and what kind of boss would I be if I let you poison yourself with preservatives?" "Mein needs to learn when to shut her fucking face," Tatsumi grumbled. At last he let his hands drop, and his head as well, propping his cheek on the pillow. "She"s scared for you; scared of losing you," Esdese murmured. "She"s a sensitive kid and you two have been through something really traumatic. Don"t be too hard on her." He wouldn"t even deign to reply to that one. Esdese was right, and Tatsumi knew that well enough. "Don"t be too hard on yourself either." And then Esdese"s smooth hand was on his head, really lightly, ruffling his hair briefly in a gesture so fucking paternal Tatsumi could"ve died laughing. "And seriously, clean yourself the fuck up before you come downstairs. You look like a goddamn zombie." And Esdese turned on her heel and left, just like that, closing the door behind her again. Tatsumi growled into the pillow and closed his eyes. His motherfucking lady boss. Pushy bitch thought it was her god-given right to fuss over everybody in the world just because she"d won a fucking fist fight with the last guy. The worst part, by far, was that even now Tatsumi couldn"t make up his mind whether it was annoying as fuck, kind of sweet, or a combination of both. It was the smell that woke him - tomatoes and beef and spices and potatoes, and Tatsumi"s stomach snarled at him to get up. Groggy, he shoved himself upright, yanked his pants to the right place on his hips, and opened the door to glare into the hallway. The light was on downstairs, and he could hear voices - Esdese"s and Mein"s. There was clatter, there was stirring. The kitchen was in use, the noises proclaimed. Even as his stomach writhed and clawed at him with need, his head and his chest felt impossibly heavy. So he stumped his way back into the bedroom, swerving over to the left in order to get into the bathroom and splash some water on his face. Tatsumi could at least admit that he needed to eat and that it was better for that stupid fuckass to do the cooking than for him to flounder around on his own. Not to mention - he scowled at his reflection in the mirror, at his hair sticking up every which way and the great dark circles beneath his eyes - the obnoxious woman was right. He needed to shave. Esdese"s description of the situation as five o"clock shadow had been unnecessarily generous; Tatsumi"s stubble was almost to the point where it could be called bristles. It looked like shit, and Tatsumi had always snorted at those who grew themselves depression beards - so as a man who refused to hold himself to separate standards from others, he got out Incursio and a can of shaving cream and got to work. By the time he was done, his face stinging a little from the bite of the chemicals and the buzz of Incursio (the electric razor), the entire house smelled like freshly cooked meal and hunger was a pissed-off animal hooking its claws into the walls of his stomach. "Well, you at least look a little less like you just crawled out of your own grave," Esdese pronounced immediately upon Tatsumi"s arrival at the base of the stairs, right at the junction of living room and dinette. "Get your butt in your chair, I"m just about done." Tatsumi offered up his two favorite fingers in passing, then plunked himself down at the table with a sigh. Mein had already set it. She"d changed the placemats to the plaid set: the one Lubbock had bought when Mein had been so entranced over how cute she thought it was, and that made his throat contract in an awful choking kind of way. The sound of impact against plastic made him turn. Esdese was steadily dumping boxes of frozen food into the garbage can. "...What the fuck are you doing to our food supply, you motherfucking asshole...!" he snarled. Esdese just looked at him and held up one of the remaining boxes, pointing to the nutrition facts printed on the side. "Have you ever taken a look at these and seen how many chemicals get pumped into this crap to keep it from going bad? It"s a Wild Hunt product, so I wouldn"t expect you to understand." Esdese"s voice was stern and parental and just a little bit whiny, like she was the teacher"s pet lecturing a classmate on a painfully stupid mistake. She wrinkled her nose and tapped the fine print. "As long as I"m in this house you and Mein are going to eat real goddamned food that isn"t going to give you cancer." "It"s FDA-fucking-approved, or they couldn"t fucking sell it," was the first argument that came to his lips. Esdese made a noise of distaste and tossed the box into the garbage with the rest. "And fuck you, stop throwing out the goddamn tortilla tilapia at least, those are actually decent!" "The FDA can go fellate its own shriveled gonads," Esdese proclaimed dismissively. "And fuck you, you obviously have no idea what decent even means if you can call any kind of frozen food that. Tomorrow I"m making you real tortilla tilapia for dinner, and I"m going to teach Mein how to make it before I go so that you"ll never have to subsist on this dog shit again." "My girlfriend does not need any cooking lessons from you, I can do well enough for the both of us!" Esdese snorted and turned back to the stove, dusting off her hands. There was a tall pot on the burners, and she took off its lid in order to stick a ladle in and stir it as great clouds of steam emerged and drifted up to the ceiling. "Tatsumi, you couldn"t cook your way out of a paper bag if your life depended on it." "Fuck you, yes I can." "You can"t." "I will bet you fucking money that I can." "Fine, you"re on. If you manage to produce even one competent meal before I leave, I"ll give you a raise. You don"t owe me anything if you lose - anything material, anyway. You"ll just have surrendered your competence as a man for all of time, or until you manage to prove otherwise." The nerve of this bitch just didn"t end. Tatsumi stared with something like wonder as Esdese lifted up the ladle casually, and sipped from it. "Well, this is about ready, so let"s eat." It was like trying to stop up a breaking dam with his bare hands, but Tatsumi still fought to hold his tongue when Esdese deposited a pair of bowls on the table - one for Mein and one for him. Dinner was apparently very thick stew. Tatsumi could see thick chunks of beef, potato, green bean, and tomato drifting through the murky broth. It actually did look appetizing, but Tatsumi wasn"t willing to damage his pride enough to start eating right away, so he watched as Esdese filled her own bowl and brought it to the table, then sat down. "You can get your own refills if you want them, and I"m hoping that you do want them, because this stuff is never as good once it"s been in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours - the broth will get sludgy... at least that was what Bors said." And as casual as you please, she started eating. Tatsumi shook his head and glared at his own bowl. Once he heard Mein"s spoon start moving, though, he knew that he couldn"t delay the inevitable for any longer. Rolling his eyes, he started eating. ...And fuck her - even to Tatsumi"s uncultured and uncaring tongue, the stew was on an entirely different level from anything he"d ever prepared out of a can; it was even better than Saya"s cooking. This was closer to what he"d come to expect out of restaurants that served separate courses of appetizers and desserts and charged upwards of $20 a person for each meal. He should"ve known that Esdese wouldn"t be so arrogant without being able to back it up - that was the annoying thing about this woman: that every time she came off as a smug douchebag she whipped out raw skill to give herself competence. If there was one thing that had to be said about his unbearable bitch of a boss, it was that Esdese is the right person to stand at the summit of any meritocracy. ...Though Tatsumi would still rather die than admit that anywhere other than the nice, private interior of his own skull. "This is very good," Mein remarked, out of the blue. Tatsumi looked up at his lover through his hair - there was a real smile on her face, even though it was small and shaky. This was probably the first time she"d actually smiled in months. He didn"t want to be the one to make her stop, and so he swallowed the complaints and just kept eating. "I"m glad you like it. If you want to learn a little about making soup and stew from scratch, I"m happy to teach you anytime." When Tatsumi risked another glance up, Esdese was smiling back at her with a pleased expression. "What about you, Tatsumi? At least you don"t hate it, do you?" "Fuck your cunt with broken glass and die. If I hated it I wouldn"t be eating it, dammit," was what he said aloud. His face felt hot, which only served to piss him off more. "...It"s okay." And Esdese laughed. "That"s high praise, coming from you. Glad you find things to your liking." Mein was still sitting right there. Times like this, the high road was the only road, but it still didn"t feel any less grating. Esdese didn"t simply cook like a housewife - she also washed all the dishes herself like a housewife. "Are you a businesswoman or are you a mail-order housewife?" Tatsumi jeered. "Give me a fucking break." "Only when you stop being such a goddamn stereotype," Esdese replied. Her voice was airy, even, and carried no perceptible malice. "If somebody doesn"t do it, your sink is going to be filled with rotting shit in no time, and trust me when I tell you that that"s about as fun to clean or work around as it is sanitary. Mein"s probably sick of cleaning up after you by now, and since you don"t seem to feel like cleaning things up yourself, I"m graciously giving her a reprieve." "Fuck off." It was late by the time Esdese finished, almost eleven - but then dinner had started at around nine anyway. Mein had disappeared for a time, and they heard the shower running counterpoint to the faucet in the sink. The noise had vanished then too, and given the reading on the oven clock she"d probably gone to bed by now. Even though Mein was most alert in the evening, she still went to bed before midnight every day so that she could be awake in time for school. "Well, your mission"s accomplished, anyway, so you can invite yourself back the fuck out." Tatsumi sprawled back on the couch and glared at the opposite end of the room. "Nope." The sound of the faucet flipping off punctuated Esdese"s declaration. "Did you manage to miss it when I said I was going to be cooking for you tomorrow, birdbrain? I"m off work; Ran and Wave have things under control, and I"ll be taking care of you until I know that you and Mein will be all right on your own." "Don"t you have your own damn household to play matron at? Fuck off already." There was the sound of a groan, and then footsteps. Tatsumi stared warily from the corner of his eye; Esdese had her hands in her pockets and was walking towards the division between kitchen and living room in an easy stride; like she fucking owned the place. "I do, but Kurome is sixteen, and that"s more than old enough to handle household chores for a while. Leone"s also supposed to come around and check up on her with Akame every few days, and there are more than enough shenanigans going on at that coffee shop to keep her perpetually in my debt as far as favors go, so I have no reason to believe she won"t. On top of which, there"s this amazing, futuristic device called the Smartphone that lets us contact each other via text or voice from any damn where." "You are not staying overnight." Try as he might, Tatsumi couldn"t keep the horror from leaking into his voice. He hadn"t actually realized - must"ve been trying to block it out subconsciously - but now that it was smacking him in the face, Esdese"s intentions had been pretty clear from the start. "I am indeed staying overnight, because you are my employee - ergo, I own your ass; ergo, your well-being is my personal responsibility. You need somebody to look after you for a little while, Tatsumi. And I"m sure Mein"s been doing just fine with that, but she probably needs time to grieve too. Hell, she needs time to be a normal middle school kid, and she can"t do that when she has to be the adult in the household." "I don"t need you to babysit my ass, you goddamn fuckhead, get out!" He wasn"t fully sure when he launched himself off the sofa to stand square in the center of the room - just that he was on his feet with his weight distributed just perfectly to fly in any direction, his veins full of adrenaline and his head full of rage. Esdese stood there across from him. One of the strings of her hoodie had gotten tugged askew and was stuck on her shoulder, underneath the edge of the hood itself. Her hands were still in her pockets, with just her thumbs visible - they were balanced over the bones of her hips again. Her eyebrows were drawn down, but other than that she was expressionless. Her well-developed breasts rose and fell once, exaggeratedly, and then she spoke. "Stop bluffing just to protect your own damn pride. You"re pissing me off." It was like flipping a switch. Tatsumi had stepped forward, his fist had flown out, almost before he knew what was actually happening. And just like that, Esdese sank down fluidly and grabbed Tatsumi"s wrist as the punch sailed over her head. She stood back up in the next moment, and Tatsumi was still bristling as Esdese loosened her death grip on the wrist and shifted her hand down so that her palm and fingers were cupped soft but firm over the knuckles of Tatsumi"s clenched fist. "You are not okay and nobody with any goddamn common sense would expect you to be okay," Esdese said in an even and relentless tone, and her pale-blue eyes caught the dim lighting so that Tatsumi could have sworn they glowed like a cat"s. "And it does not make you weak to admit that you need someone else"s help, it makes you a fucking adult." "Fuck you," and it was a good thing that that was an all-purpose phrase because over and over again it was all that Tatsumi could articulate. He grabbed the front of that stupid hoodie in his left hand and tightened his grip; there wasn"t room to wrench Esdese forward any further than this. "You don"t get to give me that bullshit about how oh you know how I feel until you"ve been in my head, and you aren"t me, so you can get the fuck off your motherfucking high horse any day now, you raging sl-" "I know," Esdese went on from six inches away, and her eyes were intense and pitiless and her gaze was boring straight through Tatsumi in a way that was hot and almost unbearable-"you don"t have to believe me, but I do know-" And her right hand came up, open and easy, and Esdese"s fingertips skimmed over the freshly shaved line of Tatsumi"s jawbone. Tatsumi dragged her the last six inches inward. Apparently his brain had disengaged, because all that mattered was that Esdese"s hands were on his body, not quite rough but decidedly not gentle either. They kept getting teeth mixed up in their kisses - never really biting down, but grazing the rough edge of enamel over lips and tongue like a reminder. Esdese was breathing deeply against him, eyes half-closed, and Tatsumi grabbed onto her hips to better feel the shift of her body. The blades of Esdese"s pelvis fitted against his palms perfectly, sharp and sculpted. They strained together like it was some kind of contest. Esdese kept making a low noise that was too deep to really be called a whimper, and when their bodies brushed up hard against each other she pulled back to breathe oh god against Tatsumi"s shoulder. Tatsumi tried to yank Esdese"s hips up against his again - he wanted contact, he wanted the urgent burn of lust to resolve itself into actual pleasure - then Tatsumi pushed her forward at the same time, and sent the both of them slamming hard against the couch, Esdese back-first. Even with all the breath blown straight out of her, Esdese bared her teeth and laughed. This was fine. This was perfect. The bottled-up emotions of the past months and all tonight"s anger had resolved themselves into reckless, restless aggression. Tatsumi welcomed the outlet, the chance after so long to vent all the tangled-up violence inside him. Tatsumi"s body weighed heavy on top of her, pressed against her from the diaphragm down, hips planted perfectly and immovably between Esdese"s legs. Both of them were shaking - from anticipation, from impatience. Esdese reached up, framed Tatsumi"s face in both her hands, and knotted her fingers into Tatsumi"s brown hair to drag him down into a kiss. Tatsumi made some kind of faint noise, and Esdese only had time to notice that there was something off about his eyes before a sharp blow to her chest knocked all the breath out of her. The next instant, Tatsumi had torn himself free and fled the room. "...What the fuck?" she said to herself under her breath, and frowned as she heard the faint sound of retching. Esdese pulled herself to her feet gingerly, rubbing her sternum with the heel of her hand, and stared hard into the kitchen. Tatsumi was bent shaking over the sink. And it was odd, it was fucking odd, but she couldn"t move. Her head was an entirely different kind of disconnected from the rest of her, so that even if she"d wanted to cross the line that divided the living room and kitchen to try to figure out what was happening, her legs just wouldn"t obey. After a pause that was entirely too long, Tatsumi rose back up. He wiped his face with his wrist, stood for a while with his shoulders hunched and his face down-turned, and then ran the faucet. The smell of bile lingered. Even from half a room away, Esdese could tell that Tatsumi was tense and jittering. His chest was rising and falling very sharply, like he was hyperventilating. Esdese stepped onto the linoleum, wary for reasons she didn"t understand all too well. Tatsumi didn"t startle again, but he still didn"t move away from the sink or even look up. Esdese stepped forward again, still tense, pausing after each pace; there wasn"t any reaction until all that separated them was the kitchen counter. That was when Tatsumi smiled bitterly and straightened up, not turning to face her at all. There were shiny tear tracks on his face and his eyes were red-rimmed, but at least he wasn"t actively crying. "What the fuck was that?" Tatsumi managed at last. Even to Esdese"s ears, his voice sounded more worried than he wanted it to. "...Are you okay?" Esdese clenched her fists as she said it; her body wanted to resist her giving out those words, but it somehow seemed important to say them. "Nope, apparently not. Fuck me. I"ll clean the sink out properly later, I don"t think I"m really up to that right now." he turned, finally, to face Esdese. Tatsumi"s smile was lopsided, and his hands were still jittering a little, almost like he had some kind of palsy. The staggering, loose way Tatsumi moved reminded Esdese dimly of Syura, toward the end of their final confrontation back in highschool when his stuffing had been knocked out of him. Tatsumi limped to one side, gravitated towards things he could lean on; he looked diminished, somehow. "Okay. I can take care of the sink my own damn self, you know; I"m not helpless enough to not know how to disinfect shit." For some reason, this made Esdese laugh again. "Really, just give me ten or fifteen minutes to breathe and I"ll do it. " "I doubt you could clean your way out of a paper bag." "Fuck you, yes I can." "Don"t believe you." "Yes I can, you colossal ass." "Fine. If you can clean and disinfect the sink to my specifications, oh high-and-mighty boy toy, then you"re off the hook about my goddamn cooking bet." "Ah." There was something a little less pained to Tatsumi"s expression when he smiled this time. Tatsumi still couldn"t decide if it was irritating as fuck all or actually kind of a relief. "Yeah, okay, I can work with that." He pushed himself upright, took a few dragging steps forward, and then unconsciously plunked his forehead onto Esdese"s cleavage before she had any idea what was actually happening. Esdese didn"t say anything. She just stood there, brought her hands up to lay them flat against Tatsumi"s back as he leaned as a warm and heavy weight. Tatsumi stood awkwardly still for quite a while, but even then Esdese didn"t straighten up. If not for the fact that his eyes were still half open and his breathing uneven, Esdese would have thought that he"d gone to sleep right there. In very cautious movements, she lifted one arm and got it around Tatsumi"s shoulders awkwardly, resting his palm directly on the point where her shoulder blade started to raise up. Even though this put Tatsumi"s damp face away from Esdese"s cleavage (much to her dismay), no protest came from either side. It occurred to Esdese that she had something breakable in her hands right now. It occurred to Esdese that not for anything in the world would she break it.

"You said you were lonely, so many times," she added suddenly. "You said that you"ve never been loved. But you don"t have to feel that way anymore!" She rose, turning to her. "I-I-" She blinked. Chikane felt the musician"s eyes burn deep into her, and at that moment everything went haywire in her mind. "What?" she gasped. "No, you can"t-" "I love you," Himeko said, grasping her shoulders. "I know it"s-" Those purple eyes darted away. "I know it"s so sudden. But how often...how often do you find someone who understands you more than yourself?" "But-but-" Chikane" mind was a hurricane. She fought her away, breaths deep and terrified. "You can"t! There"s too much about me you don"t know! I"m-" She felt her gaze lower itself, from the burden of all the lies she had told. "I was brought up by dragons!" she said. "The ice breath, the claws, they"re all-" "That doesn"t matter!" Himeko shouted out in reply, stepping forward when she backed away. "You"re the chance I"ve waited for all my life-the chance for me to lose my pain..." The dragon girl stepped back again, shaking her head so hard, crying. She couldn"t. She couldn"t, because she had something to do, and she would only pull her back. She couldn"t, even though she loved her too. "Hi-Himeko...I"m not who you think I am," Chikane whispered, clenching her fists, eyes narrowed. "These claws-" she looked down at them. "-They aren"t for carving. They"re for killing. They"re-" Then her eyes were suddenly stirred up in deep terror. "You-" she gasped, shaking her head. "No, please-no..." "Yes, I"m the murderess they"re looking for!" Chikane snarled and bared her teeth, eyes burning with tears. "I won"t be here forever! Soon I"ll leave, and I"ll kill all the children here. And then the hunters will claim me!" Himeko should have been afraid. No, she should be scared out of her wits. She should be fleeing from the house at this instant. But somehow, she felt as if electricity were running through his nerves, her soul so terrifyingly calm. "Why?" she murmured. "Why must you give up your life like that?" More tears. "My father," she whispered. "My father-" She stepped forward, reaching out, suddenly understanding. But she only flung his hand away, drawing further and further away. "Do you know what happenedto me?" she screamed."My father called me a murderess, just because my mother died! He left me to die in the snow, to be eatenby dragons!" She collapsed against the wall, sobbing. "I"m nothing but unwanted! An unwanted creature, unloved, unneeded! Why must this all be my own pain to take?" She whirled around, teeth bared like a wild animal. "Well, he called me a murderess! So I"ll show everyone-" Himeko should have gone to light the flare. She knew she should have. But she only reached out to hold her face in her hands, because she knew that pain so well. "You can change, can"t you, Chikane?" she asked angrily. "You can leave behind!" She watched as her eyes opened, tears falling from her eyelids. "Chikane, who am I to you? Do my words count as anything? What am I?" Her lips parted slightly. "Everything," she finally gasped. "Everything, Himeko-" She tilted her face towards her, and kissed her. Chikane fought desperately for moments, before ceasing and closing her eyes, more tears falling. Moments swung by. She pulled herself away, breathing deeply. "You can"t do this," the girl whispered. "I won"t change, Himeko-I have a debt to claim-" And sudden as it had left, the monster returned, filling her eyes with sheer poison. "He didn"t want me, so he took everything away,"she screeched, panting. "I"ll take everything away from them! Take everything away!" There was a demon there in her eyes. A dark monster, which finally drove the terror too deep. She whirled away, snatched the flare from the wall. "No!" Chikane screamed, flinging herself, claws sprawled, at her. She sidestepped her, lit the flare, tossed it out the window. Both stared as the blue sparks exploded into the sky, and shouts began to resound through the streets. "You had the chance, Chikane," Himeko gasped, turning to Chikane. Her throat burnt with tears, but she refused to show it to her. "You had the chance." The sparks were exploding over the rooftops. Everyone turned, and instantly the shouts began. But the men and robots were too frightened. And only one went running, when the blue fireworks soared into the open sky. Natsuki Himemiya, best hunter in Genbu city. "Five minutes," they made arrangements among themselves. "If Himemiya doesn"t send news in five minutes, we go check on her. All of us." They nodded and murmured, obscuring the terror from their gazes. "Himeko!" Chikane roared, shaking. "HIMEKO!" Her eyes were glazed, her expression silent. And as the images of her distant smile echoed through her memory, she felt despair sink in upon her. Love had always been false. She should have realized, before she hurt herself this way. For those minutes, she had almost made her believe in love again. But she had only been lying. Now it was too late to change anything. The door slammed open, a hunter appearing at the doorway, gleaming rifle in hand. "Freeze," she growled. Cold panic gripping her, she glanced up at the knives on the shelf. Just out of reach. She turned her gaze back to her, and snarled. But something changed in her expression with no warning, eyes filling to the brim with shock. Chikane stopped, confused. She looked dizzy, faint-disbelieving. "Oh, Goodness," she gasped. "It"s you, Chikane... You-you look just like your mother-" The sound of her name from unfamiliar lips dazed her for a moment. But then, she realized that the voice wasn"t unfamiliar at all. "My-father," she replied, the fire quickly returning to her eyes as she growled and raised her claws. "My father." After seventeen years. Seventeen long, painful years of brooding and wondering. Where did I come from? And everything shattered, the curtains of silence torn to shreds. Chikane screamed. Leapt for the knives, spun, charged towards her. The first knife caught her leather glove; the second slit her left arm-but as she drew back, she snatched her wrists with so much force she thought they might crack. "FATHER!" she kicked her, spat at her, clawed at her arms. "Why,Father?" "Chikane, listen to me!" she called desperately. "Listen! I always knew I shouldn"t have done that! I"m sorry, Chikane!" "Well, I don"t believe you, Father!"She twisted her right arm and freed it from her grip, thrusting her knife towards her neck-but her hand caught it again. She gasped in despair. "You threw me away. You wanted me to die!" Without her bidding, tears were welling in her eyes as she sent another useless thrust at her neck. "No, no-please, listen! You"ve got it wrong," her father pleaded, her grip on her hands growing tighter. "I went back to look for you! Oh, I wish you"d come back earlier..." Her eyes grew even more earnest. "Come on, it isn"t too late-we can still run away, start over-" Too late. Far too late. Shouts rang from outside the window. Then twenty hunters charged into the house, weapons ringing against each other. And there was only one thing in their eyes: hunger, for victory, for a fruitful hunt, for the blood of a criminal. Her father cried out in protest, furious protest. But still gunshots rang, their cries for blood swelling. They fell upon her, a flock of vultures to carrion-swooped down with ropes and cloths and fists clenched in glory, yellow eyes that swivelled and teeth gnashing in crazed joy. Binding her down before her next breath, rough fingers groped at her, pulled her hair. She kicked, cried, bit-but no one heeded her pleas, her tears, as she was dragged further and further from redemption every moment. And she was hauled out of the house, while they congratulated each other with slaps on the back. The cold of night doused her face as the hunters marched her down the streets, crying in triumph and drugged joy. Blinded, she heard the cheers from the households all around, from the men and women who left their homes to watch the procession. "It"s the great murderess!" they cried. Spat at her, jeered at her. "Exile her! Exile her!" She thought of her father"s eyes, Himeko"s words. You had the chance. And alone in her heart, Chikane cried. "Well, miss," a hunter with a halberd chuckled. "You know what the punishment for murder is, don"t you?" They were standing facing the mountains, gazing up at the starlit peaks. "Exile," someone behind her laughed. She felt her throat throb with pain. "I am the daughter of the dragons," Chikane growled defiantly. "They will save me, as they did before. They will take their revenge, for what you have done to me." "And if that is so, then we"ll have to exterminate them,hm?" Behind the burly halberdier, the rest of the hunters roared in laughter. "No, miss. You"ll be chained down. The cold will kill you, daughter of the dragons." Chains. Cold. Chikane felt as if the breath had been knocked from her. At the mountain top, the view of the stars was divine, breathtaking. But Chikane didn"t see them. She swallowed, for she could hear the chains ringing, the cackles of witches. She closed her eyes. Braced herself. And her last hour began. In the darkness behind her eyelids, hands forced her back against the ice wall. Rings of ice were clamped around her wrists, chains wrapped twice round her body. She was lifted into the night air, her legs lowered deep, deep into the hole where she would lie for the rest of her life. She never looked. Not once. All the while, Chikane kept her eyes welded shut, as she watched the world spinning away-a world too bright and too wide for her to comprehend. She saw the ones she had killed, screaming in hysterical joy. She saw her dead mother shaking her head and turning away. Sobbing, she saw the stars vanish one by one, and she knew she would join them soon. Murder, exile. A child left to die in the snow.There were only so many times a single soul could survive this. Father...Father, why? This breath was weaker than the one before. Her legs felt nothing, not even the chains. But this was a good punishment, no? She had always been part of the darkness, the darkness that everyone else had forgotten. She had been condemned to it, the moment her father had abandoned her. She was darkness, where the rest of the universe was light. She had always known it, believed it, embraced it. Too many sins, too many wounds scourged upon her soul. And Chikane Himemiya would die, as all people of the darkness should. Without honour, without hope, without love. Chikane-nyan? Wake up, Chikane-nyan. The girl blinked and opened her eyes slightly. Morning had broken. Was this a dream? Or was this heaven? The coldness around her had seeped so deep. It brought her such comfort she almost fell back asleep, and she waited for her death with calm. But she could have sworn she had heard her foster father... Chikane-nyan! It"s me, Uncle. Blinking, she turned her head slightly, and saw a single tearful, grey eye. Don"t cry for me, she whispered. I"m just waiting now. You can"t go like this, her foster father replied. You are my daughter, and my daughter will not be killed by ice. Though she was already so frozen, Chikane felt tears rise to her eyes. Uncle turned away. Remember, Chikane? Sometimes love means pain. I can"t save you without hurting you. Father- Be quiet, Chikane, Uncle whispered in comfort, touching her muzzle to the girl"s forehead, while the tears fell from her eyes. Be still. You won"t die-not here, not now. Chikane felt a deep warmth sweep through her body. All too quickly, her tears began to freeze on her cheeks, as her body stiffened, lost feeling. Something had changed. She tried to sing, but her lips were locked. You will not be killed by ice, Chikane, Uncle repeated. Remember this, my daughter. I love you. So many times, her father had said those three words. But only now, only now did her heart beat painfully for them. And it was already so late, too late. Uncle brushed Chikane"s cheek with his tail. She felt nothing. I love you too, Chikane wanted to reply. But her lips didn"t follow her command. And she gazed on, forlornness deepening, as the dragon raised his silver wings and took to the sky. The weeks were swift, slow. And because she couldn"t close her eyes, Chikane watched. She watched, as the hunters combed the mountains, and the dragons were brought down, one by one. She watched, as the valleys grew empty, and all her childhood friends faded away. She longed to cry; yet she could not. She could only scream when the hunters came too close. It was the sound of a monster, a demon-a scream that no one understood. Sometimes, the hunters would set down offerings at her grave, in the hope of appeasing her-Hector tails, Leatty furballs-other beautiful things. And she would let the hunters go, for her throat was clogged with tears. Eventually, though she grasped them tight, her memories finally slipped through her grip and vanished-all locked away, deep, deep in the vault of time. They were all gone. All gone. The mountains echoed with the wind, and the glorious dragon cries were no longer existent. And the tears, the tears would always be trapped within the ice chamber. Chikane looked up into the night sky, at the North Star that pointed the way to the tip of the world. It sparkled alone, stirring slightly in the blue evening. She had waited this long, watching a clouded sky with dark eyes that would never cry again. But tonight, the sky had cleared, and the world of stars had finally showed itself. And what is that song...? The lights suddenly began to dance around that single point of light, the skies filling to the brim like heaven beyond the sunset. She fell silent with awe, listening to the voices, clearer now-ancient melodies that wove powerfully through the night. Faces rose and fell between the waves of the sky-faces, of people she had glimpsed before in her life-people who had died long ago. It was like listening to thunder and song and snow, all at the same time-it made her heart leap, though she was bound and trapped. Her gaze lingered for minutes, and she could almost the joy on her frozen tongue... Through the glorious halo of ghosts, a single voice suddenly reached out to her. Tentative, lonely. "Chikane..." Chikane blinked. A face so much like hers had appeared-the face of a woman worn down by exhaustion... Mother! She longed to shout in joy, but the words were trapped. Mother, it"s you, finally...! The ghost turned her gaze upon the girl, eyes brimming. "Chikane," she laughed, reaching out as if she could touch her lost daughter. "You"re so beautiful, Chikane! Oh, how I wish I had lived to see you grow up! I died because I loved you, my darling. I"m so sorry... I never, ever meant for you to suffer." Then she smiled. "But you"re alive, and isn"t that the most wonderful thing?" Chikane could feel the tears stinging in her eyes. No, she answered. No, it"s been a curse! Nothing but a curse! The girl felt herself go blind with pain. I"m just a murderess, Mother. A hated, disgusting murderess- She choked on her tears, gazing up into the pool of ghosts. All my life, I only wanted one thing, one thing Inever got! It"s the reason I was an angry person. The reason I became a killer. The reason I hated those children, who lived with their families and laughed with them- She felt her heart clench in her chest. Love. I just wanted someone to love me. The wind flooded the valley, and the sky fell silent. Her mother"s eyes were so gentle, so sad. "But I love you, Chikane,"she whispered. "Your father loves you. Himeko wasn"t lying either. And Uncle too-he loved you, as much as I do! We don"t care what you choose to do, Chikane. We don"t care if you"re good or evil, kind or cruel! We"ve always loved you, Chikane-all your life..." Chikane remembered now, those things she had never noticed. She remembered her father"s desperate gaze, as she pleaded with the daughter she had lost. She remembered her foster father"s tears, as he touched his muzzle to her cheek. She remembered Himeko"s smile, as her songs unfolded the tale of life. All gone, all flown away like the evening birds. And a fork of white bloomed through the sky. Chikane"s eyes were shattering. They turned into shards that cut the sky like tiny mirrors. They fell away like glass, like snow, broken promises scattering deep into the darkness. Tears were flooding her gaze-tears of a lost love, tears of a missed chance-tears that now streamed down her cheeks in sweet currents, and melted the snow. Crying, at last. The stars were still caught in their symphony, and Chikane was lost, lost so deep in their voices. She was everyone in the world, all at the same time-everyone who had loved, been loved, shunned it and embraced it. It was disgusting, it was beautiful. Footsteps crunched in the snow. A slight figure appeared at the mountaintop-a woman with a lyre in hand. She placed a bouquet at her feet, and rose again to look into her empty, broken eyes. "Chikane," she whispered, resting her forehead against the ice. "I"m...so sorry. I condemned you to death. Just because-I was afraid." More tears poured down her face, sparkling in the light of the North Star. She wiped them away, and raised her lyre. Is she even there? Will she hear me? But she pushed all her doubts and hopes aside, so the song alone filled her heart. Please, please, Chikane. Please hear me. Breathing deep, she plucked the strings of her lyre. Slowly, she sang, and the first thin note quavered in her throat. "We were only-" Suddenly she heard a soft hum. The musician froze, before cautiously continuing to sing. There it was again-a lonely voice, humming in harmony with the tune she played. She looked up at the statue in confusion and fear, reaching out to touch her tear-stained face- Her fingers leapt away. A heartbeat, throbbing gently within the ice. Yet more tears cascaded down her cheeks, as she found her breath again. She can hear me. Blinking, the lone youth strummed her lyre, and sang on. We were only two childrenAt the heart of a cold worldWith only one candleTo light us the way... ... but we danced to the edgesand dared all the devilsuntil, in the moonlight,we found a place to stay... Chikane was always a dreamer. On cloudless nights, she would gaze at the North Star, and watch as the ghosts danced around it with the most beautiful snow songs in the world. It wasn"t a legend; they dreamt and sang like the rest of the world, the souls of the dead who had been called to light by the Goddess. Sometimes she would hear her mother again, whispering the things she had never had a chance to say. Sometimes she would hear Uncle nagging, or one of her childhood friends calling her to play. And eventually, too, she knew that she would hear her father and Himeko among them, calling out her name. But she knew she would never join them. Sometimes, she would scream to the stars, until her heart was void and cold. Theywould bring gifts to silence her-gifts that made her heart break, again and again. And every so often, when she was alone, she would look up at the world, and ask. When, Mother? When will it end? Two voices would answer-the voice of a woman, and the voice of a dragon. It doesn"t matter, dearest! We will be with you all the way, and we will love you still. She would smile behind her shimmering tears, when she heard those words. It was like watching a glacier fill its pool, watching the mountains grow taller. But she understood, and she let go. So, alone on the mountaintop, Chikane Himemiya would hum a lonely harp tune to herself. Then she would fall back into her dreams, where she would wander the world like a lost child. Unto the world, a new story is finished. The wind is sweet, sweet as ever-sweeping the valleys, the mountains, the fields. It sings, flows, writes its own lyrics- and touching the Pikachus" noses as they raise their heads to the silver morning, inviting them to their dance. But something is different today, as they approach the silent altar. Curious, they sweep around it in a circle, tossing the petals from the bouquet into the air, whistling as the white pieces, more delicate than snow, flutter down upon the altar. In the sky, the night still hadn"t faded away. In the blue-and-indigo quilt above, the stars blink and glint like gemstones. And the witch of the hunter"s altar continues to gaze up upon them, at the North Star that points to heaven. Glancing at each other in surprise, the winds sweep up into the sky, racing each other to the summit. They rise until they are touching the North Star, waltzing and whispering songs between the ghosts. And as they gaze back down at the altar, they swear they can see two girls laughing. Falling back to the world, they trace the letters on the altar. Someone has carved new words beneath her. Whom, they have no idea. But these words make her smile-they can see it, if they look deep enough into those shattered snow eyes. And so they dance away into the world, laughing to themselves - for they know that today, Chikane Himemiya is happy, as there was someone else to stay with her now.

Kanako scoffed. "Of course there"s no truth to them. She"s not even a freshman yet." She was lying. There was nothing but truth to that claim of romance between the teacher herself and the underclassman. They had been meeting in a romantic way for quite some time now. They had been nothing but careful about it. Not wanting to let others spoil it with their opinions or prejudices. It had been months since they first started. It, for obvious reasons, hadn"t gone beyond chaste kisses, hugging and cuddling, and holding hands in the privacy of their own homes. Sanae, as far as Kanako was aware, didn"t even know how to use her tongue in kissing let alone do full-blown making out. The other students knew Kanako had taken a shine to the much younger girl; though it always seemed that they just believed she was "training" an apprentice to take over her mantle when she left the school. The two had met in a sort of fated encounter as Kanako thought of it. Sanae and her class had just been assigned that ridiculous assignment of watching after an egg. Sanae had been partnered with a raven haired girl from their class do to there being more girls than boys in the class. The problem was that that raven haired, Hakurei Reimu, was a known bully and had lost her temper at something Sanae had said. She had thrown the egg out the window to Sanae"s horror. It was pure luck that Kanako had been outside that window. She caught the egg with her wind powers. Sanae came down and found her with the egg, and after some playful teasing the two seemed to hit it off very well. Kanako had even "suggested" that Reimu stop harassing her new little friend. From there on Kanako began to have Sanae spend more time with her. Simple things like hanging out together at lunchtime or sometimes in the halls. But it built up to hanging out together outside of school, even going to the movies and taking her home to help the younger girl with her homework and such. That"s where the talk about Kanako training Sanae came in. Sanae had asked her about it one day, and Kanako was surprised to admit that there wasn"t exactly true. That whatever was going on between them felt bigger than that, that discussion ultimately lead to an awkward kiss; their first. Kanako thought over that for a moment, knowing there was some truth to that but it was still more of a mutual exchange of amore. Despite that, Kanako had no intention of taking things to a much more physical level. Not now at least. That would be far too demanding of Sanae. She understood that Sanae wasn"t physically or mentally ready for such a relationship yet. So she would happily wait, not just for Sanae but for herself as well. Kanako wasn"t sure she was even ready for that kind of relationship. She had never been one to be overly perusing the idea of a sexual relationship with any girl, and definitely not any boy. Though that didn"t mean she didn"t want to at sometime go the next level with a girl, but only with the one she truly wanted to give her body and heart to. Perhaps that was just the way her late parents had raised her, she didn"t know for certain. Uncle nodded to her reply. "I"m glad to hear you say that, Kanako. I don"t think I have to tell you the implications of such a relationship. It could be damaging to both of your own appearances in the public eye." Kanako cursed the public and their symbolic eye. "Not to mention the fact that once you graduate that kind of relationship will be considered illegal, well, in the outside world anyway." Uncle bit the inside of his cheek to keep his mouth shut. She knew the truth of that. She had known since she first started the relationship. Sanae and her had full conversations about this particular topic many times before. More so now that the cursed day was steadily approaching. But Kanako had stated she wouldn"t date in college, but would rather wait until Sanae was of a more legal age. If Sanae, however, wanted to date someone else and ended up actually being in love with that person instead Kanako would just move on. It would hurt, at first, but she always overcame any problem faced against her so this shouldn"t be any different, or should the situation as a whole. They"d pull through it in the end, she was certain. "Besides, you do know that I support High school BGR and lesbianism and this school is in between the outside world and Gensokyo, so at least hide it from the outside world." Uncle finished his opinion. The blue haired couldn"t stop herself from frowning this time. In fact, it probably looked more like a full blown glare to the older dragon man. Uncle surprised expression was evident of that. "It"s not the matter of tw-two girls involved in that sort of relationship," he had stammered to correct himself. "I may be getting old for human age, but I"m not that narrow-minded. I understand some amount about the gay and lesbian culture. I hear two of your friends Kaguya is involved with that Mokou. They are a couple, right? So I have no dislike of their culture." Kanako continued to frown. Typical cover up. "Forgive my misuse of words by accepting me giving an example of someone I know like that so you know I"m not really like that.' If he had just apologized, Kanako wouldn"t have been as annoyed. She couldn"t stand people doing those kinds of cover ups. Uncle continued, "It"s just the matter of two people dating and one of them being an impressionable youth that I find disturbing. The age-gap, not the gender issue." He made sure to emphasis on that last statement. A gentle knock came from the door. Both dragon and teacher glanced over to the door seeing Sanae poking her head into the room. Her beaming smile lighting up on her soft features. Kanako knew the smile wasn"t for a polite or lady-like greeting to them both. It was aimed directly at herself. Kanako gave a ghost of a smile back. "Am I interrupting anything?" the young girl squeaked out. "No." Kanako crossed her arms over her chest, long since through with this conversation. She eyed her teacher. "Is there anything else, sir?" Uncle sighed, lowering his head. "No, I suppose not. You may go, Kanako." Kanako didn"t even waste a goodbye on the dragon who had been trying her patience. She walked out the door, her arm wrapping around Sanae"s waist slightly to instruct her on following. Kanako heard Sanae give the teacher a farewell as Kanako half dragged her out of the room. The two remained silent as they walked on towards Kanako"s Kappa built navy blue sports car with the yellow upside down star on the hood. Kanako assumed Sanae realized she wasn"t in a talking mood at the moment. So she just followed in silent obedience. Kanako unlocked the car, stepping in. She heard the door next to her opening and the easing shut. It seemed Sanae minded Kanako"s warning about not slamming the door shut. An awkward silence befell the car as the two sat there: Kanako glaring at the stirring wheel while Sanae sat next to her with a worried look. Sanae reached out and placed her hand on Kanako"s hand. Kanako glanced at Sanae out of the corner of her eye. Her heart began to swell as she saw the concerned look in those big blue eyes. Sanae opened her mouth as if to say something but never got the chance as two soft lips closed over hers. Sanae"s eyes blinked, surprised. Kanako pulled back flashing the green haired with that charming smile spreading that made ever girl and boy she knew weak in the knees - A smile that had become exclusive to her now. The teacher burst out laughing. Sanae looked at her older girlfriend with an uneasy smile. "You"re absolutely adorable," Kanako said, her hand reaching up to stroke the girl"s cheek. Sanae blushed, smiling. "T-thanks. Ar-are you gonna be-" "Nah," Kanako said, turning on her car engine. "I"m fine as long as you are. I can live through the stupid crap, as long as I"ve got you. You"re all I need to felt health and happy." Sanae leaned over, kissing her on the cheek. "Then you"re gonna be the healthiest person in the world," Sanae said giggling as they pulled out off the school parking lot into the street. Kanako smiled at the road in front of her. Surprising how the love of a cute and pure hearted girl could make a gal like she was some powerful warrior, unstoppable. Like a shark..., no, like a snake. But that"s what they were: the snake and a little fairy, weren"t" they? Omake - a very, very long time ago in Gensokyo It was seriously hard to forgive people. But not just people, actually just one person. Kaguya Houraisan. Not only had she taken my pride away from me, when she beat the crap out of me on my way back from school. But she had taken my virginity too. So, there I was, lying in her bed, with nothing more than a skimpy bed sheet over my sweaty body. And I seriously wanted to die right there and then. But before I could even move, Kaguya rolled back over, half her body crushing mine. She had fallen asleep, seeing as she made me orgasm more than I had planned to... About 6 times and she had looked like she wasn"t going to stop! And it seemed that I had been really hot to her, seeing as she climaxed more than me... I got shivers just thinking about it. I tried to get out from underneath Kaguya but her big body just wouldn"t move. So, after about the 5th try, I had finally slipped out. I looked back at Kaguya and before I knew it, she was flopping her arm around the place where I had been. Then it clicked, she was looking for me so I yanked a fallen pillow, from the floor, and slipped it under her arm. And in an instant, Kaguya went back to sleep, her body curling closer and closer to the pillow. I shuddered at the thought that that could have been me... I quickly began to search for my clothes. My shirt, ribbons and pants were easy to find... I just had to find my undies and my bra. Shit! I tripped over the fallen blanket, which is hard to believe but it had been thrown off the bed, sometime during the night. I roamed around the room, trying to see where I was going in the near darkness. Fortunately, my underwear and bra were quite easy to find. My underwear was on a shelf, definitely thrown there. And my bra was... under Kaguya! Why couldn"t it have been thrown? Why, why, why? I tugged at Kaguya to move the other way but she didn"t budge. I seriously didn"t want to wake her up, in fear that she would take advantage of me again. So, I tried again, by pulling away the pillow a little at a time. Unbelievably, Kaguya followed and before long, my bra was out from under her body. I gently lifted it off of the bed and quickly tried to put it on. The damned clip was really going on my enemies list. I tried to get it hooked but it just wouldn"t come together! (a/n: Um...If you"re a guy or a certain pervy, lesbian crazed dragon, you probably won"t understand that...) Finally, I got it done and tried to find my undies again. I tried to put one of my feet in, but it got caught in the undies and before I knew it, I had face-planted straight into the floor. I jumped straight up, in position to do some serious fighting. I thought Kaguya had woken up from my fall, except all that she had done was curl up closer up to the pillow, her face pushed into where my neck would have been. I squinted downwards, trying to make out where the heck I had dropped my undies. And there they were, looking almost innocently back at me. I grabbed them furiously and jerked them on swiftly and reached for my clothes. Having my body fully clothes for the first time in that night, I tiptoed over to the bedroom door. Opening it quietly, I stepped out into the hallway of her apartment. Thank god she didn"t live with Eirin or any of those rabbits anymore or else my ass would have been busted badly. I almost ran over to the front door, before I realised I would need my shoes to go home. Shoes that were currently still somewhere in Kaguya"s room. I swore as I opened the door again. I poked my head into the room, hoping to see my shoes straight away. Luck was seriously not on my side that night. I fumbled back into the messy room and began the search for my dratted shoes. They were nowhere to be seen. I searched through all the stuff on the floor and I even went through all of Kaguya"s clothes. I kneeled on the floor, practically upturning all the floorboards, trying to find my shoes. I looked up for a second and I caught a glimpse of blue, the exact colour of my shoes. But when I looked up, I realised that I had been looking at the wall. And yet, there they were, my blue sneakers, hanging on the wall, a kunai (where and when did she get one?) piercing the laces of the two. Aww crap... How could I forget that Kaguya had pinned them up so that I wouldn"t be able to leave her? God, did she have a lot of sake... Well, I did too. I stood back up and reached upwards to get my sneakers. Damn Kaguya and her magic. I touched the tip of the sneakers but the slipped away from my hand and then I was just like a mere child trying to reach for their favourite toy or in my case, my favourite shoes. My hand touched the sneaker again and I was able to get a grip on it. I pulled the sneaker downwards, towards me but they didn"t move at all. I swore again before my hands formed hand signs. I was going to try and summon a fire to burn out the laces but then why not use a spellcard and get a hold of the kunai? So, I teleported using a basic flying spell about 20cm off the ground and grabbed hold of the kunai, which I pulled with all my might. The kunai didn"t move for a few seconds, before it flew out so quickly that I dropped like a sack of potatoes to the floor. I was seriously never going to get out of there! I pulled my sneakers on quickly and with a lot of effort, I tried not to run to the bedroom door. I reached the door and quickly stepped out of the bedroom. Shutting the door as quietly as I could, I dashed to the front door and ran out. I wasn"t really afraid if she would come after me now, but just as long I was in public, she couldn"t take me again. Then it hit me, it was about 2 in the morning and we had school later that day. How the hell was I supposed to keep away from her now? I walked down the street, with temperatures around -100 degrees (was Gensokyo that cold, or was it a certain ice fairy messing around instead.). I couldn"t even feel my fingers, so I stuffed them into my pants pockets and pulled my hood over my head. My breath looked like I was smoking, dammit! So, I made my way back home, where I was planning on taking a shower. I opened the door to my apartment and quickly ran in, trying to keep the freezing air outside. I took my sneakers off and headed towards my bedroom. I opened my wardrobe and pulled a set of clean clothes, a clean bra and clean undies. And with all that stuff in my arms, I walked to the bathroom. I plonked all my stuff down, next to the sink and began to run the water in my shower. As I pulled my hoodie off, I thought about taking a bath instead. Seeing as it was 2am and I didn"t really have anything better to do, I shut the water off in my shower and began to run the water in my bath. I continued to pull the clothes off of my back and when I was naked as I was only a few minutes ago, I stepped into the steaming water. The hot water was really nice, I felt so relaxed. So, I soaked in the tub for about 40 minutes. Just lying there, almost in a daze. Then as I was just about to fall asleep, a damn ringing sound rang straight into my ear. I groaned and looked out my bathroom door and I realised it was my phone. I groaned again before I sat up and tried to reach for my towel. Of course, luck seriously wasn"t going to help me. The towel was about a millimetre away from my hand, just out of my damn reach! I flopped out of the tub to try and get it coz I really didn"t want to stand up in the tub. And I still couldn"t get the towel! So, I had to kneel in the tub to get my towel. I leaned over the side, too far over the side and once again fell over, straight into the floor. My hand gripped the towel but if I was falling, what could that do to help me? Trying to get up from the floor, all wet and your feet still on the edge of the bath tub is harder than you think! I pulled my legs out of the bath tub and quickly stood up, wrapping the towel around my soaking body. I sighed before walking out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, reaching for my phone before pressing the talk button. "Hello!" I tried to sound cheerful but my body really ached from the beating it had had that evening... "Oh, hey Mokou. It"s me, Kaguya! I was just wondering why you left and didn"t tell me about it~!" Kaguya"s voice was truly scary at the moment. And as my mouth opened to plant an excuse, my mind took over and came up with a stupid but possibly brilliant plan. "This is Fujiwara"s! I"m actually out at the moment but if you have something to tell me leave a message after the beep... BEEP!" I tried my best to imitate the beeping noise, and it seemed to have worked as Kaguya began to leave a message. "Oh... Um, hi Mokou. I just wanted to ask why you left my place without telling me. Oh, and your imitation beep really sucks so why did you leave my apart-" Before she even finished her sentence, I had slammed the phone back down. Oh crap, was I going to have a bad day at school. I drowsily walked up the steps to my school, drowsy from not being able to sleep since I left Kaguya"s dorm room. I yawned as I reached the top step, my arm extending to the side. What I wasn"t expecting was to be pulled to the side by someone. An "eep" escaped my mouth before I was practically falling to my right side. Thank god someone caught... In fear of pain from falling to the ground, off a flight of steps, I had closed my eyes. Big mistake! If I hadn"t have closed my eyes, I would have seen who had caught me... So, I fell into the waiting arms of someone, a particular NEET (if it weren"t for Eirin who practically dragged her to school) who I didn"t want to see that morning. Kaguya. "Oh! Hi K-Kaguya!" I stuttered, while trying to get loose of her arms. "Hello to you, Mokou. You still haven"t answered my question. Why did you leave my apartment last night?" Kaguya leaned closer and closer towards me, making me feel small and vulnerable. DING! DING! DING! Ok, the school bell goes on my friends list. Thank god! I jumped from Kaguya"s arms and quickly muttered, "Well, that"s the bell! I"ll see you later!" And with that, I ran straight into school. My classes didn"t go well either. Not only did I nearly fail my Maths exam but I also forgot to hand in my English assignment. So, now I have 2 fails already under my belt. Great... I slumped down on the oval, at lunch. I had stayed in at recess for not handing in my English assignment... It was wonderful... Cough. I sighed as I laid back onto the grass and looked up at the blue sky. At least, I could relax. That was until Reisen and that noisy Tengu, Aya came along. Aya was bounding to me while Reisen was shuffling nervously in her bag. "Hey Mokou!" "Oh, hey Aya." I mumbled while sitting back up. "Hey, what"s wrong? You seem... I don"t know, not yourself, today." Reisen asked quietly. "Well, how would you feel to have lost your virginity, run from their apartment then try to avoid them for most of the day?" I looked up at Aya, who was quite enthusiastic, shit. Anyone but the Tengus of the newpaper club! "Well, you have to tell us who it was first!" Aya smiled. A smile was not what this situation needed, "Oh! Was it Keine? Come on, you"re literally in love with her!" Aya asked as she took out a notebook to jot down her newfound gossip. "No..." "Then who?" Great, even Reisen wanted to know... "It was Kaguya..." I muttered quickly. TONK! TONK! That was the sound of their jaws dropping to the ground. I really didn"t want to say much more or even look at their faces. "NO WAY!" Kaguya yelled. "Shut up! We had too much sake last night and things got out of hand." I groaned. "Whoa... Well, at least you have someone who likes you or even loves you." Reisen whispered. "Yea! Seeing as you"ve been avoiding her, which means that she"s been looking for you!" Aya irritatingly seemed like a genius at that moment. "No way. Why would she like someone like me?" I slapped myself over the forehead and fell back onto the grass. "Oh, come on! Everyone already knows that she likes girls, seeing as she said that she"s bi. And besides, both of you drank that Hourai elixir thingy, making you girls immortals plus you girls get along quite fine." Aya sat down beside, Reisen filling the spot on my other side. "But..." I tried to make an excuse but nothing was coming out. "Oh, come on! Rabbit and I don"t care if your bi or a lesbian. All we want is for you to be happy. You were an orphan and now you have someone to love you!" that noisy Tengu just wouldn"t shut up, seeing as she was on a roll. "Fine. But I"m just scared if it was just a one time thing..." I said incoherently. "Just go talk to her." Reisen squeaked. "That"s it! Let"s go find Kaguya!" Aya leapt upwards and before I knew it, I was being pulled upwards, by that Tengu.

Unto the world, a new law must be written. She swooped through nightfall"s curtains, like a ghost of the dead branches and the cold stars above, for heaven could not see her, and hell filled her wings. She fell upon the village, silent as the night wind, a devil here to claim her due. Blood, blood, blood.Her thirst made her lick her lips and bare her teeth as she waited, breathe bated, at the door. Chikane flexed her fingers, her hardened nails gleaming. Predator and prey.She knew who stood on which side of the line. Then, all was thunder. The ice crunched and the blood danced into the sky. And she tore and laughed, and did what the dragons did best. "Oh-kani na buh eh chee bye. I don"t believe it." A hundred swarmed the orphanage doors, come six in the morning-living men with dead eyes and sweat even in the cold. They muttered as if they couldn"t understand, eyes full of darkness and consciousness-and yet every one of them knew. Knew, all too clear, like the snow biting at their bare feet. Mass murder. The reek of blood curtained the smells of mundane snowy morning-the hearth fires, the cooking porridge, the animal spoils in the marketplace. Though smoke rose from chimneys and market-goers shouted their bargains, the acrid stench was clear like a gong note. Mass murder. The chief made his stately entrance with little time to spare. "Make way," he commanded, forcing his way past the bystanders with furious graveness. "Let me see this." But of course, the instant he had advanced past the nosey onlookers and the scene came into sight, he could only freeze, and utter the same words everyone else had. "Wah lao eh! What the hell-" For this was what he saw, like everyone else. Bodies piled on each other. A hundred pale corpses huddled against the orphanage wall in an orgy of dizzying psychedelic. Children"s corpses, stark crimson blood, stale waterfalls, pooling on the snow, spilt wine that now swarmed with flies. They"d seen it once before-in an attack by a stray ice dragon. Necks crushed, abdomens torn open by claws, deep bite marks lining bloodstained limbs-all identical. This was, in every way, a dragon attack. But only one thing was wrong. Those bite marks belonged to a human. And the monster struck again and again, like a raptor craving too deeply the taste of meat. One by one, households were torn apart, and more children died. Each morning, they would awaken to hear news of another newborn"s body, another woman"s son, thrown upon the snow at the parents" doorway. And the nightmare kept returning-a nightmare that didn"t end when dawn broke. She never did understand. She only believed the black prophet"s words, the words of Yomi Isayama, because she had been taught that they were truth. Here lies Shizuru Himemiya The woman who never let love go Shizuru was always a dreamer. On cloudless nights, she would rest her chin on the cold wooden windowsill, and watch as the ghosts danced around the North Star with the most beautiful snow songs in the world. It wasn"t a legend; they dreamt and sang like the rest of the world, the souls of the dead who had been called to light by the Goddess of fate. Sometimes she would hear them whisper to her, words of her lost grandmother and her dead pet Kiyohime, beckoning her to the sky and wishing her the best. Sometimes, she didn"t know what to believe, and sometimes, they were her only truth. At the dining table, Natsuki would call out, telling her wife not to be so childish. Still, Shizuru would let the enchantment of the sky engulf her, and it made her smile widen even more. "Haven"t you seen the North Star, Natsu? It"s calling to me." And her husband would only sigh, wondering whether she ought to dream like her. But there was only silence and stillness around her, flooding the spaces between her shrieks. The dark figures had vanished, and beyond, the icy, windswept rises entombed the sky. She gazed up at the stars, unknowing of the directions they pointed. She didn"t truly understand, and yet she did. She was everyone in the world, all at the same time-everyone who had loved, been loved, shunned it and embraced it. It was disgusting, it was beautiful. Natsuki Himemiya pulled her fur coat tighter around her as she ran. She did so, not to ward off the biting chill of the snowy morning, but to keep out the mortifying cold of something deeper. In the dawn, the emptiness of the streets was haunting. He refused to notice, as he hastened to reach his destination. The hunters of Genbu sector had been summoned to the guild house that morning, and the veteran had a pretty clear idea what this was about. Oh, Goodness, this can"t really be my task to perform. Swallowing and wrapping the coat even tighter, Natsuki Himemiya felt her fingers shake as the guild house came into view. In the shadow of the potion shop, Chikane laughed dizzily. The blood on her tongue was heavenly. But she also felt the itch of annoyance-they were raising their defences, setting hunters on her trail. She would have to hide. But hiding would be a simple matter, simply because her foster father had taught her the human language. It would serve her well, now. The best place to hide from someone was among his own people. Remember this, Chikane-nyan! Uncle called out, as he arranged her collection of Hector tails and Leatty furballs by her bed. Her eyes still stung from the scolding she had just received. Yes? Chikane replied. He swooped down to land next to her, curling his tail around his daughter"s figure. Sometimes, love means pain, he sang.Sometimes, you have to hurt someone if you love them. But in the end, love is all-conquering, and love will find its way back to you. So take heart... Chikane hummed in disinterest, producing the sardines she had procured from the Jr. Pepes she had hunted down, arranging them beside the furballs. She had always loved collecting these strange odds and ends. Her father found itweird, but it was just beautiful, to her. Remember that! Uncle repeated. Chikane nodded, but her attention was elsewhere. The late afternoon light streamed through the strings of the harp, casting a delicate shadow on the wooden floor. Himeko pursed her lips, stopped by a particularly difficult chord. Her eyes sought out the five individual strings, fingers searching for them... In the silence, there was a small knock on her door. She hadn"t been expecting any visitors, and the abnormality of this event made her shiver. What if it"s- But now she considered the chances of the killer attempting a crime in daylight, and she felt her caution dissipate slightly. Was it safe? Apprehensively, Himeko stood and crossed the room. Her heart was in her mouth, as she grasped the doorknob and turned it- Where she had expected to find a killer, there only stood a young woman. Her hair was in wavy black locks, her blue eyes beautiful. But there was a terrifying light of fierceness in them, and it suddenly made Himeko want to slam the door shut. Then she began to speak. "I am only a traveller," she said with a distant, lilting accent, almost as if she were singing. "I have come in search of business. I heard your music on the road, and it drew me. Do you have room for accommodation?" Blinking a little, Himeko slowly found a smile. "Yes, of course, and it"s a good thing you came in," she replied. "There"s a murderer loose on Genbu city, and he or she might have attacked you if you had waited outside any longer." She glanced out the window at the setting sun, heart rate quickening with fear. The young woman thanked her and glanced around, searching for a place to sit. She didn"t carry anything with her, she suddenly noticed. Being her usual paranoid self, Himeko found this a little suspicious. "What is your business?" she asked testily. "I-I am an ice carver," she replied after composing herself. "I work with no tools but my fingers and my magic." "Oh? Show me?" she requested, following her to her dining table. She pulled herself a seat and flexed her fingers, her black-painted nails gleaming- Himeko stepped back. "My goodness, your nails," she gasped, slightly horrified. She laughed softly-a strange, enchanting sort of laugh. "I lacquer them so that I can carve with them," she replied. "Tools cost much nowadays." The girl blew into her palms, glitter swirling and gathering there in a growing block of ice. Himeko felt her breaths grow involuntarily deeper, while her brain suddenly joined the dots. "Ice breath," she whispered. "Isn"t that a dragon art?" Again the young woman lost her composure. "It-it is," she gasped. "I travelled into the mountains to learn it myself. It was not easy ..." Himeko could feel the slight suspicion buzzing at the back of her mind again, but she pushed it away. This craftswoman couldn"t be dangerous in any way; Maybe a liar, at worst-but not a killer. She returned her attention to the girl"s hands, where the ice statue was slowly taking shape. "What"s your name?" "My name?" She turned to regard her oddly, then seemed to understand. "Ah, call me Chikane," she replied, turning away. After a pause, Chikane spoke again. "What is yours?" "I"m-I"m...Himeko," she murmured nervously. Was this all right, revealing her name to some girl she didn"t yet know? As she listened to the sound of gently cracking ice, Himeko felt fear churn in her stomach. "Sorry...I"m just so afraid of strangers...and I"m not used to having visitors appear at my door like this. It"s terrifying." The girl stood and smiled again. "No, that is fine," she said. "I think it is actually quite charming..." Suddenly, she held out her carving to her-a beautiful ice shell. Himeko"s mouth fell open as she took it in her hand, all distrust falling instantly away. "Thanks," she said softly. "You"re an amazing carver..." Chikane smiled and fanned out her sharp black nails with pride, an action that should have terrified her to pieces. But she found herself admiring them instead, with a small smile of her own. She was a strange one, this Chikane. But she was likeable. "All evidence points to the fact that she hides somewhere in the village, you will thus go in shifts of five to search the houses-one from dusk to midnight, one from midnight to three o"clock, and one from three until daybreak. "In each shift, one person will patrol each area of Genbu city. The townspeople have been instructed to assist you-if any of them spots the murderer in question, they will send out a signal-a blue flare, which has been installed in every household-and you must respond with immediacy, that clear?" They glanced at each other and nodded. Deep inside, they were terrified. But they were men and some of them, robots, and they couldn"t let that show, so false bravado was their only answer. Thus, Chikane"s new life had begun. She settled comfortably into Himeko"s house, helping her regularly with chores and listening to her music while she continued to carve. Soon the unfamiliarity had melted away-and real friendship took its place, so warmly. Now they would take walks together in the snow, and she would get to know the townspeople with her. The days spun by like snowflakes. Occasionally, the girl found herself forgetting her task. She just distracted her that much-she acted so much more like a friend than a host. Slowly, she was losing purpose-doing it more for joy than for the information that would progress her deeds. Don"t forget yourself!She kept reminding herself. But she kept warming up to her even more everyday learning little things about the musician she had never known before. This was looking to become permanent in her life-but could she let it...? No, don"t forget yourself.There was a part of her that she would always hate, no matter how close they became. In the next weeks, the hunters paid Himeko a visit. She almost died from the terror that they had found her out-but they were only here to hook an electric flare to the wall. "If you happen to find the murderer, you are to light it and throw it on the snow," they instructed. Chikane"s eyes burnt darkly, as they said this. I will catch them before they catch me,she thought. I have to finish my quest. Where did I come from? She often wondered, as she gazed up at her father-dragon, trying to understand. Do I have real parents? Why am I not with them? If Uncle isn"t my real father, does he really love me? So strange, for a five-year-old to wonder these things. It was instinct. Dark, dark questions; these dark things had been her calling since birth. She took refuge in angst, in hate and fear. How had these things entered an innocent spirit? (But the seeds had been planted long ago, somewhere between the icy mountains-seeds that grew into strange questions and haunted her all the time.) Evening fell like a curtain on the small town, once more. As the birds were cooing their farewells, Chikane"s host called her to the kitchen, against the sound of water bubbling. It had been a month and a half since her arrival; she had already accustomed herself to the routine. "Honestly, why do you live alone?" she muttered, cutting the bland carrots with distaste. She had begun to talk exactly like her, over her stay here. "You"ve got to do all your chores yourself. It"s not fun, is it?" "Definitely not," Himeko laughed. "It"s terrible." Then her voice took on a bitter edge. "Well, I left for a reason. They didn"t love me. I was just a slaveto them." "...They?" Her eyes held a more pain than all her words. Blinking, she looked down at the fish she was de-scaling. "My mother, she died when I was born, and my father-nope, didn"t love me one ounce. I"ve never, ever been loved in my life." "I-I know how it"s like," she suddenly replied. Himeko glanced up in surprise. Blinking, Chikane hoped desperately that she couldn"t see her tears. "I"ve never...ever been loved before." Her fingers accidentally let her knife slip. Wincing, she laid it down and licked the blood off her finger swallowed deep. Darkly, Chikane added, "I"m going to make sure someoneelse feels that pain." Himeko"s eyes widened. "Chikane," she gasped. "You...you don"t have to. It isn"t worth it-" "I"m a vengeful person," Chikane answered. "Don"t stop me." Silence swept through the room like a cold wind, and they went back to their cooking. Ten minutes washed by, before Himeko finally broke it. "At least life is pretty decent here," he said more cheerfully. "The chief likes my music..." A smile had come to the musician"s lips, and Chikane found herself loving it so much-for it suddenly made her believe that the world wasn"t so cold. How much she wished she could think the way she did... Chikane sighed deeply and cleared the chopping board of carrots, hoping that Himeko hadn"t noticed her lapse in attention. She stared down at the dead creature"s gleaming body, mind full of greyness and indecision. Three months, and they hadn"t seen any trace of the killer. Some were even beginning to wonder if it had only been a communal nightmare. Guard shifts were reduced from five to three; the hunters began to slacken in their watch. And as the days grew brighter, people felt the relief sinking in. They soaked it up, like a cold man would soak up sunshine. Stop this idiocy, Chikane! The girl scolded herself. But then she heard the magical notes of Himeko"s harp, and she found herself relenting to her newfound joy. Her mind only worked on her quest in the subconscious, now-and she had taken three months to realise that she needed weapons. "Hey, Himeko..." she called. "Do you know I could buy weapons? Just in case?" Her answer was all she needed; then, she could leave this place. Leave this place. The thought made her feel so cold. Himeko turned. Three months ago, she would have gone completely panicky at the mention of weapons. But somehow she had lost that paranoia around her, and now showed absolutely no fear. "There"s a weapon shop at the fountain end of the market street. You know that place, right?" She nodded and walked to the door, while Himeko gazed on at her- The sound of the doorknob clicking flung the musician out of her daydream. Rising suddenly, she dashed to the door and snatched her hand, tugging her back. "Hey!" Chikane exclaimed, turning to her. "Please-please...don"t put yourself in danger," she gasped, letting go of her fingers. "I"m just-so afraid." "No need to be so worried, you paranoid idiot!" Chikane replied with amusement, touching her arm, followed by a kiss on her forehead. Grinning to herself, she resumed her exit. She is so cute sometimes, she thought. "How can you be so lazy? The murderer still lurks in our town! We have no evidence of his or her departure, and until we do, youwill remain vigilant! You arehunters-you don"t let your prey go just because you can"t see it!" No one responded. He grunted in annoyance and turned. And they murmured their agreement, bowing, though their hearts were screaming otherwise. Unto the world, a promise is torn. Over the frozen autumn, the hunters came back on duty, steadfast as ever. And alone in Himeko"s house, Chikane watched through the windows, more frightened than she had ever been before. She gazed at the cold snow fluttering down through the grey sky, shivering slightly. Once, she had been ruthless. She had known no guilt, no doubt. But Himeko had softened her that much. It was as if she had opened a window to her, a window through which she could see herself. She was who shewas-a lonely person who had never known love. They often talked of loss and loneliness, sitting together at the sofa on stormy days, watching the pale snow though the glassy panes and warming their hands on their laps. Then they would stare off in silence, and never ask each other what they were thinking. They both understood, without words. And they argued ever so often, too-but their friendship had deepened to the point that such disputes were mere bumps in the road. It was magical, sweet-and dissonant in her heart. It was so confusing. Half a year already-she stillhadn"t made a move from the musician"s house. Her excuse was always this: She only had two knives, while the hunters had all the equipment of the village. She told herself that she wouldn"t last long, and would have to get more before she could hope to take her revenge. But deep within herself, Chikane also knew that she was staying for her.For the warmth, for the familiarity was deepening everyday. Why she needed it so, she didn"t know. But she knew that it was a weakness, and she knew she would have to banish it eventually... Hate is nurtured in mere seconds, but love takes seasons to grow. "Chikane." There was gentleness in Himeko"s voice, as she sat down at her harp and tuned it. Chikane turned, and her heart seemed to melt at the sound of the first note. "Hm?" "Have I ever sung for you before?" Her purple gaze was warm and earnest, and Chikane suddenly went breathless in it. She shook her head with a small, shy smile. Laughing softly, she sounded a chord. Over the half-year she had lived in the musician"s house, it surprised Chikane that she had never heard him sing before. She had thought she already knew everything about her-till now. "Alright, then-" She swallowed, turned to her for comfort. "Here goes. "We were-" Chikane leapt from her seat, running over to the harp. "I know this song!" she exclaimed, recalling how Uncle had sung her to sleep with these words, in dragon tongue. "Go on, go on!" Himeko"s smile widened, and she closed her eyes, breathing. But as the youth began once more, she joined her, singing the harmony to the tune. "We were only two children At the heart of a cold world With only one candle To light us the way... "Chikane! Your voice is amazing!" Chikane had never seen the girl"s face so bright before. She grinned at her, and they went on together. The song. She remembered the words so clearly now. It was a song of strange places, and of stars, of love in a cold place. It was optimistic, impossible-and yet the moment she heard them in Himeko"s voice, she believed every word-though she had been hurt so many times before, though she had never known love. Didn"t she? "But somewhere deep, sleeping-" Suddenly, Himeko stopped. The silence hung in the air of the room for a whole minute, ringing so resonantly it was almost magical. Chikane"s voice froze with the music. And she looked afraid, so afraid. "Is...anything wrong?" Finally Himeko turned to her, eyes brimming. "Chikane," she said softly. "Chikane, if you had the choice...would you stay here forever?" She turned away. "With me?" Chikane felt her eyes widen, her heart crying. Yes, yes, yes!It sang. Yes, I would-I would give anything to do that!But her mind pleaded with her, pleaded that she didn"t give in... "You said you were lonely, so many times," she added suddenly. "You said that you"ve never been loved. But you don"t have to feel that way anymore!" She rose, turning to her. "I-I-" She blinked. Chikane felt the musician"s eyes burn deep into her, and at that moment everything went haywire in her mind. "What?" she gasped. "No, you can"t-" "I love you," Himeko said, grasping her shoulders. "I know it"s-" Those purple eyes darted away. "I know it"s so sudden. But how often...how often do you find someone who understands you more than yourself?"

Rikuo blinked and couldn"t help but glance over from the corner of his eyes to peer at the gun. Tsurara"s hand was resting on his arm, holding it up, but his hand was the one that was holding the gun, his finger was the one tugging at the trigger. Suddenly, Rikuo found himself laughing. To think that this would happen to him of all people - it was finally happening; he was finally starting to go insane. He noticed that Tsurara had continued to watch him. He then sighed in defeat - it was already too late for him; there was no way he could back out of this anymore. It was over, he had lost to the person he loved. And that was how this was going to end, how he was going to end. "Alright, you win." The once dark eyes brightened up greatly and Rikuo couldn"t help but release a soft caring smile. There was the Tsurara he loved and knew the best. She was back. "R-Really?" "Yes. I surrender to you. I shall give up on winning our argument." The quarter-Nurarihyon softened his black eyes and chuckled at the happy look Tsurara was giving him. With the gun still against his head, he leaned over to press his lips against his lover"s, well aware that his were getting dyed with blood. The coldness of Tsurara"s lips was harsh against his warm skin, but strangely nice. As he stared into Tsurara"s large eyes, he closed his own. "I guess... I"ll be going with you after all." Tsurara wrapped her arms around Rikuo"s waist, hugging him tightly. "Yay! Now I won"t be alone anymore!" "I didn"t mean to leave you alone, you know." "I know. Waka-sama." Rikuo smiled, retracting a little so that he could put some distance between their bodies, and pulled the trigger. A quieted bang echoed across the room and then a "thump". Tsurara stood in her spot, still smiling, staring at Rikuo"s motionless corpse. The gun was still smoking in Rikuo"s hand though the lifeless grip was now loose. She wandered around the body, watching as blood oozed out of the skull, staining the beautiful Indonesian carpets below. Some of that liquid was trailing down the glass window, filtering a crimson light into the room. Carefully, her fingers reached into Rikuo"s sleeve to pull out a key. She held it up, the orange sun lighting the metal and causing a reflected glow to bounce around the room. Smirking, she stood up and made her way over to the desk, putting the letter into the envelope neatly so that it looked like it had not been opened before. Before doing so, she placed a final kiss on the bloody words and ran her tongue over the seal. She then went towards the drawer she had pointed out earlier, unlocking it with the key, and pulling it open. Peering inside, she eyed the multiple envelopes, all with Rikuo"s name written neatly on top in scarlet ink, and smiled. Placing the forty-eighth one inside, she patted the top of the pile and eventually shut the drawer, locking everything back up. Still holding the key, she spun it around her fingers, well aware that they were now covered and dripping with blood. She suddenly dropped the key into the pool of blood, hearing it splatter, droplets of blood splashing everywhere. Some managed to land on Rikuo"s pale face and she leaned down to plant a loving kiss on those slowly cooling lips. "I"ll see you later. Waka-sama, and, before long, we"ll finally be together." Her fingers pushed back a couple of bangs, the fedora on the floor, and smiled softly once more. "I love you, Rikuo, forever and always." Then Tsurara was gone. Zen sighed, his cigarette burning before his lips but not being able to find it in himself to take a breath of the smoke. He stared down at the coffin that held Rikuo"s dead corpse and sighed, again. Aotabou stood beside him, looking as glum and depressed as everyone else. "To think he would kill himself..." The demon spoke softly, eyes closed tightly. "I guess he still felt guilty about the incident and couldn"t handle it anymore." "Yeah." Zen nodded to that and glanced around the funeral. Many faces were familiar to him but he didn"t bother going near them, keeping to himself. "I don"t really blame him though. I mean, he killed his own lover, Tsurara, to get rid of Daemon Spade." "Yeah..." Aotabou could only repeat under his breath. There was some crying and screaming around them but it went ignored. "Think of the irony: he marries Tsurara only to kill her to get rid of a pesky ghost before consummating. How heartbroken Rikuo must have felt." There came the sound of some footsteps and then a voice called out to them, but they hardly registered it. Then there was someone tugging on their sleeves, catching their attention. The two guardians peered at Aegis Devlort, who was carrying a large bag. He looked out of breath and somewhat frightened. "Hey, guys, Rio and I found something in Rikuo"s drawer. The one he always kept locked." He motioned to the bag and upended its contents onto the ground, a distance away from the crowd of people. Some people peered at them curiously since the guardians were still in sight, others ignored them. A couple of the other guardians gathered around the pile of envelopes that had fallen from the bag; even Li Hong Lee reached down to open one. "This is Rikuo"s handwriting alright." Li Hong stared at the cover and glanced at the documents in Zen, Aotabou and Aegis"s hands respectively. "These are all in Tsurara"s handwriting. But how? I mean Tsurara has been dead for over a month and a half. Were these written before she died?" "Nope, I don"t think so." Zen whispered as he eyed one of the letters, reading the first few crimson lines. "These look like they were written after his death, if that"s even possible... It"s says right here "It"s a pity that I died before you. I always thought it was going to be you first, what a laughable situation, but I"m okay with that. I"ll still love you forever and always"." The bird youkai couldn"t get himself to laugh, glued to the papers. Aotabou nodded to that and lifted the one he was currently holding up higher. "Here"s another one - "It"s sad that I"m still around after dying, stranger that I can still write these to you. How funny. You"ll have to excuse the blood - it was the only thing that would appear on the paper. There wasn"t much I could do". This is weird." The youkai stared at the words as if they were going to come to life and eat him. It was so odd, the way that these letters sounded so much like Tsurara and yet, at the same time, didn"t. "Yeah, there are even numbers written on them, ending at forty-eight." Aegis shivered, not liking this at all. They were creepy and as the number got higher, the words became different and more twisted. He was currently staring at the last one, the words "I love you, Rikuo" being the only thing on the entire letter, repeated over and over from the start to the finish. "That"s extremely weird! Didn"t Rikuo die forty-eight hours after Tsurara"s death! By seppuku?" Natokozo suddenly announced. A silence fell over them, each looking at one another. A dark shiver ran down their spines, none of them liking how this was going. Eventually, Li Hong reached down to gather all the papers into a small pile. Everyone watched her quietly, wondering what the chinese zombie was going to do next. The Chinese girl pulled out a lighter and burnt her fingertip to call out her flame spirits, and slowly set everything ablaze, then Zen tossed his cigarette on top of the pile. "These were from the boss to Tsurara, we have no right to look at them. Let those two rest in peace now, perhaps the boss will able to pass onto the afterlife at long last." No one made a retort to that, eyes watching as the white and red papers turned into ashes. Smoke floated upwards into the sky, the flames reflected in their eyes as they sat there outside the funeral home. Going unnoticed by the crowd, two blurry forms stood beside a stained-glass window, a small smile on their lips. There came the sound of two faint chuckles before they faded out of existence. "Rikuo-sama." "Yes?" "I have been your follower for a long time...and you taught me everything I needed to learn... but..." "But?" "...but...there is-there is something else I have always wanted to know." "What?" "I want to... I want to know how to make love to you." Sounds were coming closer. He didn"t mind. His eyes were closed and there was no way he could nudge them open. But someone was calling to him. It was no more than a faint whisper but he was sure there was. "Ri-Rikuo... sama..." He didn"t move. He couldn"t even if he wanted to. Tubes were inserted in almost every part of his body, pumping air onto his lungs and warmth to his almost-frozen body and fluids and substances that were supposed to keep him alive. Alive. Lying in this wretched bed alone in the world, condemned to be alive. Death would have been a more pleasant alternative. At least to him. Was it really? Of course it was. Pray tell, what else was he to do? He didn"t want to waste her time all over again waiting for something he knew would never come true. He couldn"t be, shouldn"t be, waiting. He had been waiting for how many years already and all that was given her was but another set of empty promises fated to be unfulfilled forever. A person in his sane mind would immediately realize the nullity of such, and yet, as though his keen reason had snapped, as though he weren"t the world"s strongest Youkai gifted with the ability to steal countless lives without batting an eyelid, he believed those promises, cherished them, clung to them, as if they were already attached to the core of his being from the time he was born, the reason of his existence. "Rikuo." Sounds were coming closer. Footsteps, glasses clicking, merry laughter and the sound of violins. He was tired. A cheerful atmosphere filled the hall and the faces gracing the celebration were mostly familiar but he didn"t have the heart to talk to anyone save for turning down Yomi, his sister in-law"s offer of sake. The soft waltz played by the mini orchestra seemed to be a lullaby humming him to sleep and he had almost considered taking a nap in his chair if not for the hand gently touching his shoulder. "Rikuo-sama." It was her, Tsurara Oikawa the Yuki-onna, the newly honored leader of her very own clan who officially received her title just an hour ago. She still wore that familiar gentle expression on her face and her eyes bespoke concern...and something else even her young master couldn"t figure out. He lifted his face and stared back. "Yeah?" Their eyes met. His former servant seemed flustered for a moment, as though she had forgotten his original intent. "I-I...no, I mean, everybody was looking for you a-and..." "And?" he said, almost chuckling, urging the young lady to go on. "E-eh? A-and, well...yeah. Y- Yomi-sama too and... a-and... yeah." "I could see you"re still uneasy." He tossed his empty drinking dish aside and walked away. "Can"t be helped," said the young Yuki-onna running after him. "I"m just...not used to it. Seeing you like that." Was that a blush? And the other one a sigh? Rikuo thought in his mind, "Really. I should have chosen to stay your vassal forever. It would have suited you better." His eyebrows quirked in reaction, fingers reflexively pulling Muramasa from its sheath and pointed the blade to Tsurara"s throat. Tsurara"s hands went up in the air immediately, as if she were some burglar caught in the act. "I"m sorry already! I won"t say anything anymore!" He smirked, sliding Muramasa back to its sheath. They were silent for a moment, walking endlessly, wordlessly, around the decorated chamber. The guardians and the members of the Nura Clan and its associates were obviously enjoying the night, either drinking or chatting or waltzing on the dance floor, except Yomi"s right hand man, Rob Lucci, who had been viciously eyeing every suspicious person sticking around the mansion. But Rikuo wasn"t someone suspicious, thus escaping the former CP9 agent"s glare. And so, they walked on. The silence between them was eerie yet there was no room for discomfort and Tsurara"s prior uneasiness had miraculously evaporated. "Say," said Tsurara all of a sudden. "Adonis was foolish, wasn"t he?" "What makes you say so?" the quarter-Nurarihyon asked back, realizing they had just stopped in front of a statue sculpted by Deidara, an almost perfect copy of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. "How could he refuse the goddess of love herself? Had he done otherwise, they could have been happy forever." The former smirk became a quasi-chuckle. "Even if he had done otherwise, his fate would remain tragic. She was a goddess; he was no more than a mere mortal." "You"re right," replied the Yuki-onna, and even if it was faint, Rikuo could hear a tinge of sadness in that gentle voice. "But maybe...maybe if he had just said yes, maybe he could have been happy even if it were but for a moment." His brows quirked for a second time and his lips involuntarily smiled. What could have brought this topic on, he didn"t know. Maybe it was the statue. "Adonis never cared about her. It was Venus" fault for jumping on him. She had no goddess pride at all." The formerly forlorn aura was torn apart by a reproachful look and a protest. "Oi, Rikuo-sama! You really are so..." "Yeah yeah yeah, whatever." Rikuo just walked away nonchalantly, leaving Tsurara behind to sulk. Tsurara sighed helplessly and complained, "Mother is right, men do change when they get older..." "Rikuo. Are you leaving?" Leaves were falling, dry and dead, almost crumpled, blown away by the autumn wind, whirling around as they fell down, down, down. "Yes," he simply replied not looking back. He needed to escape. He hated showing any signs of cowardice yet he had to run away as far as he could; he couldn"t be too picky, he simply had no other options to choose from. "I see. Be well." I will never come back. He did his best for weeks already. Did his best ignoring those glances, those stares which seemed to undress him every time sending goosebumps on his skin. Did his best pretending not to understand the hidden meaning behind those gifts, of those flowers. He did his best and it hadn"t been an easy task. And when it had gone too far, when it had been too obvious for him to pretend not to notice, for the sake of the Nura clan, for the sake of his precious vassal"s reputation and for the sake of his own dignity, he chose to run away. I will never come back. And yet when the summons came, he couldn"t refuse. "The Tsurara Clan needs you. We need your opinion concerning delicate matters." "The leader of the Clan is there. Couldn"t he formulate decisions on his own?" "Tsurara-sama is still too young and you know that our rival families might use her lack of experience to take advantage of both the Tsurara Clan and Nura Clan. No other person could provide the boss the guidance she needs. She needs you." He closed his eyes. He couldn"t say no. He could only sigh in despair. He needed to escape because Tsurara might just persuade him and he might just be carried away and say yes. "It was Venus" fault...she had no goddess pride at all." "I have been your servant for a long time...and you taught me everything I needed to learn...but..." "But?" "There is...there is something I have always wanted to know..." "What is it?" "I want to...I want to know...how to make love to you." A warm finger touched his cheek gently. He closed his eyes. He couldn"t say no. There were flowers in his palms, fingers on his wrists, that familiar fluff of hair, that scent, that head lying face downwards, warm breathing on his neck, lips touching his collarbone. He wanted to open his eyes but the sunlight coming from the window was just too bright. He must have forgotten to close the blinds again. He moved a little. The young woman on top of him stirred, waking up, and whispered, "Dear Venus, are you awake?" His face turned sour, disgusted at being called by such name. "Stop calling me that. And yes, I"m awake so get moving before I kill you." It had been like this for a long time and nobody in both Clans noticed anything odd between them. Nobody knew of the promises they made, of the happiness they shared within the confinements of this little room; Rikuo"s room. After all, would there be anything wrong with a male master sharing a room with his female vassal? Unless someone got it all figured out and is only keeping quiet about it. He got up, dragging the blanket along with him, and went to lie on his hammock. He closed his eyes and sighed. He had lost his mind already and he wanted to keep his cool at least. "For the sake of your Clan, have some shame. I already let you do what you wanted to do with me. Wasn"t it enough, for you?" "So...does it...does it mean you just...forced yourself?" "...No, I..." "Do you love me?" "...Of course I do..." "If you do, why won"t you just trust me? You know that I"m ready to leave everything for you. Why don"t we just tell them everything about us?" "I want to marry you." "You already know you can"t. You are my niece after all, Yomi"s kid." There were those tears again falling from those yellow eyes and he couldn"t help but kiss them away. "I"m sorry. It"s all my fault, isn"t it, dragging you into this? I"m sorry. But I promise, I will stay with you even if I die. I know there will come a time when I can just marry you without minding what other people would say." He almost laughed, bitterly that is, at such foolish vow. But she believed. An invitation was given to her. Yomi looked surprised. "Ara ara, I already know about you and Tsurara being fuck-buddies already, maybe I just forgot everything about it. Thank you for reminding me." Yomi then gulped her share of sweet sake, then continued. "At last, you decided to tie the knot, eh. Please take care of my daughter. And congratulations~!" Then, at the Final Valley... The feud between Rikuo and Tsunayoshi Sawada drew to an end, with Tsunayoshi emerging as the winner; Rikuo defeated and battered to the point of being half dead, Muramasa is destroyed by Axle burner, the age of the Nura Clan came to an untimely end. Rikou Nura is now in his deathbed, he can move, but only with a burst of his remaining Chakra, he use up those Chakra, he will really die. Sounds were coming closer. Tears were in his eyes. There was that voice calling him. "Rikuo-sama. Are you awake?" "Yes.' "Dear Venus, do you still remember what I promised you?" "Of course I do. How can"t I? And stop calling me that. It pisses me off.' Tsurara giggled, Rikuo opened his eyes, Tsurara was wearing a Kimono similar to the one she wears everyday, but today was different, it was more of a traditional white Kimono that Japanese women wear on their wedding. Rikuo just snorts, as he reached his hand out, a storm of lily petals blew in his face... Kubinashi was startled by the commotion outside. There were rings in his eyes and his nerves were too frayed to be disturbed. But he walked nevertheless till he heard something disturbing. "Tsurara is gone!" He frowned. Such foolishness. He couldn"t blame the person yelling such absurdity though. The Clan and the Youkais of Eastern Japan had been very reliant upon their head and everyone couldn"t just imagine Rikuo gone. But there was no running away from the truth. Tsurara was dead, blown up to pieces by Hayato Gokudera, in the game of Choice held in Karakura town. And since his defeat at the hands of Tsunayoshi, Rikuo suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined in the Nura mansion, barely alive and in a comatose state. "Kubinashi-sama, Tsurara"s body is gone from the graveyard!" He frowned all the more, running towards the coffin where the broken pieces of Tsurara was supposed to lie. And his mouth opened in shock when he actually found it empty, his feet stepping backwards as he saw footsteps on the floor, white lilies scattering all around. His phone rang. He answered the call, still in a daze. "Rikuo is gone!" It was Tobi, who had been stationed where their leader was confined. Kubinashi could hear his comrade panting and he could hear sounds, other voices, besides the ninja"s. "Didn"t you notice anything Tobi?' "There was nothing in there Deidara-senpai! We looked for evidence already!' "It must have been those Vonogla Bastards taking advantage of Rikuo-sama.' "But still, how couldn"t there be a proof of the kidnapping? Are you trying to tell us he just disappeared Sasori-danna?' "Look. There were footsteps all over. And these white flowers!' The masked ninja froze. Footsteps? Flowers? Just then, there was the sound of violins, as though coming from a performing orchestra. "S-S-Senpai..." "What?" "I think I know where they are..." Everybody was startled. What could have happened? What could have happened? They found themselves following the music towards that lonely hall. And before them, there were the white curtains, white flowers, wineglasses and tables as if there had been a wedding. Above the piano was a music box playing endlessly and beside it was the statue of Venus torn into pieces. "What in the world is this..?" whispered Sasori. "Argh! My Venus! My finest work! NO!" Deidara cried in despair. For there on the floor filled with fresh lilies was Tsurara, whose body somehow glued back together, and Rikuo, locked in a tender embrace. Sasori smacked Deidara in the face for ruining the moment as he kept howling for his statue.

But only one thing was wrong. Those bite marks belonged to a human. And the monster struck again and again, like a raptor craving too deeply the taste of meat. One by one, households were torn apart, and more children died. Each morning, they would awaken to hear news of another newborn"s body, another woman"s son, thrown upon the snow at the parents" doorway. And the nightmare kept returning-a nightmare that didn"t end when dawn broke. She never did understand. She only believed the black prophet"s words, the words of Yomi Isayama, because she had been taught that they were truth. Here lies Shizuru Himemiya The woman who never let love go Shizuru was always a dreamer. On cloudless nights, she would rest her chin on the cold wooden windowsill, and watch as the ghosts danced around the North Star with the most beautiful snow songs in the world. It wasn"t a legend; they dreamt and sang like the rest of the world, the souls of the dead who had been called to light by the Goddess of fate. Sometimes she would hear them whisper to her, words of her lost grandmother and her dead pet Kiyohime, beckoning her to the sky and wishing her the best. Sometimes, she didn"t know what to believe, and sometimes, they were her only truth. At the dining table, Natsuki would call out, telling her wife not to be so childish. Still, Shizuru would let the enchantment of the sky engulf her, and it made her smile widen even more. "Haven"t you seen the North Star, Natsu? It"s calling to me." And her husband would only sigh, wondering whether she ought to dream like her. But there was only silence and stillness around her, flooding the spaces between her shrieks. The dark figures had vanished, and beyond, the icy, windswept rises entombed the sky. She gazed up at the stars, unknowing of the directions they pointed. She didn"t truly understand, and yet she did. She was everyone in the world, all at the same time-everyone who had loved, been loved, shunned it and embraced it. It was disgusting, it was beautiful. Natsuki Himemiya pulled her fur coat tighter around her as she ran. She did so, not to ward off the biting chill of the snowy morning, but to keep out the mortifying cold of something deeper. In the dawn, the emptiness of the streets was haunting. He refused to notice, as he hastened to reach his destination. The hunters of Genbu sector had been summoned to the guild house that morning, and the veteran had a pretty clear idea what this was about. Oh, Goodness, this can"t really be my task to perform. Swallowing and wrapping the coat even tighter, Natsuki Himemiya felt her fingers shake as the guild house came into view. In the shadow of the potion shop, Chikane laughed dizzily. The blood on her tongue was heavenly. But she also felt the itch of annoyance-they were raising their defences, setting hunters on her trail. She would have to hide. But hiding would be a simple matter, simply because her foster father had taught her the human language. It would serve her well, now. The best place to hide from someone was among his own people. Remember this, Chikane-nyan! Uncle called out, as he arranged her collection of Hector tails and Leatty furballs by her bed. Her eyes still stung from the scolding she had just received. Yes? Chikane replied. He swooped down to land next to her, curling his tail around his daughter"s figure. Sometimes, love means pain, he sang.Sometimes, you have to hurt someone if you love them. But in the end, love is all-conquering, and love will find its way back to you. So take heart... Chikane hummed in disinterest, producing the sardines she had procured from the Jr. Pepes she had hunted down, arranging them beside the furballs. She had always loved collecting these strange odds and ends. Her father found itweird, but it was just beautiful, to her. Remember that! Uncle repeated. Chikane nodded, but her attention was elsewhere. The late afternoon light streamed through the strings of the harp, casting a delicate shadow on the wooden floor. Himeko pursed her lips, stopped by a particularly difficult chord. Her eyes sought out the five individual strings, fingers searching for them... In the silence, there was a small knock on her door. She hadn"t been expecting any visitors, and the abnormality of this event made her shiver. What if it"s- But now she considered the chances of the killer attempting a crime in daylight, and she felt her caution dissipate slightly. Was it safe? Apprehensively, Himeko stood and crossed the room. Her heart was in her mouth, as she grasped the doorknob and turned it- Where she had expected to find a killer, there only stood a young woman. Her hair was in wavy black locks, her blue eyes beautiful. But there was a terrifying light of fierceness in them, and it suddenly made Himeko want to slam the door shut. Then she began to speak. "I am only a traveller," she said with a distant, lilting accent, almost as if she were singing. "I have come in search of business. I heard your music on the road, and it drew me. Do you have room for accommodation?" Blinking a little, Himeko slowly found a smile. "Yes, of course, and it"s a good thing you came in," she replied. "There"s a murderer loose on Genbu city, and he or she might have attacked you if you had waited outside any longer." She glanced out the window at the setting sun, heart rate quickening with fear. The young woman thanked her and glanced around, searching for a place to sit. She didn"t carry anything with her, she suddenly noticed. Being her usual paranoid self, Himeko found this a little suspicious. "What is your business?" she asked testily. "I-I am an ice carver," she replied after composing herself. "I work with no tools but my fingers and my magic." "Oh? Show me?" she requested, following her to her dining table. She pulled herself a seat and flexed her fingers, her black-painted nails gleaming- Himeko stepped back. "My goodness, your nails," she gasped, slightly horrified. She laughed softly-a strange, enchanting sort of laugh. "I lacquer them so that I can carve with them," she replied. "Tools cost much nowadays." The girl blew into her palms, glitter swirling and gathering there in a growing block of ice. Himeko felt her breaths grow involuntarily deeper, while her brain suddenly joined the dots. "Ice breath," she whispered. "Isn"t that a dragon art?" Again the young woman lost her composure. "It-it is," she gasped. "I travelled into the mountains to learn it myself. It was not easy ..." Himeko could feel the slight suspicion buzzing at the back of her mind again, but she pushed it away. This craftswoman couldn"t be dangerous in any way; Maybe a liar, at worst-but not a killer. She returned her attention to the girl"s hands, where the ice statue was slowly taking shape. "What"s your name?" "My name?" She turned to regard her oddly, then seemed to understand. "Ah, call me Chikane," she replied, turning away. After a pause, Chikane spoke again. "What is yours?" "I"m-I"m...Himeko," she murmured nervously. Was this all right, revealing her name to some girl she didn"t yet know? As she listened to the sound of gently cracking ice, Himeko felt fear churn in her stomach. "Sorry...I"m just so afraid of strangers...and I"m not used to having visitors appear at my door like this. It"s terrifying." The girl stood and smiled again. "No, that is fine," she said. "I think it is actually quite charming..." Suddenly, she held out her carving to her-a beautiful ice shell. Himeko"s mouth fell open as she took it in her hand, all distrust falling instantly away. "Thanks," she said softly. "You"re an amazing carver..." Chikane smiled and fanned out her sharp black nails with pride, an action that should have terrified her to pieces. But she found herself admiring them instead, with a small smile of her own. She was a strange one, this Chikane. But she was likeable. "All evidence points to the fact that she hides somewhere in the village, you will thus go in shifts of five to search the houses-one from dusk to midnight, one from midnight to three o"clock, and one from three until daybreak. "In each shift, one person will patrol each area of Genbu city. The townspeople have been instructed to assist you-if any of them spots the murderer in question, they will send out a signal-a blue flare, which has been installed in every household-and you must respond with immediacy, that clear?" They glanced at each other and nodded. Deep inside, they were terrified. But they were men and some of them, robots, and they couldn"t let that show, so false bravado was their only answer. Thus, Chikane"s new life had begun. She settled comfortably into Himeko"s house, helping her regularly with chores and listening to her music while she continued to carve. Soon the unfamiliarity had melted away-and real friendship took its place, so warmly. Now they would take walks together in the snow, and she would get to know the townspeople with her. The days spun by like snowflakes. Occasionally, the girl found herself forgetting her task. She just distracted her that much-she acted so much more like a friend than a host. Slowly, she was losing purpose-doing it more for joy than for the information that would progress her deeds. Don"t forget yourself!She kept reminding herself. But she kept warming up to her even more everyday learning little things about the musician she had never known before. This was looking to become permanent in her life-but could she let it...? No, don"t forget yourself.There was a part of her that she would always hate, no matter how close they became. In the next weeks, the hunters paid Himeko a visit. She almost died from the terror that they had found her out-but they were only here to hook an electric flare to the wall. "If you happen to find the murderer, you are to light it and throw it on the snow," they instructed. Chikane"s eyes burnt darkly, as they said this. I will catch them before they catch me,she thought. I have to finish my quest. Where did I come from? She often wondered, as she gazed up at her father-dragon, trying to understand. Do I have real parents? Why am I not with them? If Uncle isn"t my real father, does he really love me? So strange, for a five-year-old to wonder these things. It was instinct. Dark, dark questions; these dark things had been her calling since birth. She took refuge in angst, in hate and fear. How had these things entered an innocent spirit? (But the seeds had been planted long ago, somewhere between the icy mountains-seeds that grew into strange questions and haunted her all the time.) Evening fell like a curtain on the small town, once more. As the birds were cooing their farewells, Chikane"s host called her to the kitchen, against the sound of water bubbling. It had been a month and a half since her arrival; she had already accustomed herself to the routine. "Honestly, why do you live alone?" she muttered, cutting the bland carrots with distaste. She had begun to talk exactly like her, over her stay here. "You"ve got to do all your chores yourself. It"s not fun, is it?" "Definitely not," Himeko laughed. "It"s terrible." Then her voice took on a bitter edge. "Well, I left for a reason. They didn"t love me. I was just a slaveto them." "...They?" Her eyes held a more pain than all her words. Blinking, she looked down at the fish she was de-scaling. "My mother, she died when I was born, and my father-nope, didn"t love me one ounce. I"ve never, ever been loved in my life." "I-I know how it"s like," she suddenly replied. Himeko glanced up in surprise. Blinking, Chikane hoped desperately that she couldn"t see her tears. "I"ve never...ever been loved before." Her fingers accidentally let her knife slip. Wincing, she laid it down and licked the blood off her finger swallowed deep. Darkly, Chikane added, "I"m going to make sure someoneelse feels that pain." Himeko"s eyes widened. "Chikane," she gasped. "You...you don"t have to. It isn"t worth it-" "I"m a vengeful person," Chikane answered. "Don"t stop me." Silence swept through the room like a cold wind, and they went back to their cooking. Ten minutes washed by, before Himeko finally broke it. "At least life is pretty decent here," he said more cheerfully. "The chief likes my music..." A smile had come to the musician"s lips, and Chikane found herself loving it so much-for it suddenly made her believe that the world wasn"t so cold. How much she wished she could think the way she did... Chikane sighed deeply and cleared the chopping board of carrots, hoping that Himeko hadn"t noticed her lapse in attention. She stared down at the dead creature"s gleaming body, mind full of greyness and indecision. Three months, and they hadn"t seen any trace of the killer. Some were even beginning to wonder if it had only been a communal nightmare. Guard shifts were reduced from five to three; the hunters began to slacken in their watch. And as the days grew brighter, people felt the relief sinking in. They soaked it up, like a cold man would soak up sunshine. Stop this idiocy, Chikane! The girl scolded herself. But then she heard the magical notes of Himeko"s harp, and she found herself relenting to her newfound joy. Her mind only worked on her quest in the subconscious, now-and she had taken three months to realise that she needed weapons. "Hey, Himeko..." she called. "Do you know I could buy weapons? Just in case?" Her answer was all she needed; then, she could leave this place. Leave this place. The thought made her feel so cold. Himeko turned. Three months ago, she would have gone completely panicky at the mention of weapons. But somehow she had lost that paranoia around her, and now showed absolutely no fear. "There"s a weapon shop at the fountain end of the market street. You know that place, right?" She nodded and walked to the door, while Himeko gazed on at her- The sound of the doorknob clicking flung the musician out of her daydream. Rising suddenly, she dashed to the door and snatched her hand, tugging her back. "Hey!" Chikane exclaimed, turning to her. "Please-please...don"t put yourself in danger," she gasped, letting go of her fingers. "I"m just-so afraid." "No need to be so worried, you paranoid idiot!" Chikane replied with amusement, touching her arm, followed by a kiss on her forehead. Grinning to herself, she resumed her exit. She is so cute sometimes, she thought. "How can you be so lazy? The murderer still lurks in our town! We have no evidence of his or her departure, and until we do, youwill remain vigilant! You arehunters-you don"t let your prey go just because you can"t see it!" No one responded. He grunted in annoyance and turned. And they murmured their agreement, bowing, though their hearts were screaming otherwise. Unto the world, a promise is torn. Over the frozen autumn, the hunters came back on duty, steadfast as ever. And alone in Himeko"s house, Chikane watched through the windows, more frightened than she had ever been before. She gazed at the cold snow fluttering down through the grey sky, shivering slightly. Once, she had been ruthless. She had known no guilt, no doubt. But Himeko had softened her that much. It was as if she had opened a window to her, a window through which she could see herself. She was who shewas-a lonely person who had never known love. They often talked of loss and loneliness, sitting together at the sofa on stormy days, watching the pale snow though the glassy panes and warming their hands on their laps. Then they would stare off in silence, and never ask each other what they were thinking. They both understood, without words. And they argued ever so often, too-but their friendship had deepened to the point that such disputes were mere bumps in the road. It was magical, sweet-and dissonant in her heart. It was so confusing. Half a year already-she stillhadn"t made a move from the musician"s house. Her excuse was always this: She only had two knives, while the hunters had all the equipment of the village. She told herself that she wouldn"t last long, and would have to get more before she could hope to take her revenge. But deep within herself, Chikane also knew that she was staying for her.For the warmth, for the familiarity was deepening everyday. Why she needed it so, she didn"t know. But she knew that it was a weakness, and she knew she would have to banish it eventually... Hate is nurtured in mere seconds, but love takes seasons to grow. "Chikane." There was gentleness in Himeko"s voice, as she sat down at her harp and tuned it. Chikane turned, and her heart seemed to melt at the sound of the first note. "Hm?" "Have I ever sung for you before?" Her purple gaze was warm and earnest, and Chikane suddenly went breathless in it. She shook her head with a small, shy smile. Laughing softly, she sounded a chord. Over the half-year she had lived in the musician"s house, it surprised Chikane that she had never heard him sing before. She had thought she already knew everything about her-till now. "Alright, then-" She swallowed, turned to her for comfort. "Here goes. "We were-" Chikane leapt from her seat, running over to the harp. "I know this song!" she exclaimed, recalling how Uncle had sung her to sleep with these words, in dragon tongue. "Go on, go on!" Himeko"s smile widened, and she closed her eyes, breathing. But as the youth began once more, she joined her, singing the harmony to the tune. "We were only two children At the heart of a cold world With only one candle To light us the way... "Chikane! Your voice is amazing!" Chikane had never seen the girl"s face so bright before. She grinned at her, and they went on together. The song. She remembered the words so clearly now. It was a song of strange places, and of stars, of love in a cold place. It was optimistic, impossible-and yet the moment she heard them in Himeko"s voice, she believed every word-though she had been hurt so many times before, though she had never known love. Didn"t she? "But somewhere deep, sleeping-" Suddenly, Himeko stopped. The silence hung in the air of the room for a whole minute, ringing so resonantly it was almost magical. Chikane"s voice froze with the music. And she looked afraid, so afraid. "Is...anything wrong?" Finally Himeko turned to her, eyes brimming. "Chikane," she said softly. "Chikane, if you had the choice...would you stay here forever?" She turned away. "With me?" Chikane felt her eyes widen, her heart crying. Yes, yes, yes!It sang. Yes, I would-I would give anything to do that!But her mind pleaded with her, pleaded that she didn"t give in... "You said you were lonely, so many times," she added suddenly. "You said that you"ve never been loved. But you don"t have to feel that way anymore!" She rose, turning to her. "I-I-" She blinked. Chikane felt the musician"s eyes burn deep into her, and at that moment everything went haywire in her mind. "What?" she gasped. "No, you can"t-" "I love you," Himeko said, grasping her shoulders. "I know it"s-" Those purple eyes darted away. "I know it"s so sudden. But how often...how often do you find someone who understands you more than yourself?" "But-but-" Chikane" mind was a hurricane. She fought her away, breaths deep and terrified. "You can"t! There"s too much about me you don"t know! I"m-" She felt her gaze lower itself, from the burden of all the lies she had told. "I was brought up by dragons!" she said. "The ice breath, the claws, they"re all-" "That doesn"t matter!" Himeko shouted out in reply, stepping forward when she backed away. "You"re the chance I"ve waited for all my life-the chance for me to lose my pain..." The dragon girl stepped back again, shaking her head so hard, crying. She couldn"t. She couldn"t, because she had something to do, and she would only pull her back. She couldn"t, even though she loved her too. "Hi-Himeko...I"m not who you think I am," Chikane whispered, clenching her fists, eyes narrowed. "These claws-" she looked down at them. "-They aren"t for carving. They"re for killing. They"re-" Then her eyes were suddenly stirred up in deep terror. "You-" she gasped, shaking her head. "No, please-no..." "Yes, I"m the murderess they"re looking for!" Chikane snarled and bared her teeth, eyes burning with tears. "I won"t be here forever! Soon I"ll leave, and I"ll kill all the children here. And then the hunters will claim me!" Himeko should have been afraid. No, she should be scared out of her wits. She should be fleeing from the house at this instant. But somehow, she felt as if electricity were running through his nerves, her soul so terrifyingly calm. "Why?" she murmured. "Why must you give up your life like that?" More tears. "My father," she whispered. "My father-" She stepped forward, reaching out, suddenly understanding. But she only flung his hand away, drawing further and further away. "Do you know what happenedto me?" she screamed."My father called me a murderess, just because my mother died! He left me to die in the snow, to be eatenby dragons!" She collapsed against the wall, sobbing. "I"m nothing but unwanted! An unwanted creature, unloved, unneeded! Why must this all be my own pain to take?" She whirled around, teeth bared like a wild animal. "Well, he called me a murderess! So I"ll show everyone-"

With her hands on her hips, Kanako shrugged. The anthropomorphic dragon gave a gentle nod, his smile turning darker. "I didn"t figure you would." He glanced out the window for a moment, trying to collect his words. Kanako watched the man"s hands shifting awkwardly. Uncle looked back to Kanako. "Hiyah, I"m just going to come out with it: There are rumours passing around, Kanako." Kanako raised an eyebrow to this. The elderly teacher wanted to talk with her about...Gossip? It was well-known that Uncle was a bit of a gossip-hound - making him exactly like her colleague Eirin - but surely he wouldn"t believe the nonsense those tengus spewed out from their mixed up hormones. "And?" "The particular rumour I wish to address involves you," Uncle stated. "Me?" This further confused the blue haired. Of all the people in the school, there was a rumour about her? She knew better than to be surprised. Somewhere she had once heard that every student has a rumour about himself that he may or may not know of. The point, however, was that Kanako had thought herself well-received by her fellow student body. What sort of rumour was it that could involve her? Uncle stood up and walked around his desk to stand in front of Kanako. "Yes, but it isn"t only about you. It involves another - One of your underclassmen, a girl by the name of Sanae." Kanako"s eyes widened at the name. It couldn"t possibly be...They had been so secretive. So careful. The chances that THAT was what the rumour was about had to be slim. No, it wasn"t possible that someone had found out and had told. It couldn"t be. Uncle gave the blue haired a look of suspicion at her reaction. The near graduate took note of her look. Kanako regained her composure, putting up her calm mystic once more. No need for the woman to consider giving credit to any rumours started by teenagers. "The Kochiya girl?" Kanako cleared her throat when she heard how dry it suddenly sounded. "What possible rumour could involve the two of us?" The old dragon closed his eyes. He leaned his back to rest against his desk, with his arms laced gently in front of him. An awkward silent fell between them for a moment before Uncle opened his eyes to explain. "The rumour has it that you and Sanae are in fact," he paused trying to find the perfect word. "Invloved in a tryst." Kanako didn"t have to feign shock. She truly was when she heard the all knowing dragon of Gensokyo say that specific statement. "A tr-tryst?" "It means a meeting of lovers." "I know what it means," Kanako half-barked. When Uncle gave her a look of warning Kanako gave him an apologetic stare. "Sorry, it"s just...Surprising to hear you say that." Uncle further pressed the topic with, "Am I to assume this means there is absolutely no truth to these accusations?" Kanako scoffed. "Of course there"s no truth to them. She"s not even a freshman yet." She was lying. There was nothing but truth to that claim of romance between the teacher herself and the underclassman. They had been meeting in a romantic way for quite some time now. They had been nothing but careful about it. Not wanting to let others spoil it with their opinions or prejudices. It had been months since they first started. It, for obvious reasons, hadn"t gone beyond chaste kisses, hugging and cuddling, and holding hands in the privacy of their own homes. Sanae, as far as Kanako was aware, didn"t even know how to use her tongue in kissing let alone do full-blown making out. The other students knew Kanako had taken a shine to the much younger girl; though it always seemed that they just believed she was "training" an apprentice to take over her mantle when she left the school. The two had met in a sort of fated encounter as Kanako thought of it. Sanae and her class had just been assigned that ridiculous assignment of watching after an egg. Sanae had been partnered with a raven haired girl from their class do to there being more girls than boys in the class. The problem was that that raven haired, Hakurei Reimu, was a known bully and had lost her temper at something Sanae had said. She had thrown the egg out the window to Sanae"s horror. It was pure luck that Kanako had been outside that window. She caught the egg with her wind powers. Sanae came down and found her with the egg, and after some playful teasing the two seemed to hit it off very well. Kanako had even "suggested" that Reimu stop harassing her new little friend. From there on Kanako began to have Sanae spend more time with her. Simple things like hanging out together at lunchtime or sometimes in the halls. But it built up to hanging out together outside of school, even going to the movies and taking her home to help the younger girl with her homework and such. That"s where the talk about Kanako training Sanae came in. Sanae had asked her about it one day, and Kanako was surprised to admit that there wasn"t exactly true. That whatever was going on between them felt bigger than that, that discussion ultimately lead to an awkward kiss; their first. Kanako thought over that for a moment, knowing there was some truth to that but it was still more of a mutual exchange of amore. Despite that, Kanako had no intention of taking things to a much more physical level. Not now at least. That would be far too demanding of Sanae. She understood that Sanae wasn"t physically or mentally ready for such a relationship yet. So she would happily wait, not just for Sanae but for herself as well. Kanako wasn"t sure she was even ready for that kind of relationship. She had never been one to be overly perusing the idea of a sexual relationship with any girl, and definitely not any boy. Though that didn"t mean she didn"t want to at sometime go the next level with a girl, but only with the one she truly wanted to give her body and heart to. Perhaps that was just the way her late parents had raised her, she didn"t know for certain. Uncle nodded to her reply. "I"m glad to hear you say that, Kanako. I don"t think I have to tell you the implications of such a relationship. It could be damaging to both of your own appearances in the public eye." Kanako cursed the public and their symbolic eye. "Not to mention the fact that once you graduate that kind of relationship will be considered illegal, well, in the outside world anyway." Uncle bit the inside of his cheek to keep his mouth shut. She knew the truth of that. She had known since she first started the relationship. Sanae and her had full conversations about this particular topic many times before. More so now that the cursed day was steadily approaching. But Kanako had stated she wouldn"t date in college, but would rather wait until Sanae was of a more legal age. If Sanae, however, wanted to date someone else and ended up actually being in love with that person instead Kanako would just move on. It would hurt, at first, but she always overcame any problem faced against her so this shouldn"t be any different, or should the situation as a whole. They"d pull through it in the end, she was certain. "Besides, you do know that I support High school BGR and lesbianism and this school is in between the outside world and Gensokyo, so at least hide it from the outside world." Uncle finished his opinion. The blue haired couldn"t stop herself from frowning this time. In fact, it probably looked more like a full blown glare to the older dragon man. Uncle surprised expression was evident of that. "It"s not the matter of tw-two girls involved in that sort of relationship," he had stammered to correct himself. "I may be getting old for human age, but I"m not that narrow-minded. I understand some amount about the gay and lesbian culture. I hear two of your friends Kaguya is involved with that Mokou. They are a couple, right? So I have no dislike of their culture." Kanako continued to frown. Typical cover up. "Forgive my misuse of words by accepting me giving an example of someone I know like that so you know I"m not really like that.' If he had just apologized, Kanako wouldn"t have been as annoyed. She couldn"t stand people doing those kinds of cover ups. Uncle continued, "It"s just the matter of two people dating and one of them being an impressionable youth that I find disturbing. The age-gap, not the gender issue." He made sure to emphasis on that last statement. A gentle knock came from the door. Both dragon and teacher glanced over to the door seeing Sanae poking her head into the room. Her beaming smile lighting up on her soft features. Kanako knew the smile wasn"t for a polite or lady-like greeting to them both. It was aimed directly at herself. Kanako gave a ghost of a smile back. "Am I interrupting anything?" the young girl squeaked out. "No." Kanako crossed her arms over her chest, long since through with this conversation. She eyed her teacher. "Is there anything else, sir?" Uncle sighed, lowering his head. "No, I suppose not. You may go, Kanako." Kanako didn"t even waste a goodbye on the dragon who had been trying her patience. She walked out the door, her arm wrapping around Sanae"s waist slightly to instruct her on following. Kanako heard Sanae give the teacher a farewell as Kanako half dragged her out of the room. The two remained silent as they walked on towards Kanako"s Kappa built navy blue sports car with the yellow upside down star on the hood. Kanako assumed Sanae realized she wasn"t in a talking mood at the moment. So she just followed in silent obedience. Kanako unlocked the car, stepping in. She heard the door next to her opening and the easing shut. It seemed Sanae minded Kanako"s warning about not slamming the door shut. An awkward silence befell the car as the two sat there: Kanako glaring at the stirring wheel while Sanae sat next to her with a worried look. Sanae reached out and placed her hand on Kanako"s hand. Kanako glanced at Sanae out of the corner of her eye. Her heart began to swell as she saw the concerned look in those big blue eyes. Sanae opened her mouth as if to say something but never got the chance as two soft lips closed over hers. Sanae"s eyes blinked, surprised. Kanako pulled back flashing the green haired with that charming smile spreading that made ever girl and boy she knew weak in the knees - A smile that had become exclusive to her now. The teacher burst out laughing. Sanae looked at her older girlfriend with an uneasy smile. "You"re absolutely adorable," Kanako said, her hand reaching up to stroke the girl"s cheek. Sanae blushed, smiling. "T-thanks. Ar-are you gonna be-" "Nah," Kanako said, turning on her car engine. "I"m fine as long as you are. I can live through the stupid crap, as long as I"ve got you. You"re all I need to felt health and happy." Sanae leaned over, kissing her on the cheek. "Then you"re gonna be the healthiest person in the world," Sanae said giggling as they pulled out off the school parking lot into the street. Kanako smiled at the road in front of her. Surprising how the love of a cute and pure hearted girl could make a gal like she was some powerful warrior, unstoppable. Like a shark..., no, like a snake. But that"s what they were: the snake and a little fairy, weren"t" they? Omake - a very, very long time ago in Gensokyo It was seriously hard to forgive people. But not just people, actually just one person. Kaguya Houraisan. Not only had she taken my pride away from me, when she beat the crap out of me on my way back from school. But she had taken my virginity too. So, there I was, lying in her bed, with nothing more than a skimpy bed sheet over my sweaty body. And I seriously wanted to die right there and then. But before I could even move, Kaguya rolled back over, half her body crushing mine. She had fallen asleep, seeing as she made me orgasm more than I had planned to... About 6 times and she had looked like she wasn"t going to stop! And it seemed that I had been really hot to her, seeing as she climaxed more than me... I got shivers just thinking about it. I tried to get out from underneath Kaguya but her big body just wouldn"t move. So, after about the 5th try, I had finally slipped out. I looked back at Kaguya and before I knew it, she was flopping her arm around the place where I had been. Then it clicked, she was looking for me so I yanked a fallen pillow, from the floor, and slipped it under her arm. And in an instant, Kaguya went back to sleep, her body curling closer and closer to the pillow. I shuddered at the thought that that could have been me... I quickly began to search for my clothes. My shirt, ribbons and pants were easy to find... I just had to find my undies and my bra. Shit! I tripped over the fallen blanket, which is hard to believe but it had been thrown off the bed, sometime during the night. I roamed around the room, trying to see where I was going in the near darkness. Fortunately, my underwear and bra were quite easy to find. My underwear was on a shelf, definitely thrown there. And my bra was... under Kaguya! Why couldn"t it have been thrown? Why, why, why? I tugged at Kaguya to move the other way but she didn"t budge. I seriously didn"t want to wake her up, in fear that she would take advantage of me again. So, I tried again, by pulling away the pillow a little at a time. Unbelievably, Kaguya followed and before long, my bra was out from under her body. I gently lifted it off of the bed and quickly tried to put it on. The damned clip was really going on my enemies list. I tried to get it hooked but it just wouldn"t come together! (a/n: Um...If you"re a guy or a certain pervy, lesbian crazed dragon, you probably won"t understand that...) Finally, I got it done and tried to find my undies again. I tried to put one of my feet in, but it got caught in the undies and before I knew it, I had face-planted straight into the floor. I jumped straight up, in position to do some serious fighting. I thought Kaguya had woken up from my fall, except all that she had done was curl up closer up to the pillow, her face pushed into where my neck would have been. I squinted downwards, trying to make out where the heck I had dropped my undies. And there they were, looking almost innocently back at me. I grabbed them furiously and jerked them on swiftly and reached for my clothes. Having my body fully clothes for the first time in that night, I tiptoed over to the bedroom door. Opening it quietly, I stepped out into the hallway of her apartment. Thank god she didn"t live with Eirin or any of those rabbits anymore or else my ass would have been busted badly. I almost ran over to the front door, before I realised I would need my shoes to go home. Shoes that were currently still somewhere in Kaguya"s room. I swore as I opened the door again. I poked my head into the room, hoping to see my shoes straight away. Luck was seriously not on my side that night. I fumbled back into the messy room and began the search for my dratted shoes. They were nowhere to be seen. I searched through all the stuff on the floor and I even went through all of Kaguya"s clothes. I kneeled on the floor, practically upturning all the floorboards, trying to find my shoes. I looked up for a second and I caught a glimpse of blue, the exact colour of my shoes. But when I looked up, I realised that I had been looking at the wall. And yet, there they were, my blue sneakers, hanging on the wall, a kunai (where and when did she get one?) piercing the laces of the two. Aww crap... How could I forget that Kaguya had pinned them up so that I wouldn"t be able to leave her? God, did she have a lot of sake... Well, I did too. I stood back up and reached upwards to get my sneakers. Damn Kaguya and her magic. I touched the tip of the sneakers but the slipped away from my hand and then I was just like a mere child trying to reach for their favourite toy or in my case, my favourite shoes. My hand touched the sneaker again and I was able to get a grip on it. I pulled the sneaker downwards, towards me but they didn"t move at all. I swore again before my hands formed hand signs. I was going to try and summon a fire to burn out the laces but then why not use a spellcard and get a hold of the kunai? So, I teleported using a basic flying spell about 20cm off the ground and grabbed hold of the kunai, which I pulled with all my might. The kunai didn"t move for a few seconds, before it flew out so quickly that I dropped like a sack of potatoes to the floor. I was seriously never going to get out of there! I pulled my sneakers on quickly and with a lot of effort, I tried not to run to the bedroom door. I reached the door and quickly stepped out of the bedroom. Shutting the door as quietly as I could, I dashed to the front door and ran out. I wasn"t really afraid if she would come after me now, but just as long I was in public, she couldn"t take me again. Then it hit me, it was about 2 in the morning and we had school later that day. How the hell was I supposed to keep away from her now? I walked down the street, with temperatures around -100 degrees (was Gensokyo that cold, or was it a certain ice fairy messing around instead.). I couldn"t even feel my fingers, so I stuffed them into my pants pockets and pulled my hood over my head. My breath looked like I was smoking, dammit! So, I made my way back home, where I was planning on taking a shower. I opened the door to my apartment and quickly ran in, trying to keep the freezing air outside. I took my sneakers off and headed towards my bedroom. I opened my wardrobe and pulled a set of clean clothes, a clean bra and clean undies. And with all that stuff in my arms, I walked to the bathroom. I plonked all my stuff down, next to the sink and began to run the water in my shower. As I pulled my hoodie off, I thought about taking a bath instead. Seeing as it was 2am and I didn"t really have anything better to do, I shut the water off in my shower and began to run the water in my bath. I continued to pull the clothes off of my back and when I was naked as I was only a few minutes ago, I stepped into the steaming water. The hot water was really nice, I felt so relaxed. So, I soaked in the tub for about 40 minutes. Just lying there, almost in a daze. Then as I was just about to fall asleep, a damn ringing sound rang straight into my ear. I groaned and looked out my bathroom door and I realised it was my phone. I groaned again before I sat up and tried to reach for my towel. Of course, luck seriously wasn"t going to help me. The towel was about a millimetre away from my hand, just out of my damn reach! I flopped out of the tub to try and get it coz I really didn"t want to stand up in the tub. And I still couldn"t get the towel! So, I had to kneel in the tub to get my towel. I leaned over the side, too far over the side and once again fell over, straight into the floor. My hand gripped the towel but if I was falling, what could that do to help me? Trying to get up from the floor, all wet and your feet still on the edge of the bath tub is harder than you think! I pulled my legs out of the bath tub and quickly stood up, wrapping the towel around my soaking body. I sighed before walking out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, reaching for my phone before pressing the talk button. "Hello!" I tried to sound cheerful but my body really ached from the beating it had had that evening... "Oh, hey Mokou. It"s me, Kaguya! I was just wondering why you left and didn"t tell me about it~!" Kaguya"s voice was truly scary at the moment. And as my mouth opened to plant an excuse, my mind took over and came up with a stupid but possibly brilliant plan. "This is Fujiwara"s! I"m actually out at the moment but if you have something to tell me leave a message after the beep... BEEP!" I tried my best to imitate the beeping noise, and it seemed to have worked as Kaguya began to leave a message. "Oh... Um, hi Mokou. I just wanted to ask why you left my place without telling me. Oh, and your imitation beep really sucks so why did you leave my apart-" Before she even finished her sentence, I had slammed the phone back down. Oh crap, was I going to have a bad day at school. I drowsily walked up the steps to my school, drowsy from not being able to sleep since I left Kaguya"s dorm room. I yawned as I reached the top step, my arm extending to the side. What I wasn"t expecting was to be pulled to the side by someone. An "eep" escaped my mouth before I was practically falling to my right side. Thank god someone caught... In fear of pain from falling to the ground, off a flight of steps, I had closed my eyes. Big mistake! If I hadn"t have closed my eyes, I would have seen who had caught me... So, I fell into the waiting arms of someone, a particular NEET (if it weren"t for Eirin who practically dragged her to school) who I didn"t want to see that morning. Kaguya. "Oh! Hi K-Kaguya!" I stuttered, while trying to get loose of her arms. "Hello to you, Mokou. You still haven"t answered my question. Why did you leave my apartment last night?" Kaguya leaned closer and closer towards me, making me feel small and vulnerable. DING! DING! DING! Ok, the school bell goes on my friends list. Thank god! I jumped from Kaguya"s arms and quickly muttered, "Well, that"s the bell! I"ll see you later!" And with that, I ran straight into school.

Preface Late October 2012 He had come so far to find her. And there she was. Oh yes indeed; there she was. Not even eight months later, locked in another man"s embrace. His blood boiled and his first impulse was to dash right inside the house and beat the living hell out of the other guy. Normally he would have given into his impulse but right then self-preservation meant more. Plus, he was in no condition to pummel some guy. He was still on crutches having only recently learned how to walk again. He was in no way going to be able to take on some guy twice his size. But he was hurt. So hurt. And angry. He punched the wall as hard as he could and then turned and began to hobble away. He didn"t know where he was going but anywhere was better than here - watching the only woman he had ever loved in the arms of someone else. Tears streamed shamefully down her face as she climbed into her car and gunned the engine. She could barely see two feet in front of her with her eyes so clouded over but she was not going to stay here. Catching her lover with another woman, a woman she hated more than life itself, and learning that it had been going on for months and worse, that the other woman was pregnant with his child, she knew that she was definitely not going to stick around and get kicked in the teeth again. She was going to drive away so far and so fast that no one would ever find her. Not that she really believed that anyone but her dad would bother looking for her. No one else cared enough about her. Everyone always left her and tonight was more than proof of that. He was crossing the street, hurrying to his car, a cloud of fury, rage and pain blanketing his consciousness. He was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he didn"t even see the car until it was just a mere ten feet away. He felt it lift him off the ground and hurl him through the air right before impact hit; right before darkness itself washed over him ... Chapter 1 She had been so blinded by tears that she never saw it coming. It was only when she heard a sickening crunching sound that she realized she had hit something. Or someone. The thought made her sick inside. What else could possibly go wrong tonight? She halted the car for a second and looked around. She didn"t see anything at first. Then she spotted a tangled body - yes, a body! - lying on the side of the road. Her first instinct was to drive out of there like she had never come down this street in the first place but she realized she couldn"t just leave them there. She wasn"t that evil of a person, was she? Plus, she was the daughter of a cop. She knew this could be traced back to her somehow and then she"d go down as a hit and run murderer or something and God knew what they did to women like her in prison ... "Shit," she said as she put on the brakes and reached for her purse on the seat beside her. She fumbled with the zipper as she realized her hands were shaking so badly. Finally, she managed to steady them enough to free her cell phone. She immediately dialed 911. "911. What"s your emergency?" A gruff, possibly feminine voice asked. She sighed as another tear escaped her eye. "I think I killed someone." She groaned. "Wait. That came out wrong. I may have run someone over though ..." The dispatcher asked Maxie to stay on the line but after she gave directions, she didn"t see why she should. She wanted to get the hell out of there. And yet ... She was oddly curious to see if whomever she had hit was actually still, somehow, alive. Curiosity, cats, all that... She sighed and pushed open the door, lifting a slender leg out even as she wondered why she was doing this. She should stay far away from any bloodshed in these designer threads she was wearing. She stepped out of her car and moved towards the side of the road where the body was lying. At first she couldn"t see much, other than two crutches lying at odd angles in the grass. She bit her lip as she edged closer and could now see that it was a guy. "Hey, uh, are you alive?" she asked. There was no response. "Shit, I killed someone. I can"t believe I actually killed someone!" she cried out as she began to turn and walk away. But just then she heard what sounded like life. He was trying to clear his throat. She whipped around. "Oh my god!" she screamed as his eyelids hovered at half-mast and he struggled to move. "Did I paralyze you?" she asked frantically, thinking of shaking him fully awake but realizing that she would have to touch him to do that. And it might, in hindsight, cause more damage than good. She had to learn not to be so reactionary, as Mac would say. He groaned loudly and she began to pace. "I am really sorry about this. I didn"t mean to hit you. But who just walks across a dark road in the middle of the night without ... Okay, okay it was my fault entirely but ... Well maybe not. You weren"t at a crosswalk, were you? You were jaywalking. A-ha! You can"t hold that against me, now can you? Oh god ..." He moaned and she sighed. "Okay I"m going back to the car now." "Hope..." He finally ground out between his lips. "Hope..." "Yes, you hope you"re going to be okay. So do I. Do you think I need to be known as the town killer? I mean, sure Jason Morgan already has that title but people will look at me sideways, wondering when I"ll drive them down next. Not that it matters. I am leaving town anyway because-" "HOPE!" He finally screamed out in indigence. "HOPE!" "Okay, Jesus ... Temperamental, much?" she asked and just then heard the squeal of tires and the sounds of sirens. "Help is here," she said. "You"re going to be just fine. And remember, this was so not my fault...." An ambulance arrived and parked on the shoulder of the road. Two able-bodied young male paramedics hopped out and Maxie directed them to the body. Next, a cop car pulled up and she prayed it wasn"t one of the cops that she knew well. "No such luck," she murmured. "Dammit." Mac Scorpio began jogging over to her. "Maxie, what the hell happened?" Were his first words to her. Maxie sighed. "Well hello to you too, Dad." "Maxie ..." "I was just driving along, minding my own business, when this guy comes out of nowhere ..." She looked over at said guy. He was being loaded onto a stretcher and still murmuring the word or the name "Hope". She turned back to Mac. "It was a complete accident, I am serious." "You better hope so, Maxie," Mac said. "I really don"t want you going down for vehicular manslaughter." Maxie"s bones immediately chilled. She so did not need to hear this right now. "Manslaughter? I don"t think so!" she snapped. "It was an accident. As soon as this guy comes around, he will tell you that." "If he comes around," Mac said somberly and Maxie rolled her eyes. She was surprised though when Mac suddenly pulled her into his arms and gave her a tight hug. "Are you okay?" he asked. Tears moistened her eyes anew. "Yeah... I mean, I could have killed a guy but ..." She wasn"t going to tell him about Matt and the other woman now. "It"s just ... Well, thanks for the hug." Mac surveyed the damage and then told Maxie that she needed to head home and stay there, as if he sensed somehow that she was ready to flee town for good. She understood then that she wasn"t free and clear on hitting this guy. Even if it had been an accident ... He tucked her back into her severely damaged Lexus and told her to drive home safely. She nodded even though she had no intention of going home right now. No, she had things to do, people to see ... *The first scene with Jason is just for a little levity before the angst really starts anew. Enjoy ... or not lol* Chapter 2 A manic pounding on the door at after three a.m. could only mean one thing - bad news. In his line of work, he should have been more equipped to deal with interruptions like this but it never got less annoying. Now that he was a father again, he was a hundred times more aware of the dangers his life and his job, presented to his infant son. He heard Sam stir beside him and he whispered to her, "Stay up here." Sam murmured something that sounded like agreement and then crawled out of bed at the same time as him. However, she went for the baby in the bassinet and he went for his gun in the top drawer of his dresser. He moved hurriedly down the hall then, meeting Spinelli halfway. Spinelli, who sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Who could that be at this tragically early hour?" The man-child asked. Jason shook his head. "I don"t know but I"m going to find out. Stay up here with Sam and Danny." Spinelli nodded. "The Jackal will do his utmost to protect the Goddess and the Precious One." Jason just shook his head and descended the stairs slowly, stealthily and methodically. He kept the gun trained out in front of him as he reached the bottom step and then aimed it at the door. "Who"s there?" he demanded. He heard a loud sniffling and cocked his head. "Who"s there?" he repeated. "It"s Maxie! Can you open the damn door, Jason?" she bellowed. Jason rolled his eyes and put his gun down at his side before unlatching and opening the door. Maxie"s eyes bugged out when she saw the pistol at his hip. "Ohmigod. You weren"t seriously going to shoot me?" Jason rolled his eyes. "Maxie, it"s after three in the morning," he said pointedly. "What the hell are you doing here?" Maxie"s big blue eyes filled with fresh tears and Jason shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "I need to see Spinelli right now. And Sam too if she"s not too busy with my god-son." "You"re not his godmother. Kristina is." "I should have been his godmother," Maxie cried. "Kristina was already a blood relation. Don"t think that doesn"t still bother the shit out of me and -" She broke off as she saw Spinelli coming down the stairs, shuffling in that awkward way of his. "Maximista, what brings you by at this time of the night?" Spinelli asked and received no reply other than Maxie hurling herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing into his gently sloping shoulder. Jason rolled his eyes as he heard Danny begin to cry upstairs in time with Maxie. He shook his head, shot Spinelli and Maxie a warning glance, and hurried up the stairs. Maxie continued crying loudly and vehemently so Spinelli had no recourse but to pull her into his arms as he dropped down on the sofa. Maxie immediately responded by tightening her grip on him. "I need you, Spinelli, I need you so much," she moaned. "Maxismista, talk to me. What seems to be the matter?" "What"s the matter?" Maxie echoed. "Everything! Absolutely everything, Spinelli! I found Matt with Elizabeth Webber tonight. He confessed they have been sneaking around together for months and she"s - she"s pregnant!" "Oh dear ..." "Yes. I know. But it gets much worse," Maxie sniffled. "I sort of, possibly, may have killed someone tonight. If he doesn"t live, I"m going to be a murderer - again." Spinelli"s eyes bugged out. "What - how - WHAT?!" "I was so upset when I left Matt"s place that I never saw the guy coming. I mean, I - it was so dark and - Oh god, Spinelli, am I going down for vehicular manslaughter as my dad put it? I already killed Robin and I was ready to go to prison then but now I know I couldn"t survive it. I know I wouldn"t last a second and -" Spinelli held up a hand. "It was an accident. I am sure the commissioner and whoever else investigates this will come to that conclusion." "I wish I could be sure of that," Maxie said. "But honestly, that doesn"t make me feel better. The guy was already on crutches I guess. He couldn"t have been in perfect health to begin with." "Maybe we should say a little prayer or -" "Screw prayers, Spinelli!" Maxie said. "I gave that shit up years ago when my cousin died and I got her heart for no damn good reason." She sighed. "But seriously, the most pressing issue here is what to do about Matt and Elizabeth." "There is nothing to do," Spinelli said. "As cruel as it was for them to go behind your back like that -" Maxie shook her head. "Don"t tell me I can"t do anything. I have to get them back somehow. They can"t get away with what they"ve done. I will get Elizabeth fired again for starters and as for Matt, I will make him so jealous he will forget all about Nurse Homewrecker." She looked up at Spinelli. "You have to help me with that, Spinelli." Spinelli"s perpetually pink face drained of color. "No, Maximista. No." Maxie"s hand fisted in his pajama top. "Please, Spinelli. You have to help me. I can"t get through this without you." "Maximista, please do not pull me into anymore of your schemes. They always blow up in our faces and besides, you know how hard I am trying to make things work with Winifred. I beg of you not to try to pull me back in because I am weak when it comes to you. I can"t often say "no" to you." "Then don"t," Maxie said and softly kissed Spinelli"s jaw line. "Just give in. We"ll make Matt so jealous that -" Maxie felt Spinelli stiffen in her arms and then in the next moment, he was pulling far away from her, moving clear across the sofa. "Spinelli -" "Don"t ask me to do it, Maxie," he said. "I know you are currently suffering through a crisis but you always manage to come out mostly unscathed. It is I, the Jackal, who pays the most when you turn around and walk back to Dr. Doom." "Spinelli, you have to understand -" "I do not. I never understood why I was good enough to be your partner in crime but not the man in your heart. Now I have Winifred back in my life and I am not about to let her go. Not for a farce." Maxie"s eyes flashed. "A farce? Are you seriously going to call this-" "It is what it is." Maxie started to shout at Spinelli but Sam was suddenly coming down the stairs. "Hey, hey, what the hell is going on here?" Maxie stood and hurried towards the door. "Nothing, absolutely nothing!" she thundered and then hurried out of the penthouse. She was half-sobbing again as she road down in the elevator. Spinelli not wanting to help her, seemingly not even wanting anything to do with her, was a crushing blow. She really should leave town like she had planned hours ago before she ran down the jaywalker. And he had been jaywalking in her mind. But she knew that if she ran, she would be found. She would have to pay the consequences in the end. She reached the parking lot soon enough and climbed back into her mangled vehicle. She rested her head against the driver"s seat and cried for what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only fifteen minutes. She cried until she was out of tears and then she realized she needed to damage control. Her next stop was the hospital. The only way I will know if I am doing alright or even if I"m on the right track with my stories is for at least some of my readers to leave feedback. Please help me keep motivated to continue my fictions by telling me what you think of them, including this one. Thank you! Chapter 3 She pulled her still mangled car up in front of the hospital and took a long, deep breath before climbing out. Morning light was beginning to just crest on the horizon and she realized with a jolt that it had been literally hours since she had caught Matt and the Homewrecker together. Hours since she had run out of there like hell itself was on her heels and driven down some poor unfortunate guy on crutches. Her life had been forever changed tonight in ways she couldn"t even begin to comprehend, in ways she couldn"t begin to foresee. She opened her purse and pulled out her compact. God, she looked like hell ran over. No, don"t think about running things or people over, she chided herself. She did look like hell though. Her hair was unnaturally frizzy and mussed and her makeup was smeared from cheek to cheek. She quickly took a tissue out of her purse and began cleaning off all of her makeup. She would have to go au natural for the moment though she firmly believed a woman shouldn"t leave her house without at least foundation... Oh well, she didn"t have time to reapply it and besides, she would look as devastated and wary as she felt. Just what she was going for. She finally closed her purse and walked towards the entrance of GH. She rode up in the elevator to the sixth floor and then stepped off of it. She spotted Nurse Regina what"s-her-name standing at the Nurse"s Station talking on the phone and she moved over to the mocha-skinned woman. Regina held up a hand before Maxie could speak and Maxie fumed. "Excuse you, I need some assistance here," she said and Regina finally hung up the phone. "Are you hurt? Injured?" "Not physically but -" "Well as you can see we are very busy here this morning so-" She broke off as she gestured to the waiting room that was indeed full of people in all stages of illness and fragility. "But I need to talk to Monica Quartermaine stat! It"s important. It cannot wait." "I am sorry, Dr. Quartermaine is in surgery -" "Well pull her out of there. This can"t wait. She has a traitorous bi - I mean, staff member working here and the patients could all very well be in grave danger!" Regina studied Maxie closely. "I can give her the message if you just -" "That won"t be necessary, Nurse Thompson," a familiar, brusque voice said from behind her. "I can handle this." Maxie shook her head as Matt suddenly grasped her by the arm and pulled her down the hall. "Dammit, Matt, let me go. I"ll scream! I"ll scream bloody murder and then everyone will come running and then I"ll tell them exactly what little Nurse Webber is up to and -" Matt continued pulling her down the hallway and finally they ended up in a small exam room. Matt pushed her inside and shut the door after them. She tried to jump around him but he held her firmly in place. "Maxie, I know, I know you"re mad and hurt and -" "Damn right I am!" He sighed. "But that still doesn"t give you the right to come to Elizabeth"s and my place of employment and start raising hell." Maxie sniffed. "I am doing the public a service by outing Elizabeth as the lying bitch she is!" Matt shook his head. "I am sorry that you"re hurting right now but what is ratting on Elizabeth about some imagined wrong going to accomplish?" Maxie shook her head. ""Imagined wrong"? Are you kidding me, Matt? She has done plenty of "wrong" to me and -" She shot up a hand to stop him before he could interrupt. "Yeah I did some pretty rotten things to her too but I"ve admitted all of them and yet everyone held them over my head for years. When does she have to pay for her sins?" "She didn"t do anything to intentionally hurt you. Neither did I for that matter. We just, we fell -" "Don"t say it, Matt! Don"t say you"re in love with her because I don"t want to hear it. Besides, you"re not. What you are is a man so of course you"re going to take the cheap whore to bed if she"s offering. But you don"t love her. You don"t. You can"t because you love me. Deep down, you know that you do." Matt rubbed his grizzly beard. "I do love you, Maxie, but I"m -" "Please, please don"t say it..." Matt reached out and grasped her by the shoulders. "I am being honest with you here like I should have been all along. I love you, Maxie, but I"m in love with Elizabeth." Maxie shook her head vehemently, her flaxen hair whipping her across the face in the process. "No. No way in hell, Matt." "It"s true. We didn"t set out to hurt you but -" "But you did. You totally did. Fuck you, Matt Hunter!" She shoved past him then and he sighed. "Maxie, be mad at me, take it out on me, please, but not Elizabeth. She"s pregnant." "Oh I know, don"t I know it? You made that perfectly clear before. You want your pregnant bitch so badly? Have her. I am done with you. And her. You"re right - I am not going to bother ratting out Elizabeth because neither of you are worth it!" She made it back to the waiting room before she was collapsing into a chair. She had never thought of herself as weak but at that moment, she couldn"t bring herself to keep walking. She was hurting far too much. Every little revenge scheme she thought of didn"t seem harsh enough of a punishment for the two people who had betrayed her so badly. And then there was Spinelli. He didn"t want her either. Damn them all! Big, fat, pathetic tears rolled down her face as she sat there, her knees fairly knocking together as she tried willing herself not to be a crybaby loser. But it wasn"t working. She dabbed at her eyes but it was no use. They just kept spilling over. She had lost her man tonight, her best friend and almost husband Spinelli, and had nearly killed someone to boot. Hell, maybe that poor guy was already dead. On top of everything, she would be going to prison for manslaughter as Mac had put it. "Maxie," a voice called her from across the room. She looked up to see none other than Mac approaching her, concern etched on his face. "Maxie, what"s wrong?" Her adoptive father asked as he slid into the chair next to her. "Is this about the accident or something else?" She could tell him the truth. She could tell him everything but as much as she wanted to run Elizabeth"s "saintly" reputation through the mud, she suddenly didn"t have the words. For someone who was accused of being a Chatty Cathy or whatever she just couldn"t speak. She just rested her head on Mac"s shoulder and cried into his shirt.

She beat the batter now until it was sloshing over her usually pristine white counter as she thought of her sister"s taunting words. "You don"t know who your baby daddy is. That"s rich," Phyllis said, tossing her mane of red hair and circling Avery like she was a lioness closing in for the kill. "Phyllis, don"t go there," Avery said. "You didn"t know who Summer"s father was either. Summer was born of an extramarital affair." Phyllis snickered. "I admitted my sins and I paid penance for them, dear sister. I never tried to play the doe-eyed ingénue though and make everyone think that I was something that I wasn"t. You pretend to be so high and mighty and perfect when the truth is you"re no better than anyone else. You"re a hypocrite and that is a helluva worse than just being a slut." Avery crossed her arms. "Phyllis, I have never pretended to be perfect and I also never took any pleasure in your pain the way you seem to be doing here." "Bullshit. Total bullshit. You enjoyed stealing Nick from me. Don"t deny it." "We got together after you had destroyed your marriage by bedding down with Ronan, if I remember correctly." Phyllis smirked. "I may have lost Nicholas, but you"re right - I do take pleasure in knowing that I had years and years with him at my side while you only got a few cheap, insignificant months. He hates you and when the DNA test comes in, he"s still going to hate you, especially if the baby is not his." "Get out!" Avery snapped. She wanted to cry but she refused to do so in front of Phyllis. "Fine. Throw me out. It doesn"t make any of what I said less true. You are a whore and a hypocrite. I have waited a long time for you to fall from your pedestal and now that you have, I"m going to enjoy watching you squirm." And then Phyllis was gone and Avery had been so upset that she"d began baking. And crying. By the time the tears had dried, the first batch was done. Now she had thirty-six cupcakes cooling on the rack and not a thing to do with them. She could eat some but the so-called morning sickness that actually plagued her all throughout the day would make it impossible. Maybe she could frost some now and give them away. Maybe she could take them to Dylan, she thought. Or Nick, she silently added. Then she realized that the idea was stupid. It was definitely stupid to think cupcakes would make anything better. But she wanted to talk to someone; she needed to. Making cupcakes was usually her happy place but not today. She tried to think of anyone who might be sympathetic to her plight though and was drawing a blank. Then she thought of Sharon Collins. Sharon had been so understanding about her relationship with Nick. She had been so supportive too when Avery told her about her history with Dylan and that first amazing cup of coffee that they"d shared that had started her tumultuous relationship with the man she had left her husband Joe for. "Sharon," Avery murmured. "She will understand. I hope." She immediately reached for the greasy frosting she had made and began to frost a plate of cupcakes. Avery drove across town with the cupcakes on the seat beside her. She wondered if she was doing the right thing by reaching out to Nick"s ex-wife but decided she had no choice. No one else really wanted a thing to do with her. Except Dylan. Oh Dylan. But reaching out to him would only muddy the water more. Still, the thought of his sweet declaration that he didn"t care if he was the baby"s father or not, often played in her mind. No matter how much she tried not to think about his words or about him period, he was there in her consciousness. She still loved him. She knew though that but they couldn"t go back. For one night, they had. For one night, she had entertained a fantasy that they could have a future together but look at what a mess it had caused. She arrived at Sharon"s and pulled in the driveway behind her car. A truck was at the curb but she paid no attention to it as she grabbed the plate off the seat and climbed out. She hurried up the front walk and juggled the plate in her slender arms as she pushed down on the doorbell. She heard indistinguishable voices inside and wondered who was here. The door opened and Sharon was suddenly standing here. "Sharon, hi. I am sorry to just drop by but -" Avery broke off as none other than Dylan walked out down the stairs. Sans tee-shirt. D - Devastation Avery wasn"t prepared for the sight of Dylan coming down the stairs without a shirt and was definitely not prepared for the force of the devastation that sunk into her heart. Dylan had a fabulous body; she knew that better than anyone, but why did Sharon have to be enjoying the sight of it too? At least she figured Sharon was enjoying it because well, what woman wouldn"t? The plate of cupcakes nearly hit the floor because her hands were shaking so much but she managed to hold them out to Sharon and the other woman took them with a smile. "Avery, what are you doing here?" Sharon asked with a friendly smile. An innocent smile. Maybe she hadn"t just been having sex with Dylan ... Not that Avery could stop them or blame them. They were two consenting adults. Why shouldn"t they enjoy other"s company? They were two heartbreakingly attractive people... Oh stop torturing yourself, Avery, you neurotic freak, she thought. She looked at Sharon, trying to avoid looking at Dylan. "I was just uh, in the neighborhood and thought you might like some cupcakes." God, that sounded so lame but it was mostly true. Sharon looked at the cupcakes and smiled. "I"d love to have them." She turned to face Dylan with a smile on her face and this time Avery"s eyes travelled to his. Their gazes locked and Avery blushed furiously before looking away again. "Dylan, would you like to have one? I can fix some tea and we can all sit down and enjoy them together. Avery"s baking skills are legendary." "I remember," Dylan said and she felt his gaze burning into her. "But I really want to get to work on roof while the sun is still shining. You two ... have fun." And then Dylan was gone. Sharon turned back to face Avery who"s cheeks still felt red and flushed. "Avery, the offer still stands. Tea and your cupcakes? It will have to be green tea because of your condition but-" She broke off as she saw the look in Avery"s eyes. "Oh sorry. I take it you didn"t want anyone to know." "No, but the truth is all over town anyway, at least according to my dear sister... I guess Dylan told you." "Actually, no. It was Nick." Sharon now was the one blushing. "It was perfectly innocent. He was really upset and I insisted he tell me what was wrong and I guess we were overheard because you"re right, a lot of people know now." "That I"m a skank." Avery didn"t know how she felt about Nick sharing confidences with his ex-wife but then realized she had come to do the same thing, so there was no reason to be this upset. "No way. Don"t let Phyllis into your head. I am sure that"s what she said." "Basically," Avery admitted. "She took great pleasure in telling me what a whore and a hypocrite I am." "Boy that sounds vaguely familiar," Sharon said facetiously. "For what it"s worth though, I am sorry it"s your sister doing the taunting." "Me too." Avery looked at the door, looking for an escape but Sharon quickly set the cupcakes down on a side table and reached for Avery"s arm. "Sit down. You look exhausted and I really would like to talk to you." She led Avery over to the sofa and Avery nodded, sinking down onto the plush cushions. "I"ll be right back with plates, napkins and some warm tea." Avery thanked her and watched her go. Her eyes then traveled to the staircase, wondering if she would catch a sight of Dylan but he wasn"t there. She heard hammering somewhere above them but that was the only hint that he was still nearby. Sharon returned in no time and set down the plates and warm cups of tea. Avery didn"t think she could hold anything down at the moment so she just held the cup in her tiny hands, feeling the heat of it, wishing it would fill her up. Sharon, meanwhile, made a big show of saying how much she enjoyed the cupcakes. Avery forced a smile. "I"m glad that you like them." Avery didn"t realize she was doing it at first but her eyes moved towards the staircase again and Sharon said, "You know, this isn"t what it looked like. Dylan is just -" Avery held up a hand. "You don"t have to explain anything to me. Dylan and I aren"t together anymore so he"s free to be with anyone he chooses." "But that"s sort of it," Sharon said. "He doesn"t want to be with anyone - except you." Avery sighed. "Sharon, you don"t have to-" "I want to, Avery. He really loves you. In fact, that"s mostly what we talk about. You. He is just here for a bit to patch my roof. It was nearly destroyed in that storm a few weeks ago. He"s offered to fix it in return for room and board." Avery gulped. "He"s staying here?" "Uh huh but there is nothing going on. He had his shirt off because it"s hot doing labor like that, even in early spring. He was just going to grab a glass of water when -" "When I showed up." "Yes." "Was I too cold to him?" Avery asked worriedly. Sharon chuckled. "A little but I can understand why. This is a really hard situation that you"re going through. Your emotions are heightened too by hormones. Everything is confusing. But I understand better than anyone that sometimes it"s hard to let go. Not that you have to. If you want to be with Dylan ..." "I will always love Dylan but I don"t think we can be together. He deserves better than what I can give him. And I"m afraid -" "If you let him back in, you"ll lose him?" Sharon guessed. Avery didn"t reply. There was no need to. Sharon had guessed the primary truth of it. "Look, can I give you a word of advice"?" Avery nodded. "Yes..." "Dylan is the type of man who will wait around forever for you to say well, "stay". But it"s not fair for him to have to live in limbo like that. It"s not fair to you either so I recommend you two at least sit down and talk one day. You can do it in neutral territory, maybe at a secluded table at Crimson Lights. Just give yourselves the time to discuss everything." Avery looked at Sharon. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I just may have to do that. Thanks, Sharon." "Yes, anytime," Sharon said and squeezed her arm. Avery"s eyes moved to the staircase one more time and she sighed, very much missing the sight of Dylan. Very much missing everything about him, period. E - Enduring The following day, after enduring a truly sleepless night, Avery texted Dylan, asking him to meet her at Crimson Lights. He replied that he would be there at noon and she arrived twenty minutes early out of pure nervousness. She shouldn"t have been surprised though when she walked in and saw him already sitting there, at a table in the back of the establishment. She couldn"t help but smile, though a tad nervously, as he stood and pulled out a chair for her. She murmured a "thank you" and her hand tingled where her fingers accidentally grazed his. He was wearing a black button-down shirt and looking incredibly handsome as always. The way his blue eyes locked on hers made her shiver a bit. He seemed to notice her trembling and asked her, "Are you cold?" "Uh ..." How did she explain this? She couldn"t begin to do so, so she just nodded. "Yeah, a bit, I guess." Before she could stop him, he was moving out of his seat, pulling his bomber jacket off of the back of his chair and tucking it around her shoulders. "Thanks," she murmured and for a moment was tempted to bury her face in the fabric because it felt so warm, familiar and it smelled just like the spring-fresh soap he had always bathed with. Some things did not change and it was oddly comforting. He slipped back into the chair across from her and offered her a smile. "Can I get you something to drink? I know coffee is out of the question but maybe a hot chocolate or something?" "No, I"m fine," Avery said. "I have trouble holding down much of anything these days." "You have to try, for the baby." "I do try and I eat as much as I can, really I do. But my stomach is all tied up in knots this morning." "Mine too," he agreed and she nodded. So they were both feeling nervous, huh? By now, Avery was sort of was regretting calling him because suddenly she couldn"t remember what she had wanted so much to say in the first place. If she was a nail-bitter, her fingers would have been chewed down to the quick; she was feeling that anxious. "So what did you want to talk about?" Dylan asked, trying to keep his voice conversational. "Is this about the baby? Do you know if-" She shook her head. "Not yet. But I talked to my OB yesterday and she says there"s a new DNA procedure that"s much less invasive than an amnio. In fact, it"s virtually complication-free and I can get it done at eleven weeks." "So about two more weeks ... That seems like a long time." Avery nodded. "For me too. I want to know as much as I don"t want to. I don"t want to wreck any more lives, especially this baby"s." "You won"t. You"re going to be an amazing mother. It doesn"t matter who plays "daddy", because this baby has everything they need with you already." Avery bundled the jacket around her and tugged the sleeves down over her hands. Why did Dylan have to be so wonderful? He was making it incredibly hard to walk away from him. And she should. Because she should be fighting for Nicholas, shouldn"t she? She loved him too, just maybe not in the same way. She realized that much. "Thanks for saying so, Dylan. You really think too much of me." "And you really don"t think enough of yourself." "Why are you so sweet, especially after what I"ve done?" He shrugged, rubbing his cheek. "All I can say is that you"re way too hard on yourself. In case, you"ve forgotten, I sort of wanted you too. Okay, I really did. I am just sorry you had regrets in the morning. And believe it or not, I"m sorry Nicholas was hurt. I truly am." Avery believed him. A good heart, that"s what Dylan had. She sighed. "I honestly don"t remember what I was going to say now." She chuckled a bit at the expression on his face. "But I"m glad I did call. We had a wonderful friendship, Dylan; I"d like it to continue... no matter what happens. I mean, I know it won"t be easy with everything but I lost you once and I can"t imagine you not being a part of my life in some way." "If friendship is what you want, then that"s what you"ll get," Dylan said in a quiet voice. "I am always going to want more but I also won"t push you for something you can"t give." He held up a hand. "Don"t say I"m a good man for that please. Because if it were up to me I would be incredibly selfish and demand you come back to me, but I"m not going to do that - for your sake." "You are a good man, Dylan. Nothing will ever change that." Avery sighed again and slowly reached for his hand. His fingers felt warm and oddly soft and familiar despite the work-calluses. "I am so grateful you"re back. If I didn"t say that before, I am. I was just so shocked for a really long time. I mean, I tried to make peace with your "death". I thought I did..." Dylan looked at their intertwined fingers. "I wish I could have come back sooner. I wish that all the time, Avery, but I was so messed up after everything that happened in Iraq ... I couldn"t do it. I didn"t want to expose you to the darkness that sometimes can take me over. I only came back when I couldn"t possibly stay away anymore. But maybe it"d be better if I went again. Then you could move on with your life for real this time, with no looking back." "That would be sort of impossible," Avery said. "Okay, it would be very impossible when for the longest time; all I wanted in the world was for you to be alive. And you are and I - I can"t..." "You can"t be with me." No, I can"t stop being afraid, Avery thought. She might have said it aloud but suddenly she spotted none other than Nick stalking over to their table. He saw her hands joined with Dylan"s, and Avery let go. Even if she didn"t want to let go, she did. "Don"t stop touching him on my account," Nick said acidly. "That wasn"t a problem for you before." "Nicholas -" Dylan started, clear warning sounding in his voice. "Dylan, Mac, whatever the hell you want to be called, stay out of this. I only came over to ask Avery when the DNA results come in." Avery shook her head. "In about two weeks, just like I told Dylan." "Oh yeah. It figures that he would be the first to know. I was really just a placeholder for him, wasn"t I, Avery?" Nicholas spat. "Stop it, Nick. You"re making a scene," Avery said. Nick shook his head. "Fine, I"ll leave you two lovebirds alone but fair warning, if that baby is mine, I expect to be a part of their life. A big part. You"re not going to cheat me out of knowing them - especially not for this guy." He then turned and stomped away. Avery looked over at Dylan. "Dylan, I"m -" "Don"t be sorry, Avery," Dylan replied. "He"s the one who should be sorry - talking to a pregnant woman that way." "He"s acting like such a jerk." "He"s acting like a jealous man, honestly," Dylan said. "His ego is wounded but he clearly loves you too. He may not be able to say it right now but he does. I guess what you have to decide now is if you want him in your life again. If so, you have to fight for him." "Are you actually sitting there telling me to fight for another man?" "If that"s what will make you happy again... Then, yeah." A/N: Feedback?! Please lol F - Father The next two weeks passed far almost too quickly. Avery worked a lot to keep her mind occupied. Dylan called her every night though and they talked for at least an hour before drifting off to sleep. Sometimes she would wake up in the morning, hearing the sound of Dylan"s soft snoring on the other end, realizing she had never actually hung up the phone. Their relationship was intimate and beautiful but she was deathly afraid that she was going to lose him again - in one way or another. He said he could cope if he wasn"t her child"s father but what if he was just fooling himself? He was going to be devastated. Hell, Avery was beginning to realize that she would be devastated if he wasn"t her baby daddy. She woke up in bed on this morning and her hands instinctively moved to the little mound that was growing a little bigger every day. "Good morning, little one," she whispered. "Today is the day we get the test done to find out who you"ll be calling "Daddy". Is it wrong that I wish it was Dylan and not Nick? Nick doesn"t deserve to be hurt anymore but Dylan doesn"t either ... He has tried to be strong through everything but eventually it has to take a toll... And I still love Dylan with everything that I am... God help me, I love him and if he walks away and I never see him again..." She rubbed her belly and sat up on the bed. A tear dashed down her cheek. "Never mind. All that matters is that you"re healthy, right? And my OB says you are so... I need to not worry so much. What"s meant to be will be. Isn"t that what they say? Whoever "they" are." She had never felt so unsure of anything - never so scared as she did at that moment. Before she could stop herself, she was reaching for the phone on the mattress and pressing it to her ear. Sure enough, she had never hung up the night before and she heard Dylan"s familiar, soft snores filling the line. She listened for a moment, imagining she could see him, and rest her head on his chest and listen to his strong heartbeat the way she used to when life seemed somehow simpler, even when it never had been. "Dylan," she called and then still louder, "Dylan! Wake up, please." She heard him stirring in bed and then he was answering, "Hey, Avery," he whispered. "What"s up?" "Uh, I just wanted to hear your voice for a minute." "You"re worried," Dylan said. It wasn"t a question. "Yes... Today"s the day. But then you already know that." She heard him clear his throat but when he spoke, his voice still sounded hoarse. "I do. I sort of check the calendar every day. You"re almost twelve weeks. Today"s the day alright... Are you scared?" Another tear rolled down her face and she caught it with the tip of her thumb. "Terrified." "Do you want me to come with you to the lab?" Yes! "No," she finally said. "You have a busy day ahead of you I"m sure and -" "The busy day can wait. In fact, I already told Sharon I probably wouldn"t work on the roof today. You haven"t asked but I want you to know that if you need me, I"m there." "You"re too damn sweet," Avery sniffled. "I never deserved you." "Don"t say that." "It"s true ... But I think I need to be the strong person I always claimed to be and go by myself. Though the day we get the DNA results, I promise you will be there. You and Nick both. "Okay..." "I don"t want anyone to get hurt, Dylan, but I should have thought of that before I slept with you like some kind of slut." "Hey, don"t say that." "Phyllis tells me I am a hypocrite and a "ho" all the time. And you know what? She"s right." "Hey, don"t listen to her. She seems really miserable and wants to bring you down too." "She thinks I stole her husband, Dylan."

"K, the babies are finally asleep," Brandon said as he quietly cracked the door to the nursery and then crept down the hall with Kelly. "When are they supposed to start sleeping through the night?" "Not soon enough," Kelly said. "I am so tired. Sonny and Braeden are constantly needing diaper changes, Suri is colicky and Zara is a very vigorous breast feeder... " She rubbed her chest pointedly. "The babies are only two months old but they"re a major handful." "I think maybe all four of them are our punishment for giving our parents gray hair," Brandon joked as they walked into the bedroom. The baby monitor was in his hand. Kelly pulled back the covers while he turned the dial on the monitor, and then they climbed into bed. "Speaking of gray hair," Kelly said, tugging on Brandon"s hair. Brandon"s eyes widened. "You"re kidding... I ... No way." Kelly laughed. "And they say I"m the vain one... Actually I was kidding." "Sorry but it"s just ... Well, I"m not ready to be wearing diapers along with my kids." Kelly rolled her eyes. "C"mon, Grandpa, let"s get some sleep." "You"re going to pay for that pot shot," Brandon said, laughing manically but also ever so quietly so as not to wake the quads down the hall. He reached over and began tickling Kelly mercilessly as she tried to stifle her laughter. She finally had to kick him in the shin to make him stop. "Now I see where our kids get their uppity streak," Brandon said, grabbing his shin and rubbing it vigorously. "You started it," Kelly said. She grabbed the pillow out from under him and began clobbering him with it. He wrestled it from her hand and threw it across the room. He then lightly dove for her and instead of tickling her began to pepper her neck with the most erotic kisses. Kelly moaned as his hand slipped between her legs. The doctor had said they were all cleared to have sex again and she was raring to go - as was Brandon, very obviously - until one of the babies started crying. Brandon pulled away and flopped back on the mattress for a moment. "Is that Suri or Zara - or Sonny?" He asked with a tired smile. "Suri... I think," Kelly said and groaned. "Who gets to go check on her?" "You." "No, you. That was more or less a rhetorical question." "Let"s do rock, paper, scissors then." "Brandon," she said, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I"ll take this shift but you"ve got the four a.m. feeding." "Thanks," Brandon said and watched Kelly scoot off the bed. By the time she was crossing the threshold, he was asleep. It only seemed like moments later that he was being awakened by Kelly. She crawled into bed and nudged him with her free arm. When he popped open his eyes, he saw that she had Suri tucked in her other arm. Suri"s eyes were puffy and red and teary but she did manage a gurgle when she spotted Brandon. Brandon smiled at her and rubbed her tummy. The doctor"s had said the quickest way to relieve some of the pressure from colic was to massage a baby"s belly so that"s what he did. Soon enough the infant"s tears were drying and she was falling asleep. Kelly and Brandon watched their daughter snoozing. "She"s pretty cute," Brandon said. "Yeah she is. They all are," Kelly said as she reached out and lightly brushed at a curl on Suri"s forehead. She favored Brandon in many ways - complete with the thick head of brown hair. Kelly had been a bald baby herself and so were Zara, Braeden and Sonny actually. Brandon reached out and rubbed Suri"s little fist. It opened as if by its own volition and she let out a little sigh as she locked her pinky around Brandon"s much bigger one. Kelly smiled. "I didn"t want you to sleep through this moment," she said. "I know you"re tired but the kids are so relaxed and happy with you. I hope I"m doing a halfway good job at parenting." "You"re doing an excellent job." "Really?" "Would I lie to you?" "Well, no." "See?" Kelly smiled and tucked Suri to her chest, lightly rocking the baby who fit just so in her arms. She and Brandon were just beginning to nod off to sleep when another cry crackled over the monitor. "Your turn," Kelly said with a yawn. Brandon sighed. "Would it be bad form to drop the babies off at my sister"s or Donna and David"s and go away for a weekend where I can -" he covered Suri"s ears - "make love to my wife and sleep - and maybe occasionally eat?" "No that would be nice," Kelly admitted as Brandon headed for the door. "But fair warning, I just decided that I"m not sleeping with you until you"ve had a -" she covered Suri"s ears this time - vasectomy. There"s no way I"m getting pregnant again. We might end up with quintuplets next time!" Brandon heard another wail over the monitor. Now two babies were awake and cranky. "You know, I strangely have no problem with that. I think four is the perfect number anyway." Kelly nodded as she looked at Suri. "Me too." W - Weight It had been almost seven months since the quads were born. Time was moving far too quickly. Brandon and Kelly marveled every day about how big their babies were getting and they cherished all of the little moments they would never forget for the whole world. On this particular day, Brandon was at the office and Donna and Brenda had come over to help Kelly take care of the kids. Donna was bouncing Suri on her knee; Kelly was holding Sonny and Braeden in either arm, and Brenda was cuddling with Zara. They looked like quite a picture and Kelly would have grabbed the camera if it had been in reach but she was tired and so she sat there and chatted. "So what"s new with you two?" Kelly asked. "Give me something juicy please. I need adult conversation and I can live vicariously through your hot, young selves." "Oh yeah, you"re so old," Donna said with a roll of her eyes. "And so not attractive," Brenda teased. "Seriously, Kel, I think we all know how gorgeous you are." "Thanks," Kelly said. "But I don"t feel it. I hit the gym as often as I can but I feel I"m gaining weight rather than losing it. I was sort of hoping when I gave birth to the babies, I would look normal again." "You look great, Kel, with a little -" Kelly gave Donna the evil eye. "Don"t finish that sentence. "Anyway, we were talking about you two so... What news do you two have for me?" "Nothing much here," Brenda said with a little smile. "C"mon now! Give me something here, Brenda," Kelly encouraged her. "Brandon hinted that you might be seeing someone so ...Is it Dylan?" "If it was Dylan, would you be okay with that?" Kelly didn"t have to think about it. "Yeah. A few years ago I wouldn"t have been but I"m so happy with Brandon and love him and our kids so much that I can"t even see anyone else most days." Brenda smiled. "Well, it"s not Dylan. I got tired of the back and forth with us, to be honest. Some part of me will always love him but he seems happy just the way he is, I guess. Most of all, I"m really not into all of the drama." "Then who is the guy?" Kelly asked. "I"d like to know that too," Donna put in. "His name is Ryan Matthews," Brenda said. "He"s a teacher at West Bev where I volunteer with the theatre program." "And?" Donna prompted. "Why are we just hearing about him?" Kelly added. "I didn"t want to jinx it," Brenda admitted. "That"s all. I wasn"t hiding him from any of you - not on purpose." "What this Mr. Matthews like?" Donna asked. "Is he handsome?" Brenda nodded. "Yes, he"s very handsome." She smiled and touched Zara"s thick curls, brushing them lightly off of her forehead. "And sweet and quirky and ... well, he"s just great. We"ve been out twice and I really can see him in my future though I refuse to rush things." "Is the sex good?" Donna asked. The women all laughed. Then Kelly feigned a frown. "My young, impressionable kids are in the room," she chided Donna in a teasing voice. "Oh come on, like you didn"t want to know that too," Donna said and nudged Kelly with her hip. "Well since Donna opened a discussion..." Brenda sighed but her eyes were dancing. "We haven"t exactly gotten there yet." "What are you waiting for?" Kelly and Donna asked in unison. Once again, they laughed until it hurt. "We"ve only been out twice. I"m not a ho," Brenda said with a grin. "But we"ve - I can admit his - had some intense clothes-on, make out sessions." "Sounds steamy," Donna said. Just then Suri threw up on her. A stream of regurgitated milk and applesauce spilled down the front of her pink dress. "Oh, Don, sorry," Kelly said but she couldn"t resist a laugh. Donna waved her hand. "It"s fine." She laughed too. "This feels nice. Not the barf, I mean, but laughing so much. Just like old times." "It does," Brenda agreed. "Let me get you something to wipe that up with," Kelly said and started to pass Sonny and Braeden off to her girlfriends. "It"s okay," Donna said. "Don, that dress is designer," Kelly said. "I know. It"s just that I better get used to it because ..." She sniffled but was smiling. "Wait... I thought..." "Yes. I can"t have a baby the old-fashioned way but David and I recently started adoption proceedings. In six months or a year we"ll have a child to share our love with." "Oh, Don!" Kelly cried and she tried to hug Donna but it was impossible with two babies in her arms. "This is great news." "It"s really great news," Brenda agreed. "Congrats, Donna. You will be a great Mom." "Thanks, girls," Donna said, a little tear trailing down her cheek. She kissed Suri"s soft cheek. "You"re going to have a cousin soon. Won"t that be nice?" Suri looked at Donna and she smiled. It was like she knew; somehow she knew that this was a happy occasion. One of the very happiest! X- Xmas ""Merry X-Mas, Sister Dear"," Kelly read the hand-sketched greeting card her little sister had sent to her. Erin (who called herself Silver) was a freshman in high school now. Kelly and Brandon parents of four nine month old kids... Time sure flew by - and fast too. ""Xmas"?" Brandon echoed. He was sitting on the floor struggling to wrap a particularly unwieldy package. With the dawn of Christmas morning mere hours away, he was feeling the time crunch. "Yeah, she apparently thinks writing hyphens is cool in that not-trying-to-be-cool, cynical way of hers. Look, she even drew a lop-sided tree with pine needles falling off it all over the place." Kelly showed Brandon the front of the card. "Charlie Brown"s tree was not even that ugly." Kelly laughed. "I should be insulted on my sister"s behalf but this was her attempt to say "Xmas" sucks and commercialism is taking over all of us." "Whoa. You got all that just one weird sketch?" "Yes. Plus she told me that much when we hung out last week with Mom." "How is Jackie?" "Good. Sober again. Which reminds me, our annual Chrismukkah family get-together is going to be completely non-alcoholic this year." "Chrismukkah," Brandon scoffed but he was smiling. At least until the tape caught on another package and when he gave it a tug to free it, it took the wrapping with it. "Shit." Kelly smiled and grasped his shoulders. "Okay, Brandon, you finish weeding through the pile of cards and I"ll finish the wrapping." "Good. Then maybe everything won"t look like a five-year-old"s messy art project." "Now, Brandon, let"s be fair here. Five year olds have done better wrapping," Kelly teased. Brandon smirked at her. "Touché. But fine. Have at it. Let"s see how perfect your wrapping skills are at three a.m. in the morning." Kelly smiled. "Watch the master." Brandon shook his head at her. "Awfully smug tonight, aren"t we?" "I can afford to be," Kelly said. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and brushed her mouth against the column of his throat. She kissed the taut skin there briefly as he reached up and tangled his fingers in her shoulder-length golden locks. "I have everything I want right here in this house." Brandon smiled. "I agree. I love this house. And not just because my parents are renting it out to us for pennies on the dollar ... But because you"re here and our kids are here. It"s ... everything." Kelly nodded and kissed his neck again. Brandon smiled at her, twisting his head so their lips brushed in a tantalizing kiss. "Can we forget the wrapping and the Christmas cards for now?" Brandon asked. Kelly smiled. "I take it you"d rather unwrap me." Brandon"s fingers moved to knot in the fabric of her nightie. "What do you think?" Kelly smiled and reached for his hand. "Well, get up here. I want my present now." Brandon got off the couch and immediately moved onto the sofa with Kelly. "How many euphemisms for early Christmas morning sex can we come up with?" "Shhh. Just kiss me, Brandon." "Mmm... Alright," he murmured as she reached for the hem of his tee-shirt, giving it a tug over his head. In no time, they were making love and it was amazing as it always was. Y - Yolanda It had taken a year but finally, David and Donna were getting their own miracle. Two days ago they had brought home a little girl named Yolanda, who was theirs for always. Today, Brandon, Kelly and their ever-active toddlers were coming to meet the newest member of their extended clan. Kelly felt oddly nervous. Some part of her wondered if Yolanda would like her and if she didn"t, would that put distance somehow between her and David and Donna? "Don"t worry," Brandon said as he looked over at her in the passenger seat of their SUV. Sure enough, they had never gotten a mini-van for which Kelly was extremely thankful. "She"s going to love you." "How did you know what I was thinking about?" Kelly asked. "Never mind. You always know." "I like to think I know you by now," Brandon said and Kelly nodded. Of course he did. He knew her and loved her better than anyone else in the whole world. "We"re here," Brandon announced two minutes later as they pulled up in front of the Silver beach house. They could hear the waves crashing on the sand as they all piled out of the car. Brandon held Zara and Suri"s hands as Kelly guided Braedan and Sonny along. They quads walked very well by now but it was their tendency to run that made Kelly and Brandon nervous. They were protective parents; it was just how they were, and they both reasoned that it was better to be safe than sorry. "Here we go," Kelly said, taking a deep breath as Brandon leaned against the doorbell. In no time, Donna was throwing back the door and the most brilliant smile was on her face. She looked happier than Kelly had ever seen her and it made many of Kelly"s insecurities melt away. "Come in, come in," Donna said and held back the door so they could all go inside. The door shut after them and the quads were immediately taking off to play. There was a kid-sized ball pit and all manner of toys lumped in the middle of the living room. They were in heaven. "So where"s the guest of honor?" Brandon asked. "Here she comes," Donna said and clapped her hands excitedly as David was leading a little girl only a bit bigger than the quads over to them. She was dressed in a gorgeous blue dress and her beautiful, dark, curly hair was hanging down her tiny shoulders. "Oh, Don," Kelly said and hugged her friend. "Your daughter is beautiful." A tear escaped Donna"s eye. "I love that phrase. "Your daughter"... My daughter. It"s an amazing feeling!" David led Yolanda to them and made the introductions. The room was crowded with people and Yolanda looked intimidated but eventually began to smile as everyone cooed over how cute she was. Before long, Kelly, Brenda and Donna were sitting on the sofa together. Yolanda was sitting on Donna"s lap, resting her head against Donna"s chest. "She"s so sweet," Brenda said. She reached out and squeezed Donna"s arm and that"s when Kelly spotted a ring on her finger. Kelly beamed. "Wow, Brenda, that"s some bling!" Donna"s eyes widened. "Oh my gosh it is!" Donna enthused. "Ryan and you...?" Brenda nodded. "Yes. He proposed last night actually. It was all very romantic and the way he looked at me... Well, how could I say no?" "You"re happy," Kelly said. It wasn"t a question. Brenda nodded. "Yes, very." They all noticed Yolanda eyeing Brenda"s ring. Brenda smiled at her. "You want to see?" Yolanda nodded and Brenda slipped the diamond off and set it in Yolanda"s little hand. The girl smiled at Donna and she gave her an encouraging smile back. "Try it on, Mija," Donna said. Yolanda slipped it on her thumb and it was very loose but she held up her hand, examining it with a smile. "Yo quiero," she said and giggled softly. "I like it too," Brenda said. Yolanda held out her hand to Kelly to show her. "Yo quiero tambien," Kelly said and when Yolanda realized Kelly could understand her native language, she broke out into little giggles and offered Kelly her free hand. Kelly squeezed it and smiled back. She then looked at her toddlers who were busy tearing up the room. She spotted Brandon talking to Ryan and she smiled at her husband. He winked back at her. In that moment, she knew the truth. Her life had come full circle. She felt complete. Z - Zoo "Next stop, the zoo!" Brandon said as he piloted the SUV down the road. This was to be the quads first trip to the zoo. They were three now and it seemed the right time to take them. '"Zoooooo," Suri singsonged. Before long the others were joining it, alternately chanting and singing. "We"re going to the zoooooo. The zoooooo!" Kelly twisted in her seat to look at them. "My little rock stars!" she said. They all smiled at her and went back to singing. The girls favored Brandon in looks and the boys had shocks of thick blonde hair like Kelly. Kelly and Brandon tried not to be too conceited but they thought their kids had to be the cutest kids ever. Before long, they reached the zoo. David, Donna and a now-six year-old Yolanda were standing at the gate with Ryan and a pregnant Brenda who had her hand on her growing belly. She was only four months along but she was, naturally, having twins and she was carrying large. Kelly and Brandon waved to them as the kids joined up with their friend Yolanda. They called her their "Prima" and she was teaching them Spanish words whenever she could. She was fluent in English now too. Everyone was smiling as they paid for their tickets and pushed through the gates. They rented two toddler strollers for the quads and then headed to the first "exhibit" which was actually a snack cart. They all got churros and then walked on. Brandon pushed one stroller with his left hand and held Kelly"s hand with his right one. They looked at each other and smiled. This was a good life. It was their life and they were together - happy with four energetic kids, and a ton of family members and friends. Things had ended up the way they were always meant to. THE END Hot damn! It"s done. It"s done. Can I just dance now? Lol I love finishing fics, especially ones I"ve been working on for so long. I hope you liked it. I want to give a special shout-out to my most faithful readers and reviewers. You all seriously rock! Thanks for taking this journey with me. I promise that I will write Brandon/Kelly again someday! They will always have a large piece of my heart. Thanks for the reviews so far! Keep "em coming lol Remember this story is fairly AU so it"s a bit different than what we know of cannon BH 90210. E - Everything and Entrancing They are dancing under the stars, everything is beautiful. It should be perfect. In her dreams, she dances just like this with Him, her fingers splayed across his strong chest, his hands lightly settled on her hips, the wind tracing circles through her long hair and the feel of him pressed against her is like no other. But she can only dream it now because he is gone. She is dancing in another"s arms and he may be handsome and debonair but his eyes aren"t Brandon"s blue ones and his hair isn"t Brandon"s dark brown and his hands don"t entrance her the way Brandon"s did when they would touch her, move inside her and fill her up. They have been dating for three months and it feels like the longest three months of her life. She thinks she could be in love with him - if he were just Brandon Walsh but no one else is. He"s one of a kind. It took years for her to realize what a gem he was and just seconds to lose him forever. She hates it, she hates herself. She wants it all back. She wants to do everything differently, love him harder and never let go. She is lost in humming along to Liz Phair"s "Why Can"t I?" to distract herself from this intimate moment she"s not sharing with the right man when suddenly she looks up, her eyes pulled forward almost by some invisible force and she sees Him standing there, watching her from the corner of the makeshift dance floor. "Brandon," she says. It"s just one word but it carries so much emotion with it - love, longing, anger, pain, pathos and then hope ... "Brandon," she says again, this time louder and disentangles herself from her date"s arms and takes after him as he turns and moves away. F - Faith "Brandon." His name comes out sounding a tad harsh but also breathless and even a bit hopeful. She has managed to catch up with him at the very end of the dirt-covered driveway as he is about to get into his little convertible and drive off and leave her again. This time she won"t let him. She at least wants to have her say. After all the months of waiting, wondering and worrying she deserves that much, doesn"t she?

"Me too." Avery looked at the door, looking for an escape but Sharon quickly set the cupcakes down on a side table and reached for Avery"s arm. "Sit down. You look exhausted and I really would like to talk to you." She led Avery over to the sofa and Avery nodded, sinking down onto the plush cushions. "I"ll be right back with plates, napkins and some warm tea." Avery thanked her and watched her go. Her eyes then traveled to the staircase, wondering if she would catch a sight of Dylan but he wasn"t there. She heard hammering somewhere above them but that was the only hint that he was still nearby. Sharon returned in no time and set down the plates and warm cups of tea. Avery didn"t think she could hold anything down at the moment so she just held the cup in her tiny hands, feeling the heat of it, wishing it would fill her up. Sharon, meanwhile, made a big show of saying how much she enjoyed the cupcakes. Avery forced a smile. "I"m glad that you like them." Avery didn"t realize she was doing it at first but her eyes moved towards the staircase again and Sharon said, "You know, this isn"t what it looked like. Dylan is just -" Avery held up a hand. "You don"t have to explain anything to me. Dylan and I aren"t together anymore so he"s free to be with anyone he chooses." "But that"s sort of it," Sharon said. "He doesn"t want to be with anyone - except you." Avery sighed. "Sharon, you don"t have to-" "I want to, Avery. He really loves you. In fact, that"s mostly what we talk about. You. He is just here for a bit to patch my roof. It was nearly destroyed in that storm a few weeks ago. He"s offered to fix it in return for room and board." Avery gulped. "He"s staying here?" "Uh huh but there is nothing going on. He had his shirt off because it"s hot doing labor like that, even in early spring. He was just going to grab a glass of water when -" "When I showed up." "Yes." "Was I too cold to him?" Avery asked worriedly. Sharon chuckled. "A little but I can understand why. This is a really hard situation that you"re going through. Your emotions are heightened too by hormones. Everything is confusing. But I understand better than anyone that sometimes it"s hard to let go. Not that you have to. If you want to be with Dylan ..." "I will always love Dylan but I don"t think we can be together. He deserves better than what I can give him. And I"m afraid -" "If you let him back in, you"ll lose him?" Sharon guessed. Avery didn"t reply. There was no need to. Sharon had guessed the primary truth of it. "Look, can I give you a word of advice"?" Avery nodded. "Yes..." "Dylan is the type of man who will wait around forever for you to say well, "stay". But it"s not fair for him to have to live in limbo like that. It"s not fair to you either so I recommend you two at least sit down and talk one day. You can do it in neutral territory, maybe at a secluded table at Crimson Lights. Just give yourselves the time to discuss everything." Avery looked at Sharon. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I just may have to do that. Thanks, Sharon." "Yes, anytime," Sharon said and squeezed her arm. Avery"s eyes moved to the staircase one more time and she sighed, very much missing the sight of Dylan. Very much missing everything about him, period. E - Enduring The following day, after enduring a truly sleepless night, Avery texted Dylan, asking him to meet her at Crimson Lights. He replied that he would be there at noon and she arrived twenty minutes early out of pure nervousness. She shouldn"t have been surprised though when she walked in and saw him already sitting there, at a table in the back of the establishment. She couldn"t help but smile, though a tad nervously, as he stood and pulled out a chair for her. She murmured a "thank you" and her hand tingled where her fingers accidentally grazed his. He was wearing a black button-down shirt and looking incredibly handsome as always. The way his blue eyes locked on hers made her shiver a bit. He seemed to notice her trembling and asked her, "Are you cold?" "Uh ..." How did she explain this? She couldn"t begin to do so, so she just nodded. "Yeah, a bit, I guess." Before she could stop him, he was moving out of his seat, pulling his bomber jacket off of the back of his chair and tucking it around her shoulders. "Thanks," she murmured and for a moment was tempted to bury her face in the fabric because it felt so warm, familiar and it smelled just like the spring-fresh soap he had always bathed with. Some things did not change and it was oddly comforting. He slipped back into the chair across from her and offered her a smile. "Can I get you something to drink? I know coffee is out of the question but maybe a hot chocolate or something?" "No, I"m fine," Avery said. "I have trouble holding down much of anything these days." "You have to try, for the baby." "I do try and I eat as much as I can, really I do. But my stomach is all tied up in knots this morning." "Mine too," he agreed and she nodded. So they were both feeling nervous, huh? By now, Avery was sort of was regretting calling him because suddenly she couldn"t remember what she had wanted so much to say in the first place. If she was a nail-bitter, her fingers would have been chewed down to the quick; she was feeling that anxious. "So what did you want to talk about?" Dylan asked, trying to keep his voice conversational. "Is this about the baby? Do you know if-" She shook her head. "Not yet. But I talked to my OB yesterday and she says there"s a new DNA procedure that"s much less invasive than an amnio. In fact, it"s virtually complication-free and I can get it done at eleven weeks." "So about two more weeks ... That seems like a long time." Avery nodded. "For me too. I want to know as much as I don"t want to. I don"t want to wreck any more lives, especially this baby"s." "You won"t. You"re going to be an amazing mother. It doesn"t matter who plays "daddy", because this baby has everything they need with you already." Avery bundled the jacket around her and tugged the sleeves down over her hands. Why did Dylan have to be so wonderful? He was making it incredibly hard to walk away from him. And she should. Because she should be fighting for Nicholas, shouldn"t she? She loved him too, just maybe not in the same way. She realized that much. "Thanks for saying so, Dylan. You really think too much of me." "And you really don"t think enough of yourself." "Why are you so sweet, especially after what I"ve done?" He shrugged, rubbing his cheek. "All I can say is that you"re way too hard on yourself. In case, you"ve forgotten, I sort of wanted you too. Okay, I really did. I am just sorry you had regrets in the morning. And believe it or not, I"m sorry Nicholas was hurt. I truly am." Avery believed him. A good heart, that"s what Dylan had. She sighed. "I honestly don"t remember what I was going to say now." She chuckled a bit at the expression on his face. "But I"m glad I did call. We had a wonderful friendship, Dylan; I"d like it to continue... no matter what happens. I mean, I know it won"t be easy with everything but I lost you once and I can"t imagine you not being a part of my life in some way." "If friendship is what you want, then that"s what you"ll get," Dylan said in a quiet voice. "I am always going to want more but I also won"t push you for something you can"t give." He held up a hand. "Don"t say I"m a good man for that please. Because if it were up to me I would be incredibly selfish and demand you come back to me, but I"m not going to do that - for your sake." "You are a good man, Dylan. Nothing will ever change that." Avery sighed again and slowly reached for his hand. His fingers felt warm and oddly soft and familiar despite the work-calluses. "I am so grateful you"re back. If I didn"t say that before, I am. I was just so shocked for a really long time. I mean, I tried to make peace with your "death". I thought I did..." Dylan looked at their intertwined fingers. "I wish I could have come back sooner. I wish that all the time, Avery, but I was so messed up after everything that happened in Iraq ... I couldn"t do it. I didn"t want to expose you to the darkness that sometimes can take me over. I only came back when I couldn"t possibly stay away anymore. But maybe it"d be better if I went again. Then you could move on with your life for real this time, with no looking back." "That would be sort of impossible," Avery said. "Okay, it would be very impossible when for the longest time; all I wanted in the world was for you to be alive. And you are and I - I can"t..." "You can"t be with me." No, I can"t stop being afraid, Avery thought. She might have said it aloud but suddenly she spotted none other than Nick stalking over to their table. He saw her hands joined with Dylan"s, and Avery let go. Even if she didn"t want to let go, she did. "Don"t stop touching him on my account," Nick said acidly. "That wasn"t a problem for you before." "Nicholas -" Dylan started, clear warning sounding in his voice. "Dylan, Mac, whatever the hell you want to be called, stay out of this. I only came over to ask Avery when the DNA results come in." Avery shook her head. "In about two weeks, just like I told Dylan." "Oh yeah. It figures that he would be the first to know. I was really just a placeholder for him, wasn"t I, Avery?" Nicholas spat. "Stop it, Nick. You"re making a scene," Avery said. Nick shook his head. "Fine, I"ll leave you two lovebirds alone but fair warning, if that baby is mine, I expect to be a part of their life. A big part. You"re not going to cheat me out of knowing them - especially not for this guy." He then turned and stomped away. Avery looked over at Dylan. "Dylan, I"m -" "Don"t be sorry, Avery," Dylan replied. "He"s the one who should be sorry - talking to a pregnant woman that way." "He"s acting like such a jerk." "He"s acting like a jealous man, honestly," Dylan said. "His ego is wounded but he clearly loves you too. He may not be able to say it right now but he does. I guess what you have to decide now is if you want him in your life again. If so, you have to fight for him." "Are you actually sitting there telling me to fight for another man?" "If that"s what will make you happy again... Then, yeah." A/N: Feedback?! Please lol F - Father The next two weeks passed far almost too quickly. Avery worked a lot to keep her mind occupied. Dylan called her every night though and they talked for at least an hour before drifting off to sleep. Sometimes she would wake up in the morning, hearing the sound of Dylan"s soft snoring on the other end, realizing she had never actually hung up the phone. Their relationship was intimate and beautiful but she was deathly afraid that she was going to lose him again - in one way or another. He said he could cope if he wasn"t her child"s father but what if he was just fooling himself? He was going to be devastated. Hell, Avery was beginning to realize that she would be devastated if he wasn"t her baby daddy. She woke up in bed on this morning and her hands instinctively moved to the little mound that was growing a little bigger every day. "Good morning, little one," she whispered. "Today is the day we get the test done to find out who you"ll be calling "Daddy". Is it wrong that I wish it was Dylan and not Nick? Nick doesn"t deserve to be hurt anymore but Dylan doesn"t either ... He has tried to be strong through everything but eventually it has to take a toll... And I still love Dylan with everything that I am... God help me, I love him and if he walks away and I never see him again..." She rubbed her belly and sat up on the bed. A tear dashed down her cheek. "Never mind. All that matters is that you"re healthy, right? And my OB says you are so... I need to not worry so much. What"s meant to be will be. Isn"t that what they say? Whoever "they" are." She had never felt so unsure of anything - never so scared as she did at that moment. Before she could stop herself, she was reaching for the phone on the mattress and pressing it to her ear. Sure enough, she had never hung up the night before and she heard Dylan"s familiar, soft snores filling the line. She listened for a moment, imagining she could see him, and rest her head on his chest and listen to his strong heartbeat the way she used to when life seemed somehow simpler, even when it never had been. "Dylan," she called and then still louder, "Dylan! Wake up, please." She heard him stirring in bed and then he was answering, "Hey, Avery," he whispered. "What"s up?" "Uh, I just wanted to hear your voice for a minute." "You"re worried," Dylan said. It wasn"t a question. "Yes... Today"s the day. But then you already know that." She heard him clear his throat but when he spoke, his voice still sounded hoarse. "I do. I sort of check the calendar every day. You"re almost twelve weeks. Today"s the day alright... Are you scared?" Another tear rolled down her face and she caught it with the tip of her thumb. "Terrified." "Do you want me to come with you to the lab?" Yes! "No," she finally said. "You have a busy day ahead of you I"m sure and -" "The busy day can wait. In fact, I already told Sharon I probably wouldn"t work on the roof today. You haven"t asked but I want you to know that if you need me, I"m there." "You"re too damn sweet," Avery sniffled. "I never deserved you." "Don"t say that." "It"s true ... But I think I need to be the strong person I always claimed to be and go by myself. Though the day we get the DNA results, I promise you will be there. You and Nick both. "Okay..." "I don"t want anyone to get hurt, Dylan, but I should have thought of that before I slept with you like some kind of slut." "Hey, don"t say that." "Phyllis tells me I am a hypocrite and a "ho" all the time. And you know what? She"s right." "Hey, don"t listen to her. She seems really miserable and wants to bring you down too." "She thinks I stole her husband, Dylan." "I don"t think you did and besides, you love Nick and I know he loves you too." He sighed softly. "Maybe he did," Avery said. "But everything between us died when I told him that you and I had slept together." "I"m incredibly sorry that I ripped your life apart that way." "You didn"t, Dylan. I wanted that night with you. I wanted it so much." Dylan coughed softly. "Then - then why aren"t we trying things again?" I"m afraid to lose you, Avery thought. Don"t you get that? I"d rather push you away than have you leave me again. Aloud, she just said, "I don"t know. It"s complicated." "If you love me... It doesn"t have to be complicated." "Dylan, come on." "You"re being stubborn." "You always said you liked that about me," she protested with a weak laugh. "I do. I like everything about you, Avery. It"s just I think we deserve a chance again, if that"s what you want to. I am sorry I hurt you; I regret that every day." "You were presumed dead, Dylan, that"s not your fault." "Hiding out for so long though? That was my fault." "You explained your reasons -" "Maybe they don"t make sense. Maybe there"s a part of you that"s still angry at me." Avery"s throat clenched and she choked out, "There is. I wish you would have come to me immediately. I never would have turned you away. You didn"t trust me. The day at the lake I said "goodbye" to you and I told myself I made peace with never seeing you again..." "But me coming back... It upset the applecart in every way." "Yeah, yeah it did." She sighed and looked at the bedside clock. "Look I better go. I need to take a shower and get ready." "Are you sure you don"t want me to come with you?" "I"m a big girl," Avery said. "I"ll be alright. And I"ll call you tonight. And then in two days, we should know if -" "If I"m your baby"s father." "Yes." "I can love them, Avery, if they"re not mine. I already love him or her." "I know you can," she said. She sniffled. "Look, I really do have to go so..." "Alright ... Bye." "Bye, Dylan." Avery threw down the phone. For a minute, she allowed herself a good cry. When was she going to stop being so afraid? Afraid that when Dylan said "goodbye", that it would be for forever this time? A/N: Feedback please! I need to know if this is worth continuing or not. G - Gone The DNA results are in! Meet me at the lab ASAP. Plz! Avery texted Dylan and then Nick before slumping down into her chair at the office. She needed a minute or hell, a year even, to try to catch her bearings but she knew that she didn"t have that luxury. The lab had just called; it was time to face the music, pay the piper, whatever... All those horrible clichés were running through her mind as she stared at her phone blankly. Today she would know the identity of her baby"s biological father and she was worried that no matter who called himself "Daddy", at the end of the day, lives would be destroyed, people would be hurt. Worst of all, she was worried that her baby would have to suffer for all of the idiotic choices she had made of late. She was soon receiving nearly simultaneous replies. Nick"s text message said simply "Ok" while Dylan"s said "I"ll b there. Don"t worry - everything will be OK."She hoped Dylan was right about this. Whatever happened today would change lives, destines, even. She tucked her cell phone into her purse and then forced herself to her feet. She felt tired and nauseous but there was no delaying the inevitable anymore. It was time for her to face the truth. Avery arrived at the lab first and went to pick up the results at the front desk. They were enclosed in a simple manila folder. Her patient number and initials were printed ever so discreetly on the front. She wanted to rip the envelope open right then and there just to get it over with but she had promised that she would give the men the news at the same time. God willing, neither of them killed the other based on what the results revealed. She took to pacing the waiting room and time seemed to pass so quickly and yet not quite quickly enough as she walked around in frenzied circles. Dylan arrived soon enough. He offered her a small wave and then a hug to go with it. She wanted to cling to him but she didn"t dare. Especially because she saw Nick approaching then. "Well?" Nick immediately asked. His voice and body language conveyed how unhappy he was to see the two of them together - again. "Let"s get this over with now, okay?" "Nick -" Avery started. Nick held up a hand to stop her. "I don"t want to hear any more excuses or justifications for what you did. Just tell me the truth, Avery. I think you owe me that much." Dylan glared at Nick. "Settle down, Nick," he warned. Nick just glared back at Dylan as Avery sighed. "Let"s go into one of the empty rooms over there," Avery said, pointing across the way. The men nodded and followed after her. Avery walked inside and took a deep breath. "Guys, please just let me say one thing. I"m truly sorry for putting you both in a situation like this. If I could take it all back -" "Would you take it back, Avery?" Nick asked darkly. "Because I think you enjoyed sleeping with this guy. Maybe you just like having two guys jockeying for your attention." "Nicholas -" Dylan shot him another incredibly cold look. Nick just rolled his eyes. "Open the envelope, Avery," Nick said. Avery nodded and her fingers felt thick and clumsy as she worked at the prongs on the envelope. Finally, she was sliding the paper free from its protective cover. She looked at both men for a moment. Both men who she now realized that she loved in entirely different ways. "Nick, Dylan," she said. "Uh, are you both ready?" Dylan nodded while Nick tapped his foot impatiently. Avery took a deep breath, scanning the page. Tears popped into her eyes as she read the name printed on the paper. She couldn"t bring herself to look at Dylan. All she could say was, "Dylan, I- I"m sorry." She turned to face Nicholas instead and handed him the paper with a shaking hand. He practically tore it from her grasp, reading it over. "I"m the father," Nick pronounced. "How accurate is this?" "There is a 99.899 percent accuracy rating. There"s no mistake," Avery said, looking at Nick as tears rolled down her face. She still could not yet face Dylan. She didn"t want to have to see the hurt in his beautiful blue eyes. She also couldn"t face the fact that she had wanted him to be her baby"s father more than anything and he wasn"t. It all hurt too much. "Well," Nick said. "I am actually glad. This baby will be better off with me as their father than him- some guy with no family, connections, influence ..." Avery shook her head at Nick. "None of that matters, Nicholas. Besides, Dylan will still be a part of the baby"s life because he is always going to be a part of mine." She sighed and finally turned to look at Dylan. "Dylan, I need to-" Her voice trailed off when she noticed that she and Nick were now alone in the room. Dylan was gone. - A/N: I know, I know. Everyone wanted Dylan to be the daddy but I can only say that this is how I envisioned the story all along and I can"t betray my muse. Plus, I am building to something good. While Nick is definitely staying the baby daddy, Dylan is the love of Avery"s life. That carries some serious weight. Now lemme have it! lol

"What?" She asked with a little smile. He reached over and shut the TV off with the remote and then dropped to one knee in front of her. "Brandon -" she started but paused as he enveloped her hands in his big, warm ones. "Kelly, I love you. I have made a lot of mistakes in the past year but never, for even one moment have I stopped loving you or wanting you in my life. Practically every minute I was on my so-called world-wide "adventure", I thought about returning to you and I am glad I did because you are my home; you have my heart and always will. Kelly Taylor, will you be my wife?" Kelly"s eyes moistened with tears. "You want to get married, Brandon? To me?" Brandon chuckled. "Yeah, who else? You"re the one I want and that will never change." "Are you sure you"re not proposing because David already proposed to Donna and you want to one-up him or something?" He smirked. "Well, now that you mention it ... OF COURSE NOT! I want you to be my wife because I have this selfish need to have you in my life. I am going to try my damndest to make you happy as you always deserve to be. Like I said I made a lot of mistakes but loving you was never one of them." Kelly reached out and touched Brandon"s cheek. "I will say "yes" on one condition." "Anything," he agreed. "You stop blaming yourself for all that went wrong in our relationship. Because I messed up just as many times, just in different ways. So now if we make mistakes, we will forgive each other and work them." Brandon nodded. "I think I can learn to live with that condition." "Then yes, Brandon, yes, I will marry you. I love you." They kissed for a very long moment and then he pulled back and pulled a little ring out of his pocket. "It"s not much. I mean I don"t have a full-time job yet ..." "No, Brandon, I love it," she said as he slipped the slender band with a single diamond stud on it on her finger. "I love you." "I love, you too, Kel. I love you too. Now and always ..." Another stand-alone letter but hopefully you will like it anyway. "O" and "P" should be up by this Thursday afternoon! I am powering through these starting now lol Thanks for all the comments thus far! N - Nuptial "Here"s to complete and total nuptial bliss," Donna said as she and Kelly clinked together their glasses. All around them was a bevy of well-wishing female friends and relatives. They had rented out The After Dark for the occasion - the occasion being that tomorrow Kelly and Donna were marrying their respective soulmates in a double ceremony! "Only fifteen hours and twelve minutes to go," Kelly said, as she looked at her watch and then her eyes fell on her engagement ring. A smile came to her face. She knew that Brandon had scrimped and saved to buy it for her and it meant the whole world to her. She was marrying her soulmate, her other, better half, her everything, tomorrow and while she was incredibly nervous that everything would fall through due to her compulsion to often sabotage her own happiness (as her therapist put it), she was also determined not to let anything stand in the way of her being Brandon"s wife once and for all. "Are you nervous?" Donna asked as she danced from foot to foot. Kelly laughed. "Are you?" "Terrified!" Donna said. "I mean, what if something goes wrong? What if the caterers deliver the food to the wrong venue or the flowers are wilted or -" She broke off as Kelly grasped her by the shoulders and lightly shook her. "You"re making me incredibly anxious now - as if I wasn"t before - so stop it!" Kelly said with a smile. "You"re right, it"s silly. We are going to have it all tomorrow. We"re going to have the brass ring so who cares if our trains snag when we get out of the limo or someone"s allergic to the shellfish at the reception or the cake -" Kelly shook Donna again and they laughed. "I"ll stop, I"ll stop," Donna said. Just then Clare walked over to them holding out a cordless telephone. "Call for you two." "For the both of us?" Donna asked. "Yep," Clare said and smiled at them as Kelly accepted the receiver into her hand and Donna got close to her so they could both listen in. Kelly heard loud music and laughter in the background. "Hello...?" "Hey, Kel, it"s Brandon," her groom greeted her. "And David," another familiar voice said. "David!" Donna broke out into a smile. "How is the bachelor party going?" "Yeah, how are all those strippers?" Kelly joked. "Eager for dollar bills," Brandon joked. "Anyway, David and I are having a sucky time here without our girls so we thought we"d head home but not before, we gave you gifts." "Gifts?" Donna asked. "Yep. Look at the front door." "Now?" "Uh huh." Kelly and Donna looked ahead and sure enough a man was walking into the room carrying two black boxes. "Delivery for Kelly and Donna," he said to Clare. "They"re the ones with veils made of toilet paper on their heads," Clare said with a facetious smile. The man nodded and moved over to them. "What are these?" Kelly asked. "Put down the phone for a moment and find out," Brandon said. The girls did and thanked the man as he deposited a box in each of their hands. They looked at each other and squealed their thanks to the delivery man before ripping open the boxes. Inside each box lay a pair of earrings. They appeared to be identical and were simply beautiful. The girls grabbed the notes that came with them. "Awww," Donna said as she read hers and clutched it to her chest. "David said he can"t wait for tomorrow when our forever really begins. He"s so soulful! What does yours say, Kel?" "That my earrings are cubic zirconia," she said with a laugh. "But he promises to replace them with real diamonds soon. And P.S. "You"re worth everything to me, Kelly, and I can"t wait for our life together to begin." The girls eagerly dove for the phone again and pressed it to their ears. "Guys, the earrings are beautiful!" Donna said happily as tears appeared in her eyes. Kelly felt tears forming in her eyes too. "They really are," she agreed. "Well, we love you two," Brandon said. "Though no offense, Don, I love Kelly the most." Donna laughed. "It"s fine because I love David more than you." They all laughed and then Brandon said, "Well we better get our beauty sleep so you two drive home safe and we"ll see you at the beach tomorrow." Kelly looked at Donna and they both said the same thing, at the same time. "We can"t wait!" Thanks to all who are reading this and especially thanks to those who are reviewing. You have no idea how much it means to me. I hope I did the double wedding justice in this part. Read on ... O - Ocean Kelly gripped Doc Martin"s left arm anxiously, as Donna did the same to her father"s right arm. Before them, the Pacific Ocean sparkled under the bright afternoon sun. The blue-green waves crashed against the surf below them as their respective grooms waited atop the cliff. It was a very short walk but Kelly was slightly breathless when they reached the summit and then looking into Brandon"s beautiful eyes, her breath was completely stolen away. He gave her the brightest, sexiest smile she had ever seen and her knees felt like they"d give out on her. She was fortunate Dr. Martin was holding her upright. "This is it," Donna whispered to Kelly over her father"s shoulder. "Yes it is," Kelly agreed. John led them the rest of the way to their grooms. He put Donna"s hands in David"s and kissed his daughter"s cheek before settling Kelly"s own hands in Brandon"s larger ones. Kelly"s skin alighted with warmth at Brandon"s touch. "Hey, gorgeous," he whispered to her. "You ready for this?" Kelly nodded. "Yeah, yeah I am." The ceremony began then, with the priest asking who gave away the brides. John, Felice, Jackie and Mel all said "we do" and the wedding really got underway. The whole time Kelly felt like she was hardly there, but somewhere above, happily floating on a cloud of love. Even as silly as that sentiment was, it felt like reality. Donna recited a poem as part of her vows and David"s voice became hoarse as he said his own vows to Donna. Then it was Kelly and Brandon"s turn and she realized from then on, they were KellyandBrandon - one unit, one mind, one heart. It was such a heady experience for Kelly that her eyes filmed with tears as she began to say exactly what was in her heart. "Brandon, we"ve faced so many obstacles, haven"t we - to get to this place... But we got through all of the roadblocks somehow and here we are - as Donna said in her poem - "at the hour of our greatest happiness". I think I loved you the moment I first set eyes on you. No, I know I did. I was just really, really stubborn for a long time, afraid of my own feelings, afraid that if I let you in, I"d lose you. But I"m not scared anymore because I truly believe with all of my heart that we are going to make it, that we are meant to be. I think I"ve always known that and now I am fully embracing it. I know things won"t always be perfect but they will be worth it because I"ll be going through it all with the man I am meant to love forever... Thank you for loving me too, Brandon Walsh. I cannot wait to be your wife." Brandon squeezed Kelly"s hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "Wow, how am I supposed to top that?" He asked as laughter spread throughout the crowd. "Seriously, I am the aspiring writer here and yet, you said it all so much better than I can. But that"s partly because right now, at this moment, looking into your gorgeous eyes and seeing that smile of yours, I am pretty darn speechless! To think I get to wake up to that smile every morning... well, it humbles me so, so much. I am incredibly glad we finally got our timing right, but Kel, I was stubborn too and I was just as scared as you are. Scared I couldn"t be what you needed and deserved. But you know the best thing about marriage - or so I"ve heard? It"s that we get to share our fears and our doubts, and our hopes and dreams, with our other half. And that"s what you are, Kelly Taylor, the other half of my soul and my heart. I will love you forever. Thank you for loving me enough to say "yes" when I proposed. I can"t wait for the next chapter in our lives to begin today." Tears were running down Kelly"s cheeks as Brandon spoke and as he reached out and wiped them away, her heart felt happy. Today was turning out to be a complete fairytale, smeared mascara and all... The preacher looked at all of them then. "Beautiful! It"s just beautiful to witness the love and devotion I see before me today. I have no doubt that these two couples are going to go the distance... Now, let"s get to the next part so they can really begin their lives together, just where they clearly belong." The rest of the ceremony went by quickly. The "I do"s" were exchanged, as well as rings, and then the Father was pronouncing them officially wed. He looked at Brandon and then David. "You two may now kiss your brides." David whooped happily as he leaned in to Donna. Brandon, meanwhile, said "It"s about time", as he tugged Kelly into his arms and his lips found hers in a perfect, exquisite kiss that she didn"t want to end. Applause erupted all around them and then the four of them were linking arms, and amidst a shower of bird seed, they were running down the beach together to their reception... to their new beginning. A short update. I will try to add 2-3 more of these by the weekend. You (my readers) are all wonderful and so patient with me. It"s much appreciated! P - Pregnant "Brandon, can we talk for a minute?" Kelly asked one evening, edging into the living room at their place. Brandon looked up from where he was pounding out an article on the word processor. He had a pencil behind either ear, his hair was all rumpled, and he looked just adorable as he nodded. "Yeah, come on down," he said. He noted her hesitant stance and jumped up from his chair, moving over to her. He reached for her hands then and lightly tugged her towards the sofa. He pulled her down next to him and he looked at her closely. "You still look a little green, Kel. Is that flu bug still kicking you around or what?" Kelly cleared her throat. "Uh, Brandon, I don"t think it"s the flu." "Oh no... You"re not ..." "Pregnant?" "I was going to say suffering from some fatal illness." Kelly punched his arm. "Hey! What was that for?" "For being dense - maybe purposefully. You don"t want to have a baby do you?" Brandon looked at her in surprise. "Wait. A baby ... A real one or a future, metaphorical one?" Kelly went to hit him again but he grabbed her hand to stop her. "Boy, you"re testy. Hormonal, I"d say ... God; you are pregnant, aren"t you?" Kelly nodded. "Yeah. I just took a test upstairs and it was positive. Plus I have all the symptoms and my period is over two weeks late which never happens ... So..." "Wow..." "Yeah, wow. What are we going to do, Brandon? You just barely started at The Beverly Beat and we"ve only been married for three months... It"s really soon ... How are we going to handle this?" "Like we do everything ... together." Brandon reached out and stroked her cheek. Her eyes moistened at his words. "It will be okay, assuming you want this baby." "I think I do, Brandon, but I"m afraid ... Afraid to become my mother." "You"re not Jackie, Kelly," Brandon said. He dabbed at her tears as they spilled down her cheeks. "You never could be. And anyway, she must not be so bad because her daughter amazes me every day. I love her daughter actually." "Brandon..." "Kelly ... I want this baby. I knew I always wanted kids. Emily -" "She cheated you out of that, didn"t she?" "Yes. But I don"t want that to be the reason you become a mother now - just to make me feel better." Kelly grasped his smooth cheeks in either of her hands. "The reason I want to be a mother now is because I want this. I want your child. I hope they have your eyes." "I hope they have your smile," Brandon returned, tracing her lips with a careful finger. "I hope they have your hair." Kelly suddenly laughed. "God, we are so nauseating!" "We are," he agreed. "But it"s our prerogative. Our kid is going to think we"re nauseating at some point just like we did our parents. We might as well get used to being mushy, old fogies." Kelly sighed, sobering. "You really think I"m ready for this?" "I do but it"s really up to you." "Well...I reserve the right to cry on your shoulder if I do something horrible to scar our child"s psyche." "And I reserve the right to remind you how amazing you are a hundred times a day. And how grateful I am that you are giving me this wonderful gift." His hand found her taut stomach and he lightly caressed it. "Brandon, that"s so sweet ... And now I need to barf. Literally. This morning sickness stuff is not only reserved for mornings, I don"t think." She bolted to her feet and ran down the hall to the bathroom. Brandon followed her and held back her soft, blonde hair. This would be a long nine months but he knew somehow they would enjoy every minute of it - the good, the bad and the ugly too. Thanks to all my readers and especially my reviewers! I hope you like this update. There are only a few parts left which is so great. Q - Quadruplets "I can"t believe we"re going to see our baby today, Brandon," Kelly enthused as she and Brandon sat in the waiting room of Cedars Hospital. "This is kind of surreal." "Definitely," Brandon agreed, reaching out to stroke the ever-growing mound beneath Kelly"s shirt. She was nearing four months now but was already showing quite a bit. She was constantly complaining that she was fat as a whale and no matter how many times Brandon told her she looked better than ever; she was flattered, but didn"t believe it. "I wonder if they can tell us yet if we"re having a girl or a boy. Donna is chomping at the bit to start designing a couture line of baby clothes just for our child." Brandon smiled. "I can imagine that. She"s so excited to be a godmother." "Yeah, we couldn"t have made a better choice," Kelly agreed. Just then she spotted the nurse they were used to seeing by now wave them over. "Kelly and Brandon, hello," she said as she led them down the corridor. "You get to see your baby today. How exciting is that?" Brandon grinned. "Very exciting." The nurse led them to a room and she and Brandon helped Kelly onto the exam table. "Dr. Thomas will be right with you," the nurse said and headed back for the door, shutting it after her. Brandon reached out and grasped Kelly"s hand, giving it a squeeze. "You look nervous all of a sudden." "I am," Kelly said. "About whether we"re having a boy or girl?" "No. It"s just seeing our baby today will make it all that more real. A life depends on me, Brandon. That"s such a scary thought." "Seriously, Kel, our baby couldn"t ask for a better mother." "I wish I could believe that, Brandon, but I"m worried. I don"t want to be my mom." "You can"t be," Brandon said. He kissed the back of her palm then. The door opened and their OB walked into the room. "Hey, Doc." "Hello," Dr. Thomas said in return. She was a slight woman with the reddest hair Kelly had ever seen. She moved over to Kelly. "How are you feeling today, Mrs. Walsh?" "Nervous," Kelly admitted. "That"s understandable. I won"t keep you in suspense then. Let"s do the ultrasound now." "Alright," Kelly agreed. She felt Brandon squeeze her hand again and she offered him a weak smile. She then bunched up her shirt as Dr. Thomas reached for a tube of jelly. "This may be a little cold," Dr. Thomas said and began to apply it to Kelly"s belly. Kelly shivered a bit but not because she was cold. Nervous anticipation coursed through her. The doctor smiled at her. "Just relax." Kelly nodded. The monitor was switched on then and Dr. Thomas picked up the wand. Kelly and Brandon watched the screen, noting all of the dark lines and movement going on. "Oh wow," Dr. Thomas said. "What?" Kelly asked. "Is something wrong?" "No, not at all. They all seem healthy thus far." "They?" Brandon echoed. "There"s three babies in there," Dr. Thomas said. Kelly gasped a bit in surprise, not sure how to react just then. "Oh wait, nope. There are four! The last one was just hiding." "Ohmigod..." "Wait, Doc, are you saying we"re having quadruplets?" Brandon asked. "That"s what I"m saying... It"s rare for that many multiples to be conceived outside of a lab so congratulations." "Oh wow. Four babies," Kelly murmured. "Ohmigod." Kelly and Brandon left the hospital in silence. It wasn"t until Brandon was navigating the streets of Beverly Hills in his convertible that Kelly finally found the words to speak. "Four kids... That"s a lot, Brandon." "Yeah, you can say that again." "Are we ready for that?" Kelly asked. "Brandon, I need you to reassure me here. Why aren"t you saying anything?" Brandon sighed as he shifted gears. "I guess I"m a little shocked. One baby is a lot of responsibility, but four ... I don"t know if I can reassure you right now." Tears formed in Kelly"s eyes. "You don"t want the babies do you? You were okay with one, but four..." Brandon reached out for Kelly"s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Of course I want the babies. The idea is incredibly scary. I wonder too how we"re going to do this but ..." He smiled at her then. "We"ll make it work. Together, just as usual." A tear rolled down Kelly"s cheek. "We"re going to need another, bigger car. A mini-van... Ohmigod, can you see me driving a mini-van?" "Next stop Soccer and PTA Mom." Kelly laughed in spite of herself. "This is wild, Brandon. Us, and four kids all at once. How did your Mom do it with two?" "Good question. I think she better get used to panicked four a.m. phone calls from us." "How are we going to tell everyone?" "All at once ... Let"s throw a party at the house to announce we"re having quads." "You"re getting more excited about this aren"t you?" "Yeah, yeah I am. At first I was really shocked but now that I"ve had a moment to digest it all, I know we can do this. Say you believe that too, Kel." Kelly nodded. "I think I believe that too." She cupped her belly then. "Hey, babies, you are in for a really wild ride. But we love you. We wouldn"t change a thing and we can"t wait to meet you." Wow I can"t believe I am actually updating this but here you go. There are only a few chapters left. I will try to finish it by the end of March. Keep encouraging me. Thanks! R - Rowdy "The guests are getting pretty rowdy," Kelly observed as she moved through the foyer towards Brandon, hands on her ever-growing stomach. It had been two weeks since they had found out about the quads and they had thrown together this party to share the news with everyone. So far though, it was turning out to be more like a frat party than any kind of celebration. Steve and some of their college buddies were chugging beers like gangbusters. There was even a pyramid made from Jose Cuervo bottles on the coffee table. The only guests who weren"t drinking were Kelly"s mom (she was trying sobriety again), Brandon"s mom and Brandon and Kelly themselves. Brandon had agreed not to drink because of course, Kelly couldn"t. "Think we should round them all up and hogtie them down until they listen to what we have to say?" Brandon asked as he slipped his arm around her growing waist.

"I remember," Dylan said and she felt his gaze burning into her. "But I really want to get to work on roof while the sun is still shining. You two ... have fun." And then Dylan was gone. Sharon turned back to face Avery who"s cheeks still felt red and flushed. "Avery, the offer still stands. Tea and your cupcakes? It will have to be green tea because of your condition but-" She broke off as she saw the look in Avery"s eyes. "Oh sorry. I take it you didn"t want anyone to know." "No, but the truth is all over town anyway, at least according to my dear sister... I guess Dylan told you." "Actually, no. It was Nick." Sharon now was the one blushing. "It was perfectly innocent. He was really upset and I insisted he tell me what was wrong and I guess we were overheard because you"re right, a lot of people know now." "That I"m a skank." Avery didn"t know how she felt about Nick sharing confidences with his ex-wife but then realized she had come to do the same thing, so there was no reason to be this upset. "No way. Don"t let Phyllis into your head. I am sure that"s what she said." "Basically," Avery admitted. "She took great pleasure in telling me what a whore and a hypocrite I am." "Boy that sounds vaguely familiar," Sharon said facetiously. "For what it"s worth though, I am sorry it"s your sister doing the taunting." "Me too." Avery looked at the door, looking for an escape but Sharon quickly set the cupcakes down on a side table and reached for Avery"s arm. "Sit down. You look exhausted and I really would like to talk to you." She led Avery over to the sofa and Avery nodded, sinking down onto the plush cushions. "I"ll be right back with plates, napkins and some warm tea." Avery thanked her and watched her go. Her eyes then traveled to the staircase, wondering if she would catch a sight of Dylan but he wasn"t there. She heard hammering somewhere above them but that was the only hint that he was still nearby. Sharon returned in no time and set down the plates and warm cups of tea. Avery didn"t think she could hold anything down at the moment so she just held the cup in her tiny hands, feeling the heat of it, wishing it would fill her up. Sharon, meanwhile, made a big show of saying how much she enjoyed the cupcakes. Avery forced a smile. "I"m glad that you like them." Avery didn"t realize she was doing it at first but her eyes moved towards the staircase again and Sharon said, "You know, this isn"t what it looked like. Dylan is just -" Avery held up a hand. "You don"t have to explain anything to me. Dylan and I aren"t together anymore so he"s free to be with anyone he chooses." "But that"s sort of it," Sharon said. "He doesn"t want to be with anyone - except you." Avery sighed. "Sharon, you don"t have to-" "I want to, Avery. He really loves you. In fact, that"s mostly what we talk about. You. He is just here for a bit to patch my roof. It was nearly destroyed in that storm a few weeks ago. He"s offered to fix it in return for room and board." Avery gulped. "He"s staying here?" "Uh huh but there is nothing going on. He had his shirt off because it"s hot doing labor like that, even in early spring. He was just going to grab a glass of water when -" "When I showed up." "Yes." "Was I too cold to him?" Avery asked worriedly. Sharon chuckled. "A little but I can understand why. This is a really hard situation that you"re going through. Your emotions are heightened too by hormones. Everything is confusing. But I understand better than anyone that sometimes it"s hard to let go. Not that you have to. If you want to be with Dylan ..." "I will always love Dylan but I don"t think we can be together. He deserves better than what I can give him. And I"m afraid -" "If you let him back in, you"ll lose him?" Sharon guessed. Avery didn"t reply. There was no need to. Sharon had guessed the primary truth of it. "Look, can I give you a word of advice"?" Avery nodded. "Yes..." "Dylan is the type of man who will wait around forever for you to say well, "stay". But it"s not fair for him to have to live in limbo like that. It"s not fair to you either so I recommend you two at least sit down and talk one day. You can do it in neutral territory, maybe at a secluded table at Crimson Lights. Just give yourselves the time to discuss everything." Avery looked at Sharon. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I just may have to do that. Thanks, Sharon." "Yes, anytime," Sharon said and squeezed her arm. Avery"s eyes moved to the staircase one more time and she sighed, very much missing the sight of Dylan. Very much missing everything about him, period. E - Enduring The following day, after enduring a truly sleepless night, Avery texted Dylan, asking him to meet her at Crimson Lights. He replied that he would be there at noon and she arrived twenty minutes early out of pure nervousness. She shouldn"t have been surprised though when she walked in and saw him already sitting there, at a table in the back of the establishment. She couldn"t help but smile, though a tad nervously, as he stood and pulled out a chair for her. She murmured a "thank you" and her hand tingled where her fingers accidentally grazed his. He was wearing a black button-down shirt and looking incredibly handsome as always. The way his blue eyes locked on hers made her shiver a bit. He seemed to notice her trembling and asked her, "Are you cold?" "Uh ..." How did she explain this? She couldn"t begin to do so, so she just nodded. "Yeah, a bit, I guess." Before she could stop him, he was moving out of his seat, pulling his bomber jacket off of the back of his chair and tucking it around her shoulders. "Thanks," she murmured and for a moment was tempted to bury her face in the fabric because it felt so warm, familiar and it smelled just like the spring-fresh soap he had always bathed with. Some things did not change and it was oddly comforting. He slipped back into the chair across from her and offered her a smile. "Can I get you something to drink? I know coffee is out of the question but maybe a hot chocolate or something?" "No, I"m fine," Avery said. "I have trouble holding down much of anything these days." "You have to try, for the baby." "I do try and I eat as much as I can, really I do. But my stomach is all tied up in knots this morning." "Mine too," he agreed and she nodded. So they were both feeling nervous, huh? By now, Avery was sort of was regretting calling him because suddenly she couldn"t remember what she had wanted so much to say in the first place. If she was a nail-bitter, her fingers would have been chewed down to the quick; she was feeling that anxious. "So what did you want to talk about?" Dylan asked, trying to keep his voice conversational. "Is this about the baby? Do you know if-" She shook her head. "Not yet. But I talked to my OB yesterday and she says there"s a new DNA procedure that"s much less invasive than an amnio. In fact, it"s virtually complication-free and I can get it done at eleven weeks." "So about two more weeks ... That seems like a long time." Avery nodded. "For me too. I want to know as much as I don"t want to. I don"t want to wreck any more lives, especially this baby"s." "You won"t. You"re going to be an amazing mother. It doesn"t matter who plays "daddy", because this baby has everything they need with you already." Avery bundled the jacket around her and tugged the sleeves down over her hands. Why did Dylan have to be so wonderful? He was making it incredibly hard to walk away from him. And she should. Because she should be fighting for Nicholas, shouldn"t she? She loved him too, just maybe not in the same way. She realized that much. "Thanks for saying so, Dylan. You really think too much of me." "And you really don"t think enough of yourself." "Why are you so sweet, especially after what I"ve done?" He shrugged, rubbing his cheek. "All I can say is that you"re way too hard on yourself. In case, you"ve forgotten, I sort of wanted you too. Okay, I really did. I am just sorry you had regrets in the morning. And believe it or not, I"m sorry Nicholas was hurt. I truly am." Avery believed him. A good heart, that"s what Dylan had. She sighed. "I honestly don"t remember what I was going to say now." She chuckled a bit at the expression on his face. "But I"m glad I did call. We had a wonderful friendship, Dylan; I"d like it to continue... no matter what happens. I mean, I know it won"t be easy with everything but I lost you once and I can"t imagine you not being a part of my life in some way." "If friendship is what you want, then that"s what you"ll get," Dylan said in a quiet voice. "I am always going to want more but I also won"t push you for something you can"t give." He held up a hand. "Don"t say I"m a good man for that please. Because if it were up to me I would be incredibly selfish and demand you come back to me, but I"m not going to do that - for your sake." "You are a good man, Dylan. Nothing will ever change that." Avery sighed again and slowly reached for his hand. His fingers felt warm and oddly soft and familiar despite the work-calluses. "I am so grateful you"re back. If I didn"t say that before, I am. I was just so shocked for a really long time. I mean, I tried to make peace with your "death". I thought I did..." Dylan looked at their intertwined fingers. "I wish I could have come back sooner. I wish that all the time, Avery, but I was so messed up after everything that happened in Iraq ... I couldn"t do it. I didn"t want to expose you to the darkness that sometimes can take me over. I only came back when I couldn"t possibly stay away anymore. But maybe it"d be better if I went again. Then you could move on with your life for real this time, with no looking back." "That would be sort of impossible," Avery said. "Okay, it would be very impossible when for the longest time; all I wanted in the world was for you to be alive. And you are and I - I can"t..." "You can"t be with me." No, I can"t stop being afraid, Avery thought. She might have said it aloud but suddenly she spotted none other than Nick stalking over to their table. He saw her hands joined with Dylan"s, and Avery let go. Even if she didn"t want to let go, she did. "Don"t stop touching him on my account," Nick said acidly. "That wasn"t a problem for you before." "Nicholas -" Dylan started, clear warning sounding in his voice. "Dylan, Mac, whatever the hell you want to be called, stay out of this. I only came over to ask Avery when the DNA results come in." Avery shook her head. "In about two weeks, just like I told Dylan." "Oh yeah. It figures that he would be the first to know. I was really just a placeholder for him, wasn"t I, Avery?" Nicholas spat. "Stop it, Nick. You"re making a scene," Avery said. Nick shook his head. "Fine, I"ll leave you two lovebirds alone but fair warning, if that baby is mine, I expect to be a part of their life. A big part. You"re not going to cheat me out of knowing them - especially not for this guy." He then turned and stomped away. Avery looked over at Dylan. "Dylan, I"m -" "Don"t be sorry, Avery," Dylan replied. "He"s the one who should be sorry - talking to a pregnant woman that way." "He"s acting like such a jerk." "He"s acting like a jealous man, honestly," Dylan said. "His ego is wounded but he clearly loves you too. He may not be able to say it right now but he does. I guess what you have to decide now is if you want him in your life again. If so, you have to fight for him." "Are you actually sitting there telling me to fight for another man?" "If that"s what will make you happy again... Then, yeah." A/N: Feedback?! Please lol F - Father The next two weeks passed far almost too quickly. Avery worked a lot to keep her mind occupied. Dylan called her every night though and they talked for at least an hour before drifting off to sleep. Sometimes she would wake up in the morning, hearing the sound of Dylan"s soft snoring on the other end, realizing she had never actually hung up the phone. Their relationship was intimate and beautiful but she was deathly afraid that she was going to lose him again - in one way or another. He said he could cope if he wasn"t her child"s father but what if he was just fooling himself? He was going to be devastated. Hell, Avery was beginning to realize that she would be devastated if he wasn"t her baby daddy. She woke up in bed on this morning and her hands instinctively moved to the little mound that was growing a little bigger every day. "Good morning, little one," she whispered. "Today is the day we get the test done to find out who you"ll be calling "Daddy". Is it wrong that I wish it was Dylan and not Nick? Nick doesn"t deserve to be hurt anymore but Dylan doesn"t either ... He has tried to be strong through everything but eventually it has to take a toll... And I still love Dylan with everything that I am... God help me, I love him and if he walks away and I never see him again..." She rubbed her belly and sat up on the bed. A tear dashed down her cheek. "Never mind. All that matters is that you"re healthy, right? And my OB says you are so... I need to not worry so much. What"s meant to be will be. Isn"t that what they say? Whoever "they" are." She had never felt so unsure of anything - never so scared as she did at that moment. Before she could stop herself, she was reaching for the phone on the mattress and pressing it to her ear. Sure enough, she had never hung up the night before and she heard Dylan"s familiar, soft snores filling the line. She listened for a moment, imagining she could see him, and rest her head on his chest and listen to his strong heartbeat the way she used to when life seemed somehow simpler, even when it never had been. "Dylan," she called and then still louder, "Dylan! Wake up, please." She heard him stirring in bed and then he was answering, "Hey, Avery," he whispered. "What"s up?" "Uh, I just wanted to hear your voice for a minute." "You"re worried," Dylan said. It wasn"t a question. "Yes... Today"s the day. But then you already know that." She heard him clear his throat but when he spoke, his voice still sounded hoarse. "I do. I sort of check the calendar every day. You"re almost twelve weeks. Today"s the day alright... Are you scared?" Another tear rolled down her face and she caught it with the tip of her thumb. "Terrified." "Do you want me to come with you to the lab?" Yes! "No," she finally said. "You have a busy day ahead of you I"m sure and -" "The busy day can wait. In fact, I already told Sharon I probably wouldn"t work on the roof today. You haven"t asked but I want you to know that if you need me, I"m there." "You"re too damn sweet," Avery sniffled. "I never deserved you." "Don"t say that." "It"s true ... But I think I need to be the strong person I always claimed to be and go by myself. Though the day we get the DNA results, I promise you will be there. You and Nick both. "Okay..." "I don"t want anyone to get hurt, Dylan, but I should have thought of that before I slept with you like some kind of slut." "Hey, don"t say that." "Phyllis tells me I am a hypocrite and a "ho" all the time. And you know what? She"s right." "Hey, don"t listen to her. She seems really miserable and wants to bring you down too." "She thinks I stole her husband, Dylan." "I don"t think you did and besides, you love Nick and I know he loves you too." He sighed softly. "Maybe he did," Avery said. "But everything between us died when I told him that you and I had slept together." "I"m incredibly sorry that I ripped your life apart that way." "You didn"t, Dylan. I wanted that night with you. I wanted it so much." Dylan coughed softly. "Then - then why aren"t we trying things again?" I"m afraid to lose you, Avery thought. Don"t you get that? I"d rather push you away than have you leave me again. Aloud, she just said, "I don"t know. It"s complicated." "If you love me... It doesn"t have to be complicated." "Dylan, come on." "You"re being stubborn." "You always said you liked that about me," she protested with a weak laugh. "I do. I like everything about you, Avery. It"s just I think we deserve a chance again, if that"s what you want to. I am sorry I hurt you; I regret that every day." "You were presumed dead, Dylan, that"s not your fault." "Hiding out for so long though? That was my fault." "You explained your reasons -" "Maybe they don"t make sense. Maybe there"s a part of you that"s still angry at me." Avery"s throat clenched and she choked out, "There is. I wish you would have come to me immediately. I never would have turned you away. You didn"t trust me. The day at the lake I said "goodbye" to you and I told myself I made peace with never seeing you again..." "But me coming back... It upset the applecart in every way." "Yeah, yeah it did." She sighed and looked at the bedside clock. "Look I better go. I need to take a shower and get ready." "Are you sure you don"t want me to come with you?" "I"m a big girl," Avery said. "I"ll be alright. And I"ll call you tonight. And then in two days, we should know if -" "If I"m your baby"s father." "Yes." "I can love them, Avery, if they"re not mine. I already love him or her." "I know you can," she said. She sniffled. "Look, I really do have to go so..." "Alright ... Bye." "Bye, Dylan." Avery threw down the phone. For a minute, she allowed herself a good cry. When was she going to stop being so afraid? Afraid that when Dylan said "goodbye", that it would be for forever this time? A/N: Feedback please! I need to know if this is worth continuing or not. G - Gone The DNA results are in! Meet me at the lab ASAP. Plz! Avery texted Dylan and then Nick before slumping down into her chair at the office. She needed a minute or hell, a year even, to try to catch her bearings but she knew that she didn"t have that luxury. The lab had just called; it was time to face the music, pay the piper, whatever... All those horrible clichés were running through her mind as she stared at her phone blankly. Today she would know the identity of her baby"s biological father and she was worried that no matter who called himself "Daddy", at the end of the day, lives would be destroyed, people would be hurt. Worst of all, she was worried that her baby would have to suffer for all of the idiotic choices she had made of late. She was soon receiving nearly simultaneous replies. Nick"s text message said simply "Ok" while Dylan"s said "I"ll b there. Don"t worry - everything will be OK."She hoped Dylan was right about this. Whatever happened today would change lives, destines, even. She tucked her cell phone into her purse and then forced herself to her feet. She felt tired and nauseous but there was no delaying the inevitable anymore. It was time for her to face the truth. Avery arrived at the lab first and went to pick up the results at the front desk. They were enclosed in a simple manila folder. Her patient number and initials were printed ever so discreetly on the front. She wanted to rip the envelope open right then and there just to get it over with but she had promised that she would give the men the news at the same time. God willing, neither of them killed the other based on what the results revealed. She took to pacing the waiting room and time seemed to pass so quickly and yet not quite quickly enough as she walked around in frenzied circles. Dylan arrived soon enough. He offered her a small wave and then a hug to go with it. She wanted to cling to him but she didn"t dare. Especially because she saw Nick approaching then. "Well?" Nick immediately asked. His voice and body language conveyed how unhappy he was to see the two of them together - again. "Let"s get this over with now, okay?" "Nick -" Avery started. Nick held up a hand to stop her. "I don"t want to hear any more excuses or justifications for what you did. Just tell me the truth, Avery. I think you owe me that much." Dylan glared at Nick. "Settle down, Nick," he warned. Nick just glared back at Dylan as Avery sighed. "Let"s go into one of the empty rooms over there," Avery said, pointing across the way. The men nodded and followed after her. Avery walked inside and took a deep breath. "Guys, please just let me say one thing. I"m truly sorry for putting you both in a situation like this. If I could take it all back -" "Would you take it back, Avery?" Nick asked darkly. "Because I think you enjoyed sleeping with this guy. Maybe you just like having two guys jockeying for your attention." "Nicholas -" Dylan shot him another incredibly cold look. Nick just rolled his eyes. "Open the envelope, Avery," Nick said. Avery nodded and her fingers felt thick and clumsy as she worked at the prongs on the envelope. Finally, she was sliding the paper free from its protective cover. She looked at both men for a moment. Both men who she now realized that she loved in entirely different ways. "Nick, Dylan," she said. "Uh, are you both ready?" Dylan nodded while Nick tapped his foot impatiently. Avery took a deep breath, scanning the page. Tears popped into her eyes as she read the name printed on the paper. She couldn"t bring herself to look at Dylan. All she could say was, "Dylan, I- I"m sorry." She turned to face Nicholas instead and handed him the paper with a shaking hand. He practically tore it from her grasp, reading it over.

Kelly smiled. "I take it you"d rather unwrap me." Brandon"s fingers moved to knot in the fabric of her nightie. "What do you think?" Kelly smiled and reached for his hand. "Well, get up here. I want my present now." Brandon got off the couch and immediately moved onto the sofa with Kelly. "How many euphemisms for early Christmas morning sex can we come up with?" "Shhh. Just kiss me, Brandon." "Mmm... Alright," he murmured as she reached for the hem of his tee-shirt, giving it a tug over his head. In no time, they were making love and it was amazing as it always was. Y - Yolanda It had taken a year but finally, David and Donna were getting their own miracle. Two days ago they had brought home a little girl named Yolanda, who was theirs for always. Today, Brandon, Kelly and their ever-active toddlers were coming to meet the newest member of their extended clan. Kelly felt oddly nervous. Some part of her wondered if Yolanda would like her and if she didn"t, would that put distance somehow between her and David and Donna? "Don"t worry," Brandon said as he looked over at her in the passenger seat of their SUV. Sure enough, they had never gotten a mini-van for which Kelly was extremely thankful. "She"s going to love you." "How did you know what I was thinking about?" Kelly asked. "Never mind. You always know." "I like to think I know you by now," Brandon said and Kelly nodded. Of course he did. He knew her and loved her better than anyone else in the whole world. "We"re here," Brandon announced two minutes later as they pulled up in front of the Silver beach house. They could hear the waves crashing on the sand as they all piled out of the car. Brandon held Zara and Suri"s hands as Kelly guided Braedan and Sonny along. They quads walked very well by now but it was their tendency to run that made Kelly and Brandon nervous. They were protective parents; it was just how they were, and they both reasoned that it was better to be safe than sorry. "Here we go," Kelly said, taking a deep breath as Brandon leaned against the doorbell. In no time, Donna was throwing back the door and the most brilliant smile was on her face. She looked happier than Kelly had ever seen her and it made many of Kelly"s insecurities melt away. "Come in, come in," Donna said and held back the door so they could all go inside. The door shut after them and the quads were immediately taking off to play. There was a kid-sized ball pit and all manner of toys lumped in the middle of the living room. They were in heaven. "So where"s the guest of honor?" Brandon asked. "Here she comes," Donna said and clapped her hands excitedly as David was leading a little girl only a bit bigger than the quads over to them. She was dressed in a gorgeous blue dress and her beautiful, dark, curly hair was hanging down her tiny shoulders. "Oh, Don," Kelly said and hugged her friend. "Your daughter is beautiful." A tear escaped Donna"s eye. "I love that phrase. "Your daughter"... My daughter. It"s an amazing feeling!" David led Yolanda to them and made the introductions. The room was crowded with people and Yolanda looked intimidated but eventually began to smile as everyone cooed over how cute she was. Before long, Kelly, Brenda and Donna were sitting on the sofa together. Yolanda was sitting on Donna"s lap, resting her head against Donna"s chest. "She"s so sweet," Brenda said. She reached out and squeezed Donna"s arm and that"s when Kelly spotted a ring on her finger. Kelly beamed. "Wow, Brenda, that"s some bling!" Donna"s eyes widened. "Oh my gosh it is!" Donna enthused. "Ryan and you...?" Brenda nodded. "Yes. He proposed last night actually. It was all very romantic and the way he looked at me... Well, how could I say no?" "You"re happy," Kelly said. It wasn"t a question. Brenda nodded. "Yes, very." They all noticed Yolanda eyeing Brenda"s ring. Brenda smiled at her. "You want to see?" Yolanda nodded and Brenda slipped the diamond off and set it in Yolanda"s little hand. The girl smiled at Donna and she gave her an encouraging smile back. "Try it on, Mija," Donna said. Yolanda slipped it on her thumb and it was very loose but she held up her hand, examining it with a smile. "Yo quiero," she said and giggled softly. "I like it too," Brenda said. Yolanda held out her hand to Kelly to show her. "Yo quiero tambien," Kelly said and when Yolanda realized Kelly could understand her native language, she broke out into little giggles and offered Kelly her free hand. Kelly squeezed it and smiled back. She then looked at her toddlers who were busy tearing up the room. She spotted Brandon talking to Ryan and she smiled at her husband. He winked back at her. In that moment, she knew the truth. Her life had come full circle. She felt complete. Z - Zoo "Next stop, the zoo!" Brandon said as he piloted the SUV down the road. This was to be the quads first trip to the zoo. They were three now and it seemed the right time to take them. '"Zoooooo," Suri singsonged. Before long the others were joining it, alternately chanting and singing. "We"re going to the zoooooo. The zoooooo!" Kelly twisted in her seat to look at them. "My little rock stars!" she said. They all smiled at her and went back to singing. The girls favored Brandon in looks and the boys had shocks of thick blonde hair like Kelly. Kelly and Brandon tried not to be too conceited but they thought their kids had to be the cutest kids ever. Before long, they reached the zoo. David, Donna and a now-six year-old Yolanda were standing at the gate with Ryan and a pregnant Brenda who had her hand on her growing belly. She was only four months along but she was, naturally, having twins and she was carrying large. Kelly and Brandon waved to them as the kids joined up with their friend Yolanda. They called her their "Prima" and she was teaching them Spanish words whenever she could. She was fluent in English now too. Everyone was smiling as they paid for their tickets and pushed through the gates. They rented two toddler strollers for the quads and then headed to the first "exhibit" which was actually a snack cart. They all got churros and then walked on. Brandon pushed one stroller with his left hand and held Kelly"s hand with his right one. They looked at each other and smiled. This was a good life. It was their life and they were together - happy with four energetic kids, and a ton of family members and friends. Things had ended up the way they were always meant to. THE END Hot damn! It"s done. It"s done. Can I just dance now? Lol I love finishing fics, especially ones I"ve been working on for so long. I hope you liked it. I want to give a special shout-out to my most faithful readers and reviewers. You all seriously rock! Thanks for taking this journey with me. I promise that I will write Brandon/Kelly again someday! They will always have a large piece of my heart. Thanks for the reviews so far! Keep "em coming lol Remember this story is fairly AU so it"s a bit different than what we know of cannon BH 90210. E - Everything and Entrancing They are dancing under the stars, everything is beautiful. It should be perfect. In her dreams, she dances just like this with Him, her fingers splayed across his strong chest, his hands lightly settled on her hips, the wind tracing circles through her long hair and the feel of him pressed against her is like no other. But she can only dream it now because he is gone. She is dancing in another"s arms and he may be handsome and debonair but his eyes aren"t Brandon"s blue ones and his hair isn"t Brandon"s dark brown and his hands don"t entrance her the way Brandon"s did when they would touch her, move inside her and fill her up. They have been dating for three months and it feels like the longest three months of her life. She thinks she could be in love with him - if he were just Brandon Walsh but no one else is. He"s one of a kind. It took years for her to realize what a gem he was and just seconds to lose him forever. She hates it, she hates herself. She wants it all back. She wants to do everything differently, love him harder and never let go. She is lost in humming along to Liz Phair"s "Why Can"t I?" to distract herself from this intimate moment she"s not sharing with the right man when suddenly she looks up, her eyes pulled forward almost by some invisible force and she sees Him standing there, watching her from the corner of the makeshift dance floor. "Brandon," she says. It"s just one word but it carries so much emotion with it - love, longing, anger, pain, pathos and then hope ... "Brandon," she says again, this time louder and disentangles herself from her date"s arms and takes after him as he turns and moves away. F - Faith "Brandon." His name comes out sounding a tad harsh but also breathless and even a bit hopeful. She has managed to catch up with him at the very end of the dirt-covered driveway as he is about to get into his little convertible and drive off and leave her again. This time she won"t let him. She at least wants to have her say. After all the months of waiting, wondering and worrying she deserves that much, doesn"t she? He turns around and looks at her, the blue of his eyes haunting and glassy-sheened under the bright twinkling stars overhead. He looks away for a moment and then back at her. "Hey, Kel." ""Hey, Kel"?" She echoes. "You"ve been gone for months and months and that"s all you have to say?" "What the hell else is I"m supposed to say?" "How about "I"ve missed you" or "I am a fucking selfish jerk for running off on you, Kel"!" He sighs. "Can we not do this here?" "Is there a better place?" She asks, wanting to rail at him, slap him senseless, and kiss him breathless all at the same time. "Yeah. Anywhere but here ..." "Why because you"re scared everyone will see what a jerk you are?" She waves her arms to encompass the whole party just beyond the gate and the few people who are watching them with obvious interest from the porch. "No. I just don"t think it"s the right place. Have a little faith in me okay?" She sputters a bit. Have faith in him? After he turned around and ran out on her, not calling or writing for months? Leaving her to wonder if he had been hurt or worse? She should spit in her face and walk away like he did. But she doesn"t and she hates herself even as she slips her hand into his waiting one and they climb into his car and speed off into the night. G-Greatest He looks over at her for perhaps a moment too long as they drive through the cool night but he"s trying to memorize her, make sure she"s really there and not another figment of his imagination. She looks as beautiful as she ever did with her blonde hair flying loose and free in the wind and her deep blue eyes glistening with a sheen of tears. He never wanted to make her cry, never wanted to her to feel pain or loss. To think he"s the cause of it makes him more than a bit angry at himself and leaves a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. Still, he"s so glad to see her. Picturing her in his mind for months is nothing like the reality of seeing her here, sitting beside him with her hand so close to his that he could reach out and intertwine their fingers, lock them together forever and never let go. He"s had a lot of women in his life but she was the only one he could imagine being with forever, the greatest love of his life, the one who captivated his heart and soul completely seemingly centuries ago, rather than just a few years ago. He has wasted too much time going back and forth with her, back and forth, running in circles, trying to deny his feelings. Feeling inadequate because he"s not Dylan and he never will be. Knowing Dylan"s the great love of her life, it breaks his heart. He doesn"t know why he took up with Emily again after all she pulled in high school - maybe to punish Kelly, maybe to make her jealous, maybe just wanting to be self-destructive and petty and senseless just one time, to know how it felt to be Dylan McKay, walk around a bit in his shoes, but it didn"t work. It had the opposite effect. While Dylan"s love me, kiss me, save me, fuck me routine worked for him, Brandon"s didn"t and never had. Eventually he was going to have to learn to be comfortable in his own skin again. But it was so difficult because all he wanted to be was the guy Kelly Taylor wanted and needed most and he"s not sure he ever will be. H - Heal She had come with him for some reason and she thought she wanted to see it through to the bitter end, hear what he had to say, listen to what excuses he could come up with to explain his uncharacteristic behavior. She didn"t think it would make a difference though. They had reached the point of no return and the healing was slow in coming, if it ever arrived at all ... He parked his convertible in front of West Beverly High, the halls they had once haunted, where they had walked together and apart seemingly so long ago. "What are we doing here?" she asked. "Just come on," he beckoned. She reluctantly followed him and they walked onto the school grounds. So many memories assaulted her and all of them she felt like she could trace back to Brandon. They hadn"t discovered their mutual feelings until long after they graduated high school and had gone on to college but Kelly had nurtured a crush on him when he first arrived in California. It hadn"t been rooted in reality, had been just a flight of fancy, until the first time they kissed and she knew - knew she wanted him in her life forever. She continued to follow him and watched as he took a pin from his pocket and jimmied the lock on the gymnasium door. She shook her head. "You"ve discovered new talents, Walsh," she said, her voice tinged with anger and disbelief. "I don"t know you anymore. I thought I did but ..." She turned to leave, so disgusted with him and hating herself even more for still caring when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "Don"t leave. Not when there"s so much we need to say to each other." He looked down at his feet for a moment before turning and staring intently into her eyes. "I don"t want to let you go, Kel. I really don"t. I never could. Believe me, I tried. I ran so far and so fast but I could never get away from my feelings for you." Tears moistened her eyes. "Why would you want to run away from me?" "Because I was scared, Kel. Scared that I would have sold my soul to the devil for another chance to be with you, for a chance to have you look at me the way you looked at Dylan." "You"re not Dylan, Brandon." "I know, and I never will be," he said bitterly. "But you don"t get it. I don"t want Dylan. Not anymore. Maybe I never really did ... You were the one I wanted from the beginning; you"ll be the one I want till the bitter end ... but I just don"t think we can go back now." "Maybe we can go forward then... " TBC I - Ice They are sitting on the bleachers in the old gym now. She looks up at him. "I just don"t get it - why Emily Valentine of all people? After all she pulled. She drugged you, Brandon!" "I haven"t forgotten," he answered quietly. "Maybe I was trying to live on the edge for once. Maybe I just wanted to shock you - or myself." "No you hurt me, there"s a difference," she said, looking over at him. Some of the ice in her eyes had melted away and was replaced with a fountain of tears. He regretted every tear she had ever cried over him, every moment he made her doubt him, every second she worried that he wasn"t coming back. "I just don"t get it, Brandon," she said softly. "I"m supposed to be the self-destructive, flip-out-on-a-dime one in our relationship. Who am I if I"m not that person and you can"t save me?" "You"re strong, Kel, you can help yourself now and I"ll always be right beside you to catch you in case you slip." "What if I don"t believe you?" "It will take time for you to believe in me again but I am committed to you. I always have been but I have insecurities too, Kel. Big ones. I came back to deal with them. I also came back ... for you ..." Tears coursed down her cheeks and he cried openly as well, then he leaned over and risked touching her forehead with his own, their tears melding together so neither could tell where they ended and the other began. They sat that way for a long time and then Kelly pulled back. "Dance with me, Brandon," she said in a soft yet hoarse voice. "Huh?" "I wanted you to take me to prom every year and you never did but if we"re going to start over let"s begin from the beginning." He smiled, his first real smile in seemingly ages, and gently taking her hand, led her out to the middle of the gym"s waxy floor. She slid one arm around his neck and the other, she rested on his chest, fingers splayed out like she had dreamt of doing so many times when she was a teenager - still did dream of, actually. He settled his hands lightly on her hips and they began to sway slowly to music only they could hear ... J - Joy "Joy to the world ..." Donna screeched in a very horrid singing voice. "Kelly and Brandon are back together, all is peaceful, all is calm ... Finally, thank god!" Kelly laughed and aimed a pillow at Donna"s head. "We"re not even officially back together." "What do you consider "official"?" Donna asked, ducking the pillow easily enough and flopping down beside Kelly on the sofa. "You danced in the dark high school gym - so romantic by the way ... You"ve kissed like five hundred times, you"ve admitted you still love each other ..." "I know ..." "But you"re still gun shy," Donna said. "Yeah something like that," Kelly agreed with a nod. "I mean, what if we don"t work out this time? What if he leaves for good and never comes back?" "Kel, I"m supposed to be the worry-wart in this relationship, okay?" Donna said with a smile, linking her arm through Kelly"s. "You and Brandon are meant to be and what"s meant to be, as my father always says, willbe." "I hope you"re right." "Just stop worrying and get dressed. There is a party off-campus tonight and I know for a fact that a certain Mr. Walsh will be there." Kelly slapped Donna"s arm. "You"re such a schemer." "Damn right! Now go and get dressed." K - Keeper "He"s a keeper, Kel," Donna says in a stage whisper as she passes by Brandon and Kelly on the makeshift dance floor. She has broken away from David just to say that, to play matchmaker, to ensure that her two best friends end up happily ever after, the way they always should have. Sure she supported Kelly through "The Dylan Years" but knew in the end Dylan wasn"t the right one for Kelly. Kelly never looked at Dylan the way she looks at Brandon, like he"s the only man on earth and she could stay in his arms forever. That"s how Donna feels about David and is sure she always will. She thinks they should all have a double wedding after they graduate from college this spring. David comes over and slides an arm around her waist, lifting her now-red hair up and kissing the back of her neck. "Hmm ..." He murmurs deep in his throat. "David, don"t you think they are the cutest couple ever?" Donna says. "I thought we were the cutest couple ever," he says, kissing the back of her neck again and she shivers. "Okay they"re the second cutest couple ever but I am sure they have what it takes to make it, that they"re through playing games with each other ..." Donna watches her two friends, so lost in each other and then turns to David. "What do you think of a June wedding?" "Huh?" "I mean, we should have a June double wedding after school lets out." David"s eyes go wide in shock. "I don"t know, Don, do you think they"re ready for that?" He of course wonders if he"s ready for that too but doesn"t say it. Donna just smiles. "They will be if I have anything to say about it ..." L - Lipstick A lipstick-stained white dress shirt and a pair of baggy black trousers lay haphazardly discarded on the floor beside a short lemon-yellow halter dress. Shoes and underclothes were tossed in the heap somewhere as well, a testament to the passion that had erupted between the clothes" owners not two hours ago. She now lay on her back, head slightly turned to face the window, as she looked out at the bright stars, her hand clasped around his. His quiet snoring would be a hindrance to most people"s sleep but not to her. She had slept seemingly decades without hearing those little intakes of noisy breaths and they had a calming, soothing affect on her. Their love making tonight had been nothing short of amazing. They had only kissed (albeit passionately) since their reunion a few months ago but tonight their souls as well as their bodies had found a home. Kelly felt that she was home in Brandon"s arms. If she believed in that mumbo jumbo about how wishing on a star made your dreams come true, she would wish to be with Brandon forever. They had fought long and hard to come to this new, secure place in each other"s lives and she was not about to let their future slip away this time. So this is a short one but I hope you all like it anyway. N, O, P and Q will be up soonish! M - Married They were sitting on the sofa together watching some episode of an old Spelling drama when he suddenly looked over at her. "I"ve been meaning to ask you something."

"What"s the matter?" Maxie echoed. "Everything! Absolutely everything, Spinelli! I found Matt with Elizabeth Webber tonight. He confessed they have been sneaking around together for months and she"s - she"s pregnant!" "Oh dear ..." "Yes. I know. But it gets much worse," Maxie sniffled. "I sort of, possibly, may have killed someone tonight. If he doesn"t live, I"m going to be a murderer - again." Spinelli"s eyes bugged out. "What - how - WHAT?!" "I was so upset when I left Matt"s place that I never saw the guy coming. I mean, I - it was so dark and - Oh god, Spinelli, am I going down for vehicular manslaughter as my dad put it? I already killed Robin and I was ready to go to prison then but now I know I couldn"t survive it. I know I wouldn"t last a second and -" Spinelli held up a hand. "It was an accident. I am sure the commissioner and whoever else investigates this will come to that conclusion." "I wish I could be sure of that," Maxie said. "But honestly, that doesn"t make me feel better. The guy was already on crutches I guess. He couldn"t have been in perfect health to begin with." "Maybe we should say a little prayer or -" "Screw prayers, Spinelli!" Maxie said. "I gave that shit up years ago when my cousin died and I got her heart for no damn good reason." She sighed. "But seriously, the most pressing issue here is what to do about Matt and Elizabeth." "There is nothing to do," Spinelli said. "As cruel as it was for them to go behind your back like that -" Maxie shook her head. "Don"t tell me I can"t do anything. I have to get them back somehow. They can"t get away with what they"ve done. I will get Elizabeth fired again for starters and as for Matt, I will make him so jealous he will forget all about Nurse Homewrecker." She looked up at Spinelli. "You have to help me with that, Spinelli." Spinelli"s perpetually pink face drained of color. "No, Maximista. No." Maxie"s hand fisted in his pajama top. "Please, Spinelli. You have to help me. I can"t get through this without you." "Maximista, please do not pull me into anymore of your schemes. They always blow up in our faces and besides, you know how hard I am trying to make things work with Winifred. I beg of you not to try to pull me back in because I am weak when it comes to you. I can"t often say "no" to you." "Then don"t," Maxie said and softly kissed Spinelli"s jaw line. "Just give in. We"ll make Matt so jealous that -" Maxie felt Spinelli stiffen in her arms and then in the next moment, he was pulling far away from her, moving clear across the sofa. "Spinelli -" "Don"t ask me to do it, Maxie," he said. "I know you are currently suffering through a crisis but you always manage to come out mostly unscathed. It is I, the Jackal, who pays the most when you turn around and walk back to Dr. Doom." "Spinelli, you have to understand -" "I do not. I never understood why I was good enough to be your partner in crime but not the man in your heart. Now I have Winifred back in my life and I am not about to let her go. Not for a farce." Maxie"s eyes flashed. "A farce? Are you seriously going to call this-" "It is what it is." Maxie started to shout at Spinelli but Sam was suddenly coming down the stairs. "Hey, hey, what the hell is going on here?" Maxie stood and hurried towards the door. "Nothing, absolutely nothing!" she thundered and then hurried out of the penthouse. She was half-sobbing again as she road down in the elevator. Spinelli not wanting to help her, seemingly not even wanting anything to do with her, was a crushing blow. She really should leave town like she had planned hours ago before she ran down the jaywalker. And he had been jaywalking in her mind. But she knew that if she ran, she would be found. She would have to pay the consequences in the end. She reached the parking lot soon enough and climbed back into her mangled vehicle. She rested her head against the driver"s seat and cried for what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only fifteen minutes. She cried until she was out of tears and then she realized she needed to damage control. Her next stop was the hospital. The only way I will know if I am doing alright or even if I"m on the right track with my stories is for at least some of my readers to leave feedback. Please help me keep motivated to continue my fictions by telling me what you think of them, including this one. Thank you! Chapter 3 She pulled her still mangled car up in front of the hospital and took a long, deep breath before climbing out. Morning light was beginning to just crest on the horizon and she realized with a jolt that it had been literally hours since she had caught Matt and the Homewrecker together. Hours since she had run out of there like hell itself was on her heels and driven down some poor unfortunate guy on crutches. Her life had been forever changed tonight in ways she couldn"t even begin to comprehend, in ways she couldn"t begin to foresee. She opened her purse and pulled out her compact. God, she looked like hell ran over. No, don"t think about running things or people over, she chided herself. She did look like hell though. Her hair was unnaturally frizzy and mussed and her makeup was smeared from cheek to cheek. She quickly took a tissue out of her purse and began cleaning off all of her makeup. She would have to go au natural for the moment though she firmly believed a woman shouldn"t leave her house without at least foundation... Oh well, she didn"t have time to reapply it and besides, she would look as devastated and wary as she felt. Just what she was going for. She finally closed her purse and walked towards the entrance of GH. She rode up in the elevator to the sixth floor and then stepped off of it. She spotted Nurse Regina what"s-her-name standing at the Nurse"s Station talking on the phone and she moved over to the mocha-skinned woman. Regina held up a hand before Maxie could speak and Maxie fumed. "Excuse you, I need some assistance here," she said and Regina finally hung up the phone. "Are you hurt? Injured?" "Not physically but -" "Well as you can see we are very busy here this morning so-" She broke off as she gestured to the waiting room that was indeed full of people in all stages of illness and fragility. "But I need to talk to Monica Quartermaine stat! It"s important. It cannot wait." "I am sorry, Dr. Quartermaine is in surgery -" "Well pull her out of there. This can"t wait. She has a traitorous bi - I mean, staff member working here and the patients could all very well be in grave danger!" Regina studied Maxie closely. "I can give her the message if you just -" "That won"t be necessary, Nurse Thompson," a familiar, brusque voice said from behind her. "I can handle this." Maxie shook her head as Matt suddenly grasped her by the arm and pulled her down the hall. "Dammit, Matt, let me go. I"ll scream! I"ll scream bloody murder and then everyone will come running and then I"ll tell them exactly what little Nurse Webber is up to and -" Matt continued pulling her down the hallway and finally they ended up in a small exam room. Matt pushed her inside and shut the door after them. She tried to jump around him but he held her firmly in place. "Maxie, I know, I know you"re mad and hurt and -" "Damn right I am!" He sighed. "But that still doesn"t give you the right to come to Elizabeth"s and my place of employment and start raising hell." Maxie sniffed. "I am doing the public a service by outing Elizabeth as the lying bitch she is!" Matt shook his head. "I am sorry that you"re hurting right now but what is ratting on Elizabeth about some imagined wrong going to accomplish?" Maxie shook her head. ""Imagined wrong"? Are you kidding me, Matt? She has done plenty of "wrong" to me and -" She shot up a hand to stop him before he could interrupt. "Yeah I did some pretty rotten things to her too but I"ve admitted all of them and yet everyone held them over my head for years. When does she have to pay for her sins?" "She didn"t do anything to intentionally hurt you. Neither did I for that matter. We just, we fell -" "Don"t say it, Matt! Don"t say you"re in love with her because I don"t want to hear it. Besides, you"re not. What you are is a man so of course you"re going to take the cheap whore to bed if she"s offering. But you don"t love her. You don"t. You can"t because you love me. Deep down, you know that you do." Matt rubbed his grizzly beard. "I do love you, Maxie, but I"m -" "Please, please don"t say it..." Matt reached out and grasped her by the shoulders. "I am being honest with you here like I should have been all along. I love you, Maxie, but I"m in love with Elizabeth." Maxie shook her head vehemently, her flaxen hair whipping her across the face in the process. "No. No way in hell, Matt." "It"s true. We didn"t set out to hurt you but -" "But you did. You totally did. Fuck you, Matt Hunter!" She shoved past him then and he sighed. "Maxie, be mad at me, take it out on me, please, but not Elizabeth. She"s pregnant." "Oh I know, don"t I know it? You made that perfectly clear before. You want your pregnant bitch so badly? Have her. I am done with you. And her. You"re right - I am not going to bother ratting out Elizabeth because neither of you are worth it!" She made it back to the waiting room before she was collapsing into a chair. She had never thought of herself as weak but at that moment, she couldn"t bring herself to keep walking. She was hurting far too much. Every little revenge scheme she thought of didn"t seem harsh enough of a punishment for the two people who had betrayed her so badly. And then there was Spinelli. He didn"t want her either. Damn them all! Big, fat, pathetic tears rolled down her face as she sat there, her knees fairly knocking together as she tried willing herself not to be a crybaby loser. But it wasn"t working. She dabbed at her eyes but it was no use. They just kept spilling over. She had lost her man tonight, her best friend and almost husband Spinelli, and had nearly killed someone to boot. Hell, maybe that poor guy was already dead. On top of everything, she would be going to prison for manslaughter as Mac had put it. "Maxie," a voice called her from across the room. She looked up to see none other than Mac approaching her, concern etched on his face. "Maxie, what"s wrong?" Her adoptive father asked as he slid into the chair next to her. "Is this about the accident or something else?" She could tell him the truth. She could tell him everything but as much as she wanted to run Elizabeth"s "saintly" reputation through the mud, she suddenly didn"t have the words. For someone who was accused of being a Chatty Cathy or whatever she just couldn"t speak. She just rested her head on Mac"s shoulder and cried into his shirt. "Maxie, whatever"s bothering you... Come on. Talk to me." Maxie couldn"t find the words. "Alright, I"ll talk then," Mac said. "The guy you hit with your car- he just got out of surgery. Matt performed it actually. He thinks the guy will be just fine though I am told he is still unconscious in recovery." Maxie cringed. So Matt had saved her victim unknowingly. Probably if he had known the truth, he would have let the guy die on the table just to spite her... Okay, maybe that wasn"t true but she was so upset. She wasn"t even really thinking clearly anymore. All she knew was that she had to get to her victim"s room and the moment he woke up, she had try to convince him not to press charges. Maxie finally found her voice. "What room is - what room is the guy in?" "451," Mac said. "But I want you to leave him alone, okay? He took a beating tonight -" "Because of me," Maxie said sorrowfully. "Everything I do always gets so messed up somehow." "That"s not true, Maxie." "Yes it is. Let"s just be frank here, Mac. I am a royal screw up and it"s no wonder everyone hates me." "No one hates you." "Yeah right," Maxie said and then straightened. "Look I need to use the restroom." "You"re not going to bother our John Doe..." "His name is John?" Maxie said. "Actually we don"t know his name or why he was on the road tonight or where he even came from. We"ll have to ask when he wakes up." "Oh okay..." Maxie said. "And of course I"m not going to bother him. Like I want to admit to anyone what I did." She kissed Mac"s cheek and then stood on still wobbly knees, headed for the restroom. She felt Mac"s eyes following her suspiciously so she went into the ladies" room and then poked her head out again. Mac was no longer watching her but was now talking to Patrick. Good. Maxie could finally confront the man she had run down. She wasn"t ready to go to prison - not for someone she didn"t even know. She would make him see it was an accident. She would. TBC Well Maxie and Cole officially meet. I hope this is okay. Feedback please. :) Chapter 4 Maxie took a long, deep breath as she paused in front of the door to John Doe"s room. So far nothing, but nothing, had gone right for her in the past twenty-four hours and she was honestly afraid this guy was going to have the book thrown at her for mowing him down. But in the end, she promised herself she wasn"t going to let that happen. She sighed and put her hand on the door. "Wakey, wakey, Mr. Doe," she said as she pushed back the door. "We need to talk and-" She broke off as she zeroed in on the guy. He was trying to crawl out of bed and was grunting with the pain of exertion. His brown eyes shot to hers and he looked angry. "Who are you?" He barked out. "Uh, Maxie, Maxie Jones," she said as she watched him wrestling with the covers as if they were made of steel rather than cheap cotton. "I came to talk to you." "I don"t feel like talking," he said darkly. He finally succeeded in getting free of the blankets and tossed one leg over the side of the bed. He weaved in place and Maxie was cut with indecision. "Do you need help? I could call someone in here." "No!" He practically bellowed. "Just leave me alone." He caught himself on the edge of the bed and looked around. "My crutches, where are my crutches?" "Let me help you look," Maxie found herself offering. "You"re still here?" The guy said with a roll of his eyes. "You"re obviously not on staff here so why are you bugging me?" "Why would you assume that? I could be a doctor." The guy raised an eyebrow at her. "A nurse...." He shook his head. "An orderly?" He rolled his eyes. "Okay fine I am none of the above, Mr. Know it All, but I have spent enough time in hospitals to know how things work. Somewhat anyway. I do know the doctors need to know you"re awake and breathing." "I don"t want them to know that," he said. "I am getting the hell out of here." Determination was in his eyes as he scouted around for his crutches. Maxie spotted them first. They were tucked against a corner at the far side of the room. "Found them!" She crowed and brought them over to John Doe. She handed them to her and he fairly yanked them from her hand. "Impatient much?" She said with a roll of her eyes. "Why are you still here bugging me?" He asked. "Never mind. I just need to get out of here and see Hope." "Hope, so that is a person?" Maxie asked. "You kept saying that name over and over when I found you and -" She broke off as she saw the anger in his eyes, the recognition. He had the most expressive eyes she had ever seen and it was frightening how easy it was to read the emotion in them. He clearly was not happy with her. "Wait. You"re the one huh? You"re the one who ran me down like a dog in the road?" "You make it all sound so much more sinister than it really was. And hey you were jaywalking!" She snapped out. "You had to have seen me coming," the guy snapped back. "I can"t move very fast on my crutches and now thanks to you I am even slower than before." "You are angry, okay I get that, but you"re not angry enough to say... press charges ... Are you?" "Hell yes I am but -" He broke off for a moment, thinking about something. "But I won"t do that if you help me get of here." "Right now?" "Yeah right now," he said. "But you"re all broken and bruised up," she said. "You need medical care." "I need to get of here. Hope needs me." "Who is Hope?" Maxie asked. "My daughter." "Oh..." He tucked the crutches under his arms. "Now find me something to change into because I am leaving one way or another." "Alright, fine. I"ll be right back." She headed for the door. "Don"t tell anyone I"m awake," the guy hissed at her in a low voice. Maxie looked back at him and rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever you want.. Cranky." She then slipped out the door and shut it behind her. She looked both ways before zipping down the hall towards the linen closet. She yanked it open and sighed, memories immediately assailing her. Matt had taken her right against that wall... She hurt inside so badly thinking of it but she refused to give into the need to cry again. She would never cry over Matt Hunter again, she vowed. She found a pair of scrubs sitting on a shelf and hoped they would fit her John Doe. Maxie was very curious about the guy and why he was so against seeing any medical staff. She mused, maybe he was a Jehovah"s Witness or something. She tucked the scrubs under her blouse and slipped out of the linen closet and back down the hall. She opened the door to find John Doe was yanking his hospital gown off. "Oh jeez, warn a girl," she snapped as he moved into the room and he dropped the thin material to the floor. She averted her eyes as she moved over to him and handed him the scrubs. He had a nice body from the flash she had seen of it but wasn"t in the habit of staring at strange, naked men. And this guy was definitely beyond strange. "You could have knocked," he said. He struggled to keep standing while trying to slide on the scrub top. He cursed in frustration and looked over at her. "A little help please." "What - me? Are you serious?" "Yeah. Unless you want me to press charges." Maxie glared at him. "Oh now you"re just blackmailing me," she spat but finally sighed and moved over to him. He passed her the shirt and dropped the crutches on the ground. He then dropped heavily onto the bed and held up his arms. It looked like he was struggling to keep them raised so Maxie tried to be quick about sliding the material down his lean arms but her fingers snagged in the material of the left sleeve. "Watch it!" "Excuse me," she said, "but I haven"t dressed anyone but myself in a really long time." She adjusted the scrub top but ended up having to step between his long legs to get closer. Her breasts were practically in his face and she barked out a warning for him to look away or lose something vital. He immediately turned away. She finally stepped back. "There." "The pants too," John Doe said pointedly. She rolled her eyes at him but finally got to the floor and began helping him slide on the pants. It took a bit of effort but finally she bunched them up to his knees. His left leg had a long jagged scar on it that she hoped hadn"t happened when she ran him down. "You do the rest," she demanded and he sighed and lifted himself off the bed as much as he could to slide the pants over his bottom. Finally he was dressed and reached for his crutches again. "Are you sure you want to leave without seeing a doctor?" Maxie asked. "I mean what"s the hurry? It"s not like you"re on the run from the law or anything ..." Her eyes went wide as she thought everything over. His suspicious behavior screamed out to her now. "Ohmigod! You are. You are an escaped convict!" He didn"t answer, just looked away. "I am going to tell my Dad right now! I mean I should. He"s a cop. He has the right to throw you back in prison where you came from ..." "You do that and I will press charges," the guy warned. "Now help me out of here." Maxie shook her head. "Mac would never forgive me and -" "Okay let"s talk to the cops then. I mean, what"s the worst that can happen? You go to prison for attempting to kill me...." "It was an accident!" "We"ll let the jury decide that ..." He let his voice trail off but the threat was very clearly dangling in the air between them. Finally, he sighed. "Look, please help me out of here. I just want to see my daughter. It"s been eight months since I saw her last. I"ve fought like hell to come home to her so please ... please help me here." Maxie knew all the reasons she should refuse him but she nodded. "Fine I"ll get you out of here. Besides, it"s not like you"re not the first guy on the run I"ve smuggled off into the night." He looked at her strangely. "Alright so we"re going then?" "Yeah," she agreed. "Anyway what"s your name?" "Does it matter?" "It does to me. If I"m going to risk aiding and abetting someone, I want to know his name. Your real name," she said pointedly. He sighed. "It"s Cole." "Cole what?" He shook his head. "That"s all you need to know. Now let"s go before we get caught." "Fine, fine," she said rolling her eyes at him. "But as soon as I get you out of the hospital, you"re on your own." "Fine!" he snapped. "Let"s just hurry up here." "Impatient much?" She asked but still, she headed out to find him a wheel chair. All Maxie could hope was that they didn"t get caught.

I like to start a new line whenever someone new speaks, as you"re meant to. If I emphasise on a word, I"ll put it in italics, like this. Thoughts are also written in italics. If emphasis during thoughts it is in normal writing, like this. If someone"s shouting, I"m going to write it in CAPS, LIKE THIS. And you"ll also find that I like to write in actions in stars, but they don"t appear in fanfics, so I"ll be writing them in /s. So, for example, like this: I don"t like you. /death glare/ Mainly will be in ANs if I put stuff like that. Okay, now about the fic... This fic is a Lucas/Mattie. Lucas/Mattie is my favourite couple, well was because they"re technically not together anymore, and I also ship Jack/Martha and Tasha/Robbie. Actually I like all the couples, it"s just that they"re my favourites. Anyway, this is the first time Lucas and Mattie meet, and they"re on Summer Camp. I know I know, Australia doesn"t have Summer Camp but anyway I"m just making this up "cause I feel like it! By the way I reckon Ric and Cassie shouldn"t have split up! They were cute! But now I don"t really like Belle but I sortta do, because she"s a bit like me... not in the "boyfriend stealing" terms but like, being rebellious and stuff. I like the storyline with Amanda as her mother, ya? Well anyway Lucas and Mattie are on Summer Camp, and this is the first time they meet, besides from school which they know each other from. Mattie really hates Luke "cause she thinks he"s an arrogant conceited brat (which I know Luke isn"t but she just hates him). The reason she hates him is because she likes him, but she hates herself for liking him. Follow me? Anyway. Then Ric finds her diary and reads it, and knows she"s talking about Luke. He and Cas set up a plan to get them together. Then before the plan is performed, they go back to Summer Bay and it so happens that the Holdens are Mattie"s new neighbours... shock for Mattie. See what happens in this /cough gay cough/ fic. /cough Jess loves Sirius! cough/ Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system. Private joke... Oppositions - To Be or Not To Be? by xX hArMoNy Chapter One: Hard Convincing - He"s Not the One for Me Oh. My. God. What the hell is he doing here? thought Matilda Hunter as Lucas Holden ran up to the bus, waving wildly for it to stop. He was laden down with bags and his father Tony was also running after him, holding up Lucas" toothbrush, which he had forgotten. The bus screeched to a stop. Darn it, thought Mattie. Lucas was a classmate at school in Summer Bay, her home, and she really hated him for being an arrogant conceited jerk. Okay, maybe not arrogant and conceited, but she hated him because she liked him. Mattie kicked herself for liking Lucas, but hey, ever heard of hormones? Anyway, Lucas shoved his bag into the bus compartment and clambered on board the bus, taking his toothbrush from Tony and putting it into his pocket. "Mind if I sit here?' asked Lucas to Matilda, who had a spare seat next to her. "Sorry, Cas" sitting here already,' mumbled Mattie, making up a lame excuse. "Er, that"s not possible, she was sitting up the front with Ric,' said Lucas, pointing to the front. Cassie Turner was her best friend and she would"ve sat with Mattie, but she had started dating Ric Dalby and the two were pretty much inseparable. Matilda rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever.' She put her elbow up on the window sill as Lucas sat down next to her. Geez, can"t he take a hint? Matilda thought. I wonder if anything ever penetrates that thick skull of his. He"s so dense... But it"s so adorable, thought Mattie, positively melting inside. She sighed deeply, fogging up the window. "You okay?' asked Luke. "Yeah, yeah,' grumbled Mattie, sitting up straighter. She arched her sore neck. Transportation by bus definitely wasn"t her favourite form of travelling. After half an hour"s silence, Mattie dared to speak to Lucas again. She was getting bored, anyway, staring out the window at the horses and cows grazing in the pastures. "So... why"re you coming on Summer Camp?' It"s only for losers, she added silently in her head. Not pretty boys like you. "Jack wanted me to come, said it would build up character and bring out the man in me,' Lucas joked weakly. Matilda grunted in response. What does she have against me? thought Luke. After 15 more minute"s silence, the bus screeched to a stop. Mattie brushed passed Lucas quickly and was the first off the bus, despite having a seat in the middle. She slung her bag over her shoulder and looked at the desolate surroundings. I can"t believe I"m stuck out here for 4 bloody days, Matilda thought. There were a few wooden cabins, which looked as if they would be knocked down if someone so much as touched them, but otherwise there was nothing else but dry, barren sand. And I thought Mum said the info package described surfing and swimming! I wonder who runs this place. They must be pretty desperate, advertising fake stuff like that. At that moment, the camp manager, a fat woman smoking a cigarette dressed in a dress that looked as if it was 4 sizes too small and carrying an overweight baby, came out from one of the 5 cabins. "Hello,' she wheezed through puffs from her cigarette. "Welcome - to - Summer Camp, girls and boys.' And she shuffled back into the cabin, slamming the door shut. Mattie could hear her banging pots about in there, no doubt preparing a "decent" meal. Mattie and Cassie exchanged simultaneous glances. "I am so not going to survive,' said Cas, dumping her big duffel bag on the sand and sitting on it with her arms folded across her knees. "I know,' murmured Matilda. "And this is just the start of hell.' After a few minutes where the guys kicked randomly at the sand and the girls stood in groups discussing makeup and such, the lady came out again with 3 trays of jam tarts. She handed one to each of the 16 campers, and went back into her cabin with the overweight baby. Mattie glanced down at her "jam tart". The pastry was soggy and middle was a murky red. Cas pulled a face but nibbled at it anyway. "Oh, gross, it"s feral!' she cried, spitting out the tiny corner of pastry. Mattie carefully bit a bit of the pastry off too. "Ick,' she said, spitting it out too. But boys, being as they are, gobbled down their "jam tarts", hungry for more, not even noticing the dodgy taste and the disgusting smell of overdue strawberry jam. "Can I have yours?' Ric asked Cassie. "Go for it if you want it,' encouraged Cassie with a disgusted face. Ric took her jam tart, threw it into his mouth and chewed it up. "A little soggy, but otherwise fine,' he said, dusting his hands off. Lucas was standing next to him, but he didn"t "offer" to eat Mattie"s "jam tart". Ric nudged him. "Go on mate, I know you"re hungry. Otherwise I"ll eat it.' Lucas shrugged. "Mind if I take yours?' he asked Matilda dully. "Knock yourself out,' was Mattie"s careless response. She walked away to inspect the cabins with Cas. Lucas took the tart and wrinkled up his nose. "Uh, Ric, I think I"ll pass,' said Lucas, who still had his first tart squished in his pocket along with the toothbrush. Ric shrugged and gobbled up the tart. "Today - the groups,' wheezed the middle-aged lady. Mr. Baker decided to take charge. He had volunteered to supervise this group of teenage campers, and he had everything prepared anyway. He was an outdoor kind of guy and loved the bush, but he felt a little nervous as he was the only adult supervision besides the fat lady, who didn"t look as if she would be much help. He cleared his throat insignificantly. Everyone instantly silenced and actually listened to him instead of the fat lady. "Okay, here are the groups,' said Dan Baker, taking a booklet from his backpack. "There are 4 groups of 4 and each are going to be rotating at a different station every day. "So we have to stay in one place for the whole day?' Ric rudely interrupted. "Yes, Mr. Dalby,' said Mr. Baker, coughing/clearing his throat again. He always did that when he thought students were being inattentive or he had an announcement to make. "Group 1: Matilda Hunter, Cassie Turner, Lucas Holden and Eric Dalby.' Cassie squealed with joy and jumped into Ric"s arms. "No need to be so enthusiastic, Miss Turner,' said Dan, a small smile creeping onto his lips regardless. "Group 2: Hannah Gregory, Emma Hansol, Peter Fairham and Henry MacLinlay.' Group 2 got together, laughing and chattering. "Group 3: Alisa Dowe, Mia Cussack, Ryan Ferdinand and Paul Piper.' Group 3 got together, looking at each other curiously for they weren"t really friends. "Group 4: Sonya McKinnon, Jennifer Hardy, George Hardy and Lochlan Furner.' Jen and George Hardy were twins and were very close, therefore Dan put them in the same group. Jen and George grinned identical grins, but besides from their facial appearances, they were nothing alike. Jennifer was interested in boys, makeup, boys, shopping, boys and clothes, and George was interested in wrestling, football, soccer and surprisingly, tennis. He idolised Lleyton Hewitt. Oh, great, stuck with the numbskull for 4 whole days, thought Mattie, pleading to God silently to take her away from Lucas. On the other hand, thought Mattie. At least I have Cassie with me. She turned around to talk to her, but found her engaged in a furious tongue battle with Ric. I"d prefer not to see that, Mattie thought, rolling her eyes at her best friend. Lucas silently slid up to Matilda"s side. "I guess we"re stuck together,' he said. "Looks like those two won"t have much time for us.' "Yeah. Stuck together,' echoed Mattie miserably. "Oh come on, it"s just a bit of fun,' urged Cassie. Matilda glared up at the cliff. They were doing rock-climbing and Mattie didn"t want to do it. Yeah, she wasn"t scared, but she didn"t like the thought of being supported by just one little strand of string on that great rock face. "No,' said Mattie again. But something else changed her mind. Lucas grabbed her by the waist from behind, lifting her off her feet. "AHH! GET THE HELL OFF ME!' screamed Matilda. "No, you"re doing this challenge whether you like it or not,' said Lucas firmly. "I don"t know if you"re scared of heights or anything, but if you overcome your fear then... I"ll...' Mattie smirked. Lucas didn"t know her well enough to know what she liked. Cassie whispered in his ear. Damn. You, thought Mattie, as Lucas continued. '... treat you to strawberry ice cream.' As soon Luke put Mattie down on the ground, she started to run off, but she felt Lucas" strong hand close over her own, pulling her back. "Come on, it"s easy,' he whispered in her ear. Mattie"s skin tingled. "Relax, take in a deep breath. You"ll do great.' Matilda reluctantly let the man clip a carribeana to her harness. "Uh... who"s going to be ballaying?' asked Mattie nervously. "I"ll be doing that,' said Lucas with an encouraging smile. He started to pull on the rope, and he gave pointers all the way. "Look, you can start at that one just there. Yep, that"s right, get a firm grip and pull yourself up-' Mattie slipped, but Lucas pulled the rope tight. "Let me go down,' said Mattie in a small voice. Now she was scared. "Please.' Lucas sighed. "Okay,' he said. As soon as Matilda was on the ground, she flung herself into Lucas" arms, as he was the closest person, and sobbed into his shoulder. "Don"t make me do that again, ever,' she whispered. "Okay, I"m scared. I"m scared of-' She gulped. '-heights.' Then she realised who"s arms she was in. She took a reluctant step backwards. "Oh - sorry. It"s just - Cas!' She ran over to Cassie and hugged her. "Are you alright?' asked Cassie. "Yeah,' said Matilda, nodding. "I"ll skip out.' Lucas cast a worried glance as Mattie walked away with Cas, Cas" arm around her shoulders. "She"ll be fine, she"s strong,' assured Ric, who knew Mattie all too well. He ran after Cas and Matilda. Lucas was left standing on the sand. '-yeah, so...' Lucas banged the door open to their cabin to find Matilda reciting her "dangerous and daring" rock-climbing experience to a couple of other girls. "GET OUT!' shouted Lucas, who was really pissed off at the moment. "THIS ISN"T A CHAT ROOM!' The girls scurried away. Mattie scowled at him. Lucas, however, ignored her glare and lay down on his bed heavily, picking up a book to read. "What did you do that for?' she exclaimed. "I just need to do some private stuff,' spat back Lucas. "You gotta learn to respect other people"s privacy as well, you know.' Matilda didn"t say anything but pursed up her lips. She too lay back down on her bottom bunk (next to Luke"s) and picked up her diary moodily. She bit on her pen, yes, the one with the fluffy pink feathers on the end, and thought about what to write. Hey, it"s me, she started. Then she crossed it out. She sighed again and rolled onto her back, looking up at the top bunk"s bottom. Hey, it"s me. I need to talk to someone. It"s not working. No matter how hard I try, I"ll always love him. It"s gonna take some hard convincing, but in the end it"ll- Mattie slammed her diary shut. She got the feeling someone was reading over her shoulder. She looked around. No one but Ric listening and watching his iPod Video, Cas absorbed in a Dan Brown book and Lucas blankly staring at his book, his brain not absorbing the words, a thousand thoughts whirling through his mind. Mattie rolled her eyes at his immaturity. He also had a bottom bunk like her and Cas and Ric had top bunks. He was the only one who could"ve been committed guilty of the crime of reading her private diary. "Privacy, huh?' spat out Matilda in a dangerous tone. She got up off her bed, still clutching her diary. Luke, on instinct, grabbed her diary, and held it up high over his head so she couldn"t reach it. "I wonder what"s in it?' he said, starting to open the cover. "You wouldn"t dare.' Mattie lunged for her diary, but Lucas held it up over his head again and clucked his tongue. "Now, now, you wouldn"t want me - to - er - read it now, would you?' Mattie sent a death glare at Luke. The 2 of them stood standing there, glaring at each other for a moment. And then Mattie whirled around in a huff and exited the cabin. Lucas flipped open the diary. Dear Diary, I wish I had a cat for Christmas. Daddy promised me he would get one, but Henry, Robbie, Scott and Kip all want a dog. Mum says that there"s no point getting a cat if only I want it, so I probably won"t be getting a cat anyway. Love Mattie. 23rd December, 1997 Lucas checked the date again and calculated in his head. So she was 6 when this happened, he thought silently. He opened the diary again. I can"t believe Dad"s really gone now, started out this entry. He was never really close but I loved him. I never got to say goodbye. If only he hadn"t sent me away... 18th October, 2003 Lucas leant back on his mattress. He didn"t think he could read anymore. I can"t believe it. Mattie never acted like this. She never showed it. Or maybe I was just too blind... He flipped shut Mattie"s diary and, for some strange reason, placed it safely in the topmost drawer of his bedside cabinet. He lay back on his pillow and closed his eyes... Red and orange. Flames licking up old wooden houses. 2 small girls and 3 small boys, being wrapped up in their mother"s arms. A house crashing down, and a long, loud scream that penetrated eardrums. Sobbing from the children. Soothing music from the mother, her voice trembling with emotion. Lucas sat bolt upright in bed, bumping his head on the low top bunk. "Ow!' he exclaimed as softly as he could. He listened to himself, trying to steady his breathing and calm himself down. After a few moments, his breathing slowed to normal. He slowly swung his feet over the side of the bed and slipped on his sneakers. He walked over to the door, to bang, hard, into someone halfway there. "What"re you doing out of bed?' exclaimed Mattie, rubbing the back of her head with her hand. "I was going to get a drink,' whispered back Lucas. "Well hurry up, the fat lady"s outside prowling around, trying to catch us out.' Lucas laughed and helped Matilda up. "Okay, thanks for the warning. G"night.' "Night,' said Mattie, blushing furiously, heading back to her bed. How come he makes me feel this way? A/N: Yaay, the first chapter is FINALLY finished! Lol, it took me ages... finally it"s up! Hope you enjoy! P.S.: I have to get at least 2 reviews until I update, so 2 reviews, remember! xX hArMoNy A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews! I feel so special /grins/ and I"m so glad you like my story! Well I just watched the ep where the bomb exploded and Peter and Rachel"s mum died! DUN DUN DUN/scary music/ IT"S TOO SAD! I mean Rachel is going through a terrible time and Peter can"t die knowing Zoe is back! I can"t believe this... Well anyway here"s another chapter! Where we last left off... "Night,' said Mattie, blushing furiously, heading back to her bed. How come he makes me feel this way? Oppositions - To Be or Not To Be? by xX hArMoNy Chapter Two: Caught Out! Lucas, without further ado, opened the door quietly and slipped out into the cool night. He could hear the pad pad pad of the lady"s slippers. He silently slid along the dorms, keeping as much as he could in the shadows. Luke closed his eyes for a moment and let out a small breath as he neared the bathroom cubicle. He opened his eyes to find a big beam of light being shone into his eyes. Lucas hurriedly forced his eyes closed, rubbing his temples. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING OUT OF BED, YOUNG MAN!' screeched the woman, her folds of fat bulging everywhere. Many people, including Cassie, opened their dorm doors curiously and poked their heads out. The fat lady grabbed Lucas by the ear. "YOU"RE COMING WITH ME!' Lucas was dragged over to the lady"s cabin. "Ahh! Owch! That hurts! Stop it! I"m going to tell Mr. Baker and I"m gonna sue-' "No need, Mr. Holden,' said Dan, crunching down the hill to them in big boots and wrapped in a warm jumper. "Mrs. Gregory?' Mrs. Gregory grumbled and let go of Lucas" ear. Luke rubbed his ear. "Good night,' said Dan pointedly. Mrs. Gregory went back to her cabin and banged the door shut, which triggered off the baby to cry. "Back to bed, all of you,' said Dan. Everyone withdrew their heads, disappointed at the disappearance of a good telling-off. Lucas heaved a sigh of relief and gratefully started to trudge off to his cabin. "Except for you.' Lucas rolled his eyes. What have I done? "Care to explain?' "I was going to the bathroom,' said Lucas straight out. "But that fat woman-' Dan coughed. "Okay, Mrs. Gregory, caught me and thought I was sneaking out.' "Why would she think you were sneaking out?' Lucas shrugged nonchalantly. "Ask her.' Dan nodded. "I will. Now off to bed.' "And make sure you sue!' called back Lucas, going down the hill. "My ear"s never going to be the same again!' Dan laughed and headed back up to his cabin. "So, what were you really doing out there?' said Ric cheekily to Lucas, sitting up in bed. "Oh, shuttup,' groaned Mattie, rolling over in bed as Lucas shut the door. "I needed to take a toilet break.' "Yeah, right,' said Ric disbelievingly. "Oh, come on, give Lucas a break,' said Cas, propping herself up on one elbow. Mattie was the only one who seemed to be a grumpy person in the morning. Well you can"t blame her, it was 2 a.m. "I need my caffeine,' she moaned, rolling about in agony. She rolled completely off the bed onto the hard concrete floor. Cas stifled a giggle, looking down from above. Lucas immediately jumped to her aid. "Don"t move,' he warned her. "Whatever,' groaned Mattie, getting up and into bed again. "I just need sleep - and don"t forget the caffeine.' "I won"t,' promised Lucas. Bugger off, thought Mattie, rubbing her sore and spinning head. "Welcome to Camp Fun and Games, welcome to Camp Fun and Games!' sang Cassie sarcastically and loudly from the doorway. Lucas pulled his sleeping bag over his head, and Ric followed. "Oh come on, we"ve been up for ages already!' exclaimed Mattie, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "You"ve had your coffee?' inquired Lucas, rubbing his eyes. Mattie just smiled sweetly. "Trust me, you don"t know the half of it. She used to call me Slave Boy,' groaned Ric, rearranging his sleeping bag over himself then burying his head under his fluffy pillow. "Can"t you girls just go off and sun bake or something?' he whined. "Aww, poor baby, did you have a rough night last night?' asked Cas sweetly. Too sweetly. She immediately changed her tone. "Eric Dalby, you"re getting out of bed now! Breakfast starts in 10 minutes and both of you, yes you too Lucas Holden, are doing the washing up by yourselves if you don"t get up!' The boys leapt out of bed straightaway and rushed together to the bathroom. Various girls shrieked as they dodged in and out. "Scuse me, sorry,' went Lucas like a gentleman along the way. Oh, stuff it, thought Ric. "CRAZY PEOPLE COMING THROUGH! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!' he screamed ahead hoarsely. Lucas chuckled slightly as they kept running side by side to the bathrooms. "You took that off The Amazing Race, didn"t you?' Ric groaned. "You know me too well.' '-blah blah blah, blah blah blah, blah?' were the words Ric heard at breakfast while Dan was making his daily breakfast speech. "I. Am. So. Bored,' yawned Ric. "Save it,' snapped Mattie. "Shh,' hissed Cas. Ric slumped over the table and groaned again. "Lucas, help me.' Luke shook his head. "If I can go through this, you can.' A/N: And that concludes Chapter Two, a lame attempt at it anyway... if you read Harry Potter FF check out my new story A Lot Like Love!

Jasmine woke with a start. She sat up. A cold sweat was breaking out over her. She shook her head and looked around. Everything was dark... black... her mind went back to years ago, when she was a young child... Flash back Jasmine was sitting on Jarred"s knee, Anna weaving beside them. All of them looked happy. "It"s time for bed,' said Jarred to Jasmine. "Bed time story first! Bed time story first!' cried Jasmine. Jarred smiled at Jasmine"s eager face. "Alright,' said Jarred. "Once, there was a thing called The Dark. It was the Old Times.' Jasmine stiffened in excitement. She loved her father"s recounts of the Old Times. "Nobody could survive The Dark,' continued her father. "Once they were there, nothing could save them. Once they were there, there was no way out. You had to meet your fate.' "One day, a young girl went out to find The Dark, and to kill it because it had killed so many of her own cows and her family. She went out, fell into a pit that was The Dark, and killed The Dark forever. This is how she killed it. She chanted this rhyme: "The Dark, The Dark, Bad it is but in here cold will not be in my heart. Many people don"t survive this battle, But I will live after this, for my own cattle. I chant, I sing, I fly on the wind. But only will that end, If in my life, I reach the dreaded bend. In here I cannot take the pressure, But I want to breathe in the outside pleasure. Once more I will come out, No more will I pout. I will be happy to live, My joy will be to give." And The Dark was... and is... no more.' Jasmine looked at her father in awe. Never could she imagine he had heard this. She flung herself into his arms and thought about the rhyme, how emotional it was. To her surprise, fiery Jasmine found tears welling in her eyes. She blinked them away. "Good night, my lamb,' Jarred had said, kissing her on her forehead. "Good night, my little Jasmine,' cooed her mother. Flash back to present Someone groaned besides Jasmine. Jasmine instinctively drew out her dagger, but she couldn"t because she could not see around her. She wasn"t used to this darkness in The Dark yet. Since she couldn"t see, she poked Riealle"s eye. "Owch!' Riealle cried. Riealle tried to stand up, but missed because she was unsteady and ended up kicking Jasmine in the cheek. "Oof!' cried Jasmine, falling over, who had just managed to get up. "Where are we?' grunted Riealle. "The Dark,' murmured Jasmine softly. "The Dark?' cried Riealle in alarm. "And no, don"t try to walk about or stretch your arms, you might end up poking me, or kicking me again,' said Jasmine hastily. "This is a bad dream,' said Riealle uncertainly. She gave a small cough. "Are you okay?' Jasmine was by her side at once. She felt her way to Riealle. She treated this older girl as her sister. "Of course I am, Jasmine,' said Riealle. "So,' Jasmine said, helping Riealle down then seating herself down, before feeling underneath her. They couldn"t see anything so they had to do everything by hand, carefully. "What happened to the grand Palace in Tora, and your beautiful home, Riealle of Tora?' "It"s no more,' said Riealle miserably. Jasmine patted her on the shoulder. "I was the only one who escaped. Of course, my brother and sisters didn"t survive. You know them. Quint, Maris, Petrine and Ginny (Note to readers: Some of these characters are from a Deltora roleplay site my friend owns). The gardens, Palace, house, pond, absolutely everything in Tora was burned down. By who, I do not know. But Quint has been interested in fire recently... he might have been the one... but I can"t judge my own brother like this!' Riealle was panic-stricken. "Calm down,' says Jasmine, remembering Riealle"s tall, beautiful mother, her proud, loyal father and her younger siblings. "None of your family could have done this. They are too kind.' "You didn"t know Quint,' said Riealle, turning her face towards Jasmine. Her eyes were glowing mysteriously, but Jasmine didn"t see this, as it was, of course, The Dark. "He was terrifying. Evil. What he wanted he got. I was afraid... so afraid... and now it"s too late.' Riealle fainted silently onto Jasmine"s lap. Jasmine was careful with her. "Fire Beads!' she suddenly exclaimed in the dark, feeling a small glass jar in her pocket. She pulled it out and jiggled it. She listened carefully. There were very few Fire Beads left from Tom"s Shop. She opened the jar, tipped it at what she thought was a fair angle and let the few precious beads fall into her palm. Luckily, she had good aim so she did not miss. She quickly placed the Fire Beads on the ground but they didn"t burst up into flame, as they should have. "No light or flame works here,' she remembered from her father"s tale. She sat down slowly and thought, a thing Jasmine had never had to do very often. She tried to untangle Riealle"s hair while thinking. Jasmine then shook Riealle gently, and she woke up. "Jasmine, what is it?' whined Riealle sleepily. "Have you figured a way out of this... dark place?' "Well... not exactly,' said Jasmine. "But you know how you have Healing and Magic powers?' "Yes,' said Riealle slowly. She was a Sorceress like her mother Jayden. "But what use is my... oh! I know what you"re thinking!' She clicked her fingers, but nothing happened. "Strange,' Jasmine said. "A small blue fire should have come up. But nothing. I know light and flame don"t work here, but I thought magical light and flame worked here. Now I know better.' They both sat down again and thought and thought for a very long while. "The Ak-Baba must have dropped us in here... but how?' thought Riealle aloud. "Jasmine, do you know where the entrance to The Dark is? We know we are in The Dark right now.' "That"s right,' said Jasmine. "But my father didn"t ever mention where the entrance was. He said a small girl...' Her eyes widened in excitement. "Riealle!' she exclaimed. "It was here in my brain, all along! The childhood tale Jarred told me! Just let me remember it...' Jasmine thought carefully, and finally repeated the verse. "The Dark, The Dark, Bad it is but in here cold will not be in my heart. Many people don"t survive this battle, But I will live after this, for my own cattle. I chant, I sing, I fly on the wind. But only will that end, If in my life, I reach the dreaded bend. In here I cannot take the pressure, But I want to breathe in the outside pleasure. Once more I will come out, No more will I pout. I will be...' She trailed off. "Oh no,' she groaned. "I forgot the last two lines! What could it be? I remember it"s easy, but I"m having a brain blank!' "Don"t worry,' said Riealle soothingly. "Have a rest, and I"ll try and think.' Jasmine flopped herself in the darkness next to Riealle and slept, while Riealle thought and thought. There came a faraway sound. "Jasmine!' hissed Riealle. She shook Jasmine softly. Jasmine stirred, and muttered something. "Shh,' said Riealle. Both girls listened to an interesting conversation. "Come on, Dok 4!' the metallic voice cried. "Why do we have to struggle through this Dark, Pen 7?' whined Dok 4. "We"re lost, I"m sure of it!' "Dok 4, Pen 7, stop!' commanded a much stronger voice, more powerful than Pen 7"s frail one or Dok 4"s whinging one. "Yes, Jod 3,' said Pen 7 and Dok 4"s meek voices. "Now come on, I smell the humans,' said Jod 3. Riealle and Jasmine stiffened. Riealle grabbed Jasmine"s arm. "Let"s sneak away,' said Jasmine decisively, getting up slowly and helping Riealle. "Let"s stay put,' said Riealle equally as firmly, pulling Jasmine back down. "It"s so dark, those Grey Guards won"t see us.' "I guess you"re right,' said Jasmine. She lay back down and slept. The Grey Guards rounded the corner, surprisingly, with a lamp. "I"ve got her,' chuckled Riealle to them. "She really believes it"s The Dark. Come on.' Riealle lifted Jasmine up strongly and placed her roughly into a scratchy bag and pulled the string tightly. "Let"s go,' said Riealle, lifting the bag onto her back and walking away. Jasmine awoke as Riealle lifted her onto her back. She kicked and screamed. "Riealle! Help! Grey Guards!' Riealle lifted up the bag to her face level and sneered at Jasmine, "Look at you now, you little maggot. You"re caught.' "Traitor!' yelled Jasmine as strongly as she could. "Betrayer! Double crosser! Treasonist! Lief will get you!' Jasmine bit at the scratchy cloth, but only succeeded in filling her mouth with sand. "How can Lief get me when he doesn"t know I even exist?' snarled Riealle, shaking the bag. She held up a sharp dagger with a crystal set in the hilt, and showed this to Jasmine through the material. "I"m not scared,' said Jasmine strongly and truthfully. "Oh, this is a magic dagger,' said Riealle, twirling it between two fingers. "It kills well, and is filled with poison. See that I don"t get you!' She stabbed the dagger through the cloth, just missing Jasmine by an inch. "So you"d better be careful.' She slid the dagger out and said, clearly surprised, "We"re here already. Come on, lamb.' She dumped Jasmine onto the cold hard floor and walked away, leaving Jasmine with the three Grey Guards. Jasmine wasn"t scared, but she was clearly angry. The Grey Guards made as to pick her up, but Jasmine snarled, just like Riealle, "If you dare to even touch me, I"ll fight you,' said Jasmine. The Guards laughed and picked Jasmine up. Jasmine pulled out her extra dagger from her boot with difficulty and stabbed Dok 4, Pen 7 and Jod 3. They fell to the ground with a slight thud and Jasmine started stabbing crazily at the hole Riealle had made with her dagger. Finally, Jasmine crawled out, weak, and collapsed to the floor. Okay I think Chapter One is better... Jasmine awoke with a stiff back, to find herself binded with fine thin cord. She struggled, but gave up after a few minutes. She lay back and thought about how she had helped Riealle through the past month. Flash back Riealle was lying, helpless, in the mud. Jasmine looked on, sneering at the what was then, innocent girl. "Help,' called Riealle. "Please. I will repay you well... if you just...' She didn"t have to say anything else. Jasmine helped at once. She couldn"t bear to see someone like her in pain. Riealle was sinking, deeper, deeper... She slowly pulled out an arm from the mud, clearly in pain. There was a large squelch as her arm came out. She held it up to Jasmine, a beseeching look on her face. Jasmine grabbed her hand and said, "Just for you.' She shifted all her weight to her legs to keep her steady, then pulled with all her might on Riealle"s arm. There was a sickening crack, a squelch, then Riealle came out of the mud. "Thankyou,' she panted. "It"s okay,' said Jasmine, brushing some sand off herself. "I"m Jasmine. Your name is...?' "Riealle,' said Riealle. "Come up here to a tree that"s safe,' said Jasmine, picking up a sharp sound in her ears. Riealle climbed up the tree that Jasmine told her climb up deftly and swiftly. "You know your stuff,' said Jasmine, surprised. She looked at Riealle"s clothes, then gave a small exclamation. "Oh! You"re from Tora, aren"t you?' she cried. "Oh, poor you, would you like to go back?' "No, no!' begged Riealle. "I... just... I ran away, okay?' "That"s fine,' said Jasmine. "But I"m married to Lief, you can"t...' "You"re Queen!' cried Riealle. "Yes,' said Jasmine calmly. "But anyway, as I was saying, you can"t come to the Palace with me, because Lief would just send you back to Tora.' "Of course not,' agreed Riealle, giving a toss of her head and a flick of her similarly tangled black hair. "You can stay here,' suggested Jasmine. Riealle"s eyes widened. "Really! That would be great! I"ve never lived here before! It"ll be such a change! I can make a new start!' Jasmine left and from then on came for visits with food and drink. The two acted as sisters. Flask back to present Jasmine shook her head and sighed deeply. "Thinking, are you?' came Riealle"s voice from a dark corner. Jasmine remembered that she could read minds. "Ahh... the good old days... I could"ve just killed you right away... or even better...' Riealle said no more and turned on her heel. Jasmine woke up again, this time facing a small polypan. "Chett!' cried Jasmine, as she recognised him. "How come you"re here? Wait, don"t tell me. You"ve turned to the Shadow Lord too, have you?' She snorted disgustedly. Chett the polypan made a few mad gestures with his hairy arms, then realising that Jasmine didn"t understand, he just made the following mark in the sand. "So you"re still with us?' Jasmine inquired. Chett nodded, and wrote in the sand. "Oh,' said Jasmine. "So... can you free me?' Chett nodded eagerly, and put a finger to his lips. Jasmine silenced, and Chett set to work unbinding her. At last, his quick fingers undid the tight knots, and him and Jasmine slipped out unnoticed. Soon, Chett and Jasmine were on the River Broad, Chett rowing strongly. He stopped for a moment and held out his hand. "Alright, alright,' said Jasmine, grumbling, and gave him the brown gum that polypans like to chew. Chett made a strange cackling noise, then tore apart the small paper bag shoved the whole gum into his mouth and started chewing vigorously. He resumed rowing and soon they had reached Tora, where Jasmine was to depart. "Thankyou, Chett,' she said, after a slight pause. "I can never repay you. But take this.' Jasmine handed over a heavy bulging leather bag filled with silver coins with which Chett could buy the gum he loved so much. "Not so much a returning favour,' she said. "But it"s the least I can do.' Chett chattered away and made a peculiar clicking with his teeth. He flung his hairy arms on Jasmine and hugged her, to her amazement. He let go and quickly rowed away, keeping the precious bag on his lap. Jasmine just smiled and started her journey back home. On her way, she heard a singing voice. She quickly ducked behind a bush, but then laughed and jumped out again. It was just Steven the Pedlar. "Hello, Steven,' she said, as his bright worn caravan reached her. "I"ve just been in the Shadow Lord"s clutches. Luckily Chett the polypan rescued me.' "Hello there, little missy,' said Steven cheerfully. "But how come Chett was there?' "Well, he said that the Shadow Lord liked to use polypans,' said Jasmine. For once, a small flicker of doubt about Chett working for the Shadow Lord, even if he was still on her side, came across. She wondered if Chett was lying. "Don"t worry,' said Steven, but he did look slightly worried. "Would you like a ride home? Thought so. Hop in the back, and you can stay there while I ride along. Remember, singing helps!' He gave a slight wink, and Jasmine understood. His message would be given to Jasmine through singing. Jasmine hopped into the back of the caravan and heard Steven whistling. She settled down on the sacks of grain and tried to go to sleep. Jasmine awoke with a jolt. She heard Steven"s voice outside, singing, "Here I come to the city of Del, I can"t see anyone dwell. Here I come to the city of Del, I can"t see anyone dwell.' (Okay the rhyme is not very good) Jasmine sat up and slowly opened the caravan doors. Steven was just outside the Palace gates. Jasmine hopped out and quickly climbed over the wall, just as Lief came hurrying up. "Jasmine!' he called sharply. "Where one earth have you been? You"ve been gone for four days!' "It"s a long story,' smiled Jasmine, and headed inside. There came another warning squawk, before Jasmine and Lief hurried inside to the Dining Hall. "Ak-Baba outside! Load your arrows!' called Lief to the Palace guards. Jasmine didn"t stop him, but something wasn"t right. If they killed the Ak-Baba... Jasmine could think no more. The sixteen Palace guards had already shot down the huge bird with sharp talons. "Well done,' called Lief, and headed inside, his arm around Jasmine. She felt a little safer with one of the Ak-Baba gone. There were only six more to shoot down. Yet... something was wrong. Terribly wrong. "Oh, no!' Jasmine cried suddenly. She slapped her forehead with her hand. "You killed the Ak-Baba, you idiot, Lief! Once you kill one, the rest is doomed to come upon you! And you will be trapped in a dark forever... The Dark!' She groaned and sank down to the ground. "My dear, I did not know,' said Lief, kissing Jasmine gently. "It"s too late now,' she snapped, and ran out of the open gates. Lief could not follow her. He sighed deeply and headed inside. "You can"t just leave her, alone, in the Forests of Silence!' came an angry exclamation. It was Barda, head of the Palace guards. "Go after her! You are her husband! Go, young Lief! You can"t ignore her forever!' Lief looked Barda straight in the eyes, and knew he could not keep the secret forever. "Well?' said Barda, nudging Lief. "Are you going, or not? Otherwise I will go by myself!' Barda made to set off, but Lief caught him on the arm. "I will go,' he said. "Good,' said Barda firmly. "Now you go after that young woman, and tell her...' Lief cut in. "Only with you, old bear,' he said. Barda sighed and said, "Just for you, dear friend.' Soon Lief and Barda were packed, for they did not know how long they were going to be away. In Lief"s pack were all their essential needs - the last few drops of the Lilies of Life that Jasmine had left in her bedchamber, his own water flask, two big jars of Queen Bee Honey, a few bottles of Queen Bee Cider, the rich drink made of Queen Bee Honey, six flasks of Dreaming Water they had asked the Kin to fill up for them, the Golden Arrow Head they could use to call the Dread Gnomes, Curnih, the special blessing liquid from the Resistance Stronghold in Withickmere, Fire Beads and No Bakes (in case they ran out of loaves) from Tom"s Shop, the rough leather bag with the Pirran Pipe around Lief"s neck and of course, the almighty famous Belt of Deltora around his waist in a special embroidered belt with leaves on it from Steven the pedlar. In Barda"s pack was food; some loaves of fresh bread, a special jar of jam from Sharn, a chunk of butter from Amarantz, a cut off bit of meat wrapped specially and a slice of jam cake for each of them. They picked up their packs and set off. Endon and Jarred, who were playing in one of the Palace trees, spotted their father going out. "Hey! Father! Where are you going?' whined Endon, jumping out of the tree and running up towards Lief. Jarred tried to pull him back, as he was the more boyish one and wanted to appear strong to his father. Little Anna was with them too, reading under the tree they were playing in. "Father, please, tell us!' cried Anna, hugging her father. "Somewhere with Barda,' was all Lief said. He patted each of the children on the head, and Jarred scowled. "Ooh, going after Jasmine, are you, Daddy?' asked Anna cheekily. "Now you be off,' said Lief, blushing. "Daddy loves Mummy, Daddy loves Mummy!' chanted Anna. "Duh,' said Endon. "Otherwise we wouldn"t be here!' Lief didn"t wait and went out of the gate, his three children waving earnestly. "Troublesome lot,' muttered Barda good-naturedly, walking alongside Lief. "Ah, here we are,' said Barda, reaching a tumbledown shack. "Hmm, not so good as before,' pointed out Lief, looking at the holes in the roof and the broken window. "So? Who cares? At least it"s a place to stay in,' said Barda, stretching and looking around for some heather to make some beds. "We could always stay in a tree,' suggested Lief. "What?' cried Barda. "Last time I did that, you remember, I fell off the branch I was sleeping on and broke my back! No, thankyou!' Barda walked off to find some heather, and Lief sighed. "Alright, here it is,' he said. He opened the door. Part of it crumbled away as he touched it. "Not in a good condition, are we?' he asked himself. Lief went inside and looked around. The hut was empty as usual, except for the small ledge that ran round the whole thing. His sharp eyes caught some crockery on the shelf. "Hmm. This wasn"t here last time,' he called to Barda came hurrying back. "What now?' he asked impatiently, for he had found a good spot of heather and didn"t want to loose it. "Did you put this here last time?' asked Lief. "No,' said Barda. "Maybe Jasmine came and put it there.' "But these are... so fancy cups, none that she would have!' "Who cares, just leave it there.' Barda turned on his heel and walked out back to the spot of heather. "Here, come and help me with this stuff!' he called. "Okay,' said Lief. Be there in a moment.' He took his pack with him and placed it beside the patch of heather. Barda lifted some in his arms and Lief did the same. They walked back to the shack and made the heather into the shape of two rough beds. "Finally,' said Barda, flopping down onto his bed. "Owch. This floor is way too hard. Do we have any rugs?' "Yes,' said Lief, unstrapping some from Barda"s pack. "Here you go.' He pushed the velvety rug underneath Barda"s bed of heather, then pushed another one, much grander, under his own. "Why bring the good ones?' Barda groaned. "That"s a waste, you know, Lief.' "Doesn"t matter. I can afford it,' he said, spreading out his bed. He flopped down, too, and started talking to Barda about the happenings. "You know, Jasmine has been disappearing lately,' he started off. "Not again, with Riealle,' Barda groaned. "Who"s Riealle?' asked Lief instantly. He sat up. "Oh, nothing, just a distant cousin of Jasmine,' said Barda. "Oh, right,' said Lief. "How do you know that?' "Have you seen her?' "No,' said Lief truthfully.

I grinned. Though Sasha had once tried to kill me, she"d paid me back twice over. She"d comforted me, helped me take over the city with her minions even as her body was imprisoned. I owed her, and she would be damn useful in keeping the city in check. I pictured Moya trying to storm the city, only to meet an army of Reapers. My grin disappeared. Moya. She"d used me, manipulated me so she could get her hands on the Ray Sphere. Too bad for her that it was gone with her "husband". Oh yeah, I was going to hunt her down. And then she"d pay. From there, I"d find out who was calling her shots, and kill them too. Maybe it was DARPA like Zeke said. I looked down, my body stopping as I coped with the emotions that surged through me as I thought of Zeke. The man was practically family. We"d met through work, and we"d bonded almost immediately. His sloppiness and conspiracy theories were funny, and his antics were a great way to spice up a boring day. Hell, it"d been Zeke that introduced him to Trish. Well, dragging me to the hospital for treatment after a climbing accident wasn"t exactly the best introduction, but it had been Zeke"s efforts that led to me meeting Trish. But Zeke had burned me. When the Ray Sphere was in his hands, he"d let his jealousy and insecurities take over. He"d abandoned me, just when I"d needed him most. And then he"d stuck by Kessler as Trish fell to her death. My mind flashed to the closet in my apartment. I remembered the dinky little engagement ring I"d hidden under the floorboards. I was going to propose on her birthday. And then all this had happened. I felt shame, but also anger. I"d done all of this for her! I"d killed crime, secured food, chosen her life over the lives of thousands! And she thought I"d been selfish. Maybe I had been, but I"d been selfish for her. Trish had been mine, goddamn it. I pushed Trish out of my head. Things were shaky with Zeke, but the guy had risked his life for me. He"d walked out with a gun towards Kessler, the one man in Empire City more powerful than me, all to help me out. Cause that"s what friends do. It would take a while to forgive him, and there"d probably always be some part of me that felt bitter. But Zeke was my friend, the same way this was my city. Call me possessive, but I take care of what"s mine. I gave a dry laugh at that thought. Well, maybe I was abusive with that care. But it was still care. I was just about to get moving again when the sting for US News sounded from the TV store across the street. I headed over, curious to see what vainglorious bullshit version of what really happened the government was going to feed today. The logo flashed across the screen, before a pretty redhead with too little make-up popped up on the screen. "The CDC announced today that a cure has been developed for the Empire City Plague. The cure has shown a ninety-nine percent success rate, and the side effects are comparatively mild. The government has announced that the cure, administered through a single shot, will be given to the citizens of Empire City tomorrow. The quarantine is expected to be lifted in just one short week. Don"t worry Empire City, the end is near!" With that, the screen went dark. A chill went up my spine. There was no way the government would let the people go. They knew too much, and the Voice of Survival had filled their heads with mistrust. Moya wouldn"t allow it. In a flash, I remembered the jets being hit by the AA guns along with John when we"d gone for the Ray Sphere. Strange, I knew it was only yesterday, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Focusing, I remembered Moya"s call. She"d said the jets had been clearing the way... the way for an invasion. So that was the cure. And the news lady had been right: it did only take one shot to fix the problem. One gunshot. I ran for the train tracks. All of a sudden, finding Sasha was a lot more urgent than I expected. I walked right into the building. Apparently, a gas attack is a very strong deterrent to maintaining a base. There wasn"t a soul in sight. I wandered through the rooms, waiting for some clue as to where Sasha was. Out of nowhere, a familiar smothering feeling covered me. How loving you are to me, Cole. You"ve come to rescue me. So come, sweep me off my feet. I"m right at the end of the hall. My head cleared. In a way, I hated that feeling. I hated feeling like I"d lost control, but I had no choice to when Sasha got into my head like that. Well, them"s the breaks. I spied the door. It looked about as solid as a bank vault, utterly locked and impregnable. Smirking to myself, I took aim. I gathered energy into a solid sphere, and launched it forward. The ball hit the door, denting it with the power behind it. Then the real show started, as the grenades hidden in the hammer exploded, blowing the door right off its hinges. I walked forward into the room beyond, and there she was. Sasha was lean and statuesque in a way you only really see in "special" dreams. Her red cloak clung to her like an erotic costume, covering just enough to escape indecency while daring you to see what was beneath. Her eyes were wide, dilated until I could barely see any whites at all. She licked her lips as I came in, her tongue oddly long and pointed. She was strapped to a bed, the kind you see in hospitals. Tubes were stuck all over her body, leeching a deep black sludge, the tar that let her into people"s heads. A pillow propped her head up, an unexpected kindness. "My, you look lovely. Your look, it just gives me... tingles." Her voice was low and sultry, like a cat"s purr. It hit me worse than when she did her mental talk. The sound of her voice went right past my ears and into my blood, exciting me, making me burn with hunger and need so primal it could not be denied. I got a hold of myself. Focusing, I strode forward. Her eyes watched me the whole way, intent in a way that was admittedly unnerving. There wasn"t any reason in those eyes. Maybe there never had been. I went to her side, and reached out. I held her face between my hands, the softness of her skin very enticing. She purred. "My, so forward. I like that. But could you be a dear and get these annoying things off? I swear, I"ll make it up to you." She strained against her bonds to make a point, moving her body in a sinuous way that immediately set Cole on fire. I smiled... before digging my fingers into her face. Her eyes widened as I brought my power to bear, causing goose bumps to rise up across her skin. "You"ve been very nice to me, Sasha," I said, before looking her in the eye. I stopped the act and showed her exactly what I was: not an obedient puppy, but a violent ruler. She shivered. "But we have to work some things in our relationship out. I know you"re used to calling the shots, but that isn"t going to happen. I"m in charge here, not you. I may be king, but you"re not my queen. I"m never gonna share power with you. You serve me. Got it?" I grinned evilly. Now I see where all those rapists come from. There was a deep, dark thrill in threatening her, in imposing my will over hers to get what I want. Sasha didn"t take it well. To be more accurate, she screamed at me, her tongue splitting into quarters inhumanly, and her mind rushed out to crush mine. "YOU"RE JUST LIKE HIM! KESSLER DIDN"T DO WHAT HE WAS TOLD EITHER! WHY? YOU DO WHAT I SAY! THAT"S THE WAY IT HAS TO BE!" In reaction, I tightened my grip. I focused through the haze, and suddenly I could feel Sasha"s thoughts. It was nothing like when I got visions off people. My brain was suddenly in contact with hers, and I could feel how her mind work. I saw her insanity, how it skewed her thoughts and warped her mind. I saw her memories of her abusive dad and druggie mom. I felt how the tar ran through her body and how it worked with her. I knew, simply knew in a way too simple to explain, how Sasha worked. In that moment, I knew everything about her as if I was her myself. But the mind is nothing but the way electricity moves through your brain. Electricity was my domain. Sasha hissed at the connection between our brains, and the traces of tar in my body surged once more, carrying her will right into my body, skewing my control and focus. "NO! THAT"S NOT HOW IT WORKS! I"M IN CHARGE!" "Charge this, bitch," I snarled, before digging my fingers so hard I drew blood. And then I sent power in. I reached out with lightning and changed the way Sasha thought. I"m no brain surgeon, but most of it was instinctual. I couldn"t care less on the scientific explanation to what I was doing. I forced control into Sasha. I rewired her brain quickly and ruthlessly, beating down her will and replacing it with mine. I put a collar on her mind, one more binding than any chains in the real world could duplicate. I made her mine, made her loyal to me, more loyal than a dog to his master. She would do what I said, when I said. I took any idea of defiance right out of her head. And the best part was that she couldn"t fight it. It came from inside her. Guess I can add "instant brainwashing" to the list of powers. Her struggles ceased, the tar"s influence ending as my influence surpassed it. Her eyes remained dilated, but they became still. Calm. Waiting for instructions. I could feel the bond between us, almost, no, exactly like a leash. Where once her tar linked her to me, now it linked me to her. A pathway existed between our minds, like two radios on the same frequency. I threw my head back, enjoying the thrill of victory. Like I"d said, I was the strongest in Empire City. And no one was going to tell me what to do. "Sasha, dear," I said, and her head snapped to me. I knew how her mind worked now, so I used the words she would have used. Side effect, I guess. "Tell your lovelies to get ready. There"s going to be visitors tomorrow, and we"d hate to be bad hosts, wouldn"t we?" "Indeed, Cole. I"ll tell them to pull out all the stops. We must treat our guests well." Her voice was still soft, still coy and very sexy, but the edge was gone. Free will leeches the personality right out of you apparently. Her eyes closed, and I could feel her working through the leash. She touched the tar with her mind, and used it as a gateway into every Reaper"s head. Long story short, she told them to arm up to the teeth and assemble at the Stampton Bridge. While she did this, I got rid of the restraints. She didn"t move though. I hadn"t told her to. I looked her up and down, and felt the wild lust in me grow. I"d been through hell for three weeks. I was tense, my emotions heavy. Plus, Moya had a whole military to send in. Danger kicks survival instinct into gear, tells you to mate so you can remind yourself how alive you are. In short, I was horny and I had a sexy woman who literally would follow my every command. "Sasha, I"m very stressed today. Come over here and relieve me, please." I breathed in deep, as I watched Sasha smirk in a way that did interesting things to her lips. She got up wordlessly, all long legs and pale skin. All of a sudden my jacket was too hot. I unzipped it and tossed it to the ground. My t-shirt was yellow, my favorite color, or at least it had been. Three weeks of sweat and grime had darkened it to a dark brown. "My, your clothes are so dirty. We"ll need to wash them. You"ll need to take them off, of course." Apparently, my command had been vague enough to give her license to be an active lover. I felt a surge of relief that I wouldn"t be having it with an unresponsive blow-up doll. Her hands reached out, tugging the shirt over my head. I lifted my arms to make it easier, feeling myself go hard as I went through the motions that were a foreplay all their own. Once more she licked her lips, her eyes on my chest. I looked down, curious as to why I was having this effect. She showed genuine desire, not mindless obedience, and while I"m not ugly, I"d never been on the right end of the bell curve either. What could I have that would actually excite her? I stared at myself, and felt damn proud as I did. I"d never been flabby, what with urban exploration as a hobby, but I was still lean in a stick-ish kind of way. Or at least I"d used to. Looking down, I felt like I was looking at an Ancient Greek statue of Adonis or something. My pecs were full and evenly spaced, not bulging grotesquely like a bodybuilder. My arms were lean and hard. My abs, as defining on a man as breasts on a woman, were obvious and smooth but there was enough fat to even the gaps between them, not giving too much of a good thing. My "love trail" peaked out of my pants, coming up to my navel, emphasizing the perfect iliac of my pelvis. The trails of black lightning continued from my neck, covering my entire torso. This way, though, they looked like tattoos. Wow. I"d felt myself getting stronger over the past few weeks, but I"d figured that had just been the lightning. It had been, I guess, but I hadn"t thought it was because my muscles were getting electric treatments. I looked up, into Sasha rapt expression. "Come here," I murmured, almost high off the ego boost of my new muscles and the anticipation of a very long night with a beautiful woman. She came to me, and all my worries seemed far away for the rest of the night... The new day dawned, the sky remaining its unnatural shade of red, though the clouds had receded. I stood at the foot of Stampton Bridge, keeping an eye on the blast doors made for the quarantine. Sasha stood at my side as my lieutenant. I glanced at her, memories of last night going through my head. When you combine pent up sexual frustration with electrical powers, a massive ego boost, and a kinky, submissive woman, you wind up with a really, really great night. I looked back behind me to behold my army. A sea of orange was assembled behind me, as every Reaper on the island and then some showed up. Apart from the legion right behind me, there were plenty of brutes with rocket launchers hiding on the rooftops, and there were two turret trucks hiding just out of sight for a surprise attack. My phone beeped as it turned on. "Remind me again why I"m stuck here on the roof?" Zeke sounded more than a tad annoyed, not that I could blame him. Zeke was up to his eyeballs in guilt, and sitting on the sidelines instead of being there with me paying me back didn"t sit well with him. "Two reasons. The first is because I don"t want my friend dying on me." I could practically feel him wince through the phone. "The second is so you can warn me if they start sending boats to try and flank us. You"re doing your part Zeke, don"t worry about that." "I hear ya. When you see that Moya chick, give her an extra zap for me." With that, Zeke hung up. I clenched my fists, static flickering around them. Oh yeah. I was gonna zap Moya alright. I"d make that killing move against Kessler seem gentle. My thoughts were broken by an odd, rapping sound. The earth trembled slightly under my feet as rhythmic impacts hit the bridge a few hundred yards in front of me. I flared my sonar just to be sure. Yep. A solid two hundred troops were on the other side of the wall. I"m pretty sure they had a tank, too. I whistled, impressed. Moya certainly knew how to make an entrance. Too bad it didn"t amount to much. She had the numbers, barely, but my side had suicide bombers, a versatile mentalist with the power to make mind-slaves of anyone she touched, and me. They were doomed. My phone beeped, before the deep rumbling of the doors opening sounded through the air. Moya"s voice whispered to me. "I see you"ve decided to go down fighting. It"s a valiant gesture, but useless in the end. I warned you this would happen." I whispered back, trying to hit her through the phone. Even though she was probably way back, safely in her office in the stronghold halfway down the bridge. "I"m surprised you didn"t just nuke us and have done with it!" A wry chuckle made itself known. "Believe me, the idea was popular for a while there. However, I convinced the President that a hammer down strategy would be too obvious. The public are pretty gullible, but they can make a lot of noise if they wanted do. It"s much cleaner to just claim the cure reacted poorly or had some hidden side-effect." "You"re pretty confident that we"re all going to die, aren"t you?" The door was halfway open, and I could make out the feet of the first wave. All of them were decked out in SWAT riot armor, but even from this far out I could tell something was off. "I should be. What"s a makeshift gang and living taser against trained ranks with artillery and rubber armor? Good bye, Cole." ...Shit. The door went up all the way, and all hell broke loose. I threw a few dozen grenades immediately, hoping to God or whoever was listening that Moya wasn"t right. The soldiers rushed forward. They carried shields, like a Roman legion, blocking the gunfire that erupted from the Reapers. Through the gaps between shields, they somehow carried assault rifles, which started to open fire the instant the first rank got through. The little lobs of black lightning I"d shot exploded, unleashing electric explosions right under their feet. Quite a few of them flinched, but otherwise didn"t react. ...Double shit. I turned back, dashing behind a car as Sasha and the Reapers started rushing forward to meet the charge. Not all of them, of course. That cramped, we"d be fish in a barrel for the fire from the enemy. Most of the Reapers were spread out in allies, waiting for the first rush to get through and ambush Moya"s army with guerilla tactics. Sasha was pretty much untouchable, what with her teleportation. Add the waves of tar she"d shoot out with covering fire from the Reapers, I had no doubt the first two waves were doomed. The next few would be a problem. A problem that I"d been the planned solution for. Now that was shot to hell. Lightning was what I did. I was a walking WMD considering all I could do with it, but it all came back to electricity. Rubber didn"t conduct electricity. I tried to calm down with the sounds of battle behind me. Based on the cries of shock and the roar of rockets, I guessed that the RPG"s had surprised the bastards. Anyone left standing would swiftly be converted to the cause by Sasha. That was one of the cornerstones of this stand: the fact that while their numbers went down, ours would grow. I closed my eyes and thought about the problem. Precision could work; there had to be weak points in that armor. Moya could not have rigged two hundred men with specialized armor on such short notice without leaving a few holes. If the winces from the grenades was any indication, the guys had felt something. That meant my lightning still worked. It was just a question of hitting the right place. Of course, I could just call lightning from the sky and waste that entire bridge. Plus, it would slow the guys down; watching weather itself attack you gave anyone pause. Very well, let"s go with mass destruction right from the get-go. I came out from behind the car. The Reapers had reached a stalemate about half-way up the bridge, as rank after rank rushed off the bridge to meet us. They all spread out like clockwork, until my orange army was facing a solid wall of riot shields and gunfire. Our Conduits and bombers were doing some damage, but most of the grunts in that initial charge were cooling on the concrete. I moved over to where I"d have the best path of destruction, before I focused. I concentrated on all the evil I"d done, all the despicable acts I"d used to force control and order onto my city. Then I felt it, a deep well of infinite energy. All the negativity generated by my actions had an energy all their own. I couldn"t use it long, but as long as I reveled in the wickedness, I was invincible. I dove into that black pit, feeling electricity burst out across my arms as I overloaded, lightning overflowing from within, begging me to use it against my enemies. I was perfectly fine with that. I hunched over, and summoned my element. A massive bolt of lightning hit right in front of me. Then a second, with a third occasionally jumping in. A pillar of lightning, built before me from my limitless power. I sent it forward. The Conduits were smart enough to get out of dodge, Sasha was no where to be seen, though I felt her close, and the bombers were expendable anyway. My own personal storm rushed forward, heading straight towards the approaching army. I blew right through the growing wall. Every man directly under the blast just seized up and fell over, dead. The others were too stunned to move, but unharmed. That"s okay, they weren"t where I was aiming. The lightning rushed forward towards the bridge, where Moya"s troops were still trying to come through, kept locked in place by their own proximity. They couldn"t run back, and coming towards them was death. They were stuck and going to die because of it. Simple as that. I mowed through, punching a hole through the heart of the forces. I felt the lightning continue down the bridge, my connection getting weaker the further it went. I made it all the way to the second barricade before my power rush ran out. The lightning stopped.

In the time Arthur had been away, Dame Primus had managed to set up a circus big-top sized tent. Every Denizen that had accompanied her mulled around the entrance; they were taking afternoon tea. "Figures,' Arthur thought to himself. "The entire House is sinking into Nothing, and everyone"s worried about their afternoon snack.' All activity ceased as the Denizens caught sight of Arthur. From the crowd, the form of Dame Primus came forth, and crossed the distance between herself and the approaching Arthur and Suzy briskly. Her wings were hidden, but they could be perceived as an almost visible haze behind her. She wore an opulent gown of what appeared to be actual gold, shot through with silver. Her hair was done up in a tight bun, and the remaining Keys hung from her platinum belt. "Ah, Lord Arthur. We really must get to the Agenda if we are to have a prayer of keeping the House stable. You"ve enjoyed your break, but we must get to business." Her voice somehow managed to retain the no-nonsense tone of the First Part of the Will that Arthur was familiar with, while adding motherly warmth that hadn"t existed until the Sixth and Seventh Parts had merged with her. Arthur held up a hand, and her speech stopped. "First things first, Dame Primus. If you don"t mind, I"d like my Keys." Arthur couldn"t suppress the possessive edge in his voice; his whole being was suddenly longing to have the Keys near him, to bask in their gentle warmth. Dame Primus blinked, before giving a slight bow. "Of course, Lord Arthur. About time too, quite frankly. Repeat after me..." Arthur obediently repeated Dame Primus as she outlined how her role as Steward was over and the Keys were now in his possession in the legal speech common when it came to the Keys. "... and all the powers, possessions, and appurtenances pertaining. There, now hand them over." Arthur cringed a little, before making a mental note to make an effort to be more polite as Dame Primus, with the faintest hint of reluctance, unlatched her belt and handed it to Arthur. Arthur replaced his tattered belt from his disguise, before almost moaning as he felt the Keys come in contact with his body. The sword of the First Key, the gloves of the Second Key, the trident of the Third Key, the baton of the Fourth Key, in conjunction with the mirror of the Fifth Key, the pen of the Sixth Key, and the crown of the Seventh Key. It was exhilarating. Arthur quickly donned the gloves, while hooking the Fifth Key to the belt as well, thrusting the Sixth Key through a leather hoop. They felt right, comfortable weights that were always meant to be their. Arthur felt bubbly, like someone had stuck a bottle of soda inside him after shaking it up. He had all the Keys. He could do anything. "But that doesn"t mean I have to,' Arthur reprimanded himself, aware of the arrogant road his thoughts were taking. "I will not be like the Days; I will be a good ruler, a kind ruler.' Satisfied, Arthur noticed that everyone was bowing. Arthur cleared his throat, and the sound suddenly seemed a lot more important than it should. The vague aura around him had solidified with the presence of the Keys, and it was as if his every action demanded attention. "No wonder Dame Primus was so bossy,' Arthur thought to himself, before speaking out. "Dame Primus, you were saying something about the Agenda." Dame Primus, who suddenly seemed less intimidating than she used to be, nodded before leading the way, the Denizens parting before them like waves before a ship. The inside of the tent was light and airy, and unsurprisingly larger than it had appeared from outside. Occupying most of the space, the round table from Monday"s Dayroom stood, with chairs enough for everyone and a very large throne meant for Arthur, with a slightly less opulent one for Dame Primus. Everyone filed in and took a seat; Arthur noted that Suzy had one for herself this time, as if news of her new station was already known. Dame Primus waved her hand, and suddenly identical gigantic tomes appeared in front of all present. "As per your standing order, Lord Arthur, the Agenda is arranged in order of importance, with the issues most important to you personally taking place first." Dame Primus opened her Agenda, one of the few to actually do so, and read out "Item One: The Fate of one Emily Penhaligon." Arthur stood up straight: Sunday had been holding his mother hostage, and he was worried about her. Dame Primus beat him to the punch. "Your adoptive mother is perfectly well, Lord Arthur. She has remained in her sorcery-induced slumber and shows no sign of harm, either physical or mental. We have her in a safe location. What is your wish, Lord Arthur?" Arthur almost said that he wanted to see her immediately, but he stopped himself. Just being around the Fetchers had unleashed a near-fatal plague; how would his mother"s body react to being so near the Seven Keys while they were in harmony? Besides, wouldn"t it be better to break things off now with his family, instead of torturing himself with one last glance? Arthur thought about it long and hard, the childlike desire to see his mother warring with his responsibility to keep his mother safe, since it was his fault that she was in this mess. Arthur finally spoke, a hint of pain in his voice escaping despite his best efforts. "Leave her be. When I restore the Seven Dials, send her back. I want to leave her with a letter, but otherwise leave her alone." Dame Primus, in a show of her newfound sympathy, offered no contest to his wish, and made a note of it. She continued, leaving Arthur a few moments to reconcile himself to his decision. "Item Two: The Repair of the House. I"m afraid to say that Nothing has almost completely enveloped the House, and as we speak is welling up to devour the Upper House. The Incomparable Gardens should remain unaffected, as the Architect"s first creation, but Nothing will turn towards the Secondary Realms. Of the Old One, we have no news, though it is likely that he has escaped the Architect"s prison. We shall deal with him later; for now, we must immediately restore the House and push back the Nothing." Dame Primus was no more urgent about this as she had been about the first item, though her brows showed signs of worry. Arthur took a deep breath; he knew what he had to do. "I want everyone to stay in here; I don"t want you too close when I use the Keys." No one questioned him as Arthur sat up from his throne and walked outside the tent. He surveyed the beauty of the gardens and concluded that they truly were Incomparable. However, the true danger lied below, and so Arthur closed his eyes to concentrate, before yelling out in a voice that practically dripped power and authority. "KEYS, I COMMAND YOU TO REMAKE THE HOUSE EXACTLY AS IT WAS! PUSH BACK THE NOTHING AND REPAIR ALL THAT WAS DESTROYED! LET IT BE AS IF SUPERIOR SATURDAY AND THE OTHER TRUSTEES HAD NEVER INTERFERED!" The Keys started glowing, brighter and brighter, until Arthur shined like a sun. Simultaneously, every single Key grew first warm, than hot, before becoming almost burning. With a wordless cry, Arthur plunged his hands into the soft earth of the Gardens, sending his power down to the approaching Nothing. Arthur could feel the Nothing as a pressure in his mind, as vast and indomitable as a planet. Arthur pushed back regardless, blasting every single drop of power he could from the Keys towards the Void, pushing it back. It was almost impossible; Arthur felt as if his head was in a steel press, being pierced by inch-thick steel nails. But Arthur persevered, fighting for every inch. Arthur knew not how long he knelt there; it could have been centuries and he wouldn"t have noticed. But, oh so slowly, Arthur felt the Nothing recede, leaving untouched parts of the House behind, fixing all the problems that had plagued the House before. Arthur felt Denizens that had been consumed be reborn at his unseen touch, each life like a little sun in a dark space. Arthur was filled with an unparalleled sense of wonder, and thought this must have been how the Architect of All had felt, when She had made the House all those millennia ago. When the last bulwark at the base of the Deep Coal Cellar had reformed itself, the Keys finally stopped, becoming dull and dim once again. Arthur was suddenly tired, so tired that he didn"t have the strength to even stand up. He felt as if he had worked out with Eric for hours on end; every muscle ached, his bones felt sore, and his mind felt like someone had melted his brain into soft jelly. A little while later, when Arthur didn"t feel as much like a newborn pup, Sneezer appeared from nowhere, as was usual. "Congratulations, Lord Arthur. Would you perhaps like a fizzy beverage from your world to celebrate, and maybe a pill to help with your tiredness?" From thin air, the aged butler pulled an honest-to-goodness bottle of Coke, which Arthur eagerly, if weakly; guzzled down, glad to feel the rush of caffeine as the cool, sweet cola ran down his throat. Arthur, the son of a doctor, expertly swallowed the shiny pill Sneezer offered, washing it down with more Coke. Almost immediately, Arthur felt new strength fill his limbs, banishing the fatigue. Arthur stood up, gladly accepting Sneezer"s hand when he stumbled from a massive head rush. When Arthur could stand straight, he walked with purpose back into the tent. Everyone seemed to have not moved an inch, and a cheer broke out when Arthur entered. He gave a general wave, trying to be polite, before gratefully sinking into his throne. An almost imperceptible smile graced Dame Primus"s features, and Suzy was grinning outright. Arthur grinned back, before turning towards Dame Primus. "What"s next?" Dame Primus took a few seconds to clear her throat, before checking off something in the Agenda. She proceeded from where she"d left off. "Item Three: the Trials of Superior Saturday, Lord Sunday, and the Piper." As she spoke, the three of them entered, bound with chains and led by the apologetic looking Sunday"s Noon, Dusk, and former Dawn. The last one glared a bit at Suzy, but remained silent. The Piper"s face was impossible to see behind his mask, but his eyes positively glowed with hatred as he stared down Arthur. Superior Saturday seemed utterly defeated; not surprising, considering the goal she had worked ten thousand years for had slipped her fingers. Lord Sunday, who looked like a younger, better-looking version of the Mariner, seemed to be in a state of shock, as if he were still trying to wrap his mind around the concept that he"d lost. Arthur had already made his decision regarding these three. Before Dame Primus could say a word, Arthur spoke, his voice brooking no argument. "The Piper is to be made Lowest Assistant, to be kept under constant watch. Also, I don"t want any of the Piper"s Children anywhere near him, in case he tries to escape. Superior Saturday is to be reinstated as head Sorcerer of the Upper House, except under my authority. As for Lord Sunday, I want him banished to the Void; he"s the cause of this whole mess for not stopping Saturday in the first place." Dame Primus nodded, and gently said "The power of the Keys is needed to make these changes. You can do it from there," she added, seeing how reluctant Arthur was to stand up again so quickly. Arthur nodded before pointing his finger at the Piper. "I, Arthur, charge you, the Piper, to serve the House as Lowest Assistant. You are to fulfill all duties laid out for you completely and without question. You are not to rebel in any way, shape, or form. You will obey." As Arthur spoke, a delicate web of light leapt from the finger he had pointed, seemingly worming themselves into the Piper"s head. As Arthur finished, the Piper spat out, apparently through clenched teeth, "I live to serve." Arthur nodded before pointing at Saturday. "Be healed in mind, free of the envy that has plagued you since the Architect"s absence. Serve the House as second-in-command of the Upper House." Again, the web of light spread from Arthur"s finger, working itself into Saturday"s mind through her dark eyes and indigo hair. She blinked, before nodding at Arthur and murmuring, in the nicest tone she"d used since the Architect went away, "I live to Serve the Rightful Heir." Arthur smiled a little, before turning it into a frown as he regarded the former Lord Sunday. "From Nothing, to Nothing," was all Arthur said, before the inky blackness of Nothing spread out from underneath the still-dazed Sunday, enveloping him completely before disappearing, and leaving empty space in its place. Arthur prayed that he would never see him again. Dame Primus nodded with approval, and signaled for the remaining two to be released. As the chains dropped, Dame Primus checked off another box before turning to Arthur. "Milord, the remaining matters can be handled by myself. I will alert you if a problem requires your personal presence, but until then you are free to do as you please." So saying, Dame Primus waved her hand, leaving every Agenda except her own to disappear. She picked hers up and tucked it into the sleeve of her dress. Arthur sighed in relief, before becoming aware of a rumbling in his belly. Apparently, though he wasn"t anything near mortal now, his body still enjoyed having food. Arthur grinned, and decided that it was time he had a proper celebration for all his work. "Dame Primus, I would very much like it if I and everyone here could celebrate my victory with a banquet. A real dinner party, to be held here in the Incomparable Gardens. Today," he added, knowing that if he didn"t make it clear, the party could happen next year by House Time. Dame Primus nodded and said "It shall be arranged." With that, she stood up, along with everyone else when Arthur stood up, and left the tent. Arthur breathed in deeply the fresh air, before deciding that he might as well write his letter now and get some sleep until the banquet. Arthur walked off a ways from the crowd of Denizens, all of whom seemed content to stand around mingling until the party, and came to a clear stretch of grass with sufficient light to see by. Arthur waved his hand, not even needing to voice his desire aloud; the Keys felt like extensions of his body. In a flash of light, instantly summoned Nothing was just as instantly transformed into a fine wooden desk, along with a comfy chair. Arthur sat down, before reaching into thing air, getting into the hang of how the House worked for superior Denizens. A sheet of fine vellum paper appeared in his hands. Arthur, with some trepidation, pulled out the Sixth Key, mentally beseeching it to not give off any power, and penned his last words to his family. He tried not to cry, and when he did, he made sure that none fell on the paper. "Dear Mom, and Dad, and Michaeli and Eric and Leaf and everyone else. Some things have happened, things that I couldn"t hope to explain to you now. Anyway, I"m not able to come home now. I"m sorry, but this is just how it has to be. I want all of you to know that I love you and wish I could be there, but that"s impossible now. Leaf, thanks for being such a good friend, even if we"ve only known each other for a short time. Please don"t look for me. All my love, Arthur.' Arthur read it over, and thought it was pitifully inadequate, but it was the best he could think up. He folded it into an envelope, before pressing his thumb to the fold. His thumb glowed, and when it came away the letter was sealed with a glob of rainbow wax stamped with his seal. Arthur silently tucked it into his sleeve, not even surprised when it fit and he couldn"t feel it pressed against his arm. Standing up, Arthur stepped into the shade of some nearby trees, where there was a convenient hammock under a tarp just big enough for him. Not even questioning how he"d found exactly what he"d wanted, Arthur sank into the comfortable folds and immediately fell asleep. He was awoken by a gentle rocking on his shoulder. He cracked open his eyes, and saw that Suzy was the one who"d woken him up. "You look right fair ridiculous, sleeping with a crown on." Suzy"s trademark grin appeared, before she said "The party"s ready, you better come over since it was your idea to start with." Arthur nodded, before standing up and walking off, Suzy following him. "It"s a bit weird, being so tall. I feel like everyone else has shrunk. I keep tripping." Arthur grinned as Suzy chattered on, while they approached the lanterns erected to posts that surrounded a massive table filled with foods Arthur had only seen in culinary magazines. Everyone was already seated. Arthur hastily made his way to the head of the table, where Dame Primus waited patiently. Suzy veered off towards her own seat, while Arthur took the proffered cup from Dame Primus, filled with a red liquid that smelled fruity. Realized what was being asked of him, Arthur turned to face the table, taking a moment to savor the faces of his new subjects, the people that had helped him to this moment. He raised his cup and said "To the Architect, the House, and the end of the Trustees" reign. The Will has been Done." The toast was repeated, and everyone drank. Several hours later, Arthur felt truly content for the first time in what seemed like forever. He was currently sitting in a corner of the field where the party had taken place. Sunscorch was as drunk as any Denizen could be, and was loudly proclaiming the tales of nautical adventure he"d stored up over eternity. Scamandros was in deep discussion with Saturday"s Noon, and even Dame Primus seemed to be enjoying herself. Arthur became aware of Suzy sitting next to him. He waited for her to start talking, but she remained silent, apparently watching the proceedings as he was. Eventually, Suzy spoke up. "The Denizens, they don"t have kids or get married, see. Love was something the Architect made for us mortals. None of them understand it." Arthur nodded, wondering what had brought this on. Suzy suddenly gripped his hand. Arthur turned to face the grasping appendage, before looking up into Suzy"s face, which seemed both uncertain and determined. "But we do," she whispered. "I don"t even know what I"m saying, Arthur, but I know that I want to be near you. You"re the only friend I"ve ever really had, and I have this weird feeling in my chest when I"m near you. And right now, that feeling is telling me to do something." Arthur was suddenly very aware of how close they were, of the warmth of her hand over his, of the beauty of her face. He gulped for reasons unknown to even himself. "Suzy," he whispered, unsure what he was going to say, before her face came forward suddenly, and her lips were pressed against his. Arthur gasped, before his eyelids started to flutter. Her lips felt nice. Really nice. He didn"t even want them to leave. Hesitantly, Arthur kissed her back, lost in this new feeling, this new sensation. Dame Primus"s voice came from frighteningly nearby, causing the two of them to pull apart in shock. "Well, this is an interesting development." There she was, a mere three feet away; she had seen everything. Suzy blushed, and Arthur was just getting ready to use the Keys to blast her out of existence, before she held up a hand. "Be at peace, I am not here to scold you. The Architect once said that "Every Lord needs a Lady.' I see that she was right. I will not question your relationship; it is not my place." With that, she gave a little curtsey and turned to leave the new couple alone. Arthur blinked, before turning to face Suzy again. She seemed just as confused as him, but she seemed to calm down as she stared into Arthur"s eyes. This time, Arthur leaned forward, and the night carried on, the Denizens unaware that not so far away, their Lord was lost in his own small world with the new Sunday"s Dawn. When Emily Penhaligon woke up, she was in the basement of the abandoned hospital next to what was now a slightly-radioactive crater. In the pocket of her doctor"s coat, she found Arthur"s letter. Weeks passed, the government eventually lifted the quarantine, and Emily never stopped thinking about Arthur. Leaf was the only one who had any idea about the situation, and she slowly came to terms with it. Arthur"s family had no such ease. Emily was heartbroken, convinced that it was her fault that Arthur had run away, as he obviously had. Michaeli was left with half-formed suspicions and a gnawing worry in her gut. Eric was silent for a long time, speaking in monosyllables, and throwing himself into sports. Bob comforted Emily when he could over the phone, and promised to look for Arthur while he was on tour, and Arthur"s other family dealt in their own little ways. Years passed, and there was no progress. Emily"s sadness slowly left, and though she still cried herself to sleep sometimes, she accepted that Arthur wasn"t coming back. The rest of his family slowly worked around it as well, and life went on. Leaf sometimes wondered how her friend for such a short time was doing at the center of the universe, but otherwise continued with her life, eventually graduating from school and joining her parents in their struggle to help nature. Worlds away, Arthur watched through the Seven Dials. He gave a sad smile, before turning away and returning to his work. Hope you like this.

"Nonsense, my dear boy. It"s only a few drops. The edges of these crystals aren"t very smooth. He or Judy probably cut themselves and during the fuss, Xenex forgot his samples." Dr. Smith sensed an opportunity was at hand. "The Robot can help me follow his tracks to locate Xenex"s ship so I can return these to him while you go back to camp to check on your sister." It would be better to not have the boy around for negotiating anyway. He and Mr. Xenex were men of the world who understood each other. "I"m getting Dad and Don," Will rushed off as the Robot shouldered the bag of crystals. Xenex"s ship"s upper deck was small compared with the more spacious Jupiter 2 but it had a homey feel. After bandaging her finger, he had graciously given Judy a tour. Two well padded seats were close to the viewport and controls. The guidance system took up the central part of the deck while an informal galley and sleeping bunk were on the other side behind a partition. An elevator connected the upper and lower levels. The lower deck appeared to be much larger than his living quarters, presumably designed to haul various cargo. Judy found it hard to believe that so much space would be empty. She was curious yet Xenex was evasive about touring that area. She assumed he was protective of his stock. He"d probably dealt with many unscrupulous customers. They paused by the viewport. "Are you sure I can"t talk you into accompanying me? With such a lovely woman on my arm, I"d get lots of attention in Orion." Judy blushed. "No, I"m afraid not." She knew her place. "Speaking of which, I"d better head back to help Mother with lunch." "Don"t be in such a rush. Have a seat. Can I offer you a drink?" "Thank you, but I"d better be going." Xenex persisted. "Can"t you give a man a chance to repay the hospitality bestowed upon him? It isn"t often one has such enchanting company. It won"t take long." It had been a while since a man tried to charm her. And what would be the harm? "Okay," she smiled and sat down in one of the command chairs, while Xenex headed off to the galley. He returned holding a tray with fancy glasses filled with blue liquid. "I thought you weren"t the entertaining type." "I"m not. Some aliens prefer more formal rituals in sealing a business deal. More than just the simple credit exchange. Sharing a meal or drink tends to be customary. How do you like it?" Judy sipped the liquid. The flavor reminded her of pineapple but more bitter. Politely she replied, "It"s good." She started to drink a little faster, feeling guilty that her mother would be expecting her soon. He sank down in the adjacent command chair. "You wouldn"t believe what the Cylodians insist upon. Gorkle fish." He grimaced. "What"s that?" she laughed in spite of herself. "The price of doing business. The hide is tough as leather. Your boot would taste better. Yet, that"s how you seal a deal - sharing Gorkle fish." "You have lots of interesting stories." "I do. Believe me." "What"s the strangest experience you"re had?" Judy asked. "That would have to be the aliens on Gamma 12." He shook his head. "They have a seven day purification ritual they insisted we all go through before the deal was complete. The food was essentially green seaweed. Talk about hard on the stomach. By the end of the week, I wasn"t sure I cared about anything anymore." She laughed. "I"m glad I stuck it out. She was worth ten times what I paid for her." Judy wondered if she was hearing right. She was starting to feel dizzy. She clutched at the arm rest on her seat. "I feel funny." She couldn"t understand his reply. "What did you say?" "Are you ready to see the rest of the ship?" he asked. "What?" "To see your quarters." His polished, refined tone was replaced by one far more cynical. "You didn"t think those rocks were worth much, did you? They wouldn"t pay for the fuel to get to a dump like this. Smith can have the lot. People are a far more valuable a commodity - especially young women. You"re the biggest treasure this planet has to offer with that pale skinny body and blonde hair. Your Major West knows that too. The Orions will pay handsomely for such features. They would"ve liked your sister too but that could"ve gotten tricky." She reached to her waist for a weapon then she realized she hadn"t brought one. Her face burned. She"d been a fool. Seeing what she"d wanted to see. Accusing Don of all sorts of terrible things when he had been right all along. Then everything went black. TBC Perspective (Chapter 2) By Joan Powers Xenex bent down to pick up Judy. As he attempted to lift her, he felt the butt of a laser rifle against the back of his shoulders. "Stop right there." Xenex complied. The hot headed major had somehow been tipped off as to his intentions. "It"s not what it seems," he half-heartedly protested. "Sure it isn"t. You"re going to carry her out of your space ship. Now!" The young man"s eyes blazed. He"d dealt with his share of irate customers but this guy was a loose cannon. "Let"s go!" Don jabbed the laser more intently. "Okay, okay." Xenex wondered what he could use as a distraction. "How did you find me?" "I got lucky. I was headed this way to check out a new drill site and saw your ship." Sure he was. Most likely he"d been casing the area for his spaceship since first light and got lucky with his timing. Xenex silently assessed the young man. Strong. Decent features. He"d fetch a respectable price if he could rein him in long enough to find a buyer. Women were much easier in that respect. It would be best to unload Major West as soon as possible. "C"mon!" Don poked him in the back again with the laser. "Oh Mr. Xenex!" Dr. Smith"s voice called from a distance. "Smith," Don muttered with disgust. Xenex used the distraction to jab his elbow back sharply into Don"s stomach, causing him to lose his grip on the weapon. Don fought back fiercely, sending both fists flying towards Xenex"s abdomen and chest. Yet those blows didn"t have much effect due to the ultra-thin body armor sewn into the alien"s clothing. Xenex wasn"t a stranger to these types of encounters. It was an occupational hazard. Gaining the advantage, Xenex shifted his weight so he was on top of the Major. With a well placed punch to the temple, he managed to knock Major West unconscious. Xenex quickly stepped in front of Don and turned the command chair to obscure Judy"s body. "Mr. Xenex!" Dr. Smith barged into the space ship as if he owned it. "Oh Mr. Xenex! I thought you"d be here," the man simpered. "Dr. Smith, well, well. What a surprise. What can I do for you?" "You forgot your crystals. The Robot has them, just outside." The Robot. Smith with his gelatinous belly and cowardly disposition he could handle. The Robot was a different story. Although he was primitive, he could be armed. That could be a problem. He decided he"d better humor the good doctor rather than immediately toss the buffoon out of the ship. "Shall we talk?" Dr. Smith suggested. "Certainly. What can I do for you?" Xenex wondered about the best way to get rid of the man without drawing undue attention from the Robot. He had what he wanted. He was ready to leave. "Although you claim you don"t need a business partner, I"d like to offer my services as a guide to Earth." "Earth? Why would I want to go there?" Xenex asked. Dr. Smith visibly brightened. "It"s simply marvelous. There are valuable stones, exotic plants, technology. You"d make a killing moving those goods." "I haven"t had much demand for Earth products." Xenex played the game. "Why it"s simply that people don"t know about them. And you"d be the first. You could command a handsome price. My only fee would be my passage to Earth." "Ah. But wouldn"t the Robinsons miss you?" He was having some trouble making that line sound sincere. "Of course. Poor Will, especially. I"ve taken him under my wing. But since the Jupiter is abandoned here with little hope of leaving, having one less mouth to feed would ultimately be a blessing in disguise." "I"m sure." Xenex had enough. "Look, I"m not interested. I"ve got some more profitable deals going." The doctor"s eyes widened. "Do you? What?" He smiled, "Trade secret." Realizing he was getting no where, Smith"s eyes started to scan about the ship. When he grew visibly paler, Xenex knew he had seen Judy or the Major. "I think...I"d better go," he whimpered while edging towards the door. "I think not." Xenex produced a weapon from behind his back. Although Smith was utterly worthless cargo, he didn"t want the Robot to interfere with his ship taking off. "Oh dear," Dr. Smith gasped as he fainted. Xenex swiftly moved his visitors into the elevator to bring them down to the cargo area of his ship, taking special care with Judy. Don and Dr. Smith were treated like sacks of potatoes, their extremities dragging along the ground and banging against the walls. When his task was completed, he strapped in and prepared for take off. Judy"s head was throbbing. The ground was hard and cold beneath her. She opened her eyes to discover she was in a cabin with a bunk and bars for one wall. A strong smell of disinfectant filled the air almost covering the stench of urine. There was a drain in the middle of the floor. Chains with ankle and wrist shackles were attached to the wall. Several other similar units surrounded them. Then she noticed she wasn"t alone. "Don!" She rushed over to the unconscious man, sprawled out on the floor. A trickle of blood ran down his cheek and one of his temples was swollen and turning purple. "Don! Are you okay?" His skin was warm to the touch, somewhat reassuring her. She sat on the floor beside him, cradling his head in her lap. She gently massaged his face. "Judy?" He was groggy. "Are you okay?" He winced as he moved. "My head." Suddenly her relief was replaced with shame. "Go ahead and say it." "Say what?" "I messed up. I"m not capable of making decisions." "Huh?" He slowly rose to sit beside her. "Come on. You and my parents keep treating me like a child. And now I"ve proven why." Don was still trying to come up to speed. "Judy, the last thing that comes to mind when I think of you is a child." "But...I..." "You"ve got to be kidding. You made a mistake. You trusted someone and you were wrong. That"s not necessarily a childish attribute. In fact, it"s something I always admired in you." Judy stared. "I look at a situation and I see the pitfalls, the potential danger. You look at the same situation and see the beauty of it, the excitement. You could say that we balance each other." Judy looked down guiltily. "I should"ve recognized the signs. I shouldn"t have put myself in this situation in the first place." "There were some precautions you should"ve taken. But Judy, I like you just the way you are. I don"t want you to be tough or suspicious of every one. That"s not you." "Maybe I shouldn"t need you to rescue me," she mumbled as she nestled against him. He put an arm about her to draw her closer. "I kinda like that part. Makes me feel like you need me." A stirring in the cage captured their attention. Dr. Smith was with them. "You"d better be asleep Smith or I"ll knock you out myself," Don warned. The motion stopped. She had to ask. "Do you still love me?" "Of course." Although it was hard for her to ask, she had to know. "But...you"ve been so distant." He laughed. "I"ve been concentrating on our survival." "We"ve always had those issues. Yet we used to make time for each other." "Judy, what do you think I"m made of? Stone? Sometimes just looking at you is pure torture. To see you so close and not be able to have you. Holding hands isn"t enough. Kissing you isn"t enough. If I"ve shut down, it hasn"t been because I"m not interested. I"m entirely too interested." Both smiled. A different sound attracted his attention. "Oh no. If I"m not mistaken, this ship is airborne." "What are we going do?" Judy was starting to panic. "Mom and Dad can"t come after us." "Don"t worry, we"ll figure something out." Don thought a moment. "We need a distraction." "Do you want me to try to get Xenex"s attention?" Judy asked. "No." Judy was visibly disappointed. "You think I can"t do the job?" Don hurried to correct her impression. "No - that"s not it. Look at this place. This is what Xenex does for a living. He"s used to treating women like objects. He won"t have any pity for you. It won"t work. But I can think of something that might be effective." His gaze rested on Dr. Smith. "Mr. Xenex! Oh Mr. Xenex!" Dr. Smith called. In sotto voce, he complained to the Major, "This will never work." "Yes it will. Belly aching comes naturally to you, Smith. Just keep it up," Don encouraged him. "Bang on the bars with your boot if you have to." Don was feigning unconsciousness, lying on the floor near the door. "Mr. Xenex! It"s far too cold down here. Can"t I have a blanket? I"m thirsty too." His litany continued. "For a cultured man I would"ve expected far more luxurious accommodations. These leave something to be desired. The deplorable odor, the primitive sanitary conditions and utter lack of privacy. It"s appalling." He motioned to the Major. "Your boot, sir." "What?" "You didn"t think I was going to put my foot on this filthy floor, did you? Hand it over." Don complied, figuring the ends justified the means. Dr. Smith banged against the bars, loudly, using the boot. "I hope this works," Judy whispered to Don. "Smith can keep this up for hours. No one is that patient," Don grinned. True to Don"s word, Xenex came storming down the elevator after fifteen minutes of uninterrupted whining. "What is your problem?" "I"m hungry. I"m cold. These accommodations are dreadful," Dr. Smith complained. "What did you expect? I did my best to dissuade you from coming. Don"t worry, Smith, I"m dumping you as soon as I can." "But...Mr. Xenex, have some pity. A glass of water. A piece of bread. Even you are not that cruel." Xenex stepped towards a cabinet. "If it will shut you up, let"s do it." He brought over a glass of water and some soy concentrate. Smith wrinkled his nose. "You can"t be serious." "That"s what you get." He shoved the items roughly towards the door. "I can"t possibly reach that far. Bring it in here." Xenex assessed the cage. Don was unconscious on the floor and Judy was sitting on the bunk, staring off listlessly. He entered a combination to an electronic lock to unlatch the door. When he stepped in, Don grabbed his foot to set him off balance. When he fell to the floor, Judy rushed over to clout him in the head with one of the shackles. Xenex was out cold. "Good shot," Don grabbed Judy"s shoulder. "I was scared to death." "But you did it. Let"s find some rope to tie him up and then we"ll figure out how to get this ship back to your family." "I suppose it"s time we got back to work," John Robinson rose from his seat at the outdoor dinning table while exchanging glances with Major West, who nodded in agreement. The family had just enjoyed a chocolate cake Maureen had made to celebrate Judy, Don and Dr. Smith"s safe return. Don picked up a thruster control unit. "I"m looking forward to installing this baby. Guess Smith isn"t completely useless." While Don had been concentrating on flying Xenex"s ship, Dr. Smith had searched the ship thoroughly to find the man"s spare parts. After successfully landing, they"d left Xenex in his ship. Fully armed, the entire family had surrounded his ship and then watched him depart. "Major, really. May I remind you that if I hadn"t done my part, you might not even be here now. Oh what an ordeal I"ve suffered. Every bone in my body aches. I"m covered with bruises, I tell you. I simply must rest," Dr. Smith lamented. The men strode into the space ship, chatting companionably, while Will and Penny wandered off. Dr. Smith limped off to his cabin, continuing to complain about the bruising of his delicate back. He commandeered the Robot for a back massage. Maureen began to stack the plates. Judy rose, "Let me help." She stacked some cups. "That"s okay, darling. You"ve been through enough today." Judy hung her head. "I guess you were right, Mother. I didn"t handle the situation well." "What? What do you mean? I"m impressed that you knocked Xenex out with those chains. That"s quite an accomplishment. What would you have done differently?" She put down the cups. "I shouldn"t have trusted him in the first place. I shouldn"t have made myself so vulnerable." Maureen came alongside her daughter to put an arm on her shoulder. "That"s one of the qualities I"ve always appreciated about you. You believe the best in people." "And look where it got me." Judy felt ashamed. "No. The world is composed of many types of people. So many are jaded and don"t trust a soul. It makes the world a cold place. But you...you bring light and warmth. You give and don"t expect in return. You expect the best and in most cases you get that. I wouldn"t trade that for the world. There"s a huge difference between being a child and having a child-like faith in people." "Then why don"t you treat me more like an adult?" "How do you mean, dear? You do your share of the chores. You carry a load equal to Don, your dad and myself. The reason that hydroponic garden does as well as it does is because of your guidance." Judy realized that she was right. "But I still feel like you treat me like a child. Why do I have to ask to do things? Why did I need your permission to go to the caves in the first place?" "You didn"t. To be honest, sometimes old habits are hard to break. Especially with your first child. It can be difficult for your father and I to admit that you"re a young woman now. You"re right, you shouldn"t have to ask. Granted for security reasons, we do have certain restrictions. We need to know where people are. And there are precautions that are necessary - such as having a laser pistol with you if you"re out by yourself. You"re a smart girl, Judy. We trust you. We trust your judgment." The load of self imposed guilt upon her shoulders was becoming lighter. She hugged her mother. "Thanks, Mom." Judy was leaning against the rocks while examining the night sky, anxiously awaiting Don"s arrival. She didn"t have long to wait, he came within minutes, standing beside her. She quivered, wanting to touch his hand, to feel the warmth emanating from his body. Don"s comments about being too interested in her were fresh in her mind. She didn"t think she could take much more of the status quo which was equally frustrating to her. She hated to cause conflict but she had to know. "What are we going to do?" she asked. Apparently, it was on his mind as well. "I"m sorry, Judy. I can"t do this half way. Either we"re a couple and we"re completely together or we"re still....on hold. It"s been more than two years. I"m sorry, I"m weak. I just don"t have that kind of self control." In some ways she was flattered by his confession. "Then why should we wait?" She turned to pull him into a passionate kiss. While he responded with equal enthusiasm, after a minute he pulled himself away, with difficulty. "No, that"s not right either. Judy, you"re the one. The woman for me. I know that. I want to do this right. Before we commit to one another physically, I want us to commit emotionally as well. To be man and wife." "Are you....asking me to marry you?" Not that this was completely unexpected. "Judy Robinson, will you be my wife?" She idly wondered if he should be on bended knee bearing a ring with a glittery stone along with flowers. But it truly was the thought that counted. She didn"t need the trappings to savor the happy moment for what it was. "Are you sure? I don"t want to be a consolation prize due to your lack of choice." "That"s never crossed my mind. I was hoping we could marry when we landed at Alpha Centauri but two and half years has been long enough. Even though we"re going to be able to lift off soon since we"ve fixed the thruster control, there"s no guarantee that we"ll reach our final destination right away. I"m tired of waiting." Judy smiled. "Me too." "So..." Don asked expectantly. "Oh..yes! Of course I want to marry you." She beamed towards him. "Your parents might not like this. Due to our living situation, being a newly married couple could be awkward." Judy was fully aware of that. In fact, in the past she"d been far too embarrassed about the logistics to even bring it up. Then she realized that in some respects, she had perpetuated the status quo. Although Don had made suggestions in the past, she"d been the one who"d been afraid to rock the boat, to make changes her parents might not appreciate. Their circumstances weren"t ideal and change could be frightening. Under these conditions, they would need to discuss private matters with her parents. It would be difficult. But it was time. "Should we talk with your parents?" Don cautiously asked. Knowing Don as she did, if she demurred, he wouldn"t hold it against her. It would mean more of the same frustrating stalemate but he would wait. Yet, she was ready. Scared but ready. Rather than presuming Don would do all the talking, she was ready to fully participate in that conversation. "Yes. Let"s go find them." She firmly grasped his hand in hers. THE END

One crew member let out a startled gasp. "The Terrians said they will be able to locate you when they are ready to return me." Uly was frightened, but he believed them. As Uly had been telling his story, other members of the Eden crew, woken by the sound of voices, had straggled into the Main Dome. True clung to her Dad, wrapping her arms around his waist. Morgan and Bess huddled against a corner of the room where others congregated, while Baines and Walman stood alongside Danziger. "What are we going to do?" Magus asked. Devon had been arguing so long with Uly that she was almost hoarse. Yet she responded with determination, "I have not given up this much to lose everything, I will not let them just take my son for some undetermined period of time." Although she appeared to be exhausted, she was managing to maintain her composure before the group - so far. She had faced the impossible before, it was no stranger to Devon Adair. This entire trip was accomplishing the impossible. People on the stations had laughed at her. Surely if she could arrange to travel 22 light years away from human civilization to save the life of her son, she could handle this, she told herself. Yale, close by her side, was unable to offer her any advice. "Can"t we reason with them?" Julia suggested, "Let Uly help them solve their problem, then allow them to perform their "training" during the day and return him to us at night?" Alonzo shook his head, "They won"t budge on their terms. The word "negotiate" is not part of their vocabulary. Since they have group consciousness, they lack those skills." He looked to Uly to gain confirmation. "Besides, we"ve already tried." And Mary was no longer present to serve as a mediator as she did during their last crisis. Danziger said emphatically, "We can"t let them take him." He would never give up True if some crazy alien came for her. They"d have to kill him first. "It"s not right for them to take him away" he continued. Baines joined in, "And if we give them Uly now, what"s to say that they don"t start taking more supplies or people away from us - where do you draw the line?" "That"s completely irrelevant, Baines. They need Uly because he is the link between our species and they are in trouble" Julia argued, "They came to us for help." "Regardless of that, we need to establish boundaries with these creatures," Walman countered "We are now setting the guidelines for what we consider to be acceptable behavior - and this isn"t. Do we want to set a precedent for them pushing us around?" Magus interceded, "The Terrians healed Uly, he might not be alive today if they hadn"t intervened. Isn"t that an obligation of sorts?" "No" Devon snapped back at her, "We already paid them back for that. We helped the Terrians out with Gaal and allowed Uly to participate at Moon Cross. We should be even." Alonzo countered with, "But what is a life worth?" Devon refused to respond. "Devon, what exactly did we promise that night in the Dream Plane? The night Uly was healed?" Alonzo asked. "I"m not sure" she responded with dejection. "Since the Terrians were here long before us, don"t they have the right to dictate policy?" Bess asked "In a sense, it is their planet." Morgan glared at his wife. Some in the room agreed with her. Julia concurred as well, "She"s right. We"re the invaders here. We don"t have the same rights that we had on the Stations. This is not our planet. Since the Terrians have made Uly the link between our species and the Council wants Uly so badly, this leads me to believe that this relationship is crucial for the survival of all of us on planet G889. Not giving them Uly could destroy this very important relationship and harm us all in the long run...Besides, they promised they"d bring him back." "How do we know we can trust the Terrians to follow through on their promises?" Morgan commented. "The Terrians are honorable creatures" Alonzo stated. Danziger met his gaze and demanded, "Where"s your proof?" Alonzo looked away. There was a brief moment of uncomfortable silence. Bess asked "Exactly how long is a "long" period of time to the Terrians?" With a start, Alonzo remembered that Terrians had quite a different perspective on time than human beings, though he wasn"t about to share that with Devon Adair or anyone else for that matter. For all he knew Uly could be returned at the ripe age of 50 and the Terrians would consider that soon from their point of view. Morgan asked, "Alonzo, what will the Terrians do if we refuse to give the boy up?" Alonzo took a breath, this was the moment he had been dreading. "This is a test, but not just for Uly, for us too. It is a test of our trust and commitment to living in harmony on this planet. And to determine if we will carry through on our promises" He looked to Devon. "The Terrians were disappointed with us after we almost killed one of them by freezing the land with the Geo-Lock. The act of entrusting Uly to their care and the actual rituals he will participate in are of vital importance to the Terrians. They need him to help them resolve a crisis which they themselves cannot. If we don"t heed the Terrian"s wishes, that will indicate failure on our part, an unwillingness to work things out in the future, and the Terrians will not be interested in pursuing further relationships with us." "Big deal" Baines retorted. "No loss" Danziger added. Alonzo reacted with surprise and replied softly, "They will destroy us all if we don"t give up the boy today." "I don"t understand" asked Yale. "This doesn"t make sense. Up to this point, the Terrians have not exhibited overly aggressive behavior. They appear to be passive creatures except when defending their territory, and I find it hard to believe they would resort to violence so suddenly." Alonzo confessed, "I don"t fully understand what they will do to us if we don"t comply. In my dream, I saw the Terrians approaching our camp with activated staffs which they used on us. We all dropped to the ground - unconscious...or dead, I"m not sure. The next image was our deserted camp. All of our gear, vehicles and even personal items were still there. Only we were absent. I assume this means that they will either kill us or capture us. I just don"t know. Violence doesn"t come easily to the Terrians. Apparently this matter is so important to them, that they will do what they feel they must. Remember what they did to Gaal." "But why us? Why haven"t they killed off the penal colonists as well? I can"t imagine that they"re better neighbors than we are" Morgan wondered. "But the Terrians haven"t established the same sort of relationship with them as they have with us. They have already reached out to us by healing Uly, which I might add is causing problems for them among other Terrian tribes. They have already stepped out in faith and now it is our turn" Alonzo urged. "It doesn"t look like we have a choice at all," Morgan sadly commented. "We have to give them Uly or we"ll all die" Magus cried, fearful of unknown fate. "Let"s take a vote," Julia suggested. "Are you kidding?" Danziger replied, "The only person who has the right to make this decision is Devon. We can"t make up give up her son. Besides, I think it"s wrong. We can"t let them do this." Baines plotted, "We can fight them. We have weapons - let"s stand up to them." Walman added, "We can protect the Dome and most of the camp with the Geo-Lock and create a Terrian-free zone. Maybe we can even kill off some of them in the process of forming the zone. Then we could surround the area with guards and blast any other diggers who come too close." Alonzo cried in horror, "NOOO! How can you say these things! What would killing these creatures accomplish? It"s wrong!" "And taking someone else"s child is right?" Danziger countered, while glaring at Alonzo. The two men began to approach one another. "We can"t kill them. We"re not even sure if our weapons are effective against them. This will not solve any of our problems," Alonzo insisted. "Why the hell not?" Danziger shouted back, "Why shouldn"t we stand up for the rights of our own people?" "The Terrians are honorable, decent creatures who are just doing what they feel they have to for their survival" Alonzo cried. "Yeah - at our expense!" Danziger snarled back. "You"re not thinking logically Danziger - don"t do this! It won"t work." "Just you try and stop me" he warned. As both men started to lunge towards each other with clenched fists, Julia shouted "Stop it!" and she, Yale, and Baines jumped in to pull the two men apart. "This isn"t accomplishing anything" Julia cried. Devon stepped forward and announced with deadly certainty, "We can"t fight the Terrians. We simply cannot found the basis of our lives in this new world on the blood of others. It"s wrong. We"ll have to trust the Terrians to honor their word." Then she took Uly by the hand and left the room. The other crew members hurried after them. TBC A Matter of Trust By Joan Powers Chapter 2 Devon and Uly headed toward the northern side of the camp, where the Terrians had congregated. They were waiting. Devon knew all too well that the Terrians had no understanding of human emotions but she had to try this one last option. She stopped, fell to her knees, and pulled her boy close to her, wrapping her arms protectively around him. She looked to one of the nearest Terrians to establish eye contact and began to address him, "I understand that this is your planet, your home. And that we are the visitors, I"m willing to work with that. I also know that thanks to you and this planet, my son is healed. But..." she paused to take a breath and collect herself. "Why do you have to take him? I don"t understand. He"s just a little boy, he needs his mother. And I need him too. Please, if you must take him, take me too. I promise not to interfere, I just want...need to be with my boy. Please..." she pleaded. She struggled to maintain her control, "He"s the most important thing in my life." The rest of the Eden crew had crowded around the area. Danziger vehemently protested to Yale, "What is she doing?" Yale replied, "Weren"t you doing something very similar not less than a week ago when True was captured by a Grendler? Danziger glared at him. The Terrians began to trill and Alonzo interpreted. "They just don"t understand Devon." Danziger strode toward the Terrians and pointed his Mag-Pro straight at one of them. He stated, "We...". He paused to examine the faces of those about him, pale with fear, "..I can"t allow this to happen. This is wrong." And he proceeded to power up his weapon. Panic broke lose and cries filled the air. "Stop it Danziger! You"re not using your head!" Morgan yelled. "Dad, don"t do this" Trued screamed. "John, this won"t accomplish anything!" Julia cried out. The Terrian force started to close in on the camp with their staffs drawing power as well. "We"re going to die!" Morgan screamed in a frenzy, diving to the ground while shoving Bess beneath him. Danziger stood his ground and turned a deaf ear to their protests. Devon rapidly turned to Danziger and looked him directly in the eye, "John, put the gun down, now." Disgusted, he powered down his weapon, shoved aside his gun, and gave a look of utter malice and contempt at the Terrians and those around him he thought he knew. The Terrians ceased advancing toward the Eden crew members and placed their staffs aside. Suddenly, a Terrian stepped out from the crowd and approached Devon and Uly. His appearance was somewhat different from the rest. About his neck he wore a coarse rope with pieces of yellow cloth attached to it. The colonist were confused, for Devon appeared to recognize him and rose to walk toward him, while still clutching Uly"s hand. She realized that this was the Terrian who had appeared in her dream, the one who had helped Uly in the future. She spoke to him, "I know you. You"ve helped him before, please watch over him again, I beg you...Take good care of my boy..." Dr. Heller feared Devon was becoming delusional and hurried over, just as the Terrian reached out his glowing staff and gently touched Devon"s temple. She fell to the ground. He grasped Uly"s hand, then the entire Terrian group disappeared beneath the ground. Later the group reflected that this was rather odd. While the Terrians denied they had emotions, one would almost think that particular creature had a sense of compassion. It was as if he instinctively knew that Devon couldn"t release the boy as long as she was physically able and conscious. Later that day Julia was walking over to join the group congregated by the fire in the middle of camp. She had just been checking in on her patient. After Devon had collapsed, Dr. Heller rushed to examine her. She was unconscious but Julia determined that the Terrians had not done any permanent damage to her, at least not physically. They had placed her on her bunk to rest. Julia dreaded facing her when she woke. Would she be angry with her for agreeing that it was best for Uly to go? She was frightened of the potential repercussions of the events which had transpired within the last few hours. It was cool outside, but Julia didn"t care to be in close proximity to Devon at this time. Judging by the crowd at the campfire, others felt similarly. She warmed herself then sat down by Bess, whom she hoped was an ally. "Do you think Devon will ever forgive us?" Bess asked her. "I hope so," Julia responded. Bess tightened her arms about her husband who was sitting on the ground wrapped in a blanket, with his back against Bess"s legs. Morgan was having trouble coping with what had happened. He began to ramble, "I don"t know... Devon Adair can be vengeful if you cross her. I remember how she dealt with some of the officials at the station who treated her poorly. She publicly humiliated one of them and sabotaged all business contacts for another... I"m scared." He cowered, "Maybe she"ll leave us here, taking her cyborg with her so we have no directions or any idea where we are or where any more supplies are...We"re gonna die out here on this God forsaken planet." Julia glanced at Bess to see if she wanted her husband to have a sedative. Bess vetoed the idea. "Morgan honey, don"t say such silly things. You"re being paranoid." Magus commented, "But has anyone seen Danziger? I think he"s the one to be afraid of. He almost got us all killed. I wouldn"t put it past him to track down the Terrians himself and shoot at them, endangering all of our lives again. You know how he tends to disregard authority and take matters into his own hands." "Devon might even encourage him to do it, in order to get her boy back" Baines claimed. "You"re being ridiculous, Baines. Devon has been unconscious for the last couple hours. The last thing on her mind is revenge plans" Julia chided. "I agree" Yale"s voice boomed as he drew closer to the group. He had his arm around a frightened True Danziger. "Where is your Father?" Magus accused. "I don"t know... He was angry. He usually likes to be alone when he"s mad" she responded, clinging to Yale. She hadn"t seen her father for several hours and was becoming anxious. "Stop this at once" Yale commanded, "You"re scaring the child with your groundless accusations! Look at yourselves, how can you say such things about these people. You know them - look at all you"ve been through together. We are all distraught and exhausted. A terrible thing has occurred this day. This should be a time for us to draw strength from one another, not rip each other apart. Danziger"s actions were not rational - he let his fear get the best of him. As some of you are doing now. We"re all human. We must forgive each other for our mistakes and move on. Let us set an example for this child here." Yale returned his attention to True whom he escorted back to the Dome. As soon as Yale and True were out of earshot, Morgan commented sarcastically, "Guess he told us." Bess sighed with resignation as he continued to ramble, "Devon does go on and on about that kid. Sometimes it drives me crazy. You"d think the world revolved around him." Bess gently reminded, "Morgan, he is her only child. And now he"s gone." Alonzo said, "Sometimes the good of the many has to outweigh the good of the few." "Really?" Danziger appeared and strode toward the group. "Tell me," as he looked directly at Alonzo, "Does that hold true when the Terrians come for Julia?" Shifting his gaze to Morgan, he demanded, "Or what about if it"s Bess they want next time? Tell me, Morgan will you be selfless enough to sacrifice your wife for the good of the group? Will you?" Morgan couldn"t answer him and burrowed into his blanket to hide. "That"s not the point John" Alonzo began to defend his views. "The Terrian wanted Uly for a special purpose and they don"t intend to harm him. Besides, there was nothing else we could do. Violence would not have worked. All it would have done was put us all in danger. You weren"t thinking clearly." Danziger held up his hand as if surrendering, giving Alonzo a tired glance and said, "Buddy, I don"t want to fight with you. I lost my head. I just wish we could do something. I feel sick about this. I just don"t trust these creatures - I don"t understand them. And I sure wouldn"t want to have to trust them with my kid." Evening Yale was visiting Devon in her room. She was lying on her stomach on her bunk, resting her head on her arms. When she looked up towards him, her eyes were unfocused, dead-looking. Yale sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her shoulders to attempt to comfort her. "It"s all right, child. I"m here for you," Yale assured her, "You know I"ll always be here for you. We"re going to get through this. We have faced the impossible before, we will figure something out." He decided to get her some food and water, though he doubted he could make her eat anything. When he opened the door to Devon"s quarters, Danziger was outside waiting. Feeling protective of his vulnerable charge Yale blocked his entry, closing the door behind him. He admonished, "Don"t bother her, please. Devon is a rather private person and has always preferred to be alone when she is upset." "Do you think that"s good? That she"s alone?" John asked. As the words came out of his mouth, John disregarded the incident where Devon had approached him after the Grendler scare. She had wanted to express her concern, but he had cut her off... yet that was different, he had a kid to return to. She didn"t. Yale was inclined to agree with Danziger, "It is not good to be alone when you feel your world has ended." Danziger spoke as if stating of a fact, " I have to see her." Yale gave the matter some brief consider and after examining the determined expression on John"s face, he consented. Without misgivings, he opened the door and allowed John to enter the sanctuary of protection he had maintained for Devon. Devon had moved. She was sitting up on the edge of the bed, staring at Uly"s empty bunk. She barely registered John"s presence as he entered the room. He sat down beside her on the bed and asked, "How"s your head?" He brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen into her face. "Look..." he put his arm around her, "I"m sorry... I let you down." "You didn"t have a choice, John. It"s not your fault. There was nothing you could have done.." she whispered back with as much strength as she could muster. "We"ll just have to trust the Terrians to honor their word." She buried her face against his chest as he wrapped his other arm about her to draw her close to him. Tomorrow she would put on a brave front and as leader of the Eden crew encourage the others that they were building a strong foundation for their new world. But not now. She felt as if she had lost a part of herself. She was too tired to cry anymore, she didn"t have any tears left so she just closed her eyes with her head against Danziger"s chest and let him hold her. Right now she would just concentrate on living minute by minute. (voice of Alonzo) We learned a lot that day about the Terrians and ourselves - about what we believed in and the fragile nature of trust. For in order to establish a relationship of mutual trust with the Terrians, we had to be willing to make ourselves vulnerable - to step out in faith. Overall, we were hopeful that this event would represent a stepping stone which would continue to bridge the relationship between humans and Terrians on this planet. We believed the Terrian"s intentions were honorable - that Uly would not be harmed, and that he would be returned to us within a reasonable time period. Yet doubts plagued some of us. Had we done the right thing? Had we irrevocably compromised our integrity? While Danziger had acted rashly and foolishly, at least he knew that he had done what he could to stand for his principles. The battle of conflicting priorities had taken some casualties who would heal over time. While our consciences would pass judgment on these issues within our own hearts, only the passage of time would reveal the truth. THE END (to be continued in "Trust in Love")

He couldn"t think about that. He didn"t want to deal with it. He"d tried to explain it to her the best he could - his reasons for separating, for withholding his secret identity. Though even if things didn"t work out between them as a couple, he felt confident she"d never reveal his secret. However, it might be a moot point. He"d had issues with his powers in the past and had managed to deal with them. Adolescence had been doubly challenging in that respect. But...what if he never improved? What if he couldn"t regain control his powers? He couldn"t be Superman. Or much of any man, for that matter. He"d need to isolate himself from society so he wouldn"t harm anyone, with only his parents to intercede for him. What kind of life would that be? He sighed deeply. "Son...take it one day at a time." "It"s not looking good," Clark glumly replied. Jonathan cautiously stepped towards him. "From my perspective, it"s looking fine. You"re alive. You"re relatively healthy. Let"s not get greedy. Or impatient." "But what if I can"t get back control over my powers?" Earlier that day. Clark had been startled when he"d bumped the wall with his elbow while dressing and nearly brought it down. And nearly starting a fire with that lamp shade? That had also been a close call. "I might not be able to be around people." Especially Lois... Although she"d said she"d forgive him, would she take him back? When she"d left, he felt as if she"d taken his heart with her. Did he have anything worth living for? Had his foolishness cost him everything dear to him: his powers and the love of his life? His father chided him. "You"re getting ahead of yourself. If you can"t be Superman, then you can"t be Superman. It"s too early to be making those types of decisions anyway. A day or two could make a big difference." Eyes downcast, Clark mumbled, "She"s not coming back." "You don"t know that. Lois put an awful lot on the line for you - that means something. When you were lying in that hospital bed, she was terrified. She cares about you, son. No doubt about that. Just give her some time. She"s been through a lot. She needs to process things." Lois hung by the doorway of Clark"s bedroom, wondering if this was a wise idea. Martha had been relaying daily updates regarding his progress but she hadn"t pressed regarding their relationship. Oddly enough, it was her father who had stopped by the Daily Planet the night before, insisting that she see Clark. Clark was still casually dressed, in sweat pants and a t-shirt, sitting on top of his bed. His shoulders were slumped in defeat. It hurt her to see him so down. Had she singlehandedly destroyed his spirit by not standing by him? Guilt was eating away at her. Then again, if he"d been honest with her in the first place, he could"ve avoided all this heartache. Her father had mentioned Clark was having trouble controlling his superpowers. This might improve over time. Or it might not. "Clark?" "Lois," Clark replied, straightened up on the bed upon hearing her voice. "How are you?" she tentatively asked as she stepped into the room. "Okay. How are you?" She hated things being so awkward and formal between them. It wasn"t as if they were strangers. Still, she hung back. "I"m alright. I"ve been back working at the Planet. Everybody"s been asking about you. Don"t worry - Perry knows you need time to recover." "Are you up for working?" Clark asked, with concern. She shrugged. "You know me - work tends to...help." Help keep her mind off her chaotic emotions about Clark. "What are you working on?" When she didn"t respond, he said, with concern, "Lois..." Why was it so hard to hide things from him? But she had to. Even though she and Jimmy were headed out to confront the corrupt building inspector later that afternoon, she couldn"t put that burden on Clark. He had enough on his plate. She"d hurt him enough already. "Just this and that," she lied as her eyes drifted, with alarm, towards the hole in the wall. Clark sighed, noticing her gaze. "I guess it"s hard controlling superpowers?" She asked, trying to keep the conversation going, knowing he might not want to discuss it. While her father didn"t comprehend the details, it was understandably a major concern for Clark. Before all this had happened, Lois had never thought of Superman as ever having been a child or having to struggle with human issues. She"d been as guilty as the rest of the public, thinking that the Man of Steel didn"t have the same needs as she did. "Yes," Clark begrudgingly admitted. Her curiosity was piqued. "How did you learn to use them in the first place? Where you born with them?" Lois almost chuckled, suddenly imagining Martha confronting an infant Clark holding a crib more than twenty times his size, high above his head. "They didn"t fully manifest themselves until I was a teenager," Clark explained. Those times were hard enough for an average teen. Talk about a double whammy. "How did you handle it?" Lois asked. "Mom and Dad helped me develop my control. It took time. And lots of discipline." "Guess you"ll need to go that route again." Without time to fully consider her words, she said, "I could help you with that. If you want..." She hastily added. It was the least she could do. He seemed genuinely pleased by her offer. "Thanks. That would be...nice. But I"m not ready. And I wouldn"t want you to get hurt." "How do you know you"re not ready unless you try?" Lois challenged him. Gesturing to the damaged lamp shade, Clark replied, "Believe me, I"m not ready." Never one to give up, Lois stubbornly replied, "Let"s try anyway." Even though she wasn"t ready to commit to their future as a couple, she was determined to encourage Clark as a friend. She couldn"t leave him like this. Her father had sounded so convincing. If she could restore his confidence, even a little, it could be huge. Superman had been off the street for days and the criminal element had noticed. Their activity was on the upswing. Regardless of her feelings about Clark, the world needed Superman. Even though Clark wasn"t enthusiastic, she plowed ahead. "What do you want to try? Your x-ray vision?" "No!" "How about your strength? That"s it!" She lay down across the foot of the bed, arms by her side, facing the ceiling. "Try lifting me." "No." He replied, uncomfortably. "Why not?" Becoming more agitated, he replied, "You don"t understand the consequences. What if I drop you or use too much force and send you crashing into the ceiling? What if I can"t control my grip and I crush your bones? I can"t take that chance." "I"m willing." Lois didn"t budge. "I"m not." His refusal was both sweet and exasperating. "C"mon, Clark. I trust you. Do it over the bed so if I fall, I"ll land on the mattress. I"ll be fine." Obviously conflicted, Clark replied, "I can"t. I don"t want to hurt you." "I know that." Lois was growing both impatient and anxious. If he didn"t move soon, she might lose her nerve. Every moment that passed as he hesitated, she wondered. What if she did crash into the ceiling? Images of herself in traction popped into her mind. "I"m not ready," Clark said, sadly, with a sense of finality. Lois wasn"t going to let him give up. "There"s never going to be a good time. C"mon!" She closed her eyes, willing herself to relax. As the minutes dragged by, she worried that this wasn"t such a good idea. She"d seen Superman plow into that lamp post a few nights ago. Even though it was made of iron, it lay mangled in pieces on the ground. Yet a man"s confidence was fragile. It needed to be fostered, to be nurtured. If Superman were ever to return from the ashes, he"d have to start somewhere. He"d saved so many people, performed so many heroic deeds. If Clark could take a bullet for her, she could certainly suffer a few bruises (or broken bones) for him. Sensing she wasn"t going to leave unless he tried, Clark tentatively put his palms beneath her body. "Good. See - no problem. Take it one step at a time." She carefully modulated her voice, trying to convince herself as well as him. His hands were positioned; she could feel them beneath her. She could hear his breathing growing more raged as he concentrated. "Try for an inch - not a lot." That might prevent...accidents. When she realized she was holding her breath, she willed herself to breathe normally, calmly. If she didn"t believe in Clark, why should he? "You can do it," she assured him. Painfully slow, he moved his hands. She was no longer on the mattress. "You"re doing it!" Her body was several inches above the bed when he panicked, removing his hands. She fell onto the bed with a thud. "Oh my God! I"m sorry! Are you okay?" Clark asked. "I"m fine." The wind had been knocked out of her but her fall had been cushioned by the mattress. Lois was encouraged. "It"s a start - don"t you think?" He shrugged, now sitting beside her on the edge of the bed. Trying to cheer him up, she said, "Sure it is. I didn"t go flying through the ceiling or crashing into the basement." "That"s true." "You know, Clark, it takes more than super powers to be a super hero," Lois said. It was hard sitting so near to him. The urge to cradle him in her arms or push back that stray lock of hair from his forehead was strong, threatening to undermine her control. It was almost irresistible. What would be the harm? Yet the hurt caused by his deception was still fresh. As tempting as it was to touch Clark, she wasn"t ready to cross that line. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Look at Resplendent Man, and Johnny Corbin. They had superpowers and only used them for personal gain. What did it get them? It"s not just having powers that makes you super. It"s how you use them." Growing more frustrated, Clark asked, "How I am supposed to help people if I can"t control my powers?" Slightly annoyed, Lois retorted, "I don"t have superpowers. Am I a waste of a human being?" She wasn"t used to seeing Clark feeling sorry for himself. But in all fairness, he had been through a lot. "Of course not!" She couldn"t help herself; she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Don"t think about forever. Don"t think about not being Superman. Think about right now. One day at a time. Can you do that?" "I"ll try." How had they gotten so close to each other? Their faces were only inches apart. If he bent forward to kiss her, she wasn"t sure if she could resist. She hadn"t touched Clark in any manner since the rejoining. She"d never even gotten to close enough hold him to celebrate that he"d survived that bizarre procedure. Lois was so tired of the conflicting emotions warring within her. If Clark moved just an inch or two closer to her, if he kissed her, the decision she"d been struggling with would be made for her. Strangely enough, as much as she loved her independence, at that particular moment, she no longer cared. She scanned his eyes. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him. What was he waiting for? After a moment, he stood and moved away from the bed. What was going on? Why had he done that? "Lois?" he asked, more seriously. Oh no. Did he want to talk about their relationship instead? Her temples throbbed at that thought. "Yes?" She wasn"t up to arguing with him. She didn"t have the energy. "I"ve missed you." Somewhat surprised, she replied, "I"ve...missed you too." She had to change the subject or she"d do something she might regret. "Why don"t you try lifting me again?" Lois should"ve known the lead was too good to be true. If she hadn"t been so worn out and distracted by her emotional turmoil over Clark, she would"ve caught on. It was a setup and she and Jimmy had walked right into it. Despite the fact that they"d set up an appointment in advance, Building inspector Haron hadn"t been home. Cicone"s men had been waiting to ambush them when they"d stepped on the porch to ring the doorbell. Presently, she and Jimmy were bound, gagged, and crammed into the trunk of a car that reeked of gasoline. As they bounced along in the trunk, she listened carefully, trying to get her bearings. The increase in the vehicle"s speed plus louder sounding truck engines outside the car, suggested that they"d left the city and were currently driving on the Interstate. Where were they taking them? What would they do to them? She was scared to think about it. They"d already tried shooting her and look at what happened to poor Clark. Would she ever see him again? She fervently wished she"d given into her impulse to kiss him or at least hold him when she"d seen him a few hours ago. Why had she been so stubborn, clinging to her pride? His lies had deeply wounded her. Yet just today, she"d lied to him. For a good reason, she rationalized - to protect him. To keep him from worrying or getting harmed in a potentially dangerous situation. If he"d known she might be putting herself in Cicone"s path, it would"ve been impossible to keep him away. That was sounding familiar. Wasn"t that why Clark had lied about his secret identity for so long? To protect her? After the vehicle stopped and the trunk was opened, she panicked, hearing waves pounding against a dock. She and Jimmy were unceremoniously dumped onto the wooden planks. Their gags were loosened. "Superman!" Jimmy hoarsely rasped. The poor kid was terrified. "Superman!" he shouted louder. The thugs laughed as Lois sadly shook her head towards Jimmy. While they were presumably on the outskirts of town and possibly within range of Superman"s hearing, Clark was in no shape to save them. It would be far too risky for him to attempt flying. She hated squelching Jimmy"s hope. Why had she gotten him into this mess in the first place? "Haven"t seen that guy in a while," one of the men sneered. "Let Superman come. With his current track record, he might screw it up and do us a favor!" another man joked. Lois" temper flared but she kept her mouth shut. She was beat but she wasn"t about to give these goons the satisfaction Two men brought over a large wooden crate while the gentleman who attempted to shoot her approached. "You couldn"t stop snooping around. Even after your boyfriend got shot." With more bravado then she felt, she replied, "What you"re doing is wrong. People are going to get hurt. Those buildings aren"t safe!" He chuckled. "I fail to see the problem here. Mr. Cicone"s business ventures are highly profitable and his investors are pleased. Too bad no one will ever hear your sad tale. Mr. Cicone intends to make an example of you. You haven"t listened to his warnings. You"ve been like a pit bull, never giving up, so we set you up, planting incriminating information, knowing you couldn"t resist the bait. After our associate Mr. Haron informed us that you contacted him, it was simply a matter of waiting." Jimmy"s terrified eyes implored Lois. "Let him go. He"s got nothing to do with this. Your quarrel is with me," Lois begged. "Nice try. But he knows too much." Lois braced herself as one of the men picked her up and threw her into the wooden crate. Her body ached upon impact. Her wrist throbbed and a sharp pain in her ribs grew more intense when Jimmy landed on top of her. "Are you okay?" Lois asked. "I guess," Jimmy answered, filled with fear. Rocks the size of bowling balls were thrown into the box. "Ow!" "My arm!" Jimmy cried when several rocks landed on him. Lois gritted her teeth and braced herself as more rocks were added to the crate, praying none would hit her on the head. Then the lid was sealed, leaving them in the semi-darkness, only faint beams of light creeping through small cracks between the planks. "Help! Superman, help!" Jimmy screamed. Fortunately, Lois" head was close to him so she could whisper to him without fear of being overheard by the criminals. "It"s no use. He can"t control his powers yet. He"d never be able to get here safely. I"m so sorry I got you into this, Jimmy." "I"m too young to die!" Jimmy cried. Lois felt that way herself. She hadn"t even written a will -not that she had much to leave behind. Her highly prized Kerth awards would only gather dust in her absence. Her death would devastate her parents, just when she and her father had started to reconnect. What had she accomplished during her life? Had she made a difference with her hard hitting news articles? She"d like to think that she had. Yet with imminent death facing her, she couldn"t remember a single article she"d written. All she could think about was Clark and how much she loved him. She and Jimmy struggled to loosen their bonds, but they were crammed in too tightly and unable to maneuver. Bile crept up in Lois" throat as she felt the crate being dragged presumably towards the edge of the dock by the river. Even if the extra weight of the stones didn"t cause them to immediately sink to the bottom, as water filtered through the cracks in the crate, she and Jimmy would slowly drown. Why hadn"t she told Clark that she loved him? Even though she wasn"t sure if she wanted get back together with him, that fact was undeniable. If her bloated lifeless body were found at the bottom at Lake Arrow, he would never know how she felt about him. And she desperately wanted him to know. She quietly whispered the words, foolishly hoping that he might hear. I love you, Clark. "It"s been great working with you, Lois," Jimmy whispered. "You too, Jimmy." A loud noise followed by a tremendous splash frightened them. Then they realized it hadn"t been them. The crate hadn"t moved. "What was that?" Jimmy asked Lois. Lois shouted, "Help us!" Voices were raised but with the lid shut, it was difficult to make out what they were saying. Jimmy panicked, hearing more loud splashes. "No!" Then the side of the crate was broken, letting light in. "Jimmy! Lois!" It was...Superman! Lois had never been so relieved to see him. "Are you two okay?" Superman asked. As the Man of Steel removed the rocks from the crate to ease them from their prison, Lois cried, "What are you doing? You"re not ready for this. You could"ve been killed!" His second attempt at lifting her in his apartment had been successful - raising her body several feet off the ground, but that was a far sight from flying. "I had to come, Lois. I didn"t have a choice. I can"t live without you," Superman replied. "But...how did you know?" Jimmy asked. "I heard you." Superman answered. Giving Lois a significant look, he added, "Both of you." Superman carefully removed Jimmy from the crate and laid him on the dock. "Ow!" the boy cried. "My arm!" "You could"ve been killed!" Lois cried, not sure if she should be happy or angry that Clark risked his life once again for her. Lois noticed the car they"d used to get there was missing. There was a huge furrow nearby, suggesting Superman ran into it as he landed. The first splash must"ve been the vehicle hitting the water. "Where are Cicone"s men?" Lois asked as Superman lifted her from the crate. "Um...in the river. I...didn"t want to harm them by mistake." He started loosening Lois" bounds. "Are you okay?" Most likely she"d broken her wrist and damaged some ribs, yet she didn"t notice as Clark had fully captivated her attention. She studied him - for the first time, seeing parts of Clark in Superman, and a burst of awe filled her. What she admired about Superman had always been in Clark. She was shocked that she hadn"t caught on before. Both Clark and Superman always did what was right - even at tremendous personal cost. Clark"s decision to split himself into two entities, no matter how insane it had sounded, hadn"t been motivated by purely selfish reasons. Clark could"ve chosen not to rescue people while he was with her, keeping his secret safe and their relationship secure. But that wasn"t who he was. Earlier in the day it had confused her when he didn"t kiss her. Now she realized that he"d wanted her to make her own decision to return to him. He hadn"t wanted to influence her and he"d understood that she hadn"t been ready then. What Clark said during their previous conversation about his reasons for separating was true, there was just more to it. And she"d finally figured it out. After Superman had removed their restraints, Jimmy wandered off in search of a phone at the dock house to inform the police about Cicone"s henchmen drifting down the river. Lois turned to Clark and asked him, "Why did you do it? Why did you separate yourself into two people?" Although she now knew the answer, she wanted to hear him say it. "If I split myself in half, I could have you and the world could have Superman. No one would suffer. Everyone would win. It just didn"t work the way I hoped it would," he sheepishly replied. Lois put her arms around his neck. "I like this way much better." Then she kissed him soundly on the lips. "Does that mean we"re a couple again?" Clark asked, hopefully. "Yeah," Lois grinned. "Hey-how"d you do it? You were improving this afternoon but not this much." "When I heard Jimmy calling, I knew I had to come. I"ll be honest, I was struggling. I could easily put on the suit but I was scared to fly. I was standing on the balcony, about to take off. Then I heard what you said. You helped me believe and I finally felt like myself. And by the way, I love you too," Superman said, kissing Lois passionately before she had a chance to respond. "Superman- oops!" Jimmy reappeared, right as the couple started kissing. When they continued, completely oblivious to their young friend, he mumbled, "Maybe I"d better call a cab." THE END

"That"s unfortunate. We could"ve used his input. Everyone come over and watch." The family crowded by the viewport. "I don"t see what you"re concerned about. I see nothing unusual." Dr. Smith complained then yawned. "I need my beauty rest. I"m going back to bed." He moved towards the elevator. "Good riddance," Don cried. "Are we at the same location?" John asked. "Just about...Now!" Don answered. The Jupiter 2 had been orbiting Alpha Centauri for almost a day using their instruments to collect data. At that distance, they"d been able to make out land forms during the day. Darker ridges indicated mountains. Wispy white clouds stretched below them. They were encouraged that the water masses appeared blue, similar in color to the oceans of Earth. Currently it was nighttime on this part of the planet so there wasn"t much to see. "Is that...are those lights?" Maureen asked. A small glowing cluster appeared on the planet. "So it seems." John replied. "There are people on Alpha Centauri?" Will exclaimed, with wonder. "Maybe," his father replied. "It doesn"t seem like many lights. Couldn"t this phenomena result from some sort of photobacteria or natural phosphoresce? They absorb light energy during the day and emit it at night," Will suggested. "Possibly," John said. "It makes me uneasy. There was no mention of any phenomena like this in the original telemetry data." "The probing wasn"t extensive. And it is an alien world," Maureen reminded. "We"ve seen stranger things during our travels." John grinned at his wife. "Isn"t that the truth?" "What do you want to do?" Don asked. "Couldn"t it be other colonists from Earth?" Penny insisted, growing excited. "Oh joy, oh bless, oh rapture!" Smith intoned, his face radiant. "It could. But look at the size of the area that the lights covered. If Alpha Control sent another mission, it could"ve conceivably arrived by now. But I don"t think they"d have the resources for all that. A settlement of ten or twenty people wouldn"t send out that much light." "Maybe they sent a larger ship or perhaps we"ve been lost in space longer than we suspected and there"s been time for multiple missions to arrive," Maureen pointed out. "Why don"t you try to make contact with them once we"re in range again?" "We already have. They"re not answering our hails." "John, that doesn"t necessarily mean anything. You know how quickly technology changes." Maureen argued. "A group from Alpha Control might be maintaining radio silence while they observe us and determine our intentions." "I still don"t like." Don shook his head. "It doesn"t feel right." "They could be settlers from Earth," Dr. Smith insisted. "And they might not be," Don answered. "Why take that chance? This is a large planet. Plenty of room for both of us. Why not give them some space and tackle our problems one at time? Learn about the planet and determine the best place to set up our colony. Then once we"re established, make contact with this group. Take care of our needs first." John disagreed. "I don"t know about that, Don. If we"re going to be neighbors, why not start things out on the right foot? These beings could be powerful allies. Having already established a colony they could provide us with useful information that might be important for our survival. And if they"re our own people, we"d certainly want to join up with them." More caustically, the Major replied, "Or they could be a hostile race that resents our presence and causes trouble for us." "Don!" Judy sighed impatiently. "Why must you always assume the worst? We"ll never know until we check things out." "I agree." John Robinson decided. "When morning comes, we"ll land near this group of settlers. If it is a group of sentient beings, we"ll learn more about them." This is John Robinson of the Earth ship Jupiter 2. Do you read me? We are friendly. We mean you no harm. Do you copy? A stocky humanoid creature was dozing, seated at a desk with his large feet stretched out upon it. Other than his heavy brow ridge which was crested with thick, dark eyebrows, a slightly hunched back, and the vibrant dark lavender hue of his skin, he appeared human. Long unkempt dark locks rested on his shoulder. Hearing the transmission, he became alert. When he reached for the receiver, another creature appeared and swatted his hand. "What are you doing? This is what we"ve been waiting for," he insisted. The other alien, most likely a female due to a few more curves, corrected him. Both wore dull green utilitarian jump suits. "Don"t be impatient. Don"t respond. It will get them more curious. Our scans have indicated these Earthlings are an inquisitive race. They"ll come." A dark purple tentacle resembling a jump rope issued from her torso, lightly caressing the shoulder of the sentry. "Besides, it"ll buy us the time we need to complete our preparations for their arrival." With a hint of desperation, he asked, "What if they don"t come? What if we"ve gone to all this trouble for nothing - like the Andorians?" The female frowned and sternly stated, "We"ve learned from that experience. That won"t happen again." "The translator chips are working well," the male replied, trying to curry favor. "All part of the plan." This is John Robinson of the Earth ship Jupiter 2. Do you read me? We are friendly. We mean you no harm. Do you copy? Chapter 2 "Lunch is ready!" Maureen Robinson called. She placed a platter of sandwiches onto their outdoor dining table. A breathtaking view greeted her. Snowcapped mountains almost purple in appearance sat in the far distance. The surrounding countryside was covered with towering, skinny trees, somewhat equivalent to the evergreen of Earth. They"d landed several miles away from the glowing light phenomena and had spent their first few days learning about the planet. In contrast to other planets they"d visited, Alpha Centauri was teaming with plant and animal life. Even the colors of this new world seemed more vibrant and exotic than any that they"d seen back home. Four legged creatures with bright orange and brown stripes, resembling deer, inhabited the meadows. The discovery of a partially eaten carcass revealed there were predators as well, though they had yet to encounter them. Birds of varied colors and shapes filled the air. Several bushes sported what resembled nuts or berries so they"d selected samples to test in their lab. The sun was not as intense as Earth"s. The Robinsons were comfortable in their long sleeved fatigues and favored wearing their jackets after the sun went down. It was taking them some time to get used to the longer day and night periods to adjust their circadian rhythms. Establishing the safety of their camp had been their immediate priority. Setting up the force field generator, assembling the Chariot and planting the hydroponic garden took precedence next. Once these tasks were accomplished, they planned to explore the adjacent area, investigating the "glowing rock" phenomena as well as locating a source of drinkable water. "Any luck?" Maureen asked as the children slid into their seats. "I"m almost there," Will claimed. He"d convinced his father that having the Robot operational was a high priority so he"d been hard at work all morning. Wiping some grease from his hands onto his pants, he grabbed two sandwiches off the platter. "Will!" Penny objected. Maureen intervened. "That"s alright. I have more. I forget you two are growing so quickly." Turning to Penny she asked, "How are the soil tests coming along?" Judy and Don joined them as Penny replied, "They"re looking pretty promising. Maybe we can do some trial planting in the ground soon?" "Sounds good to me, Penny," Professor Robinson took a seat and glanced about. "Now....someone is missing." As if on cue, Dr. Smith stormed out of the Jupiter 2. "Madam, I distinctly recall asking to be notified when we were eating lunch. I"m simply famished." "I"ll bet you are," Don responded. "If you"ve lined up those supplies to be transferred to the Chariot, we can all pitch in and get the rest of the job done after lunch." "That. Oh..." Don shook his head in disgust. "Dad, we"ve pretty much established our camp and investigated the immediate surroundings. Can"t we explore a little further?" Will asked. John laughed, knowing what his son was angling at. "Tomorrow, Will." Maureen nervously replied, "John, do you think that"s wise?" "We"ve already discussed this. We need to know what we"re dealing with. If it"s an alien community, they might know which animals are hostile, sources of food, or favorable methods to grow crops." "I"m coming too," Maureen insisted. "Darling, I don"t want you to be in the thick of things, should there be trouble." "We"ll all go," Maureen stated with finality. "Speaking of exploring, I was thinking of taking the pod out for a spin later," Don said. "Good idea. But stay away from that area. If it"s inhabited, I don"t want to spook them," John advised. "Sure." "Can I go with you Don?" Will asked. "I had someone else in mind." Don glanced over to Judy who blushed with understanding. "I"d love to." "John?" Maureen turned towards her husband. Her oldest daughter Judy was an adult yet she still felt protective of her first born. Professor Robinson replied. "Don"t stay out too late." "Oh - look over there! Don, can we land?" Don peered out the viewport of the Space Pod. They"d flown north, closer to the mountains. There was a clearing filled with brightly colored violet and silver flowers. "Sure. Let"s check it out." Within minutes they"d landed near the field. Perched in the open doorway of the Pod, Don commented, "I don"t think I"ve ever seen something like this before." The blossoms resembled lilies from Earth, yet they were double the size, almost as large as a man"s forearm. The lines of silver tracing the purple flowers almost seemed to shimmer when the sunlight hit them. A fragrant odor filled the air. Don moved forward to kneel and pick a flower but Judy placed a cautionary hand on his shoulder. "Don"t. Let"s not spoil it. Let"s sit down nearby and enjoy it." "Sounds good to me." They found an adjacent grassy area, where they spread a blanket and stretched out upon it. In a daring mood, Judy nestled her head against Don"s chest, enjoying the warmth emanating from his chest and the reassuring thud of his heartbeat. Other than the chirping of birds, it was strangely quiet. Peaceful. This was it. Their new world. This is what they"d been waiting for so many years. What they"d put their lives on hold for. It almost didn"t seem as if it were really happening. "Wish we had more of that wine," Judy said. "There"s another bottle. But I thought we"d save it for a special occasion." Her heart beat faster. "What would that be?" "You know..." He leaned forward to kiss her. She eagerly met his lips with her own. Moments later, she pulled back, slightly flustered. She wanted to make sure she was understanding him correctly. "You mean our wedding?" She"d been almost afraid to say it aloud, for fear of jinxing it. "Of course." They kissed again. Judy"s mind went into overdrive wondering when their wedding would take place and how they would put it all together. She"d been planning her dream wedding since she was five years old. Back then she"d envisioned a large affair with lots of family and friends. Tables loaded with food and drink and lots of dancing. She foolishly realized that she had no idea if Don liked to dance. They didn"t exactly have all the fixings of home. And what would she wear? The dress she wore in the Miss Galaxy pageant? Or would it be too much to try to synthesize something new? Maybe they could match the color of those lovely violet flowers for Penny"s dress. Undoubtedly it would be a small and simple ceremony. Then again, what was she thinking? There was no reason for disappointment. They were finally getting married! A simple "I do" officiated by her father on the deck of the Jupiter 2 would be more than sufficient. "What do you think? Should we build our vacation cabin up here?" Don joked. While she would"ve preferred to discuss more immediate plans, the fact that he was talking about their future together buoyed her spirits. "It"s a great view." At this elevation, they could see for miles about them: tree covered hills, distant mountain peaks, a large clear blue lake and several streams, along with numerous rock formations. It was a gorgeous planet. "We"ll do it the old fashioned way, build it out of wood." She laughed, envisioning Don with an axe slung over his shoulder. "With three rooms and a fireplace. Though, I would insist upon an updated bathroom and kitchen," Judy insisted, with mock seriousness. "Your wish is my command. You can grow all sorts of flowers too." Judy wrapped his arms around his chest. "It sounds wonderful." Will trudged ahead on the rocky trail, with a fishing pole slung against his shoulder. Penny was close behind. Much further back, Smith yelled, "I simply must rest." Impatiently, Will called over his shoulder, "We ought to be there soon. You can rest at the lake." This excursion had already taken much longer than he"d anticipated. He"d hoped they"d be spending more time fishing than hiking. Ignoring Dr. Smith"s protests, Will picked up the pace. He was almost certain the stream they were following would lead them to a lake. He rounded some large boulders at full speed only to discover the same meandering stream. Disappointed, he stopped. "We"ve gotta find it soon," Penny said. "Maybe we are on a wild goose chase," Will sighed. More to himself, he added, "I don"t understand. We ought to be close." "We won"t give up yet," Penny said. Huffing and puffing, Dr. Smith arrived, sinking onto a nearby rock. "This is inhuman I tell you! I must catch my breath. William, what is the meaning of this full speed ahead military march?" Gazing at the sun, he added, "We"re been out here for hours. It"s getting late. We"d better turn back soon. Remember what your father said about not being familiar with the wild life on this planet. We wouldn"t want to be out after dark." "We"ve got until at least eight o"clock. The sun doesn"t even start to set until then." "Oh the joys and raptures of this brave new world," Dr. Smith sarcastically mumbled. "I don"t care about the whims of this peculiar planet. My stomach is telling me that it"s getting close to dinner time." Penny and Will exchanged amused glances. Only two hours had elapsed since they"d eaten lunch. "We won"t go much farther," Will promised. "Besides, if we catch some fish we can fry them for dinner." "After we test them," Penny insisted. Will shrugged. "I guess." He"d never been much on formalities. He picked up his gear. "I protest! I just sat down!" "Suit yourself." The older Will grew, the less tolerant he was becoming of Dr. Smith"s feeble excuses. Feeling sorry for the older man who was clearly winded, Penny said, "Go ahead, Will. We"ll be along in a few minutes." The boy disappeared behind an outcropping of rocks. "Such a lovely young lady looking after her elders-" "Penny! Dr. Smith!" Will called. The two rushed past the rocks to find him. There was the lake. But that wasn"t what Will was shouting about. Two humanoid creatures stood several feet away from him. They appeared nearly human with the usual anatomical features. No extra arms or legs. They were clad in bright green pants and long sleeved yellow tunics, with piping in contrasting colors, similar to those that the Robinsons wore. Both appeared to be teen-aged males. Their shoulder length hair was dark and shaggy. Both had slim builds and slightly lavender tinged skin. They seemed stunned, frozen in place as they stared at Will. Will"s hand rested near his laser pistol on the holster. When he realized the aliens carried no weapons and were just as startled as he was, he relaxed. Bravely stepping forward, he said, "Hello." The taller boy with the broader chest and clearer complexion straightened and replied, "Hey-lo". It didn"t sound quite right but it was definitely English. "You know our language?" The shorter alien with a wider nose and a small braid flanking his face replied, "You have speaking into the sky for a long time. We were cooking so we uncoded them." Will squelched the urge to giggle. The aliens were doing the best that they could. Even though they appeared to be human, English was clearly not their native language. "If you have the technology to intercept radio waves and speak our language, why haven"t you been answering our hails?" The two boys exchanged troubled glances. Then the smaller boy claimed, "Not my job." The other alien explained, "We are, what you say...cautious.." The word sounded more like cowsious as he pronounced it. "Is better to access the face of an opponent." "I suppose you"re right." Stepping closer to the aliens, Will put out his hand. "I"m Will Robinson from the planet Earth. This is my sister, Penny and he"s Dr. Smith. We...um...my family came to start a new life on this planet." "We are the Dionaea from Nebulous." Will"s brow furrowed. "I"m not familiar with your people or your home. Though we could be calling your world by a different name. What brings you here?" The taller boy continued to lead. He proudly stated, "We are travelers." "We are too. Our mission was to find a new home. I hope that won"t be a problem," Penny replied, with some excitement. "What are your names?" "I am called Breedon." Gesturing to the shorter boy, he said, "This is Talo." "Pleased to meet you," Penny replied, slightly flushed with color. Her eyes remained fixed upon Talo though she couldn"t fully understand why. With his lanky limbs and large feet, he was more gawky teenager than man. But there was something appealing about the set of his eyes. His firm jawline. Those piercing golden eyes. She wondered what his lavender tinged skin would feel like. And what was that enticing aroma? It reminded her of freshly baked cookies. Her blush deepened as she realized that Talo had noticed her scrutiny. Oblivious to Penny"s discomfort, Will asked, "How long have you been on this planet?" "Almost three years." "Wow. You must know a lot about this place." Embarrassed or not, Penny wasn"t going to let an opportunity like this slip by. The prospect of spending time with an intriguing boy that appeared nearly human seemed even more thrilling than landing on Alpha Centuari. She said, "We"d love to hear about your experiences. Why don"t you come to our ship for dinner?" Talo opened his mouth to reply but before he could utter a word, Breedon interrupted. "That would great. But our people want see you. Come to our home." "We"d love that." Penny beamed. "Mom! Dad!" Will raced towards his parents who were working on the force field generator outside of the Jupiter 2. Maureen was handing a solar wrench to John. "It"s not glowing plants or rocks - it"s people! Or I should say, aliens." "Will, I specifically asked you to wait. What would you have done if they weren"t friendly?" John Robinson sternly responded. "Sorry, sir. We were looking for the lake, hoping to go fishing and just sort of ran into them. They"re friendly. And they"ve invited us to dinner." "Oh good, I don"t have to cook," Maureen joked. "What were they like?" Will shrugged. "They looked pretty human. They speak English but not very well. They didn"t seem to know what fish were." "They gave us directions to their community," Penny eagerly volunteered. "I"ll contact Don and Judy and then we can take the Chariot. Will, is the Robot ready?" John asked. "I just have a few last adjustments. He should be fully charged now," Will replied. "Good. I"d like him to come along." As soon as the Robinsons were out of their sight, Breedon roughly shoved Talo, nearly knocking him over. "You idiot! You could"ve ruined everything! What were you doing?" With a hint of desperation, the boy said, "I can"t wait much longer. It"s been too long. She"s an ideal candidate. She was responding - you saw it! What would be the harm?" Breedon cuffed him. "Fool! We"ve got to do this right or it won"t work. Like last time." Talo"s cheeks burned. "Besides, you"re not thinking. Sure, we have to wait but we"re bringing them right to the Elders - tonight. Think how proud our parents will be. They"ll brag for weeks." Somewhat mollified, Talo responded, "But we"re not ready! You saw the translators had problems. They were laughing at us!" Breedon brushed his concerns aside. "That"s for Diana to handle. That"s her job." "If we"d have gone to their ship, we could"ve learned about it." Breedon straightened, understanding the implications. "We"ll get another opportunity. Like you said, the girl was responding." Both boys smiled. Chapter 3 "Tell us more about your people," John Robinson asked, setting aside a glass filled with turquois colored liquid. "What brought you here?" Seated about a long rectangular wooden table, they"d just finished a delicious meal composed mostly of fruits, vegetables and grains. Only Dr. Smith had muttered his disappointment about the lack of a meat component but a sharp look from Major West had cut him off. The alien community was comprised of over two hundred members. The Robinsons had felt a bit overwhelmed by the crowd that had greeted them. The settlement was primitive in construction with many small wooden huts and several larger buildings such as the one in which they were currently dining. While their community had electric lights, the furnishings were basic. The buildings lacked finishing touches such as molding, paint, or curtains.

She and Jimmy were watching the scathing TV commentary about Superman"s efforts at the coal mine when Clark stepped out of the elevator. "Hey there. About time," she teased him. Noticing bits of toilet paper clustered on his jaw line, she stifled a giggle. He resembled a teenager who"d just learned to use a razor blade. Rather than his usual charming smile, he muttered, "I"m doing the best that I can." She walked over to his desk, surprised by his ill temper. She"d thought Clark was more of a morning person. "Perry needs us to contact Superman about..." She hesitated, realizing it would upset him, since he admired Superman as much as she did. Or maybe he"d already heard? "The cave-in." "What?" "Haven"t you been watching the news? A rescue worker accused him of using bad judgment which caused a secondary collapse in the shaft, burying the remaining men." His eyes widened, indicating his shock. "No! That can"t be." "Perry wants us to get Superman"s side of the story. Can you contact him?" "Yeah. I"ll try." He said half-heartedly, turning his attention to his computer. "Can you contact him using your computer?" She tapped the desk impatiently. Irritated, he answered, "No." "Then - do what you need to do! Why are you putting this off?" she insisted. He ignored her, studying the display on his computer screen. What was wrong with Clark? Couldn"t he see how important this was? This was huge! Superman was in trouble and they needed to help him. Now. From her conversation with the Man of Steel last night, she strongly suspected this wasn"t an isolated incident. She had to talk with him. Studying Clark, she wondered if he was preoccupied with his feelings for her as Perry had suggested. Although they"d spent a lot of time together lately, his present attitude didn"t support that assumption. Was he just having trouble shifting gears after last night? He must be as annoyed as she was that their Cicone lead had fallen through. To be so close to breaking that story. She"d spent part of the night, pacing her apartment trying to come up with another way to pin that rat. Regardless of the reason, something was off with Clark. Drawing closer to him, she asked, "Are you okay?" He was holding his right hand oddly, cradling it in a closed fist against his midriff. He winced when it inadvertently bumped the desk. "What happened?" "Nothing," he replied, pulling the hand closer to his body. If he thought he could get away with that, he was mistaken. "Show me. Now." His eyes met hers. She meant business. Reluctantly, he moved his right hand and opened it. His palm was covered with burnt flesh. "Oh my God, Clark. We need to get you to the hospital!" "No!" What was it about men? Why were they too stubborn to take care of themselves properly? "You"ve got to get this taken care of so it will heal properly. God forbid it gets infected." Sinking into his desk chair, he insisted, "I"m not going anywhere." Lois ignored him, grabbing her coat. "Let"s go." "Welcome to Station WORK where our topic today is: Superman - hero or has-been? I"ll start us off with some sound bites from one of the wives at the cave-in at the Diamonte coal mine in West Virginia this morning." "If Superman hadn"t messed up, my David would be alive!" "Did Superman exercise poor judgment? Some of the rescue workers think so." "He screwed up. Royally." "Others think differently." "He"s not God. He can"t do everything. Even Superman has his limitations. If he hadn"t shown up today, we would"ve lost all those men." "Yesterday Superman detained the wrong suspects from a bank robbery. There are other unsubstantiated rumors as well. "So callers, what are your thoughts? Is Superman allowed to make mistakes with our lives? Is he sick? Should we insist he take a vacation until he"s back in prime form? Pick up your phones and let us hear your voices. "Caller Number 1, you"re on." "Hey, he made a few mistakes. Who doesn"t? Cut the guy a break." "Caller number 2, welcome to WORK." Well if I"m in a burning building, I want Superman to stay away. I"ll take my chances. I don"t need him making things worse." Standing at the counter in the emergency room, Clark complained, "Can"t we just get some Band-Aids and go? We"ve got work to do." The stern look Lois gave him booked no discussion. The clerk returned. "There are no medical records for Clark Kent." "Look again," Lois insisted. Clark had never felt such pain. No matter what he did, the skin continued to radiate heat. This morning he"d forgotten he was no longer invincible and grabbed a hot cast iron skillet with his bare hand. Instantly he"d realized what a mistake that had been. If Superman had been present, he could"ve cooled it with his breath. Rather than contacting him, Clark had tried cold water instead. He was feeling woozy, almost as if he were about to pass out. He greatly needed to find out what was happening with Superman. Regardless of Lois" pestering, it had to be a private conversation between he and his former alter-ego. As much as he hated to admit it, he was glad Lois had accompanied him to the emergency room. There was a silver lining to this business. She"d take care of him. "Where"s your insurance card?" Lois asked. Insurance card? It was as if she were speaking a different language. Why would he ever have needed that? "Don"t you carry it in your wallet?" "I...must"ve misplaced it." Lois assured the clerk, "He"s with the Daily Planet. Contact them. I"ll wait. Why don"t you sit down, Clark?" Lois could bulldoze her way through any paperwork. "What are you doing here?" A young boy on a bike asked Superman who had just landed beside him on the sidewalk in a residential neighborhood. "You need to get away from here. There"s a bomb in that car." Superman gestured to an older dark blue Pontiac. "How do you know?" "I can hear it ticking." He took a step towards it. "What if you mess up?" Sarcasm crept into Superman"s voice. "Would you rather I let it go off and have the flying debris damage all these houses and possibly kill you?" "I guess not." "I"ll do the best I can. That"s all anyone can do," he replied through gritted teeth, barely reigning in his temper. "At least your mistakes aren"t broadcasted on the nightly news," he muttered as approached the car. "Clark, why don"t you take off the suit?" Martha asked Superman who was seated at the kitchen table, which was set for dinner. She placed a bowl filled with salad on the table. "I"m comfortable." Jonathan sat down beside him, pulling up his chair and putting his napkin in his lap. "Son, how have you had time to write your articles at the Planet? You"ve been all over the news." "It"s been great to accomplish so much," Superman said, ignoring the question. He prayed they wouldn"t bring up the bank debacle. Or the cave-in. At least the other incidents hadn"t come to light - yet. "But Clark, what about your job? What about Lois?" In some ways, Superman felt like an imposter. He"d grown up here with Martha and Jonathan. They were his parents as much as they were Clark"s. Yet when they"d wished themselves apart, he"d felt as if most of his personal history had gone with Clark. In a strange way it was as if they"d been a couple and were now divorcing. Clark got the friends, the apartment, and the job. He almost felt uncomfortable taking off the suit, as if trying to fraudulently pass himself off as Clark. "Son?" "Yeah, Dad?" "Where were you?" Jonathan asked, noticing him staring off into the distance. "Don"t you think you"re pushing yourself too hard?" his mom asked, joining them at the table. "I"m not tired!" he replied, a little too strongly. He didn"t understand what was happening. He couldn"t explain why he"d made such silly mistakes since the separation. Most people wouldn"t have to. Mistakes were a normal part of everyone"s lives. But he was Superman and under the world"s microscope. Newspaper columnists and talk show hosts were eagerly dissecting his errors. Although his parents would certainly be sympathetic, he didn"t want to discuss it. Sensing she was striking a nerve, she changed subjects. "What are you doing about Lois? I know how important she is to you." "Martha," Jonathan warned. Superman swallowed hard. He and Clark had agreed not tell their parents about this situation, sensing they would not approve. Clark could no longer pop in for dinner at a moment"s notice, but he could talk with his parents on the phone. Had he spoken with them recently? Superman had no idea. He"d been avoiding Clark, embarrassed to discuss what was happening with him. They"d have to catch up and make sure their stories matched so as not to confuse their parents. He sighed, thinking this arrangement was becoming just as confusing as the original one. "Are you going to tell her?" Trying to buy time, he replied, "I...I don"t want to talk about that." "Well, you"re certainly not going to make any progress joining us for dinner every night this week." "Why don"t you bring her to Smallville?" his dad asked. "Kind of a vacation?" "Dad, bringing your girlfriend to your parents" home for the first official visit is anything but a relaxing vacation. And Lois isn"t exactly the Smallville type." "How"s that?" Lois finished checking the bandage on Clark"s palm. He was sitting on the couch with his legs stretched out on the coffee table in his apartment. The nurses had asked him about medication allergies and he"d just said he had none, hoping it was true. After washing down a few pills, he leaned back against a pillow "Better." "Want some company for a while?" Lois offered. "Sure." She sat beside him, carefully leaning against his side. "I know you"re worried about him." Clark grew tense. "Lois, I don"t want to talk about Superman!" He couldn"t explain the anger that rose within him whenever she mentioned the super hero. Sitting upright, she exclaimed, "How can you not? He"s your friend. And he"s obviously in trouble. Clark, we need to find out what"s going on! He might need our help!" Irritated, Clark responded, "We will. Just let me rest a few minutes, okay?" Lois rose. "What if he"s been exposed to some new type of Kryptonite? What if he"s caught some disease?" "I"m worried too. I"m just...a little distracted right now," he replied while brandishing his bandaged hand. She returned to sit by Clark"s side. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, it"s feeling a little better." "No...I mean...what about you?" "What about me?" He asked more playfully, leaning closer with the intention of kissing her. She moved out of reach. "When"s the last time you had a physical? You need to keep up with these things. Maybe you should get checked out." Straightening up, he asked, "Why? I did something dumb and burned my hand. Case closed." Reluctantly, she explained, "No, there"s more. You"ve been forgetting things. Little things, but stuff you should know. You...made some mistakes in your latest articles. You just...haven"t seemed like yourself. I just want you to be okay." The last line was delivered with such concern that his annoyance vanished. Grabbing her hand with his good one, he assured her. "I"ll be fine, Lois. With you here, how could I not be?" She snuggled closer to him. Neither noticed Superman hovering just outside the window. "It"s been happening to you too?" Clark closed the refrigerator door and turned to see Superman. He placed his glass of orange juice on the kitchen counter. "What?" "Forgetting things. Making stupid mistakes and not even realizing it," Superman spoke intently. "Well...maybe. I don"t know. Lois is making too big a deal of it. It"s just a side effect from the procedure. It ought to wear off soon." Superman"s voice rose. "What if doesn"t? I think it"s getting worse. People are laughing at me. You"re not in the public spotlight anymore. You remember how that feels." With greater sympathy, Clark replied, "Boy, do I. Let"s give it a day or so. If it gets worse, we"ll look for Madame Moresca . Together." Gesturing to Clark"s hand, Superman asked, "What did you do?" "Grabbed the frying pan while it was hot. God, this thing throbs." "Want me to cool it off?" Superman offered. "No." "Get some rest. I"m going to patrol." Superman approached the window. "Wait! What should I tell Lois? Or should I say, - what do you want us to say in our article for The Planet? Should we play up the honest mistake angle?" The Man of Steel considered it. More solemnly he answered, "No. There"s been too many." With some alarm, Clark asked, "How many?" Growing agitated, Superman said, "I don"t know. I"m not sure. I"m not doing this on purpose! If I could control it, don"t you think I would? "I know. I know." Clark reassured him. "Wanna tell me about those incidents that you"re aware of?" "No." "You"d rather it come up on Top Copy or plastered on the front page of some rag like The Star? Information is power. We can do damage control. Buy some time. We can try to present it in a better light." "Okay..." "Superman?" Lois glanced towards the open window at her apartment. "Thank God you"re here! We"ve been worried about you. Did Clark reach you?" "Yes. I gave him as many details as I could." She"d been annoyed that Clark had refused to contact Superman while she was at his apartment. But he wasn"t feeling well so she didn"t want to push it. As much as he tried to hide it, Clark was worried about Superman too. She was irritated that Clark hadn"t included her at the actual meeting, but at least he"d finally arranged it. She"d spent part of the evening brainstorming ideas about getting Cicone. Her coffee table was littered with papers and file folders. "I"m sorry to hear about this morning. It could"ve happened to anyone," Lois said while studying him. Even Superman wasn"t entirely invulnerable. Though he"d most likely not admit it, she could tell the bad press was getting to him. "Yeah." His tone lacked conviction. "I"d rather not talk about it." "Sure. I understand. I"m just worried. This isn"t like you. Can"t we take you to Star Labs? Surely they could help you. I"ll call Clark." She reached for the phone. "Maybe tomorrow." "But what if it gets worse? Shouldn"t we be going now?" she asked with increasing urgency. "You"re blowing things out of proportion, Lois. Please. Give it one more day. It might be better tomorrow." Lois silently fumed, frustrated by the stubborn streak of the two men in her life. Her traitorous heart skipped a beat when he sat down beside her on the couch. "Have you ever felt like you"re completely alone?" Superman asked. As much as she wanted to pester him about what was going on, it was clear he wanted to change the subject. So she played along. "How do you mean?" "Like you could disappear and the world wouldn"t notice," he said glumly. "Everyone feels that way sometimes. But why would you? You"re one of the few people who can really make an impact on people"s lives. Metropolis would certainly miss you." He didn"t seem convinced. "We"d be lost without you, Superman. Look at how many lives you saved just today." "But I don"t know those people. Other than saving their lives, I"ll never see them again. I have no connection with them. I"ll never really know who they are." Was Superman lonely? It would be hard for him to form relationships with others, given his super abilities. Many would take advantage. She wondered if she should refer him to her analyst. "What about you and Clark? You"re close friends. Can"t you talk to him?" she suggested. "Yeah, it"s just...sometimes even we have...disagreements." "Just like all friends do," Lois replied. More to himself, he said, "You just want to feel like you fit in...somewhere. That you matter in someone"s life." "But you do Superman. You matter in my life." He pulled her close and kissed her. Unlike any kiss they had previously shared, it was not a casual kiss. Nor was it reserved. Whatever barrier Superman had once erected between the two of them was no longer present. Despite herself, Lois totally lost herself in it. Nothing was held back as she clung to him, her lips pressing against his. It felt wonderful. When she finally came to her senses, she pulled away, stunned. She was horrified by her actions. "I...can"t do this. You know I care about you. You mean the world to me. But I"m in love with Clark. This would destroy him." "All of this was for nothing! She loves you - Clark Kent!" Superman shouted at Clark who was stunned out of a solid doze. Rubbing his eyes and feeling somewhat woozy from medication, Clark tried to process what he"d just heard. "What are you talking about?" "She loves you!" Superman started pacing about the bedroom of Clark"s apartment. Clark sat up in bed. "How do you know?" "I kissed her and she turned me away." "What?" Clark froze. "That"s right. She said she loved you. Not me. You!" "What were you doing kissing Lois? What are you doing visiting her so much? That wasn"t part of the deal." "I was just checking up on her. Making sure she was safe," Superman rationalized. Laying on the sarcasm, Clark responded, "I don"t think kissing her falls under that category. You got the super powers." "Figure it out. We came from the same person. Don"t you think I love her too?" Clark stepped towards his double. "You think you"re the only one having problems? Try living without your powers. You think that"s easy? Every day is like a minefield trying to avoid pain. Even little stuff like cooking and shaving are a challenge. And this." He held up his bandaged hand. "At least you have Lois. And Perry, and Jimmy." Superman pointed out. "Hey - you"re the one who"s been having dinner with Mom and Dad every night. I have no idea when I"ll get to see them again face to face. I don"t even have a car. And you"re out in the world. You"re saving people"s lives. You"re doing something that really matters - every day." "It"s not the same and you know it. People don"t treat Superman like any other man. They have higher expectations. They expect more from him. I can"t make mistakes. I can"t even appear to be human." "This is ridiculous. The whole reason I-" "We," Superman insisted. "-did this was to make life easier. So I can focus on my job and Lois, and you can focus on saving the world." "But I have feelings for her too!" Growing more outraged, Clark retorted, "You got the super powers! Don"t you think I miss those? The only reason I would even consider giving that up was for her!" "I know. Believe me, I know." "Don"t you think I miss being able to help people? It was awful to watch that guy being mugged and I couldn"t do anything. I hate knowing that I can"t protect Lois the way I used to." "I can protect her," Superman reminded him. "Yeah, by kissing her," Clark sarcastically snapped. Superman said, "You know, I could"ve pretended to be you. It would"ve been easy too. Do you know what it"s like to watch you two together? I"ve kissed her and now I can"t touch her? I can"t get close to her? It"s torture. I could"ve visited her as you - just to get the chance to be with her." "You wouldn"t." A hint of a threat crept into Clark"s voice. "I said I could"ve. I didn"t. And you"re kidding yourself if you think you"re in better shape than I am. I saw you yelling at that cab driver this morning. I"ve scanned drafts of your recent articles and they"re filled with errors. You"re only getting away with it because Lois and Perry are protecting you and making excuses for you." "And they"re not covering for you?" Clark shouted. "Perry"s on my case to spin your story to make you look good. And Lois is twisting my arm to get you to go to Star Labs." "Yeah? All I"m saying is that neither of us are looking so good." TBC A/N: This is an intense chapter. If you"re reading, I"d love to hear from you. Chapter 5 Lois banged loudly on Clark"s apartment door, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for him to open it. After a moment, she grabbed the doorknob to test it. It was open so she let herself in. After all, as his girlfriend she had certain privileges. "Clark?" "Lois?" His voice came from the bedroom. She wandered in and opened his refrigerator, scanning for food. She was always amazed by the amount of junk food he kept on hand. She suspected he"d just gotten out of the shower and was getting dressed. As she bit into a cupcake, she envisioned Clark with damp hair and beads of water running down his naked flesh. Then she tried to dismiss that image from her mind as she had more important issues to focus on. "Have you heard from Superman?" she asked as Clark came out of the bedroom, with damp hair, clad in dress pants and an unbuttoned oxford shirt. "You"re barely here a minute and you"re already asking about him?" His critical tone took her aback. "We promised Perry an article." "I got the facts. Last night." He motioned towards a tablet on the coffee table. As much as she wanted to read it, she noticed Clark was struggling with buttoning his shirt using one hand. Maybe his sour mood was due to the pain from his burned hand. He probably hadn"t slept well either. "Let me help you." She stood in front of him, slowly working her way up to his collar with the buttons, feeling slightly foolish about the effect his physical proximity had on her. Focus Lane! Focus! Her hands trembled as she grasped the shirt tail to tuck it in. He placed his hand over hers. "Maybe I"d better tuck it in myself," Clark said.

"Don"t bother," he replied. The thought of food made him feel queasy. Hanging by the men, Judy asked, "Dad, maybe Don and I could go to meet with the Dionaea?" Her father studied her. "I"ve been in charge of the hydroponic garden for years. You know I"ve done a good job. Plus, they are a female dominated society." "Those are good points," Professor Robinson thoughtfully considered, even though he suspected his daughter"s motives. "But they did make arrangements with Don and I. We don"t know these aliens very well and I don"t want to offend them. And if anything unexpected were to happen while we were there, I"d feel better if Don and I went." Placing a hand on Don"s shoulder, Judy asked, "Maybe we can take a walk when you get back?" "Sure." It was a lackluster reply that bothered her. He was barely looking at her. Hurt, she rushed off. Outside of the Jupiter 2, Dr. Smith was resting on a chaise lounge, basking in the warmth of afternoon sunlight while Will tinkered with the Robot. "I told you I could get him to work," Will said as the mechanical man began to pivot about. "I never had any doubts, William my boy," Smith responded, eyes closed. "Robot, when I activated you in the Dionaea village, you were alert for a minute and then just died. What happened?" "Insufficient data." "Oh brother. Run a self-diagnostic, Let"s see if that helps." "Affirmative" "I certainly hope your father doesn"t expect us to act as beasts of burden. Plowing fields. Harvesting grain. Oh, the pain." Dr. Smith shuddered. "You know we have technology to help us. But in any case, we"ll do whatever we need to do to survive. Like Dad says, first we"ll get our crops established. Once that"s done, then we can start thinking about more permanent housing." The idea made him a little sad. The Jupiter 2 had been his home for over three years. He didn"t especially see the need for more permanent structures. But that would be a while anyway. It would be advantageous to maintain the Jupiter 2 in good flying condition. Perhaps in the future, they might want to explore other parts of this galaxy, looking for resources or trade partners. Or at the very least, locate other human settlers. The Dionaea seemed friendly enough but something didn"t feel right to him. "Look who"s come to visit!" Penny cheerfully called out as she approached the ship with Breedon and Talo. Will and Dr. Smith uttered greetings. The Robot"s limbs began to flail. "Warning! Warning! Appearances are deceiving! Extremely high levels of pher-" Then he slumped over, deactivated once again. "Not again! I just don"t get it." Will threw up his hands in frustration. "I"m going to show the guys the ship," Penny said. She headed up the gang plank followed by the boys. Dr. Smith sat up. "Is that wise? They are aliens. And what was that dimwitted booby babbling about?" "I don"t know. He"s still out of commission. I"ll figure it out," Will replied. "Penny and the guys will be fine. None of them know how to fly the ship. I"ll keep my eye on them." "Good." The older man stood, picking up his pillow. "With all this noise I can barely hear myself think. I"m going to find a quiet place to rest." "What is this?" Breedon gestured to the instrument that was as large as a circular table in the center of the Jupiter 2 flight deck. "Oh, that"s the astrogator. It"s how you set the course," Penny explained. The boys seemed fascinated by their equipment, nearly bubbling over with questions. "Do you know how to fly this ship?" Breedon asked. "Don"t be silly, of course not. Only Dad and Don know that." His grin faded. "Why would you want to leave anyway? It"s taken us three years to get here. C"mon, I"ll show you our kitchen and state rooms." Penny gestured towards the elevator. This was it! After touring the entire space ship and exchanging several cryptic glances and furtive touches, she and Talo had managed to be alone. It was about time. Breedon had started off in a good mood and rapidly became moody and withdrawn. After giving him a Jupiter 2 manual to study in the galley, Penny and Talo ran out of the space ship into the surrounding woods. Penny"s senses were on overdrive. Talo was holding her hand. Her skin felt so warm and extremely sensitive. Her heart was pounding so loudly even Talo must be hearing it. Her emotions were warring. Up close, Talo didn"t seem as attractive as she"d initially thought. She noticed several blemishes on his face and neck. He wasn"t very muscular in the chest or arms. Compared to Don, he was definitely a kid. Yet her body didn"t seem to care. She shivered when they stopped and he put his hand on her shoulder. This was the moment she"d been dreaming of ever since she"d met him yesterday. He moved his head closer and she did too. The enticing scent of baked spice cookies was almost overpowering. Was this going to be her first kiss? Or was she going to pass out before it happened? Finally he closed the distance between them and kissed her. She wasn"t sure how long it lasted. It could"ve been seconds, it could"ve been hours. But it was wonderful. She lost track of time in a dreamy sort of fashion. "Talo!" Instinctively, Penny pulled away from Talo. It was Breedon. He sounded angry. "Talo!" He appeared in the clearing. "We must go - now!" The boy looked down, seeming ashamed. "You don"t have to go," Penny said. "You just got here. Can"t you stay for dinner?" Breedon stared and Talo sheepishly said, "No. I must go. I will see you tomorrow, Penny Robinson." As the boys left, Penny fumed. What was wrong with Breedon? Was he concerned that she wasn"t the same species? Was he jealous that Talo had a girlfriend and he didn"t? She"d have to talk with Talo about this. See if he could visit on his own next time. Penny never saw Dr. Smith, who"d been seated on a lounge chair behind a crop of boulders. However, he"d seen she and Talo kissing. His face was stricken with terror. "Professor, I tell you, there"s something very wrong with those aliens," Dr. Smith"s voice waivered. He hadn"t touched his dinner plate that nearly filled with food. Although the entire Robinson family was present, no one at their outdoor dining table responded. Only Will appeared to be listening. "I agree. Something"s off." Earlier Dr. Smith had shared an alarming tale with Will about Talo and Penny. Something about a tentacle? Even though the older man had a tendency to be cowardly and exaggerate, something had badly frightened him. Will had managed to convince him to wait until his father returned and discuss the situation with him, assuring him that his Dad would know what to do. "Every time they"re around, the Robot loses power." Will looked expectantly to his father, anticipating a response. He"d spent the day with these aliens. Surely he"d learned more about them. Instead, the man appeared lost in thought. "What do you think, John?" Maureen prodded. Her husband"s lack of concentration concerned her. She nudged his shoulder, growing irritated. After returning from his trip to the Dionaea village, John seemed distracted, barely paying attention to her. Or the world around him. "What? Oh, sorry, dear." "Did you learn a lot today?" She asked, more firmly. She"d asked the question several times already. "Oh, yeah." "What did you learn?" Rubbing his eyes, he responded, "I"ll tell you later. I"m tired. I"m going to lie down." He rose, leaving the table, his food untouched as well. That was unusual. Their appetites had been voracious since landing on the planet. Then Maureen wondered. Maybe her husband and Don were out of it because they were catching some sort of virus. All of them had been working so hard, setting up equipment vital for their survival. And it was a different ecosystem that their bodies were adjusting to. That could explain their lack of focus. A good night"s sleep would certainly help. Don had been so tired upon returning from the Dionaea camp that he"d skipped dinner entirely, immediately heading to his stateroom. He"d completely ignored Judy"s attempts at conversation. Upset by Don"s inattention that morning, Judy had confided in her mother that she was concerned about their relationship. At the time, Maureen had felt her daughter was being overly sensitive. Now she wasn"t so sure. Rather than eating, Judy was sadly starring towards the Jupiter 2. Yet if the men were getting sick as she suspected, it would account for their behavior. They"d need care and support. Judy rose and stormed off into the space ship. Maureen hurried to follow her daughter and attempt damage control. "Penny dear, how was your visit with the boys?" Dr. Smith asked, nervously. With obvious concern, he added, "Are you okay?" After repeating his question, she responded with a faraway look in her eyes, "Dreamy." Normally Will would"ve believed that this was simply dopey teenage girl behavior. Yet with his Dad and Don acting oddly, along with Dr. Smith"s bizarre claims, he was becoming alarmed. "What are we going to do? Something must be done," Dr. Smith insisted. Paying no attention to the conversation, Penny left the table. Will and Smith exchanged concerned glances. Realizing they were on their own, Will said, "Here"s the plan. We need information. I"m fixing the Robot and we"re going to their camp to investigate. Tonight." "This ought to be a good spot," Will said as he pressed the Chariot"s brakes. They"d traveled after sunset, taking an alternate route to bypass the Dionaea settlement by a wide margin. If his calculations were correct, they were adjacent to the garden with the odd vines, at the outskirts of their village. It was as good a place as any to start gathering information. The Robot could analyze those bizarre creatures they"d encountered or the unusual plants. After unloading the Robot, they crept towards the garden which was surrounded by bushes and trees. It seemed lighter than the previous evening. Peering through the underbrush, they saw that the tiny orange buds had grown into larger blossoms, nearly the size of tennis balls. What was even more striking is that they were now glowing brightly. Will put a hand on Dr. Smith"s shoulder. "Not so close. We don"t want them to see us. Robot, can you analyze the plants?" In a low voice, he responded, "I require a sample." "Okay." Will crawled nearer to the garden, hiding behind the bushes. He moved slowly, trying not to make any noise. He didn"t want to alert any of those strange creatures. He was almost close enough to reach a blossom when he heard voices. He froze, remaining concealed by the branches. "What were you thinking? You deserve to be punished. You know better. You could"ve really messed things up!" That sounded like Breedon"s voice. Was that Talo with him? On his hands and knees, Will moved closer. Maybe it was the lighting but the alien boy seemed different. Taller. More muscular. Even his complexion was clearer. Talo replied, "It won"t make that big a difference! Look at Diana - she"s been feeding too." "That"s her job. Not yours," Breedon warned. "Look, I"m transferring it - okay? I"m doing what I"m supposed to do." Will stiffened as he heard Dr. Smith gasp in the bushes. Thankfully, the boys didn"t notice. A dark purple cord had appeared from about Talo"s waist. Only it wasn"t a cord. It was part of the boy"s body that moved independently. It must be the tentacle that Dr. Smith had described. It brushed against the enormous orange mass near the center of the garden then attached itself. Both items began to pulsate. "See." Moments later, all of the glowing orange bulbs scattered about the garden shone even more brightly. As the process took place, Talo"s appearance briefly altered. Will could see his heavy brow ridge and dark purple skin. Talo and the odd prehistoric creature were one and the same. Once the pulsating stopped, his more human appearance was fully restored. "It doesn"t matter anyway. Once we figure out how to get the Jupiter 2, we can get all the food we need," Talo said. "I keep telling you - that"s not going to work." "Why not? I"ll use my charms on Penny to get her to make Don or her father board the ship. We"ll take them along with us to fly the Jupiter 2." "And where would we go? We"re in the middle of nowhere," Breedon scoffed. "Any place away from here. Any world with lots of people. Where we can feed anytime and as much as we want. I hate being hungry all the time." Breedon replied, "You"re not thinking this through. We wouldn"t last long without these plants. Away from them, we"d have to drain hundreds of beings to get enough raw energy to continue to nourish us. Even if we feed off Penny and her father, or her entire family, it might not be sufficient to sustain us for an interstellar journey. You know other inhabited worlds are far from here. That"s why we were condemned to live here. "And even if we made it, got to another world and captured large amounts of essence, we might never make it back here to refine it for our people." "Who says we have to come back here?" Talo callously said. Aghast, Breedon exclaimed, "What about our people?" "What do we owe them? The Elders have been in control since we"ve arrived and they"ve done a lousy job. We"re always starving! If we stay here, we"ll be okay for a while after feeding on the Robinsons but the same problem will come up soon enough. Do you really want to keep living like this when we have other options? I"m sick of this." Sensing Breedon was distressed at the thought of leaving his people, Talo added, "Look, if we can manage it, we"ll return. We"ll do what we can. But we need to get moving while the Robinsons" essence is still intact. We"ll need that energy for the journey. We take the ship - tomorrow." Chapter 5 "Young man, you have some explaining to do," Maureen sternly stated as the elevator delivered Will, Dr. Smith and the Robot to the lower level of the Jupiter 2. "Where have you been?" Clad in her robe, her eyes were red and rimmed with exhaustion. Although she had never been thrilled by Will"s night time excursions, her husband was usually on hand to reassure her that her son was a high-spirited boy with a keen sense of adventure and that he would usually bounce back just fine. However, last night rather than going through his usual routine, inspecting all the monitors on the flight deck, checking the force field, discussing plans for the next day, several hours earlier than usual John Robinson simply retired to his bed without even saying good night to his wife. Will wearily gestured to the galley table. "Sit down. This is gonna take a while." "What on earth were you doing?" As she examined her son, the dark freckles on his cheeks standing out in stark contrast with his pale face, his trembling hands, her demeanor changed. "What"s wrong?" "Everything!" Dr. Smith sobbed, sinking into a chair, wringing his hands. "We"re doomed, Madame. Simply doomed!" "Calm down, Dr. Smith." Joining them at the table, she turned to Will and said, "Let"s hear it." The Robot drew closer to the group. "The Dionaea are not what they appear to be." "What do you mean?" Will explained, "A lot of things didn"t add up so I fixed the Robot and we took him to check out the Dionaea camp." "Will!" The boy rubbed his eyes. It was nearly four in the morning and he hadn"t slept. Nor would he with the imminent threat the Dionaea posed. He wasn"t sure where to start. "The aliens are feeding off of us," Dr. Smith dramatically exclaimed. "What?" Maureen"s eyes grew wider. "Surely you must be exaggerating." "I"ve seen it with my own eyes. Our dear, poor, sweet Penny." "Penny? Dr. Smith, you"re not making any sense. She"s a teenage girl with a crush on a boy. Within those parameters, her behavior last night was perfectly normal." Will disagreed. "Even if that was, how do you explain Dad and Don? They"re distracted and don"t seem to care about taking care of their responsibilities. Neither of them activated the force field last night. They"re not acting like themselves." "They could be tired. Or sick. A good night"s rest could make all the difference. You may be getting worked up over nothing." Although Maureen sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. Will shook his head and explained what they"d seen and heard that night in the Dionaea garden while his mother sat in stunned silence. "If you suspected this, you should"ve talked with your father. Or at least with me." Then she stammered, "I don"t understand. Why would Penny or John or Don allow this to happen? And why did the aliens select them and not the rest of us?" More soberly, Will stated, "I got the impression from Talo and Breedon that they eventually want to completely drain all of us. They called it our essence." "What are we going to do?" Dr. Smith moaned. Mustering her courage, she stated, "Well, I can tell you for certain, John and Don are not returning to that camp today. Or any other day. And we"re not allowing Talo and Breedon anywhere near this ship." "I don"t think it"s that simple," Will replied. "I saw it with my own eyes, my dear Mrs. Robinson. Penny was completely unaware of what was happening to her when that creature attached itself to her," Dr. Smith added, sadly. The image of that alien tentacle attached to Penny"s temple haunted him. "How are they doing this?" Maureen asked. "It doesn"t make sense." "I have an explanation," the Robot said. "Pheromones." "Pheromones?" Dr. Smith replied. "Yes. Chemicals excreted by members of the animal kingdom to manipulate behavior. I detected them when the boys came to our camp yesterday, and while we were in the alien garden." "Like ants marking a trail?" Will said. "Correct, Will Robinson. They can be highly specific for certain behaviors and to select individuals. They are also used to attract mates and initiate mating rituals." The sound of a cabin door being slid open captured their attention. Don appeared and headed towards the elevator. Maureen hurried over. "Don?" He didn"t respond. He was barefoot and clad in a white T-shirt and green fatigue pants, rather than pajama bottoms. His dark hair was mussed. His face was pale and clammy. Although his hazel eyes were open, his pupils were glazed and non-responsive. He moved slowly and deliberately, shuffling as he walked, as if he were an elderly person. Maureen rushed over to rouse him. "Don?" She grabbed his arm. He didn"t react, merely continuing his slow progress towards the elevator. "Warning! Warning!" The Robot waved his arms and maneuvered to block the Major"s path. "Pheromones detected on Major West!" "What do you mean? I can"t smell anything," Maureen claimed. "Me neither," Will added. "None the less, they are present in high quantities on Major West," the Robot explained. "Must go," Don mumbled, ineffectively trying to move around the mechanical man. "Don"t let him, Robot!" Will yelled. He and Maureen grabbed Don"s arms to lead him back to his state room. The Major didn"t have the strength to resist. "Need to go." "You"ll go, later," Will assured him. With the Robot"s assistance, he and Maureen led the Major back to his room and made sure he lay down on his bed. Then they locked his stateroom"s door from the outside. "How is this happening? The Dionaea are nowhere near here. And even if one was directly outside, how could those pheromones penetrate the ship?" Maureen wondered. "Diana seems to be their leader. Remember how mad Judy was that first night at dinner because she was all over Don? Maybe she was marking him with her pheromones to cause this type of behavior," Will suggested. "Possibly." Maureen shivered. They weren"t even safe in their own space ship. "We"d better lock Dad and Penny in their rooms too since the Dionaea have already targeted them. For their safety," Will said. Maureen agreed. Reluctantly she admitted, "Any one of us could become vulnerable to these pheromones." "Correct," the Robot announced. "In a few hours, Talo and Breedon will do whatever they can to manipulate us to allow them into the Jupiter 2," Will said. "They"re desperate." Maureen sighed, wringing her hands. "We"re doomed I tell you. Doomed," Smith intoned. "What are we going to do?" Maureen said. "Could we just pack up and leave? It"s a big enough planet." "Yeah but Dad, Don and Penny aren"t going to get better on their own. Those aliens took something from them. Could you live with that?" Will swallowed then decisively stated. "We need to destroy the plants." "Nonsense. That"s far too dangerous. And what would it accomplish?" "Whatever Talo took from Penny was directly transferred to those plants. I saw it. Destroying them might reverse the process," Will argued. "And it might not. You have no way of being sure," Maureen countered. Undeterred by his mother, Will asked, "Robot, do you think plastic explosives would work?" "Affirmative." "Then we"ll do that." His mother objected, "Absolutely not. With over two hundred aliens using their pheromones, you wouldn"t stand a chance." "Not if we can sneak in before they realize we"re on to them. We did it tonight. The garden is on the outskirts of their settlement. There"s lots of cover from trees. We"ll come up with some way to filter the air to protect us or block the pheromones and make them less effective."

"What do you think? Should we build our vacation cabin up here?" Don joked. While she would"ve preferred to discuss more immediate plans, the fact that he was talking about their future together buoyed her spirits. "It"s a great view." At this elevation, they could see for miles about them: tree covered hills, distant mountain peaks, a large clear blue lake and several streams, along with numerous rock formations. It was a gorgeous planet. "We"ll do it the old fashioned way, build it out of wood." She laughed, envisioning Don with an axe slung over his shoulder. "With three rooms and a fireplace. Though, I would insist upon an updated bathroom and kitchen," Judy insisted, with mock seriousness. "Your wish is my command. You can grow all sorts of flowers too." Judy wrapped his arms around his chest. "It sounds wonderful." Will trudged ahead on the rocky trail, with a fishing pole slung against his shoulder. Penny was close behind. Much further back, Smith yelled, "I simply must rest." Impatiently, Will called over his shoulder, "We ought to be there soon. You can rest at the lake." This excursion had already taken much longer than he"d anticipated. He"d hoped they"d be spending more time fishing than hiking. Ignoring Dr. Smith"s protests, Will picked up the pace. He was almost certain the stream they were following would lead them to a lake. He rounded some large boulders at full speed only to discover the same meandering stream. Disappointed, he stopped. "We"ve gotta find it soon," Penny said. "Maybe we are on a wild goose chase," Will sighed. More to himself, he added, "I don"t understand. We ought to be close." "We won"t give up yet," Penny said. Huffing and puffing, Dr. Smith arrived, sinking onto a nearby rock. "This is inhuman I tell you! I must catch my breath. William, what is the meaning of this full speed ahead military march?" Gazing at the sun, he added, "We"re been out here for hours. It"s getting late. We"d better turn back soon. Remember what your father said about not being familiar with the wild life on this planet. We wouldn"t want to be out after dark." "We"ve got until at least eight o"clock. The sun doesn"t even start to set until then." "Oh the joys and raptures of this brave new world," Dr. Smith sarcastically mumbled. "I don"t care about the whims of this peculiar planet. My stomach is telling me that it"s getting close to dinner time." Penny and Will exchanged amused glances. Only two hours had elapsed since they"d eaten lunch. "We won"t go much farther," Will promised. "Besides, if we catch some fish we can fry them for dinner." "After we test them," Penny insisted. Will shrugged. "I guess." He"d never been much on formalities. He picked up his gear. "I protest! I just sat down!" "Suit yourself." The older Will grew, the less tolerant he was becoming of Dr. Smith"s feeble excuses. Feeling sorry for the older man who was clearly winded, Penny said, "Go ahead, Will. We"ll be along in a few minutes." The boy disappeared behind an outcropping of rocks. "Such a lovely young lady looking after her elders-" "Penny! Dr. Smith!" Will called. The two rushed past the rocks to find him. There was the lake. But that wasn"t what Will was shouting about. Two humanoid creatures stood several feet away from him. They appeared nearly human with the usual anatomical features. No extra arms or legs. They were clad in bright green pants and long sleeved yellow tunics, with piping in contrasting colors, similar to those that the Robinsons wore. Both appeared to be teen-aged males. Their shoulder length hair was dark and shaggy. Both had slim builds and slightly lavender tinged skin. They seemed stunned, frozen in place as they stared at Will. Will"s hand rested near his laser pistol on the holster. When he realized the aliens carried no weapons and were just as startled as he was, he relaxed. Bravely stepping forward, he said, "Hello." The taller boy with the broader chest and clearer complexion straightened and replied, "Hey-lo". It didn"t sound quite right but it was definitely English. "You know our language?" The shorter alien with a wider nose and a small braid flanking his face replied, "You have speaking into the sky for a long time. We were cooking so we uncoded them." Will squelched the urge to giggle. The aliens were doing the best that they could. Even though they appeared to be human, English was clearly not their native language. "If you have the technology to intercept radio waves and speak our language, why haven"t you been answering our hails?" The two boys exchanged troubled glances. Then the smaller boy claimed, "Not my job." The other alien explained, "We are, what you say...cautious.." The word sounded more like cowsious as he pronounced it. "Is better to access the face of an opponent." "I suppose you"re right." Stepping closer to the aliens, Will put out his hand. "I"m Will Robinson from the planet Earth. This is my sister, Penny and he"s Dr. Smith. We...um...my family came to start a new life on this planet." "We are the Dionaea from Nebulous." Will"s brow furrowed. "I"m not familiar with your people or your home. Though we could be calling your world by a different name. What brings you here?" The taller boy continued to lead. He proudly stated, "We are travelers." "We are too. Our mission was to find a new home. I hope that won"t be a problem," Penny replied, with some excitement. "What are your names?" "I am called Breedon." Gesturing to the shorter boy, he said, "This is Talo." "Pleased to meet you," Penny replied, slightly flushed with color. Her eyes remained fixed upon Talo though she couldn"t fully understand why. With his lanky limbs and large feet, he was more gawky teenager than man. But there was something appealing about the set of his eyes. His firm jawline. Those piercing golden eyes. She wondered what his lavender tinged skin would feel like. And what was that enticing aroma? It reminded her of freshly baked cookies. Her blush deepened as she realized that Talo had noticed her scrutiny. Oblivious to Penny"s discomfort, Will asked, "How long have you been on this planet?" "Almost three years." "Wow. You must know a lot about this place." Embarrassed or not, Penny wasn"t going to let an opportunity like this slip by. The prospect of spending time with an intriguing boy that appeared nearly human seemed even more thrilling than landing on Alpha Centuari. She said, "We"d love to hear about your experiences. Why don"t you come to our ship for dinner?" Talo opened his mouth to reply but before he could utter a word, Breedon interrupted. "That would great. But our people want see you. Come to our home." "We"d love that." Penny beamed. "Mom! Dad!" Will raced towards his parents who were working on the force field generator outside of the Jupiter 2. Maureen was handing a solar wrench to John. "It"s not glowing plants or rocks - it"s people! Or I should say, aliens." "Will, I specifically asked you to wait. What would you have done if they weren"t friendly?" John Robinson sternly responded. "Sorry, sir. We were looking for the lake, hoping to go fishing and just sort of ran into them. They"re friendly. And they"ve invited us to dinner." "Oh good, I don"t have to cook," Maureen joked. "What were they like?" Will shrugged. "They looked pretty human. They speak English but not very well. They didn"t seem to know what fish were." "They gave us directions to their community," Penny eagerly volunteered. "I"ll contact Don and Judy and then we can take the Chariot. Will, is the Robot ready?" John asked. "I just have a few last adjustments. He should be fully charged now," Will replied. "Good. I"d like him to come along." As soon as the Robinsons were out of their sight, Breedon roughly shoved Talo, nearly knocking him over. "You idiot! You could"ve ruined everything! What were you doing?" With a hint of desperation, the boy said, "I can"t wait much longer. It"s been too long. She"s an ideal candidate. She was responding - you saw it! What would be the harm?" Breedon cuffed him. "Fool! We"ve got to do this right or it won"t work. Like last time." Talo"s cheeks burned. "Besides, you"re not thinking. Sure, we have to wait but we"re bringing them right to the Elders - tonight. Think how proud our parents will be. They"ll brag for weeks." Somewhat mollified, Talo responded, "But we"re not ready! You saw the translators had problems. They were laughing at us!" Breedon brushed his concerns aside. "That"s for Diana to handle. That"s her job." "If we"d have gone to their ship, we could"ve learned about it." Breedon straightened, understanding the implications. "We"ll get another opportunity. Like you said, the girl was responding." Both boys smiled. Chapter 3 "Tell us more about your people," John Robinson asked, setting aside a glass filled with turquois colored liquid. "What brought you here?" Seated about a long rectangular wooden table, they"d just finished a delicious meal composed mostly of fruits, vegetables and grains. Only Dr. Smith had muttered his disappointment about the lack of a meat component but a sharp look from Major West had cut him off. The alien community was comprised of over two hundred members. The Robinsons had felt a bit overwhelmed by the crowd that had greeted them. The settlement was primitive in construction with many small wooden huts and several larger buildings such as the one in which they were currently dining. While their community had electric lights, the furnishings were basic. The buildings lacked finishing touches such as molding, paint, or curtains. The Dionaea were friendly and most were remarkably young and highly attractive, despite their oddly tinged lavender skin. There didn"t appear to be any older people or young children in the greeting party or at the banquet. After Breedon and Talo had introduced the Robinsons, Major West and Dr. Smith to several members of the governing elders, they gathered for a meal. The governing Elders consisted of five females and three males. Diana, a stunning blonde with high cheek bones and ample curves, acted as their leader, directing the Robinsons to the buffet table then showing them where to sit. Judy fumed for she"d been placed at the opposite end of the table from Don while Diana assumed the spot beside him. Judy didn"t even have an ally in Penny who was flanked by Breedon and Talo, and deeply involved in conversation. Answering Professor Robinson"s question, Diana replied, "Our home world had problems with resources. More and more people were competing for fewer resources." "That sounds like us," Will interjected. "Now son," Professor Robinson chided, hoping the alien hadn"t been offended by the interruption. "Our scientists determined that this world would most likely support us so we were the fortunate ones chosen for the mission." "Will more of your people be coming?" Don asked, intently. He felt foolish that he couldn"t seem to keep his eyes off the attractive woman. It didn"t help that she kept touching him and brushing up against him. His question seemed to catch her off guard. "Uh...perhaps. It was hard enough getting the resources together for this trip." Judy"s irritation grew. Why did that woman continue to put her hands all over Don? Why did he keep staring at her? It irked her that Diana"s pink mini-dress with dark purple boots was just as stylish as hers and Penny"s. With effort, Don turned to face one of the Dionaea men seated across from him. "Tell us about your ship. I"d love to see it. What type of fuel does it use? What type of drive does it have?" The alien deferred to Diana who replied, "I"m afraid our ship was damaged upon landing." "We know all about that," John Robinson good naturedly chuckled. "We could take a look at it. Don and I have had lots of experience with repairs." "We had to gut it for parts." Discouraging further discussion, Diana rose. "Perhaps you and your family would like a tour of our compound?" "That sounds lovely," Maureen replied. "What are you doing, Dr. Smith?" Will noticed the older man had stepped back from the group and rather than following their hosts for the tour, he was moving off to explore a different part of the compound. "Aren"t you curious, William?" "Sure. But they"ve been pretty nice so far. I don"t want to offend them." "Phish Posh. What they don"t know won"t hurt them. I just want to have a look around on my own. Besides, your sister is doing it too." Will glanced over to see Penny walking off towards a distant field with Breedon and Talo. Briefly he wondered if that was a good idea. Then he supposed as long as they didn"t go far, they"d be fine. They strolled about, passing several small huts. The sun was finally setting and electric lights were glowing in the buildings and outside in the common areas. No wonder they"d been able to see them from the orbit of the Jupiter 2. "Who knows what resources these aliens might have that could be useful to us." "Maybe they could help us with the Robot." Will frowned, in thought. "I really thought I"d figured things out. I just don"t understand what happened." Once they"d unload the mechanical man from the Chariot, his bubble had glowed for a moment. Then he slumped over, once again inactive. The boy paused, stopping by a pen of orange and brown deer-like creatures. "They don"t look so good." Rather than frolicking about like those near the Jupiter 2, these scrawny animals were lethargic, lying on the ground. Those that were awake were picking at straw in their feeding dish, their eyes glazed. Thinking aloud, he said, "Maybe they don"t take well to domestication. Or they caught some disease." "Don"t be foolish. The sun is finally setting. They"re just settling in for the night." "You"re probably right. But didn"t Diana say they were vegetarians?" Paying more attention to the surrounding area, Smith responded, "What does that matter?" "If they don"t eat meat, why do they keep live animals in pens?" Dr. Smith didn"t respond. An elaborate wooden archway near the edge of the settlement had captured his attention. It was covered with carvings of stars, flowers and other unusual symbols. Vines with green leaves and tiny closed orange blossoms were wrapped about it. "Now what do you think that is?" Dr. Smith approached it. Tall bushes flanking either side blocked his view around it. Pausing at the opening, Will said, "It"s probably just a garden." Still it had more of a presence; it felt like something more significant. "Or it could be a worship area. Some type of alter. Maybe nature is their god or this is where they come to commune with them." The boy"s mind never stops, Dr. Smith thought. He stepped under the archway. More nervous, Will stammered, "I don"t know about this. This seems special. It could be sacred to them. We don"t want to ruin it." "Nonsense, William. Aren"t you the least bit curious?" The older man stepped into what appeared to be a garden. "Dr. Smith!" Will called. Then he reluctantly followed. Vines as thick as ropes covered with tiny bulb-like orange blossoms crisscrossed about ground, that was about half the size of a football field. They appeared to emanate from an enormous oddly shaped orange blob, near the center of the garden, that resembled a large pumpkin. Soto voice, Will insisted, "We don"t belong here. They"ve build this area for a purpose." "And wouldn"t you like to know what that is," Smith replied. He leaned forward, examining a tiny blossom. Then his body became rigid as he heard a rustling noise. "William! What on earth is that?" Someone was running across the garden, towards them. Although it was humanoid in form, its back was badly hunched. The being had heavy brow ridges with bushy eyebrows, and dark purple skin. Its long dark hair stuck out haphazardly. It growled menacingly. A thin tentacle issued from its stomach. "We gotta get outta here!" Will grabbed Dr. Smith"s arm as the two started to run. But the creature had gotten too much of a head start, closing the distance between them. It growled, clutching the back of Dr. Smith"s shirt. It uttered something incomprehensible. Smith screamed, loudly. The discharge of a pistol startled all of them. A Dionaea sentry appeared and yelled at the creature, "Get out of here!" He grabbed its shoulder and shoved it. The creature stumbled off into the nearby woods. Smith sank to the ground. "Merciful heavens. What was that abomination?" "Nothing to be afraid of. They"re just a nuisance. Let"s take you back to your group." "Maybe we could see your ship tomorrow?" Breedon asked. Penny sighed, annoyed that Breedon didn"t get the hint that she and Talo wanted to be alone. It was a beautiful clear night and the stars were shining brightly. The three of them were seated on the grass on the outskirts of the compound. She could see the lights of the settlement. The boys flanked her. Talo"s forearm was tantalizing, brushing against hers. She felt confused. Right now, Talo seemed incredibly handsome. Yet earlier when they met his people he appeared to be a geeky kid in comparison to others in his party. Her feelings kept flipping back and forth. Was this what Judy had been talking about, seemingly forever, growing up and suddenly finding boys attractive? She wasn"t sure she liked it. She didn"t feel in control. While it was exhilarating just to be near Talo and thought of kissing him seemed thrilling, her logical mind argued that she didn"t know this boy very well. "We"d love to see your ship." Penny sighed. She didn"t understand Breedon"s fascination with the Jupiter 2. It must be a guy thing. "Well, sure. Come by and visit. Anytime." She wasn"t sure what his problem was. Was he jealous that there was an obvious attraction between she and Talo and he felt left out? Or was he just curious? Like Dad and Don, dying to compare engines and propulsion units. At least she and Talo could get some alone time while Breedon examined the ship. "Well, that was certainly interesting," Mrs. Robinson stated as the family started back to their campsite in the Chariot. "I don"t like it, John," Don muttered. "Everything seems like a canned response. Like those survival drills on base. Everyone says the same thing. They don"t deviate from the script. We are colonists. Our ship was damaged. Same words, same intonation. Like they"re reading from a cue card." "Don! That"s not very nice," Judy exclaimed, furious with him. "They"re using our language which isn"t native to them. Of course it"s not going to flow well." "And didn"t they say they"d adjusted their translator?" Penny added. "The boys sounded much better than they did before. If they"re all using the same translator technology, no wonder they sound similar to each other." Don persisted. "It still doesn"t make sense. If they gutted their ship, where are the pieces? There"s no sign of a crash site or remains. The buildings are constructed mostly from materials native to this planet. To bring over two hundred people here would"ve required one heck of a starship." "We didn"t see all of their settlement. And maybe they used different materials than we would"ve. Or they utilized different technology," Judy insisted. She was still smarting from watching Diana hang all over her boyfriend. "There could be cultural issues," Maureen wisely pointed out. "What do you mean, darling?" Professor Robinson asked. "What we read as evasive body language might mean something entirely different to them." "Oh, I know what you mean. Like some cultures on earth believe it"s rude to make eye contact when speaking to another while others believe it"s disrespectful not to," Penny said. "Exactly." "Don and I are returning tomorrow to talk with the Elders about crops," John stated. Judy"s mouth hung open momentarily, wanting to object. But she"d only sound jealous. Don could barely open his eyes that morning. His temples were throbbing and his head ached. He winced as he checked the clock, the light hurting his eyes. It was almost nine. He had no business sleeping in that late. Even without an alarm he naturally rose at seven o"clock. His body felt sluggish as he struggled to move. He hadn"t thought he"d been drinking alcohol last night but this sure felt like he was nursing one monster of a hangover. His memory of the evening was equally foggy. But one feature was abundantly clear. Diana. Her golden eyes, and enticing appearance was engraved in his memory. He didn"t understand. Although he could appreciate her physical beauty with her blonde hair, shapely curves and exotic lavender tinged skin, he loved Judy. He"d never do anything to jeopardize that relationship. So why couldn"t he stop thinking about Diana? Why did he keep thinking about touching her skin? And why did he feel like he had already done something stupid to upset Judy? Vague images of the previous night came to him. Somehow, even though he hadn"t planned it, he"d always been close to Diana - at dinner, during the tour. Even now her bewitching scent of cinnamon and vanilla came to mind. He couldn"t rid himself of it. Judy must be furious. But if he could barely climb out of bed, how was he going to accomplish damage control?

If she were here now, she"d be tearing him a new one. There was no way they were going to make it to New Pacifica before the colony ship arrived. First they"d lingered at Franklin and Elizabeth"s ship far longer than they should have. He hadn"t wanted to leave until he was absolutely certain nothing more could"ve be done for Devon. And even then, when they"d finally moved on, it had been gut wrenching. Then they"d had trouble with the Trans Rover"s wheel bearings due to the rocky terrain. It had taken time to rig replacement parts but they"d managed. Once they"d recovered from that, they"d run into a camp of penal colonists that were decidedly unfriendly, resulting in a lengthy, unanticipated detour. Still, they"d kept moving until the snow had compelled them to seek shelter. Damn her for forcing her mission on him. Huddled beneath his blanket, stewing in his thoughts, he suddenly flinched as if scalded. "What the-" He"d woken up True. "Whaa?" her voice groggy with sleep, eyelids half-open. "Nothing, True-girl. Just a weird feeling. I"m okay. Go back to sleep." He rubbed the stubble on his chin. Such an odd sensation. It felt as if some other presence had been inside his head. He ruefully chuckled, thinking he was finally losing it. What he needed was sleep so he closed his eyes. Just as he dozed off, he thought, Damn her for leaving us. Later, it happened again. Yet this time, he didn"t wake up. Somehow, he wasn"t asleep either. He cautiously opened his eyes to a blinding white light. It was weird as hell. He felt as if he was completely exposed and vulnerable. Why would he choose to dream this? It felt like a nightmare. "Danziger?" Recognizing the voice, he started, wondered why he was torturing himself. He"d done everything he could for Devon. He"d had his share of nightmares: Grendlers raiding the ship and stealing her body, or the ship experiencing a massive power failure. Most of the time he tried not to think about her: stiff and motionless in that cryochamber. He preferred to remember her as she"d been: vibrant, full of energy and confidence. That head of auburn hair and those blazing eyes. The stubborn set of her chin. "I...I..didn"t know," her voice said, with confusion. What was going on? Suddenly he could see Devon before his eyes. Wherever they were, he couldn"t hide a thing. She"d known exactly what he was thinking and even...feeling. The regrets, the guilt, the desire... Trying to save face he answered, "Of course not." Getting down to business, he asked, "So....what brings you here?" He was hoping to interject some levity while also distracting Devon from his emotional baggage that was painfully exposed. "I"m not completely sure. Somehow, I"ve been communicating with the Terrains or the planet itself and they"re helping me reach you." Same old Devon, filled with idealistic nonsense. She raised an eyebrow. Of course, she"d heard that. This was going to be awkward. "How?" "I don"t fully understand it," she explained. "It"s just...a feeling." Great. What else was new? More touchy-feely nonsense? She glared at him. He wondered, "Does this have anything to do with how the Elder used the sleeping Terrains to send Alonzo messages while I was in the penal colonist"s cave?" "No," she denied a little too strongly. "How can you be so sure?" "It"s not the same." Her dismissive tone didn"t encourage further discussion of that point. "Why here? Why now?" "I have an urgent message for you. You have to evacuate the caves - they"re not safe anymore," she warned. Although he was somewhat impressed that she was aware they"d taken shelter in caves, her statement was ludicrous. "Are you nuts, Adair? It"s the dead of winter. There"s nothing around for miles. Without shelter, we"d freeze to death." "You need to get out! Now!" she insisted. Always skeptical, he demanded, "Why?" "I..I don"t know. I just have this terrible feeling." Danziger"s patience was running thin. "Look, even if you feel like something"s going to happen, what do you want me to do? It"s not like I have lots of options." Then it occurred to him that maybe she could get him some useful information. "Hey, do you know where any-" "It doesn"t work like that! I"m not some sort of computer interface," she snapped. "Figures," he mumbled. Food would"ve been nice. With some sarcasm, he asked, "Where exactly are we supposed to go?" "West." When he crooked an eyebrow, she added, somewhat apologetically, "That"s all I"m getting." He objected. "I can"t do that." "You have to!" she insisted. His voice rose. "Are you out of your mind? You want me to march those people, including our kids, to certain death? There"s nothing out there but snow. No shelter. Nothing. We wouldn"t last long." "You won"t be safe in the caverns either," she pronounced with dire certainty. "What is it? Are the Terrains mad at us or something?" He wouldn"t put it past them to hold a grudge about god knows what. Then a worse thought came to him. "Are we on their turf?" The idea of them showing up unannounced to claim their winter digs gave him the creeps. "No. I...I don"t think so." Right. The communicating with the planet mumbo jumbo. She glared at him. "What about Uly or Alonzo? Can"t they speak with the Terrains to get additional information? If something this important is going on, wouldn"t they know about it?" "I don"t know. I"m not completely sure if this is the Terrains or the planet itself. I don"t have all the answers," she replied. Maybe you should stop acting like you do. I heard that. The words rang out loud and clear even though Devon hadn"t opened her mouth. That was interesting. He"d been so absorbed trying to conceal his thoughts and emotions that he hadn"t realized that he had full access to hers. "Why are you asking me? Why not Uly? Or Yale?" They"d certainly be more inclined to believe this stuff. Losing patience, she retorted, "I don"t even know how I"m doing this. Don"t you think I"d talk with them if I could?" Nothing like putting a guy in his place. "No...I..." she fumbled, aware of what he was feeling. "I think, subconsciously, I knew that you would be the one who could help the group the most." Good old dependable Danziger. Yes ma"am. Just tell this good ole boy what to do. "I can"t endanger the entire group based on your feeling." More softly, she replied, "Have a little faith, Danziger. Hasn"t this planet shown us that miracles can happen?" Even without his bizarre direct line to her thoughts, he recognized she was referring to Uly. He couldn"t explain how they did what they did, although he suspected there might be a higher price to pay later. "Yeah. And it"s also scared the hell out of us." "That wasn"t the planet. That was the Council. Penal Colonists, ZEDs, the biostat implants. Even the memory virus came from the Stations." "Yeah? What about..." He couldn"t say it aloud. What about your illness? She had no answer. "Please, John." Realizing his weakness, she asked, "Will you do it, for me?" Didn"t she understand that what she was asking him to do was completely against his cautious nature? John Danziger didn"t take anything based on faith alone. Happy endings might happen for others but never for him. Look at his lover Eleanor Moore who had been classified as neuro-dead after a tragic accident caused by negligent Station bureaucrats. Look at his friends Alex Wentworth and Les Firestein who died as a result of a virus caused by a chip furtively planted by Station technocrats in Alex"s cranium. Look at poor Ebon Synge who died due to a malfunctioning implant that she didn"t even know she had. Planet G889 certainly hadn"t given her a second chance. He"d never had the luxury of such hope, of believing the best in people when all too often they"d demonstrated the worst. His grandparents had been ripped off long before he was born. He was still paying off their debt to escape Earth to immigrate to the Stations. In the depths of the Quadrant he"d learned all too young that you took care you and yours because no one else would. With so many disappointments, so many lost opportunities, you learned not to expect much. She was listening to all this, wasn"t she? Idiot. His face burned. More softly she said, "John, this planet has changed you. You know that, right? About to deny it, he realized maybe she was right. He"d never dreamed of rising beyond his station. It had never occurred to him. As much as he hated the mantle of responsibility associated with leading the group, on the Stations it would never have been an option. Although dealing with challenges of G889 exhausted him, in some ways it was refreshing to have his fate in his own hands. To know that he could decide whether he and True would return to the Stations once they reached New Pacifica or remain with the colony. It was his decision. No one else"s. What was that? Warm waves of emotions emanated from Devon. He could feel them as if they were physical entities, surrounding him like some sort of cocoon. It didn"t make any sense but he felt cushioned as if wrapped in a lush, thick blanket. A very pleasant sensation. Why is he being so stubborn? Doesn"t he know that he"s a natural leader? He"s not afraid of offending people. He"ll always stand up for his beliefs. People listen to him. They trust him. Doesn"t he realize how much Eden Advance depends upon him? Doesn"t he understand how much I"m depending on him? I"m scared. I"m tired of being in this odd in between state. I"m tired of being strong. I wish he could just hold me. Huh? The fact that a woman like her would be even remotely interested in a guy like him reminded him how much his life had radically changed on Planet G889. Buoyed by the heady sensations, he said more calmly, "It doesn"t make any sense." "I know," she replied. What would.. Before he could get the words out, she answered, "I"d do it. It wouldn"t be easy but given what we"ve learned about this planet, I"d do it." "Let me get this straight. Danziger has some crazy dream so we"re gonna leave the caves? What"s next - reading tea leaves or bumps on people"s heads?" Julia scoffed, "There"s more to it than that, Morgan." Danziger rubbed his pounding temples. He couldn"t sleep after hearing Devon"s message. He"d been up most of the night hashing things out with Yale, Julia and Alonzo. Now, with the exception of the children, at first light they"d gathered in the largest chamber of the caves and were discussing it with the entire group. It was just as awful as he"d thought it would be. "How do we know that our fearless leader isn"t cracking up?" Morgan asked the others. Alonzo shook his head in disgust. Danziger wondered about that himself. It was a valid question. "Isn"t Alonzo our resident Dream boy? And if we do decide to believe this so-called "message from beyond", do we really have to leave? Couldn"t we just stay outside the caves tonight? Camp in the vehicles where it might be warmer? Why commit suicide traipsing off into the unknown?" "Morgan does have a point," Baines reluctantly admitted. "Do we have any confirmation?" He looked anxiously toward Danziger who turned to Alonzo. "Nothing. I"m not getting anything from the Terrains," the pilot relayed. "What about Uly?" Baines asked. "He hasn"t heard a thing either," Yale stated. "So that"s it? We"re just gonna pack up and go west until we freeze to death? Is that the plan?" Morgan asked verging on hysteria. He paced about nervously. "Does this seem logical to you? To anyone? Hello people! "Cause it sure doesn"t to me." "We"re going to vote," Danziger explained, with limited patience. "Danziger, we want to believe you. We do. It"s just...c"mon, this seems crazy," Baines said. "I mean, what could happen to the caves that would harm us?" "We"ve already discussed this," Danziger reminded him. The only scenarios they could envision involved a hostile group of Terrains reclaiming the caves or some natural disaster in which the structure was damaged. "Why can"t we just stay in the vehicles tonight and see what happens?" Baines asked. It was a sorely tempting suggestion that appealed to Danziger"s common sense. He wanted to do it. But he couldn"t. "No. We"ve already discussed this. We either believe this message or we don"t. We do exactly what she said or completely ignore it. No in between." He did his best to ignore the concerned looks Baines, Walman and Magus were exchanging. He couldn"t blame them. If one of them had been acting like he was, he"d be making contingency plans as well. "Maybe we could have half the group stay with the vehicles while the others scout west, like Devon said," Bess suggested. "That way the children could keep warmer." She was trying to appeal to Danziger"s parental sense. Julia reminded them. "Splitting up never works well, especially when bad weather is involved. It"s not a good idea." "That"s it? That"s all we have to go on?" Morgan gasped. "Yeah," Danziger reluctantly answered. "When would we need to go?" Morgan asked. "Now." "Now?" The government liaison gulped. "But...but, it"s freezing out there." "Tell me something I don"t know, "Danziger grumbled. "Let"s vote." "Some one wanna tell me once again why we left the warm caves for this?" Morgan ranted, his breath fogging in his face. He"d wrapped his scarf about his head, nearly obscuring his features. The snow was deep and progress was slow as he plodded along. Short of patience, Bess rebuked him. "You"re not helping." They"d loaded the Trans Rover with all of their gear, which left limited space for passengers. They"d briefly considered leaving their equipment behind to make more room, but decided it was vital for their survival as well. The children rode in the Trans Rover, bundled with blankets about them. Eden Advance members lacking proper boots or coats had next highest priority for spots in the vehicles. The rest took turns walking. "We"ve been heading west for hours. Normally we would"ve set up camp by now. But...there is no place to set up camp. It"s gonna be dark soon. Bess, I can"t feel my toes anymore." "Morgan, you"re not the only one who"s uncomfortable," Bess snapped. She"d already lost sensation in her finger tips. Danziger trudged past the bickering couple. Maybe he was leading them on some wild goose chase. Maybe he was starting to crack up. It had shocked him that based on his conviction alone, the majority of the camp had voted to follow him. Even though it went against their better judgment, Walman, Baines and Magus had supported him. He wasn"t sure what frightened him the most. It didn"t make sense. The Terrians didn"t have a vested interest in their survival. Neither did Planet G889. If anything, one could argue that humans were detrimental for both. Why was he doing this? Was he so desperate to believe that Devon cared about him that his mind had created the entire scenario? Did his guilt about his failure to revive her bring this about? Was he kidding himself to think that she had feelings for him? Was he being a complete fool believing her? His steps became heavier. The light was fading, along with the vehicle power. "Let"s set up camp," Danziger shouted. "Where?" Morgan gestured about the snow covered landscape. "Go look for firewood." He needed Morgan Martin out of his sight. Now. Or he wouldn"t be responsible for his actions. Morgan scurried towards some trees. The vehicles were parked close together in an effort to create a shelter from the biting wind. Once they"d started a fire, they could alternate positions by the fire or stay in the vehicles, huddling together to keep warm. "You okay True-girl?" Danziger peered into the Trans Rover. Huddled with Uly and Yale beneath a blanket, she nodded. "How about you, Uly?" The boy nodded. He hadn"t been speaking much since his mother had collapsed. Leaving her behind had taken a toll upon him. Just as Danziger was about to step away, he asked, "You saw my mom?" What if wasn"t real? Yet he hated to disappoint the little guy. "Yeah, Uly. I did." "How was she?" "She looked good. You know she misses you, right?" He punched him affectionately on the upper arm. "Yeah." A trace of a smile formed on the boy"s face. Shrieks came from a few feet away. It was Morgan. Danziger was going to wring that man"s neck if he caused anymore trouble. He shuffled over with the others to check out the commotion. Near several trees, Bess was leaning over something, calling frantically to her husband. "Well?' her impatient voice demanded. Devon was finally back. The events of the past days should"ve convinced him that he hadn"t lost his mind. Yet hearing her voice again finally gave him the closure that he"d needed. "Is everybody okay?" "Yeah." Details John, details! "What happened? Where are you now?" She was nearly frantic. Hold your horses, Adair. She apologized, "I"m sorry, it"s hard for me to keep track of time. It feels like it"s been weeks since I last spoke with you. I thought..." I thought I"d lost all of you. No wonder she was so upset. In reality, it had only been three days. "We traveled west, like you said. It was pretty rough. Julia"s treating several bad cases of frostbite. The kids are okay though. Just as darkness set in and we started to assemble a makeshift camp, Morgan literally stumbled onto a building that was concealed by the foliage and snow." "A building?" "Yeah. Concrete foundation even. Get this, it"s built into the side of a hill. We have no idea whose it is. It"s empty now. Spent most of the past few days getting the generators to work. I think it was some sort of abandoned research facility. The computers are ancient but Morgan thinks he can get them to work and then hack into the data base." "Council?" she asked, with concern. "No idea. Could be more scientists jettisoned off the Stations for disagreeing with the status quo. Or someone entirely different. We"ll find out. Do you know if-" What do you mean if? He continued, "If anything happened back at the caves?" "No. And I don"t need to," she stated with confidence. Out of habit Danziger started to disagree. Then he realized they"d been led to a potential gold mine. The generators would keep them warm. The structure needed repairs yet it was sturdy. There was more than ample space and some dried food stocks along with warm blankets, clothing, first aid and other supplies. They might even have the chance to learn more about survival on this planet based on the data stored on the computers. A more than consuming project for people with abundant time on their hands. He was still confused. "I don"t understand. Why would the Terrians or the planet want to help us?" Why is that man so stubborn? He laughed. "John, why is it so hard for you to trust anyone? Maybe the fact that my consciousness is altered, that I"m on this plane, they"ve been able to access my thoughts and emotions better. Maybe they"re getting a better understanding of me and thus our group and now they want to help us.' Adair, you"ll never change. "It doesn"t make sense," he shook his head gently. "Then healing Uly wouldn"t make any sense either. But they did it," she insisted. Yeah, to advance their own self interests. You don"t have to understand everything Danziger for it to be real. Just accept it! That brought up another issue that had been festering within him since she"d first appeared to him. He had no desire to talk about Sheppard. He hated even thinking the guy"s name. The starry eyed look she"d had when she claimed she"d felt as if she"d known him forever made him want to slug the guy. But he had to know. Was he feeling closer to Devon only because of this strange channel of communication? Was that what happened between Sheppard and Devon? Or was he reading far too much into things in the first place? Damn, she was listening. He"d never get used to this. "No, John, you"re not. The feelings I had for Sheppard were...complicated. I was alone and scared. He listened to me. He was there when I really needed him. I loved him for that. But the dreaming itself didn"t create the bond." He tried to ignore all thoughts and feelings about that man that were floating through her head. It wasn"t easy. "Why are you so certain that this communication between us isn"t like what you experienced with....him?" he asked. "It just isn"t. Sheppard was able to control the process. Any of the convicts could pick and choose who to speak with and when. We could probably do it ourselves if we were to touch a hibernating Terrain. I...don"t seem to have that option." He waited, there was more. Heavy waves of sadness floated about him. "Talking with Sheppard was just that. Talking. Just on a different plane. This is very different. Much...deeper." Much scarier. He chuckled. "Isn"t that the truth?" "I don"t know if I"ll be back," she said sadly. "I haven"t been able to contact Uly. Is he okay?" He wanted to lie, to give her more peace of mind but he couldn"t. She would know. "It"s been hard for him." She sighed. Trying to encourage her, he said, "He"ll be okay. I"ll make sure of it." I"m not going to be able to see you again. Not like this. Although he felt she was most likely correct, he assured her, "I"ll keep looking for you." It was a weighty promise but one he meant to keep. He wouldn"t give up until they"d found a cure for her. Once he"d gotten this group to New Pacifica and established the colony, he"d be the first to organize a group to retrieve her from the downed space ship. Maybe the colony ship would have the resources to cure her. Or maybe Julia would discover a cure from the information on the computers at their new winter camp. One could only hope. THE END

Clamping her mouth shut, thakfully no one had come running at her screams, she tried to calm herself down. Her whole body shook with the effort it took her to be quiet when ligtning struck again. Tears streamed down Danu"s face as she struggled to keep from screaming. She hugged her blankets as close to her as physically possible. Her arms and legs burned as she curled in upon herself. Shaking from the thunder still ringing in her ears, Danu beganto sob. Her body shook with each heaving sob. No longer trying to be quiet, the fear had overcome her, her crying grew in volume. Someone should have heard, apart from the fact that the pelting rain disquised any and all noise. Clinging on to her beadclothes for all she was worth, danu"s musscels relaxedone by one. Softly, gently, she fell asleep and into dreams about a tall man with dark peircing eyes. A/N: So I said that I"d try to get Septimus into this chapter. It was a lot harder than I anticipated. In case you can"t tell. He"s the one that she"s dreaming about. Hopefully it will all make sense later. On a less happy note. I will probably not update for quite some time now. I somehow managed to hurt my wrist while at school and guess what. It turns out that I have tendonitis which is temporary, so... Hopefuly I"ll be able to write more in a few weeks. But the brace means that it"s hard to do just about anything and I have to get a splint so that it will be completly imobilized. Recap. Septimus will be in the next chapter. He"s fully introduced there and everything. And you probably won"t get it for a while. The only reason I managed to type this up is I did it one handed while on spring break. And yes, I get that our spring break is a little late. Whatever. Lakeside Gravity Danu was curled up in her chair with the book Yvaine had given her. Her boots stuck out of the fluffy mess of skirt and petticoats that she wore as they rested on the armrest. Her long brown hair hung down the other side of the chair. She felt the slight dip of the ship that signaled descent, and sighed. Sticking a random piece of parchment in the pages, she stretched the kinks out of her neck and sat up. The door was still safely shut, which meant that she had a few moments more than she originally thought. She braced herself for impact, grateful that this time someone had managed to land the ship relatively smoothly. The previous landing had jarred her much more than she would have liked. She paced around her cabin six times, the heels of her boots lightly tapping on the wooden floor. Her cabin wasn"t particularly large, but she paced it diligently, biding her time. She wanted to get out of the stuffy space, but was still afraid to do so. There was something about being on land that made all of the crew members more adventurous. They usually spent the first day lazing about near the ship, but hardly paid much attention to their surroundings and people. The only ones they cared about were the ones with weapons. Danu slipped her boots off her feet. She held them in her hand and carefully opened the door. She continued to hold her boots in one hand as she crept along. Her skirt, though much more voluminous than preferred for sneaking around, hardly rustled at all as she turned one corner after another. There was a huge ruckus from the top deck, and Danu stepped back a bit before continuing on. She had no clue what was going on, but it didn"t look like anyone was going to be coming down for quite some time. She continued on for only a few moments before hearing slight creaking and music. She knew that her uncle had a music machine thing, she couldn"t remember its proper name, but he didn"t creak floorboards that way when he played it. There was too much carpet in his cabin. She moved silently, almost stalking the noise. The creak was subtle, so subtle that anyone not looking for it would have missed it. In all the commotion that was happening above deck, Danu was surprised that she had heard it in spite of the fact that she had conditioned herself to respond to even the slightest noise. She leaned against the wall, just a few feet from where a man dressed all in black stood. He had unsheathed his sword, and appeared to be taking great care to make as little noise as possible. "Come here often?" Danu asked. She couldn"t help but try to lighten what appeared to be a very tense moment for him. "Who are you?" He tensed up even more, his gloves hiding the whiteness of his knuckles as he gripped his sword even tighter. "That"s no way to treat a lady." The man looked her over. In her blue dress, the golden chain around her neck glimmered in the light. He recognized the chain instead of the diamond. He had seen the thick coil around his father"s neck his whole life. "I suppose not," he said as he sheathed his sword. He removed his gloves and walked towards Danu, a strange contemplative look in his eyes. She became increasingly aware of her height, or lack thereof. He was tall, with dark hair and black eyes that seemed to pierce her soul. She felt her breath hitch in her throat, almost as if it was stuck. There was a certain attraction that she had never felt before. The man picked up the pendant. In his hands the stone turned from a diamond to a ruby. Danu stared at the man in front of her with shock. She hadn"t ever expected a prince to even speak to her. She was about to drop to her knees. She would have had the necklace not stopped her before she had lowered herself only a few inches to the degree of a princess to a king. She stood again, feeling more confused than ever. "My lord, please forgive my impertinence. I was not aware of your identity." He was much too young to be Primus, and the only other prince alive was Septimus. He had the most notorious reputation. But whatever could be said about him, he was powerful and alive. He could cut off her head in an instant if he felt like it. He walked around her, letting go of the pendant as he circled. His eyes wandered over every inch of her from her light brown hair tumbling down her back, to the faintest touch of a blush on her cheeks. What he noticed the most, was that her eyes were the most brilliant shade of blue. He would have sworn that they were brighter than the sky and more intense than the ocean. They burned with emotion, with only a hint of fear at the surface. He had always favored the color blue, but in that moment he loved it. "Strong willed, a good sense of pride, common sense. You have some fine traits, even if you are a little short." "I"m not short," Danu replied a little quickly. "Feisty too. I would say that you meet most of the qualifications. Now tell me, who is your next of kin?" And I"m going to leave it here for now. Sorry it"s taken me so long to get back to this. I didn"t expect my wrist to hurt for as long as it did. I"m still working on everything, it"s just been on hold for longer than I would have originally liked. Thank you all for putting up with me and my sporadic updates. I"ll try to get the next chapter up next week. Danu mumbled something about a captain and her uncle, looking down at the floor. She couldn"t help it. Being in front of a prince, no a king, was intimidating. "I"m afraid I didn"t catch that," Septimus said. "My Uncle, Captain Shakespeare is physically the closest relative available. If you want one of my parents, I"m afraid you"ll have to travel a while to get to them. Even on the ship," Danu said. His voice had softened and that made Danu a little more comfortable. She still stared at the floor, unsure of how to act in the presence of a king, but she had managed to find her voice. "Is he on the ship now?" Septimus asked. "Yes." Danu looked up at him, wondering what he was asking. Septimus held out his arm for her to take. "Would you lead me to him?" She took it, not sure if it was a wise thing to turn a king down. Not that she wanted to. He was attractive, and she felt drawn to him. His eyes were dark and smoldering, like the ones she had been dreaming about. She led him down the corridor, and then through a few twists and turns to the cabin of Captain Shakespeare. There was music playing, as it usually was when the crew had free time. Danu knocked as loudly as she could. "Captain?" she called through the door. "There"s someone here to see you." The music stopped. There was a slight scuffling noise, and then a pause. Captain Shakespeare opened the door in a dressing gown, a smudge on his right cheek. Danu internally rolled her eyes. "What can I help you with?" he asked Septimus "May we come in?" Septimus asked. "I seem to have found a young lady on board and I"m not sure I want the crew to come rushing down and find her." Captain Shakespeare nodded. He wasn"t too keen on the idea of them finding Danu either. He would do anything to keep her safe. "So what can I do for you today?" Septimus took a deep breath. Even though he had spent his whole life trying to become king, he was unsure of what to do in the situation he was in. The stone had not only chosen him, but it seemed it had chosen a queen as well. "I"m Septimus. Former prince, and now king of Stormhold. And I have to ask you for your niece"s hand in marriage." Both of Danu"s and Captain Shakespeare"s jaws dropped at the request. Captain Shakespeare because he wasn"t sure what would prompt such a question, and Danu"s at the idea that he would ask her uncle without asking her. "Why would you ask such a thing?" Captain Shakespeare asked. "Under normal circumstances I wouldn"t," Septimus replied. "After all, we only just met. Normally I would have asked to court her and then marry her. But the stone chose me to be king, and it appears to have chosen her to be my consort." "It can do that?" Danu asked. "Under rare circumstances. Usually it tells the king when his love is near," he explained. "As most of the kings met their wives after they had been king for a while." Danu blushed a little and looked back at the floor. While she found him startlingly handsome, the way he looked at her was slightly intimidating. He looked at her as if she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Septimus wished that Danu would look at him. Her eyes were blue. His favourite colour was blue, and her eyes were it. When she had looked at him before it had flooded him with feelings that he wasn"t quite sure exactly what they were. But the longer he stood close to her, the more intense a pull he felt towards her. He supposed it could be the ruby hanging around her neck, but that seemed unlikely. "And what do you want Danu?" Captain Shakespeare asked. She pondered his question for a few seconds. "I think that he"s right," she said. "It does feel as if the stone can choose, and I don"t feel as if questioning it too much would be the wisest thing ever. After all, you"re a pirate on a flying ship." She looked at her uncle and he nodded his head. There wasn"t anything he could argue with that. "If she agrees to marry you, then I have no objections." Danu and Septimus looked at each other, each daring to hope. Danu nodded her assent, and Septimus felt his mouth curve in a fraction of a smile. "Would you marry us?" he asked Captain Shakespeare. "Here? Now?" "I know it"s a little unusual, but this whole thing is unusual," Septimus said. "And you"re a captain of a ship. If you do it, it"s just as binding as if a priest did it." "Alright," Captain Shakespeare said. He performed the wedding, acting as both witness and officiator. The couple stood in front of him, nervous and excited, in spite of having just met. "You may now kiss the bride." Septimus leaned down to kiss her. It was slow, sweet and tender. Danu wrapped her arms around Septimus" neck, enjoying it. And a crash burst through the door, and the crew entered. "What have I told you about knocking my door down?" Captain Shakespeare bellowed. "I was conducting a wedding!" "We thought you were in trouble," the first mate said. "And who"s the couple?" another of the crew asked. "Meet my niece Danu, and her new husband King Septimus," Captain Shakespeare said. There were a few gasps in the crew. They certainly hadn"t been expecting a prince to board their ship and then become king while on it. They fell to their knees. "Excuse me," one of them said. He was a fairly short member, with black hair and brown eyes. "It seems there was a bit of a misunderstanding, and your men are dead." Septimus felt his rage grow, but he could also feel the woman who was next to him. One of her hands was on his back, trying to calm him down, and it was working. "I fear that means I"ll have to come up with alternate means of making sure that my wife and I arrive back at the palace unscathed," he said. "If I might offer my services," Captain Shakespeare said. "After all, she is my favourite niece, and her mother would kill me if anything were to happen to her. And I"ll make sure that my crew behaves from here on out." Septimus nodded in agreement. He wanted to go punch something, but would wait until that was acceptable. So I really loved writing the last chapter. I have no clue if this is even in character anymore, but it"s my fic. So what I say goes. Right? Danu awoke in the morning to find herself wrapped up in strong arms. There was a split second of panic before she remembered the events of the day before and snuggled closer to her pillow. Her pillow turned out to be her husband"s chest. She snuggled into him and he laughed. "What are you doing?" She mumbled, wanting to get back to sleep. The previous night, while enjoyable, hadn"t exactly been restful. "I was just thinking. It seems strange to become king, and then so quickly after that find my queen. The same day that I had become king. What do you think?" "I think that if you"re going to ask me questions like this in the morning, you shouldn"t keep me up so late." She pulled an actual pillow from under Septimus"s head and covered her face and ears with it. It was a poor attempt to block out the noise. And it was slightly folly in that it caused Septimus to laugh deeply, and her head was still resting on his chest. "I don"t recall you complaining last night." Danu pulled the pillow from over her head and glared at him. Septimus was once again caught by her eyes. Bright blue, and beautiful. She must have had a human ancestor somewhere in order to have eyes that colour. But he wouldn"t have it any other way. He kissed her, surprising his wife. He pulled away after a moment, but she gripped him tightly, holding him close. "Now I remember why I wasn"t complaining last night," she whispered. "But why don"t you show me some more." Septimus was all too eager to oblige. ~oOo~ ~oOo~ ~oOo~ ~oOo~ The morning was delightfully less eventful than the day before. Or that was the way that Danu saw it. There was no one unexpected coming aboard, and no one leaving. The one thing that she could have done without was the way that she blushed, or at least felt like blushing, every time someone looked at her too long. She didn"t have anything to blush about. Sure, she was now a married woman. But that hardly changed anything. She was still the same girl she had been just the day before. Only now she had a title. Just thinking about that was enough to make her shake her head. How was she going to explain that one to her mother? Hi mum. I went off with Uncle Dauntless and got myself married. And my husband is the most feared man in all of Stormhold, and the king. That wouldn"t go over too well. "How are you my dear?" Captain Shakespeare asked. "More than a little tired," Danu admitted. She then wondered if that was too much information for her uncle. It probably was, but she hadn"t said anything incriminating. "More brides than you have spent the first few days after their wedding exhausted," Captain Shakespeare assured his niece. Danu could feel the blush rise around her cheeks. It had felt almost constant, but it burned brighter with a fervor that she wanted to hide. Captain Shakespeare laughed. "Don"t worry. No one here thinks anything of it." That made Danu feel slightly better. But only slightly. She was still embarrassed out of her mind. "There you are," Septimus swept in followed by the first mate. "I"ve just been talking with George here about security and our route. He said that you were the best person to consult with in terms of navigation. But he assures me that we"re safer here than anywhere else." "I usually set the routes for our trips," Captain Shakespeare said. "But George here is in charge of security. Not that I can"t take care of myself or my crew. He"s just better at making sure that no one gets close enough to even try anything." "Though," Danu interjected, "with your reputation we likely won"t have any trouble at all." "I guess I do have a bad habit of killing people who get in my way," Septimus admitted. "And I really hate traitors. So there is some truth to the rumors." Danu rolled her eyes. She knew that the rumors wouldn"t have gotten as far as they had, or been as outlandish as they had been, if they hadn"t had some grain of truth. "Just try to avoid killing people unnecessarily, please." "I think I can manage that." Danu smiled. She might have jumped headfirst into marriage, but she was founding that she could at least be a positive influence in Septimus" life. Hopefully she could be a positive influence for her home. A/N: So I"m not really sure anymore where this story is going. I guess that"s what happens when there"s a few years between chapters. And I"m not going to promise that I"ll get the next chapter up soon. I really have no clue when I"ll have the time and/or energy to write it. Or if another story will take precedence. I am really hoping to get this finished and done soon, though. But the best and easiest way to get me to write more is to tell me that you liked it. I thrive off feedback. And actually the only reason that the past two chapters have gone up is because someone liked/followed my story. So if you want to read more, let me know. Danu shook her head as she clung onto the pillow. The thunderstorm they were flying into wasn"t the biggest one she"d been in, but she still didn"t like it. And she liked the fact that it was happening at night even less. Septimus was sound asleep next to her. He"d managed to fall asleep before the storm hit, and hadn"t been awakened by it like she had. Another crack and flash, almost simultaneous, echoed through the small cabin. She buried her head into the pillow, debating whether or not to wake her husband. After all, he was supposed to protect her. But she wasn"t in any real danger. Finally, her need to have company won out and she shook Septimus gently. He sat up faster than she had seen anyone move, looking around as if there was great danger. "Septimus?" she asked. "Danu? I thought... What time is it?" "I"m not entirely sure," she confessed. "I think it"s about one or two in the morning." He looked over at her rumpled hair and the dark circles starting to form under her eyes. It was clear that she"d been up for a while. "Why are you awake?" he asked. A flash, so close that it had to have hit the wire strung to the ship for that exact purpose echoed through her skin. She almost jumped, but grabbed Septimus" hand. "The storm. I"ve been afraid of them for a while." He pulled her into his arms. "You should have woken me up when it started." She snuggled into his embrace, feeling her muscles relax. As long as she listened to his heartbeat she could ignore the thunder crashing just outside her room. "I didn"t want to disturb you," she mumbled. "You looked so peaceful sleeping there, and you need your rest. We"ll be at the palace soon, and then life will get interesting." He looked into her blue eyes, feeling himself falling for her. He had known it would happen, but he hadn"t expected how quickly it was happening. Part of him wanted to fight it, to remain as detached from his emotions as he had been while his brothers were alive. But a larger portion of him wanted to let himself be vulnerable now that his survival didn"t depend on him remaining aloof. "I"m not going to sleep when you can"t," he said. "I..." he trailed off. "Thank you." Danu whispered the words, softly exhaling as she curled up in the space that she seemed to fit as if it had been made for her. When her nose tickled his neck, it was all he could do to keep from kissing her breathless. He wasn"t sure if she needed that. While it would be a distraction from the storm, and he certainly wouldn"t be complaining, she had looked exhausted. Still, her lips ghosted over his skin, occasionally placing a kiss on particularly vulnerable parts of his neck. It looked like sleep wasn"t exactly on her mind. He kissed her heartily, his hands roaming over her. He enjoyed the little gasps and sounds that came from her as he distracted her from the storm raging outside. A/N: So yes, this chapter"s short. I really didn"t have much of an idea going on when I started. I"ll get them to the palace soon. I hope. Anyway. I"m doing much better at updating now. But seriously, reviews or anything would be greatly appreciated.

As she paced, her thoughts turned to that of her daughter. She wondered how she was doing. Obviously she hadn"t complied with Rothbart"s demands. He would have been much to eager to show his victory off if she had. She hadn"t received any word from Uberta other than her indignation at Humility"s encouragement of Derek"s behavior. Humility had laughed at that. Derek was as stubborn as his mother. He certainly didn"t need anyone to encourage him, but it wasn"t making him any worse. "Your Majesty," the old raspy voice of the court physician interrupted her thoughts. "You may go in now." With hardly so much as a nod his direction, the queen rushed to her husband"s side. "How are you feeling?" "Better than you," William answered. His fingers gently stroked the worry lines that creased his wife"s forehead more often than not those days. When she didn"t worry about him she worried about their daughter. "I"ll be fine. She"ll be fine. Derek would know if she wasn"t." Her words were more to soothe her own fears than those of her husband. William took her hand in his. "You"d know if she wasn"t. And the fact that you worry makes me nervous." "I don"t worry that she"s alive. I don"t worry that she"s safe. I worry about her being happy. And it"s my job to worry about her. I always have." A/N: Hello everyone. It"s good to be back. It"s really nice to be able to type without pain again. I"m just starting to get back into writing fan fiction, so please be patient with me. Also, sorry if my style"s changed too much over the years. It has been a while. Humility sat in her pew, gently dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. She couldn"t believe her daughter was getting married, and to the man who had been in her life from the very start. She had to admit it, William could be smart about love at times. William, next to his wife, waited as the bells rang out above them. They watched the young couple exit the church before he leaned over to whisper in his wife"s ear. "Are we supposed to congratulate them now?" "I think that we"ll do that at the reception. For now, they"ve got plenty to do," she replied. There was the parade. There was the formal introduction and coronation. Everything before the ball in the evening would be rushed and crazy. It wouldn"t be the reunion that Humility and William had wanted. It was a lovely wedding. It was a lovely day. And, as the events rolled on, it was clear that Rogers was a master at orchestrating not only musicians, but events as well. Finally, Odette"s parents got to speak with her. "We love you sweetheart," her mother said as she embraced the daughter that now towered over her. "Don"t ever forget that." "And we hope that you"re happy," William continued. "If he does anything wrong, just send him to your mother. She"ll straighten him out in no time." Odette just laughed, having the best day of her life. It truly was a happy ending. Humility sighed and rested her head back on the pillows. She knew that the christening ceremony would be happening now. Hundreds of other royals were going to be filling the great hall. Hopefully they would behave themselves this time. The queen did not want a repeat of the last feast. The food flying and crashing into the tapestries was not a pleasant sight. It had taken weeks to clean everything up. Humility perked her head up at some raised voices floating up through the castle. They soon faded and she relaxed again. A small smile crept onto her face as she pictured the scene downstairs. It was too bad she needed to rest. Her little Odette was going to be just fine. Just so long as her father did not betroth her to the highest bidder immediately. She deserved to find love on her own, just as her parents had done. It was quite a lovely story. A prince had married a commoner girl. But now was not the time for reminiscing. She needed to focus on recovering. The pregnancy had not been easy, and her small frame had almost prevented her from surviving. She needed to be around to see her daughter grow up. A loud crash echoed through the hallways of the lower castle floors. Humility could not help but to fear the worst. Oh no, not again. Her thoughts echoed louder and louder. She raced through the halls down to the kitchen only to find Odette happily sitting on a counter. A large bite of a cookie was in her mouth, obscuring her smile. The Queen could not suppress her laughter. True, the best green cookie jar was on the ground in shambles. But she had to admit that no one had gotten hurt. Her little girl was safe. Taking care to avoid the glass and the maid cleaning, Humility swept her daughter up into a hug. She was so relieved that only an insignificant glass jar had been hurt in this incident. "Mama, you squishing me," the little girl almost whined. Her voice was sweet, but it was soft enough to get the message across. "Sorry little one," came the answer from the queen. "You scared me. That was not the most quiet sound you have ever made." Odette looked confused. She had made louder sounds before. She thought that the one that would scare her mother the most would have been the scream of her falling out of a tree. She had done that once. "But, I did not scream," came her answer. The puzzled look on her face softened the queen"s heart. The frown Humility had worn melted into a smile as she hugged her little girl once again. "I know. I know." Her voice carried the words across even sweeter than she had intended. "Just try to avoid breaking anything else." "Alright mama." Odette"s bright blue eyes looked into her mother"s green ones with promise. Humility knew that Odette would not intentionally put herself in trouble while she was around her mother. Odette would not get in trouble while at home. That would be saved for latter summers. After five years the time had finally come. The time that Humility had to surrender her precious little one to the hands of fate. The time for Odette to meet Derek. Humility desperately wished that she could see her little one and help her along her way. However, despite her pleading, she would have to stay and govern her husband"s kingdom. William was afraid that if he appointed a steward he would appear to be playing favorites. Humility could understand her husband"s reasoning. She understood everything, but she wanted to be there for her little girl. It would not happen immediately, but one day Odette"s heart would break. And chances were, her mother would not be around to help her. It had seemed so far off when Odette could be held in one of her father"s arms. It had seemed not a moment too soon when she was breaking all the furniture and heirlooms. Now it seemed that time had flashed by. Humility could not help but remember the other day. She was chasing a blond haired fur ball down the hall. Her gown flared out behind her, dresses were not made for running, as she barreled down a corridor at her top speed. Humility"s slippers were long gone, on a different floor of the castle entirely. This was not the first time that Odette had covered herself in some substance. The top story floor still had traces of tar left from a few months ago. Then there was the time she covered her hair in eggs. The kitchen staff would not let her in unaccompanied any more. This time she had crept into the dog kennel, and being covered in glue, needed a bath to rid her of the fur she had accumulated. But as Odette hated bathing more than anything else in the world, the chances of her coming peacefully were slim. "Mama," came a small voice, breaking the train of thought Humility had. "Yes," the queen answered. Her soprano voice sounded clear against the tumult of feelings she felt inside. "Do I have to go?" The question was asked with certain desperation. The answer that the little one longed to hear was one that she did not seem to expect. Humility did not want to give her daughter the requisite answer. "I cannot tell your father anything once he has made up his mind. You should know that I tried. I said that it would be a little early, but he is so stubborn." The tone of her voice did not betray her frustration. "But, Mama. Why? Why do you have to stay here?" The innocence of the small one was enough to make even the hardest stone heart bleed. "You should not worry about that. I have to take care of everything here, and your Dad will be with you. You will be fine." Year after year Odette left to go to Derek"s kingdom. Year after year they fought each other in large battles. Year after year Odette begged her mother to accompany her on her journey. As much as Humility longed to be allowed to accompany her little girl on her journey through life, she knew that this was one area where William was unwavering. Her power was limited to what she was granted, and that small portion was more than any other girl in the entire country. If Humility had been there she would have seen the signs of infatuation, and been able to help her daughter through the pain. Several years Odette had cried upon arriving home, so glad to be away from "that evil, sneaking, two timing, weasel". Humility suspected that the first time Odette had attended a ball, and seen Derek dancing with another young noblewoman, she had cried herself to sleep. Most likely for the next week, if not month. Now she was supposed to be preparing to leave again. Instead she was avoiding the fact for as long as possible. She had locked herself in her room, and would not let anyone in to talk to her. Would not let anyone other than her mother into see her. She was thinner than was healthy for a girl her age. It was not a good idea to allow this type of behavior, but there was no other choice for her parents. They had tried commands, bribery, and even begging. Not a single thing had worked. In her chambers, Humility sat on her bed and rubbed her temples. The headache that was induced by the actions of her daughter refused to give up the threshold it had gathered. She knew that as soon as Odette either gave up on Derek, or realized her love for him, things would once again go smoothly. Odette was growing into a beautiful young woman. She had her mother"s long pale gold hair and her fathers ocean colored eyes. Humility suspected that her hair would turn a light brown, though that would most likely not happen until she became a mother herself. The pain in Humility"s head intensified as the door creaked open. William came in, as worried as his wife was, with a letter in hand. "You remember the letter that I sent to Uberta?" William asked. His pacing became quite annoying to Humility as she closed her eyes. "How could I forget? All you asked her was, and I quote, "What if Odette doesn"t go for the merger?' Really?" Now Humility was seriously wishing that the carpet was thick enough to muffle the sound of William"s foot steps. "Well, she wrote back." "And." There was only the slightest hint of impatience in Humility"s voice. William would have normally noticed, however, he was otherwise occupied. "She just says that I should urge her." Humility got up and put her hand on her husband"s shoulder. "She will go. She won"t like it but after this year there is nothing you can do. I think that she loves him, but I don"t know his feelings. It is up to him to hold her together. If she comes back crying this time I will be most unhappy. And he will have proved that he doesn"t deserve her." Humility sat up in her bed. The sky was dark and starless, but no clouds hung in the heavens. The thin sliver of the moon was in the western edge. All was as dark as it could be. She knew that something wasn"t right. Something was horribly wrong. Odette would be fine; she would come out of this endeavor stronger than ever. But it wasn"t Odette"s welfare that concerned Humility. It was William"s. The queen loved her daughter as much as any mother could, but her heart had belonged to William first. And something was not right in her heart. He was hurting, that she knew, and he might possibly be dead. But for now she had to focus. If William was dead, then she had a kingdom to rule. If he wasn"t dead, she still had to rule till he returned and was healthy enough to do it himself. This was probably the reason she had to have been left behind all these years. Tonight she had to sleep, the work would come tomorrow. This was Rothbart"s chance. He couldn"t kill William and marry his own cousin. That would just be wrong. And she still had the power to kill him and might possibly do so. She was the reason that he was still alive. She had pleaded for William to spare his life, for she loved her cousin. But if he had killed William, he would be better off dead. She had the temper of a fire when it came to her husband. But Odette was the perfect opportunity. Sweet and innocent, and helplessly in love with that fool Derek. All he"d have to do would be to crush her soul. Then she"d marry him and make him king. This would be the perfect revenge for what the king had done to him. The perfect revenge for taking away what he held most dear. "Dear princess, don"t worry." Odette hated Rothbart"s voice. She hated it with a passion. "The spell only lasts until the moon touches the lake, and then you turn back into a princess." Rothbart"s little sister Bridget was throwing bread crumbs at Odette"s head. Odette found it extremely annoying, and she backed away slowly unknowingly swimming into the reflection of the moon. Suddenly she was pulled under by some unseen force. The water swirled around her as she gasped for air that wasn"t there. She felt the water on her skin, unusual as the feathers had protected her just a moment ago. And all of a sudden she was completely dry again. Completely dry and human. She started to walk away from Rothbart and his evil little sister. She knew that he was her mother"s cousin. The whole world knew that. It was why he was still alive. She just couldn"t believe it. And she had to get away. "In the morning you turn back into a swan wherever you are. In order to be human, you need to be on the lake at night." Odette Slumped to the ground at these words. There was no way that she could possibly live under these conditions. She needed to go home. She needed to figure out her feeling. There might be all the time in the world for that here, but the sage advice from her mother was not. Rothbart continued "Of course. I could always remove the spell." His tone implied a cost but Odette was too distraught to notice. "You could?" she asked. There was a flicker of hope in her eyes. "On one condition." She suddenly became hesitant. Most people wanted her to do something that she had no power over. She wasn"t the head of the government. "What do you want?" she asked. "The kingdom." She couldn"t believe him. He had kidnapped her and then wanted her father"s land. There was no way that she would willingly give it to him. Not in this life. "Then take it," she said, hoping to tempt him into it. "You have the power." She knew that the guards could take him down, they had been preparing for the eventuality all her life. "No, once you take something by force you spend your whole life fighting to keep it. But," he said. "If I marry the only heir to the kingdom, no one can say anything." She stood there with her mouth wide open. She couldn"t believe him. "Never," she choked out. "Enjoy your stay as a swan." And then he was gone. Humility sat on her throne looking rather pale. In truth she always looked pale in comparison with most, but today looked even paler than normal Her hair was falling out of its braid and there were a few strands of gray hair at her temple that hadn"t been there yesterday. Her veil was out of place as well. She looked as though she was waiting for something. Something important. A guard came in. "Yes." One word was all he said, and it was all she needed to hear. Without warning to anyone else in the room she picked up her skirts and ran. She tore down the halls and stairways. Maids grumbled. Servants looked at her questionably. Odette was grown up and not even here. What could cause her to run like that? But she hardly cared anymore. She just needed to get there. She had to know for herself whether the worst had possibly happened. She ran all the way to the docks. Breathless and painting she could see the outline of a ship on the horizon. Her height didn"t help with that. It came closer and closer and not soon enough to calm the queen down. She had started pacing less than five minutes in. When the ship docked Humility couldn"t help but notice that the flag of the king was flying above the mast. He was alive and aboard the ship. She heaved a sigh and as soon as the planks were down she booked it up to board the ship. The captain quickly pointed her in the direction of her husband"s cabin. Once inside she saw him. William. He was in a not so good state. True he was alive, the rise and fall of his chest told her that much, and he was conscious. Sort of. But the bandage covering his entire torso, leaking in some areas, was not a good sign. She sat down next to him on his cot. "How are you?" she asked. "Uhhggg." "I"ll take that as a "not so good." Alright." "Good. To. See. You." He choked on his words. "Shh." She said lovingly. "You need to get better. There"s a kingdom to run. A daughter to find, but she"ll be alright." "How..." "Don"t talk," she reprimanded gently. "I think that it"s Rothbart." "Rothbart." The king growled his name. "Honey. What did I say about talking?" she asked. "Don"t answer that," she added after a quick realization. "I know he"s my cousin. And I know that he"s done some horrible things in the past. But I also know him and I know that he wouldn"t hurt Odette." William just looked at her and reached for her hand. Humility took his hand and gave it a soft squeeze before going on. "You don"t hurt family members, at least not blood ones. You don"t really count. And if he wants the kingdom the only claim he"ll ever have is if he marries Odette." A scowl grew over William"s face until he grimaced in pain. "Sailor," Humility called out the door. "Would you mind helping me get my husband back to the castle. I"m afraid that I can"t lift him and he"s horribly hurt." Dear Humility, I am very sorry for the unfortunate circumstances that have occurred over the last week or so. By the time you receive this letter though, it will be much longer. First off, I must relay the activities that happened at my palace. That I can give you accurate details about thought what comes after is much less clear. When Odette arrived she and Derek were shepherded into the ballroom, alone which in retrospect seems less than wise, at which point they started to dance. Derek called for the wedding to be arranged. Odette, the most sweet and sensitive girl, asked why Derek wanted to marry her. He said that she was all he ever wanted, which is true, but then went on to say that she was beautiful. No pause. I admit that he is not the most articulate boy, but he can be so thick at times. When she asked him what else there was he couldn"t think of anything. So Odette and William left. There was hardly any point for them to stick around longer, but if they had the situation could have been avoided. On their way to the boat they were attacked. The guard said something about a man, Derek ran off found your husband who said something about a great animal. William should be arriving on the boat around the same time as this letter. I have no idea about the condition that he is in. Hopefully he is still alive. Odette has not been found. We suspect foul-play. The people are still searching for her, but hope is dwindling with every day that passes. Sincerely, Uberta. Dear Uberta, I must tell you that I was most displeased with your last letter. We used to be on such good terms. The letters that used to be sent between us were filled to the brim with emotion. Whether it be happiness or grief, joy or immense sadness I would rather have the old correspondence between us again than what you reported to me in the last letter. Thankfully, William returned home alive. His condition is not very stable at the moment so he will be spending some quality time recovering. I will be spending more time acting as regent. Odette has not returned home yet. I believe that she is alive and will return yet. As for Derek, if he truly loves Odette he will have a chance to correct his rather egregious mistake. It will take time and it will not be easy at all. However, it will be possible. I wish him the best in his efforts. I wish that ease comes to you as you rule your kingdom. Sincerely, Humility. Dear Humility, I find it a little odd that both you and Derek are insisting that Odette is still alive. There is hardly any evidence to suggest that she still remains in this world. I would suggest that you prepare for the worst. If you can offer me any logical reason to continue the search, we will do so with all our efforts. Sincerely, Uberta. Dear Uberta, One word. Rothbart. Sincerely, Humility. No, I"m not dead. No, I haven"t given up on the story. I moved, got a new computer and only just got around to putting a new word processor on. So I do have an excuse, even if it isn"t a very good one. Hopefully the next update will be a lot sooner.

.org/fundraise?fcid=150896 As incentive for you to donate, I"m just going to say that for every ten dollars that I raise I"ll post a new chapter. If no one donates I won"t be posting till December, and possibly later. Derek searched long and hard for something, anything, that would tell him about Odette. If Humility was right and Rothbart had really taken her... Darek didn"t want to think about what might have happened. There were somethings that second cousins could do that first cousins were forbidden from even considering. Not that anyone could actually control thoughts though. He sighed as he climbed up the lader for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. He had been through just about the entire library and was now just getting to the section on dark magic. Derek had rather hoped that what he was looking for would be somewhere else, but after what his mother had told him he could hardly think of looking anywhere else. And then he saw it. The thing that would explain King William"s cryptic mutterings that night. An entire chapter on the theory of shape-shifting. It had detailed notes on the physical changes that would happen and some of the possible side effects, some of the more common ones included insanity and a permanant change of features. It was rather startling to see. Derek jumped off the ladder and hurried out the door to find Bromley. He knew that with a little luck they would be able to find her. Odette swam around the lake again and again thinking. She felt like she just needed to get away. Get out. Fly away and find Derek. Threre was just one little problem with that. She didn"t know where she was, let alone where Derek would be. For all she knew he could have given her up for dead and be married and on his honeymoon right now. Odette shuddered at that thought. She didn"t want to think of the possibility that Derek might be married to anyone other than her. She might have not said it out loud, but she was in love with Derek. "So what are you going to do?" Puffin asked. "About what?" Odette shook out of her contemplative state. "About that prince of yours." A/N: So I realized that I started this over a year ago and I can"t even seem to get one chapter a month up. How pathetic is that? Anyway, I"m going to try to be more frequent on updates and such. Hope that no one"s mad at me. And just as a side note. I will finish this story. I may be on hold for long periods of time, but I never abandon a project. Humility paced the halls, the white streak in her hair a little more visible with her distinct lack of veil. She bit her fingernails as she waited for the physician to finish his examination of her husband. He had been recovering nicely, but there was still question as to how long his recovery would take. As she paced, her thoughts turned to that of her daughter. She wondered how she was doing. Obviously she hadn"t complied with Rothbart"s demands. He would have been much to eager to show his victory off if she had. She hadn"t received any word from Uberta other than her indignation at Humility"s encouragement of Derek"s behavior. Humility had laughed at that. Derek was as stubborn as his mother. He certainly didn"t need anyone to encourage him, but it wasn"t making him any worse. "Your Majesty," the old raspy voice of the court physician interrupted her thoughts. "You may go in now." With hardly so much as a nod his direction, the queen rushed to her husband"s side. "How are you feeling?" "Better than you," William answered. His fingers gently stroked the worry lines that creased his wife"s forehead more often than not those days. When she didn"t worry about him she worried about their daughter. "I"ll be fine. She"ll be fine. Derek would know if she wasn"t." Her words were more to soothe her own fears than those of her husband. William took her hand in his. "You"d know if she wasn"t. And the fact that you worry makes me nervous." "I don"t worry that she"s alive. I don"t worry that she"s safe. I worry about her being happy. And it"s my job to worry about her. I always have." A/N: Hello everyone. It"s good to be back. It"s really nice to be able to type without pain again. I"m just starting to get back into writing fan fiction, so please be patient with me. Also, sorry if my style"s changed too much over the years. It has been a while. Humility sat in her pew, gently dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. She couldn"t believe her daughter was getting married, and to the man who had been in her life from the very start. She had to admit it, William could be smart about love at times. William, next to his wife, waited as the bells rang out above them. They watched the young couple exit the church before he leaned over to whisper in his wife"s ear. "Are we supposed to congratulate them now?" "I think that we"ll do that at the reception. For now, they"ve got plenty to do," she replied. There was the parade. There was the formal introduction and coronation. Everything before the ball in the evening would be rushed and crazy. It wouldn"t be the reunion that Humility and William had wanted. It was a lovely wedding. It was a lovely day. And, as the events rolled on, it was clear that Rogers was a master at orchestrating not only musicians, but events as well. Finally, Odette"s parents got to speak with her. "We love you sweetheart," her mother said as she embraced the daughter that now towered over her. "Don"t ever forget that." "And we hope that you"re happy," William continued. "If he does anything wrong, just send him to your mother. She"ll straighten him out in no time." Odette just laughed, having the best day of her life. It truly was a happy ending. Humility sighed and rested her head back on the pillows. She knew that the christening ceremony would be happening now. Hundreds of other royals were going to be filling the great hall. Hopefully they would behave themselves this time. The queen did not want a repeat of the last feast. The food flying and crashing into the tapestries was not a pleasant sight. It had taken weeks to clean everything up. Humility perked her head up at some raised voices floating up through the castle. They soon faded and she relaxed again. A small smile crept onto her face as she pictured the scene downstairs. It was too bad she needed to rest. Her little Odette was going to be just fine. Just so long as her father did not betroth her to the highest bidder immediately. She deserved to find love on her own, just as her parents had done. It was quite a lovely story. A prince had married a commoner girl. But now was not the time for reminiscing. She needed to focus on recovering. The pregnancy had not been easy, and her small frame had almost prevented her from surviving. She needed to be around to see her daughter grow up. A loud crash echoed through the hallways of the lower castle floors. Humility could not help but to fear the worst. Oh no, not again. Her thoughts echoed louder and louder. She raced through the halls down to the kitchen only to find Odette happily sitting on a counter. A large bite of a cookie was in her mouth, obscuring her smile. The Queen could not suppress her laughter. True, the best green cookie jar was on the ground in shambles. But she had to admit that no one had gotten hurt. Her little girl was safe. Taking care to avoid the glass and the maid cleaning, Humility swept her daughter up into a hug. She was so relieved that only an insignificant glass jar had been hurt in this incident. "Mama, you squishing me," the little girl almost whined. Her voice was sweet, but it was soft enough to get the message across. "Sorry little one," came the answer from the queen. "You scared me. That was not the most quiet sound you have ever made." Odette looked confused. She had made louder sounds before. She thought that the one that would scare her mother the most would have been the scream of her falling out of a tree. She had done that once. "But, I did not scream," came her answer. The puzzled look on her face softened the queen"s heart. The frown Humility had worn melted into a smile as she hugged her little girl once again. "I know. I know." Her voice carried the words across even sweeter than she had intended. "Just try to avoid breaking anything else." "Alright mama." Odette"s bright blue eyes looked into her mother"s green ones with promise. Humility knew that Odette would not intentionally put herself in trouble while she was around her mother. Odette would not get in trouble while at home. That would be saved for latter summers. After five years the time had finally come. The time that Humility had to surrender her precious little one to the hands of fate. The time for Odette to meet Derek. Humility desperately wished that she could see her little one and help her along her way. However, despite her pleading, she would have to stay and govern her husband"s kingdom. William was afraid that if he appointed a steward he would appear to be playing favorites. Humility could understand her husband"s reasoning. She understood everything, but she wanted to be there for her little girl. It would not happen immediately, but one day Odette"s heart would break. And chances were, her mother would not be around to help her. It had seemed so far off when Odette could be held in one of her father"s arms. It had seemed not a moment too soon when she was breaking all the furniture and heirlooms. Now it seemed that time had flashed by. Humility could not help but remember the other day. She was chasing a blond haired fur ball down the hall. Her gown flared out behind her, dresses were not made for running, as she barreled down a corridor at her top speed. Humility"s slippers were long gone, on a different floor of the castle entirely. This was not the first time that Odette had covered herself in some substance. The top story floor still had traces of tar left from a few months ago. Then there was the time she covered her hair in eggs. The kitchen staff would not let her in unaccompanied any more. This time she had crept into the dog kennel, and being covered in glue, needed a bath to rid her of the fur she had accumulated. But as Odette hated bathing more than anything else in the world, the chances of her coming peacefully were slim. "Mama," came a small voice, breaking the train of thought Humility had. "Yes," the queen answered. Her soprano voice sounded clear against the tumult of feelings she felt inside. "Do I have to go?" The question was asked with certain desperation. The answer that the little one longed to hear was one that she did not seem to expect. Humility did not want to give her daughter the requisite answer. "I cannot tell your father anything once he has made up his mind. You should know that I tried. I said that it would be a little early, but he is so stubborn." The tone of her voice did not betray her frustration. "But, Mama. Why? Why do you have to stay here?" The innocence of the small one was enough to make even the hardest stone heart bleed. "You should not worry about that. I have to take care of everything here, and your Dad will be with you. You will be fine." Year after year Odette left to go to Derek"s kingdom. Year after year they fought each other in large battles. Year after year Odette begged her mother to accompany her on her journey. As much as Humility longed to be allowed to accompany her little girl on her journey through life, she knew that this was one area where William was unwavering. Her power was limited to what she was granted, and that small portion was more than any other girl in the entire country. If Humility had been there she would have seen the signs of infatuation, and been able to help her daughter through the pain. Several years Odette had cried upon arriving home, so glad to be away from "that evil, sneaking, two timing, weasel". Humility suspected that the first time Odette had attended a ball, and seen Derek dancing with another young noblewoman, she had cried herself to sleep. Most likely for the next week, if not month. Now she was supposed to be preparing to leave again. Instead she was avoiding the fact for as long as possible. She had locked herself in her room, and would not let anyone in to talk to her. Would not let anyone other than her mother into see her. She was thinner than was healthy for a girl her age. It was not a good idea to allow this type of behavior, but there was no other choice for her parents. They had tried commands, bribery, and even begging. Not a single thing had worked. In her chambers, Humility sat on her bed and rubbed her temples. The headache that was induced by the actions of her daughter refused to give up the threshold it had gathered. She knew that as soon as Odette either gave up on Derek, or realized her love for him, things would once again go smoothly. Odette was growing into a beautiful young woman. She had her mother"s long pale gold hair and her fathers ocean colored eyes. Humility suspected that her hair would turn a light brown, though that would most likely not happen until she became a mother herself. The pain in Humility"s head intensified as the door creaked open. William came in, as worried as his wife was, with a letter in hand. "You remember the letter that I sent to Uberta?" William asked. His pacing became quite annoying to Humility as she closed her eyes. "How could I forget? All you asked her was, and I quote, "What if Odette doesn"t go for the merger?' Really?" Now Humility was seriously wishing that the carpet was thick enough to muffle the sound of William"s foot steps. "Well, she wrote back." "And." There was only the slightest hint of impatience in Humility"s voice. William would have normally noticed, however, he was otherwise occupied. "She just says that I should urge her." Humility got up and put her hand on her husband"s shoulder. "She will go. She won"t like it but after this year there is nothing you can do. I think that she loves him, but I don"t know his feelings. It is up to him to hold her together. If she comes back crying this time I will be most unhappy. And he will have proved that he doesn"t deserve her." Humility sat up in her bed. The sky was dark and starless, but no clouds hung in the heavens. The thin sliver of the moon was in the western edge. All was as dark as it could be. She knew that something wasn"t right. Something was horribly wrong. Odette would be fine; she would come out of this endeavor stronger than ever. But it wasn"t Odette"s welfare that concerned Humility. It was William"s. The queen loved her daughter as much as any mother could, but her heart had belonged to William first. And something was not right in her heart. He was hurting, that she knew, and he might possibly be dead. But for now she had to focus. If William was dead, then she had a kingdom to rule. If he wasn"t dead, she still had to rule till he returned and was healthy enough to do it himself. This was probably the reason she had to have been left behind all these years. Tonight she had to sleep, the work would come tomorrow. This was Rothbart"s chance. He couldn"t kill William and marry his own cousin. That would just be wrong. And she still had the power to kill him and might possibly do so. She was the reason that he was still alive. She had pleaded for William to spare his life, for she loved her cousin. But if he had killed William, he would be better off dead. She had the temper of a fire when it came to her husband. But Odette was the perfect opportunity. Sweet and innocent, and helplessly in love with that fool Derek. All he"d have to do would be to crush her soul. Then she"d marry him and make him king. This would be the perfect revenge for what the king had done to him. The perfect revenge for taking away what he held most dear. "Dear princess, don"t worry." Odette hated Rothbart"s voice. She hated it with a passion. "The spell only lasts until the moon touches the lake, and then you turn back into a princess." Rothbart"s little sister Bridget was throwing bread crumbs at Odette"s head. Odette found it extremely annoying, and she backed away slowly unknowingly swimming into the reflection of the moon. Suddenly she was pulled under by some unseen force. The water swirled around her as she gasped for air that wasn"t there. She felt the water on her skin, unusual as the feathers had protected her just a moment ago. And all of a sudden she was completely dry again. Completely dry and human. She started to walk away from Rothbart and his evil little sister. She knew that he was her mother"s cousin. The whole world knew that. It was why he was still alive. She just couldn"t believe it. And she had to get away. "In the morning you turn back into a swan wherever you are. In order to be human, you need to be on the lake at night." Odette Slumped to the ground at these words. There was no way that she could possibly live under these conditions. She needed to go home. She needed to figure out her feeling. There might be all the time in the world for that here, but the sage advice from her mother was not. Rothbart continued "Of course. I could always remove the spell." His tone implied a cost but Odette was too distraught to notice. "You could?" she asked. There was a flicker of hope in her eyes. "On one condition." She suddenly became hesitant. Most people wanted her to do something that she had no power over. She wasn"t the head of the government. "What do you want?" she asked. "The kingdom." She couldn"t believe him. He had kidnapped her and then wanted her father"s land. There was no way that she would willingly give it to him. Not in this life. "Then take it," she said, hoping to tempt him into it. "You have the power." She knew that the guards could take him down, they had been preparing for the eventuality all her life. "No, once you take something by force you spend your whole life fighting to keep it. But," he said. "If I marry the only heir to the kingdom, no one can say anything." She stood there with her mouth wide open. She couldn"t believe him. "Never," she choked out. "Enjoy your stay as a swan." And then he was gone. Humility sat on her throne looking rather pale. In truth she always looked pale in comparison with most, but today looked even paler than normal Her hair was falling out of its braid and there were a few strands of gray hair at her temple that hadn"t been there yesterday. Her veil was out of place as well. She looked as though she was waiting for something. Something important. A guard came in. "Yes." One word was all he said, and it was all she needed to hear. Without warning to anyone else in the room she picked up her skirts and ran. She tore down the halls and stairways. Maids grumbled. Servants looked at her questionably. Odette was grown up and not even here. What could cause her to run like that? But she hardly cared anymore. She just needed to get there. She had to know for herself whether the worst had possibly happened. She ran all the way to the docks. Breathless and painting she could see the outline of a ship on the horizon. Her height didn"t help with that. It came closer and closer and not soon enough to calm the queen down. She had started pacing less than five minutes in. When the ship docked Humility couldn"t help but notice that the flag of the king was flying above the mast. He was alive and aboard the ship. She heaved a sigh and as soon as the planks were down she booked it up to board the ship. The captain quickly pointed her in the direction of her husband"s cabin. Once inside she saw him. William. He was in a not so good state. True he was alive, the rise and fall of his chest told her that much, and he was conscious. Sort of. But the bandage covering his entire torso, leaking in some areas, was not a good sign. She sat down next to him on his cot. "How are you?" she asked. "Uhhggg." "I"ll take that as a "not so good." Alright." "Good. To. See. You." He choked on his words. "Shh." She said lovingly. "You need to get better. There"s a kingdom to run. A daughter to find, but she"ll be alright." "How..." "Don"t talk," she reprimanded gently. "I think that it"s Rothbart." "Rothbart." The king growled his name. "Honey. What did I say about talking?" she asked. "Don"t answer that," she added after a quick realization. "I know he"s my cousin. And I know that he"s done some horrible things in the past. But I also know him and I know that he wouldn"t hurt Odette." William just looked at her and reached for her hand. Humility took his hand and gave it a soft squeeze before going on. "You don"t hurt family members, at least not blood ones. You don"t really count. And if he wants the kingdom the only claim he"ll ever have is if he marries Odette." A scowl grew over William"s face until he grimaced in pain. "Sailor," Humility called out the door. "Would you mind helping me get my husband back to the castle. I"m afraid that I can"t lift him and he"s horribly hurt." Dear Humility, I am very sorry for the unfortunate circumstances that have occurred over the last week or so. By the time you receive this letter though, it will be much longer. First off, I must relay the activities that happened at my palace. That I can give you accurate details about thought what comes after is much less clear. When Odette arrived she and Derek were shepherded into the ballroom, alone which in retrospect seems less than wise, at which point they started to dance. Derek called for the wedding to be arranged. Odette, the most sweet and sensitive girl, asked why Derek wanted to marry her. He said that she was all he ever wanted, which is true, but then went on to say that she was beautiful. No pause. I admit that he is not the most articulate boy, but he can be so thick at times. When she asked him what else there was he couldn"t think of anything. So Odette and William left. There was hardly any point for them to stick around longer, but if they had the situation could have been avoided. On their way to the boat they were attacked. The guard said something about a man, Derek ran off found your husband who said something about a great animal. William should be arriving on the boat around the same time as this letter. I have no idea about the condition that he is in. Hopefully he is still alive. Odette has not been found. We suspect foul-play. The people are still searching for her, but hope is dwindling with every day that passes.

"Nonsense," Yvaine replied. "Silver suits me better and I"m sure that I can find a new necklace. But, it it is too ostentatious for you..." "That"s not what I meant," Danu cut her off. "I love it. But I meant that I couldn"t take anything so valuable from you." Yvaine shrugged. The necklace had no importance to her. She hardly even noticed its worth. Earthly possessions meant little to her. As Yvaine clasped the necklace around Danu"s throat, the girl gazed in amazement at the diamond. It was cut beautifully, perfectly, and was over half the size of her palm. It was the most impressive gemstone that she had seen in her life. "Thank you ," the girl gasped as she embraced the star. "This has to be the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me." Yvaine laughed at the girl"s antics. "So I gave you an old necklace that I didn"t want," she said. "It"s not that big of a deal. A/N: Alright. This story seems to be fairly popular. But all who read it are visitors. Alright I do love reviews and I do accept anonymous ones so it would be wonderful to get at least one. I can"t give metaphorical cookies to anyone if I don"t know who they are. Has anyone guessed where I got my name for Captain Shakespeare? All you Septimus fans out there, patience. Just one more chapter to go and then you"ll get to meet him. I haven"t introduced him in the chapter I have all planned out, but never fear. I"ll mention him and in chapter four, it"s all Septimus. Okay. Not exactly. But that"s beside the point. Did I mention that I love all my readers. It"s been amazing to have you. Chapter 3 The Storm Days passed and Danu was extrodianrily glad to have a friend aboard the ship. She and Yvaine could, and often did, talk through all hours of the night and day. It turned out that had different circumstances arisen, they would have likely been lifelong friends. As it was, it was highly likely that they would only see each other for a few more days before parting ways forever. Yvaine knew that Danu knew that she was a star. If everything went according to plan, A or B, she would probably be back home in the sky soon. But Danu could see that Yvaine"s plan was crumbling to peices before her very eyes. Yvaine just didn"t realize it. She just couldn"t see that she was head over heals in love with a boy called Tristain Thorn. And it was Danu"s ears that listened when Yvaine prattled on and on about him. Sometimes without even realizing it. It was rather obvious to her friend that she had given him her heart. If only Yvaine would realize it. But giving her heart away would keep her safer than anyone person could on thier own. It would keep her safe from anyone who wanted to cut out her heart and eat it. When her heart truly belonged to another, she no longer kept that transfer of immortality. He would live as long as she did. Danu shook her head. She seriously needed to stop being overly philosophical at times like these. It was almost as bad as the times when she stated thinking about a edguy, one she had never met before, and started daydreaming about him. She had better things to do, but being alone hardly improved her focus. The ship lurched to the left as lightning struck for the fifth time that hour. Danu held on to her chair for dear life. Thunder rumbled in the air. For the millionth time Danu wished that she could be on deck. Not because she liked storms. In all honesty, she was terrified of the flashing lights and crashing sounds that accompanied the summer storms. But she was even more afraid of them when she was all alone. She was scared enough to face the lightning and the chance of dying if someone else would be around her. Tristain and Yvaine were on deck helping. Tristain was because he was supposidly the captain"s nephew and heeded to learn tricks of the trade. Yvaine, she was up there because Tristain was. Yvaine hardly let Tristain out of her sight. If he was practicing with a sword, she had to be watching to make sure that he didn"t wind up hurting himself. If he was doing something where she might be able to help him, then she was going to be there ready. Danu envied Yvaine. While bothe she and Tristain were compleatly oblivious, the clearly loved each other. And Yvain was truly lucky to have the love and devotion of a man like Tristain. Fingering the heavy chain of the necklace about her throat, Danu sighed softly. She desperately longed to be loved in the same way that Yvaine was loved by Tristain. But, with her being shut away from anyone and everyone, it hardly seemed likely. How could anyone love her if they didn"t even know that she existed? If they had never met her let alone talked to her. It was impossible. The ship lurched again, and Danu decided that it was high time for her to go to sleep. Even with the lingering doubt in her mind that she would not be able to achieve a respite from her fears, the blankets looked warm and inviting. Danu climbed into her bed and tried to drift off. Just as she was about to enter the world of dreams, ligtning flashed. She sat bolt upright and opened her mouth, but her screams were swallowed bu the sound of thunder. Clamping her mouth shut, thakfully no one had come running at her screams, she tried to calm herself down. Her whole body shook with the effort it took her to be quiet when ligtning struck again. Tears streamed down Danu"s face as she struggled to keep from screaming. She hugged her blankets as close to her as physically possible. Her arms and legs burned as she curled in upon herself. Shaking from the thunder still ringing in her ears, Danu beganto sob. Her body shook with each heaving sob. No longer trying to be quiet, the fear had overcome her, her crying grew in volume. Someone should have heard, apart from the fact that the pelting rain disquised any and all noise. Clinging on to her beadclothes for all she was worth, danu"s musscels relaxedone by one. Softly, gently, she fell asleep and into dreams about a tall man with dark peircing eyes. A/N: So I said that I"d try to get Septimus into this chapter. It was a lot harder than I anticipated. In case you can"t tell. He"s the one that she"s dreaming about. Hopefully it will all make sense later. On a less happy note. I will probably not update for quite some time now. I somehow managed to hurt my wrist while at school and guess what. It turns out that I have tendonitis which is temporary, so... Hopefuly I"ll be able to write more in a few weeks. But the brace means that it"s hard to do just about anything and I have to get a splint so that it will be completly imobilized. Recap. Septimus will be in the next chapter. He"s fully introduced there and everything. And you probably won"t get it for a while. The only reason I managed to type this up is I did it one handed while on spring break. And yes, I get that our spring break is a little late. Whatever. Lakeside Gravity Danu was curled up in her chair with the book Yvaine had given her. Her boots stuck out of the fluffy mess of skirt and petticoats that she wore as they rested on the armrest. Her long brown hair hung down the other side of the chair. She felt the slight dip of the ship that signaled descent, and sighed. Sticking a random piece of parchment in the pages, she stretched the kinks out of her neck and sat up. The door was still safely shut, which meant that she had a few moments more than she originally thought. She braced herself for impact, grateful that this time someone had managed to land the ship relatively smoothly. The previous landing had jarred her much more than she would have liked. She paced around her cabin six times, the heels of her boots lightly tapping on the wooden floor. Her cabin wasn"t particularly large, but she paced it diligently, biding her time. She wanted to get out of the stuffy space, but was still afraid to do so. There was something about being on land that made all of the crew members more adventurous. They usually spent the first day lazing about near the ship, but hardly paid much attention to their surroundings and people. The only ones they cared about were the ones with weapons. Danu slipped her boots off her feet. She held them in her hand and carefully opened the door. She continued to hold her boots in one hand as she crept along. Her skirt, though much more voluminous than preferred for sneaking around, hardly rustled at all as she turned one corner after another. There was a huge ruckus from the top deck, and Danu stepped back a bit before continuing on. She had no clue what was going on, but it didn"t look like anyone was going to be coming down for quite some time. She continued on for only a few moments before hearing slight creaking and music. She knew that her uncle had a music machine thing, she couldn"t remember its proper name, but he didn"t creak floorboards that way when he played it. There was too much carpet in his cabin. She moved silently, almost stalking the noise. The creak was subtle, so subtle that anyone not looking for it would have missed it. In all the commotion that was happening above deck, Danu was surprised that she had heard it in spite of the fact that she had conditioned herself to respond to even the slightest noise. She leaned against the wall, just a few feet from where a man dressed all in black stood. He had unsheathed his sword, and appeared to be taking great care to make as little noise as possible. "Come here often?" Danu asked. She couldn"t help but try to lighten what appeared to be a very tense moment for him. "Who are you?" He tensed up even more, his gloves hiding the whiteness of his knuckles as he gripped his sword even tighter. "That"s no way to treat a lady." The man looked her over. In her blue dress, the golden chain around her neck glimmered in the light. He recognized the chain instead of the diamond. He had seen the thick coil around his father"s neck his whole life. "I suppose not," he said as he sheathed his sword. He removed his gloves and walked towards Danu, a strange contemplative look in his eyes. She became increasingly aware of her height, or lack thereof. He was tall, with dark hair and black eyes that seemed to pierce her soul. She felt her breath hitch in her throat, almost as if it was stuck. There was a certain attraction that she had never felt before. The man picked up the pendant. In his hands the stone turned from a diamond to a ruby. Danu stared at the man in front of her with shock. She hadn"t ever expected a prince to even speak to her. She was about to drop to her knees. She would have had the necklace not stopped her before she had lowered herself only a few inches to the degree of a princess to a king. She stood again, feeling more confused than ever. "My lord, please forgive my impertinence. I was not aware of your identity." He was much too young to be Primus, and the only other prince alive was Septimus. He had the most notorious reputation. But whatever could be said about him, he was powerful and alive. He could cut off her head in an instant if he felt like it. He walked around her, letting go of the pendant as he circled. His eyes wandered over every inch of her from her light brown hair tumbling down her back, to the faintest touch of a blush on her cheeks. What he noticed the most, was that her eyes were the most brilliant shade of blue. He would have sworn that they were brighter than the sky and more intense than the ocean. They burned with emotion, with only a hint of fear at the surface. He had always favored the color blue, but in that moment he loved it. "Strong willed, a good sense of pride, common sense. You have some fine traits, even if you are a little short." "I"m not short," Danu replied a little quickly. "Feisty too. I would say that you meet most of the qualifications. Now tell me, who is your next of kin?" And I"m going to leave it here for now. Sorry it"s taken me so long to get back to this. I didn"t expect my wrist to hurt for as long as it did. I"m still working on everything, it"s just been on hold for longer than I would have originally liked. Thank you all for putting up with me and my sporadic updates. I"ll try to get the next chapter up next week. Danu mumbled something about a captain and her uncle, looking down at the floor. She couldn"t help it. Being in front of a prince, no a king, was intimidating. "I"m afraid I didn"t catch that," Septimus said. "My Uncle, Captain Shakespeare is physically the closest relative available. If you want one of my parents, I"m afraid you"ll have to travel a while to get to them. Even on the ship," Danu said. His voice had softened and that made Danu a little more comfortable. She still stared at the floor, unsure of how to act in the presence of a king, but she had managed to find her voice. "Is he on the ship now?" Septimus asked. "Yes." Danu looked up at him, wondering what he was asking. Septimus held out his arm for her to take. "Would you lead me to him?" She took it, not sure if it was a wise thing to turn a king down. Not that she wanted to. He was attractive, and she felt drawn to him. His eyes were dark and smoldering, like the ones she had been dreaming about. She led him down the corridor, and then through a few twists and turns to the cabin of Captain Shakespeare. There was music playing, as it usually was when the crew had free time. Danu knocked as loudly as she could. "Captain?" she called through the door. "There"s someone here to see you." The music stopped. There was a slight scuffling noise, and then a pause. Captain Shakespeare opened the door in a dressing gown, a smudge on his right cheek. Danu internally rolled her eyes. "What can I help you with?" he asked Septimus "May we come in?" Septimus asked. "I seem to have found a young lady on board and I"m not sure I want the crew to come rushing down and find her." Captain Shakespeare nodded. He wasn"t too keen on the idea of them finding Danu either. He would do anything to keep her safe. "So what can I do for you today?" Septimus took a deep breath. Even though he had spent his whole life trying to become king, he was unsure of what to do in the situation he was in. The stone had not only chosen him, but it seemed it had chosen a queen as well. "I"m Septimus. Former prince, and now king of Stormhold. And I have to ask you for your niece"s hand in marriage." Both of Danu"s and Captain Shakespeare"s jaws dropped at the request. Captain Shakespeare because he wasn"t sure what would prompt such a question, and Danu"s at the idea that he would ask her uncle without asking her. "Why would you ask such a thing?" Captain Shakespeare asked. "Under normal circumstances I wouldn"t," Septimus replied. "After all, we only just met. Normally I would have asked to court her and then marry her. But the stone chose me to be king, and it appears to have chosen her to be my consort." "It can do that?" Danu asked. "Under rare circumstances. Usually it tells the king when his love is near," he explained. "As most of the kings met their wives after they had been king for a while." Danu blushed a little and looked back at the floor. While she found him startlingly handsome, the way he looked at her was slightly intimidating. He looked at her as if she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Septimus wished that Danu would look at him. Her eyes were blue. His favourite colour was blue, and her eyes were it. When she had looked at him before it had flooded him with feelings that he wasn"t quite sure exactly what they were. But the longer he stood close to her, the more intense a pull he felt towards her. He supposed it could be the ruby hanging around her neck, but that seemed unlikely. "And what do you want Danu?" Captain Shakespeare asked. She pondered his question for a few seconds. "I think that he"s right," she said. "It does feel as if the stone can choose, and I don"t feel as if questioning it too much would be the wisest thing ever. After all, you"re a pirate on a flying ship." She looked at her uncle and he nodded his head. There wasn"t anything he could argue with that. "If she agrees to marry you, then I have no objections." Danu and Septimus looked at each other, each daring to hope. Danu nodded her assent, and Septimus felt his mouth curve in a fraction of a smile. "Would you marry us?" he asked Captain Shakespeare. "Here? Now?" "I know it"s a little unusual, but this whole thing is unusual," Septimus said. "And you"re a captain of a ship. If you do it, it"s just as binding as if a priest did it." "Alright," Captain Shakespeare said. He performed the wedding, acting as both witness and officiator. The couple stood in front of him, nervous and excited, in spite of having just met. "You may now kiss the bride." Septimus leaned down to kiss her. It was slow, sweet and tender. Danu wrapped her arms around Septimus" neck, enjoying it. And a crash burst through the door, and the crew entered. "What have I told you about knocking my door down?" Captain Shakespeare bellowed. "I was conducting a wedding!" "We thought you were in trouble," the first mate said. "And who"s the couple?" another of the crew asked. "Meet my niece Danu, and her new husband King Septimus," Captain Shakespeare said. There were a few gasps in the crew. They certainly hadn"t been expecting a prince to board their ship and then become king while on it. They fell to their knees. "Excuse me," one of them said. He was a fairly short member, with black hair and brown eyes. "It seems there was a bit of a misunderstanding, and your men are dead." Septimus felt his rage grow, but he could also feel the woman who was next to him. One of her hands was on his back, trying to calm him down, and it was working. "I fear that means I"ll have to come up with alternate means of making sure that my wife and I arrive back at the palace unscathed," he said. "If I might offer my services," Captain Shakespeare said. "After all, she is my favourite niece, and her mother would kill me if anything were to happen to her. And I"ll make sure that my crew behaves from here on out." Septimus nodded in agreement. He wanted to go punch something, but would wait until that was acceptable. So I really loved writing the last chapter. I have no clue if this is even in character anymore, but it"s my fic. So what I say goes. Right? Danu awoke in the morning to find herself wrapped up in strong arms. There was a split second of panic before she remembered the events of the day before and snuggled closer to her pillow. Her pillow turned out to be her husband"s chest. She snuggled into him and he laughed. "What are you doing?" She mumbled, wanting to get back to sleep. The previous night, while enjoyable, hadn"t exactly been restful. "I was just thinking. It seems strange to become king, and then so quickly after that find my queen. The same day that I had become king. What do you think?" "I think that if you"re going to ask me questions like this in the morning, you shouldn"t keep me up so late." She pulled an actual pillow from under Septimus"s head and covered her face and ears with it. It was a poor attempt to block out the noise. And it was slightly folly in that it caused Septimus to laugh deeply, and her head was still resting on his chest. "I don"t recall you complaining last night." Danu pulled the pillow from over her head and glared at him. Septimus was once again caught by her eyes. Bright blue, and beautiful. She must have had a human ancestor somewhere in order to have eyes that colour. But he wouldn"t have it any other way. He kissed her, surprising his wife. He pulled away after a moment, but she gripped him tightly, holding him close. "Now I remember why I wasn"t complaining last night," she whispered. "But why don"t you show me some more." Septimus was all too eager to oblige. ~oOo~ ~oOo~ ~oOo~ ~oOo~ The morning was delightfully less eventful than the day before. Or that was the way that Danu saw it. There was no one unexpected coming aboard, and no one leaving. The one thing that she could have done without was the way that she blushed, or at least felt like blushing, every time someone looked at her too long. She didn"t have anything to blush about. Sure, she was now a married woman. But that hardly changed anything. She was still the same girl she had been just the day before. Only now she had a title. Just thinking about that was enough to make her shake her head. How was she going to explain that one to her mother? Hi mum. I went off with Uncle Dauntless and got myself married. And my husband is the most feared man in all of Stormhold, and the king. That wouldn"t go over too well. "How are you my dear?" Captain Shakespeare asked. "More than a little tired," Danu admitted. She then wondered if that was too much information for her uncle. It probably was, but she hadn"t said anything incriminating. "More brides than you have spent the first few days after their wedding exhausted," Captain Shakespeare assured his niece. Danu could feel the blush rise around her cheeks. It had felt almost constant, but it burned brighter with a fervor that she wanted to hide. Captain Shakespeare laughed. "Don"t worry. No one here thinks anything of it."

"Not going to try and lure me back?" Kevin asked, and Connor shook his head. "You"d just start to hate me," Connor said, "and we"re friends. Were friends, at least. I"ll still talk about it, but just ... tell me if I"m too preachy." Kevin smiled slightly. "Can do. Are you hungry? We can grab something here, or off-campus, if you"d prefer." "Well, cafeteria food never was my thing," Connor admitted. "Gringo"s?" "Let"s go," Kevin said, and they left the cafeteria and walked off-campus. Kevin was close to Connor, their shoulders brushed every now and again. Connor"s heart did a little flip every time; Kevin was warm and smelled good. It was torture. Wonderful torture. At lunch, they talked about everything and nothing-Connor"s degree, their mission and subsequent disciplinary action from the church, whether or not Star Trek was better than Star Wars. Kevin still talked to Arnold; he had moved back to Uganda after coming home and dropping out of school. His parents were proud, though, that their son had come into his own. Connor was happy for him. Lunch ran into dinner, and then later. Three years of no contact, but it was so easy to be friends again. They really had been good together, and Connor thought that maybe Heavenly Father had known what he was doing not making them companions for their mission. With Connor getting his call three months before Kevin, there wasn"t a chance they"d have been paired to start. Sharing a room with Kevin would have been the worst idea ever-not because of gay feelings, but because they"d have never gotten anything done staying up and talking. When Connor finally made it home, he was floating on air. He was pretty sure he could easily fall in love with Kevin, if he just let himself. But of all the things they"d talked about-their families, their favorite colors, why Chex Mix was delicious-their relationship status never came up. Connor couldn"t bring it up, though; what if Kevin thought it was wrong that he liked boys? Sure, he wasn"t LDS anymore, but that didn"t mean he"d changed all his views and morals. He still believed in God, after all. Before he fell asleep, he vaguely wondered if Kevin being ex-LDS meant he"d get to see Kevin out of his garments someday. "You don"t like basketball?" Kevin asked, shocked. Kevin had run after his friend between classes, eager as anything Connor had ever seen, with a pressing desire to sit through two hours of boys running back and forth trying to put a ball through a hoop. Connor shook his head. "I never really liked sports like that," he admitted, wishing he"d just agreed to go with Kevin to the Final Four tournament ... thing ... so he wouldn"t have to have this conversation. "I"ve watched the chess tournaments, though." "But you"ll come with me, right?" Kevin asked, his eyes wide and innocent. "I promise I"ll even buy you a hot dog there and after we"ll go for ice cream." "Cheap date, aren"t you?" Connor deadpanned, only because if he said anything else he"d agree to suffer for two of the longest hours of his life. "Then I"ll take you to dinner first," Kevin retorted. "Just come with me. I don"t want to go alone. Please, Connor?" Connor"s heart skipped a few beats at the implication of a date. But maybe Kevin just really wanted to go to the game that badly. It wasn"t a date. It just couldn"t be. "Fine," the redhead sighed, shaking his head. Kevin grinned and hugged him for just a moment. Really, if this heart-skipping thing kept up, Connor wouldn"t live to see the not-a-date game. "You"re the best, Con! I promise you we"ll have fun!" With that, Kevin raced off, waving a goodbye and yelling that he"d call later to work out details. Connor rolled his eyes. Sometimes, like today, Kevin was like a child, running around all wide-eyes and big smiles. Tomorrow, he"d probably be a moody witch. He"d throw fits over stupid things, or snap at Connor, or just be in a generally bad mood and ... And Connor would still love him. He really did let Kevin get away with his attitude too much. Besides, spending all his time with the boy was just as bad an idea as he"d thought it would be. His roommates were beginning to tease him about his boyfriend, and all Connor could do was point out that it went against doctrine. He couldn"t deny his feelings, but he didn"t want to lie to his friends. But through it all, he and Kevin had never actually spoken about that. They saw each other nearly every weekend, and called or texted each other daily. Kevin had never blown him off for a date, and sometimes it seemed like he went out of his way for Connor. Like the time Connor had a mild panic attack over a paper he"d forgotten to do-Kevin had rushed over and spent half the night helping Connor put together something. He"d pulled a B on that paper, and spent the night in his very own spooky Hell dream for it. Or there was the time Kevin begged Connor to go dancing with him. His excuse was that Connor was a far better dancer and he needed a teacher. So Connor had taught Kevin to waltz and foxtrot, both of them laughing at Kevin"s two left feet while Connor tried not to blush at being in the boy"s arms for so long, so close to that blinding smile. He wanted to kiss Kevin. He wanted to do more than just kiss Kevin. He couldn"t tell Kevin he wanted that. Connor was right; the basketball tournament was the longest two hours of his life. But Kevin was happy, so he couldn"t really complain that much. Didn"t mean he wasn"t wishing for a book to read, though. Or a wet paint sign so he could watch the paint dry instead. "Did you see that shot?" Kevin said, sliding his arm around Connor"s shoulders and squeezing. Connor looked up, cheeks red. "N-no," he said weakly. Kevin hadn"t moved his arm. Connor couldn"t believe it. "What happened?" Kevin explained the shot, and Connor tried to pay attention, but between his apathy for basketball and his elation from Kevin"s touch, it was a lost cause. He thought he"d nodded at the right times, but Kevin was paying attention to the game again, so Connor"s confusion didn"t seem to register with the boy. That was fine. That meant this was a real date! Right? Normal friends didn"t put their arms around each other"s shoulders like that, did they? Connor really wished he had more friends he could ask. This wasn"t something he could ask of Bryce or Joyellen or anyone else he knew. Then they"d know his secret. Kevin squeezed him a little then, and Connor squeaked, cautiously leaning a little closer while the other boy was watching the action on the court. He"d let himself pretend for a few minutes. If Kevin asked, he"d claim boredom and fake a yawn. But Kevin never questioned him, and never moved his arm. Connor didn"t mind. He thought maybe he should; he was only being honest with himself-not the rest of BYU Idaho"s student body. He couldn"t bring himself to, though. Kevin was warm and comfortable and so sure of himself, and until a few months ago, he"d never have believed the boy was so touchy-feely. He always seemed to be hugging Connor, or taking his hand to lead him somewhere, or poking him to get his attention. After the game, Kevin stayed close to Connor on the way out of the gym. "Still up for ice cream?" he asked, and Connor nodded. Anything to spend a few more minutes with his best friend. "I can"t, Connor," Kevin said angrily. "God, why do you always need me right there with you? You"re a damned grown man! People are going to get ideas about us." "Oh," Connor replied weakly, glad this conversation was taking place over the phone. He was going to burst into tears. "Okay." He"d just wanted to invite Kevin to go see the theatre department"s performance of West Side Story. Clearly that wasn"t in Kevin"s plans. Connor knew Kevin didn"t mean what he was saying; he did this a lot, but it still hurt to be told off like that by his best friend. "I"ll, uh ... see you around, I guess." Kevin would call him back in a few days and apologize, just like always. "Sure, whatever," Kevin had replied before hanging up. How could Connor have ever thought Kevin liked him? You didn"t treat someone you liked that poorly-you didn"t treat your friends that poorly! Maybe Kevin had just been hanging out with him out of some weird sense of camaraderie from their mission days, or maybe it was all just a joke. Whatever it was, Connor hated it just as much this time as he had every other time Kevin pulled this. His heart couldn"t take this roller coaster. And-and he was going to tell Kevin that, too! He was going to tell him that he didn"t deserve Kevin"s snippy attitude, and that he could just flip off if he thought Connor would put up with it! He"d text it to the boy and then ignore his replies, too, so it would get his point across. Maybe Kevin would realize that Connor was a real person, not a toy to be tossed aside over a temper tantrum. So he did. He sent a long text message littered with more "fetch," "crap," and "scrud" than Connor had ever used before in his life. He even finished with "... so go to heck!" Then he turned his phone to silent and went to watch TV. He deserved better treatment than that, and darned if he was going to put up with it anymore. Three hours later there was a knock on the door. Connor ignored it, but Bryce answered anyway. "Con? Kevin"s here," he said, and Kevin peeked his head around the door to smile weakly at Connor. "Tell him I"m not interested," Connor replied coldly, though he really wanted to invite Kevin in, maybe talk over tea or dinner. But it was the principle of the thing, and Kevin needed to be taught a lesson! "I"m letting him in anyway," Bryce said, "and I"ve gotta go. Try not to kill each other-I hear blood"s a pain in the neck to get out of carpet." Connor hmphed and stared at the TV even as Kevin sat down beside him, just watching him watching TV. "I"m sorry," Kevin said finally. "I don"t mean to be an ass." "But you are," Connor replied. He wouldn"t look at the other boy. If he did, he"d lose all resolve to teach Kevin a lesson. "I thought we were friends. Heck, best friends. You can"t treat me like crap and expect me to just go along with it." "I know, Con. And we are friends. I just ... freaked out." "You have that problem a lot." "You"re not giving me anything to work with here, Con. I"m trying to apologize!" Connor scoffed. "You"re not doing a very good job. All I"m hearing is "me, me, me.' And I"m sick of it. I"m tired of you dragging me around only when you feel like it." Kevin cleared his throat. "That"s fair," he conceded. "I"m not known for really caring about anyone else." "So are you gonna stop?" "I"ll ... try." Connor looked over at Kevin. "Will you try talking to me instead of making me feel like poop?" Kevin nodded. "Why not start with telling me why you left the church. I"ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what made you doubt Heavenly Father, and all I"ve got is that some weird Ugandan bug scrambled your brains." Kevin cracked a bitter smile at that. "Hardly. Uganda was probably the worst time of my life. Seeing a guy get his brains blown out in front of me, having the Book of Mormon shoved up my-" He broke off, clearing his throat. "Was God really that desperate to punish me for my pride?" "Maybe He was just testing you." Connor hated to see his friend hurting at the memories, but he had to admit, part of him was dancing because Kevin was finally opening up to him. "Then I obviously failed," Kevin said, "and I"m out of the church anyway, so ... it doesn"t matter. I can drink coffee and say "fuck" all I want to and I never have to wear garments again. So it"s not all bad." Connor shrugged, carefully sliding a little closer to Kevin, a hand on the boy"s arm. "I"m sorry." It was all he knew to say. "Can-is there anything I can do?" "Not really," Kevin said. "Sometimes I just ... get pissed off at myself. You"re just like I remember you: happy and optimistic and going places. I never did get the hang of that once I realized that I wasn"t going to change the world the way I wanted to. And then I blame you for things that I know aren"t your fault, but ... it"s easier than blaming myself." "You still can change the world," Connor insisted. "Social work, right? You can save the world that way." Kevin shrugged, putting his free hand over Connor"s and squeezing. "Maybe. But I am sorry." Connor beamed, glad to have finally gotten those words out of Kevin. Lord only knew if he"d ever hear them again, after all. But he would treasure this time. "Apology accepted." After that, they just sat there watching TV, a mostly comfortable silence between them. Connor didn"t know what to think anymore. "You"re on time, great!" Kevin said as he pulled the door open and beamed at Connor, who suddenly felt a bit underdressed in his worn out clothes. Kevin looked ready to go out on a date. "Dinner"s almost ready." Connor let Kevin tug him inside, and he looked around in surprise. "You cleaned the place up?" There were no shoes strewn about, no dirty plates on the coffee table, and the place didn"t smell like a locker room, thankfully. "Yeah, I made the guys help me out," Kevin said, heading for the kitchen to check on the meal. "Where are they?" "Out for the night." Connor flushed. That meant he and Kevin were alone. Oh, they"d been alone often, true, but it felt ... different this time. Maybe because Kevin had never cooked for him before. And they"d never had dinner with candles on the table, either. Or wearing such nice things. "You don"t mind, right?" Kevin went on, and Connor headed for the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe. "N-no," he stammered shyly. "I just usually expect a lot more noise around here." That"s why Kevin came over to his place to study for tests all the time. "I just wanted to ... to let you know how much I appreciate you putting up with me," Kevin said softly as he plated dinner. Connor raised an eyebrow. "Is that cottage pie?" he asked, and Kevin nodded. "My mom made me and Jack learn one fancy recipe. She told us someday we"d want to impress someone, and knowing how to cook would do it," he explained. "Aside from the easy stuff she taught us for our missions, this is pretty much all I can cook, though." "If it tastes as good as it smells you"ll impress any girl you cook it for," Connor said honestly. He thought he heard Kevin sigh, but his friend was still smiling as he lit the candles on the table. "This is the first time I"ve made it for not-family," Kevin admitted, hurrying around the table to pull Connor"s chair out for him. Connor flushed but didn"t complain. Kevin was acting like a real boyfriend. "I"m honored," Connor said, and he was. This was a significant improvement over Kevin"s attitude attacks, and when he took his first bite of cottage pie, he nearly moaned. It was perfect. "Tell your mom you impress," he told Kevin. He wasn"t just talking about the food, but he couldn"t tell his friend that. Connor couldn"t believe it. He"d gotten a callback. Sure, it was in New York, but he was graduating in a few weeks anyway, so taking a day trip to do the audition wouldn"t hurt him at this point. He picked up the phone. He had to tell Kevin the good news. "Hey, Con!" "I got a callback!" "W-what?" Connor laughed. "I got a callback. For New York, Kev! I"ve got an audition next Saturday for Orphans!" "Con-congrats, Connor," Kevin said, but Connor thought his enthusiasm sounded a bit hollow. "Are you okay, Kevin?" he asked. "Yeah, I"m just a little shocked-not that you don"t deserve it; you"re great, but-I"ll miss you, if you get the part." "It"s not like we"ll never see each other again, Kevin. Plane tickets aren"t that expensive." "So would you like some company for your audition, then?" Kevin asked suddenly, and Connor couldn"t help smiling at the phone. "Why Kevin Price, I"d love it if you"d join me for a weekend in New York." "I"ll take care of booking everything. You just find out when your audition is," Kevin said, and Connor could hear him typing in the background. "We"ll leave here Friday morning, come back Sunday afternoon." "Sounds good. Audition"s Saturday at 2.30, so we"ll have time." "Great! I"ll call you later with all the details, Con! And congrats again, really. I"m proud of you." Connor knew he was telling the truth; Kevin only used that soft, warm tone when he really meant something. New York was wonderful and terrible. After graduation, Connor had moved there for the show, and he loved being on stage. He loved the hustle and bustle of the city. He"d been living in a decent apartment not far from the theatre for three months now, just him and a goldfish he got so the place didn"t seem so empty. He hated being alone. Sure, he had a few friends from the show, but it wasn"t the same at back at school or home, where he didn"t have to decline going out to get drunk as a skunk after every show. But when he"d finished his second performance of the day and left backstage, walking past the fans and trying not to look ready to crash into bed, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd, and he honestly smiled. "Kevin!" he said, hugging the man tight, the rest of the crowd forgotten. "Surprise," Kevin replied, smiling slightly. "You"re doing well, Con. You outshone everyone else on that stage." Connor snorted. "Don"t tell Alex that," he murmured, referring to the man who played Treat to his Phillip. "Got time for dinner?" Kevin asked. "I"m sure you"re tired ..." "I think I can manage to stay awake to catch up with you," Connor replied, and Kevin took his hand to lead him away from the theatre. "There"s a great Mexican place just around the corner." Kevin grinned. "Sounds good. My treat." Connor held his head high as they strolled down the busy sidewalks, his hand in Kevin"s. Here, it didn"t matter that they were both men. They might not be in a relationship, but Connor didn"t have to hide it. "How come you never date?" Kevin asked suddenly, and Connor ducked his head. They were in public, for cripe"s sake! Sure, the restaurant was pretty much empty except for them and the staff, but how did he answer that? "Why don"t you?" Connor countered carefully. "Because the person I like doesn"t like me," Kevin answered honestly. Connor faked a gasp. "You mean Kevin Price isn"t so perfect that girls fall at his feet? Impossible!" Kevin snorted and threw a tortilla chip at Connor. "Jerk. But no, nobody"s falling at my feet these days, no matter how many hints I drop. And this isn"t about me, anyway. You"re supposed to be married and have a dozen babies by now, not single without prospects." "Supposed to be. Doubt it"ll happen that way," Connor conceded. "Can we not talk about this here?" "Your place?" Kevin asked, and Connor nodded, both of them standing and throwing the remains of lunch in the trash before walking back to Connor"s apartment. Once there, Connor sat down, looking at his hands until Kevin prompted him: "Tell me?" "I ... don"t turn it off anymore," Connor admitted softly. "I couldn"t lie to myself anymore." "Good." "What"s so good about that?" Connor had never seen homosexuality as good; it wasn"t what he was raised to believe, and his family would be so disappointed, and Heavenly Father would stop those Hell dreams if there was any good to come of liking men, wouldn"t He? "It means you"re not hurting yourself anymore, for one," Kevin said, and Connor smiled tightly. That much was ... mostly true. "You think we didn"t see how much you were hurting in Uganda? Church and I, we talked about you a lot, and your Hell dreams." Connor flushed. "You shouldn"t have had it every night, Con. That"s not healthy." "I didn"t have a choice." "You always have a choice," Kevin said softly. "I made one. You can make one, too. You could leave the church." "Without the church, what do I have?" Connor asked. "Here, I have friends, a purpose, family. If I leave, where will I go? I"d be alone." Kevin shook his head. "You"ve got me. I don"t know how else to prove that to you." Connor looked up, almost scared. Was Kevin saying what he thought he was saying? No, he couldn"t be. Kevin Price couldn"t be admitting feelings for Connor McKinley. It couldn"t be that easy. "How ... how do I have you?" Connor asked. "Let"s just say I never had to turn anything off until I met you in Uganda, and you know I wasn"t very good at that anyway," Kevin murmured, smiling wryly. "So all these months we could have been kissing?" Connor blurted out, and Kevin laughed when Connor turned bright red. "I was hoping you felt the same, but you"re still LDS. I didn"t want to bring it up first," the brunette admitted. "If you still thought it was wrong, then I"d have just lost you for good, and I figured friendship was better than nothing. But I"ve been trying to get more out of us for months, but you"re quite possibly more oblivious than I gave you credit for." Connor smiled shyly. "It"s not wrong," he admitted. And if it was, he"d find a way to make it okay. This was Kevin, putting his heart on the line, and it was like something out of a romantic movie. Connor wouldn"t have denied him even if he"d wanted to. Kevin squeezed Connor"s hand tight. Maybe this was Heavenly Father"s way of telling him it was okay.

"God, couldn"t you at least use that voice on something worthy of it? Maybe a classic?" Harry would call over the running water. James"s laugh was bright, warming Harry to the core. "This one"s gonna be a classic, love!" Down the stairs in just his old red robe, to the empty kitchen where he and James would fight for counter space as they worked together on breakfast. Now, only one teacup sits out, one plate for toast. One chair, always empty, at the table. It makes Harry"s heart ache, but he pushes through, putting the kettle on, fixing his toast with just a bit too much jam as James always fixed it for him. It"s too quiet, without James and without the dogs begging for a bit of bacon. But Harry hadn"t kept them; they weren"t only his dogs to keep. James had always told him he"d be a piss-poor parent on his own. He was right. James was always right. Breakfast finished, Harry goes back upstairs, dressing for the day. Not a hair out of place, looking exactly as one would expect of a stodgy old English professor, right down to the cufflinks and signet ring gleaming gold in the lamplight. "One of these days, Harry, you"re going to stop being so put together," James teased, watching Harry steam his tie after one particularly rough mission. At least the blood had come out; he rather liked that tie. "I hardly think that"s appropriate for a man of my station," Harry replied, with maybe a bit more refinement in his words than usual and a smile fighting its way to his lips, and James had countered by laughing and tugging Harry close by his belt-loops. "Sure they"d say this isn"t, either," James whispered, pressing his lips to Harry"s neck, his cheek, his mouth. The tie was soon forgotten, along with two wrinkled shirts and four scuffed shoes discarded into corners. Harry is putting his day"s work into his bag when there"s a beep from his glasses. He sighs, closing the bag before answering. "Yes, Merlin, I know. Meeting at the shop, 6pm. I"ve not forgotten." "Meeting"s cancelled, Galahad. I thought instead we might get together for dinner. It"s been a while." Harry smirks at that. "Can"t figure out how to remotely re-activate your bugs, you mean, and you"re a nosy prick." He can almost see Merlin"s mouth pull into a tight line, wholly unamused that Harry"s worked out how to keep his private spaces private. For a moment, Harry smiles; it"s not often he can one-up his best friend and handler. "Just come by my place at 7. And bring that single-malt you picked up in Islay." The connection cuts out, and Harry shakes his head, amused. He wonders if Merlin will be upset that he"s long since finished off that bottle. The drive to work is always easy. Harry hates cars; he"s tense as he watches those surrounding his, though what he thinks he can do if one of them should slip too close is debatable. Hell, maybe he wants that. But he makes it to the college incident-free as usual, checking his bag once again for his supplies. Today, he"s only one class to teach, but it"s one he somewhat enjoys. It"s a full class discussing British literature and its implications in today"s society. First, though, he goes to his office, a small, windowless gaol cell of a room on the far side of campus from everything. He"s been meticulous in his actions here; he doesn"t keep any personal items on his desk-which, in hindsight, may be a poor idea, seeing as how often Keri Lynn the too-young-for-him secretary comes to his door with two buttons too many undone on her blouse-and he"s very careful to keep his desk and shelves clean. He looks around his small space, pleased that everything is perfectly in order, and if he weren"t to come back one day there would be no mess for the next professor to clean. He"s left blessedly alone as he goes over his lecture notes, listening to the chatter of people walking past his office. The walls are thin; he"s known for months that Russ Dreyer"s cheating on his wife with a student, his poor spouse in an office of her own halfway across campus. She deserves better, but nobody"s got the balls to tell her, on the off-chance that she doesn"t know what her husband gets up to in his office. At least fucking a girl half his age keeps Dreyer from following Harry to class, as he"s wont to do when he"s alone. The man"s an unending fount of insipid and inaccurate insights into classic books. His classroom is large, nearly full when he walks in, and Harry surveys his students, recognising only a few-mostly those in the front rows, the ones who care about their grades, but also a young man in the back. He"s not actually on the roster, Harry knows (he"s checked, many times in fact), but he"s there for class every day, always as far away as he can be, never participating or disrupting class. Harry"s half convinced he"s seeing things. As the class continues to talk, Harry sets up for his lecture. Today, he lays out a number of items from his personal stores-containers that have held or still hold deadly substances within. So many of the authors the class has studied use poison, and Harry feels this might break up the monotony of listening to him go on for an hour about symbolism and allegories and other such bullshit. Slowly, the class falls silent, looking at the array of objects laid out on Harry"s desk. Harry lets the silence drag out for a few moments, waiting until the class is on edge before he speaks. "From the Borgias" time to the present day/ Their power has been proved and tried!/ Monkshood blue, called Aconite/ And the deadly Cyanide! "One of the cleanest ways to get away with murder is to poison one"s victim," Harry begins. "Long before Shakespeare wrote of Hamlet"s untimely death, before Christie used her pharmaceutical knowledge to off numerous hapless victims, and quite before Rowling wrote of the Draught of Living Death, poison was used as a rather neat and tidy way to get rid of a problem. After all, it"s easily hidden in a number of objects," he adds, motioning to the items behind him. "Bottles can go unnoticed among other bottles. A ring-well, it was sometimes far easier for a woman to find her way close to the side of a blackguard, to slip something into his drink or food. Some poisons, like curare, can easily coat the surface of a weapon long before it"s used to ensure the victim"s demise." The class-and the student near the back of the room-seems fascinated, some frantically scribbling notes, some just watching Harry speak. He smiles a little bitterly. "Poison is a fun weapon. It"s simple, really." He holds aloft his pen in one hand and a teabag in the other. "Both of these items could likewise hold something deadly inside, and none would ever be the wiser." Harry has always had a soft spot for the poison pens the agency has developed and perfected over the years, though perhaps a classroom full of children is not the place to reminisce about that. He continues speaking for the full class period, answering the many questions his students pose about poison and its place in literature, though honestly Harry"s mind is quite firmly elsewhere as he clutches the pen tightly in his hand. This one object is going to be the end of him, just as it has been for so many of his targets. There"s something poetic about that, Harry would wager. Something about being hoisted by his own petard, and were the situation not so grave, there would be some sort of irony there, he thinks. When he finally releases the class, nearly everyone bolts as Harry tidies up, though it"s clear after a few moments that not everyone is gone. The boy from the back has made his way to the front of the room, standing just out of Harry"s reach. "Is poison really that easy?" he asks, and Harry pauses for a moment before answering. He hadn"t been expecting such a blunt question-nor was he expecting that question in particular. "Planning to murder someone, Mr. ...?" "Unwin. Call me Eggsy. And maybe I am. Sir." The way the boy hesitates before adding the title makes Harry"s stomach tighten in a way he hasn"t felt since James. "How come you don"t usually lecture like that? Usually you"re a bit-well, you"re a bit odd." Harry chuckles as he exits the classroom, Eggsy keeping pace beside him. "I hardly think it"s appropriate for me to plot out a murder every class period," he jokes, and he"s rewarded with a bright laugh. Harry delights in the sound, now in no hurry to escape Eggsy"s company. "But if you was gonna do it, poison, yeah?" "It"s not quite that simple. You"d have to be sure it didn"t trace back to you, for one thing." Eggsy nods thoughtfully. "Well, s"the same for anything, innit? If you"re gonna nick someone"s wallet, you gotta look innocent." Harry admits to himself that this boy is already seeming to be full of surprises. Instead of acknowledging it, though, Harry takes a different route. "I notice you"re not enrolled in my class, Eggsy." Eggsy shrugs as they walk. "Can"t afford a posh place like this, can I? Nobody"s goin" "round my neighbourhood handin" out ten thousand pounds to chavs like me." "Yet you"re attending regardless." "Heard the teacher was fit," Eggsy admits with a wink, the cheeky brat. Harry smiles slightly, one eyebrow raised in intrigue. "Does he live up to the expectations?" ""m still comin" to class, ain"t I?" Eggsy"s eyes slide over Harry"s body, his interest and intent clear. And Harry has never had anyone come on to him so blatantly or earnestly. These few minutes he"s spent with Eggsy are quite possibly the best he"s spent in eight months with anyone. Surely James was never so forward. Harry sat outside the pub, nursing a Guinness as he watched the group of Royal Navy boys on holiday; he was too old for any of them, but there was no harm in looking, and besides, Harry was sure that was the only reason Merlin had assigned him to a stupidly simple watch-and-report in Plymouth-he knew Harry hadn"t had a partner in the decade he"d been an agent. Harry always did like the look of a man in uniform. The group filed in, one man actually catching Harry"s eyes and smiling. Harry had smiled back, raising his glass in a hint of a toast before he was gone, inside with the press of women wanting a round with a sailor. It was too cold to be outside anyway; the night unseasonably chilly for September, but Harry rather enjoyed the silence. Having Merlin in his ear all the time had taught him to appreciate the times when he truly could be alone. "This seat isn"t taken, is it?" the sailor asked as he slid into the chair opposite Harry, smiling sweetly before taking a swig of whatever his beer was. "You looked like you could use a friend." They"d talked for hours, until the pub finally kicked them out, and the sailor-James, he"d called himself-cleared his throat. "So ... can I see you again? Maybe for a real dinner?" His eyes were bright, shy and eager all at once, and there was just enough colour to his cheeks for Harry to see it in the dim light from a nearby streetlamp. James really meant it, that he wanted to see Harry again. And in that moment, Harry knew he"d found something good. And he didn"t want it to end. Perhaps it was the youthful innocence of the man smiling so earnestly at him, but there was the fear that if they parted ways, Harry would never see James again, and his heart seized at the thought. "Come back to my hotel. I"ll treat you to breakfast." Eggsy talks with Harry as they walk, surprising the older man with his insight into the books he"s assigned to the class. Harry finds he doesn"t want to go; he"s enjoying Eggsy"s company, and he really hasn"t anywhere else to be, officially, until his dinner with Merlin. Besides, he"s at the age where he should be allowed to indulge himself and look at beautiful things, and Eggsy is very beautiful to Harry; the bits of dark blond hair peeking out from beneath his cap and curling at his ears, the green eyes sparkling with laughter under too-long lashes, and the easy, cocky way he walks as though he doesn"t care how very much he doesn"t fit in at Imperial College mould together, brightening Harry"s dim outlook with just his carefree youth. He turns to Eggsy when it"s time to part ways, hesitating. "Would you like to take lunch with me?" he asks, and when Eggsy grins, he knows he"s made the right choice. He even treats the boy to a nice meal at the Eastside Café, and Harry tries not to pay attention to the way he eats his steak and ale pie, like he"s starved and might not get another good meal for a long time. It"s not really his place to pry into Eggsy"s life, no matter how charmed he is by the boy"s witty responses and eager smiles. Lunch lasts nearly two hours before Eggsy finally needs to excuse himself. "Gotta check on me baby sister," he says, standing up and tugging a scrap of paper from his pocket, scribbling something onto it. Harry looks at it curiously as Eggsy slides it over. "I ain"t your student, so if you ever wanna do somethin" ... " And he winks, all brazen confidence before he leaves Harry sitting alone in the café, tossing a wave back at him as he passes through the door. Harry"s fingers curl around the paper, and he tucks it into his pocket, shaking his head. He chuckles self-depreciatingly as he throws out their rubbish and he, too, exits the cafeteria. Eggsy is far too young, but it doesn"t hurt Harry"s self-confidence to feel desired by a lovely young man. A quick trip back to his office, gathering the last of his personal belongings, and Harry heads for his car, bidding a goodbye to the girls in the office, declining the offer to meet them for drinks later. He always declines. He"d rather drink alone, anyway. "You"re such an old man," James teased, fingers tangling with Harry"s as he pulled the man out of the taxi. "It"s just a few drinks and some dancing." "It"s the latter that worries me," Harry replied dryly, "and I"ve seen what you do under the influence of the former." James was already affectionate sober-drunk, he was indiscriminately handsy. Not that Harry minded, as such, but when they were out with friends there was only so much he could do to keep James"s hands in socially acceptable places, and he flat-out refused to shag in a bloody public toilet. James laughed and pulled Harry along. "You"re not fooling anyone, Harry," he said. "You love going out with my work mates." It was true; Harry did-but only because it made James so happy, and he"d do anything for the man. He"d ended up with a lapful of James and hands down the back of his trousers before he was able to politely extricate the two of them from the group, though James insisted on dancing before they left. Who was Harry to disoblige? He let James lead them, listening to the man singing wholly off-key but thoroughly enjoying himself in the process, and Harry began to loosen up as well, letting James lead him through some more modern dances. "Ah, you"re smiling!" James crowed, exuberantly proud and beaming at Harry in a way he only did when he was sloshed. "Knew you loved it." Loved him, was more accurate, Harry thought, even when he was drunkenly staggering around the dance floor. It"s a short drive to the bank, and Harry is led back to his safety deposit box without trouble. Once alone in the room, he cleans it out, just as he"s methodically cleaned the rest of the places he"s touched in his life. Inside the box are the important documents he"s collected over the years: Insurance policies. The deed to the house. Bank account numbers overseas he"s had set up in case his time with Kingsman ever had to come to a premature end. His Eurovision picks for this year, because damned if he"s letting Merlin win the pool again. The gold ring he"d bought for James, anticipating the legislation for same-sex marriage. And his will. He"s updated it, of course; the courts won"t pay out to a dead man. Once back home, Harry begins to sort through his documents. He places them carefully into a file folder, all in order and prominently placed in the centre of his desk with a sticky note on top, so when Merlin collects his body he won"t have to hunt for anything. He lays out his favourite suit, the one James had insisted he get because the dark olive green really made his eyes pop. Harry had never really understood how it worked, but James never let him forget about it, either. The matching shirt and tie are set with it, his cufflinks, his signet and the wedding ring he"d never worn neatly aligned on the jacket"s sleeve. Harry doesn"t want to be mourned; he wants to make the transition as easy as possible for the few people he"s leaving behind that he actually cares for. James always was the "fun" one in the relationship, trying to get Harry to try new activities or eat new foods or dress up in couple"s Halloween costumes. Harry often resisted these changes to his life; he was, and is, a creature of habit, and in his 34 years he"d seen no need to change what worked for him. Besides, there wasn"t a chance in hell he was going to go out in public dressed like anyone from 300, despite James"s insistence that he filled out the shorts perfectly. "Every suit you own is black or grey, Harry," James had lamented, tutting over the poor selection of clothing Harry had available for their evening out. "Don"t you have anything in a colour that isn"t boring?" "My pyjamas are blue," Harry had pointed out, trying his hardest not to smile at James, who rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Stuffy old man," James teased. "Next week, we"re getting you something brighter! Something picked solely to make those gorgeous eyes of yours stand out. I want everyone to be jealous of me for having you on my arm." "Well, that makes me feel wonderful," Harry retorted. "You"re only with me for my looks, and even those aren"t enough for you now." It was a common argument he and James had, and Harry knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that James loved him and only wanted everyone to see Harry for the beautiful man he was. James had told him that often enough, and Harry believed it. But this time, rather than follow the script they both had memorised after so many years, James merely moved in closer and pressed a light kiss to the tip of Harry"s nose. "That isn"t what I meant, and you know it. I just want you to turn every head in the room, so everyone can see how sickeningly happy we are." They were on time for dinner, for once, but only because Harry had absolutely refused to let James help him back out of his dark grey waistcoat. Harry touches each of the suits hanging in the closet as he looks for one to wear tonight. He never got around to cleaning out James"s things; he holds each shirt and scarf and cheap knick-knack cluttering shelves and table tops far too dear. Harry knows it"s entirely based on misplaced sentimentality-it"s not as though keeping that awful orange-striped tie is going to bring James back to him-but he can"t bring himself to pack everything into boxes, to throw it out or sell it. Who else would appreciate the fine Italian leather jacket Harry"d picked out for his lover, the one dyed the exact same shade of brown as the man"s eyes? Or the hideous Yorkie cufflinks James had bought the both of them for their third anniversary? Harry had feigned interest in the ugly things until James had laughed, tugging him up to bed for his real gift. It won"t matter, not after tonight, Harry knows. Everything in the house will be boxed up, pieced out to the people who feel they"ve a claim to his life, the leftovers sold or binned or burned-it doesn"t matter. He"ll be given a grave beside James on the vast lawn at Kingsman headquarters, and his memory will fade with time, until he"s nothing but another name with a handful of successful missions attached to it in the Kingsman archives. It"s the nature of his line of work; in a few generations, when the other agents have aged and their positions are passed on, none of them will be remembered. His family, too, is long since passed, and he"s nobody left to carry on his legacy. Harry Hart will be forgotten. Finally, he chooses a simple suit for the evening, slate grey and rather dull-forgettable, even, he thinks sarcastically-to be frank about it. He"s just going to see Merlin, after all, and if Merlin were to start caring about anyone"s appearance, he"d need to bin those jumpers of his before anyone would take him seriously. But he has always enjoyed Merlin"s cooking. He"d have a great career as a chef if he weren"t so firmly entrenched in Kingsman"s tech department. A night in with his good friend will be good for him-for the both of them. It"s one more good memory for Merlin to carry, more proof that Harry isn"t doing this because of anything his friend has or hasn"t done for him. Merlin is waiting on Harry when he reaches the man"s house, smiling as he hugs Harry tight. "You didn"t bring the single-malt?" "That"s been gone for months." "Pity," Merlin replies, but beckons Harry inside regardless. "Well, supper"s on, though now we"ll need to compensate with something to pair with the lamb I"ve fixed." Harry pulls out a bottle of Beaujolais from Merlin"s stores as his friend plates the meal, and they sit down, talking about work until they finish off that first bottle of wine and move on to the harder stuff.

"You can call me Daniel." Giselle smiled at them, "Why do you want to do a photo shoot of my store?" Robert had not been thrilled about her coming to talk to them alone. But, he had to concede that for all Giselle"s innocence she was a pretty good judge of character and being that she was a grown women he didn"t need to be there all the time to hold her hand. "We want to do something that shows true beauty for once. Not the usual prefabricated fakeness." Daniel"s prepared script had flown away. He could no more be false to this women then he could be to Betty. Their was something similar about the two dissimilar women. "We want adventure, romance and at least a shot at true love!" Betty looked at him with shock. Where had that come from? Daniel caught himself blushing under Betty"s scrutiny. What was that? Vivid green-blue eyes regarded the pair with amusement. "Okay. I"ll do it. On one condition?" Giselle said impishly. "Name it!" Daniel Mead said quickly. Alexis would be so jealous. "I get to borrow Betty." Daniel"s face fell. This was one of the more bizarre experiences of Betty"s life. Considering that she lived in New York and worked at MODE that was really saying something. Giselle had demanded, really politely demanded to have final say over how they"d present her designs. There were screens with fairytale scenes beautifully painted out, fabulous props like potted trees festooned with ribbons and hanging crystals. There were thrones and crowns and a plethora of fresh flowers. What seemed strange to Betty was that she now appeared to be in a musical. Everyone in the studio was singing. And it wasn"t even all for the same show. Everyone had a different song in their heart that seemed to be just bursting out. It was a discordant tangle of melodies that seemed to her sounded...just like the city if it were given a voice. The only connecting thread was Giselle in a jeans and a frothy sea foam green top directing the chaos: Come my friends /As we all sing a happy little working song/ Merry little voices clear and strong / Come and roll your sleeves up/So that we can pitch in... "Nothing that"s formal/Nothing that"s normal /No recitations to recite /Open up the curtain /Comedy Tonight!' Sang technicians, and stylists and gaffers, and make up artists. "Why live life from dream to dream/And dread the day when dreaming ends/One day I"ll fly away/Fly... fly... away" Sang a super model wistfully. Betty jumped when she felt Henry"s soft tap. "Hey, Henry." She gave her boyfriend a quick peck. "Pretty crazy, isn"t it?" The bespectacled accountant said waving a hand at the twirling choreographed dance numbered. "It"s insane. Where is the music even coming from?" Betty said goggling at the stylist who was now juggling hairdryers and hair curlers as he put in a soft shoe number. Henry shook his head, "All I know that an orchestra is not in the budget." Alexis looked at her brother staring at Betty and Henry with a distinctively unhappy expression as he took in how leaned intimately towards one another. She shook her blond locks. What was wrong with him? It was like Daniel was completely incapable of buying a clue when it came to his own feelings...wait was he singing? "And I know it"s only in my mind / That I"m talking to myself and not to her / And although I know that she is blind / I say, there"s a way for us," Daniel sang pouring out his subconscious heart. His sister shook her head. Maybe she should take a nap. Music included "Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted" "Comedy Tonight" from "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" "Someday I"ll fly" is from "Moulin Rouge" "On my Own" is from Les Miserables To all you songfic hates...I"m so sorry Attorney Robert Phillips sauntered into MODE his hands stuffed down the pockets of his trench coat. Amanda grinned her catlike grin at the sight of the lawyer...he was positively mcdreamy. "What can I do for you," she purred. "Yes. I"m looking for Giselle Evers," Robert smiled. Even her name made him happy. "Oh," Amanda said in disappointment. "Here she comes." Robert turned around and promptly had himself with arms full of Giselle. "Robert!" She smiled up at him. It was like sunlight. He kissed her soundly. Robert was never one for PDA but these days he just couldn"t seem to help himself. He grinned at her blush. Who da thunk that he"d get the princess; okay so she wasn"t technically royalty but she was close enough in his book, "Hi Honey, you just about done here?" Giselle nodded, "We"re just finished up for today. Just one more thing on my list." "Giselle," it was Betty"s warm voice. "You wanted to see me?" Robert smiled, "So, you"re the redoubtable Betty. Giselle"s been singing your praises for the last few days...sometimes literally." Amanda listening in to the conversation rolled her eyes. She honestly didn"t get why the ragamuffin was so popular. Giselle pulled a large box with the Andalasia Fashions castle by the lake logo on the top out of nowhere and handed it to Betty with a flourish. "I made you a dress; as a token of my gratitude for all your help." Betty flustered. "You didn"t have to." "I wanted to. Now go try it on," Giselle said with an encouraging smile. Betty sighed. There was no use putting up a fight. She"d just end up doing to doing the crazy ladies bidding. "Like some sparkly fabric"s going to help that," Amanda muttered. She told herself that Giselle"s line was tacky. The truth was that the little girl inside of her desperately wanted one of those dresses. Giselle had caught that little comment. But to Robert"s surprise her eyes didn"t well up with empathy they narrowed in on Amanda. "I agree," Giselle"s voice was as sweet as ever it just held an edge he"d never heard from her before. He found it compelling. "Betty does not need a dress no matter how sparkly to show how very lovely she truly is." Amanda made a scoffing noise and tried to look away from Giselle"s intense look. "Betty just glows with the beauty that only comes from a kind and loving heart. And that is only kind that truly matters." That being said she turned away from Amanda and effectively dismissed the girl from her presence. "That was kind of mean," Robert said thoughtfully. "I approve." Giselle shrugged, "She reminds me of the village maidens. They weren"t inclined to be kind to an orphan who lived in the woods." Robert pulled her against him. Not all her stories of her magic birthplace were happy. "Well?" It was Betty. Giselle grinned. It was even better then she had hoped. She made a twirling motion with her hand. Betty rolled her eyes and went in a circle. Betty had to admit the dress rocked. Rich blue satin shot though with blue ice with a multitude of crystal beads, it fit her perfectly. She"d never felt more like Cinderella in her life. It had even came with beaded slippers...and they were comfortable! Robert looked up at the sound of an indrawn breath. There stood Daniel Mead. At first Robert thought that the...playboy was staring at Giselle and his grip tightened. But, no Daniel was looking past Giselle at Betty who was still spinning around in uneven circles. "You little minx," Robert laughed into Giselle"s red tresses. She looked at Daniel"s pole axed expression from the corner of her eye and smiled with satisfaction. "I have no idea what you are talking about." Robert Phillips, his daughter Morgan and Giselle, his fiancé were descending the stairs into the subways. They"d just had an evening out; he"d taken them to see Les Misérables. Giselle had cried. At first Robert had tried to comfort her and Morgan had gotten a little weepy herself until Giselle waved them down. She was crying because it was wonderful and had made her feel so many things at once. "Daddy, am I going to have to stay with mom when you and Giselle go on you"re honeymoon?" the little girl asked apprehensively. Caitlin, the former Mrs. Phillips had left when Morgan was twelve months old. The only contact Morgan had with her erstwhile mother was sporadic at best and to be honest the woman who"d given her birth was a stranger. "Would you rather stay with grandma?" Robert asked thoughtfully. He knew Morgan viewed her mother with distrust and so should she. Caitlin was unreliable and cold. "Robert, why can"t she go with us?" Giselle wondered a faint line appearing between her eyes. Robert blinked at her. How was he supposed to tell those two pleading faces no; as much as he delighted in how Giselle and Morgan had bonded he really wanted to have his true love to himself for a change. He smiled suddenly. Giselle had changed his life so entirely. Robert would never even consider using the phrase "true love" in a sentence before he had met her. Morgan smiled. She could stay with grandma. That Giselle had even asked was enough for her. Caitlin was a loss as a mom and while Nancy was great she was more like a favorite aunt, she"d never have invited Morgan along for the honeymoon. She couldn"t wait until Giselle married her dad. She was going to be a great stepmom. Like Maria in "The Sound of Music." "It"s okay. I can stay with grandma." Said Morgan happily. They entered a car and sat down. Morgan nestled between them. "I"m leaving divorce law," Robert said curing a protective arm about his girl"s shoulders. Hazel and aqua eyes regarded him with surprise. The lawyer shrugged. "My hearts just not in it anymore. I was thinking of doing something more altruistic. Helping out the little guy." Giselle smiled proudly at him, "And you say you"re not my knight in shining armor." Robert blushed. "Admittedly, my first client isn"t...one of the little guys. And you know innocent of the crime but, it will get my new firm off the ground." Giselle raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "And who is this client." "Claire Mead." "Oh, Robert. She really is guilty," Giselle admonished him. Rob shrugged, "I wasn"t going to but Daniel pleaded. And then when that didn"t work he set Betty on me." Giselle laughed, "Well then. I suppose then you really hadn"t any choice." The train jerked to a stop and the left the car. The station they were in was dinging and in disrepair, the walls filled with garish graffiti covered the walls. Most of the street art was drek but he kinda liked the huge purple "Frodo Lives!' that dominated one wall. "This reminds me of the abandoned silver mines that the goblins had taken over," Giselle mused. Goblins? Robert wondered if he really wanted to know. "Daddy," Morgan tugged on his hand. "What is it sweetie?" Robert asked. "We"re not alone," the little girl whispered. And they weren"t. Emerging from the shadows were a group of youngish men in dirty torn clothing and a multitude of piercings. "What do we have here? A rich guy. Rich guy what are you doing in the bad part of town?" Said the presumed leader. Morgan wrapped her arms around Giselle"s waist. "Oh, look brigands." Giselle knew the type. Footpads and brigands had often taken refuge in the Forgotten Forest. A girl had to learn to deal with them. "What did you call us bitch?" Jeered a guy from the back. "What do you want?" Robert said stalking forward. After a dragon five goons weren"t that scary. He glanced back at Giselle. She touched her throat and made a little waving motion. She was planning on calling the animals. The idea of these guys being swarmed by rats was a nice one. Giselle began to hum. The spokesgoon made to punch Robert in the stomach and the lawyer moved swiftly out of the way and sharply kicked him hard on the knee. A very satisfying crunch was heard. The wag who had called Giselle a bitch grabbed her arm and was about to give it a painful twist when he was interrupted. By a sword. A katana to be precise. "Is that anyway to treat a lady?" The mild voice Giselle found belonged to a large bipedal turtle. "Hello," she said politely. Morgan just gaped. The thug abruptly let go of her arm. He"d heard the rumors about what haunted the sewers. He"d just never believed them. Robert who had been grabbed by two of the goons and punched in the stomach found himself free. "Oh you got to be kidding me!" He gasped. There were four of them. They were turtles. And apparently they were ninjas. You could tell them apart by the different colored eyebands they wore in blue, red, purple and orange. They took out the "brigands" as Giselle called them with a playful ease. They were all tied up for the police in short order. "Thank you so much," Giselle gushed. The one in orange scuffed his feat embarrassedly, "Shucks t"werned nothing ma"am." Their names were Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo respectively. And they were turtles. They were also ninjas. Leonardo was the mature responsible one. Raphael was kind of a hothead. Donatello was a genius. And Michelangelo was the baby brother who apparently had seen every surfing movie ever written. "You"re taking this rather well," observed Donatello. Robert laughed, "Giselle"s ex-boyfriend"s crazy mother turned into a dragon and tried to eat me." Donatello regarded him solemnly. Then he grinned. I saw a video on youtube! That was real? Excellent." Robert rolled his eyes. Teenagers. "Daddy, can I be a ninja?" Morgan who had been talking quietly to Leonardo suddenly chirped. Robert was about to say no. But, suddenly Morgan"s terrified face at the sight of the thugs raised up in his consciousness. "I think martial arts lessons are an excellent idea." "You"re that Giselle Evers?" Michelangelo"s asked excitedly. He exchanged a look with Raphael who nodded. "Our friend April"s birthday is coming up..." Michelangelo began. "And we were wondering if you"d design a dress for her..." Raphael continued hopefully. "I"d be delighted to," Giselle laughed. Mohinder Suresh was pulled along the hectic school hallway by an excited Molly. It was parent"s night and as Matt had pointed out "It"s your turn!' The telepathic policeman was adamant. It was Matt who baked (badly) for the bake sale, it was Matt who talked to the intrusive school councilor, and it was Matt who coached Molly for her roll in the school play... So, now the genetics professor was forced to face America"s public schools. Surely the stories Matt had told him about crazed soccer moms desperate for a date was a gross exaggeration. "Molly," called out an older woman with graying lank blond hair. Molly turned and gave the approaching authority figure a half-hearted wave, "Hi Ms. Hinkle." Ms. Hinkle who looked as if she had just swallowed a lemon tree looked from Molly to Mohinder. They didn"t look related at all. "Who is this?" The educator asked suspiciously. Molly glanced at Mohinder who nodded. It had taken the three of them a while to cobble a story together that was just ridiculous enough to sound true. "This is my guardian Dr. Suresh," Molly said cheerfully. "I was under the impression that Officer Parkman was your guardian," Ms. Hinkle frowned. "We have co-guardianship. Molly"s father was Matt"s older brother and her mother was my best friend. When she was born we were made godfathers," Mohinder said in his gentlest voice. Nikki, his partner at the company, had said that he had one of the prettiest voices she"d ever heard and that he ranked right up there with Josh Groban. He"d been flattered even if she had been drunk when she had said it. "When we found out that both of us had been given guardianship it was simply easier to pool our resources," Mohinder gave his most sincere look. Matt had described the situation as more "My Two Dads" and less "Molly has two Daddies.' The latter was an impression that neither man wanted if they ever wanted to date again, the cop had stressed. Mohinder agreed with him completely. The woman was about to make a comment when a soft almost chirpy voice interrupted her, "Miss. Hinkle, how are you?" Mohinder followed the pinched eyes of the teacher. A young red headed woman all but wafted over, a suited man with a bemused smile and a little girl by his side ambled after her. "Hi! Molly," the girl called out. Molly smiled, "Hi! Morgan." Miss. Hinkle let out an impatient huff, "Mr. Phillips..." she began ignoring the woman entirely. "We need to talk about Morgan." She also seemed to have forgotten Mohinder and Molly. Much to Mohinder"s relief. "Is this about Morgan"s reading material again Ms. Hinkle?" Phillips asked with a barely perceptible sigh. "I think sending Morgan to the councilor"s for reading "The Brothers Grim,' is a bit on the extreme side." Ms. Hinkle"s frown grew more pronounced, "It"s simply not appropriate for children." Phillips was beginning to look annoyed, "Ms. Hinkle it"s not really up to you to decide what or what"s not appropriate for our daughter." "You simply don"t understand the dangers inherent..."Blustered Ms. Hinkle. The redhead floated forward, "Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know they exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." She and Phillips exchanged a significant look. Mohinder looked at Molly and thought of Sylar and Matt"s father. Ms. Hinkle glared at the woman and sniffed before moving off to find someone else to terrorize. "Hello Molly." Molly giggled, a sound Mohinder had heard all too little of, "Hi Giselle." So this was the famous Giselle. Molly had raved about her after she had volunteered at the school and Matt had mumbled something about how Phillips was a lucky bustard. Looking at the women, Molly had described as looking like a fairy tale princess, he suddenly knew what Matt"s real problem was. He had a crush. A crush on a very taken women whom he was now avoiding. "Mohinder, these are Morgan"s parents, Mr. Phillips and Giselle," Molly introduced them enthusiastically. "It"s Robert," Morgan"s father held out his hand and Mohinder shook it. Then he shook Giselle"s hand. Her skin was even softer than Molly"s. "Giselle," Molly"s face lit up with an idea. "Do you have any sisters?" Mohinder felt a blush rise on his cheeks. "No," Giselle gave the girl a quizzical look. "Why do you ask?" Molly"s smile grew impish, "Mohinder needs a girlfriend." Mohinder suddenly wished for the ground to open up and swallow him. "Matt too. But, mostly Mohinder, he gets all broody," Molly confided. Robert, Mohinder noticed was trying not to laugh. Giselle laughed, "Molly, people find their true love at the right time." True love? Mohinder had never really heard that meant seriously in a sentence before. Mohinder had seen Molly"s desk, the art room, the music room and had met with the teachers and unfortunately, Ms. Hinkle once more. After, locating Molly"s coat, he found her staring at a large globe, her face a mask of concentration. "Who are you looking for?" Mohinder asked quietly. "Matt"s true love. I found mine, he"s in New Orleans. And yours..." She smiled sweetly up at Mohinder. "She"s wonderful!" Mohinder tried to assemble his thoughts into some kind of order...all he could come up with was "huh.' "My true love...really?" "Do you want to know where she is?" Molly asked slyly. "Err..." Mohinder stared from Molly"s pointing finger to the globe. ----Mohinder"s Monologue---- Evolution of the species is strengthened by good genetic matching; but, the human heart demands more. In our deepest longings don"t we want more than the blind dictates of genetics? We want the smile of a child, the comfort of a friend, and in the end we want someone to help slay our dragons... Is true love possible? Possibly only in our dreams. But, we keep dreaming and isn"t that what makes us human. "Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know they exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." Was said by G.K. Chesterton. "You"re a wolf," was the first thing to come out of Giselle"s mouth after she had disentangled herself from the man she crashed into. "Huff. Puff." The man said scratching at his forehead with two curved fingers. Robert had taken Giselle and Morgan to the park on a fine Sunday afternoon. They"d just finished their picnic and Morgan had insisted on teaching her mother- to -be the finer points of rollerblading. Giselle was laughing herself hoarse and she clung to Robert. All her natural grace seemed to disappear once the wheeled contraptions were tied to her feet; she was floundering about like a yearling on fresh ice. That was all before she went rolling all too swiftly down a hill with Robert and Morgan running frantically after her. Giselle"s downward momentum was stopped when she rolled into a man sauntering across the path. He was a tall man whose dark good looks reminded her a bit of Robert. As he laughingly helped her up his nose twitched and his brown eyes flashed predator yellow. "I don"t know what you"re talking about," the man protested. "All one hundred percent human here. In no way a clever, dashing, sheep worrier." He smiled nervously. "Wolf?" someone asked. A tiny, profoundly beautiful women with short cropped brunette hair leading a little boy by the hand, and an even littler girl propped on her hip appeared out of the entrance of a nearby hedge maze. "Except that Wolf happens to be my name," Wolf gave her a wide, charming (even if it showed far too many teeth) smile. "Over here, Virginia, my dreamy, creamy girl." Wolf"s nose twitched and he turned to look at Giselle. He frowned and gave the air a good sniff.

Walk up the path, and through the garden gate you never saw before but once. And then go home. Or make a home. And rest. She heard his soft tread and softer breathing in the garden and turned startled but not afraid. Zed smiled brightly as she tried to suss him out of the shadows. "Hello." "Hello," he replied. She spun to face him, "Hello." "Why hello," Zed purred as they came face to face. "You are not charming," she smiled at him even as she rolled her eyes. She had dimples! Zed grinned down at her, "I"ll have you know I"m totally charming. " "Sure, let"s go with that." She held out a small hand. He took the proffered hand and instead of shaking it- bowed elaborately before impulsively brushing his lips quickly over her knuckles. "I"m Zed," he dropped her hand and shoved both of his behind his back. His heart had revved up for a moment. He could taste her skin on his lips. "Addison...is my name." Addy could feel her cheeks burn. Here she was alone in a zombie light garden with a really cute zombie boy. So, really her day was looking up. And yes, he was totally charming. No, she wasn"t going to admit it. Not to him, anyway. And she was in complete denial about how his golden voice made butterflies inside her. Addy liked denial...it was warm there, with nice beaches. On a second glance it was clear that cute was bit of an understatement. Zed had dark green hair that looked soft and gentle peridot eyes. He was an adorkable goofball carved from marble. He made Da Vinci"s David look insipid and boring. And he felt as familiar as her very own heartbeat... what was that old song? "Is there a word yet for old friends who"ve just met?' "What were you reciting?" Zed wondered. ""Instructions" by an old obscure writer, Neil Gaiman; its advice on what to do if you ever wander into a story..." Addison glanced around, eyes wide with wonder. "This place is like walking into a fairytale." "Yeah, it really is," Zed"s eyes never left her face. They strolled out of the light garden sneaking peeks at each other. He shortened his stride and she lengthening hers so that their footfalls matched. "You have your own faerie princess now," Zoey shook her head in little girl outrage. "How"s that fair?" Zed grinned, "Yes, and if you"re very good I shall share her with you." Addison let loose a breathy giggle. "Will you now?" "Presumptuous?" "Just a smidge." Zoey was all but juggling her over large plushies desperately trying to keep them off the ground. Addison reached into a pocket and pulled out a small nylon square that unfolded into a large teal bag with white owls of various sizes printed on it. "Hey, why don"t you take this? Carry your new minions around in style." Zed shook his head as the two loaded up the bag, "Minions... Please, don"t give her ideas!" "Addison, this is my little sister, Zoey." "Hi! Can I hug you?" Clearly, she had to stake a claim now or Zed would hog her. "I don"t know...can you? Do your arms not work?" Addison teased. Zed felt all...warm and fuzzy as the two hugged. "And this is Eliza Ángel de la Muerte; she"s my cool older brother." Zed smiled at his suddenly sputtering friend. Eliza scowled at him before turning to assess the girl. Addison then looked her in the eye and spoke the words that would forever win the zombie girl"s heart, "Punk rock, post-apocalyptic, French couture?" Eliza beamed, "Yes! That was exactly what I was going for. I like this girl. She gets me!" Zed"s eyebrows went up and he looked her outfit up and down, "Really? French couture?" She scowled, "I am a girl. You have noticed that right? I like fashion. It"s between computer science and rocky road ice cream on the list of stuff that I like. Also, the next time you cast aspersions on my girliness I will punch you in your pasty face." "So, noted." The Unnoticed Apocalypse had not been kind to fashion. Somehow, the world outside the Quarantine Zones had fallen into a depressing conformity. Everything was severe lines and a very limited color palette, the dullest of neutrals and fifty ever so subtle shades of beige. Women"s fashion had been whittled down the extreme edge of feminine minimalism...eccentricity was right out. The only exceptions were cultural wear and sporting clothes (figure skaters had gotten more flamboyant.) It wasn"t the law. It was like the world drowned under a vast wave of peer pressure. Some things had improved like laws and health care and finally a viable replacement for petroleum. Additionally, both the Electoral College and the designated hitter rule in baseball were abolished. Self-expression, however; had faded out. With a whimper. Eliza had been very disappointed with the normies. She"d seen old shows and movies and read old books about centuries of fashion and had come out of quarantine out to discover that individuality was discouraged. Conformity ruled. While zombie fashion tended to be dark, you couldn"t say it wasn"t creative. There were very few people who defied the universal conformist dress code like her human cousin Shuri (loved animal prints) and Bucky Williams (got detention for wearing a lavender pinstriped shirt) of all people. And now she was delighted that Zeddys" fairytale girl was one of them. Addison wore blue. "You augment that getup yourself?" Eliza asked. Zed blinked before doing his own assessing of Addison"s clothes. He hadn"t actually noticed what she was wearing. He smiled. She was a blue bird in flock of beige pigeons. Addison nodded hesitantly, "Yeah, I dyed the pants sky blue and the shirt slate blue. Bamboo cotton is super comfortable; however, it only comes in pale bla. And I glued sequins to the top." Eliza nodded, "And you splattered a vintage morning glory blue jacket with silver paint." Addison squirmed under their attention. "It"s not too much?" "No! You look like you wandered out of Oz or Wonderland. It"s awesome," Zed assured her. Eliza nodded, "Your freak flag is made of whimsy and I approve." Addy blushed under their aggressive approval and maybe preened a bit. "Well, if you like whimsy..." she brushed soft white behind her ear. To reveal demure pearl studs adored with kitten ears. Eliza liked. "Oh, hey you found her," Bucky in all his green and purple flannel glory sauntered over and glowered at Addison. "Addy, what have I told you about wandering off." "Bucky Bear, I"m not five." Zoey and Eliza mouthed "Bucky Bear" incredulously at each other. "Found me?" Zed sighed, "He asked me to keep an eye out for his baby cousin. He didn"t tell even me your name; just that your eyes take up the majority of your face." Addy thumped Bucky in the arm for that one. "You poor girl," Eliza shook her head. "Livin" with Bucky, it"ll be like livin" with a cheer obsessed honey badger." Bucky smirked at her, "Awww, you"re sweet, tiny bad tempered hedgehog." Eliza"s lip curled, ""Least hedgehogs are cute." Zed shyly ghosted Addy"s wrist with his fingers, "We"re neighbors." Addison shivered at his cool touch and her lips slowly curved up, "I suppose I could live with that." "Yeah?" "Yeah." Bucky clapped his hands twice briskly, "Who"s up for ice cream, I saw a gourmet soft serve set up." "Me!" Zoey yelped. "Who said that?" Bucky looked around and jazzed hands. "I DID, I DID!" Zoey jumped up and down swinging her owl bag full of minions about. "You are so going to be the next me," Bucky cooed at the little zombie. "Umm? What?" Addison turned to Zed with a questioning tilt of her head. "Zoey wants to be a cheerleader. Bucky"s mentoring her." Zed made a face. "I don"t ask questions because, they will tell me about it at length in excruciating detail." "Hey, cuz?" Bucky looked over at her. "Thanks for paying. It"s so very generous of you!" Addy beamed at him. "What?!" Eliza patted her shoulder, "We are so going to be friends." The gourmet soft serve set up was a converted cargo truck, painted a lurid orange with tattoo art on the outside. The name of the shop was "Name Pending" officially. Its proprietors were a tall lanky zombie guy and very muscular Samoan dude. "I can understand, read, and write Zombie Tong, even pronounce it correctly, I just can"t ever get the words to come out in the right order," Addy said as they waited in line. She waved her hands a bit to further illustrate her frustration. "Say something." Eliza commanded. She complied in a monotone. Zed, Zoey and Eliza burst into laughter. "What did she say?" asked Bucky. Was it meant to sound salacious? "Thank you, for rubbing peanut butter on my umbrella," Zed chortled. "Ha. Ha." Replied Addy flatly. "It"s as if M. C. Escher took up linguistics while drunk." Eliza snickered. "That"s awesome. We should put that on the official language website." Addison groaned. "Addy, you planning on joining the cheer squad?" Bucky inquired with terrifying fervor. "School is like three months away. Also, not so much." "You were on a squad last year...and you were awesome," her cousin pointed out, trying out logic and reason before the inevitable nagging. Addy closed her eyes as if in great pain. "Yes, and it ended in torment." "You"re exaggerating." "They called the riot squad! And the animal control people!" Bucky waved a hand negligently, "What are the odds that a rival school would smuggle in a whole flock of irritable Canadian geese? Again." "I don"t want to risk it!" Addison"s voice went up a determined pitch. "Geese, seriously?" said Zoey in disbelief. "They chased me through the school, up and down the hallways. I ended up hiding in a storage cabinet in the art room!" "That"s truly awful," Zed said sincerely. He patted her hand. "Geese are mean," Addison informed them solemnly. They ordered. Zed: Organic Madagascar bourbon vanilla in a sugar cookie cone Addison: Dark Chocolate Black Raspberry Swirl in a chocolate hazelnut cone Eliza: Cold brewed coffee float with Ancho Chili Chocolate ice cream and house made marshmallows Bucky: Nutterbutter and Corn Almond with Candied Pecans Zoey: Honey Lavender with strawberry flavored sprinkles. She had a very sophisticated palate. They found a picnic table with peeling red paint to sit around or on. Eliza hummed at the taste of chocolaty chili coffee goodness. She eyed Addy thoughtfully, as the other girl lapped her ice cream like a cat at cream. "Important question, vital really; what Hogwarts House are you?" The white haired girl gave that question the consideration it was due, "Hufflepuff." "Me too!" Zed exclaimed, he held out his hand for a mutually congratulatory high five and she met it with a bright smile Eliza was Gryffindor and the cheerleaders were both Slytherin (which explained so much). "Also, Jedi; Corellian not Coruscanti," Addison informed them apropos of nothing. "Astro Tech," Eliza said firmly. "Rebel spy," said Bucky with a nod. Zed reflected, "Hmm. Scoundrel. Definitely." "Yeah, right," snorted Bucky. "You"re way too nice to be a scoundrel. You are the host of a children"s holo edutainment show. The Fred Rogers of SSSPPAACCEE." "How dare you?" Zed gasped mock outrage. He was quite pleased actually. He knew he wasn"t remotely that nice, but it was pleasant someone else thought so. "And Zoey?" Addison wondered. "Ace aviatrix for Rogue Squadron," the tiny cheer zombie said as if it were obvious. She pointed a spoon as Addy. "Middle name." It wasn"t so much a question as it was a demand. Addison raised a brow. She could see her cousin"s influence in the little girl"s sheer imperiousness. "Do not laugh," Addison warned. "Never," Zed said. "Hortensia." Naturally, they laughed themselves sick. Bucky loudest of all. "Windemere, you have nothing to laugh about." Addison grumbled into her soft serve. "I think they"re both lovely," Zoey said with a decisive nod. Bucky"s smile was fond, "You"ve always been my favorite." "I know," Zoey preened. "Also, my middle name is Lulabelle." The three of them looked at Zed and Eliza expectantly. Eliza rolled her eyes, "Honeybee. My middle name is Honeybee." No one dared laugh. Eliza Honeybee Ángel de la Muerte. Now that was a name. Addison poked Zed in the shoulder, "Don"t think you can escape." He summoned forth his most charming smile and winked, "Eros." Addison blushed. "Hey, kids" said Henry Alexandros Necrodopolus. His small zombie infected branch of a sprawling Greek family had legally changed their last name, as had so many others, to screw with the government. He and Felix Aramis Williams, father of Bucky walked lazily up to the picnic table. Henry was a stoat pale fireplug of man. He didn"t blend. It wasn"t the zombie thing. It was the having a personality like a patient rhino that made people give way. Felix was a very fit, very mild looking fellow who nonetheless gave the impression that you"d be in for pain if you crossed him. Somehow, his mildness was that off putting. Ah, with hair like that it must be the niece. Dear Lord, did Zed just sniff that girl? Oh. Henry got a whiff of Zed"s pheromones...looks like they"d have to review The Talk. Fun. "Hey, Pop," Bucky greeted Felix with a wave. "Hey, son," Felix, eyed his cheerful niece with a raised bow. Bucky nodded smiling at the unanswered question. She did look better. Everyone ignored that exchange carefully. "Daddy!" Zoey shook her head in denial. "Do, I have to go already?" "I"m afraid so, my little zombie angel, you don"t have school tomorrow, but that doesn"t mean you can stay up till midnight." "Awww," Zoey pouted. But, she didn"t sulk. In the summer she could stay up an extra hour, so it wasn"t too bad. Zoey hopped down from the table and wandered over to the nearest plastic recycling bin and dropped in her cup and spoon. She returned to the table for farewells and the hugs that were her due. She hugged Eliza, "Make sure Zed doesn"t blow it," she whispered loudly. "It"ll be tough, but I"ll try." Eliza huffed ruefully. Addison and Zed did not, did not at all quickly dart a peak at each other and look away swiftly. They did not. "I"m counting on you Bucky Bear to keep them out of trouble," Zoey informed Bucky somberly as he grabbed her up in a swinging hug. Bucky pseudo scowled, "Sure, keeping the anthropomorphic personification of "Fight Me"" he point at Eliza who dropped a perfect curtsy, "the knight in shining patchwork armor," Zed mouthed "who me" pointing to himself in feigned confusion, "and little miss jeopardy friendly trouble magnet," Addison realizing that he meant her pouted, "out of trouble should be a walk in the park." "Steady on, soldier." Zoey patted him on his shoulder before he sat her down. She stared at her brother before smiling slowly, "Who"s a good boy?" Zed"s eyes widened in panic and he squirmed, "Zoey!" Zoey just looked at him in patient anticipation. Zed"s shoulders slouched in defeat, "I am! I am! Wruff, wruff." He waggled about like a twitchy purse dog. "Awww. Zed perked up. All was not lost; he"d not humiliated himself in from of "The Girl.' Not, mind you "a girl,' "The Girl,' a very important distinction. And wasn"t that fast and sudden? But, then he was a zombie. And zombie instincts, his in particular, were generally on point. Zoey patted him on the head and turned her attention on Addison. "Kitty!" Addison"s mouth dropped open. "Wait, what?" She shook her head rapidly in denial. Zoey did a thing with her face. Her lower lip protruded and trembled and her eyes filled with unshed glistening tears. "I have to don"t I?" Addison asked Zed. The boy cum doggy snickered, "Yep." Addison picked up Zoey and slung the little girl on her hip. Their foreheads met and..."Merooww," Addison purred. She rubbed her cheek against Zoey"s "Merooww." Smug Zoey was smug. Clearly, she spent too much time with Bucky. Eliza observed Zed"s startled expression with amusement. The boy was funny. He"d jumped into a ravine only to find he was plummeting from the Cliffs of Insanity. Addison walked over to Mr. Necrodopolus, "I think this is your munchkin." "That she is," Zoey was transferred between them. She held out a hand, "I"m Addison." Henry blinked at her sincere if a smidge ingratiating smile, it reminded of him of Zed, when his son was angling to get someone to like him. "It"s a pleasure to meet you," Henry took the proffered hand and bowed. Addy canted her head. Clearly, this was a green apple and green apple tree thing. Felix cleared his throat, "You three have three more hours." He smiled. "Eliza"s in charge." Bucky sputtered in outrage. Eliza smirked, "Mine is an evil laugh." "Dance, Dance Revolution: This Time its Personal! Special Addition!" crowed Zed. He grabbed Addy"s hand and the two were off running. Bucky rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, "Maybe we shouldn"t have let them have sugar." "Meh. It"ll be fine. We"ll have them run around in circles until they"re tuckered out." Zed picked the first song, "Determinate" by Lemonade Mouth. She kept up with him just fine. Zed supposed he shouldn"t be surprised. He knew that a cheerleader had to be fast on their feet. And he knew Bucky"s exacting standards. He also knew that the B-Bear wouldn"t be dissuaded by a goose phobia. Zed wasn"t sure whose side he will take on that debate, on the one hand a cheer goose phobia and on the other...the cheer uniform. Addison retaliated with something terrifying and classical he"d never heard of, "Gangnam Style" by Psy. Zed followed with Dropkick Murphys" "Shipping up to Boston" with that rocken bagpipe shredding. Trailed by "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones, and then came her next pick "In the Mood" by the Glen Miller Band. They danced in tandem to the old, old song. Her blue jacket was tied around her waist at this point. "You"re not normal," Zed said to her in admiration as she breakdanced to swing. This from a zombie is among the highest of compliments. Addy was a bit breathless as she laughed, "Thank you, good sir. I have it on very good authority, that I"m-odd." "Odd? How so?" Zed raised an inquiring brow as he spun. "I was in testing to find out if I was on the spectrum and it turns out, no. I"m just odd. My psychiatrist at the time wrote it down on my official paperwork." Addison said as this wasn"t at all worrying. Zed"s nose scrunched up, on her official paperwork, really? "Does that psychiatrist still have his license?" "Maybe, after our sessions were over he left civilization to live in a yurt." Her smile was sweet and sharp. What? "Are all your stories going to be mildly disturbing?" Zed wondered as they stumbled out of breath and out of the game. So, Addison wasn"t all sugar and sunshine. He could feel her vindicated satisfaction. She"d totally made a grown man with a degree run away and live in a tent. A yurt was just a fancy tent. He decided that whatever had happened, he was siding with Addy. From a zombies" viewpoint, the girl practically had a glowing neon pink halo. "You"ll just have to find out for yourself," Addy panted. Zed was looking forward to it. A shadow fell on the two teens. They looked up and found themselves to be surrounded by four men. It looked like a badly thought out ambush as it was in full view of the viewing public. Addison was startled by four expressions of pure menace and she backed up stopping when she hit Zed. Zed cursed in mostly consonants under his breath. "Hey, girlie" said a naked mole rat of a man in a beige velour leisure suit. "What do you think you"re doing hanging out with that ugly stinking undead freak?" "Zombies aren"t actually undead," Zed smiled tightly. "To begin with he"s adorable," Addy replied as though this was an objective fact. Zed"s cheeks got noticeably warmer. "Also, he"s not stinky." Addison said thoughtfully. She turned and pulled him closer by his maroon shirt and smelt his neck. She was so close her nose ghosted his neck. Yeah, just what he needed at this point- to be blushing hydrangea blue at this very moment in time. Thanks, Addison. Addison released him and turned to the mole rat man, "He just smells...very extremely male." Zed blushed deeper. Because really? She reached behind her and grabbed his hand entwining their fingers. There was a spark of static electricity like a circuit had closed. Zed felt...strong. "You on the other hand...I can smell you from here. When was the last time you bathed? You smell like jingle jangle and what"s that cheese with the live maggots? Casu Marzu!" Yes, he saw it now. This was the girl who drove a man crazy. This was the girl who "got" Eliza. The two were destined to be friends. He was doomed. Addison glared, "And what business is it of yours who I hang out with, stranger danger? I don"t know you." Her voice was climbed like she was at a prep rally, rallying attention. "They shouldn"t have been allowed out of their pens to mix with normal humans. "Specially, the women," muttered the dark skinned one with the unfortunate dingy dark puce Mohawk. "Way to respect the agency of women," sniped Addison. Zed smiled. It wasn"t at all a nice smile. "You, a dude of color are advocating segregation and anti-miscegenation laws?" Mohawk gaped at him like a carp on the floor of a fishing boat. Addison grinned, "Answer the man"s question. It"s not like people with smartphones are recording all of this." They were. "How much you want to bet this guy is a meme by morning?" Zed drawled. Puce Mohawk looked at mole rat, "Sorry, man. I don"t need the notoriety." He left with a slouch.

He smiled suddenly. Giselle had changed his life so entirely. Robert would never even consider using the phrase "true love" in a sentence before he had met her. Morgan smiled. She could stay with grandma. That Giselle had even asked was enough for her. Caitlin was a loss as a mom and while Nancy was great she was more like a favorite aunt, she"d never have invited Morgan along for the honeymoon. She couldn"t wait until Giselle married her dad. She was going to be a great stepmom. Like Maria in "The Sound of Music." "It"s okay. I can stay with grandma." Said Morgan happily. They entered a car and sat down. Morgan nestled between them. "I"m leaving divorce law," Robert said curing a protective arm about his girl"s shoulders. Hazel and aqua eyes regarded him with surprise. The lawyer shrugged. "My hearts just not in it anymore. I was thinking of doing something more altruistic. Helping out the little guy." Giselle smiled proudly at him, "And you say you"re not my knight in shining armor." Robert blushed. "Admittedly, my first client isn"t...one of the little guys. And you know innocent of the crime but, it will get my new firm off the ground." Giselle raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "And who is this client." "Claire Mead." "Oh, Robert. She really is guilty," Giselle admonished him. Rob shrugged, "I wasn"t going to but Daniel pleaded. And then when that didn"t work he set Betty on me." Giselle laughed, "Well then. I suppose then you really hadn"t any choice." The train jerked to a stop and the left the car. The station they were in was dinging and in disrepair, the walls filled with garish graffiti covered the walls. Most of the street art was drek but he kinda liked the huge purple "Frodo Lives!' that dominated one wall. "This reminds me of the abandoned silver mines that the goblins had taken over," Giselle mused. Goblins? Robert wondered if he really wanted to know. "Daddy," Morgan tugged on his hand. "What is it sweetie?" Robert asked. "We"re not alone," the little girl whispered. And they weren"t. Emerging from the shadows were a group of youngish men in dirty torn clothing and a multitude of piercings. "What do we have here? A rich guy. Rich guy what are you doing in the bad part of town?" Said the presumed leader. Morgan wrapped her arms around Giselle"s waist. "Oh, look brigands." Giselle knew the type. Footpads and brigands had often taken refuge in the Forgotten Forest. A girl had to learn to deal with them. "What did you call us bitch?" Jeered a guy from the back. "What do you want?" Robert said stalking forward. After a dragon five goons weren"t that scary. He glanced back at Giselle. She touched her throat and made a little waving motion. She was planning on calling the animals. The idea of these guys being swarmed by rats was a nice one. Giselle began to hum. The spokesgoon made to punch Robert in the stomach and the lawyer moved swiftly out of the way and sharply kicked him hard on the knee. A very satisfying crunch was heard. The wag who had called Giselle a bitch grabbed her arm and was about to give it a painful twist when he was interrupted. By a sword. A katana to be precise. "Is that anyway to treat a lady?" The mild voice Giselle found belonged to a large bipedal turtle. "Hello," she said politely. Morgan just gaped. The thug abruptly let go of her arm. He"d heard the rumors about what haunted the sewers. He"d just never believed them. Robert who had been grabbed by two of the goons and punched in the stomach found himself free. "Oh you got to be kidding me!" He gasped. There were four of them. They were turtles. And apparently they were ninjas. You could tell them apart by the different colored eyebands they wore in blue, red, purple and orange. They took out the "brigands" as Giselle called them with a playful ease. They were all tied up for the police in short order. "Thank you so much," Giselle gushed. The one in orange scuffed his feat embarrassedly, "Shucks t"werned nothing ma"am." Their names were Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo respectively. And they were turtles. They were also ninjas. Leonardo was the mature responsible one. Raphael was kind of a hothead. Donatello was a genius. And Michelangelo was the baby brother who apparently had seen every surfing movie ever written. "You"re taking this rather well," observed Donatello. Robert laughed, "Giselle"s ex-boyfriend"s crazy mother turned into a dragon and tried to eat me." Donatello regarded him solemnly. Then he grinned. I saw a video on youtube! That was real? Excellent." Robert rolled his eyes. Teenagers. "Daddy, can I be a ninja?" Morgan who had been talking quietly to Leonardo suddenly chirped. Robert was about to say no. But, suddenly Morgan"s terrified face at the sight of the thugs raised up in his consciousness. "I think martial arts lessons are an excellent idea." "You"re that Giselle Evers?" Michelangelo"s asked excitedly. He exchanged a look with Raphael who nodded. "Our friend April"s birthday is coming up..." Michelangelo began. "And we were wondering if you"d design a dress for her..." Raphael continued hopefully. "I"d be delighted to," Giselle laughed. Mohinder Suresh was pulled along the hectic school hallway by an excited Molly. It was parent"s night and as Matt had pointed out "It"s your turn!' The telepathic policeman was adamant. It was Matt who baked (badly) for the bake sale, it was Matt who talked to the intrusive school councilor, and it was Matt who coached Molly for her roll in the school play... So, now the genetics professor was forced to face America"s public schools. Surely the stories Matt had told him about crazed soccer moms desperate for a date was a gross exaggeration. "Molly," called out an older woman with graying lank blond hair. Molly turned and gave the approaching authority figure a half-hearted wave, "Hi Ms. Hinkle." Ms. Hinkle who looked as if she had just swallowed a lemon tree looked from Molly to Mohinder. They didn"t look related at all. "Who is this?" The educator asked suspiciously. Molly glanced at Mohinder who nodded. It had taken the three of them a while to cobble a story together that was just ridiculous enough to sound true. "This is my guardian Dr. Suresh," Molly said cheerfully. "I was under the impression that Officer Parkman was your guardian," Ms. Hinkle frowned. "We have co-guardianship. Molly"s father was Matt"s older brother and her mother was my best friend. When she was born we were made godfathers," Mohinder said in his gentlest voice. Nikki, his partner at the company, had said that he had one of the prettiest voices she"d ever heard and that he ranked right up there with Josh Groban. He"d been flattered even if she had been drunk when she had said it. "When we found out that both of us had been given guardianship it was simply easier to pool our resources," Mohinder gave his most sincere look. Matt had described the situation as more "My Two Dads" and less "Molly has two Daddies.' The latter was an impression that neither man wanted if they ever wanted to date again, the cop had stressed. Mohinder agreed with him completely. The woman was about to make a comment when a soft almost chirpy voice interrupted her, "Miss. Hinkle, how are you?" Mohinder followed the pinched eyes of the teacher. A young red headed woman all but wafted over, a suited man with a bemused smile and a little girl by his side ambled after her. "Hi! Molly," the girl called out. Molly smiled, "Hi! Morgan." Miss. Hinkle let out an impatient huff, "Mr. Phillips..." she began ignoring the woman entirely. "We need to talk about Morgan." She also seemed to have forgotten Mohinder and Molly. Much to Mohinder"s relief. "Is this about Morgan"s reading material again Ms. Hinkle?" Phillips asked with a barely perceptible sigh. "I think sending Morgan to the councilor"s for reading "The Brothers Grim,' is a bit on the extreme side." Ms. Hinkle"s frown grew more pronounced, "It"s simply not appropriate for children." Phillips was beginning to look annoyed, "Ms. Hinkle it"s not really up to you to decide what or what"s not appropriate for our daughter." "You simply don"t understand the dangers inherent..."Blustered Ms. Hinkle. The redhead floated forward, "Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know they exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." She and Phillips exchanged a significant look. Mohinder looked at Molly and thought of Sylar and Matt"s father. Ms. Hinkle glared at the woman and sniffed before moving off to find someone else to terrorize. "Hello Molly." Molly giggled, a sound Mohinder had heard all too little of, "Hi Giselle." So this was the famous Giselle. Molly had raved about her after she had volunteered at the school and Matt had mumbled something about how Phillips was a lucky bustard. Looking at the women, Molly had described as looking like a fairy tale princess, he suddenly knew what Matt"s real problem was. He had a crush. A crush on a very taken women whom he was now avoiding. "Mohinder, these are Morgan"s parents, Mr. Phillips and Giselle," Molly introduced them enthusiastically. "It"s Robert," Morgan"s father held out his hand and Mohinder shook it. Then he shook Giselle"s hand. Her skin was even softer than Molly"s. "Giselle," Molly"s face lit up with an idea. "Do you have any sisters?" Mohinder felt a blush rise on his cheeks. "No," Giselle gave the girl a quizzical look. "Why do you ask?" Molly"s smile grew impish, "Mohinder needs a girlfriend." Mohinder suddenly wished for the ground to open up and swallow him. "Matt too. But, mostly Mohinder, he gets all broody," Molly confided. Robert, Mohinder noticed was trying not to laugh. Giselle laughed, "Molly, people find their true love at the right time." True love? Mohinder had never really heard that meant seriously in a sentence before. Mohinder had seen Molly"s desk, the art room, the music room and had met with the teachers and unfortunately, Ms. Hinkle once more. After, locating Molly"s coat, he found her staring at a large globe, her face a mask of concentration. "Who are you looking for?" Mohinder asked quietly. "Matt"s true love. I found mine, he"s in New Orleans. And yours..." She smiled sweetly up at Mohinder. "She"s wonderful!" Mohinder tried to assemble his thoughts into some kind of order...all he could come up with was "huh.' "My true love...really?" "Do you want to know where she is?" Molly asked slyly. "Err..." Mohinder stared from Molly"s pointing finger to the globe. ----Mohinder"s Monologue---- Evolution of the species is strengthened by good genetic matching; but, the human heart demands more. In our deepest longings don"t we want more than the blind dictates of genetics? We want the smile of a child, the comfort of a friend, and in the end we want someone to help slay our dragons... Is true love possible? Possibly only in our dreams. But, we keep dreaming and isn"t that what makes us human. "Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know they exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." Was said by G.K. Chesterton. "You"re a wolf," was the first thing to come out of Giselle"s mouth after she had disentangled herself from the man she crashed into. "Huff. Puff." The man said scratching at his forehead with two curved fingers. Robert had taken Giselle and Morgan to the park on a fine Sunday afternoon. They"d just finished their picnic and Morgan had insisted on teaching her mother- to -be the finer points of rollerblading. Giselle was laughing herself hoarse and she clung to Robert. All her natural grace seemed to disappear once the wheeled contraptions were tied to her feet; she was floundering about like a yearling on fresh ice. That was all before she went rolling all too swiftly down a hill with Robert and Morgan running frantically after her. Giselle"s downward momentum was stopped when she rolled into a man sauntering across the path. He was a tall man whose dark good looks reminded her a bit of Robert. As he laughingly helped her up his nose twitched and his brown eyes flashed predator yellow. "I don"t know what you"re talking about," the man protested. "All one hundred percent human here. In no way a clever, dashing, sheep worrier." He smiled nervously. "Wolf?" someone asked. A tiny, profoundly beautiful women with short cropped brunette hair leading a little boy by the hand, and an even littler girl propped on her hip appeared out of the entrance of a nearby hedge maze. "Except that Wolf happens to be my name," Wolf gave her a wide, charming (even if it showed far too many teeth) smile. "Over here, Virginia, my dreamy, creamy girl." Wolf"s nose twitched and he turned to look at Giselle. He frowned and gave the air a good sniff. Giselle would have danced in excitement if she didn"t think she"d just fall on her face. A wolf in New York! This was exciting. She was beginning to think that Robert was all kinds of wrong about this world not having magic. After all, that big dragon with the weird name (Godzilla!) was forever in the news, rumors of gargoyles abounded and just recently she had met four turtles and a rat that had been turned into people by some kind of glowing potion. Wolf gave her a considering look. "You smell like the forest on a spring morning. And magic and unless my fabulous sniffer is off...and that"s unlikely, you"re not entirely human yourself." Giselle grinned prettily at the wolf in blue jeans, "Wood nymph. On my mother"s side. You"re a wolf?" Wolf nodded, "Half wolf. Which of the Nine Kingdoms are you from?" "Nine Kingdoms?" Giselle frowned, "I"ve never heard of such lands. I"m from Andalasia." "Andalasia?" Wolf blinked. Introductions were a little awkward. Robert handed Morgan her chocolate raspberry swirl ice cream cone. Okay. So Giselle wasn"t the only magic type person running around New York. This Wolf guy was well...a wolf. At first Robert wasn"t too sure. All he saw was a really hyper guy who shouldn"t be allowed to have caffeine or sugar. Ever. But then Wolf"s head tilted a certain way and Robert was pretty sure this happened, Wolf smelled him. It was the brief eye glowing that really sold it. Wolf"s wife was tiny woman with short cropped dark hair and dark blue eyes, her name was Virginia. She seemed to view the whole chance meeting between their spouses with the same caution that Robert himself felt. Morgan was happily talking to Wolf and Virginia"s two children, Warren and Luna, she was expounding in detail how animals regularly cleaned up their apartment. "But how can so many of the same people exist in two different worlds?" Giselle wondered. Wolf shrugged, "I read once in a very helpful book about alternate realities that it"s possible for many different versions of the same thing to exist. Like looking into an infinity of exponentially more distorted mirrors." Giselle blinked. Virginia gave Robert a wry smile, "Wolf"s the first hardcore sci-fi fan the Nine Kingdoms has ever produced. The last time we were there he tried to get King Wendell to institute a SETI program" At that Wolf rolled his eyes. "Speculative Fiction. Sci-fi demeans the genre." Virginia rolled her eyes back at him. Robert, the closet Star Wars nut, kinda agreed with him. "How did your story start? How did you meet Wolf? Did you know right away that he was the One?" Burbled Giselle. Virginia laughed, "I lived on the edge of the forest. Well, Central Park..." It was an epic story with filled with fighting, trolls, revenge, gypsies, monsters, chases, escapes from maximum security prisons with unlikely names, true love, magic mirrors, magic shoes, magic mushrooms. Every once in a while Giselle and Robert and the mostly spellbound Morgan would interrupt and ask for clarification. "She turned him into a dog?" Exclaimed Morgan. "You tried to eat her grandmother!" interjected a horrified Robert. Wolf shook his head rapidly and wagged a finger admonishingly in the air, "No, no. Wolfies only pretend to do naughty things." Virginia propped her chin onto a fist thoughtfully, "Grandmother still hasn"t forgiven you, you know? "The last time we had dinner with Granny-she hit Daddy in the face with a frying pan," Warren chortled. "And after I abjectly apologized and everything," Wolf said indignantly. "I even groveled for the old bird." "You"re lucky she didn"t sue," sputtered Robert. The look of slow dawning horror on the half wolf"s face was amusing to watch, he turned several shades paler and his eyes bugged out a bit, "You don"t think she would?" "So no one lives of quiet desperation?" wondered Robert. "We either live happily ever after or we get killed by horrible curses," Wolf said. "It"s like that in Andalusia too," said Giselle. "Somehow the horrible curse sounds better than the quiet desperation." "Have you any idea how much it hurts to have someone climb up your hair?" Virginia tugged at her short locks with a sort of negative nostalgia. Giselle, Morgan, and Luna all tugged lightly at their own tresses more or less in unison and flinched a bit in sympathy. "Never go into law," Robert said seriously to Virginia after her account of her horrific impromptu performance as Wolf"s defense attorney. Giselle kicked Wolf in the chin when he recounted his deception about the mirror. Robert made a mental note to quiz Wolf about where he got the singing ring. It was hard to find a suitable ring for a fairytale princess even in the Diamond District. Virginia abruptly found herself in Giselle"s embrace when the revelation of the Evil Queen"s true identity. The brunette awkwardly patted the red head on the shoulder. "Its" okay." "No, it"s not. Giselle said flatly. Virginia smiled watery, "No. It"s not. The pain never goes away, but ...it fades." "Stop smelling me!" Morgan demanded. Warren shrugged unapologetically, "No. You smell nice. Like warm chocolate chip cookies and lilies." "Warren"s got a girlfriend, Warren"s got a girlfriend," Luna mocked. Warren ignored his sister and boldly sniffed Morgan"s hair and smiled charmingly at her, "I could follow your scent through time itself." "Huff Puff. That"s my line," Wolf said in mock annoyance. Robert was very disturbed by this. Morgan was far too young for a boyfriend. He made mention of this with an uncomfortable smile. Virginia smile was a bit strained by this as well, "Warren"s not allowed to date until he"s fifteen." Robert let out a relived sigh. "I assure you Mr. Philips that my intentions are mostly honorable," the cub said brightly. There was a moment of silence. "Mostly honorable?" Robert gave Warren a gimlet eye. "Wolves mate for life...I"m gonna marry her," Warren smiled charmingly. "We can"t get married...there are laws about people our age getting married!" Protested Morgan. Robert"s lips twitched. That"s Daddy little litigator. Warren shook his head, "Not now my little lamb chop. When we"re older." "Mostly honorable?" Robert felt that point needed some clarification. Virginia laughed at the constipated expression on the lawyer"s face. "I"m gonna kiss her first," Warren explained earnestly. "And you know... hold hands." Robert was skeptical on how long the pup"s designs on his daughter would stay that innocent. Morgan wrinkled her nose, "Don"t I get a say in this?" "Yes..." Warren sighed. "But, see. Wolves mate for life. If you choose someone else...I"ll be alone forever." Morgan"s hazel eyes widened. She stared at the wolf puppy. "Forever?" she whispered. Warren nodded solemnly and made his best puppy eyes, "And ever." "Come on that"s just not possible..." Robert"s half amused half appalled grin faded as both Wolf and Giselle exchanged looks. Virginia"s eyes were sad as she took in her son gazing adoringly at the little girl. "It"s true. For Warren, Morgan"s it." Robert pondered that. His thoughts were all tangled up like so much yarn. So, his little Morgan was a wolf"s true love. Huh. Robert supposed he might make a good son-in-law after Morgan was done training him. He could keep her feet warm in the winter. Okay. So there was a hint of hysteria with that last thought. Would a relationship based on his daughter"s scent last? Yeash. Maybe he should just take it on a little faith. Stranger things had happened. Just this week they"d been to the zoo and watched in openmouthed astonishment as the wildebeests had a rousing dance number. Wolf sighed plaintively, "Huff Puff. Couldn"t he have found her they"re older?" "Life is so much weirder since I"ve met you," murmured Robert. Giselle laughed. "Fun though." "Hey, we can to Kissing Town for our first date!" Warren announced to a furiously blushing Morgan. "No!" Robert interjected. No way was that skinny little puppy taking his daughter anywhere with kissing in the name! Virginia rolled her eyes, "Not until you"re fifteen." The ensuing argument would last the evening. That weekend the two families would go bowling. Robert and Giselle had found a couple with whom they could do couple stuff. Giselle had found a fellow expatriate from fantasy land. Robert had found a fellow member of the "Weird Stuff Happening on a Semi- Regular Basis" club to commiserate with. Morgan had found a possible future husband and Luna had found something she could torment her brother forever with (it would start with MODE"s wedding addition underneath his pillow). I got the dancing wildebeests from Disney"s "The Wild" staring Jack Bauer. Mode is from Ugly Betty.

They"re happy. He"d always hated the happiness of others. It made him feel cheated. It always seemed to make his happiness look cheap and ugly. If someone had something, even if he didn"t want it, he"d break it. Just to hear it smash. Just to hear their hearts smash. The naked mole rat man in the beige velour leisure suit knew himself to be correct in all matters. He was incapable of being wrong. The sane man in the asylum is how he thought of himself. And how he raged at the unfairness; how in the land of the blind, why wasn"t he king? He"d even changed his milquetoast birth name to reflect his proper station in life. Magnus Rex. Now, that was the name of a man who knew his true worth. "Somethings wrong." Addy slowed to a stop. The fine downy hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention. Her grey eyes went wide with foreboding. Zed opened his senses to include more than his pretty companion. His breath came in sharply, malice, hot and bitter was stalking them. They turned and saw a reflection moving towards them. The figure was familiar. "The naked mole rat man in the beige velour leisure suit!" Addy exclaimed quietly. Zed snorted, "Mean, but accurate..." he looked back and sighed. Mole Rat now had a comically large hunting knife. Zombie hulk was waking up again. The wrath Zed had felt when the jerk had grabbed Addison had been terrifying. And the idea of him touching her again... "Listen, I want you to run..." Addy glared at him. "This isn"t because you"re a girl! Okay. It"s because out the two of us, I"m more durable." Zed hissed. Addison shook her snow white locks, "I"m not leaving you to face a knife wielding psycho on your own. Together, or not at all, pretty boy." "What did you call me?" "Guy, with a knife, headed this way," Addison said hastily, ignoring the question. Zed, best friend of Eliza, older brother of Zoey, knew that this was not gonna go the way he wanted. "Let"s go," Zed gently pushed her in front of him as they hurried down the hall. It was the wrong way. Of course, it was. "I warn you the only thing more devastating than my high kick is my low kick!" Zed grimaced and pulled Addison behind him. Why, did she have to challenge the knife wielding maniac? Mole Rat flinched at the sound of her voice. "Shut up! That voice, I can hear it echoing inside of me! I"m gonna tear out your voice box with my teeth!" Zed Eros Necrodopolus, was it was widely acknowledged; a chill guy, a guy who could weather most anything with an enviable levelheadedness. It was rare you got to see him angry. Those who"d gotten the privilege of seeing him in such a state inevitably hoped they"d never see it again. There was a reason zombies have often mistaken him for a young warrior prince after getting a look at his aura, before being confronted with the reality of Zed"s actual personality. The mole rat recoiled at the zombie"s murderous expression, and then rallied when he glanced at the girl. The girl was the real threat. A voice like that needed to be silenced. Zed ducked under the hand with the knife and punched mole rat in the stomach. It was a good, solid, highly enthusiastic punch. Zed felt something crunch under his knuckles. He wasn"t sorry. Then he and Addison were running down the maze endlessly reflecting mirrors. A dead end was the worst thing that could happen to them at this time besides, being chased by a lunatic. Mole rat threw his knife. Addison felt time slow, saw the inevitable trajectory of the knife. It would hit Zed"s neck, penetrating his jugular. He would bleed out. He would die. Addison screamed. It was a wail of wraith and grief and fear, which slammed into the brain like needles of ice and fire. The mirrors didn"t shatter...they crumbled into sparkly dust. The knife paused a half an inch from Zed"s throat and summersaulted backwards, hitting the mole rat in his shoulder. The lights sputtered out. The wail subsided and all was heavy breathing. The lights flickered back on. The man who"d once called himself Magnus Rex sat on the floor, arms tight around his legs, rocking back and forth. Blood dripped from his ears. "Zed, Zed are you okay?" Addison cupped Zed"s face in her hands looking him over, she was shaking with worry. "Are you hurt? Did I hurt you?" Her small warm hands brushed his ears frantically. Zed realized she was looking for blood. He reached up and took her hands in his larger cool ones. "I think I should ask you that?" Addison was pale, her breath coming in short hiccup-y gasps and her grey eyes were wide with fear. "No. No, you didn"t hurt me," Zed kissed her forehead. It had been like standing in the wind as it roared over the ocean. "What was that?" Addison gingerly stepped away from him and looked up at him. She searched his face for any sign of fear...of her and finding none let out her held breath in a whoosh. Addy struggled for words. "Darling, you"re pop culture, I"m mythology. She patted his chest turned away from the puzzled zombie and warily sidestepped the prone and whimpering mole rat, briskly made her way around him. Zed stared at her retreating back. That cleared precisely nothing up! That was not an explanation! Also, Zed really liked Addy calling him darling. When they emerged from the maze, Zed was astonished to discover Bucky, Eliza and Mr. Williams already there. "What happened?" Eliza demanded. Zed replied, "How did you know we in trouble?" Eliza and Bucky looked at each other with wide eyes then back to him. "Aww, well..." "I don"t know about those two but Addy texted me." The man assessed the two teenagers, looking for injuries. And found none to his satisfaction. "Are you kids alright?" Mr. Williams asked his expression and voice bland, the slight widening of his eyes the only sign of his concern. "Yeah, we"re unscathed. The other guy not so much." Zed gestured at the maze. "Bad guy down." If Felix Williams was surprised he certainly didn"t show it, just nodded briskly and headed it. He patted Addison"s stiff shoulder gently on the way into the maze "What the hell?" Eliza began scowling. "You"d better not be hurt Necrodopolus." Hostility was one of the ways Eliza showed affection. "I"m fine. We"re fine. The naked mole rat man in the beige velour leisure suit followed us in...it didn"t end well for him," answered Zed. Bucky looked into Addy"s eyes, "How soon is that panic attack?" Zed"s full attention was back on Addison. The girl shivered all over... "Soon. There"s too many people. I can"t...I just can"t." Addy"s strong voice was whispery and frayed. Bucky nodded, "Thought so." He fished a ticket out of his pocket. "Farris Wheel. Good for four go rounds. You"ll be done by then." "Thank you," she hugged him hard then took off in a run; only pausing to cast an anguished look at Zed. "Hey, wait!" Zed yelped. Bucky smiled and handed the zombie boy a Farris Wheel ticket. "What are you waiting for? Go to her!" Zed was off. "Are they okay?" Eliza anxiously questioned. "They"ll be great." "Zed"s afraid of heights." "They"ll be great. As long as Zed doesn"t yark on her." Zed zoomed, zigged and zagged through the crowd, avoiding fair goers and carnies alike. He thought that maybe he"d just hurtled over a guy kneeling to tie his shoe laces. To his frustration, the wheel was already slowly moving. He waved at Addison, who didn"t respond; she was gripping the safety bar and staring into the distance. Addy"s expression was haunted. Zed cut to the head of the line. Causing many people to boo also, someone may have called him the son of a targ. "Hey, what are you...?" the ticket guy sputtered. Zed smiled winningly, slipped the ticket into a taupe pocked. "Faint heart never won fair lady," Zed winked and began to scale the slowly revolving ride. Addison was in shock. She"d tried ignoring it but, it had happened again. Okay, okay. She"d only hurt someone who"d deserved it...Addy could live that. Maybe. She hadn"t hurt Zed. That was wonderful. A relief. But, she could have. She might still. "I should go live in a yurt," Addison muttered to herself. "Everyone would be better off." She yelped as her pod began rocking. "I disagree with both those sentences," Zed pulled himself into the pod with a grunt. Addison actually put her panic attack on pause to be astonished; who scaled Farris wheel to talk to somebody? "You should not go live in a yurt Addy, all you"d be allowed to eat would be plain yogurt and goat jerky." Zed shrugged at her confounded look, "I don"t make the rules." "What about your delicate constitution?" Addison wondered. He smiled flatly, "You having a panic attack more important." She bit her lip and looked away, heart thundering. "You don"t have to tell me what happened in there." Zed softly told her. "I just didn"t want you to be alone." Addison said nothing. She closed her eyes and blindly reached for his hand. She concentrated on the feeling of his hand in hers and slowly her heartrate dropped from hummingbird in a wheat combine to something more reasonable. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Make a choice. "My mother hated my hair. She said it was unnatural and freakish." Addy kept her voice as steady as possible. Which wasn"t very. Zed made a disbelieving noise of protest. He looked at the girl with the perfect white locks and knew he was going to get very angry a third time. "It turns out it can"t be dyed... at all. So, the obvious solution was to give me a buzz cut and make me wear a wig." "What?" Addison"s eyes fluttered open, "It was itchy and hot but, at least it got me out of those horrible toddler beauty pageants." Zed mind blanked. Just what? "I recently found out why my hair was like this. It"s not just some random genetic quirk. I"ve been trying to ignore it...but, it"s the third time." Addison rubbed her eyes. "You, know how magic"s a thing. Like a really real thing, not just hats and bunnies." She gave him a wry smile. A brief flash of upturned lips. Zed didn"t expect that, "Let"s assume, I did." "So if magic"s a thing, then assume magical beings are a thing," she pushed an errant lock behind a gently curved ear. Zed considered this. Yeah, not where he thought this conversation might go. "Are you a magical being?" he ventured carefully. Addison was telling the truth. He could sense her honesty. It wasn"t just that. Her voice vibrated with the truth, literally and not at all figuratively. He"d have his own panic attack later. "Kinda. Sorta." A long pause and then, "I"m a banshee!" Addison hid her face with her hands. The zombie did not know what to do with this answer. "You"re a banshee. A faerie ghost women?" She brightened at his recognition, "You"ve heard of it?" "Yes. My friend Bonzo is an Irish zombie and went through a myth and folklore phase he"d made us sit through lectures and a slideshow. He would give us pop quizzes afterwards. Well, me. He"d give me pop quizzes and would sulk when Eliza ignored him." Addison exhaled, "Well, one of my ancestors dallied with the fae back in the day and sometime later...I happened. Latent genes turned on. And here I am. A mortal with a few banshee powers. And hair. I"m not allergic to cold iron and I can lie...badly." She peaked at Zed. He seemed to be taking this very well. Also, he truly believed her. He wasn"t just humoring her. Maybe, it was the zombie empathy thing her Zombie Tong teacher had mentioned. Zed laughed, "I"m a zombie. Who was zombiefied by a meteor, darling. I"ve no room to doubt someone else"s origin story." "I don"t suppose you could forget I called you that?" Addison grumbled. "Not a chance." He winked at her, "Feel free to call me darling anytime it takes your fancy." Okay, from panic attack to blushing puddle. Normally, after an episode she"d be depressed for hours if not days. Who was this boy? Where did he come from? "No wonder you were staring at the poster from Banshee! The Ride. It"s not a good depiction," Zed mused. There were days when he"d come across something from the past like a Romero movie or something of that ilk and was taken aback. Sometimes, he forgot where his people got their name. The cognitive dissonance was a bitch. Addison sniffed, "I don"t know...it seemed pretty close to the source material. Banshees are depicted as hot gingers or... hideous crones with white hair." "Hey," Zed cupped her cheek gently and turned her to face him. Addison looked at him with uncertain moonstone eyes. He caressed her hair with his other hand. It was very soft. She gasped, a pretty blush blossoming on her cheeks. "Your mom was wrong," He told her. "She was wrong. Your hair is not unnatural and freakish. You are not unnatural and freakish." Zed waited until their eyes met, "It"s beautiful. You"re beautiful." They were caught up in a kiss as soft as sleep, new and as sweet as spring. "Hello," Addison whispered. "Why hello," Zed purred. Addy laughed, "Maybe, just a smidge charming." She held out her hand, forefinger and thumb a half-inch apart. "A smidge." "I"ll take it." Later, on the way to the parking lot Zed slowed to a stop in front of a ball throwing kiosk. He paid for the privilege of throwing three balls and the chance to win a plushy. Eliza snickered, "Trying to in press the girl with feats of strength, eh?" "Do I strike you as the kind of girl who"s impressed by feats of strength?" Addison asked raising a brow. Eliza considered, "Mmm. Not so much. You"re the type who"s impressed by kindness or bravery or braininess...muscles don"t do it for you. But, you don"t mind looking." She smiled cheekily. "Why, I never." Addison fluttered her hands about in mock southern lady indignation. "In fact, I"ve caught her looking at young Zed"s arms, on more than one occasion," Bucky interjected helpfully. Zed spun round with an absolutely delighted grin, "You can look all you want, Addison. I don"t mind." Addison said primly, "I"m sure I don"t know what you mean." Bucky and Eliza snorted in perfected tandem. On, his second strike Zed won. His expression was insufferably smug. Addison suddenly, found herself looking cross-eyed into the face of a large inexplicably teal duck-billed platypus plushie. "This is for you!" said Zed, with the all considerable enthusiasm of a golden retriever puppy. "You won me a platypus?" Addison took his offering. To his disappointment she hugged the platypus instead of him. "Thank you." Zed held out his arm. Addy hesitated for a moment before taking it. "Shall we, milady." "We shall good sir." "Are they going to be like this all the time?" Eliza could feel the sugar shock. Bucky snorted, "Sometimes, it will be all this. Other times they"ll bicker like Nick and Nora Charles. We"re a couple of years away from Morticia and Gomez levels of public displays of affection." "They wouldn"t!" "Oh, yes. They would!" Felix leaned against the door of his immaculately kept if ancient turquoise SUV and watched his son and Eliza play rock, paper, scissors, for sitting shotgun. The other two had watched four games without comment. Then Addy yawned. It was contagious because then Zed yawned. Then they yawned together in tandem. Afterwards, they just got in the backseat of the car, without a huge production. Unlike Bucky and Eliza whose weird silent argument had gone on for a record ten minutes. "Time, "Felix said. Ten minutes was enough. They sullenly broke of their argument. "Bucky..." the teen blinked at him. "Be a gentleman." Bucky groaned like one long oppressed. He opened the contested car door and smiled wryly at Eliza, "Here. The seats yours." Eliza snorted, "I was winning anyways." She slid in. Bucky rolled his eyes and shut the door. Eliza, Bucky and Felix stared. Addy and Zed were asleep. Addison"s head was on Zed"s shoulder with his arm slung securely around her waist, his cheek resting on the top of their head. The improbable teal platypus plushy squished between them. They were absurdly cute. "B?" Eliza said lowly. "On it, E." Bucky pulled out his phone and took pictures. Lots of pictures. Bonzo Maureen Doyle (as Doyle means "dark stranger" it didn"t have to be changed) Ravenclaw and bounty hunter, walked into his cabin at music camp and flopped on his twin bed (that was too small for him, he had to curl up to fit) and smiled. Band geeks were the best. Even their insults were superior and really a full orchestra playing "Thriller" was actually kind of flattering. He wasn"t even pretending to only be fluent in Zombie Tong and Elvish. He pulled out his smart phone and perused the accumulated e-mails of the day. Well, wasn"t Eliza verbose today; usually, she texted, in short staccato bursts of annoyance. From: EllieZQueenBee To: MusicMan Subject: Our young boy Z has found himself a girl! He is well and truly smitten. • This is Addison Hortensia Williams, "Actual Disney Princess". The poor dear is Bucky"s cousin. And now she lives with him. Shudder. • She passed the Zoey Test. • She"s cool. Not for a human. She"s just cool. • They look good together. ~*~ picture of Zed and Addie looking adorable. ~*~ • The cute- it burns us! • They"ve got the weirdest rapport. It"s like one minute it"s as if they"ve known each other their whole lives; cradle to the grave levels of comfortableness with each other. And the next it"s all intense flirty flirt. • Oh, No. WWHHHYYYY? • I could have lived a happy life not knowing how Zed"s pheromones smell like. • Cinnamon toast with honey • And now she"s going: freshly baked sugar cookies...sure why not? The girl already smells like raindrops on roses. • Also, I can no longer eat the two things ever again. • Zoey has a kitty now. • "Let me explain... No, there is too much. Let me sum up." See this YouTube video • I know Bucky"s secret. Can"t tell you. Not mine to tell. It"s the last thing you"d expect though. • Hey, you"re a Celt. Is there anything weird going with you I should know about? • Also, Bucky Bear"s turned matchmaker. Be afraid, be beary afraid. • Our young lovers got chased through a maze of mirrors by a knife wielding loon • They"re A-Okay • "Cept Addy has panic attacks • She ran from Zed and got on a Farris wheel • He"s climbing a Farris wheel to get to her...that"ll teach her to run • He won her a teal platypus plushy. ~*~another pictures of ultimate cuteness~*~ • I call dibs on best man. Just saying. Bonzo did not know where to begin. He had so many questions. Notes and References • Was anybody else creeped out by Addison"s parents? I got a whole emotionally abusive Mother Gothel / Alice Cooper vibe. • "Instructions" by an old obscure writer: Neil Gaiman. He was forgotten for a while but now is making a comeback. • Addisong is Addison"s e-mail. In case you were wondering. • Rolly-Polly repented of his sins. Became a social justice warrior/minister of the gospel. And finally became the man Fred Rogers thought he could be. • Ugly Shirt did not stop running until he hit Alaska. He lived in a yurt for the rest of his life. • Unfortunate Puce Mohawk didn"t escape memedom. • And the naked mole rat man in the beige velour leisure suit spent the rest of his life in a sanitarium. • Bonzo ended up giving his Celtic mythology and folklore lecture and slideshow to Eliza yet again. He won"t find out why until the middle of the upcoming school year. • An "Actual Disney Princess" is exactly what Bonzo thought Zed would go for. • Felix Aramis Williams would be played by Clark Gregg. • Lots of places need accountants. Even super-secret spy agencies. He"s retired. • The psychiatrist who put down odd in Addy"s permanent files totally deserved to be driven a bit crazy and have to subside on yogurt and goat jerky while living in a yurt. Prompts 1. Banshee!Addison : This should so be a thing in this fandom 2. Sentinal!Addison /Guide!Zed 3. Mutants! AU: Mutant!Addy/Zombie!Zed: The zoms are expecting intolerance at normal high school, and they get it. Just from the teachers (excepting the football coach and lit teacher); not from the students. They treat the zoms just like they treat each other. Then the zoms discover the human kids have blackmailed the teachers to treat them decently. And then they discover why; absolutely, none of the Normal students at Seabrook High are normal much to the delight of the zombie hoard. 4. Danny Phantom!Addison /Zombie!Zed 5. Persephone!Addison/Hades!Zed 6. The 100 AU: Octavia!Addison/Lincoln!Zed : Bellamy!Bucky/Clark!Bree 7. Librarian!Zed/Guardian!Addy : Caretaker Galahad!Bucky, Cassandra!Bree, Ezekiel!Eliza and Jake!Bonzo 8. Leverage AU: Mastermind!Addison/Grifter!Zed : Hacker!Eliza, Hitter!Bonzo, Thief!Bree, Stirling!Bucky 9. Sugar and sunshine Veronica Mars!Addison /Wallace!Zed : No psychotic jackasses : Mac!Eliza 10. SupergirlAU: Kara!Addison /Mon-El!Zed :J"onn!Eliza, Alex!Bucky, Winn!Bree, Cat!Bonzo 11. Perky Arrow!Addison / Goofy Felicity!Zed : Diggle!Eliza, Thea!Bucky / Roy!Bree 12. Teen Wolf!Addison/Zombie!Zed 13. Dresden Files Wizard!Addison/ Alien Refugee!Zed : Urban Fantasy/college/Welcome to Earth, all our monsters are real, also; magic. But hey, there"s pie. 14. Hogwarts AU: Hufflepuff!Zed/Hufflepuff!Addy, Ravenclaw!Bonzo/Ravenclaw!Bree, Slytherin!Bucky, Gryffindor!Eliza 15. Victor Von Doom!Zed/Squirrel Girl!Addy...stop laughing! 16. Holistic Detective!Addy/Confused Zombie!Zed 17. Hallmark Movie AU 18. Young Wizards AU 19. Divergent AU 20. Miraculous Ladybug AU

It hasn"t been easy these past few months, but now that Emily and I have Paige, I think we"re going to be okay. I don"t like to leave Emily alone, but I had to today. Dad was insistent. He wanted to talk about my future and Grayson Global, and I"ve been putting him off for a while. I didn"t commit to anything. I"m still not sure what I"m going to do now as far as a career; Emily hasn"t been up to discussing it, and I don"t want to make any decisions without her. I"m done making decisions without her. We"re a team from here on out. A felt bad for leaving her and Paige today, but I did pick them up a bunch of gifts, not the least of which is a book of sonnets for Emily and a copy of Shel Silverstein"s finest for her to read to Paige. Emily doesn"t answer me, so I head upstairs. She"s not in bed. The old Emily, the one who remembered who she was, had spent a lot of time out of bed, but since losing her memories, Emily hadn"t wandered off much. Since the birth, she"s mostly kept to her and Paige"s room. Which is empty. Emily isn"t there. Neither is Paige. I start to panic. They could be somewhere else in the apartment, I try to rationalize. It doesn"t ring true though. Something is wrong. I can feel it. I felt it when I walked through the door, but I tried to ignore it. I felt it again when didn"t answer me. I didn"t want it to be anything. "Emily!" There"s no answer. I don"t hear any movement. I don"t hear Paige! The security cameras! Nolan Ross installed them. They"ll have answers. I rush to the phone and start to dial Nolan"s number. Then I change my mind, dialing a different number. "Javier? It"s Daniel. Charlotte"s brother. I need your help with accessing some security footage at my place. Can you - um, thanks. Okay. Bye." Maybe I should have called Nolan, but I"m just not sure I can trust him. Javier"s still trying to impress Charlotte. He won"t want to get on my bad side. When he comes over, I don"t bother with pleasantries. We scroll through footage of Emily sleeping, feeding Paige, and sleeping some more. Then my blood runs cold. Someone dressed all in black slips through the window. How did he bypass the security system? He picks Emily up, and I want to jump onto the screen and punch him, but I can"t. He carefully maneuvers her out the window. Then he turns around and heads for the crib. He picks up Paige, my baby, my darling daughter, and starts rocking her gently. Possessively. And then I know who this is. Aiden Mathis. Aiden Mathis spirited away my wife and child. I push myself back from the computer, a cry of "No!" escaping from my lips. That bastard. That two-faced prick. Before Paige was born, he was harassing Emily, claiming the baby was his, but we did a paternity test and I thought that would be the end of it. How long has Aiden been lying in wait, preparing to abduct Emily and Paige? How had he known when she would be alone in the house? Had he been watching us? And what was he doing with them now? Daniel had called the police, and explained to them about Aiden and why he suspected him. Days passed, and they were unable to track down his whereabouts. Then they had gotten a tip, a lucky break. Daniel didn"t know how, but he didn"t care. All that mattered was that Emily and Paige were at sea with that maniac and Daniel was going to bring them home. He shuttered at the memory now. It may have turned right in the end, but that didn"t mean what happened would ever be okay. Daniel"s had almost lost his family, and now, once again, he felt them slipping away. Things were changing. But what had changed? The answer to that was simple. Jack Porter. Everything changed when Emily had renewed her friendship with Jack, and Daniel couldn"t sit on the sidelines anymore. He had to do something about it. "I can"t say I was exactly thrilled when I heard you wanted to see me. Still, I was curious. What could you possibly want?" "And here I thought you agreed to see me because you haven"t made any friends." The two former friends stared each other down. There had been a time when Lydia would have given anything for Victoria"s approval. Now, nothing brought her more pleasure than getting under Victoria"s skin. Still, she feared that even in prison, Victoria could find some way to hurt her. Even in her orange jumpsuit, with her hair not quite as pristine as it had once been, Victoria was formidable. Lydia wanted her to crack. She wanted Victoria to admit that she, Lydia, had won. Perhaps she still sought her approval. "I do love trading barbs with you, but I actually have quite a busy schedule to keep, so if that"s all you"re here for-" "Busy schedule. You"re in lockup. What sort of busy schedule-" "You shouldn"t assume to know how I spend my time, Lydia. You were always slow to catch on." "I was screwing your husband for nearly a decade before you found out!" Victoria rolled her eyes, "Must we dredge up ancient history? Very well. Yes Lydia, you got Conrad. Good for you. I"m sure he loves and respects you with all his heart and soul." Victoria"s sarcasm was evident, and it made Lydia want to reach out and scratch her. Victoria didn"t know what she and Conrad had. She didn"t know what love was! Victoria moved to hang up the phone, "Wait!" Victoria halted for a moment, "I need to talk to you about Emily." "Emily?" Victoria asked, laughing, "Whatever for?" "She"s back. In The Hamptons. Her and your son came home for the wedding." "Yes. I had assumed that they would." Victoria said, "Why should that make you come crawling to me like a dog returning to its master?" Lydia held in a growl, "We both know this woman is dangerous. She"s a manipulative little bitch. Isn"t that why you shot her?" Victoria laughed again, "Yes, she was at that. But now she"s just a brainless trophy-wife. Hardly something to worry about." "She"s been asking questions. She wants to see the beach house-" "Then let her." Victoria said, "If it"s sympathy you want, trust me when I say you won"t find it here. You"ve made it to the top now Lydia, and I congratulate you on that. But with me out of the way, it wasn"t really that hard, was it? You haven"t had a real adversary. Now you may well have one, but that"s your cross to bear. Did you think you could reign unchallenged forever? I know quite well that being Mrs. Grayson is no fairytale. Now, if you"ll excuse me." And Victoria hung up the phone and left Lydia to her fears. She couldn"t lose it all. Not again. But without any allies, how could she stop it? Jack had expected Emily to be there hen he came over to pick up Paige, but she hadn"t. According to Charlotte, both Daniel and Emily had gone off on two different mysteries errands. It concerned him a little, but he didn"t want to get caught up in it. He was still flying pretty high from Emily coming over the other night and what it could mean. "Where are we going today?" Carl asked, "The Park?" "No, little man. Sorry. I promised Uncle Nolan I"d help him out with something today, so we"re going over to his place." Carl shrugged, then turned to Paige, "You"ll love Uncle Nolan"s Place. It"s this humongous mansion." "Mommy and daddy always say it"s not the size of the place that matters, but the love inside. That"s what makes it home." "I know." Carl said, his lips forming a pout, "I"m just saying. It"s ginormous. There are so many rooms to play in. One just has a giant TV and game controllers." "I don"t really play videogames." "I could teach you." Carl said, perking up. "That"s very nice. Thank you... But I don"t really want to." "Oh." Carl said, slouching down in his seat. "Everything okay back there?" Jack asked, glancing at them through the rearview mirror. Neither child said anything, "Paige, why don"t you tell Carl why you don"t want to play videogames?" He tried. "I like to play my own games. The videogame makes it all up for you." Paige looked over at Carl, but he didn"t say anything. He just sat there with his arms crossed. "It"s not so much fun as playing pretend. Like we did with the zombies, or in the freezer. Remember?" Carl nodded, "Yeah." "Well, wasn"t that better than a videogame?" "I guess." Carl said. "Please don"t be mad at me, Carl. We can play videogames if you really want." After a second or two Carl smiled, "We don"t have to. They"re stupid anyway." Jack smiled as the two children chattered away about what games they could play when they reached Uncle Nolan"s ginormous house. Lydia wasn"t home. Emily wasn"t exactly disappointed about that, because she never really wanted to see Lydia, but she had wanted to get into the house. Of course, it was always possible that Lydia was home, and just not coming to the door. Emily wanted to get into that house. If she could pick the lock, she could go in, snoop around, and Lydia would never ... What were these thoughts, Emily wondered. Why was it so natural to think of herself picking a lock? Did she even know how? And of course, the bigger question, had she ever done it? If she did that, if she picked the lock and went into the beach house, she would be breaking and entering. Was she that sort of person? Had she been? Was she willing to just break the law? Maybe there was some other way she could get answers. She sat in her car for a minute, then pulled out her phone, "Hey, it"s me. I was wondering if you could help me with something." Margaux had been surprised to get Daniel"s call earlier, but it wasn"t an unwelcome surprise. The two of them had always gotten along pretty well. It was sweet of him to call on her now that he was back in New York. They didn"t see each other often. Daniel waved to her from the table and she shot him a smile as she checked her coat. Then she headed over, hugging him happily. "It"s been too long." She said, kissing his cheeks. He nodded, offering a smile, "It"s great to see you." He said, pulling out her chair for her, "You look amazing." "Are you trying to flatter me into something?" Daniel chuckled, sitting back down across from her, "Yes. That"s exactly what I"m doing." "Well I"ll have none of it. Old friends don"t need tricks, just wine." The waiter had come to take their order. They each ordered a drink and waited for the waiter to leave before continuing. "How have you been?" "Wonderful. Voulez is very successful, as you know. Richard and I make a great team." "It probably helps that he"s sleeping with the boss." Margaux laughed, "If he were not competent, I would never have let him in my bed. And if he were not competent in my bed, I never would have married him." Daniel swallowed his lip slightly, "Oh no, do not try not to laugh. A woman finds that insulting." Daniel chuckled, "Well, married life seems to agree with you." "We are still in that blissful time when marriage is new and children have not come along to complicate things. In a few years time, we will surely hate each other." "Glad you"re keeping such an optimistic view of the whole thing." The waiter brought their drinks and poured. "Well, I can tell you from my own experience that while marriage is not easy, it is worth it." "Yes, but you have no real career to worry about. Richard and I both want to rule the world, and after all, only one of us can end up on top." "Well, here"s to you always being on top." Daniel said, raising his glass. Margaux laughed, "Admit it though, you"re happier with an ambitious guy than someone content to sit on the sidelines?" "Men are so arrogant. Show me a man who would be content living his life that way?" "Well, there"s always Jack Porter." Margaux quirked her eyebrow, "Jack?" "Yeah. You two dated, once upon a time. And he seems like the type to let you take the reigns." "In some ways, but Jack is proud. He wants to provide for his family, and I respect him for it. I wouldn"t have been with him if I didn"t respect him." "So what ever happened with you two anyway?" "Why do you ask?" Daniel shrugged, "Just curious." Margaux shook her head, "The look in your eye says otherwise. Is this why you called me up; to dredge up ancient history?" Daniel sighed, "Jack"s a friend of my wife"s-" "Not for years-" "They"ve reconnected." "Ah, the jealous man. You are very transparent." "Is it wrong for me to want a little information?" Margaux said nothing, just looked at him, "Okay, so maybe ... maybe she"s been different. It brings up things for her and ... there was a time when he was a threat to what we had. I don"t want to believe that he could be again. I want to believe what we have now is stronger-" "Then believe that. Jack is a good man, but so are you. You don"t need to go digging -" "Are you still in touch with him?" "We see each other sometimes. He"s kind enough to send a Christmas card." "Did you end on good terms, then?" "Usually I give the interviews." Daniel said nothing, "Fine, I will answer your questions. We parted on good enough terms. We still liked each other well enough, but we had started to grow apart. Our priorities were different. We had different things going on in our lives. We agreed to stay friends, and so we have. At least, we are not enemies. Is that the end of your inquiries?" "I know I"m not going crazy, okay? Things are changing, and he"s a part of it. I can"t just sit by-" "And what do you expect asking me about a relationship that ended five years ago will do to help your cause?" "I just ... need to do something." Margaux sighed. "Daniel, you and Emily have been married six years. You have a daughter. You have a life together. This does not make you impervious to troubles. All couples have them. It doesn"t mean you are going to lose anything." "I hear what you"re saying, I just ... I want you to tell me I have nothing to worry about with Jack Porter, and I want to believe you." "You have nothing to worry about with Jack Porter." Daniel smiled, "Yeah. Nice try." "I cannot give you peace of mind Daniel. You need to find it on your own." Daniel nodded, "Thanks for meeting with me." "What are friends for?" "Then I figure we"ll just let hang around and drink ... some maybe more than others." Nolan waited for a response. Nothing. "Jack?" He had asked Jack here to help him plan Javier"s bachelor party. Nolan could throw a very stylish rager when he wanted, and damn it if he didn"t know it either. But Javier wasn"t fancy and rich, and he wasn"t stylish and suave. The wedding would be a big Grayson event. Javier deserved a down-to-earth night and that was more Jack"s territory. Except right now, Jack seemed to be in the clouds. When he had come over, he had seemed distracted. It had been a happy kind of distracted, so Nolan had let it be, but as time ticked away, he seemed less happy but just as distracted. When he finally looked up, his face was set with determination, "I need to know what Aiden did wrong." He said bluntly. "Oookay-" "Much as I hate to admit it, Aiden knew Emily better than most people. Not only had she shared secrets with him, but he understood her; he got how she thought. And he was certainly determined. So where did he screw up?" Jack closed his eyes and pursed his lips together, "I"m so close, Nolan. She wants to remember, but something"s holding her back. I can"t afford to make any mistakes. Why couldn"t Aiden reach her?" Nolan shook his head, "I want to help. You know that. But honestly, I don"t know. I mean, I know that he scared her in the beginning. He let himself be painted in her head as a threat, an enemy, and maybe that was all it was. Maybe he couldn"t override that initial impression. But I don"t know what went down on that boat." "She said that he pushed her, and that she broke." Jack said with a wince. "Aiden was willing to cross lines that you never would. I don"t know how far he went." "Would he have hurt her?" Nolan paused for what Jack thought was a beat to long, "He wouldn"t do anything to her that he didn"t think she could handle." Jack shook his head, "There must be some way to find out-" "I can try to access her therapy sessions if you like, but it might be better just to ask her. Alienating her is the worst thing you could do right now so ... I don"t know. It"s your call." "What do you think? I mean, you know her better-" "I don"t know this Emily." "Then maybe I need to find someone who does." "There is a legal way to do this." Charlotte said, leaning over Javier as he typed away on his computer. "Where"s the fun in that?" "I"m just saying-" "You"re the one who said that she sounded rather urgent. Going through legal channels would take time. Plus, she wanted it kept quiet. The longer it takes, and the additional paper trail ... most importantly, I like to impress you with my skills." Charlotte leant down and kissed his cheek. "So, how"s this go? You get the files and then email them to Emily?" Javier scoffed, "Email? Hacked, material should not be emailed. I"m putting it all on a drive. You can deliver it to her personally if you like." Charlotte had been surprised to get Emily"s call earlier, but she could respect it. If Emily wanted to go digging around in her own past, that was her right. And it was flattering, really, that Charlotte had been the first person she thought of to help her. "So, is there any reason she didn"t do this before?" "What?" "I mean years ago, when she lost her memory. Why not look into these records back then?" Charlotte shrugged, "I don"t know. I mean, she was in shock for a while. She was struggling through trying to figure out who she was, and she was newly married, and pregnant, and she"d just been shot ... it"s a lot to handle." "All the more reason to get as much information as possible." "Well, I doubt Daniel told her about her time in Juvie right off the bat, so she wouldn"t know that she had a criminal record at first, but I think she was more concerned with remembering things than digging up old computer files." Javier shook his head, "Seems to me like that would be the first thing ... but I guess we don"t all have criminal records." "Don"t get pouty. Besides, I would have a criminal record if my parents hadn"t paid people off. I was pretty wild in my youth. Granted, I found out I was the product of my mother"s affair with a terrorist and then my brother was accused of murder, but I can still own that I made some mistakes." "Do you ever miss it? Being wild, unpredictable Charlotte?" Charlotte shook her head, "I was so lost back then. Everything that I"ve found now, I wouldn"t give it up. Not for anything." Javier grinned, "I guess I would be pretty hard to part with." "That cocky thing is going to get you into trouble one of these days you know." Charlotte said, suppressing a smile. "I"m a successful Bill Gates type, partnered up with my best friend, marrying the girl of my dreams. What could possibly go wrong?" "You know you would be the first to die in a horror movie, right?" "Of course. I"m foreign." "Well, the accent is sexy from where I"m standing." "Yeah, prove it?" Charlotte laughed and shook her head, "Finish this for Emily first. Once I"ve given it to her, then I"ll prove it." "Way to motivate Clarke." It didn"t take a genius to figure out who the call was coming from. Emily may have spent time behind bars once, but now, she knew precious few people behind bars. She didn"t pick up; that would be foolish. But Victoria would leave a message. She wouldn"t waste the privilege of a phone call, however she"d gotten it, without saying her piece. As she waited for Victoria to hang up, Emily let her mind wander back to when she had first met the Grayson matriarch. "You don"t have to do this." Daniel assures me, "You don"t have to see her." "I just want to know why she did it." I don"t have to say anything else. We"ve talked about this over and over. I know Daniel doesn"t want me to see his mother. But I need to. It"s not that I haven"t seen her. I sat in a courtroom, my stomach aching, and watched her plead guilty to shooting me. But I haven"t actually met her. I haven"t looked her in the eyes. Is it a crime to want to look into the eyes of the woman who shot me? The hallway seems incredibly long. I"m escorted to a seat. I sit down at a window. I pick up a phone. I make myself look at the woman holding a phone on the other side. "How kind of you to visit me, Mrs. Grayson." She says. There"s something in her tone that I can"t place. It"s like cotton candy almost, far too sweet to contain any substance. "Why did you do it?" I hear myself blurt out. I want to work up to it. I meant to. But something"s come over me, and I just want to get this over with. I just want to know. "My, the amnesia has certainly made you blunt. Please understand, I mean no offense; I think it"s quite an improvement. Your fake sweetness always tasted of cotton candy to me. I simply wanted to choke on it." I try not to let it rattle me. We"re not alike. We don"t think alike. It"s just a coincidence. "What did I ever do to you?" She laughs. Laughs! It"s small and girlish and makes me want to scream. "Well, that"s simple enough. You destroyed my son"s life." "By marrying him?" "By putting him under your spell for a time. Oh, you don"t remember, but you were once quite manipulative, and you manipulated my son expertly. You deceived him, convinced him that you loved him and that he loved you. Neither of these things were ever true, of course. You"re too calculating and coldhearted to love anybody; you"re simply an opportunist. As for Daniel, well, he became enamored of you without really knowing you. We call that infatuation. It fades."

"You did an amazing job, tonight, with all this." "Well, decorating in a sense is my stock and trade. At any rate, I have a lot of practice." "I remember, you were on just about every committee in high school." "Well, I wasn"t sure what I wanted to do, or be. I was experimenting. Anyway, you know my parents. They were very into trying everything, or rather, being good at it." she said with a laugh. "How are they?" Clark asked. He remembered the Langs well. Lana"s father had been something of a kooky inventor, and while he loved Lana, he was often hold up in his workshop for weeks at a time. When he was not, he did not often know how to talk about anything that was not science related. Clark had never felt completely comfortable around Mr. Lang, as he knew how scientists would treat him if they found out what he really was, but he had always tried to treat Mr. Lang with as much respect as he could on the few occasions that he saw him. Mr. Lang was a little out of touch with reality, and while Lana loved him, and had been close to him, often bonding with him as he worked or bringing him food when he had not left his workshop because he was on the verge of a breakthrough, he did not really raise her. In fact, it was closer to the other way around. The role of the raising Lana, being the disciplinarian, had fallen to her mother. Mrs. Lang had wanted Lana to be well rounded, so she put her in every class from ballet to karate, from Japanese to Latin, from acting to singing. Lana was expected to work at and excel at everything. Her mother only wanted the best for her of course, which is why she had discouraged her art. She thought it was a nice hobby, but not likely to get Lana a living. She was always encouraging Lana to put her energy into something that would make sure she would be taken care of. After all, between an inventor and a schoolteacher, Lana was unlikely to inherit much, and Mrs. Lang was strongly against the woman being supported by the man. She was a feminist, and wanted Lana to be strong and skilled at everything...especially things she could make money off of. Again, it was all well meant, but well meant or not, it had not been Lana"s passion. "They"re good. Mom"s traveling, keeping herself occupied. She said she had not seen dad poke his head out in a month, and had gotten sick of it, so, she went off to explore a little on her own. However, she made sure he knows where to reach her when he finally comes out." "He doesn"t get hungry with nobody around to bring him food." "He got a refrigerator put in his lab, actually." "You"re kidding. Is that safe...I mean, with the chemicals, and..." "My dad"s never really been concerned with safe." Clark nodded. "So, how about yours, I mean, how are the Kent?" "Great, moms actually gone in your way, I mean, taken up art." "Wow. That"s great. Is she any good?" "I honestly have no clue, but she seems to love it." Lana laughed. "Well, I suppose that"s all that matters." "Yeah." Lois came storming in, "Clark, this is ridiculous. It"s after eleven. We have to head back tomorrow morning." Clark checked his watch. Lois was right. He had had no clue how late it had gotten, "Wow, sorry Lois, I guess I lost track of time." "It"s my fault, sorry for keeping him hostage, but nobody gets a stain off a table quite like Clark Kent. I just couldn"t resist." Clark laughed and Lana"s comment. "I wish I didn"t have to go." Lana"s heart skipped a beat. Her heart caught in her chest. The way he was looking at her...no, she was letting her imagination run away with her. "Yeah, I, uh, had been hoping we could catch up more." She did not know what exactly she wanted him to say to that, just, anything that would keep his eyes locked on hers that way just a little bit longer. Her cheeks began to flush. "Yeah, yeah, me too." Clark said, a little disappointed. He truly had wanted something to happen, no matter how many times he had told himself he had not. He had wanted Lana to want to see him again, to be with him. He wanted to hold her, and the desire was so strong, he could almost feel her in his arms. Maybe he could hug her goodbye. That would be appropriate, right? They were two old friends who had not seen each other in a long time saying goodbye again. He did not want to say goodbye again. He started toward her, and she almost looked hopeful as he inched in her direction. But then he stopped himself, turning the other way, giving her a pleasant wave. "It"s...it"s too bad...that we didn"t get to." Lana nodded, "Yeah." "Well, maybe you could come visit in Metropolis." He did not even know the thought had occurred to him until he heard the words come out. Lana"s luminousness seemed to brighten even more, and her smile changed from bitter sweet to delighted. "Yeah, I mean, I would have to check some things, but I would really love that, seeing you in a fancy reporters office and everything." "Yeah, I could uh, even introduce you to Superman." He said, regretting it the moment he said it, which was apparent by his wince, though Lana did not seem to notice. Lois did notice, and was curious why he had winced, but did not want to miss any of the conversation because she was lost in her own thoughts. Lana"s response pleasantly surprised Clark...and completely floored Lois, "That"s all right. I would rather just see you." "You mean...you"re not dying to meet the man of steel?" "Well, I though I had made my opinion on that clear. I mean, I would not ignore him, or be ungracious if I met him, but I want to go to Metropolis to see you Clark, just you. Believe me, you"re more than enough reason for a girl to travel cross-country." Clark turned red, and Lois gawked. "I mean...you were always great company." Lana finished, trying to recover from her obvious comment. To Clark, it was enough to hide her feelings, because an angel like Lana could only ever feel platonically toward him. Lois, on the other hand, could clearly see that Lana was smitten and flirting with him, and that Clark was responding to it like a hormone crazed teenager. And for some reason, it bothered her. Author"s note: When I started this story, I said I would use bits and pieces from different interpretations of Lana Lang and her role in Superman"s life. Here is a list of some of those connections so far Connections: 1) In the Superman Movies Series, while Lana is introduced briefly in the first movie, her major debut is in the third movie, when her and Clark run into each other at their high school reunion. 2) Clark references that Lana is known for being on a lot of committee"s and this is why he is unsurprised that she is organizing the reunion. In Smallville, Lana was very involved in her school committees; she ran the blood drive, was a cheerleader, worked on the pep rally, volunteered at the student hotline, and was involved in many other activities. 3) I chose to make Lana an artist. In Smallville, Lana was very interested in art in the early seasons, and even went to a Parisian art school for her senior year...though she returned long before completion. 4) In Smallville, Lana always felt pressured to be what people expected and Clark was always encouraging her to be who she wanted. This gave her the courage to pursue her own interests. 5) I mention that Lana and Pete dated in high school but broke up because they were not really in love. In the comics, Pete and Lana got married and had a kid who they named Clark after their childhood friend. They later got divorced when Pete realized that Lana was still in love with Clark. 6) I talk about how Clark met Lana as a child but did not start to look at her romantically until he was older because "nobody could expect him to fall in love at eight years old." This is sort of a joke because in Smallville Clark fell in love with Lana the first time he saw her... at age five. I think this is adorable, but I wanted to go a different way. 7) I have Lana invite Clark to help cleanup after the reunion and maybe catch up. In Superman III, the movie where they meet again at the reunion, Clark stays to help Lana clean up and the two bond. 8) In one comic interpretation Lana had a kooky inventor uncle, Professor Phineas Potter. This is where I got the idea for her inventor father. Other than in the Smallville interpretation, Lana"s parents are not often addressed. They do come up, but not significantly, or at least, not that I have found. 9) Lana of Smallville was pushed to do many things, such as horseback riding and cheerleading. However, this has more to do with her superficial aunt"s nature than her own passions or a parents desire to be well rounded. She did learn to kickbox, but this was of her own choice after constantly being attacked. If I am being honest, while I do think of Lana as a well-rounded character, the extremeness of it is a slight nod to Kristen Kreuk, the actress who plays Lana in Smallville. Kreuk said in an interview that growing up, she was always encouraged to do everything and be well rounded, and who did gymnastics, karate, and learned Japanese at a fairly young age. That is it for now, but I will keep you posted on connections as they come. Please keep reading, reviewing, and enjoying. Thank you. Enjoy. Chapter Three Miss Lang Goes To Metropolis Lana placed her final bag in the taxi, anxious to get to the airport. She had never been to Metropolis, and more than anything, she wanted to see Clark. "Excuse me, I"m running a little late, would you mind terribly if I shared your cab?" the woman behind her asked Lana. Lana shook her head. "Where to?" the driver asked. Lana, trying to be polite, though she was dying to get to Metropolis as soon as possible, motioned for the woman to go first. She smiled appreciatively. "The local airport." The woman said. Lana could not help but let out a breath, relieved that the woman was going to the same place and she would not be delayed. It was lucky that Smallville was such a small town. There was only one airport so one did not have to specify and problems like the one in the finale of Friends could be avoided. The ride was long and somewhat silent. "Going out of town?" Lana finally asked, unable to bear it any longer. The woman nodded. Finally, they cab reached the airport, and both women boarded the plane. "Somebody looks fancy." Lois said, noticing Clark as he came in wearing one of his nicest suits and carefully combed back hair. Clark chuckled, "The Daily Planet isn"t exactly a casual Friday sort of a job." Lois rolled her eyes, going around to his desk as he started settling in, "Yeah, you just seem a little fancier than usual. What"s the occasion?" she knew the answer. Ever since they had returned from his reunion, Clark had been different, and he kept coming into work a little more spruised up than usual. Lana had not been specific when they left about visiting; all she had said was she would come to Metropolis when she got the chance. That meant she could walk through the Daily Planet doors any second of any average work day. That was why Clark kept dressing up and checking his hair in the mirror...as he was doing now. Lois rolled her eyes. "You know, I never figured you for the superficially narcissistic type." "I"m not." Clark said. "Yeah, that"s why you keep checking out your reflection." Clark chuckled again, "Lois, dressing up nicely for the people who have to look at you is a way of saying that you care. When you are going to see somebody you care about, you cannot go in with stains and slouches. It"s not polite, and it makes the person feel like you don"t think they are worth the effort of looking nice for." "Have I told you how much I love your corn-fed wisdom? Well, at least you admitted it." "Admitted what?" Clark asked, straightening his tie. "That you are purposely dressing up nice for somebody you care for." "Yes, I care for my friends: Perry, Jimmy, you. It is a measure of respect, Lois. It doesn"t have to be anything more than that." "Clark, this is me you"re talking to. We"re friends, you can be honest. Look, I know this about that corn Queen from your reunion." "Lois, not everything in Smallville is about corn. Try picking another vegetable." He said, smiling. "You didn"t answer. This is about your redheaded friend, correct?" Clark smiled, "Lois, do you actually care? I mean, do you really want to know the answer to that?" "I"m a journalist. I don"t ask irrelevant questions." "I liked her, a lot, okay, but that was a long time ago, and nothing ever happened. I don"t even know her anymore." "So this isn"t about her?" "Why don"t we talk about that crime rate story you were working on?" Lois rolled her eyes. If he did not want to confide in her, that was just fine. "So far, it"s a dead end, but I really think there"s something there, and the fact that it"s so well hidden just makes me all the more determined. I have Jimmy looking into some names and statistics, seeing if he can find a connection." "What names? What statistics." "What"s going on with Lana?" she countered. She could play his game. No way her best friend was holding out on her. "Careful Lois, you"re starting to sound jealous." He said, going over to the printer to get something out of it. Lois watched him walk away from her. She hated it when he held out on her. Best friend or not, he could be so frustrating sometimes. Lana had no clue what she was getting into. And jealous, please. Who was Clark kidding? What did she even have to be jealous of anyway, some sweet sugar queen with perfect hair who made Clark melt when she talked. Even if Lana resembled a threat, what would she be a threat to? If Clark wants to hook up with his high school honey, more power to him. She could care less. Really. It did not matter. Not even a little. In fact, she was not even really thinking about it. Clark was a big boy; he could make a fool of himself with whomever he wanted. "-leads so far either, but bobby bigmouth will probably know something." "What?" Lois said, realizing she had been lost in her own denial...er, thoughts. The last bit of what Clark said started to register as she tried to recover before she got caught with her mind wandering, "Um, yeah, I mean, we should call him, set up an eat and greet." She smiled a little at her own little joke. Clark did too. He loved her wit, her sense of humor, and her occasional lack of both. She could be a little crazy, but that just made her Lois, the girl who would do anything to get the story. "Hey stranger." A voice from behind him said. He turned, and smiled. Lana. She was standing by the stairs, just a few feet away from him, wearing a big but nervous smile and carrying two very large leather valises. Clark walked over to hug her. She dropped the bags as he scooped her into a bear hug, forgetting himself for a second. Lana collapsed in his strong arms, burying herself in them, something she had always wanted to do, but the situation had never warranted it. She was grateful to have an excuse now, and she breathed him in. She felt safe and protected there in his arms, as well as dizzy and terrified. It was a wonderful feeling; one of the wonderful feelings that comes with the territory of being in love. He could smell her shampoo. It smelled of lilacs. He breathed it in heavily, then, realizing he had probably crossed that line from friendly hug in doing so, he stepped back. She almost looked disappointed as he ended the embrace, but that was probably in his head. He smiled again. Lois watched the interaction as Clark had flown past her, taking no notice of her, as he went to hold Lana. She smiled, though she hated being brushed off, as she saw the joy in her friend"s eyes. But, for some reason, the longer she looked at it, the more nauseous she found herself getting. She tore her eyes away from the "happy couple,' and walked back to her desk. "Hey, uh, when did you get in?" "I just did, actually. I took a cab straight from the airport. I wanted to see you." Clark smiled, blushing, "I mean, that is why I was coming...to see you, and The Daily Planet, and Metropolis." "Well, I"m glad you"re here." He took one of her bags, "How about I put these in the storage closet, and then I can give you the grand tour of the offices." "Sounds great." Lana said, her eyes lighting up. Lois watched them go, her stomach churning. She could not hear what they were saying, but the smiles on their faces were worth a thousand words. The woman who had shared Lana"s cab stepped off the plane, taking out her cell phone. She hit speed dial. "I"m here." "Where?" the voice on the other end asked, confused. "Where do you think you idiot, I"m in metropolis. The plane just landed. And aside from sharing a cab with some girl so much sweeter than honey that it almost made me puke, I like what I see. I certainly hope things remain that way...for your sake." She slammed the phone shut, grabbing her luggage. "And that"s pretty much the Planet in a nutshell." Clark said, smiling as they made their way back to his desk. They had circled the whole place. Jimmy and Lois looked up as they approached. "I always figured the whole planet would be bigger." She said, in a mock serious tone. That got a laugh out of Clark. "Okay, smart-alec, how about we get you to your hotel. Where are you staying?" "I"ve got a reservation at the motel on fifth." "That place is filth, even for a motel." Jimmy said. "He"s right." Clark piped in. Though he would never have phrased it so cruelly, he knew that place was rather hellish, even just for a weekend. And he did not even know how long Lana would be staying. "Unfortunately, it was all I could get at the last minute. Plus, artist doesn"t exactly scream The Ritz. Unless you"ve already died and it"s an exhibit." "Well, you could always stay with Clark. His place is pretty spacious." Clark noticed Jimmy wince a little after he made the suggestion. Unbeknownst to Clark or Lana, Lois had just nudged him hard in the side. She did not know why, but the idea of Clark bunking with miss could-have-been-Mrs.-Clark-Kent bothered her. "Um, well, if it"s not too awkward..." Lana said, looking at Clark uncomfortably. They had never slept in the same place just the two of them. Considering how she felt about him, the idea unnerved her slightly. Clark"s reaction was somewhat similar to hers, but now that Jimmy had put it out there, he could not really take it off the table. She did need a safer, cleaner place to stay, and his place was pretty big. "No, of course, yeah, you can stay with me." Without really thinking, Lois said, "I"m sure the three of us will have great time." Clark looked at her confused. "I mean, since I have termites at my apartment and their tenting right now, I figured I would stay with you." She regretted saying it, and had no clue what had come over her, but it had happened, and now she was trapped in a very weird episode of Three"s Company. "I don"t remember you mentioning termites." That"s because I don"t have them, she thought, "Of course you do. I just mentioned it. You never listen, you"re always running off for no apparent reason and making these lame excuses. It"s no wonder you didn"t know I was bunking with you." Clark swallowed nervously. The girl he used to be in love with, who his feelings for were resurfacing, and who liked him better than she liked Superman, and the girl he thought until recently that he was in love with who ignored him and worshiped Superman, and him all sharing a dwelling, kitchen, shower and all. No way this can turn into a bad situation gone worse. But, if there was anything Clark was good at, it was hiding his feelings and keeping his cool. So, he smiled pleasantly. "Well...I guess we will all have a great time." "Yeah." Lana said. "Good." Lois said. "Great." Clark said. "Super." Of course, Lois would be the one to say that one. Chapter Four Come and Knock on His Door "Well, this is it. Welcome to Chateau Kent." Clark said, escorting the ladies in. Lois had been there, of course. Many times in fact. Sometimes she crashed in after midnight with some big story related epiphany. It drove Clark crazy, but then, that is what made her Lois. It was all the tiny things she did to bug him that he secretly loved. Lana had never seen it though. He was carrying her bags, which she had told him was not necessary, but Clark was a gentleman. That was why she liked him. The place was a little Spartan, but it had some nice touches here and there, and there were pictures of his parents and his friends. Lana could see him here. "It"s nice." Lana said. Lois rolled her eyes. She had to be being phony. Clark"s place was not nice. It was not terrible, but it was not nice. For a weekend maybe, but not to live. "Thanks. It was a bit of a fixer upper when I got it, but some repairs, a fresh coat of paint... voilá." "You"ve got a Spartan Rattrap," Lois said, "But it"s better than when you first got it. Nobody would expect you to work miracles with a hole in the wall." "I think that"s a little rude." Lana said, rolling her eyes. "Well, sorry, in Smallville, maybe people act all polite and fake, but I say what I think, and don"t tell me you don"t think the same about this place."

Author"s Note: So, I just saw the new Cinderella movie. I"ll be honest, I"ve never been a big fan of Cinderella, and the movie was pretty much what I expected. It was better than the Disney version, which I dislike, but not as good as Ever After, which I adore. Still, it was well done, and I could not help but think about turning it into a fanfiction. Cinderella stories are classic, and many of the aspects of the lives of the characters in Revenge make them perfect for such a tale; the abused foster child, branded as daughter of a terrorist, the rich "Prince" who wants to love who he loves in spite his family"s expectations, the man of means who swoops in to look after a young girl like some kind of fairy godmother because of a promise he made her father. It writes itself really. Naturally, I had to take a crack at it. Obviously, some things will be different from the show. Everything should explain itself eventually as the story unfolds, but if you have any questions, feel free to review of private message me and I will respond. CinderEmily Chapter One Once Upon A Time; it"s how all great fairytales start. Once Upon A Time holds a promise between its words, the promise of that final phrase, happily ever after. By the age of seventeen, Amanda Clarke knew that "Once Upon A Time" was a lie. As a child, she loved the phrase. Her father would start stories with it, telling her of brave princes and princesses who had great adventures and found love along the way. She had believed him. She had believed a lot of things back then. Then the men came, and took her father away, and she was told the truth about him. Her father was a monster. He hurt people. He was responsible for the downing of Flight 197, the deaths of thousands of people. She didn"t want to believe it at first. Her father was a kind man. He read to her before bed and made her feel safe during thunderstorms. He got her Sammy, her beloved dog, for her ninth birthday. He loved her infinity times infinity; a phrase he had said so many times she knew it by heart now. But they had proved it was true. They had broken her faith in him, and he had made no effort to contact her and plead his case. All she could assume was that he was ashamed, and guilty, and did not love her as she had thought. The father she knew could never have done those things, so she was forced to conclude that she never truly knew him at all. Amanda ended up in the foster system, and each home was worse than the last. She made friends in a few, but then they or she would be relocated. Nobody wanted her. She was damaged. She was a terrorist"s daughter. She was bullied at school, at home, of the street. Everybody knew who she was, or rather, who her father was, and everybody hated her. Each foster family reminded her what a waste she was, how the world would be better without her. When she was thirteen, her foster father liked taking his turn with the girls. He tried for her and she bit him, which just made him angry. Eventually, he broke her. He broke them all. Well, except one. He didn"t break Emily. Emily Thorne was Amanda"s foster sister. In the beginning, they had loathed each other, but they had soon learned they weren"t that different. They were both broken and lost. They both just wanted to be loved. Emily and Amanda had become sisters, and one night, when their foster father had tried to take his turn with Amanda, Emily had fought back. She had gotten her hands on a knife from the kitchen, and she had stabbed him. She kept stabbing him. Then, he stopped breathing, and Emily was taken away. Amanda swore she would find her some day and thank her, if she herself survived. Her next foster home was the one that stuck. They were cruel. They taunted and teased. They made her do demeaning things and treated her like a slave. However, they rarely hit, and never raped. Amanda had learned to be thankful for what little she had. As long as she did what she was told, they ignored her, which was far better than some of her past homes. She let them get away with it. She hated being there, but she didn"t want to risk being shuffled again and ending up somewhere worse. When she was sixteen, they took her out of school. Her foster mother did not want her precious daughters, Ana and Andrea associated with the Clarke family. Amanda was fine with that. School was a retched place anyway. Both students and teachers treated her like a blight on their perfect society. She was far happier staying in the house when nobody else was there. Graduating was just participating in a system she didn"t believe in, and she knew that even if she graduated Suma Cume Laude from the best medical school in the world, she would never get anywhere in life. She was marked as David Clarke"s daughter, and that was all anybody would ever see her as. Still, she got her GED, just in case. There was a cover charge to take the test, but somebody took care of it, or so she was told. She knew it could not be her foster family; they would never care enough. Amanda didn"t like getting charity, but as she didn"t know who was responsible, she decided to let it lie, and least for now. Finally, Amanda was seventeen. She had less than a year left in the foster system. Once she was no longer a minor, she could leave. She didn"t know where she would go. She had no money, and her odds of getting a job were pretty low. Still, she longed to be free. Her life would always be hell, she knew that, but at least it would be her own. So she marked off days on her calendar. She imagined her foster family did the same. It was now May, she had mere months to go; she just had to hold on. Daniel Grayson smiled at the look on his sister"s face. She looked so happy, and so smitten. Daniel had a complicated relationship with his family. His parents could be cruel, manipulative, difficult, etc. He always loved them, but he didn"t always like them. However, he always liked Charlotte. She was the bright spot in the family, better than their parents, better than him. She was pure, untainted. She was honest and sweet. She didn"t judge people. He admired her so much for her kindness and goodness, as well as her bravery and sense of rebellion. For example, right now, he was driving her to see her boyfriend, Declan Porter. Declan worked at a bar in Montauk. His dad was a lower-middle class bar owner and his mom was MIA. He lived in a tiny apartment above the bar for financial reasons. Declan was pretty much lower middle class. That shouldn"t matter at all, but to a Grayson, it was all that mattered. The Grayson"s were rich and powerful. They were basically royalty, top of the food chain of the Hamptons Elite. Daniel was bound for Harvard, and he was then expected to take over the family business with some upper-crust clone of his mother by his side. It made him sick to think about it, but unlike Charlotte, he hadn"t the guts to go against it. "Mom and dad won"t be happy that you"re still going out with Declan." The Grayson patriarchs had made their opinion on the union quite clear when Charlotte had introduced them to Declan. They were subtle and polite, but it was clear that neither Victoria nor Conrad found him a suitable companion for their daughter and expected her to terminate the relationship ASAP. "They know that I"m going to see him." In spite of himself, Daniel couldn"t help but laugh, "You told them?" "If they have a problem with him, then it"s exactly that, their problem. Not mine. Not Declan"s." "Yeah, I get that, but I"d at least think you"d sneak around for a bit." "What good would that do? There not going to change their minds no matter how much time I give them to come around, and I wouldn"t want Declan to think I"m ashamed of him, because I"m not. He"s caring and sweet. He"s been better to me in the four months I"ve known him than the parents have been the last fourteen years." "Yeah but, Char, they kind of control our lives. We were raised spoiled, privileged. Can you honestly tell me you could survive if they decided to pull the plug on everything." "I don"t think they"d cast me out penniless, but if they did, I"d find a way. Declan doesn"t have a penny too his name, be he"s happier then mom and dad put together. And if I needed, I know he"d take me in, help me learn to survive on my own. I"d rather be rich with love than dollar signs." "I admire your bravery, Char. I don"t think I could ever do it, walk away from everything." Charlotte shot him a knowing smile, "That"s "cause you haven"t met the right person yet." Daniel rolled his eyes. Ever since the elusive love bug hit her, Charlotte had preoccupied herself with his love life. "She"s out there, Danny." Daniel shook his head, "Yeah, and I"m pretty sure mom and dad all ready have her all picked out for me." "You used to believe in going against the current." Daniel"s mood darkened. He knew what she was talking about of course. Or rather, he knew who she was talking about. Sara Munello, the supposed love of his life, who had died in a car crash he caused six months ago. Sarah was a waitress with a dream of being a pastry chef. Daniel had met her at the diner she worked in. He had flirted for months, trying to get up the courage to ask her out, knowing his parents would never approve. Finally, she had brazenly told him that if he did not show up at her house to take her out for dinner that night, he better never come back to the diner. They were together for two glorious months. They snuck around behind his parents back. He had introduced her to how the other half lived and she had shown him how to do his own laundry and make pancakes from scratch. It was like a fairy tale. Then, he had decided it was time to tell his parents. Sara was amazing. They would understand. They had to. But he had been so nervous, and he had only one cure: alcohol. He may have been sixteen, but when you have enough money, it"s not that hard to get your hands on the stuff. Daniel had been a social drinker for years. This was different though. He had guzzled the whole bottle before he picked Sarah up. They made their way to Grayson Manor. It was dark and Daniel was drunk. He thought he saw something in the road. Maybe something had been there. Maybe not. Maybe his drunken, scared mind had made it up. Whatever the reason, he had swerved. Then, he had crashed. Sara had screamed, and he vividly remembered the look of terror on her face, the light going out of her eyes. Then she was gone, both from his life, and this world. Daniel had escaped with a few broken bones that had long since healed. His father said it was because he had more to do. He had a destiny. He was a Grayson. He never told his father who Sara was, that he had been taking her home to meet the family. He had said she was a girl he knew that needed a ride. Of everything that happened that night, lying to his parents about Sara was the thing he regretted most. He had dishonored her memory because he was a coward. Charlotte had done with Declan what he should have done with Sarah from the start, what he had lacked the guts to do. If he could do it over ... But he couldn"t. He knew that. He could never get that night back. He could never do it right. He had chosen that night to be the cowardly prince that his parents wanted, and much as he regretted that choice, it seemed too late to change it. "Daniel?" Charlotte asked. He could hear the concern in her voice, and he wanted to shrug it off and reassure her. He wouldn"t though. He was always real with Charlotte. She was the only one who had known about Sara. She was the only one who knew the real him. "Just be careful Char." "I know you think it all ended with Sara, but there"s more out there for you. You don"t have to let mom and dad control your life just because of what happened to her." "It"s not what happened, Char, it"s what I did. If I had just done what was expected of me, if I hadn"t brought her into my life, she"d still be alive." "You made a mistake. A colossal mistake that you can"t take back, but it shouldn"t hold you back from ever finding someone. Sara wouldn"t want that." Daniel shook his head, "I"ll follow mom and dad"s plan, like I should have done in the first place." "Bad things will happen either way, Danny. But you get to choose what kind of man you are moving forward. You want more than that world, and I think you know it just as much as I do. You"re just scared." Daniel shook his head, "Stay naïve little sister, and enjoy your epic romance while it lasts." Charlotte gave him a sad smile, "Someday, you"ll meet somebody who is worth moving on with your life, standing up to mom and dad, letting out the amazing guy who I know you are. I just hope, when you meet her, you have the courage not to let her get away." Charlotte got out, and ran to Declan, who was waiting for her with open arms. Daniel watched the fourteen-year-olds embrace and wished he could go back to a time where he believed anything was possible. He wished he could be as brave as his sister, as self-sufficient as people like Sara and Declan. But he was almost eighteen now. He was too old for childish fantasies and fairy tales. There were no happy endings in The Hamptons, only Stepford Families and backroom deals. And there was nothing Daniel could do to change that. There was a knock on Amanda"s door that morning. It was strange. Normally, her foster-family didn"t offer her courtesies of knocking; they were more the just-burst-in-with-commands sort. They only played at politeness and affection when somebody from the state was coming to check up, and Amanda was usually given notice in those cases. They needed her to play the role too. She could always refuse, and she might even get away with it without getting hit, but she also might be relocated. As horrible as this foster family was, it was better than some of the ones she had been in. She was almost out, and making a scene now could only make her life harder. She was too smart to act out in anger; better to keep her nose down and count the days. Keeping her nose down worked fine; they usually left her alone unless they wanted something, in which case, they were often rather rude. Which brought Amanda back to the knocking. Slowly, cautiously, she got out of bed and headed for the door. She opened it a crack to see her stepmother standing there with a worn-out, beaten up suitcase. "Pack." Simple direct instructions. That was a bit more like it. Still, Amanda needed a bit more information. "What?" She asked, trying to keep the rude, annoyed tone from her voice. Her foster-mother rolled her eyes as though Amanda were the simplest, most dimwitted creature in the world. "We have been invited to spend the summer in The Hamptons. My cousin Lydia is giving us use of her summer home while she straightens out her divorce. Poor thing doesn"t exactly want to deal with the vultures who summer there at the moment, and who can blame her, but that"s hardly the point. Of course, I could just leave you here, but you could rob us blind or burn the place down. You"re hardly trustworthy. Now pack, because we"re leaving in two hours. You can bring anything you can fit into this ratty old thing." Amanda had only have heard what her foster-mother had said. Her mind was stuck on two simple words: The Hamptons. The Hamptons; where she had lived with her father. The Hamptons; where her life had been happy. The Hamptons; where here life had fallen apart. The Hamptons; where Jack was. Amanda had met Jack Porter when she was eight, and in the one-year that they had known each other, they had been best friends. Jack had been her first crush, with his adorable curly hair, his dimples, the way he had worked so hard to make her smile. They had met on the beach, and quickly become inseparable. He had been sweet and generous and giving. After everything had fallen apart, when Amanda had been at her lowest, unwanted, unloved, abused, only thinking of Jack had brought a smile to her face. She had been forced to leave Sammy, her beloved dog behind when her father was arrested. She had left Sammy with Jack, and Jack had promised to look after Sammy. Amanda had made a promise too. "I"ll come back for you." She had said. She had been talking to Sammy, but she had also been talking to Jack. And now she was going home. Time had passed, and she had changed. Her father"s name was synonymous with names like Stalin and Hitler. She was the daughter of an infamous terrorist, and maybe that was all Jack would see. Maybe he would see what everybody else saw when they heard her name, or worse, maybe he wouldn"t even remember her. The fear almost made her wheeze, but at the same time, she knew it couldn"t be true. Jack was too good; he was incorruptible. He would remember her, and he wouldn"t judge her. As she packed her scarce belongings into the pathetic suitcase, plunked it in the van, and hid in the trunk so that nobody would associate The Hampton"s newest socialites with "the little wretch," she couldn"t help but smile. She was going to see Jack Porter again. She was going to see Sammy again. She was going home. Author"s Note: I hope you guys liked the first chapter. The next one should be up soon because it is already written for the most part. So, I know right now it probably seems like this is going to be Jemily. Anyone who has read my other stories knows I love Jemily, but trust me, this is a Demily, though it will play proper tribute to Jemily. I"m really excited about a lot of things about this story. All my Revenge stories so far have taken place after 2x22, which means I have not been able to do anything with Declan/Charlotte even though they were one of my favorite couples of the series. I really wish they could have ended up together, and I am excited to get to explore their relationship in this story, even if they will be more sub-plot than plot in all likelihood. Reviews are appreciated. Author"s Note: I told you it wouldn"t be long. Quick thing, I know I put Emily as the person, and I know she goes as Amanda here, but I feel like Amanda means Fauxmanda, and obviously, she will use the name at some point, or else the title would make no sense. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter. Chapter Two "A darker blue, I think." Angela said. Angela Morton was one of the Grayson"s personal shopping assistants. The whole thing seemed a bit silly to Daniel. After all, he had been going to these sorts of parties his whole life; he knew how to dress. Even if he hadn"t, even if years of Grayson social events had left him inept, his mother was the utmost authority on such things and she was right there with him. She always came shopping with him. Victoria Grayson was not a trusting woman. She trusted neither Daniel nor Angela to pick out what her son would be seen wearing at one of her events. Between his mother and himself, Daniel did not get why they even needed Angela. He had asked his mother about it once, and she said it was all about perception. People had to know that they were too important and rich to have to pick out their own clothes. Again, it was silly, but it made his mother happy. Victoria Grayson was known in The Hamptons as Queen Victoria. She owned the town, and Daniel, who had grown up watching her "control situations," knew better than to go against what she wanted. So, he stood there, letting the two of them poke at him as they argued about what shade of blue his suit jacket should be, or if it should be blue at all. He noticed a group of girls starring at him from across the store. Most boys would be embarrassed to be spotted out shopping with their mothers, but when you were Daniel Grayson and your mother was Victoria, you could afford it. These girls were not judging, they were admiring, ogling, envying. They were thinking how he was handsome and rich and wouldn"t their lives be better if they could snag him. They stood close, like friends, but he knew none of them would hesitate to stab the others in the back for a chance to be welcome into the Hamptons royal family. The whole thing made him a bit uncomfortable. He shifted slightly, trying to hide from view. "Darling, go change out of that, we"re going." Victoria said abruptly. Daniel was grateful to head back to the changing room. Amanda felt like she might faint. This was her house. The house that her foster family was staying in, the house they were borrowing from some relative, was her home. She couldn"t believe it. The place looked exactly the same. She was suddenly transported back in time, to quiet nights on a couch, her father reading to her as a storm raged outside. It wasn"t exactly the same, of course. The new owners had refurbished the place. Still, there was a couch right by the fireplace, just as she remembered. She sank down into the cushions, her father"s voice in her ear, and for a moment, she was completely at peace. "Amanda!" Her foster mother screamed. Of course it couldn"t last. She opened her eyes, sighing. "Did I say you could relax? We need somebody to unload and unpack everything. The girls and I are going to the beach. We"re having drinks with Hamptons Royalty."

Lois was taken aback, "But...but." She stammered. "Maybe it would be better if our relationship became a little more ...professional. I don"t want people to get the wrong impression." "Of course." Lois said, but her head was spinning. No more Superman in her life? No more Superman at her window? No more Superman as her bodyguard. No more Superman as her friend? No more superman as her, well, hers? "Goodbye Lois. Try and stay out of trouble." He said, and he flew out the window. As he flew home, Superman thought about what had just happened. He could not believe what he had just said to Lois. She had put up a strong front, but he could tell she was in shock. He could not really blame her. He was still a little shocked himself. But he had been thinking about what she had said this morning, and what she had said that night, and he knew that he was putting her in danger. People were starting to see them as something more than a reporter and her subject, and he did not want to risk Lois, especially considering how often she risked herself. There was another reason, also. One he could not completely admit to himself. Lois was in love with superman; if he wanted to be with her as Superman it would be the easiest thing in the world. And when Lois had asked him what he meant, and had gotten close to him, he had thought things, and felt things that a man should not feel when he has a girlfriend. Author"s Note: Hello. So, I know it has been a really long time since I have updated, and I apologize for that. I have a lot of stories going right now, and it can be hard to keep track sometimes, plus sometimes there is writers block, and also life, which unfortunately gets in the way of fan fictions which we all know are more important. I wanted to assure all of you that while it has been a while, and I do not know how soon I will be updating, I am NOT, I repeat NOT, dropping this story. I hate when people drop stories, and when I made my account I promised myself I would never drop one. So, yes, it may be a while, depending on other factors, but I promise you, unless I unexpectedly die, this story and all of the others will be finished. Maybe not today, or this week, or even this month, but they will be. I understand if you don"t want to wait around, because it might be a while, but I promise, I will finish these stories. I just wanted to make that clear, and apologize for how long it is taking. Have a good day. Sincerely, ~RedTailedHawkens Chapter One The Girl That Launched A Thousand Ships Clark turned the car into his parents" driveway. Perry and Alice were right behind them, because even though Perry was sure he could find his way, Alice had insisted they follow Clark just incase they got lost; she knew if that happened Perry would be to stubborn to ask for directions. The Kents had room to put up Clark, Lois, and Jimmy, but Perry and Alice would have to stay in a hotel. That suited them just fine. They were a married couple, and neither one of them fancied bunking down with anyone but each other. Martha, Clark"s mother, ran out to greet them, her arms wide and excited. She saw her son somewhat frequently; he could fly down to see them any day and be back before anybody knew he was gone. Still, no matter how often you see one another, a mother is always happy to see her baby boy. Martha threw her arms around Clark, who gladly embraced her. After that, she greeted Lois and Jimmy, both of whom she had met before. "Jonathon wanted to be here to greet you, but we didn"t know exactly when you were arriving. I wanted to make my special peach cobbler, and I needed him to go out and pick up a few things for me while I cleaned things up a bit. You actually just missed him, but he will be thrilled to see you, even if he was not here to greet you. Now come in, come in, it is pouring out there. The last thing we need is for you all to get sick before you have even been here two minutes." After rushing them in the house, Martha gave Perry and Alice directions to the hotel. It was not that far, and though there were a few Smallville High Grads staying there, most of them were bunking with their parents and Jonathon had gotten Perry and Alice a reservation in one of their best rooms. "Well, now that they"re off, how about we get you three squared away. Lois, Jimmy, you two are our guests. One of you can take Clark"s room, and the other can take the couch. Sorry we do not have a guest room, but the couch is pretty comfortable. Clark, sweetie, you can get the inflatable cot out of storage." Clark nodded, doing as his mother said. Jimmy took in the surroundings. Lois had been to the Kent farm once before, but Jimmy had never seen it. "So, this is where C.K. grew up, huh?" he picked up the family picture. Clark was standing between his parents, wearing a red flannel shirt and blue jeans. His glasses were a little bit dorkier, but he looked pretty happy. His smile was pretty wide. The family was standing in front of the house, and while it was clearly posed, all three smiles seemed genuine. Jimmy put the frame back down and grabbed the Kent"s TV remote. "Jimmy, what, you"re here two seconds and you decide to flop on the couch to some childish trash?" Jimmy shrugged, "I can"t go to sleep without the TV on." "I take it that means your taking the couch?" Jimmy smirked, "I"m not stupid enough to think you would let me have the bed Lois. I"m not poking the lion"s cage. Besides, the bedroom probably doesn"t have a TV." "No, it doesn"t." Lois said, Jimmy looked at her, surprised, "I"ve been here before, remember?" she said, in a tone implying that he was stupid for not knowing that she had. Last time, she had been here on Assignment, and the Kents had put them up. She had taken Clark"s bed, and Clark had taken the couch. She cringed; remembering how his parents had said that could be the arrangement unless they were involved. In fact, most everyone had thought she was Clark"s girlfriend during that visit. There were worse assumptions people could have made. Clark was a good wholesome guy, and he was her best friend. But the last thing she would ever want to be was his girlfriend. He was way to squeaky, always walking on eggshells. He was perfect in the goody-two-shoes "I always have to do the right thing" kind of way, which you would think would make him the ideal prospective boyfriend, but it was normally just annoying. He was too perfect, and whatever girl he ended up with would always feel morally inferior. Not that he was better than her. I mean, she knew she was smarter, and a more experienced, better reporter than him, but Clark always, always had to do the right thing, and Lois, while she respected the right thing, knew sometimes you had to bend the rules a little, like going undercover to get a story or something. Okay, so Clark had gone undercover, and she had to admit, he had been a better liar than she would have thought, but he was still too...she did not really know the word. She did not know why the idea of being mistaken for Clark"s girlfriend made her cringe so much, it was just so... Okay, so, maybe last year, when he told her he had feelings for her, she had thought, maybe, but that was all just one big misunderstanding. And even if she could get over whatever it was that made Clark not boyfriend material, and, even if it had not been some misunderstanding and he did feel something for her...he was no Superman. And as much as she hated to admit it, as much as she knew it would inhibit her future happiness, Lois just couldn"t settle for anything less. The man in a green trench coat carried the last box to the loading dock. His telephone started ringing. Angrily, he picked it up. "Hello," said a husky feminine voice on the other end. "I thought I told you not to call me, especially here, and especially now! Do you want to blow the whole operation?" "I don"t do well on the sidelines." "Well, then pick a new sport, because the thing about this one is, if you don"t know the rules of the game, you lose, and in this one, you gotta be a team player, otherwise you and your team wind up in jail living off stale bread and praying for a death sentence." "Are you done? Do you truly believe I would be doing this if I gave a damn about rules? I make my own rules, and I suggest you learn them. And never screen my calls, or you will very be sorry." The line went dead. The man in the green trench coat threw his phone into the river in frustration. A squirmy little man in uniform came up behind him, "Um, sir, we"re ready to go. On your orders." The man growled a growl that would chill the bones of a corpse, "Let"s go." The squirmy man nodded. The ship took off with all they had loaded in. the man boarded a smaller ship that followed close behind. Clark got up as early as he could. While he was home, he wanted to help his family out with the chores, but he knew they would protest, saying they were fine and he should relax. He was a guest now, and they did not want him to be doing all their work for them. He had to beat them to the punch. Plus, if Lois or Jimmy woke up, he would not be able to use his powers. There was little danger of that though. His dad started on the chores at 5:00 am, so if he was going to beat him, he knew he had to get up earlier than that. There was little danger of Lois or Jimmy being awake at four in the morning. He stretched a little. It felt nice, comfortable, just like old times. He always used to love getting up early and working the land. He had had to do it all his life, and while he was restless to get out in the world and do more, he enjoyed physical exertion and appreciated the pride of a job well done. He had spent many days speeding through chores in his teen years, working hard, focused on what he was doing, but at the same time, he was always daydreaming about what else might be out there. Now, he knew what was out there, and it was more than he could have ever imagined. It was exciting, and scary, fast, and full of life. When he thought of metropolis, of all he had been waiting for his whole life, he thought of a sassy, brilliant, annoying, know-it-all brunette that was everything he could of wanted and more than he could of dreamed of. He had wanted to know what was out there. Now he knew. Lois. Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Alice, and Clark stood close together, as they made their way to the high school. For Clark, it was a place full of memories, some bitter, some sweet, but to the rest of them, it was as foreign as Krypton. They all had assumptions, they had all been to high school, and had had a brief sampling of this quaint little town, but... Clark looked at Lois. She was stunning, her hair up, and in a beautiful blue dress. She was as beautiful as she had been the day he met her. No, she was more beautiful. She grew more beautiful every day. He tried not to stare. In high school, he would have stared, he had been a shy, bumbling kid. But now, he had greater control over his faculties, and he knew the value of subtlety. Lois examined all the people walking in to the building. A lot of hicks dressed up to try and look fancy. And who the hell"s idea was it to name the town Smallville, anyhow. I mean, were they trying to doom themselves. It was a miracle Clark had turned out as anything that resembles normal. But, even as she thought it, she knew Clark was not normal. He was infuriating, and strange, always disappearing, knowing things on hunches that made no sense to anybody else but always checked out. No Clark was not normal. Not even a little. Jimmy looked at the high school grads, well, the girls. Most of them were on somebody"s arm, but a few of them were single. Not that they would ever look at him. I mean, he was Jimmy Olsen. What could he offer them? Even in a small town, he knew he was still nothing but a loser kid unsure of where he was going. These women were all Clark"s age, ten or so years older than him. They had experience. They knew what they wanted out of life and were probably pretty close to getting it where as Jimmy had barely cracked the pavement. Oh well. He could always hang out with C.K. and Lois the whole night. After all, that was why he had come. "After you." Clark said, opening the door to his past for his friends. Lois walked past him without even a thank you, but he had not really expected one. Jimmy, Perry, and Alice were more grateful for his chivalry, though Perry did tell him to tone it down a little. "You"re making me look bad son. I"d hate for Alice to leave me for a younger man, especially one of my own employees." Clark laughed. He knew Perry was mostly kidding. Even if Alice did decide she wanted to leave Perry for Clark, which was unlikely, both he and Perry knew that Clark would never go for it. Still, it was no secret that the White"s were having a few marital problems. That was part of why Perry had wanted to come in the first place, and, it had been one of Clark"s major selling points that Alice would love a romantic couple of days in a quiet little town. As the gang entered the gym, Lois was pleasantly surprised by what she saw. The room was made up to look like an underwater wonderland. It was not uncommon for reunion"s to be decorated in the same theme as that class"s prom had been, nostalgia was after all, the whole point of a reunion, but Lois was impressed by how well the whole thing was put together. She made a mental note to try and stop assuming everything in this town would be...small. "Clark!" an attractive blonde man in a suit called, coming up to them. Clark looked at him for a second, trying to subtract years from the face so he could place it. "Pete!" he said with a smile, high-fiving the man in a brotherly way. "Hey, how"ve you been?" "Great, how about you?" "Also great. It"s good to see you. Albeit, kind of weird, as I do not remember ever seeing you in something other than a letterman"s jacket, but..." Pete laughed. Lois cleared hr throat. "Oh, Pete, sorry, this is Lois, Jimmy, and..." he turned around, but Perry and Alice seemed to have made their way to some other part of the party. Clark supposed that, even when you do not know anybody at an event, when you are married, all you need is each other to feel safe and have a good time. Clark wanted that. He had always wanted that; a wife, a family. Being raised by the Kents, two happy, healthy parents still as in love as the day they met...how could he possibly want anything else? "Uh, well, my other friends seemed to have wandered off, but, um, Lois, Jimmy, this is Peter Ross." "Pete, please." Pete said, shaking hands with Clark"s friends. "Pete was the best quarterback Smallville ever had." "Well, Clark might have been better if he hadn"t waited until senior year to try out...and had put as much effort into the team as he did in one on one"s. Though I do hear you made quite a splash in college." Clark smiled sheepishly, "I helped win a few games." "Nothing wrong with saying you one them all on your own and the rest of the team was all dead wait. Have I taught you nothing?" Pete said jokingly. "So, do you play professionally now?" Lois asked. "No, no, my glory days are way gone." "I heard you"re in politics"." "Yeah, well, I still have a long way to go, right now I just work for a politician, but, someday, maybe, President Pete, right?" "Yeah, well, that might be a little scary." Lois and Jimmy stood somewhat awkwardly as the two old friends reminisced. "I can"t wait for you to meet her. Gorgeous, gorgeous, and wonderful. Way more supportive of my crazy hours than most women would be." Clark smiled. He was happy his old friend was doing so well. Married two years, working in politics, and clearly doing better than he wanted to let on. Very different from where Clark was of course, but excluding the lack of marital bliss on his end, he felt both of them had gotten to all the places they wanted to be. "Well, I"ve got to find the wife before she starts thinking I"m shacking up with an ex in the gym lockers or something. I"ll be sure and bring her by. Good seeing you. And nice meeting you two." Clark waved and Lois and Jimmy made similar friendly if less familiar gestures. "He seemed nice." Lois said, searching for a topic. She was bored out of her mind. How did she get talked into this again? "Yeah, he"s a great guy. The three of us were always real close. Had some great times together." "Three?" Lois asked, her interest peeked. "Yeah," Clark said, either not getting what she was asking, or not wanting to get it, "So, what do you think of this place. Fixed up pretty nice, huh?" "It"s all right." Lois lied. "Come on, it"s a million times better than you expected." "Please. It"s a gym with a few decorations, not the Sistine Chapel." She would never give him the satisfaction. "You never give in, do you?" Lois smirked, ""Even though, you know I"m right." She rolled her eyes, "I"m mean, look around," he said, scanning the area himself, "This place is..." he stopped. Froze. His mouth was still in the process of forming his next word, which he could neither say, nor remember. His heart began pumping so fast he was certain it would burst. His breath caught in his throat. He tried to swallow, but he couldn"t. He couldn"t think. He couldn"t move. All his surroundings faded away...save one. "Is..." Lois said, as Clark turned to sweaty stone. She followed his gaze. His eyes were fixed on a group of girls laughing and reminiscing by the punch bowl. Clark appeared to be looking at one in particular. A bubbly redhead, with shoulder length hair. Her skin was smooth and light, a dainty pale, peaches and cream complexion, but her cheeks were rosy and colorful. Her eyes were blue and large and full of life. Her lips were a gentle dark pink. Lois looked back at Clark. He was hypnotized, mesmerized. He did not hear her saying his name, or at least, he did not respond. Lois did not like to be ignored, but she would never give Clark the satisfaction of thinking she needed his attention and notice. Clark watched the girl, laughing with her friends as she pushed her hair back behind her ears. In his minds eye, she was moving in slow motion, like a ballerina dancing just for him. She caught his eye, spotting him across the floor. She smiled a warm smile and waved. He lifted his hand, though it felt numb and he was not sure if he was actually moving it. He got it high up enough to do a slight wave. She turned, saying something to her friends, presumable excusing herself, and began heading towards him. "Clark!" Lois tried again. "What?" he said, spinning, finally snapping out of his trance. The girl reached them. Clark turned to her, and once again, Lois and Jimmy became invisible, just as she had begun making progress. "Clark!" the girl said with a smile, her face lighting up as she said his name. "Hi." Her voice came out sweet, flowing like buttermilk. Her tone combined affection and innocence, as did her motions, her body language, and facial expressions. Clark tried to speak, say something, anything. Finally, he was able to get one word out; the one word that had been resounding in his head ever since he had spotted her at the refreshment table. "Lana." Chapter Two Reunited And It Feels So Awkward The girl, who Lois assumed was named Lana, smiled, "Clark, it"s so great to see you. You look great. I like the, um, suit, it fits you. Not that there was ever anything wrong with the flannel, but..." she laughed a little. Her laugh was musical, melodic. "You look, you look, um...you look amazing." Clark finally got out. Lana smiled gratefully. "That"s sweet. I was actually on the planning committee, so I barely had time to go home and change. In fact, I probably smell like glue and sweat." "I"m not surprised." Clark said. Lana looked at him. He realized what he had said, his eyes widening, "No, I um, I mean, that you were on the committee. And, you know, you smell great from where I"m standing...not that I noticed, or didn"t noticed, I just, um...so, what have you been doing with yourself these past years?" he tried, desperate to change the subject. Lois and Jimmy stared at him. Neither of them had ever seen him stumble over words so much. Clark felt so stupid. No, to be accurate, he felt sixteen. Just like that bumbling little boy who could never talk to a pretty girl. But then, this was Lana Lang. Lana had never been just pretty. Lana was, is, and had always been, perfect. "Actually, I"ve been doing pretty well. My paintings are selling, well, I mean, I"m not Van Gogh by a long shot, but people seem to like me work." Clark smiled, "You"re an artist?" "Well, right now I"m just a girl with an easel and some paint. An artist needs talent and vision." "You"re an artist." Clark said again, this time with reassuring certainty. Lana smiled. "You were always pretty talented. And I can"t imagine anybody with greater vision." "Thank you. Really." Clark waved his hand, shrugging it off, "I"m just telling the truth. You"re the one with the talent." Lana smiled, "No, I mean it. Thank you. If it weren"t for you, I never would have had the guts to go for it in the first place. When everyone else was telling me I had to do this or should do that, this was financially secure, or I would find that the most enjoyable, or I have such a natural aptitude for something, you were the only one who just told me to go for whatever I wanted. You said you knew I could do whatever I put my mind to, and I should just do what made me happy, never let anybody convince me any different." She smiled, "You were always a really good friend that way."

"Lois, any preference for dinner?" he called. No answer. "Lois?" he went out into the living room where he had last seen her. She had been on the couch. He assumed she was taking a nap of some sort, which is why he had not really paid any attention to her absence for the past couple hours, but she was no longer on the couch. He was getting a little nervous now. Using his x-ray vision, he scanned the apartment. Lana was unpacking her things in the drawer he had shown her, and the rest of the house was quiet...empty. "Lana!" he called, running to his room in panic. "What?" she asked, leaving his room and closing the door behind her. She was surprised by his urgent tone and his facial expression. He looked scared. "Do you know where Lois is?" "Last I saw her she was reclining on the couch. Why?" "I can"t find her." Lana relaxed, "Oh. You scared me there for a moment." "I sca...She"s missing!" "Clark, she probably just stepped out. It"s nothing to get worked up over." "No. You don"t know Lois. She has a bad habit of getting herself into dangerous situations." "Which explains you jumping to conclusions, but I"m sure she"s fine." Clark didn"t look convinced, "Look, does she have a pager?" "Yeah, for work." "So, page her. Ten to one says she went out for some fresh air or to get something to eat." Lana said. She looked at Clark. She was used to irrational behavior from her dad, but not from him. Then again, a lot of time had passed, and this was Metropolis, and, like he had said, she didn"t know Lois. "Nothing." Clark said, slamming the phone down in a frustrated manner. "Give her a minute. A pager is not the same thing as a phone." "No, I"ve got to go find her." Clark said, heading for the door. Lana got up. "Okay, I"ll come with you." "I thought you said I was overreacting?" "You probably are, but if you"re not, you might need some help, besides, regardless of the situation, you seem a little jittery right now. You probably don"t have the coolest of heads at the moment and you might need some help thinking clearly." Clark smiled at her appreciatively. It meant a lot that she wanted to help, even though she barely knew Lois. Unfortunately, Clark was going to search as Superman so he could get a more accurate view of the city. "I think you should stay here...incase she calls." Lana looked at him. She looked slightly hurt, but she forced a smile, "Whatever I can do to help." "Thank you." He said as he ran out the door. "No problem." She said, and she took a seat by the phone. "Why isn"t she calling for him?" he asked into the phone. In his "office" talking to his boss as he watched Lois through a one-way mirror. "Because she knows she"s the bait. And she would do anything to protect Superman." "Then why"d you have me tell her?" "Patience. He"ll come looking for her the second he realizes she"s missing. He"ll find her." "Superman!" he heard. It was not Lois. It was a woman in the park. He landed. She seemed fine, and he hardly had time for this, but she had called him for a reason, and he had a duty to discover what it was. "What seems to be the problem miss?" The woman turned to him, "Oh, thank god. My name is Mallory. I"m interning at the Daily Planet for college credit. I know I look to old to be in college, but I went back, bad career choices, you know, anyway, this man, he must have known I worked there, because he said that he had gone to Lois Lane"s apartment and she wasn"t there. He said he was her boyfriend and he couldn"t find her and he was worried. Well, I overheard her telling Clark Kent something about an infestation and that she was staying with him, so I told him she was there, but then I was doing research on this story for one of the big shots at the Planet who makes me do all her research, and I saw his name, Ted Raymond, under the list of criminals the cops are looking for, and I think he might be planning to do something horrible to her." The woman finished. She looked utterly frazzled and she was starting to cry. "It"s all right. Thank you for telling me. Do you have any clue where he might have taken her?" "Well," she said, composing herself, "It might be nothing, but when he was pretending to be her boyfriend, somebody called him. He hung up on them pretty quick, but I think I heard the word...shipment. That might be something." "Thank you miss. Don"t worry. I"ll find her." he flew off. The woman smiled, "Oh, I"m sure you will." She said, her voice huskier than before, and far less frantic. "You have all a clever hero should need now to find Ted and Miss Lane at the docks. We will all have everything we need...very soon." Chapter Six Friends and Enemies Lois sat uncomfortably, waiting. After her captor had recovered from the pain in his lower region, he had tied Lois"s legs to the legs of the chair. So now, she could only sit. "So what is the plan exactly? Sit here and wait until Superman decides to come in and rescue me?" "Pretty much." "And what exactly do you plan to do once he gets here? Challenge him to a boat race? He"s Superman, not some cheap adversary." "You let me worry about The Man of Steel, Miss Lane." "Well it"s not like you"ve given me anything else to occupy my mind." "Well, if you"re bored, I could always bruise your brain until it no longer needs stimulation." He said, glaring at her. He was getting tired of her lip. Lois smiled uncomfortably, "You know what? I was lying before. Superman doesn"t know where I am. He doesn"t even know I"m missing, so there really is no reason to-" "Do I look like an idiot to you?" Lois squirmed, "Well-" Just then, Lois heard a crash. She turned to the door, which had been knock down by...thank god. "Sorry to barge in. I hope I"m not interrupting anything." "Superman." The man, who Superman assumed to be Ted, said, "I"ve been expecting you." "Superman, it"s a trap!" Lois yelled. A large contraption descended down on Superman. Superman smirked and shrugged the thing off. Ted looked at the unharmed hero in shock and started to run. "Are you okay?" Superman said as he untied Lois. "I"m fine. Thanks to you." She said, looking at him gratefully. He had saved her again. Superman returned her grateful expression with the bittersweet one she often got from him. It was a look that combined longing, sorrow, and regret. Then he turned to chase the bad guy. Ted turned on his hearing device. "It didn"t even scratch him. I thought you said you had the perfect way to trap him." "I do." said the voice on the other end, "and you played your part beautifully Ted. Really, well done. Unfortunately, your roll in this project is coming to an abrupt halt. The police are certain to be on their way right now, and Superman will make sure they catch you. Sorry I can"t visit you, but I have to distance myself." "They"ll find you Mallory. I"ll make sure we share a cell." "Oh, sweetie, that"s so kind, but you know, I just don"t think of you that way. And since I know you are not smart enough to keep your mouth shut, I will put it out there in black and white. Superman will fall, and I will topple him. I will become the most powerful woman in the world. I will remember my friends, and I will remember my enemies. Tell me, Teddy, when the new hierarchy is established, which side do you plan to be on." "Yours" Ted said through gritted teeth. "Good boy." The line went dead. Ted heard police sirens. He saw Superman stilling him, and he felt himself being cuffed. He knew what he had to say, what lies to tell. And he planned to stay around long enough to tell them. He knew he could not trust Mallory, not after tonight. But could he risk betraying her? Chapter Seven Meals and Muffins Lana had been sitting there waiting for almost two hours now. It was driving her crazy. How does one just sit around and do nothing? She was incredibly relieved when she heard the doorknob turning. "-That"s all he said." "But everybody knows Superman is invincible. Why would he go to all that trouble to trap him if he didn"t actually have anything?" "How the hell should I know? Do I look like a criminal? The important thing is he"s behind bars." Lana waited for them to notice her. She was nothing if not patient. Considering her father, it really was no big surprise. Eventually, after prolonged bickering, they acknowledged her. "Lana." Was all Lois said, but it was enough of an opening. "Lois, I"m glad you"re okay." "Thanks. I"ve been in worse scrapes." And that was it. Neither girl had a strong desire to talk in depth with the other. Both were wary of one another. "I"m going to take a shower." Lois said. "Yeah, I think I"ll head to bed." Clark said, "It"s been a long day." "You"ll fill me in tomorrow?" Lana asked hopefully. "Yeah, of course." Clark said. He turned and started to head toward his room. Then he stopped, remembering what Lana had said earlier. He still did not know how he felt about her. He knew he liked how he felt when he was around her. He also knew that as far as women, waiting and fear had made him miss his chance on too many occasions. He turned to her before he had the chance to lose his nerve or talk himself out of it, "Maybe we could...go for lunch and talk. About that, and, other things." Lana noticed the nervous expression on his face. Was he trying to ask her out? "Are you...do you mean like a date?" "Well, yes, actually, I did." Lana smiled. Her whole face lit up. While she felt like she might explode from the excitement of it, one could never tell by the demur way she said, "I would love to, Clark." The way she said his name gave him a special tingle. He smiled, and headed off to bed. "Would you stop fussing around?" Lois said. Clark had been playing with his tie all morning and it had been driving her crazy. She was trying to type up her article on Ted Raymond but then Clark would pull on his tie, and she would loose her train of thought. "I"m sorry Lois." Clark said, "It"s just I have this thing today, and I won"t have time to go home and change." Technically, he had time, but Lana had agreed to meet him at The Planet, so she would see him in his work clothes. That would normally be fine, as she had seen it before, but he wanted today to be...special. He felt like a teenager again, and it was not an entirely bad feeling. He still had not told Lois. It just had not come up. Okay, so maybe he was avoiding it a little. It felt strange, telling Lois he was going on a date with somebody else. Yesterday, when she was missing, he had been genuinely scared for her, terrified in fact, of losing her. You would think it would get easier considering all the times Lois almost got herself killed, but each time was just as terrifying as the last. He knew he cared for her; he knew he loved her. He knew he probably always would love her, but he also knew she would probably never love him, or see him for who he really was. He had feelings for Lana, legitimate, romantic feelings, though he was not sure exactly what to call them yet. In high school, he had called them love, and that was probably what they were, but a lot had changed since then. He had grown up and his life had gotten a lot more complicated. Now she was in his life again, and old feelings were resurfacing, and they were mixing with new feelings, feelings that the man he had grown into was developing for the woman she had grown into. He wanted to explore those feelings, and he had every right to. He did not belong to anybody, least of all Lois, who had told him a few short months ago that she loved him as a friend and nothing more. So why had he not told her? "Lois," Clark started, gathering his courage. She turned to him, and he faltered. What should he say; by the way, I have a date today. It is not the sort of thing you just say. It had to make sense in conversation, or else it would just seem as though he was simply telling her for the sake of telling her. The only reasons he would tell her simply for the sake of telling her would be if he was trying to make her jealous, or if he felt obligated to tell her he was going out with another woman. Both would imply he had feelings for her, and he did not want to go down that road again. It was bad enough the first time. "What is it Clark?" she said, impatiently. "I just...I wanted to, um, tell you that that thing I have today, that I"m dressed up for-" "Is a date with Lana?" she finished for him. He looked at her surprised, "Clark, come on, you"re hardly a secret agent. I am a highly intelligent, talented reporter, not to mention your friend, and current tenant. It was clear something would be happening between the two of you sooner or later." "Well, I just thought you should know." "Why?" "Because...you"re my friend." "Well...have a good time." Lois did not seem at all bothered by the announcement. Clark was slightly relieved, and slightly disappointed. The truth of the matter was, Lois was bothered. She was very bothered. She had been expecting it, but she was still bothered, more than she would have expected and more than she liked. And what was with him making a point of telling her? Was it some sort of test to see how she would react? Clark checked his watch. It was about time for his lunch break. He scanned the hall near the elevator. He saw Mallory and almost waved, but stopped himself. He had met her as Superman, not Clark. Still, both of them were in her debt for helping Lois. He made a mental note to befriend her. Then, he smelt it, Lana"s famous chocolate chip muffins. He looked up, and saw her standing there, looking breathtaking as ever. Her eyes were wide with excitement, and her arms were wide with a basket of muffins. "I thought we were going out to eat?" he said, chuckling a little. "We are, but I remembered how much you liked these, so I thought I might whip up a few. It is always good to come somewhere bearing gifts. I figured you could share them with your coworkers." "Well, if they"re anything like I remember, I"ll be very popular." "You don"t need muffins for that." Lois was ready to barf. And she just whipped them up . Please. She had specifically taken the time to make a suck up gift. They did smell good though. And they looked good. Lois thought about her own attempt at baking muffins. It was maybe five months back, and Clark had been teasing her about her cooking. He wasn"t being mean, and the truth was she really could not cook, but for some reason she had decided to prove him wrong, so she stormed into the kitchen with Clark behind her, and started working on muffins. She remembered how to do it from when she had tried as a child. She had started a fire in the kitchen then, and this time, her luck was not a lot better. The muffins were burnt beyond edibility, and the whole kitchen had been filled with smoke. She had been chocking on smoke, and when it had finally cleared away, she had looked at Clark. She expected him to tease her or rub it in her face, but he had somehow known that this was not a time to tease her, and she should have known he would never rub her face in something. He had just said, "Well, it really wouldn"t be fair if you were the world"s best cook, AND the world"s best reporter, now would it?" he had smirked, and she had smiled. Then he helped her clean up and they had ordered Chinese to eat while they worked. She did not actually remember what they had been working on, but she remembered what Clark had said, how sweet he had been. He really was a great person, and a great friend. She watched him wave as he and Lana headed toward the elevator and she smiled. She would never admit it out loud, but Lana was a lucky girl. Chapter Eight Books and Movies Clark and Lana walked to the restaurant. They had considered getting a cab, but it was not that far away, and being a small-town girl, Lana was happier taking a slower, scenic route. This was especially true if it meant more one-on-one time with Clark Kent. Clark was a little nervous. It had been a while since he had been on a date that was not an undercover date or an I"m-too-polite-to-turn-you-down date. In any case, he had never before been on a date with Lana Lang. "Well, here we are." Clark finally said. The walk had been fairly silent, but it had also been nice. The restaurant Clark picked had outdoor seating, which Lana and him agreed would be nicer. He pulled her chair out for her and she sat. "Thank you." "You"re welcome." Each looked at the menu in front of them. "So," Clark started, "What looks good?" Lana perused the menu. "Hm, well, why don"t we get a salad and some lemonades to start?" Clark nodded, "Oh, I"m sorry, did you want something else. I"m so used to ordering for my father-" Clark chuckled, "No, it"s fine. That sounds great." Lana breathed out and chuckled a little herself, "Okay. First date panic attack over now." Clark smiled. The waiter came over and he placed their orders, "You know, I cannot believe you remembered my favorite kind of muffin." "Are you kidding? I used to bake a batch every time I knew you were coming over. I"m amazed you didn"t gain fifty pounds from all the muffins you ate." "Well, I had a kind of a muffin problem, but I joined a support group, and I"m getting help." Lana laughed. Her laugh was so...musical. He had always liked her laugh. "Well, I guess I shouldn"t have brought that basket today." "I"m sure you"ll find some way to make it up to me." Lana smiled, "I"ve missed this. Talking to you. There"s never been anybody else I"ve felt I could, I don"t know, be myself with." "Glad to be of service." "I"m serious Clark. You mean a lot to me. You always have." "You mean a lot to me too. I mean, in high school, I was pretty much so in love with you I couldn"t see straight." "You"re kidding. I always thought you only saw me as a friend." "Well, I was a good actor I guess." Lana smiled. Then, her voice got a little serious. "Why didn"t you ever say anything?" "I guess I just never thought I had a shot with you. Being rejected did not seem worth risking the friendship over." Lana smiled, "You always were to hard on yourself. And, apparently, a little blind. Because, guess what?" "What?" "I was in love with you too." Lois sat typing away at the computer. She had finished her article, and had decided to occupy her time by working on her novel. She looked at it. It was all about her pining for Superman. Well, it was about a female reporter with a different name that was pining for a superhero/alien with a different name, but it was clearly about her. Reading over it, she felt frustrated, and not just because her and Superman did not have the wild sex lives in real life that they had in the novel. She kept thinking about Clark and little Miss Perfect Princess from Corn-town U.S.A. She was so angry with Clark, though she did not know why, and at the same time, she could not blame Lana for liking him. After all, they were both corn-fed hicks. No, that was not fair. Clark was actually quite bright, and sweet, and...and infuriating. He was stubborn, and cautious, and polite, and a good friend, and a goody-two-shoes. He always gave her backup. She was independent, and she did not want or need back up. Still, it had come in handy sometimes. It was like...it was like he was two people. He was her best friend and partner, and then he was this infuriatingly, annoying guy who could drive her insane and she did not even completely know why. Suddenly, she found herself typing faster than she had ever typed before. The ideas spurred words and the words spurred more ideas. Her Superman novel was long forgotten, and this new document gave her a new thrill; something was taking her over as she wrote. She wrote of how the annoying Clark would not leave her alone, and the smart, sweet, friendly Kent was too busy with his new girlfriend to be around for her. "Lois?" she heard Jimmy ask. Her head shot up and she quickly saved and closed her document. "What is it Jimmy?" "Some new information about Ted Raymond. You might want to take a look at this." "This has been a lot of fun." Lana said as she finished her dessert. She ate so gracefully, and she never got anything on her face. "Yeah. It has. Maybe we could do it again sometime." Lana smiled, "I"d like that." she said as she took out her purse. "No, please, let me." he said, as he paid the bill and left a decent, though not extraordinary tip. "I wouldn"t have minded paying, Clark." Lana said as they headed back to The Planet. "I know, but it was our first date. I wanted to treat." "Such a gentleman." Lana said with a smile, "I like that about you." Clark smiled. "Well, this is my stop." He said as they approached the Daily Planet Building. "Yeah, it is." Lana said. Her tone was a little sad. She did not want the date to end. It had been...perfect. Well, almost perfect. There was one thing... Lana felt Clark"s big, strong hand reach behind her neck and draw her down to him. She followed its instruction willingly, her eyes never leaving his. His lips met hers, and everything felt like a movie; she could almost hear the background music playing. It was the slowest, simplest, and sweetest kiss she had ever had. It was not rough, or carnal. It was not fast, or crude. It was just simple, and sweet. It had been perfect.

There was a knock on Amanda"s door that morning. It was strange. Normally, her foster-family didn"t offer her courtesies of knocking; they were more the just-burst-in-with-commands sort. They only played at politeness and affection when somebody from the state was coming to check up, and Amanda was usually given notice in those cases. They needed her to play the role too. She could always refuse, and she might even get away with it without getting hit, but she also might be relocated. As horrible as this foster family was, it was better than some of the ones she had been in. She was almost out, and making a scene now could only make her life harder. She was too smart to act out in anger; better to keep her nose down and count the days. Keeping her nose down worked fine; they usually left her alone unless they wanted something, in which case, they were often rather rude. Which brought Amanda back to the knocking. Slowly, cautiously, she got out of bed and headed for the door. She opened it a crack to see her stepmother standing there with a worn-out, beaten up suitcase. "Pack." Simple direct instructions. That was a bit more like it. Still, Amanda needed a bit more information. "What?" She asked, trying to keep the rude, annoyed tone from her voice. Her foster-mother rolled her eyes as though Amanda were the simplest, most dimwitted creature in the world. "We have been invited to spend the summer in The Hamptons. My cousin Lydia is giving us use of her summer home while she straightens out her divorce. Poor thing doesn"t exactly want to deal with the vultures who summer there at the moment, and who can blame her, but that"s hardly the point. Of course, I could just leave you here, but you could rob us blind or burn the place down. You"re hardly trustworthy. Now pack, because we"re leaving in two hours. You can bring anything you can fit into this ratty old thing." Amanda had only have heard what her foster-mother had said. Her mind was stuck on two simple words: The Hamptons. The Hamptons; where she had lived with her father. The Hamptons; where her life had been happy. The Hamptons; where here life had fallen apart. The Hamptons; where Jack was. Amanda had met Jack Porter when she was eight, and in the one-year that they had known each other, they had been best friends. Jack had been her first crush, with his adorable curly hair, his dimples, the way he had worked so hard to make her smile. They had met on the beach, and quickly become inseparable. He had been sweet and generous and giving. After everything had fallen apart, when Amanda had been at her lowest, unwanted, unloved, abused, only thinking of Jack had brought a smile to her face. She had been forced to leave Sammy, her beloved dog behind when her father was arrested. She had left Sammy with Jack, and Jack had promised to look after Sammy. Amanda had made a promise too. "I"ll come back for you." She had said. She had been talking to Sammy, but she had also been talking to Jack. And now she was going home. Time had passed, and she had changed. Her father"s name was synonymous with names like Stalin and Hitler. She was the daughter of an infamous terrorist, and maybe that was all Jack would see. Maybe he would see what everybody else saw when they heard her name, or worse, maybe he wouldn"t even remember her. The fear almost made her wheeze, but at the same time, she knew it couldn"t be true. Jack was too good; he was incorruptible. He would remember her, and he wouldn"t judge her. As she packed her scarce belongings into the pathetic suitcase, plunked it in the van, and hid in the trunk so that nobody would associate The Hampton"s newest socialites with "the little wretch," she couldn"t help but smile. She was going to see Jack Porter again. She was going to see Sammy again. She was going home. Author"s Note: I hope you guys liked the first chapter. The next one should be up soon because it is already written for the most part. So, I know right now it probably seems like this is going to be Jemily. Anyone who has read my other stories knows I love Jemily, but trust me, this is a Demily, though it will play proper tribute to Jemily. I"m really excited about a lot of things about this story. All my Revenge stories so far have taken place after 2x22, which means I have not been able to do anything with Declan/Charlotte even though they were one of my favorite couples of the series. I really wish they could have ended up together, and I am excited to get to explore their relationship in this story, even if they will be more sub-plot than plot in all likelihood. Reviews are appreciated. Author"s Note: I told you it wouldn"t be long. Quick thing, I know I put Emily as the person, and I know she goes as Amanda here, but I feel like Amanda means Fauxmanda, and obviously, she will use the name at some point, or else the title would make no sense. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter. Chapter Two "A darker blue, I think." Angela said. Angela Morton was one of the Grayson"s personal shopping assistants. The whole thing seemed a bit silly to Daniel. After all, he had been going to these sorts of parties his whole life; he knew how to dress. Even if he hadn"t, even if years of Grayson social events had left him inept, his mother was the utmost authority on such things and she was right there with him. She always came shopping with him. Victoria Grayson was not a trusting woman. She trusted neither Daniel nor Angela to pick out what her son would be seen wearing at one of her events. Between his mother and himself, Daniel did not get why they even needed Angela. He had asked his mother about it once, and she said it was all about perception. People had to know that they were too important and rich to have to pick out their own clothes. Again, it was silly, but it made his mother happy. Victoria Grayson was known in The Hamptons as Queen Victoria. She owned the town, and Daniel, who had grown up watching her "control situations," knew better than to go against what she wanted. So, he stood there, letting the two of them poke at him as they argued about what shade of blue his suit jacket should be, or if it should be blue at all. He noticed a group of girls starring at him from across the store. Most boys would be embarrassed to be spotted out shopping with their mothers, but when you were Daniel Grayson and your mother was Victoria, you could afford it. These girls were not judging, they were admiring, ogling, envying. They were thinking how he was handsome and rich and wouldn"t their lives be better if they could snag him. They stood close, like friends, but he knew none of them would hesitate to stab the others in the back for a chance to be welcome into the Hamptons royal family. The whole thing made him a bit uncomfortable. He shifted slightly, trying to hide from view. "Darling, go change out of that, we"re going." Victoria said abruptly. Daniel was grateful to head back to the changing room. Amanda felt like she might faint. This was her house. The house that her foster family was staying in, the house they were borrowing from some relative, was her home. She couldn"t believe it. The place looked exactly the same. She was suddenly transported back in time, to quiet nights on a couch, her father reading to her as a storm raged outside. It wasn"t exactly the same, of course. The new owners had refurbished the place. Still, there was a couch right by the fireplace, just as she remembered. She sank down into the cushions, her father"s voice in her ear, and for a moment, she was completely at peace. "Amanda!" Her foster mother screamed. Of course it couldn"t last. She opened her eyes, sighing. "Did I say you could relax? We need somebody to unload and unpack everything. The girls and I are going to the beach. We"re having drinks with Hamptons Royalty." Amanda rolled her eyes, not bothering to argue. She headed outside and started unpacking. As she lugged boxes up the porch, she caught sight of the carving her father had made so long ago. There it was, still on the railing. "I love you, infinity times infinity." That"s what he had always said. He had even carved a double infinity symbol into the porch railing. It had all been a lie, of course. She knew that now. Her father had made no effort to contact her after he was arrested. He made no phone calls, sent no letters. He neither tried to explain his side, nor tell her that he still loved her. The man was a liar and a criminal. He didn"t deserve her love. He didn"t deserve the tears she was struggling to blink back. Victoria had been trying to find the right girl for Daniel. Conrad may have been silly enough to believe their son"s story about that Sara girl, but Victoria wasn"t. She Daniel had been carrying on with Sara for some time. Of course, it was a tragedy what had happened to the girl, but she was glad that Daniel was no longer involved with the little trailer trash girl. He could do so much better. The truth was, Victoria didn"t really think anyone would be good enough for Daniel. Still, he would have to marry eventually. Daniel had a good heart, and he would want to give it someone. There were thousands of girls who would happily take it from him. Victoria needed to protect him from the leaches; he had proven that he didn"t have the good judgment to be able to tell the right sort from the wrong sort. What he really needed was someone who loved him more than he loved her. That would give him the power in the relationship. Victoria did not want her son reduced to an easily manipulated lovesick slave. The Memorial Day party this year would be the perfect place for him to meet his future wife. Still, it was good to get in early to start and weed out the riffraff. Victoria"s best friend, Lydia Davis was avoiding The Hamptons this summer as she sorted through her impending divorce. She had invited relatives to stand in for her, and had urged Victoria to make them welcome. The family consisted of a widow, and her two daughters, one Daniel"s age, one a year older. For Lydia"s sake, Victoria had agreed to meet with them for lunch, though she didn"t have high hopes. "Katie," Victoria greeted the woman, kissing her on the cheek as though the two were old friends. "Mrs. Grayson." The woman said. "Please, call me Victoria. After all, any family of Lydia"s ..." she trailed off, letting the implication sink in. the woman was clearly lapping it up, thinking she was receiving special treatment. Of course, Victoria was fake-kind with everybody. Katie"s failure to realize that did not bode well for the woman"s prospects. "And these must be your lovely daughters?" Victoria asked, glancing at the girls. One was fairly plain looking, but the other actually was quite lovely. "Oh, yes, this is Andrea and Ana." So, Andrea was the name of the pretty one then. "Lovely to meet you." Victoria said, shaking both of their hands. It had been four hours and Amanda"s foster family had not returned. That was good. It probably meant they would be out a while and she had some time. What she didn"t have was transportation. She needed to get to Montauk. She needed to see Jack. Amanda didn"t have a lot of savings, but she had enough to get a cab. It was a risk. She wasn"t supposed to leave the house, for one. For another, she didn"t even know if Jack was still in Montauk. His father had owned a bar, The Stowaway, but for all she knew, they had moved. Still, Mr. Porter had seemed pretty proud of the place. Jack was a little older than her, so he might be off at college. Then again, it was summer, so he was probably home. She really needed to just get there. All this back and forth in her head was driving her crazy. Finally, she got there. She saw the building, what had once been, and what she hoped still was, The Stowaway. She hadn"t spent a lot of time there, of course. It was a bar, after all, and she had been a child. She had been there a few times. Her and Jack had sat in the corner, drawing with crayons as his father worked. The memory brought a smile to her face and gave her courage. She could do this. She walked along the dock on her way, reading the names of all the boats. Then, her breath caught in her throat. There was a boat called "The Amanda." It could be a coincidence, but ... Jack had wanted a boat. She remembered that. He had wanted to sail off and sea the world. He wanted to help people, like Santa Claus, or so he had said at age ten. He had even invited her along. They had planned a trip. Now, there was a boat docked by his father"s bar with her name written across it. Steadying herself, she headed over. There was a boy there. He looked a little like Jack. The hair was right. He was a little too young looking though. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice coming out quiet and raw, "Excuse me," she tried again, "Do you ... do you know where I can find Jack Porter?" The boy turned to her, a shocked, slightly angry expression on his face, "Are you kidding me?" Amanda sighed. She was used to hostility, "Look, if you don"t know where he is, that"s fine, but I"m a friend of his and -" "Clearly you"re not." He said, his tone bitter. "Does that mean you know where he is?" the boy didn"t answer, "Look, I haven"t seen him in a long time, since we were kids actually. But we were friends. I asked him to look after my dog-" "Your Sammy"s old owner?" The boy"s eyes had widened. His tone was no longer bitter. It was a combination of shock and ... was that pity. Not knowing how to react, Amanda just nodded, "I"m sorry, I"m being rude. My name is Declan." Declan. That was the name of Jack"s brother. She offered him a friendly smile, "You were a toddler the last time I saw you." She said, shaking his hand. "Yeah, I guess I would have been." He said, shifting awkwardly, "So, I guess you"re Amanda, huh?" She stilled a little. What did he know about her? She didn"t want to deal with all the repercussions of being David Clarke"s daughter right now. "Sorry," He said, seeming to notice her shift in demeaned, "He mentioned once that he named this thing after, well, you, so I kind of put it together." He smiled back at the boat, "He really loved this thing. And Sammy, who we still look after, just so you know." Amanda felt a sinking feeling in her gut, "Loved?" Declan looked down, "I"m sorry to have to tell you. Really, I am. He always hoped you"d come back. He used to talk about ... there was a boating accident. He was an amazing sailor, but sometimes, that"s not enough. The sea can be pretty rough, and other sailors don"t always follow the rules. Sometimes - " "He"s dead?" Amanda felt like she couldn"t breathe. "You should know, he really cared about you. He told me you were his first crush, and -" Amanda didn"t stick around to hear the rest. She couldn"t. She was still struggling to breathe, and tears were stinging her eyes. She started running. She thought she heard Declan call after her, but it wasn"t enough to stop her. Jack was dead. Jack was dead. JACK WAS DEAD! How was that possible? He was her rock, her hope, the only thing that kept her going. What would she do now? What did she have left? Daniel made his way along the boardwalk. He had just dropped Charlotte off again with Declan. Now he just wanted to relax; it felt like it had been the longest day ever. He had shopped with his mom for hours, and then she had gone off for some lunch while he was supposed to work on college applications. It was a little nonsensical. He was going to Harvard. That wasn"t a question. He had the grades, and even if he hadn"t, his family was rich and influential enough to buy him a place. They were determined that he would go there, so he would go there. He would study business, like his father before him. On occasion, in his wildest daydreams, he wondered about what would happen if he studied something else, like poetry maybe. But that was just a fantasy. As he walked down the boardwalk, he saw a girl with dark hair staring out at the sea. "Hey." He said, trying to be friendly. Her eyes widened, and she turned away from him, heading in the other direction. She was running from him? That was strange. He could understand if he had offended her, but all he had said was hey. "Wait up," He called, running after her. Daniel was good with running. It was how he dealt with stress and big decisions. The girl either wasn"t in as good shape as him, or she just didn"t have the energy to keep running. He grabbed her arm, and she pulled away, quickly, "Get off me." she said, a bitterness to her voice. She turned away, but it wasn"t soon enough. He saw what she had been hiding. Her cheeks were tearstained. Quickly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to her. She looked at him, her eyebrows raised, "You carry around a handkerchief in your pocket?" "Well, I was shopping for suits early today, and I forgot to-" "Suit shopping? Right. Let me guess, you"re one of the great princes of The Hamptons?" She spat sarcastically. He might have been offended, but she was clearly upset. Plus, he respected her honesty. Really, he just wanted to help. Maybe he could try and cheer her up. "I guess you"re probably more in need of a court jester right now. I"m not great with the humor, but I can offer the lady a handkerchief." He held it out again, hamming it up. The girl rolled her eyes, "I"m not some damsel in distress, and I"m not looking for a Prince Charming. Why don"t you go back to your castle and leave me alone?" He gave her his most charming smile, "I would, but that moat is just so hard to navigate. I always end up getting soaked." "How long are you going to keep going with this royalty metaphor?" She sounded annoyed, but he could tell that she was amused, if only slightly. "Until I can get you to smile. Besides, you started it." He raised his eyebrows a couple times, trying to get her to laugh. The girl shook her head, "Look, I just found out that someone I care about a great deal is lying in a cemetery, so I"m not really in the mood to be cheered up, okay?" Daniel"s face fell, "I"m sorry." The girl nodded, "If it makes you feel any better, I"ve been there." He added, Sara"s face flashing through his head. She let out a huff, "Right. Sure you have." She said, turning to leave. "What, you think because I"m Hampton"s Royalty I"ve never lost anyone?" "Look, if you"ve lost someone over the years, I"m sorry, but trust me when I say it"s not the same." "How do you figure that?" She sighed, clearly realizing that he wasn"t going to leave her alone, "Because you have other things going for you." She seemed to be struggling, and Daniel got the feeling that she didn"t open up very often. She wasn"t exactly opening up now, either, because she wasn"t talking to him anymore. She was staring out at the water again, clearly somewhere else. "This person, they were all I had left, all I had to hold onto. Now, I have nothing." Daniel looked at her, then out at the ocean, a terrible thought occurring to him, "You"re not thinking of ... of ..." She turned to him, seeing the horror on his face, "Killing myself? No. Not that anyone would miss me, but no, I"m not." "I"m sure there"s someone-" "There"s no one." She said, shaking her head, sadly, "Now please go away." She turned back to the water again, dismissing him. He didn"t want to be dismissed though. This girl was in need of some serious comfort. He couldn"t just walk away. He thought again of how he felt after losing Sara. He had needed someone. He had had Charlotte, and even that wasn"t enough. This girl had no one, by her own admission. Why wouldn"t she let him be there for her? "For someone who claims to have no one, you sure are quick to push people away." "I don"t want pity from some spoiled Hampton"s Prince Charming." She said, her voice distant as she continued to stare at the sea. "What makes you think-" She turned to him angrily. "I told you to go!" she screamed, snapping at him. When Daniel didn"t budge, she started pushing at him. Then she started hitting him. He let her. He let her rage at him, scream things through her tears that he couldn"t even make out. Finally, she collapsed into a heap of tears in his lap. He let her, holding her close. Suddenly, he was hit with the strangest feeling. As sad as the moment was, as bad as he felt for this girl who was angry, hurt, in mourning, and had apparently lost everything, something felt completely right about having her in his arms. It was silly. He shrugged it off, comforting her as best he could. "I"m not usually like this." She said quietly, "I don"t usually let people see-" "Shhh." He soothed, "It"s okay. It"ll be our secret." He felt her relax into him slightly, felt himself stroking her hair. It was a strange moment, but it was the first real moment he"d had in a long while. Author"s Note: So, Emily and Daniel have had their first encounter. What do you guys think. Oh, in case it was not clear, some time pass in-between when she got the the water after running off and when Daniel finds her. I did not like killing off Jack, but a) I wouldn"t know how to do this story with him in it, and b) the shared loss of first loves (Jack and Sara) is something that could bring Emily and Daniel together. I feel like in some ways they may understand each other because of it, which is good, because for the most part they have very different background. They are both in pain though, both young, both trying to figure out who they are, etc... So, let me know what you think. I cannot wait to hear.

Maybe he"d have to rethink that whole idea he"d had about never getting tired of watching Tracy dance, Link thought glumly as she twisted in the middle of the floor. It only took him a second before hastily changing his mind and firmly deciding he didn"t mean that. Three weeks had passed since she had joined the council, and every day since, Link had never been more excited about the show rehearsals and tapings. It meant another opportunity to be that much nearer to her, to watch her shake her stuff the way only she knew how. No, Tracy dancing wasn"t his problem at all. It seemed what really bothered him was when she danced with other people - specifically, other cats. He wondered when he"d reached the point of being jealous of guys who weren"t him, something which he sure as chips hadn"t ever been inclined to do before, but failing to come up with an answer, he was forced to accept now, he just was. And all because of a stupid viewer request. ' "Dear Corny, could you please let Tracy and Fender lead a dance to a record of their choice? They"re outta sight!" "Link was glad the viewer was "outta sight" in a whole different way, because otherwise he didn"t know what he might"ve said or done to them. Seeing Tracy and Fender show off their moves with matching smiles was a lot more uncomfortable than it should"ve been. While the rest of the council around him bopped along to the music, the boys clicking their fingers and the girls swishing their skirts, Link barely moved. He stood stiffly with his hands shoved into his pockets, jaw tight and expression stuck resolutely in an almost disapproving glare, as if he was determined not to enjoy himself. Amber sidled up to him, slipping her arm around his middle and her own disgust evident, but he couldn"t bring himself to reciprocate. His feelings toward his girlfriend, which had been diminishing for a while, had grown even less than lukewarm recently. Especially since Tracy"s arrival on the show meant that Amber had become, if possible, worse than ever. That fact, coupled with having to put up with the spectacle in front of him, meant Link would"ve liked nothing more than to walk away (or even better, push Fender off the dance floor) but he knew he couldn"t do anything without everyone questioning what was wrong with him, or getting in trouble, or more likely, both. So he was forced to just stand and tolerate the situation - which, he suspiciously thought as he peered closer, looked like it was being taken full advantage of by Fender. Was he even supposed to be that close to Tracy? And surely his hands weren"t - eyes widening and fists clenching, Link decided that this jealousy thing was definitely the pits. It was ridiculous really, Link thought angrily as he pulled off his tie and threw it on the floor, to feel the way that he did. All Tracy had done was dance in the spotlight (which she should do a lot more often, in his opinion), with one of their fellow performers (Fender was a panty waist anyway). She wasn"t technically doing anything wrong, and it wasn"t as if he had any sort of claim over her. The situation certainly didn"t warrant him pounding the snot out of his friend just because he"d done what he was supposed to. So why, when he"d been watching them earlier that day, had a rest mist descended over his vision as Fender"s hands had lingered on Tracy"s waist? Should the fact that Mikey had dropped a kiss on the top of her head as a greeting at a taping one day really have affected him enough so that he almost missed his hair and sprayed himself in the eyes? When he"d witnessed Tracy and Brad goofing around at rehearsal one evening, why had his chest constricted painfully as Brad had taken her hand and she"d spun gracefully into his arms, the two of them gazing at each other with grins? Feeling tired and lacking the effort to block out the explanation that had been buried stubbornly in his mind deep under denial, it came rushing forward like a shot, all big letters and flashing lights. As he kicked off his shoes and flopped face-down onto his bed, Link was hit with the gut-wrenching realisation that he wanted to be the one who kicked it on the dance floor with Tracy; he wanted to feel the softness of her skin under his hands; to hold her in his arms and never let go, just let the world and everything around them fade away. Link groaned out loud as he jammed his pillow over his head, for once not caring about ruining his hair. He didn"t precisely know how he"d ended up falling for Tracy, or exactly when, but thinking back over the time he"d known her, he wasn"t surprised that he had. She was probably, if not definitely, the sweetest, most kind-hearted and pleasant girl he"d ever known. Rarely seen without a smile, she had an infectious enthusiasm (just a little hard to take at first), that only the most miserable and cold-hearted square could resist. When dance rehearsals stretched on for hours, and they"d been practicing the same steps over and over again, Tracy would be the only one still in good spirits by the end of the day, but it wouldn"t be long before her good nature had cheered everyone else up, no matter how slightly. What Link particularly lov-liked, he hurriedly amended, about her though, was her selflessness and want to help and please other people. Letting his mind drift, he recalled the week after Tracy had become a regular on the Corny Collins show - her popularity at school had rapidly increased, and she was rarely seen without other kids constantly hounding her. He"d been hurrying to class one afternoon, when he"d noticed a 12-year-old girl nervously ask Tracy to show her the Madison just as the warning bell had rung. Petrified at the prospect of taking up her idol"s time against her will, the girl had jumped and made to leave, but Tracy had taken her hand, flashed her a reassuring smile and proceeded to teach the girl the steps right there in the hall. Link smiled softly as he remembered, in reply to the little girl questioning her about getting in trouble for being late, Tracy"s comment about how she"d rather be in detention than class anyway. She was unbelievably pretty too. Link knew that, in the eyes of many, she didn"t fit the stereotypical image of what was believed to be beautiful, but as far as he was concerned, she had redefined those standards for the better. Her soft-as-velvet, chocolate eyes were captivating; her hair lustrous and silky (not that he"d touched it, but he imagined it would be, and he really wanted to run his fingers through it to find out); and rather than let her weight hold her back, she flaunted it with confidence and pride, not a care in the world about what other people thought. She was, he surmised, everything he wanted in his girl - and everything he didn"t have, he mused with a sinking feeling as an image of Amber"s face popped into his head. "Oh, shoot.' Link attempted to bury his face deeper into his covers as the implications of his realisation washed over him - he wanted to finally put a stop to their façade of a relationship, to stop kidding himself and the world watching that he was happy, and distance himself from someone who wasn"t good for him at all. Link was aware that he was no saint himself, but his conceitedness wasn"t harmful to anyone else, whereas his girlfriend took pleasure in being unnecessarily cruel to others. That wasn"t the kind of person he wanted to be, nor wanted to be with. Rolling over and hugging the pillow to his chest, he knew exactly what he did want. Tracy. 60s Slang Glossary: Hacked - Angry, disgusted, mad, etc Choice - Really cool or bitchin" Chop - A verbal cut-down Outta Sight - Fantastic, awesome Panty Waist - A mama"s boy or a geek Square - Someone who"s not cool You knows the drill :-P Confessions of a Teenage Crooner Summary: Hairspray, Link stylee. A little look at how his character changes throughout the film, and of course, his developing feelings for Tracy. Notes: You are all made of win, and I heart every single one of you. Especially the anonymous reviewers too - I review reply everyone else but obviously can"t in your case, so I just wanted to say YOU ROCK! Sorry for the delay in this chapter, it kicked my ass for some reason and I had a bit of a hard time with the end of it. But it"s finally finished (she says nervously) and I really hope you all enjoy it. "They can"t put Tracy in Special Ed; I won"t have it!" Amber exclaimed in a sickeningly-sweet defensive tone, her classmates around her hanging on to her every word. "I mean, even if I have to tutor her myself. They cannot hold my friend back." Feeling slightly nauseous, Link turned away from Amber"s public display of faux concern, rolling his eyes at Becky, who had just unknowingly played right into Amber"s hands as she complimented her. It became clear to him that apparently no-one but he could tell when Amber was spouting a load of bull, but then, he wondered how many people apart from himself had spent so much time with Amber that they got to see a glimpse of her true colours. Link gritted his teeth, pencil fiddling aimlessly between his fingers as he remembered how she had been trash-talking Tracy for practically the entire period, but then had suddenly changed her tune and expressed worry for her, as if this was what usually followed catty comments about a friend. What bothered him most though, was the fact that nobody had questioned it, or even attempted to stick up for Tracy the whole time, since she hadn"t been in the position to do so herself. She"d promptly fallen asleep soon after the start of the lesson (emitting soft snores which Link personally found incredibly cute), and he was grateful because at least then she was spared from hearing Amber"s cruel remarks, and the lack of support. "YOU haven"t exactly been the knight in shining armour either, pal,"the annoying voice piped up inside his head, making him squirm with discomfort. "It"s not as easy as all that!"He yelled back, not believing himself for one minute. It was simple enough to make up excuses but Link knew the real reason for his non-intervention was down to one of his biggest flaws - he was a coward. Rather than confront or attempt to alter an unsatisfactory situation, he frequently took the easier route of opting to do nothing; he only had to look at his relationship with Amber as proof. Link was interrupted from his glum line of thoughts when the subject in question started speaking again. "Oh, and it"s totally not true about her and the entire football team," Amber went on with a devious smirk on her face. "I mean, please. Anybody can get grass stains ALL over their back." The girls burst into giggles, and Link felt a white-hot flash of anger, his mouth impulsively opening to intervene before his brain had caught up. "Amber, stop it! I"m sick of you doing that!" He snapped. Amber immediately turned to face him, and his sudden bravery began to dissipate at the fierce look on her face. "Just because she"s a good dancer," he finished with a slight mumble, refusing to meet her eyes and staring at his jotter in front of him. "Uh, I"m sorry, you think she can dance? Well maybe you"d rather have her as your partner. You could get sponsored by Goodyear!" Amber retorted. "Maybe I rather would!" was on the tip of his tongue, but before Link could reply, Mr. Flak, having ignored the disruption for as long as he possibly could, turned around to address them. "Excuse me! What is going on back there?" His students shifted in their seats, but everyone remained quiet, not one of them wanting to be labelled as the fink. Mr. Flak stared at them expectantly, and the awkward moment of silence was unexpectedly broken when Amber"s voice rang clear through the room. "Tracy, that"s horrible!" She protested, unfolding a piece of paper and holding it up in front of her. Link couldn"t see what was on it but he was instantly hit with a bad feeling about it. "Mr. Flak does not have breasts." Giggles and snickers broke out immediately, and Link watched in dismay as Mr. Flak scribbled out a detention notice, paying no attention to Tracy, who protested her innocence futilely. She had no other choice but to get up and take it and before he knew what he was doing, Link had also stood up, his chair scraping loudly along the floor. He was vaguely aware of Amber looking at him in disbelief but he had eyes only for Tracy, and an aching feeling inside which urged him to take a stand by her side. Could he really...? "Oh, and Mr. Larkin. Perhaps you"d like to share with the rest of the class, Patrick Henry"s immortal last words?" Tracy spun around, a look of doubt and hope on her face that made Link feel as if he"d been punched in the stomach. It was as if she wanted to believe that someone was actually going to stand up for her, and yet couldn"t fully bring herself to trust that they would, for fear of being disappointed. That was all it took to convince him. "Kiss my ass?" The effect was instantaneous - at his side, Amber gasped, and Link couldn"t bring himself to care even a little bit, because from across the classroom, Tracy was beaming a smile of pure sunshine. Ignoring the flip-flops in his stomach, Link gave her a genuine wink and smile in reply, reflecting that if taking the non-cowardly option meant he was always rewarded with that look, he"d do it again in a heartbeat. "I hope Seaweed"s in detention," Tracy said excitedly. "He promised to teach me a new dance move in time for Monday"s show. I know it"s not exactly like the routines Mrs. Von Tussle teaches us, but Corny okayed it, so she can"t freak out that much. Or at least, I hope not." Link looked down in amusement at the top of Tracy"s head as she momentarily worried over the manager"s reaction to more "unseemly" dancing on her show, but it wasn"t enough to bring her down as she soon went back to amicable chatter. They were walking side-by-side to the detention classroom, and he was close enough to occasionally feel the gentle brush of her skin against his as she randomly swung her free arm, which made it difficult for him to keep his concentration and do anything more than make general sounds of agreement. Inwardly, he wanted to kick himself - he and Tracy actually had a rare moment alone together, and instead of making the suave impression that he wanted, all he could do was grin and mumble like the village idiot. His only consolation was that Tracy didn"t even seem to mind, as she kept the flow of conversation going easily and Link thought maybe it was better that he didn"t speak too much, because it gave him more of an opportunity to just listen to her in peace. Her voice was sweet and soothing, blanketing him with a pleasurable sense of serenity, and made a welcome change from the shrill tones of a certain other someone he could think of. His train of thoughts was brought to a screeching halt when he heard Tracy"s next comments. "I don"t know how he dances like that, I wish I was half as good as he is. I think he"s probably one of the best dancers on the Corny Collins Show, wouldn"t you say so?" "I"d say you were just as good, if not better," Link blurted out before he could stop himself, Tracy flashing him a look of grateful astonishment. He cleared his throat, and adopted a jokey tone, attempting to regain his composure and play it safe. "You sure know how to make another guy jealous, Trace." She blushed, and he was surprised to hear the shyness in her voice when she next spoke. "You don"t have anything to worry about...I think you"re pretty bitchin" yourself." A warm, bubbly feeling erupted inside of him, and he answered with renewed confidence. "Right back atcha, doll." They caught each other"s gaze, the words between them remaining unsaid, but Tracy"s expression spoke volumes, and Link was sure his own mirrored hers. Her stare was unwavering, the intensity threatening to consume him, and Link tugged at his collar, suddenly a little too warm. His throat felt scratchy but he was filled with the need to tell her exactly all the ways he thought she was amazing. All too soon though, the detention classroom door loomed in front of them, and he felt a flicker of regret at the lost moment as he held open the door, allowing her to enter first. There was a moment of silence as they made their way inside, Tracy already starting to move to the music and he wondered where they would go from what had just happened, when she turned to face him, grin in place. "You didn"t have to do that, Link." "Do that? Do what?' he wondered fleetingly, before it hit him she was talking about what had happened back in History. It felt like aeons had passed between then and now. He took the hint, a cocky smile of his own spreading. "Hey, no prob! Besides, looks like a cool scene down here." He casually flicked his detention slip onto the desk, eyes drawn to the group of dancing kids and their slick moves, marvelling at the way they just seemed to effortlessly ooze cool. Not wanting to miss out, he made his way over to the nearest girl and enthusiastically joined in with some grooving of his own, getting into the instant. It was a second or two before Link noticed her baffled look, studying him as if she wondered what was wrong with him, and he instantly stopped, starting to feel the heat work its way up his cheeks. He frantically searched for something to say that would recover his credibility, when a harsh ringing reverberated outside in the corridors, signalling the end of school. "Saved by the bell,' he thought gratefully, giving the girl a quick smile as he backed away to where Tracy was standing. Half-dreading to see her inevitable laughter and contempt at his actions, he was filled with relief when he noticed only a look of amusement, and he couldn"t help but think again how wonderfully different she was from Amber, who surely wouldn"t have hesitated to scoff at his geekish-ness. Noticing that Tracy was smiling at someone in front of them, Link looked over to see Seaweed making his way over, Penny in tow, and he waited with slight apprehension at what the fellow dancer would say about his less-than-cool moves, but there was no mention of it as he greeted them both with a friendly grin. "Listen man, you ain"t gotta stop now. My mom"s having a platter party tonight, y"all wanna come check it out?" Link"s eyes widened, immediately checking his watch and thinking of the consequences of hanging out in a Negro neighbourhood "til all hours of the evening. It wasn"t as if he had a problem with hanging with Seaweed and his friends, but the idea of hanging with them and other black people he didn"t know, in a non-white dominated area, was a little daunting. Thrown a little by Tracy"s response at his side, he looked worriedly to Penny, but she was also excited by the notion - it seemed as if he was the only one with a certain question preying on his mind, and he felt like a pansy as he was forced to ask it. "Ah, whoa, would it be safe? You know...for us?" Seaweed glanced at him, chuckling. "Calm down, cracker boy! It"s cool." Link felt some of his anxiety ease, oddly reassured by the flip use of the usually offensive term. He watched the group of friends joking amongst each other, Seaweed easily grabbing all the attention as he casually danced in the middle of the cleared floor, and a slight irritation crept up his spine when he moved to face Tracy, wiggling his hips at her. "Shake those hips in another direction, pal!' he instantly thought, but Link forced himself not to let his jealousy bother him, especially as the rest of the kids had joined in and were grooving in front of the three of them. His earlier discomfort rapidly vanishing, his amusement only grew as they ran for the door, he and the girls following their lead and stopping to watch them in the middle of the hallway. Their enthusiasm was infectious and Link found himself starting to bop along, inwardly more interested in Tracy, who had surrendered to the groove and was already fully dancing along. He was suddenly distracted as Seaweed looked directly at Tracy and winked, a massive grin on his face. Link"s mouth dropped slightly, but before he could say anything, the group boogied towards the exit, bursting through the doors and shaking their stuff carefree under the sun. "Did you see that? He just did it again!' If it had been any other cat, Link would normally have taken the second wink as a personal insult and questioned just what exactly his motives were, but he had the feeling Seaweed"s interest in Tracy was purely platonic. Paying close attention to Tracy as she and Seaweed cheerfully exchanged high-fives only confirmed his thoughts, and he felt a full smile break out on his face as he realised there was no threat of competition. Not that he couldn"t have taken him, he swiftly reassured himself, as the large group made its way past the chain-link fence and to the sidewalk to wait for the bus. He thought he could hear a familiar voice faintly yelling his name, but Link ignored it, more interested in the hip moves Seaweed was busting out and thinking about getting his friend to show him some. He was interrupted from his musings by the arrival of Seaweed"s little sister, instantly hit by the fact that she had a lot of confidence and a bit of a wild streak for being so small, but he could only grin, impressed, as she danced, thinking that she also had a significant amount of talent. The bus pulled up soon after, and as it neared their destination, Link was pleasantly surprised to realise that he no longer felt any of the fear or worry from earlier, just fun and excitement at what was to come, which steadily grew as he witnessed the banter taking place between the company in front of him. It was definitely different from the norm, and what he was used to (the council was never as relaxed as this, nor were they really allowed to be) but, he considered as he jumped down the steps after Penny, that didn"t necessarily make it a bad thing. 60s Slang Glossary: Fink - A tattle tale Bitchin" - Good, exciting, awesome Review and have my unconditional love forever.

"Why doesn"t Christina take the closet, and Henry and I will cover reception instead?" Betty spoke up. "She knows it better than any of us, and that way Amanda doesn"t get to steal anything." The blonde receptionist threw her a "ha ha, very funny" look of contempt, but Betty took it in good nature, giving her a full smile in reply. "Well...I suppose so," Daniel replied dubiously. He didn"t know why, but having Betty and Henry pair up suddenly filled him with an odd feeling. He didn"t really like it, if he was being honest with himself, because he would rather have Betty as his partner. That was the way it always went. He couldn"t say anything though, as the rest of the team nodded in agreement and everyone prepared to move and take their assigned spots. For a fleeting moment, he thought that if things kept going their way, they might actually have a chance of winning - he might actually have a chance at beating Alexis again. He should"ve known it was too good to be true. A horrible roaring filled his ears, and he turned in horror to see his big sister standing at the front of a clothing rack that drew closer and closer as it was pushed rapidly in their direction. She held two guns, and as he watched compulsively, she aimed them and let loose. Daniel yelled at his team to find cover, before he hit the deck. Betty landed on the floor right next to him, and even through the chaos, she read his question before he could mouth anything, giving him a lopsided thumbs up to indicate she was okay before covering her head with her hands. He could hear the panicked and muffled curses of everyone else and prayed that at least one other person made it through unmarked. The shots whooshed over him, ruffling the top of his hair and just barely missing it, and he pushed his head down as far as he could, hoping it would all be over soon - it felt as if the assault lasted forever, when in reality it wasn"t even more than a few seconds. There was a momentary lapse in the shooting, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Betty start to lift her head to check if the coast was clear. Impulsively he reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, keeping her head in place. Not too soon, as a stray pellet harmlessly whizzed through the space she"d just been occupying. Holding his breath expectantly, he waited for the noise to fade and for a safe moment to come out, so he could assess the damage that had been done. As soon as the clanking of the wheels on the clothing rack grew fainter, Daniel pushed himself off the ground, fingers unconsciously running through Betty"s hair before letting go. Luckily, everyone else was too preoccupied to notice, though if he"d paid closer attention to the recipient in question, he"d have seen that she herself had definitely noticed, eyes fluttering shut and an involuntary shiver running down her spine at the intimate gesture. As it was, he saw nothing, instead leaning on the desk for support and casting an eye over his team-mates, who were also all wearily picking themselves up and checking for paint splotches. To his immense relief, it looked as if through some miracle, everyone was okay, although - "Oh, bollocks." Christina lay sprawled on the floor, a big glob of yellow paint splashed clearly across her backside. Henry leaned down to help pick her up, and she blinked rapidly at them all, her eyebrows raised, taking in their sombre faces with an expression similar to that of a startled owl, although that might have had something to do with the fact that she was a bit drunk. She placed a hand on the injured area, wincing slightly at the impact, then shrugged and looked at Daniel inquisitively. "Flask, please." Daniel sighed, before taking it out of the pouch he"d been hiding it in and handing it over. "Thank you! And now if you"ll excuse me, I"m off to get pissed," Christina cheerfully waved them all goodbye as she made her way to the elevators. "Oh, and good luck, I"m sure you"ll do great!" The remaining four exchanged silent glances as they picked up their guns and with unspoken agreement, got the hell out of the area before Alexis decided to come back for more. Daniel took some comfort from the fact that Christina"s elimination meant that at least Betty and Henry wouldn"t be paired together anymore, and he had to turn away from the group so they wouldn"t see the inappropriately-timed grin spreading across his face. I wouldn"t blame you if you were bored of me by now, but if I"m still holding your interest, please review and let me know! In This Together Summary: An alternate and pre-Detty take on the 2x10 episode, Bananas For Betty. What might"ve happened if Betty had been on Daniel"s team during the paintball fight? Notes: Huge thanks to all the reviewers who have stuck with me up until this point, I love you all for it. As for what Henry did...I"ll leave that up to your imagination :-P Confused? Read on! Henry crawled along the floor, heart hammering in his chest and in serious danger of having a panic-attack there and then. He couldn"t believe what he"d just done; who would"ve thought that he"d be capable? He"d been raised better than that, and the thought of what his mother would say to him if she could see her son now made him cringe inside. This fight had changed him, far worse than he could have expected. All he wanted to do now was find Betty and get out of there before something else happened. He reached the circular reception desk and leaned against it, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down with what limited peace he had. "Psst! Henry!" He just about jumped out of his skin at the voice that suddenly came out of nowhere, and his eyes flew open to see Betty"s head peering at him from over the desk. "Jeez, Betty, what"re you doing?! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Henry exclaimed, holding a hand over his heart to demonstrate how close it had been. "I know, I"m sorry, but I didn"t know how else to get your attention," Betty apologised in hushed tones, checking for unwanted company before focusing her attention back on him. She frowned as she properly took in his state of distress. "Henry, what"s wrong? What happened to you?" "Oh Betty, it was horrible," he said, scrambling to his knees so he could face her across the desk. "I don"t know what came over me, it just came down to this kill or be killed moment and I was so selfish, I can"t believe it." She listened to his ramble, staring with mouth slightly open. "What are you talking about?" "Betty, just trust me, we need to leave." Something clicked in her brain, and forgetting that they were in kind of a compromising position in the midst of a paintball fight, Betty pinpointed Henry"s last sentence. "What do you mean, we need to leave?" "I mean we need to get out of here Betty, I can"t take this anymore!" "I"m sorry Henry, but I can"t exactly just leave..." "Why not? Betty please, I"m asking you this seriously, come with me so we can just get out of here, and I can put this nightmare behind me!" Betty was thoroughly confused by now, not to mention a little bit irked. "Henry, I"m sorry about whatever happened to you, I really am, but I"m not just going to get up and leave like this - not when I"m not dead, and not when Daniel is relying on me!" She was dumbfounded as to why her boyfriend was acting so weird, and pretty much stunned that he"d even suggest something like that to her. He knew how important this battle was to their boss, how desperately he wanted to win the Chairman position and prove to everyone that he was more than just a pretty face and wasn"t a complete screw up, like so many believed. Betty had nothing against Alexis personally - the two had become friends following everything that had happened after the accident, but first and foremost, Daniel was her employer, and more importantly, her best friend. It was safe to assume that she would do everything in her power to help him get this. He had asked for her help, and even if she hadn"t exactly approved of how she had to help him, she would do it all the same. He"d had too many people in his life who had just left him, too little people he could really depend on, and she wasn"t about to become one of them. Before she could even begin to explain any of this to Henry though, she spotted a flash of white and yellow turn the corner. "Henry, look out!" He turned around too late, and found Kenny standing a few feet away from him, gun pointed directly at his chest. Betty, meanwhile, had ducked and kicked open the door to the desk, sliding out along the floor and attempting to find cover. "Well well well...we meet again, homie." Henry raised his hands weakly. "Kenny, I know you"re still annoyed wi-" Kenny made a sharp zipping motion across his mouth. "Chill. You shoulda guessed your time of reckoning with the K-meister was coming, bro." He chuckled. "This is gonna be sweeeeet." He raised his gun and aimed, before something occurred to him and he lowered it again. "By-the-by, that was some phat shit you pulled on Stella and Karen, my man. Those hos"ll prolly be scarred for life. I gotta give you props for that. But I"m still gonna shoot you, cos that"s just the way I roll, y"know?" Betty, having managed to double round and come up behind Kenny, couldn"t stop him from shooting Henry, but she could shoot him right afterwards, effectively eliminating him too. Which she did. "You"re right, Kenny. That WAS sweet." He put a hand on his back and touched the spot where he"d been hit, staring at the paint on his gloved fingers in disbelief before turning around to glare at her. He didn"t have a chance to say anything though, as she shot him again, this time in his front. He let out a howl of pain and grimaced, rubbing the sore spot. "Damn, girl! Why you so trigger happy, give that shit a rest!" "That was for calling Daniel a loser." Brow furrowed, he barely opened his mouth to reply before she let go another shot. It hit him square in the chest, and Kenny couldn"t help but drop to his knees from the sheer soreness. Betty looked down at his squirming figure matter-of-factly before continuing. "And that was for calling me a ho." "You know Betty, it"s a shame you became so wrapped up in getting your revenge, because I really thought that with you on his team, Daniel really had a chance at winning. I guess I was wrong." Betty felt as if her stomach had just dropped to her feet, as the familiar voice sent a chill filtering through her veins. She turned around slowly to face a smug Alexis Meade, weapon raised and ready to shoot, and inwardly cursed herself at her stupidity. Now she"d be eliminated, and she had no idea what condition the rest of her team-mates were in. For all she knew, she might have been the last hope, and she"d just blown it completely. She had no doubt that even if that was the case, Daniel would forgive her, but she"d have a hard time convincing herself that she deserved it. She stood frozen in place, waiting for the inevitable splat that would signal the end. Alexis pressed the trigger, and in the same instant, a blur came rushing out in front of Betty, shouting something she didn"t quite catch because all she could hear was her heart pounding insanely loudly in her ears; everything seemed to happen in slow motion as she watched numerous paint pellets fly not only towards where she was standing, but in the opposite direction. In an instant, the scene seemed to flash back to normal and Betty became aware of a lot of people yelling around her, but her eyes were drawn to the figure who had jumped in front of her and to all intents and purposes, taken the bullets for her. "Daniel?!" He squinted up at her with a goofy grin. "Hey Betty." Lifting his head slightly, he looked down over his protective vest and took in the new multicoloured paint decoration. "Ah good, it worked." Betty dropped to her knees beside him, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. She ran a hand over where he"d been hit multiple times, stopping when he drew in a sharp breath from the pain. He gave her a reassuring smile and placed one of his hands over her own, keeping it in place. More to stop her own blush from spreading than anything else, she put her other hand behind his back and helped him into a sitting position. But before she could ask him to explain what exactly was going on, he looked up at Alexis, smirking, and Betty followed her gaze. She gasped as she noticed that Alexis had been shot too. "Dammit, Danny! You just had to get in my way, again! And you shot me!" "Yup," he stated with a grin. "Just couldn"t help myself." "But this means...," Alexis" sentence trailed off as the implications of what Daniel had just done hit her. Her eyes widened, mouth dropped and she took a staggering step back, the weight of the knowledge crashing over her. Daniel and Betty exchanged confused looks, not knowing what exactly her problem was, and as they looked at Henry and Kenny, they saw that the two of them were just as clueless. "Yo, the chick-a-dude is freaking out for real, and it"s creeping me out, man." "Alexis, do you want to explain why you"re acting so wierd?" Daniel prompted. "We"re all kinda in the dark here." She turned blank eyes on him. "You win." "I - what?" "You win. Henry pretty much decimated Karen and Stella." He let out a tortured groan at the description. "I passed Nick and Amanda on the way here, but she"d already shot him before I got her. Your little sacrifice means Betty"s the only one who hasn"t been hit, making your team the winners, and you the new Chairman of Meade Publications. I - congratulations, Danny." With those words, she turned on her heel and stalked out before anyone could say anything. So there we have it! There"s the moment that sparked off this whole fic in the first place - Daniel jumping in front of Betty during the paintball fight. It"s a cute notion, isn"t it? I hope you guys think so too! In This Together Summary: An alternate and pre-Detty take on the 2x10 episode, Bananas For Betty. What might"ve happened if Betty had been on Daniel"s team during the paintball fight? Notes: So here it is, the last chapter, sort of a closing scene for the "episode", if you will. Thank you SO much to everyone who read and reviewed the story, it meant a lot to me. For the last time, I hope you enjoy :-) P.S. And I swear I had Daniel being enthusiastic about a chair before Zero Worship aired! You can imagine how much I laughed when I saw that scene in the episode ;-) Daniel sat in his father"s old chair, hands spread flat on the big desk, the wood cold beneath his palms. He wasn"t doing anything in particular, just sitting, touching, being and still not quite believing where he was. If anyone had told him a week ago that after having battled his sister in a paintball fight, he"d solely be in charge of his family"s entire multi-million dollar industry, he"d have laughed them off and then asked for some of whatever they were smoking. To say he hadn"t quite come to terms with it was an understatement. Even though he had won the tree-house when he was younger, somewhere in the back of his mind had been a niggling doubt that he"d be able to win this from Alexis, not when he knew she possessed much of the killer instinct their father had been talking about. But he had, fair and square, and now Meade Publications was his. He drummed his fingers on the desk, a grin forming on his face as he thought about what that actually meant. Meade was really his. He kicked back from the desk, swivelling about in the chair as a giddy feeling washed over him. "If you want some more alone time with the chair, I can always come back later." Daniel swung around to face Betty, who was standing in the doorway and watching him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. He couldn"t even bring himself to feel embarrassed, as he grinned in reply and jumped up from his seat, pushing the chair back behind the desk before coming round the front and leaning back on the edge, motioning Betty to sit down. She did, plopping down with a soft sigh and closing her eyes. "Betty, is everything okay?" he asked, immediately concerned. She lazily cranked one eye open. "Oh yeah, everything"s fine! It"s just, you can tell this is really good leather." She wriggled deeper into her seat. He chuckled, watching her try to get comfier, undoubted warmth in his gaze and just feeling incredibly lucky that she was a part of his life. She must"ve sensed he was staring though, because she opened her eyes to look straight into his, brown locking with blue and an unmistakeable electricity charging the air between them. "What?" Daniel tapped his foot randomly and tried to look nonchalant. "What? Nothing." Betty looked sceptical. "If you say so." Trying to get her mind off the fact that he"d been openly gawking at her, he cleared his throat and looked around the luxurious office. "Can you believe I"m really here, Betty? I mean, honestly, tell me the truth. Did you ever think when you first joined Mode as my assistant, that you"d live to see the day I of all people became chairman of the entire company?" Betty snorted, then hastily tried to cover it up as a cough when Daniel glared at her. "The thought might"ve crossed my mind..." He raised an eyebrow. "Okay, it totally didn"t, but that was obviously stupidity on my part. Look at you now!" "Ha, yeah. Look at me now." There was no mistaking the uncertainty in his tone, and Betty frowned, not liking the sudden negative change in mood. "Daniel, what -?" "Really look at me, Betty! What am I doing here? Seriously? I mean, what if I"m just the same screw-up I was back when I first met you? I"ll just end up making a mess of everything like I usually do. I don"t think I can do this." She expelled a sigh, feeling for her friend"s predicament. Leaning forward, she gave him a sharp smack upside the head in answer. "OW! What was that for?!" Daniel rubbed the offended area, looking at her in disbelief and with a slightly hurt expression. "To snap you out of feeling sorry for yourself. I know how much you"ve changed since I first joined Mode, because I"ve been with you through the growing up process. I"ve seen it myself - you"re not a screw-up Daniel, and you can do this. You just have to believe in yourself. I know I do." He looked a bit sheepish. "Yeah, well...you didn"t have to hit me. I prefer your non-violent pep talks." Her reply was to stick her tongue out at him. He shook his head at her as she got up from the chair, stretching before making her way to the door. Suddenly remembering why she"d come to talk to him in the first place, Betty whirled back around. "Um, Daniel?" "Yup?" He was back in his father"s chair, rooting through one of the desk drawers. "Why did you jump in front of me when Alexis was going to shoot me?" Daniel"s head shot up from behind the desk in surprise, and he looked like a deer caught in headlights, but she pressed on. "You didn"t even know that by doing it, we"d win. So...why did you do it?" There was a moment of silence before he spoke. "Truthfully?" She nodded, and he didn"t know why, but all of a sudden, he felt heated under her gaze and his throat felt parched, so he moved out of the seat, turning to look away. "I - I don"t really know. I just did it without really thinking about it. Instinctively...sort of like a reflex, I guess. I saw you, I saw Alexis pointing the gun, and I jumped." She didn"t reply, and he avoided her gaze, afraid of being met with laughter. When he thought back, he didn"t even know why he"d reacted the way he had - it wasn"t as if she"d been in a life-threatening situation ("it was paintball!', his mind screamed at him), and the more he dwelled on it, the more stupid he felt. The silence stretched on between them, and unable to bear it any longer, he sneaked a peek at her, only to find her staring at him with a mixed expression of wonder, and...something else. Daniel"s heart skipped a beat as he thought of the implications of what that something else could be, but he said nothing, just waited for Betty to make her move. She strode around the desk towards him, and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck and hugging him tightly. He responded to the familiar gesture immediately, holding her close with his hands resting on the small of her back and eyes closing as he savoured her nearness. They stayed like that for a moment or so, yet all too soon they broke apart, and he cleared his throat, taking in her shining eyes and flashing her a small grin in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I had to look out for my best assistant, didn"t I? Let"s face it, we both know how much trouble I"d be in without you to save my ass. Why would I want to give that up?" She laughed lightly, and made to leave again. "How do you know I won"t just leave you?" Daniel titled his head, his gaze unwavering and eyes coloured that deep cobalt she knew so well. "Because it"s you and me. At least for now, we"re in this together." There was no other answer, except for Betty to nod in quiet, steadfast agreement. -points to review button with big, hopeful grin-

"I beg forgiveness for my rudeness! And my own jealously!" He cried out just as Hitoshi released his arm lock upon him. He cradled his bruised arm after nearly reaching the point of breaking a bone. Hitoshi squatted in front of the gang leader to the latter"s dismay and dread. "Remember, these words came from your own mouth. If you ever break them, I will undertake the responsibility to remind you in Master Vinho"s place. You will not sully the Imperial Kitchen"s name before your own mistakes." Hitoshi stood up and stepped back as he didn"t care for them any longer. "What"s going on here-iie-..." The familiar Kitchen Head boomed as he waddled through the crowd and stopped as he came into direct contact with the person he feared the most. "Ah, Master Vinho. It"s nice to see you. I was just reminding your staff of the boundaries of our Kitchens. Your staff member here is quite the eager chap, you should really pay more attention to him from now on. Just in case he says too unsavoury comments to the wrong people, even if it is true." "Uh-...Y-Yes! You"re right!" He turned to the Kitchen Hand who caused this commotion with a harsh glare hidden behind his forced smile. "Why haven"t you thanked Master Furuta?!" Porto"s shouted enraged at his own staff member, the leader of the gang that tried to harass Patch. Porto"s did not realise this, but it was his reaction that cemented Furuta"s authority and Patch"s place with this response which acknowledges it. Once again, Hitoshi had manipulated Porto"s into doing something for him unintentionally. "T-Thank you, Master Furuta! For showing me the proper way!" The Kitchen Hand unhesitantly thanked him, even if his heart was a mess from the reversal of their situations. "Most happy to help." He said with the most convincing of smiles which only served to frighten the group after witnessing his true demeanour. "Master Vinho, perhaps I can invite you to a cup of tea while the rest of the Palace Kitchens arrive?" When Porto"s heard this invitation from Hitoshi, he sweated internally underneath his thick garb. "Um- I am sorry. I just remembered that I have an appointment to handle with the adminstratum! Have yourself a good day!" He quickly dismissed himself before Hitoshi could say another word. Seeing that their own Kitchen Head had retreated in front of Hitoshi, the group naturally dispersed. With that out of the way, he went over to the assembling area for the South Kitchens shop which Patch had half setup. Patch did not move at all from his place, he simply stared at Hitoshi whilst he unpacked the crockery from the bags and placed them on a table provided to them. "Are you gonna leave everything to me, Patch?" Hitoshi asked with a smile. Patch hesitated for a moment before hastily coming over to bring out the tools to put in their place. In his haste, he became careless. Handling the knives came next and it was no surprise when he pulled them out from the wrong end that he cut himself. "Ow!-." A deep graze appeared on the length of his palm due to his unfounded strength in the grip. Patch was left in a state of stupor, unsure of how to handle the blood flowing from his wound for the first time. Until a clean towel was wrapped around his hand with pressure applied from a pair of hands keeping the blood from flowing to fast. "Sit down." Hitoshi demanded as he pulled a stool over. "Uh-... but-." "Sit." Hitoshi insisted to which he listened and sat as instructed. Hitoshi knelt in front of him, bringing forth a small pouch bearing a red cross. He poured water over the cut to wash as much blood away from the wound as possible. "This is gonna sting." Hitoshi warned in advance as he took some sort of paste and applied it onto Patch"s wound. "Ssssss!" Patch reacted to the short pain of the anticeptic binding agent searing his wound closed. "For someone as big as you to show the reaction of a child, means you probably haven"t grown up. Huh, Patch?" Hitoshi joked. "That- That is not funny..." He took up the straightman routine. "But it is." Hitoshi opposed him with an unfair smile on his face that made the situation awkward for him. Hitoshi carried on with the next step to treating the wound with gauze bandages, wrapping them firmly around his hand. "A child with such big hands, he might be clumsy. But these hands that have suffered don"t hide one"s earnesty to do good for those he cherishes." Patch had words from his mouth taken from him as Hitoshi became metaphorical with him. "That"s why, Patch. You should never grow up or you"ll lose the only trait that defines you apart from everyone who laughs at what makes you a good person." Hitoshi had yet to finish the bandaging when Patch"s hand clenched and shook. ".... What is that suppose to mean....?" The other hand of his rested onto Hitoshi"s to stop him from treating him further. Patch"s head was lowered, he dared not show the face he had on him now. Just as he didn"t wish to feel this way. But how could he prevent it, these tears that fell to the ground. Carrying years of struggle alone up the echelons. The struggle that a young Parsley Romuli had endured for a future that would not show itself to one who acted honestly in a den of thieves. Until the final moment when he had cracked under the pressure to commit sin for the sake of advancement. Patch could never forgive himself for it, even if it gave his growing family a better tomorrow. He would forever be cursed with the knowledge that he used someone"s life for gain. In a reversal of fortune, the tides were turned against him as he deserved. When Hitoshi held them all at gunpoint. Yet for some unknown reason, Hitoshi spared him. A whim, he concluded. But one that Patch took as a second chance to make things right. If possible, he would make it up to Hitoshi for the attempt to kill him by serving alongside him for the rest of his life. Patch had not declared this, for there was no need to gratify himself with taking responsibility to atone. He soon realized that Hitoshi had a frightening ability to turn the odds of those that wish ill upon him against them. He truly didn"t need someone like him by his side, it could be seen with the rest. Tequila, Chive and Basille. Hitoshi showed the same level of charity he did to him because there was nothing that truly differentiated them from Patch in his eyes. Patch was willing to accept that. Yet, when he was troubled by his former colleagues. Why did Hitoshi stand up for him? Why did he threaten them at the possible expense of his reputation and the possibility of making new enemies? Why did he declare Patch his successor who would inherit all he"d accumulated out of his own efforts alone?... ... Why did he bandage these big clumsy hands... and tell him they were kind? His eyes would not stop watering, his nostrils became heavy with dampness and his mouth could not control itself as his body naturally felt the need to cry. Hitoshi said nothing and lend his hand which Patch held together with both of his, holding it as if it were a treasured existence above his lowered head. Why was he being rewarded with such blessing when he clearly deserved punishment for the act of murder and betrayal of friendship no matter how short? How could Hitoshi still call him a friend after all that had happened? The more he thought of these, the more he poured his heart out with tears and weeping. He didn"t deserve this kind of friendship, yet it was given readily. Patch understood that in the continuation of his struggles to survive and live, he was not alone. Now, he had a friend worth dying for. It was a surprise to the newer staff who returned from their briefing to find Patch weeping tears before their new master. Yet, it didn"t seem like he was crying out of pain, but elation. Besides the happiness of the occasion, there was only one person who wore an expression that expressed his disdain and disbelief in all that was occurring tonight. Things had turned for the worst, the officials he had invited had all excused themselves due to pressing domestic matters in maintaining their armies and keeping the bureaucrats at bay. These were all pretences in light of their fear of carrying through with Zorzal"s plans for the Empire. And the biggest contributing factor to this ultimate decision was the severed head of the Flame Dragon at the arch of triumph. Found this morning lying on top of the structure which represented their victory in war for their soldiers to march through. While no one was claiming responsibility for the act, most if not all had a good idea of who was capable of slaying the nye invincible Flame Dragon. It was precisely why they sought to attend tonights" banquet, to determine if the rumours were true. That the Men in Green were the ones responsible for killing the Flame Dragon, and who better to ask than Princess Pina and Japanese Envoy Suguwara. "Why must I go to meet Japan"s Envoy!?" Zorzal angrily stomped his way to the entrance of the designated banquet hall. "It"s one of your duties, now that His Highness, are the crown prince." Tyuule, moving quickly behind him informed him. "Damn it!... It"s so annoying." He grumbled as he continued on. "M-My apologies!" The warrior bunny apologized out of habit whilst trying to catch up with Zorzal"s pace which was inconsistent with her ability to walk in heels. "Hya!" Applying insufficient pressure to the ground perpendicular to her feet caused her foot in heels to slide off the smooth marble surface. Losing her balance ensured that she would topple backwards. Bracing for that fall that never came, as Zorzal"s hand grasped hers to give her support. "Watch your footing, you fool..... And I"m not blaming you." He said to her after pulling her up and releasing his hand. "But it"s my fault the sabotage plan faile-." "What are you talking about? You just passed on the order, it"s the spies that turned out to be completely useless." "....." What was she expecting? How coy of him, to show small acts of kindness to make her think he cared for her. Zorzal was clearly not able to see that she was beyond small childish tricks like these. "Enough of the tricks for now, it"s more important to gather support from the military and pro-war factions." Tyuule was a little amused internally, even he was not foolish enough not to let this sort of opportunity go to waste. Perhaps it was because, like those sons who had been imprisoned in Japan, he had suffered a similar humiliation at the hands of their mortal enemy. It was this sort of decisive fool that would all the more bring calamity to the Empire in foreseeable ways. Zorzal blabbered on in how Japan seemed incompetent in knowing how to accept victory and have become complacent enough to believe they can ask for peace. It was more like they had the luxury to ask for whatever they wanted, after all, peace ensured some degree of cooperation. Japan clearly saw some potential in having the Empire as an ally than a vassal. They coincidentally bumped into the Emperor, his father along the way in. Where Zorzal expressed his ultimate belief that they could win in a fight against Japan"s Army. To no apparent change in decision by the Emperor. Emperor Molt left him a few words of caution and advise on his actions before entering. "Father!" Emperor Molt along with his guards stood silently by the door as he contemplated his moves in advance "Your Highness, you can be heard from inside. Please calm yourself." Tyuule acted out her part to maintain his dignity in the presence of the Imperial subjects. "Tsk! Shit!" He wrestled with his rising emotions, once inside the hall he could not show this unruly behavior. Seeing that she need not console him further, Tyuule begun to plant ideas into his head that he would take as his own. "Tonight is the ceremony to celebrate the return of the prisoners. Official, that is. However, everyone"s attention will be upon Princess Pina and the Japanese Envoys." Zorzal listened attentively as she dropped hints. "As the crown prince, you should offer them words of appreciation on the publics behalf." Zorzal was quick to see the potential of his interactions, to win the downbeaten hearts of those who had lost and been humiliated. They would become such powerful supporters to his cause. "I know." He replied as a matter a fact. The crier announced the arrival of Emperor Molt and Crown Prince Zorzal as they walked into the brightly lit banquet hall to be received by their subjects. The doors closed behind Tyuule who stayed behind for obvious reasons. "What a simple man." She said too softly for the Praetorian Guard standing by the door to hear, even though they stared at her cautiously. Tyuule returned their glares with a smile before she left. She walks along the quieter of paths where there is no presence besides those that had sworn loyalty to her. To think that this sort of scenario would happen. Even she would never imagine the Flame Dragon"s defeat. However, this only served to accelerate her plans. "Is everything prepared?" "Yes, work is coming along, we just need time to complete the finishing touches. Miss Tyuuuule." "I will not tolerate another failure, Bouro. Noriko is still alive because you left it to someone else." Her original plan to have the Japanese Government respond to the death of their citizen at the hands of Pina"s subject was foiled because the assassin Bouro had manipulated had not carried through with her mission. "I have no excuses. This time, I have called for the elite bands from the Haryo." No sooner did the hidden presence announce this did three figures drop from the roof and knelt before Tyuule in unison. "Theres are Ukushi, Kakushi and Korume." Bouro introduced the so-called "elite" of his depraved tribe. Robe and hooded figures with a heavy air of death around them. How well would they perform, only time would tell. "Then get going already." With her approval, they dismissed themselves as quickly as they appeared. "I want everything to become more interesting." A grin leaked from her lips, turning her beautiful complexion into one of malice and calamity. Tyuule walked off into the direction of the pavilions, she wanted to pay a visit to a certain someone. Along the way, she saw the head of the once-magnificent Flame Dragon resting on a carriage being pulled up by orcs under the supervision of the Praetorians Guards. She was curious to know what he thought about this whole situation or if he had anything to say about it. The crisis in the Kitchens would stay in the Kitchens. Even though it became a crisis no longer. What should have been kitchen staff working tirelessly to sate the hunger of the guests was now a cooking lesson, brought to you by Hitoshi Furuta, the Kitchen Head of the South Palace. It was rare for Kitchen Heads to even pick up cooking utensils, they were more of managers than they were of chefs after their decades of service. So the Kitchen staff paid special attention to the dish he was cooking up for them to see. A dispute followed between a well-known chef with his company from outside and the administratum of the Palace who outsourced him. Where they refused to give him the agreed payment when he arrived, they also did not follow through with his request to lead the whole team in cooking up the entire course which was agreed upon in contract. Yet, who were they to refuse to serve the Emperor, the adminstratum thought. Being betrayed by the administratums" stinginess and dishonesty, the chef left his part to play at the most inconvenient of times. The administratum was in anarchy when they failed to get hold of him again and re-negotiate. Leaving the banquet Kitchen staff with a humungous gap, and with no one to do the starters. Porto"s was shouting out dispatches to the nearest restuarants with chefs who specialized in appetizers to come forward, in vain. No one could assemble as quickly to undertake this task. Nobody asked him to do stand in, but Hitoshi could not let the organization fall while he was a part of it. Surrounding his preparation table, Hitoshi schooled the chefs and Kitchen Hands alike on a very simple dish that could be completed in but minutes without real expertise required. He sliced bread and toasted them to resemble crackers or bagel chips as the base. Using Patch"s strong arms to beat cheese blocks into whipped cheese which he spread along the improvised crackers. Extracting the egg yolk carefully into a bowl with Dijon mustard, lemon juices and vinegar, he whisked the blend along with salt whilst adding oil in gradually. After a few minutes, he was rewarded with a creamy white paste which he placed under the cold stone for a quick chill, and voilà. He had instant mayonnaise, but this was not the final product he wished for. He threw in tomato ketchup sauce, pickle relish, some freshly cut onion and garlic along with vinegar, salt and a few dashes of some red bottle they were not aware of but had a name written on it they did not understand. Before he left the mixing process to Patch once more, he collected the Mayonnaise and poured it in together. "Take the cracker and spread a generous portion of the whipped cheese. Remember, it"s this that makes up most of the appetizer, the rest is just accessory and contributes to exotic taste." Hitoshi gave instructions to the small active workshop which were mimicking his steps with precision. After they had completed their task, Hitoshi showed them the boiling and rapid chilling of shrimp in a bowl of ice water. The cooked shrimp became vibrant orange in colour due to having its flesh thoroughly cooked. "Now, apply some of the "thousand island" sauce which my colleague has just finished preparing to your shrimp on top of the cracker and we"re done." Hitoshi took off his apron and walked out to check of his "students" performance. "That"s it?" The chefs expressed their surprise at the level of simplicity to his appetizer dishes. Hitoshi had a brief read through a recipe book he found tucked away in the corner of the cabinets back in the South Palace Kitchen. It was an anthology of all the compiled recipes collected over the ages since the South Palace had been erected. Empire cuisine in regard to Appetizers had always been almost as elaborate as the main course. And they were always cooked. "Have a bite." There was no use explaining, Hitoshi held out a tray of his recently made shrimp cocktails. The chefs reached out and took one each, placing them in their mouths. Hitoshi and Patch watched the familiar trend of wide eyes and subtle shows of ecstacy from the rich taste flowing into their stomachs. "Wha-...what is this?!" "So simple-..... yet such complex taste!" "Mmm!" The last of the chefs just continued to finish his sample than give his opinion, showing how much he enjoyed it. "Gentlemen, we must remember that appetizers are only to promote our patrons" appetite for the main course, which you will be handling. I have no doubt that once they have experienced your hard efforts that they will be going home with a good aftertaste. I wish you the best of regards." Hitoshi dismissed himself from their presence after bowing as he went back to do the course which he was supposed to in the beginning. "Such humility...." "Is he really Lord Zorzal"s chef?" Being part of the arrogant prince"s retinue, one would have thought they shared the same traits. "He has already garnered our guests" attention to the main course, we cannot let them down." Their evaluation of Hitoshi grew, soon forgetting that a week ago he was nothing more than a foreign cook in the lowest position. However, in this time of need, he"d saved all of them from humiliation and he did not once brag about it. They had heard rumours of Master Vinho"s fear of Hitoshi as well, someone who held the highest appointment amongst their trade. He even receded the credit of the day to them, so how could they not be impressed. Just as Hitoshi went back to work, so did they. This workshop he held was merely for the Kitchen hands to carry out the preparations of the appetizer on their own. However, the chefs were quite interested when he said that no chef was required to attend to the appetizers and the Kitchen Hands could do it on their own. He even negotiated with the adminstratum to have their wages for the banquet increased. So the Kitchen hands of various palaces worked with extra care and effort to bring out more of these "Shrimp cocktails" to the banquet halls. Patch had returned ahead of him and watched over the process of their desserts, several batches of cake that had alcohol similar to Rum inside of it. "How are things going here?" Tequila was only happy to report they were halfway through with the cooking process after finishing the preparations. They were the finishing course of the banquets so there was no rush. "Brilliant, that strange pan you gave us was quite fantastic. We didn"t have to worry about unevenly cooked portions with that centre hole." Normally, cakes of a certain size would have to be careful about its consistency especially in the middle. The bundt pan, back in Earth originated from the bundt cakes unique ring shape. But the pan which served as the mould for the baking shape could also be used on other types of cake. Unfortunately, Hitoshi could not find such a pan here in Falmart. That, however, didn"t limit him from making one. He took a rounded baking pan, placed a remodelled tin can in the centre which would isolate the cake mix from the centre. He also used hardened paper into moulds which gave a distinct curvulate shape to it with eccentric designs.

Horus had no time to continue attending to his wounds, he reached for his rifle. "Eh?" The rifle wasn"t there holstered to his leg, he was completely defenseless. He turned around and scuffled around the rucksack containing the peculiar weapons that were found in the old derelict Skyranger. Pulling out the pair of axes, he wasn"t sure what the other weapons did but he had no time to fix or figure out how they worked. The axes didn"t require a manual though. A walking dead was already upon him, so he swung the axe to lob off its head. The axes weight was good for delivering heavy blows and the blade wasn"t bad either. More of the zombies converged to him after he killed one of their kind. He needed to think of a plan fast, at this rate if he just concentrates on killing them the normal way he would get overwhelmed. The cavern was spacious and the stalagmites offered cover from the grabbing hands. He snatched the rucksack and ran through the zombie horde to the supposed safety of the stalagmites. But it didn"t hold against the massive pressure they exerted from the stampede, although some were minced into pulp from squeezing. Horus ran again. He looked around for places to hide or at least high ground. His right arm was not responding the way he wanted it to, because it had just been set back into its socket so he couldn"t wield the heavy axes much more with just his left hand. He saw a ledge overlooking the entire cavern and began his desperate climb to safety, regardless of the pain in his arm and body. Compared to being flayed by the massive horde this was his only chance at safety. The ledge was 10 metres above ground and there were little contact surfaces to plant his feet or hands on to boost him up. He stumbled a few times when the gravel gave way, but the through of death kept him going. He reached the ledge panting and collapsed fainting from exhaustion. Time passed quickly and the night had settled in, the zombies" wails were still present and the visibility was surprisingly good for nightfall, an unknown substance radiated the entire cavern from the rocky walls, some form of luminescent rock embedded into the walls of the cavern. He now had the luxury to think about his circumstance. First, why was he here? He had gone back to rescue that ungrateful prick and had gotten stabbed in the back in the end and tumbled down the mountain. He woke up in a cave from which he fell through the sky light that dominated the entire cavern. Then there was that voice, the ethereal voice that resounded in the recesses of his head every time it spoke. But it said I trespassed into its domain, and there was a commencement of a...trial? He looked down at the zombies reaching out for him, certainly they began to appear the moment the voice declared the start of some sort of trial. Horus spent more time attending to his wounds and checked his inventory, his drone was nowhere to be seen, his rifle was absent but his datapad and ammunition were still on him. Everything else he packed on the combat harness was also present, food for a 72 hours. Food was the only concern he had now, he had no idea where he was and the trek through the jungle could take him more than his supplies can handle. He had to get out of here, looking around the cavern for clues to exit. The visibility was low but he could still make out the ends of the walls encompassing the cavern. "There"s-...no exit..." Horus"s heart thumped wildly as the thought of being trapped in this cave forever crept into his heart. He sat against the wall of the ledge. Was he really going to live out his days in the recess of this cavern? Five days was tops that he could live without food and water. The zombies continued wailing infuriated him to the point that he wanted to do to them what they would do to him. It was like an audience laughing at his pathetic existence all over. "Shut up!" The zombies were mindless so his words did not influence them. He took up one of the axes and flung it at the horde out of anger. The axe spun in the air and lodged itself into the head of a zombie. "Ha...hahahhhahaHAHAHAHAHA...!" His end was coming and he could see it, he laughed at his own existence once again. Two days had passed, as he squandered the time he had left. If anything, he found the constant wailing of the zombies to be incessantly noisy, he couldn"t get a moments peace. If he had one wish now, it would be to destroy them all to return tranquility to the once quiet cavern. "Since... I"m going to die anyway... I should at least go down the way I want to." He resigned himself. He took out the strange weapons from the rucksack, their design had a reminiscence of hunting weapons, due to their wooden-like furniture. They weighed almost lighter than the ADVENT weapons and their own weapons. One of the weapons looked like some sort of nail gun, the other was like a steampunk flintlock pistol. The nail gun had been found with eight stakes made from some alien dense metal. Horus fiddled around with the controls and two metal sections on the front of the gun deployed, making it look like some sort of vertical crossbow. Curious to find out the power of the weapon he loaded one of the stakes into the gun and walked to the ledge where the zombies were. He pulled the trigger and the stake flew with immense force and speed that it ripped through several zombies in a row, it was just that powerful. Horus dropped the gun as he was stunned by the devastating power of the crossbolt. He immediately picked up the weapon and examined it once again, there was a lot of mechanisms he couldn"t reach inside because of its overall complexity so he left it alone. His findings were on the controls of the weapon, how to manipulate the gun to load and the safety. The gun would not fire unless the bow was deployed, that was the most important element. He was definitely 90% sure the weapon operated on some kind of railgun concept, the energy used to power it was that alien fuel recovered from dead aliens for their plasma weapons, Elerium. So there was no real worry of whether the gun would fail in firing or shut off from power consumption yet, he turned the weapon off just in case to conserve its energy. The other firearm was the flintlock-like pistol, because it wasn"t a flintlock exactly. The weapon fired using gunpowder but the ammunition for it didn"t seem to be present, he took out a cartridge from his magazine and pulled the bullet out of the case to use the smokeless powder. Personally he wasn"t sure of the effects of using smokeless powder in a flintlock but this pistol wasn"t a flintlock. He pulled out more cartridges to fill the gun"s magazine. The weird thing he noticed about the gun was that there was no hole from which the bullet would come out from but there was some sort of criss cross mess on the end like on a mincer. He took the pistol to his live targets and pulled the trigger. A massive flash from the gun blinded the front of him but he heard flesh being shredded from the shot. Something had managed to come out from the gun through the mesh, the gun had also seemed to be powered in some way. But the most peculiar thing happened after he fired the gun at the zombies. The horde seemed to disperse throughout the cavern, like they had just lost sight of him. Could it be the enormous flash from the ignition had broken their sight of him? This meant that he could kill someone and sneak off undetected. This pistol was just as effective as the nail gun. He had one last axe with him he didn"t throw away at the horde. The axe too had unusual properties, it too was somehow powered by the internal Elerium battery for some function. The axe seemed to cleave through flesh and rock like paper. He dare not touch the blade due to its sharpness but he could guess why it had this unusual ability of cutting through hard objects with general ease, from the quiet humming of the blade. The power of the internal Elerium was used to energized the blade at a high frequency, that meant the axe head was a vibrating frequency blade able to cut through other metals without problems or heavy wear to the blades sharpness because it will be sharp indefinitely as long as power is provided to it. Luckily the blade only vibrates when in contact with something, one of the great energy saving features that were on it. Horus had decided after having an hour of contemplating, he would make his final hour the best time he could have, if he died prematurely that was fine as long as he didn"t die of hunger. Horus slung the weapons onto his body and climbed down the ledge. His noise from climbing down alerted some of the horde to his presence and they began to limp towards him in greater strides. He walked towards the horde and pulled out the axe he had thrown at the zombies earlier and readied himself for the greatest fight his life would ever encounter! "HAH!" He brought the axe down upon the closest zombie to him and comboed with his pistol which sent another bright flash blinding the zombies. He found it useful in providing him with breathing seconds. He ran around the place to gather the horde en masse, his intentions were to bunch as many as possible to use his nail gun to pierce as many as possible. He only had seven bolts with him left but he found out a convenient thing about the weapon that was it was able to reuse its ammunition. He fired the bolt at the horde taking away tens of zombies away from the horde and he repeated the process until he was out of bolts. There were a few that came to him from other angles but they were finished of with the axe. Unfortunately, he had no time to collect the bolts scattered throughout the cavern. Slinging the bolt caster, as he now called it on the back he drew one of the axes and the pistol. He began to charge at the group of zombies and began hacking at them and sending gunpowder spraying at them. The zombies were now in close proximity to him, clawed and bit at him, a few were successful. Horus initially wondered where contact would result in him joining the living dead eventually like those zombie movies. But he was about to die anyway so why should he care. While the numbers had dwindled, there was still a sizable amount that could overwhelm him at any time. His strength was fading fast but it didn"t slow him down because he was determined to make his last fight the greatest by throwing every ounce of energy into his body. His body was succumbing to the pain of the bites and scratches but also his previous wound that might have opened up. Is this the end? He asked himself, his strength had waned considerably with his constant fighting. Let"s see if I can take every single zombie down with everything I"ve got, he challenged himself. The hours passed as his fighting continued. He should have been down long ago but the sensation, the rush of combat was getting to him, he grinned madly at achieving his own perfect death. "Just...ten more..." the last remaining zombies wailed to him as they reached out to bite him to dead. But his use of the axe had become more streamline than before, after swinging the axe a few hundred times he learnt to strike with the least amount of energy but achieving the same or greater force exerted from the blade. He now dual wielded the axes into and awesome display of fighting style. And then finally, after four straight hours of fighting he cleared out all of the zombies within the cavern. He collapsed with a satisfied smile on his face as he had achieved his own limit, he could die ha- [First trial complete, proceed to the second trial] The cavern rumbled and the rocky wall parted near him revealing a secret passage he had not known about before. "That"s right, I finished its trial..." He murmured too tired to get up. Wait! A glimpse of hope came over him. "Hey! If I finish your trials, can I leave this place?" He called out to the voice. The voice did not reply immediately but answered anyway. [A path will be provided for you if you survive and inherit my legacy.] Legacy? Whatever! It offered me a way out, I should be grateful. I can"t stand a single second more in this place! Horus lay back to rest for a moment then got up to collect his things, more importantly the bolts for the bolt caster. It had shown to be a formidable tool in removing heavily armed targets, he managed to recover all eight bolts. He ate his supplies of food and clean water then proceeded further after applying more of the medikit paste to his abdomen covered with bite marks and scratches. He heated a knife on him to seal the cavity wound that had opened as the biofoam couldn"t do its job of keeping it closed. Taking a rest again was important for him because he was unsure of what lay ahead in the secret opening. "How many trials are there in total?" [You have succeeded the trial of Limbo, ahead lies the blood trials of Binding followed by the final trial of Fortitude. If you are worthy, the legacy of the blood boa falls to you, you may go back into the world to do great deeds both terrible and magnanimous.] "Trial of Binding? Would it be something like that zombie horde I put out of its misery?" He looked back at the bodies lying around, he was having a hard time believing he was actually capable of doing that. He walked into the exit towards the second trial determined to return to the AVENGER. "How can you speak English?" Horus had just realized this place was still Argentine so there shouldn"t be any English present. [I am speaking to you from your heart. It is a trait endowed to myself so that as the ages go by and the native tongues change I will still be able to communicate with the participants.] After considerable walking distance they arrived in another similarly lit up cavern only this time there were man-made structures in it, mostly columns with stone engravings of serpents wrapping around them. It wasn"t just the columns, the stepping stones, the walls and the roof was decorated with a common theme, and that was serpents. "What is this place?" [You entered by mistake it seems, without the intention of attending the age old ceremonies that once took place in this holy site. This is the temple of the bloody serpent god.] He had heard from the voice that he had fallen into and ancient temple to some local deity, he just wanted to get out before offending the occupant further. Up ahead was an elevated altar up the long steps. The ever present luminous stones were there to light up his way, he wondered how this place seemed to be filled with them. Perhaps this was a mine that the ancient civilization built their sacred ritual ground it from. He could hear the trickling of water from where the altar was too. "What are you?" The most important question, who was this who was speaking to him? From the voice alone he knew no person could even hope to replicate. [I am the caretaker of the blood serpent trial grounds. And you are an aspiree hoping to become a spiritual flame user.] "I just wanna get out of this place, I"ll deal with your trials then I"m off!" [Do you not seek power?] Horus stopped in his tracks. [That is why you have come here isn"t it. Fate had a comical way of bringing you here to change it. The question is, do you want it to change?] "... I do, every second I spend here I think of how I could have done better, how if only I was stronger, faster, more intelligent than people I only begin to start caring for won"t die abruptly!" [Then proceed. Take a chance at attempting the trials, succeed and you will have the strength that you so desire. Fail, and you will join the thousands who had failed before you!] "I"ll die if I don"t get out, I might die if I attempt the trial. Obviously I would attempt it, I have nothing to lose now." [So be it. Let the trial of binding begin!] "What does this trial consist of?" But the voice no longer answered him. He reached the altar, there was a chalice sitting in the middle. He took up the cup and examined it. He could see the blood stains in the walls of its vessel, at the back of the altar was a fountain but there was one key feature that distinguished it quite clearly from any ordinary fountain. Because it was flowing with blood, he could tell because of the iron smell that permeated the air around it. [Drink...] That"s all the guardian told him. Unhesitant, he dipped the chalice into the pool and retrieved a cup full. "I can"t believe I"m really doing this!" He said to himself. Leaning the cup against his lips he took in the flesh blood into his system. He waited but nothing happened. "Am I done with the trial- urgh!...AHHHHHH!" An unseen flame burnt his insides from the liquid he took into his stomach. The chalice dropped from his grasp and rolled down the steps as he collapsed on his knees then finally he crawled into a fetal position. [Endure my blood legacy and you shall continue. Fail and you shall immolate from your insides and you will become but ashes.] The pain was like being impaled by hot iron stakes throughout his body. He let out a blood curdling scream, but the agony was ever present. It circulated his body roasting his organs and veins, mucus and tears rolled out from his extremities uncontrollably. Steam was emanating from his skin to signify the boiling temperature his body was in. But to escape from this place he would do anything, he had too much at stake back home. And yet the pain and suffering he was going through made him want to end his life that every instant. How long did it last, how long had gone by he didn"t know although it felt like an eternity? It was too much. Too much! "God!... Kill me now!" He suddenly declared hoping someone would respond, it was at that moment that his medallion fell off from around his neck in front of him. He stared at the medallion with bloodshot eyes, then that memory started to unfold in front of him. The oldest most treasured memory burnt into his mind. "Hold this medallion and treasure it with your life. And one day we may reunite with you." His mother told him. But for that to happen he had to return, he had to survive! SURVIVE! Bismarck had once told him the same thing to leave with his live, but it ended in an unforeseen saga. "Rune Barbatos!" He cursed the name out loud. The man who had taken his friends from him. That"s right, I still need to survive. I still need to avenge them! If not, everyone will suffer because of me! There was Alicia in danger of the machinations of William! Horus grabbed the medallion and gazed at it feverishly to stem the notions of suicide and remember why he needed to survive this trial. He could feel his vitality burn away but if he didn"t get out then it was meaningless. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive... He repeated in his head as he grasped the medallion till his palm bleed staining it with his fresh blood, steam rose from his spilt blood, he was still boiling inside but it didn"t matter. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive... Blood poured from his eyes, ears and mouth from the damage it caused. And after seemed like an eternity... "I will...SURVIVE!" He shouted with all his might. The pain vanished quickly and a comfortable sensation took its place. Horus fainted from the sudden change. A smile planted on his face. He had done it. [Finally, after millennia. A worthy successor...] The case was never officially settled. Horus was listed as KIA as according to William"s account and from his fire team members. A ceremony was held in hangar with participants from engineering, the science team and the combatants and general staff. There were a few people not present at the ceremony, one was Alicia. Since the mission she had not come out of her room, leaving Heather to deal with her work load, but her friend understood what she was going through and took it up willingly. "Once again he threw his life for his fellow man! Each and every one of you here are because of something he had offered you without demanding anything in return. And that is a rare caliber of man even throughout the ages..." The commander gave a funeral speech personally and left because there were matters to attend to immediately after. Steph was the other one who took the weight of his death the heaviest. She was out and about but would often forget things right in the middle of doing her duties. The chief medical officer handled her case and had her come to here infirmary for checkups and to monitor for changes. "Alicia! Child! Open the door this instant!" Madam Lee demanded. But there was no reply. She was sitting in her bed against the wall hugging her knees. Her room was a mess, as if she had been flinging everything upside down. Madam Lee heard hands touching the door on the other side. "You were right, Nanna! In the end I was really too late!" Referring to the time she had mentioned about her relationships. "Child...open this door. So I may console you." Hye Gi changed her tone to her loving mother tone she had used on her all those years ago. The door slides open and Madam Lee caught sight of the dried up tears along her face. "Come here." She requested as she opened her arms to receive Alicia.

said Toufa, the head of Rukawa"s fanclub. After classes...pls. don"t forget that Rukawa and Fuji are already in third yr. "I wonder if Rukawa is still gonna ride with me home?' she wonders. She accidentally bump at a girl with a below shoulder length brunette hair. "Gomen nasai" she said to her. "Rienne-san" said a guy running towards them. "Wait isn"t that Jun Setshiya ace of Todai basketball team" she thought. "He is the captain before of Daiei" she thought again as she saw the girl and the guy left. "What a blessed girl!" she said then another man runned and passed her. "Rienne-san! Have you forgotten that I"m your chaperon" said the man. "Itokosan, do you have too?"said the girl. "Whether you like it or not!" he ordered. "Hey ain"t that Koshino Hiroaki the front guard of Todai too! She is really blessed to have a cousin that cute" she thought again. "Are you going to waste time staring at those three"said a cold vioce. She turned her head and saw Rukawa holding his bike "Gomen, I didn"t notice you came" she said. Both of them stared for awhile, like there was a staring contest. "What?!"Rukawa broke the silence. She bowed her head and turns it "Nothing" she smiled "It"s just that...I thought you have forgotten" she said. He helped her put her bag at his bike "Not because I have to practice means I have to forget a promise" he said as he supported Fuji to ride in the bike. "But...ain"t I a bother to you? You see...you can"t practice more if you keep sending me home"she laughed. "And the finals is in 3 days you need more practice if you want your last high school days to be memorable" she frowned. Rukawa paddled "Don"t worry! I just follow my instinct" he said as he paddled fast. "I already have enough practice and now all I need is rest" he said. "Well don"t worry I pray for you so that our team would win the finals" Fuji smiled. "Fuji-san?" "Hai!" she answered. "Can you come with me for awhile? I want to show you something!" he asked not looking at her. "Okay! Why not?" she answered as she looks away. "Wow! This place is so refeshing" Fuji said as she runs barely footed on the sand. They stop for awhile at the beach. "So what do you want to show me?" she asked. "She is so naive" Rukawa thought. "The sunset that"s all nothing else" he answered. Near the beach was a open basketball court. Both started walking on the sand and water keep rising and leaving thier feets. "When I was young I never ever thought of playing bas- ketball before. My parents" never allowed me to play, so I know nothing about it. Then one time my cousin stayed for awhile at our house. He thought me how to play basketball by heart and the importance of basketball too. So ever since he always stay or visit our house, we always play one on one with him. His dream is to be the no. 1 player in the whole japan but a day before that happens he met an accident. The next day I saw the news on T.V. and it really breaks me apart. After that I promise myself to follow his footprints until I became... unstoppable" he said to Fuji then both sat on the sand while the sun set"s. "Why are you telling me this?"she asked as she looks at him. "I don"t know? I even don"t know why I am telling this to you?"he said as he look at her. Their faces are so close!!! They both started blushing then looked away. Fuji looked above then started sharing "When I was young...I was the most shy girl in school. I really don"t talk to much because at a very young age both my parents left me. I was in trauma. When I was in elementary I met Haruko and Matsui, the three of us became inseperatable. They help me to forget my blues and paint my sorrowful life into red. Since then we are helping each other through thick and thin" she said. "And then... look what happened now" she laughed then frowned. Her eyes started to be watery. "After all I promise never to cry in such things, but..." "Why should you holding back? When you can"t hold much longer?" Rukawa said as he look at her. And so she did. She quickly leaned at Rukawa"s shirt. Salty tears stained it but he didn"t care. Then he puts his arms around her as she shares her pain to him. Don"t be green minded Both of them didn"t notice the moon rises. "It"s 7 in the evening, I should bring you home" Rukawa said as he help her up. And they both cruise their way to Fuji"s house. "Fu-chan" a woman shouted the rush out her house. "Are you okay?...wait...who"s this handsome young man?" the woman asked Fuji as she looks at Rukawa. "Rukawa-kun, I want you to meet my Aunt" Fuji smiled and so her aunt. Fuji"s aunt whispered something to her, and she blushed and looked at Rukawa. "Rukawasan would you mind if you eat dinner with us?"she asked. "Why not, my parents won"t mind anyway" he said. And so they all went in. 2 Hours later... "I better get going before my mom and dad gets worried" he said. Fuji assisted Rukawa out until they reach her house" stoop. "Rukawa-san I want to thank you for all" she said to him. "That was nothing". "What can I ever do to return your goodness?" she asked him. "Watch my final game?"he said to her. She smiled "That is so shallow...but if that"s what you want okay" then she leaned at him and kiss him at the cheek. He touched his cheek, he was red. "What was that for?!" "It"s a simple way to show my appretiation! That"s all"she smiled then went in and close the door. Leaving Rukawa stiff outside still touching his cheek...then he smiled and left. "Finally, it was confirmed.' "I had fallen head over heels for someone whom I thought I would never fall for.' "The ever silent, shy and the unknown" "Fuji Kuwaru"just made up the sirname "I just few days...so unexpected" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author"s notes: Rienne: Hey mom! I"m in the fanfic!! Rukawa: So what! who cares at all! Fuji: Riennesan the story is getting kinda mushy you know! Rienne: Duh! That"s what I am intending to do baka! I wish no one"s steam rises in hot temperature! If you could see the ending part sounds like the unexpected! sorry Rage but those are the only exact words I need...Gomen Sayonara, Ashita no yoru kite kudasai! IT CAME OVER ME IN A RUSH Author"s notes: Rienne: I am running out of ideas!!! Help me before I lose my grip!!! *Rukawa knock Rienne down. Rienne: What was that for, bastard?! Rukawa: To lower your steam... Rienne: You misunderstood me jerk! *Rienne runs after Rukawa with a trigger on her hands. This scene is cut off for awhile... Fuji: While waiting...please read the chapter!! *she bowed then turned the page... Chapter 3 Sometimes either one of you have to suffer in Love After 2 days both Rukawa and Fuji"s feeling with each other becomes stonger than ever. More and more girls gets more mad at Fuji but she didn"t care cause she know that Rukawa is there to comfort her. The only person happy with thier so-called relationship is Sakuragi, not Haruko, not Toufa, not the three trying hard "jologs" or cheap cheerleaders of Rukawa, not Rukawa"s fanclub and also not the gays that have a undying crush at Rukawa. Fuji? no comment. Every lunch, Fuji always ended up eating with Rukawa and every dismissal she always waits for Rukawa even if he ended his practice, late. She don"t mind the warnings and mockings of his fans, "who cares we are only friends anyway" she always thought but deep down, she don"t know if she still feel the same way to him or has it deepen. "Rukawa-kun"Haruko puts all her guts together and face her fear. "What...?" "I just want to know...do you have a thing with Fuji?"she asked. "And if I say yes!" "I really wish we have" he thought. "But but...you can"t!" she cried. "And why!" "Can"t you see! Ever since, I have always love you. Can"t you see that I have done everything just to express it to you. I have face all umiliations and snubs you have ever gave. You don"t even face me when I"m talking to you! But...but why!!! Why is it that only Fuji is the one you speak with? To tell the truth, she never felt something deep for you, just interest! What made you like her so fast? What did you see in her that you don"t see in me or any other girl who falls for you?!" she cried as more tears fell from her rosy cheeks. He looked at her "Courage" was all he said then left. Living Haruko standing alone thinking of what Rukawa meant. "Her courage to face me...nobody other than Ayako, treats me like a normal teenager. And what makes her different form the others is that she sees what"s inside of me not just my outer appearance.' he thought as he pass the hallway of thier school. Fuji heard all. And she was so guilty to hear such words that came out Haruko"s. "It"s my fault anyway. I never ever imagine that I would ever fall to Rukawa. True, I never felt anything at our first encounter but as days gone by I should interest at his playing and now that I faced him it turns out that my feelings for him deepen more than interest. And I felt guilty with it. Everytime I look at the sky, I always remember that he is to high for me to reach but as days goes by something is drawing me closer to reach him. Should I follow my heart or my conscience?' She look down and tears fell from her cheeks down to the ground. Haruko caught Fuji hiding at the back of the hallway "Are you happy! You have him all by yourself, without facing anything embarrasing! And I call you a friend, I hate you I hate you very much" she shouted to her. "Haruko-san! I didn"t notice him falling for me! I"m so sorry, but its not my fault if he falls for me!! You know I can"t control his feelings" Fuji cried. "I don"t want to listen to anymore! If you want our friendship to remain forget him and stay away from him, you don"t love anyway! Right?!." Fuji didn"t answer, one thing"s for sure she isn"t sure of her feelings for him. "Should I wait for him?"Fuji walk back and forth. She thinking of it before dismissal until now. "He might get worried if I didn"t show up! But if Haruko saw me with him again, then...I would never hear the end of it! So its final I won"t show up!! Gomen nasai Rukawa-san, it"s just that...' she can"t think anymore she just runned away without looking back. "Score! Haruko you just made that janky Fuji latered" said Toufa as she pats Haruko"s back. Matsui just stared at Haruko "Sometimes we have to change...But is this for the better?' she thought and look away. "Where is she?"Rukawa looked everywhere, he just finished his practice and wentout to look for her. It was getting dark and soon droplets of rain started falling above hitting the ground. "Rukawakun"said a sweet voice, he turned and saw Haruko standing infront of him. She was holding an umbrella and smiled. But he didn"t say a word he just passed her and left the school and went home without Fuji by his side. Meanwhile at Fuji"s room...she made a poem to express her feelings.alone by sumiyo Mutsumi A dry breeze is blowing The city is getting cold I wonder how many seasons have passed without even a sound? "I was sitting on my bed thinking, when...my phone ringed. I know its him...' All of the people coming and going bear heavy burdens, searching for tomorrow within the heat haze wavering in the distance. "Konbanwa, dare desu ka?" she said lamely. "Fuji-san..." "I was right was him" Feelings like sand falling through my hands... Back then, the words that pierced my heart suddenly started to throb with pain, but... "Doko ni ittekimashita ka?! Do shita no desu ka?" he asked worriedly. Where have you been? What happened to you? I"ve searched for pieces of myself, counting the endless nights all the while. These feelings are becoming so certain I almost lose myself. Right now, without fail, I will walk forward, however far "Rukawakun...Okamai naku...watashi genki desu...gomen"is all I could say. Rukawa...Don"t bother...I am fine...sorry I wonder, why is the sky so vast? Even though I tried to yell, my voice didn"t come and the tears poured out. "That"s nothing! I"m just checking up...what happened to you anyway?" Wonder where the birds are flying off to, as they freely slice through the wind? One can"t return to the same place as it once was in days gone by. "I didn"t feel better so I went home first" I said on the wires. Even if I give up my dreams likethis, I won"t suppress my soaring heart beat. "Watashi wa muko ni ikimasu" he said to me worrily. I will be there Someday, I want to reach as high as the clouds. I"ll spread wide the wings in my heart and journey once again I will reach it, without fail. "Iie, iie! Okamai naku "I answered quickly. No,no! Don"t bother I"ve searched for pieces of myself, counting the endless nights all the while. "Hai, hai...Ano, wasurenaide ashita no asa..."he said sincerly Okay, okay...but, please don"t forget tomorrow morning These feelings are becoming so certain I almost lose myself. Right now, without faol, I will walk forward, however far "Shirimamasen...gomen"I cried "Sayonara" then I hang the phone. I don"t know...I "m sorry Goodbye "Why do I felt like I wanted to go there but my conscience keep pushing here. I can"t under stand if I wanted to come or not, I must choose fast before tomorrow comes...' Fuji hugs her pillow. She wanted to cry but she strong, she not like any other girl. She"s different. "Why do I feel that she"s not alright" Rukawa thought as he looks at the ceiling of his room. "I could sense it with her voice...its sad and lonely" Rukawa covers his face with his pillow and recall his conversation with Fuji in the phone awhile ago. "Why do I have this feeling that she would not come...' The next day... "It"s comfirmed that I won"t come but...still...' Fuji folded her blanket and cleaned her room. "Nothing makes me alive today. I can"t smile, laugh, etc. My soul is shattered...I want to come but I can"t" Meanwhile at the station... "Where is she?' Rukawa turns his head seaching for Fuji but no where to be seen. "Hey Kitsune! Your going to left if you don"t get in quick" said a red headed man as he swings in and out of the door of the train. "Baka! tell Mr Anzai to wait for a few more minutes" Rukawa shouts out loud for everyone to hear. "What"s your damage anyway Rukawa? You never been like this before" a fat man went near him and asked him with care. "It"s just that..." "Don"t worry, whoever your waiting for must have woke up late. I"m sure she"ll find a way to see your game"smiled the man. Rukawa can"t wait anymore so he went in but his eyes still glued outside. The train started to run. He sat near Haruko "Rukawa-kun? Are you alright?" he didn"t answer. "It"s Fuji huh...I told you she doesn"t like you, so why keep denying it?!" "I won"t believe you til" she say it to me, infront of my face"he glared at Haruko and said no more. "The game will start in an hour and I"m still here" she said as she hugs herself tight. "I really want to go but..." "But what?!" her aunt suddenly appeared. "But everyone would hate me for getting his heart" "You mean the nice young man" "Hai"she said stubornly. "Why are you scared?" "No" "Then why bother? He chose you, not them. You must be happy that of all girls, he keeps his gaze only for you" smiled her aunt. "But what about my friends?" "Is that more important? To sacrifice you feelings for someone else? It"s your choice, follow your heart or to regret it all your life..." then she left leaving Fuji to reflect on what her aunt just said. "What should I do...?" she closed her eyes for awhile then opened it wide "I know" then stood up and left her house. "Taxi" she shouted and a cab stopped. "To follow your heart" It"s passed an hour and the game started but Fuji is still not there. Rukawa look aroud for her, thinking that she must be sitting with the audience. But she"s not there. "Time out" said the referee. "Coach Anzai, can I call someone first" said Rukawa as he bowed to the fat man. "Why not! Kuwaru why don"t you exchange with Rukawa first". Rukawa quickly wentout the court and runned to the hallway looking for a pay phone. "Hello"said a older woman voice. "Hello good afternoon are you Fuji"s aunt?" "Yes, I am"her voice was not as lively as before. "I Rukawa Keade Fuji"s friend, is she there?" the voice started crying "I"m sorry son but...she can"t come to your game" she cried. "But why?" "Because, while she"s on her way there...the cab she used...met an accident...she"s in a manner of life and death"she cried. "I"ll go there, where is the hospital?" "No, please...before she was brought to the hospital she told if you call... Flashback... "Auntie...please tell Rukawa...not to mind me...I want him to finish his game...that"s the only way to make me...happy" then she was brought to the ambulance. End of flashback... After talking to Fuji"s aunt Rukawa went to the court quickly. Then he exchange places again with Kuwaru. "I"ll win this game Fuji just wait and see" then he started playing. "Haruko-san what"s the matter" Matsui asked the pale girl near her. "It"s just that...Rukawa plays like his not himself" she answered. "Are you happy?" "What kind of question is that?"she looked at Matsui. "You know what I"m saying" Haruko frowned "I don"t know..." After the game Shohoku won. Rukawa left not reaching the awardings he went quickly to Fuji. "Fuji-san..."he holds her hand. "Please wake up...I don"t want you to leave me... please" but there is no use she can"t wake up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued... Author"s notes: Rienne: Hahaha...I won over you!!! Rukawa: _) You just won becoz you have a trigger Rienne: Anyway! Is it to late for Rukawa to tell his true feelings to Fuji...is she going to die... Rukawa: Will the author keep dreaming! * -_-# Rienne punched Rukawa"s head. Rienne: Find out at the last chapter of It came over me in a rush!!! IT CAME OVER ME IN A RUSH Author"s notes: Rienne: Well I"m back again, and I can see that not even one has a courage to read this coz they are not Fujiru fans. Rukawa: I told you your just wasting time for this! Rienne: Oh well! Whoever read this...I am greatful you even reached up to here and got the guts to read this. To tell you the truth I am not that good in English, especially the present and past stuff. Sometimes my ask becomes asked etc. you know! And got lots of wrong grammars. Rukawa: Baka Fuji: Poor dear Rienne: ^-^ but don"t worry this would be the last chapter...at least I have the strength to reach the last chapter...this is getting boring... lights...camera...action... Chapter 4 I Would Never Live You Fuji was confined in the hospital for two straight weeks with no sign of life, living Rukawa Kaede more cold than before. No one in Shohoku have the guts to start a conversation with him even Sakuragi can"t do it. "No one will ever bring back the old Rukawa Kaede...only...' Hanamichi cuts his thoughts and came to his senses. "Hey Kitsune! You seem to be not interested in playing basketball this last two weeks. Is something bothering you?!"he ask Rukawa as he pats his back. "I"m not in the mood to play monkey with you baka!" he glared coldly to the horrified red head man. "Hey why don"t you forget about your worries and celebrate with me and my friends, don"t worry my treat!" he smiles and shows his money. "What"s to celebrate for? The girl that I really like was in the hospital and in a matter of life and death?!"he shouts at him and walks away. "He really got it!" Hanamichi crosses his arms at the back of his head and left. Failure. After dismissal Rukawa went to the hospital to visit her. He can"t complete the day with out seeing her, slowly he opens the knob of the door that opens a small portion. There he saw a very familiar figure. "Fuji-san...I am so sorry for all my faults" she cried. "I wish I never told you not to go to the game and request you to stay away from him" hiccups started to irritate her conversation and her eyes started to get heavy watery red. "So its your fault that this happened to her" Rukawa barge in mad. Very mad. He was right the girl she heard was the one and only friend of Fuji, Haruko. "Rukawa-kun, Gomen" she bows and started to run off the room but he holds her wrist tight to prevent her from leaving. "We"re not yet finish" he pulled her closed and made her look straight in the eye. His eyes were deep dark blue, emotionless. "Do you believe in karma...everything you have done to her will come back to you" he said looking at a horrified face. His looks like he wants to kill. Haruko with all her strength pulls her wrist to get free and started to run as fast as she can. "I am so sorry" her tears starts to increase more and more. Rukawa faces Fuji and went near her. Her wounds are still there but it started to heal in a slow pace. She looks fragile, lying in the bed, but still...lifeless. "I want you to wake up as soon as possible...I want you to know what I feel for you" he touches her cheeks and felt her warmth. He strokes her hair went again back to her cheeks. "I won"t let anyone else hurt" then kisses her in the forehead. It was going to be the end of the school year and Rukawa is not sure if they would see each other again. He wants her to be his partner this coming Junior prom and wanted to tell her what he feels before he leaves for America. After a week... Rukawa dash to the hospital after classes to check Fuji, it was the day he was waiting for. Excitedly he opened the door into Fuji"s room after he heard that she just woke up 2 hours ago. Time stopped for him after he saw what"s

I changed though after meeting a very sick girl named Kirin. Our friendship was accidental I never want her to see my soft side. I was too stubborn for changes but not once did she give-up just to be my friend. She maybe weak but she was able to open my lonesome mind after blocking me from being hit by a gangster. I was able to save us both on time. I admire her patience, courage and strong-will she changed me and I thank her from the bottom of my heart. She left the country after the incident to treat her sickness (which was cancer, I even cut my long hair and offered it to her) and we still remain friends. In addition to my friendship tree I met Domon, one of my challengers who became madly in love of me after losing to me...lol Everything has change after that 2 years later I grow up thinking the arrange marriage was just a big gag. It was my high school debut, I"m happy and contented with my one-sided love with Recca. Fate though has yet played a trick on me when Yanagi came along. I was heart broken again and it was enough for me to act before thinking. The next thing I know I was already trying to kill him with a madagou a strange woman gave me. He was able to save me though from killing myself from my own actions. Little did I know before I even blackout I saw a familiar man standing outside the school gates. When I thought everything was fine after accepting that fact that all I felt from Recca was infatuation, I began feeling Mi-chan"s presence. This feeling of mine was answered after his nanny excitedly went to our house announcing everyone that Mi-chan has returned. My world shatters thinking the arranged marriage is back and I never want to think about it. Days after hearing upon Mi-chan"s return Yanagi, Recca"s hime disappeared. I as the closest friend of Recca comforted and helped him find Yanagi. I was surprised to see Mi-chan behind everything...I can"t blame the girl if she looks like his dead sister. Mi-chan"s kind of possessive with things. I don"t give a shit of whatever is coming in and out of his big brain so I just leave the fighting stuff to Recca. Mi-chan lost in the end...he can"t battle with true love, you know! So many questions I wanted to ask him after he came back but he acted as if we just met. I want to show him the new me but he always snicker and call me a monkey I always repay him with a knuckle punch or a kick. Once when we were alone I suddenly have the urge to ask him what has been bothering me for the past 8 years. "Mi-chan...uhm...why did you leave?" I gulped worrying that he would not answer my question. He looks at me, there was a long pause and I was losing my patience that I started tapping my foot. "I wanted you to feel free..."he answered emotionlessly. I gave a dumbfound expression at his reply then I mentally kick myself after pondering what he meant. "Can we start over again...as friends?" I asked, I didn"t mean the romantic type of starting over again but I guess he knew what I was implying when he smiled. He never shows this other side of him to others...just Yanagi and I when we are alone. "Hi, I"m Fuuko Kirisawa!" I smiled and reach a hand in front of him. He looks at me then at my hand for awhile pondering whether how to react on this, a few seconds later he smirks then turn his back against me. "I don"t befriend monkeys!" he sneers before leaving me hot headed. I have forgiven him though right then and there. He was in love with Yanagi together with his rival Recca, I was left to look for someone else to love...Domon was definitely out of the question. (A/N: I would not bother telling the whole Sodom fight....knowing that you already know the story...Fuuko met Raiha...) Two years after Sodom, I let my hair grow leaving my boyish looks behind, I started getting suitors which I don"t get to entertain because I was too busy with my studies. Mi-chan was always there to help even with the simplest school work. I was for my parent"s gratitude after treating him like their own son. They were still hoping though and as surprise as it sounds...I was also hoping he would reconsider both our parent"s arrangement but I don"t want to tie him down. I fell in love with him secretly wanting to see him everyday, wanting to know him more. But It all came to an end when he was about to leave again for college. Those two years wasn"t enough for me to know the real him. I wanted him to stay...yes I"m selfish! "Mi-chan can"t you consider studying here instead?" I asked him why tying his tie. He silently wears his toga and then looks at me. "You"re falling for me aren"t you?" he said with a serious tone. "I...um...yeah" I nodded as a reply. He gave a frown and his hand reaches my shoulders. "I have dreams Fuuko...and I know you have yours too" he answered a little hesitation. I knew he has forgotten his feelings for Yanagi so I give no hesitation in expressing my feelings for him. "I want you and only you that is my only dream!!" I answered back, tears betraying me. "Then you have to consider my dream then" he glared at me. I forgot how selfish he also is, I found myself running out of words. His eyes suddenly soften after seeing my broken his fingers wiped the tears on my eyes. "I want you to feel free..." he whispered before leaving me again, this time I was angry. We are a good match but not in the good time. A/N: By the way the story of Kirin was base in the Manga mostly of it was true...yes, Fuuko used to have longer hair and she used to be like Tokiya (girl version) except she has little patience. For more info read vol. 7 around chapter 68 of Flame of Recca. Guys!!! Please don"t be afraid to give your comments!! Tnx!! N/A: Zylanth Valkyrie because you requested for it here is another chapie!!! Who wouldn"t like Tofuu to end up together?!! Ne? Sotomika yeah mikagami is stupid, arrogant and selfish...the reason why I adore him so much..lol..tnx for supporting my story again dear! ^_^ Chapter 1: Arrange Marriage Claiming What Is Mine A year after Tokiya (yes Tokiya, I don"t want to call him Mi-chan ever!!!) left, it was my turn to enter the college life. I was lucky enough to pass Todai (Tokyo) University. I grew my hair and fixed myself up. I was able to have numbers of suitors falling in line just to get my magical yes but sorry for them because I concentrated more in my studies. On top of my suitors list is Raiha, after Sodom we were able to meet again in a small coffee shop near our school. I"ve been hearing rumors in school about a coffee shop with a very cute bishounen selling delicious pastries. I came mostly for the delicious pastry but my friends wanted to see more of the bishounen...lol. Destiny, as he calls it has bound us again. I actually don"t know if it"s really destiny or he just wants it to seem like...to tell you the truth where ever I go we always bump to each other. So I think if he planned everything up then I get to see his perseverance just to have me which is sweet! We eventually end up dating for 6 months and by the end of the school year on the night of our grad ball he finally got my sweet yes. When I thought everything was fine Tokiya"s nanny/house keeper excitedly went to our house announcing everyone his return again. My world shatters just when I was about cope up he comes running back. I never want to think about it he must be back for some selfish reasons of his, so at the same day of his return I never showed up to the airport, I just went karaoke with my friends and my boyfriend until we were drunk. I was too drunk that I didn"t notice I was already making out with my boyfriend. Suddenly my senses hit me I pushed him off me and told him that I need to go home. I could see the disappointment on his face but agreed in the end. We were walking in a place full of lights everything"s so noisy, my sight was very dizzy caused by the alcohol that I have no idea where we were. Suddenly a guy pulled my arm making me fall towards him. "I think you had enough party tonight" said the familiar voice. "You!? What the hell do you want? Give me back my girlfriend!" Raiha shouted behind us. "Monkey, I hate a drunken girl for a wife" he whispered to my ear, and surprised me. "I"m Fuuko"s fiancé, I have borrowed her to you long enough and it"s time for her come back to her true owner" he said then carried me away and I never looked back. The next morning I was lying on a queen size bed. I thought I was in a motel or some sort till Tokiya"s nanny came in bringing me breakfast. I asked her how the welcome party was but she told it never ensued because when Tokiya learned that I wasn"t with them he went out looking all over the city for me. I was touched but still mad for him leaving me hanging for so long. After eating breakfast I went out my room looking for him. I found him in his room reading, I went towards him and interrupted his concentration. "Why?! Why he did tell that to Raiha?" I inadvertently asked him. "Your so-called boyfriend is bringing you into a place full of motels and you were too drunk to notice!" he looks at me and answered. It was a surprise to me that Raiha has a perverted interior side on him but even so nothing can compare my anger to Tokiya. "It"s normal for 2 couples to do that!" I told him with a stern voice even though I know it was out of my league. He suddenly stood up from where he was sitting and pushes me towards his bed "Then it"s alright for us to do it too..." then told me but spanked him, to my surprise, before he could finish. "If you were too sure of what you said then you wouldn"t have backed out!" he angrily replied then pulled away from me. "Why are you doing this? You told me you wanted me to feel free?!" I cried. "I wanted you to FEEL free but I never told to BE free!" he answered emphasizing the difference of feel and be, he made me feel that I am stupid. "I don"t love you!! I don"t want to marry you either, you piece of ice!!" I lied I"m still head-over-heels of him. He didn"t look back at me and continued reading his book. I angrily went out of his room. "I"m leaving!!" I shouted but before I can even leave I saw my mom and dad were there bringing my things to my so-called room. They told me that Tokiya insisted me to live with him so he can look after me. I couldn"t back out from my parent"s request so I agreed. After that where ever I go Tokiya goes it was just like before but this time I hated every minute being with him. He dictates everything I wear and everything I do. He doesn"t smile nor speak kindly at me and we always end up fighting. Raiha hated the idea of me and Tokiya living together and always forces me to run away with him at last I give in to his request. When I was about to leave Tokiya"s house with a luggage on my hand he all of the sudden blocks the door. "If you leave you will never be welcomed to my house again!!" he said with an angry tone. I didn"t cared I just brushed him off and left with Raiha. I thought I"m safe but I was wrong, Raiha brought me to this very small apartment. At the middle of the night when I am sleeping something started crawling on my legs. I open my eyes saw Raiha on top of me and gave me this desperate look "Fuu-chan, we have been together for some time now...please understand my needs as a man" he begged. He started kissing me non-stop but I was too weak to pull him away he weight too much for me to move. "No...please...I...don"t..." I tried shouting but it only echoed the room. When I was about to lose hope something started banging from the door it was Tokiya. "Lay your hands off of my fiancé" his words started ringing to my ears. He suddenly pulled Raiha away from me and started punching him at no end. When my so-called boyfriend was knocked out he went quickly beside me. "Are you okay?" he asked before then carrying me back to his place. It was a very scary experience for me but because of it I slowly started to like my fiancé. The next day I broke up with Raiha and gave him a painful spank before leaving him. "Why did you still save me even when I rejected and left you?" I asked in wonder why laying my head on his broad shoulder. "That"s because you are my fiancé" He answered but his eyes were still on his book. I never knew if it was out of love but I never cared all I know is that I have learned to love him back again. "Arigatou...Mi-chan" A/N: So what do you think?? It"s not finish yet, we still don"t know what feelings Mi-chan have towards her!! Gomenasai Raifuu fans!! But to make the story credible, we need to make certain sacrifices. So if you wanna know the next sequel better press that button below and give me a review!!! (^ ~,V His Love for Me Part 2 It has been a year since Tokiya and I been together. He was still that stubborn guy I knew since he came back to me. He slowly learns to smile though and laughs at my jokes and clumsiness. I wanted to teach him that he should not be serious all the time and to have fun once in awhile. Last time we went to this amusement park and had fun together like the old days. He won me a very big teddy bear and we waited for the fireworks to light up before leaving. I touched his big cold hand with mine, I wanted to share my warmth and my heart to him, even though I knew we will still end up together anyway. Like any ordinary day Tokiya would walk with me to school and every lunch we eat together on the roof top with my home cooked meals. At first, I really suck at cooking. He told me that he doesn"t want a wife who cannot cook. I want to be perfect for him so studied how to cook, at my first try I gave him a stomach ache but he never complained at my cooking even if it tasted like crap. Slowly I improved and then a miracle happened after perfecting my craft in cooking, he suddenly smiled after eating my home cooked Yakiniku. It was the happiest moment of my life thanks to mom and his nanny for helping me. There were minor problems though in our relationship, it was his obsessed fans. When they learned that I was his fiancé I started getting threats from them. I approximately lost 10 pairs of school shoes every p.e. time in a year and I received 20 threat letters per day but it never occurred to me every time he held my hand as we walk together in school. I felt protected by him where ever I go letting no girl harm me. I love his icy stare, his tender care, his stubborn and down-to-earth attitude he was too perfect for me that I couldn"t ask for more. I thought everything was okay when all of a sudden on our way home a very pretty girl interrupted us. "Tokiya-kun, I still in-love with you and I wanted you to come back!" she told my fiancé. "Go home first" Mi-chan whispered to me before letting go of my hand. "Who is she mi-chan? And what does she meant about you coming back to her?" I asked him but quickly pulled the girl away with him and left. He left me alone again out here in the cold streets, I walk back home...all alone. At home I waited for his return it took long for him that I was unable to control dozing off, I didn"t notice his return. He accidentally awakened me while carrying me back to my room. "Mi-chan about awhile ago, who is that woman?" I asked him but he didn"t answer me back. "You should get some sleep you look so tired Monkey" He told me instead. I know he was keeping something from me but I was too tired to even think about it so I let it pass. The next day I noticed my fiancé was not home I asked auntie where he went she just told me that he went out to fix something. It was the first time he left without asking me where he will go. It worries me that he must be with that pretty girl again. Surprisingly it was the first time I ever went to school alone. Everyone thought Tokiya and I broke up but I told my friends that my fiancé just need to fix up something. A classmate of mine suddenly told me that she saw Tokiya yesterday seriously talking to a very beautiful woman. This made me jealous I wanted to know who that woman was and why my Mi-chan surrenders easily to her hands. One day when I was about to go home this woman suddenly appeared before. "Fuuko-san, can I talk with you for awhile?" she asked. I think she could sense that I was mad at her. "Who are you? And what do you want with my fiancé?!" I bloated. I"m Tokiyan-san"s girlfriend. He left me after knowing that I chose to married by a wealthy man arranged my parents too" she told me. "Tokiya and I love each other so much that we promised not to follow our parent"s desire for us. But I got scared when my parent made me chose between him and my inheritance and so I left Tokiya. Then I realized how important Tokiya-san is to my life. But before I can even refuse the marriage, Tokiya had left America and accepted his marriage to you to get even. I came all the way from America just to be with him "she told me. "Please leave Tokiya-san to my care and forget about the arrange marriage because you two never loved each other anyway at all" she begged. I was shocked and I never want to hear more so I left her with both hands covering my ears. I went home straightly looking for Tokiya wanting for an explanation with the sentence "We don"t love each other" running through my head over and over. I saw him by his terrace silently looking at the sky he noticed I went in he knew that I knew it already. The only question that came out from my mind is "why?" he looks at me and answered "I thought it was the only way to escape her marriage". "Do you love me?" I asked him, my tears can"t help running down. "I"m your fiancé" was the only answer I got back. I gave him a hot spank. "I broke up with my boyfriend just to be with you! I learned how to cook just for you and even endured the threats of your fans just for you!" I told him. "I never told you to do those stuff for me" he coldly answered. How could he be so cold to me I thought we were alright but we"re not. I couldn"t take it anymore so I left and went back to my house. I was so heartbroken I couldn"t even eat, I could stand to be away from him but it hurts me to be by his side knowing that he doesn"t love me at all, the way I loved him back. At school I always assure that our paths never meet. I partied with my friends to forget and leave everything behind but that didn"t erase the fact that I am his fiancé. One day the Tokiya"s ex came to my school again. I thought that she and Tokiya went back together and she was here waiting for him but I was wrong. "Fuuko-san, can I talk to you?" she came up to me and asked. "What for?!" I furiously asked her. I was mad, no furious of her from stealing MI-chan away from me. "I"m sorry for ruining your relationship" she tearfully said. It made me stop and listen. Tokiya-san had love you ever since and was loyal to you up till the end" she told me. "I loved Tokiyan-san so much that I made a plan to make him mine. I told Tokiya-san to help me because I was arranged by my parents with someone I don"t like. So Tokiya-san played as my pretend boyfriend to make my parents mad. But when Tokiya-san found out about my true intension he asked for a break-up and left" she breaks down and cry while finding a strength to say those words. "I was too jealous of you that I tried my best to steal him away from you which didn"t work because now Tokiya-san hated me for it and I can"t stand it any longer" she cried. I can"t believe at everything I"ve heard so I run back looking for Mi-chan to assure of it. I look everywhere for him at school until I saw him on the roof top lying on the floor. "Why? Why didn"t you tell me the truth?" I asked him. He answered me with "how could you lose your trust on me so easily". I cried and knelt beside his lying body. "I"m sorry and I never knew..." I told him. "Seven years ago my sister"s last will was to be the right guy for you and I needed to go study abroad so that he can learn to be independent and not a cry baby. After years of being away I had the longing to see you so I came back. I made a decision to stay but I have some papers to cover plus I want you to enjoy life before we get married, so I went back to American for a while. I was assured that you won"t answer any of your suitors but when I learned that you had I was furiously jealous that I went rushing back here to bring you back to me" he told to me. "I also told my so-called ex to leave you and me alone because you are the only one I love" he mumbled. It was all just for me...he only thinks about me...even waited for me on the roof top for my home cooked meal every day, thinking that I might return to him. Lastly he said those words I waited for so long. "I love you Fuuko. I love you even before, when we were young" he confessed sincerely. I cried that"s when I knew that he also loves me. He may not say it out loud to me but he shows it. I shook my head towards his lying head on the ground and slowly pinned my lips to his. As I released my lips from the soft kiss I express my feeling that is starting to burst out my heart. "I love you too...I love you so much that it made me so very crazy" I said leaning my head on his chest to hide a blush. We both release a small chuckle. Standing up he then reaches a hand to me. "It"s time to go home" he told me. I accepted his hand, helping me stand up and walk home together hand in hand. We were both in love and I"m glad we were destined even though we were both arranged...maybe love just comes in different ways. THE END By Rienne A/N: Thanks for the comments I really appreciated it a lot! I"ll try to finish my Silver Chains if I have time...tnx for still being there to support my stories guys!!

is getting juicier so better keep hanging on! Who do you want her to end up with? Will it be Mister Sweet liar Kurei, Romantic Lonely boy Tokiya or Hopelessly Romantic Knight Raiha? Vote vote vote or she might end up with someone you don"t want! Ja ne! Chapter 11 Iris woke up and saw Kurei was still in her arms sleeping like little fragile boy. She smiles and twirls Kurei"s messy hair with her delicate fingers causing him to wake up. "Good morning Kurei-sama" she said then smiles at the man who"s rubbing his small Persian eyes. He slowly reaches to Iris"s left cheek making her blush a bit. "Good morning Iris-san" he smiles back. "Let"s have our breakfast" Iris said while reaching Kurei"s hand that was touching her left cheek. Kurei nodded for reply. Hand in hand they went down stairs like newly weds on their honeymoon. Raiha who was at the end of the stairway can"t even bare to look. Iris greeted him but Raiha greeted back with no expression on his face at all. Iris noticed that there is something bothering Raiha that made her worried. "Raiha, Is there something wrong? You look different today" she asked her knight with a worry voice. "Keep in mind that she"s my fiancée and you"re her servant" the words from Kurei yesterday kept on running on Raiha"s mind. "I am just fine, Ms. Iris" he said with an expressionless face. Iris was not taken by Raiha"s answer, she know that there was something wrong but before she can ask again Kurei slightly pulls her towards the dinnig area. Iris sat beside Kurei then the kitchen door opens and dozens of maid went in with delicious delicacies on their trays but this time it was Iris who"s not in the mood to eat. Kurei noticed that Iris barely even touches her plate. "Is there something wrong Iris?" he asked worriedly. "Umm...nothing I think I"m still full from last night"s dinner. I ate a feast yesterday because you didn"t go down to eat haha..." she laughs but they both new the reason but they never dare to tell. "Did I do something to him? Why is he not talking to me?' these thoughts run inside Iris mind. After breakfast Iris quickly changes for school. "Iris we have to leave" Kurei reminded before walking straight out the main door. "Wait for me" she said as she quickly runs out. As she runs towards the car Raiha smoothly opens the door before her and still there was no expression on his face...not even a smile. Kurei acted as if there isn"t anything wrong at all he was mostly the one talking and Iris only nods. As they reach for the gate Kurei reminded her that Raiha will be the one to fetch her later. She looks at Kurei then to Raiha "Ok...good bye Kurei-sama" she slowly closes the door and left. "Raiha, I trust that you won"t do anything to her. I just have one simple instruction to you...don"t fall in love with her" he said glaring at his driver. Raiha looks at his back mirror a bit afraid of his master but nothing compares the pain of stopping his feelings for Iris. "Iris are you okay? It seemed like something is bothering you?" Yanagi ask her friend who wasn"t herself since the first period. "Yanagi, one of my friends started to stop talking to me" she answered sadly to her friend. "Did you do something get your friend mad at you?" she asked again. "That is the problem...I don"t know" Iris sank her head on her desk. "Well maybe it will work if you apologize to your friend" she advices her friend. "Ok maybe later...thanks Yanagi" she looks up and thank her concerned friend. "Anyways where is Mi-chan? I haven"t seen sempai all day" she looks around but there was no sign of Tokiya. "Well I heard he got caught a cold yesterday" Yanagi explained. "Oh my...I just remembered I left him outside with no umbrella" she said worriedly. "I"ll just visit him tomorrow to apologize" Iris answered while fixing her things for dismissal. "Is Raiha going to fetch you today?" Yanagi asked making Iris stop to think deeply. "I think..."she said blankly in monotone. Both Yanagi and Iris left went out the school. Yanagi was fetched by Recca who"s lazily leaning on the school"s fence. "Ei Iris, is it alright if we leave? We plan to watch a movie today hehe..."Recca shyly asked the purple head girl before him. "Of course dim wit! I don"t want to ruin you lovebird"s little date! Haha..." Iris laughed loudly mentally slapping Recca"s shoulder while Yanagi extremely blushes. A limo started beeping before them Raiha suddenly went down to open the back door for Iris. "Your not walking home?" Recca asked in surprise. "As you can see.."Iris replied sadly. "Well we have to go..bye iris!" Yanagi said as she and Recca both bid Iris goodbye. "Madam we have to leave" Raiha said blankly at her still standing beside the car"s door. "I"m sorry but I rather walk home" Iris snobs Raiha and just passed him. Raiha quickly closes the door and snatches Iris" arm making her face him. "It"s much convenient and comfortable to ride in this limo" he said to her seriously. Iris looks at him with her deep blue eyes and said "Well, I want to walk and I"m not in a hurry to go home. So if you don"t want to walk, it"s fine with me!" Raiha was pushed back on what she said and ends up walking with her instead. But Raiha was walking to fast making Iris take a faster pace. "Raiha slow down! What"s the matter with you? You"ve been so weird since this morning!" Iris desperately asked as she follows Raiha from behind. Raiha wasn"t answering back instead he made his paces much faster. "Raiha...did I do something wrong to get you mad?" she asked again but there was no plea. Raiha"s pace has gotten faster by then making Iris slip down towards the ground. Raiha heard and felt the loud bump from the ground he nervously looks back at Iris to see if she"s fine. Iris painfully touches her aching butt then laughs ironically at herself. "Iris-san are you okay?" his blanks stare turn into eyes of concern. He quickly went near her but Iris gave him a nod then smiles. Without thinking Raiha suddenly hugs the girl before him. "Riaha is there something wrong?" Iris was surprised of his reaction. "Yes there must be something wrong with me" he replied as he digs his head on Iris" shoulder. Iris suddenly noticed the red earrings he was wearing. "Those earrings of yours look so beautiful" she said not removing her stare at the gem. Riaha slowly releases his tight hug from her. "Oh...this? This was given by a very special friend of mine" he touches his earring then remembers the time when Fuuko gave him the pair of red blooded earrings after Sodom. "Here you can have this one" he takes off a earing from the left side of his ear. "No I can"t it"s so special to you" Iris declines. "No...with this make me a part of you" he reaches the earring on Iris palm and closed it with his. Author"s note: Waah!!! Raiha is getting so into to Fuuko will this be the start of Raiha not following Kurei"s orders? Tokiya...get well soon especially if Iris will be visiting you! Kurei time to know your limits before Fuuko finds out her true identity hahaha...it"s getting more exciting haha...ok maybe this chapter is kinda boring but what can I do? I can"t just leave Raiha behind! Remember he is still Fuuko"s first crush/love from the real series to the manga! Who do you want her to end up with? Will it be Mister Sweet liar Kurei, Romantic Lonely boy Tokiya or Hopelessly Romantic Knight Raiha? Vote vote vote or she might end up with someone you don"t want! Ja ne! A/N: Are you guys still alive? Haha...sorry I"m now working already but as promised I will always find time to finish this ok? So here it goes... Chapter 12 "Um Raiha..." Iris mumbled. Raiha was so fixated looking at the beautiful girl before him that he didn"t noticed his face was an inch close to hers and his hand was gripping to hers obsessively. "I don"t want to let go...I only want you to be mine, but I can"t. I need to resist you" these words went banging on his head before he had the urge to let go. "Raiha, Is there a problem?" Iris concernedly asked. "Nothing Iris-san...would you like to go home already?" he asked. "Not yet, I need to visit a friend of mine he is kinda sick..." she answered while looking at her shoes as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. "Do you want me to bring you there?" he asked as he took the heavy bag hanging on her shoulder. "No need, Yanagi and the gang offered me to come with them so you can go home first" she looks up at him and smiled. "I"m glad that you"re making friends Iris-san" Raiha said as he returned her smile. "Well you better get going before they leave you behind" he taps her back jokingly before getting in his car. "Ofcoure they won"t leave! Bleh!" she jokingly replied while sticking her tongue out. "She"s so cute...just like her" he thought as he bids her goodbye. Tokiya"s POV "I want to see her again...stupid flu!' I thought while I cover myself with the thick comforter. "No matter how many times I kept on dozing off she was always there in dreams, I might be getting crazy" I thought as pushed my head towards my pillow. "I need more warmth..." I said to myself. DING DONG! The doorbell rang... "I"m too tired to get that they will eventually get tired and leave me alone" I thought as I lazily slump myself more on my bed. DING DONG! DING DONG! DING DONG! "What the fuck?!", I shouted as I quickly went up to get the freaking culprit. I slowly open the door making sure I had this very bad aura around me, this always take them off. (fan girls I mean ^_^ ) "I think I just saw a stupid chimpanzee playing with my doorbell" I said out loud after taking a glimpse of the sea monkey. "Yo Mi-bu! Ya okay? Hime here got very worried so went here to visit you" Recca said giving Tokiya an apologetic peace sign. "If I"m not weak today I might have punch you back to your house Hanabishi. And don"t you dare call me in that name!" I said while glaring at him. I gave them all a weak smile to show my appreciation but something caught my eyes causing my weak smile back to a fine line. "What is she doing here?" I pointed at her, the girl who made me like this. "Hey Tokiya, you don"t have to be mean to her. She too was worried after learning that you were sick. The things Iris had to do just to see if you were fine" Recca teased. "Recca-kun you don"t have to defend me. At least now I know his okay...I better leave then" she said sadly. "No! don"t you leave me again" my thoughts started banging. In a spur-of-the-moment I caught her arm and pulled her back to me. "Did I tell you to leave?" I asked her, both our eyes meet and then every thing else has disappeared. "Geez...Mi-bu with the way your holding her, how the hell can she leave! You can now let go of her hand before my brother bowdlerize you!" Recca teased, I gave grumpily let go of her hand. "Stupid sea monkey, I"d rather you leave! His brother doesn"t own her what is in that puny mind of his!' I mumbled under my breath. All the thinking made my head ache even more I almost lost my balance when Iris quickly got hold of me. "Mi-chan, are you okay?" she asked with her eyes full of concern. I can never get mad at her...I just nod. After walking me back to my room with Domon of course helping me back, Yanagi offered to cook our dinner making Recca tail to her. Domon and Iris offered to look after me while Yanagi and Recca left for the grocery. The big buffoon was able to sleep first because of boredom. And that leaves me with her. "I just want you so badly...' I told to myself. She was sitting next to my bed while she was telling me about her day. I hate it when her story revolves around Kurei and Raiha. I just want her for my own, I want her to be Fuuko. "Mi-chan, Is there something wrong? You look so uneasy" she asked as she leans forward to check my temperature. Her touch made shiver and hot. "You"ve gotten hotter..." she frowns. "I"ll get more ice just stay here..." she offered as she quickly stood up and went through the door. "No don"t leave me...' I told myself weakly while unconsciously following her. Iris" Pov I was walking toward the kitchen when something caught my eyes. It was a picture of little Mi-chan. He was so cute and tiny, there was a pic of him with his sister "Wooh! she just looks like Yanagi haha", a picture of him graduating in elementary, a picture of him on his highschool uniform "Does he ever smile?', a picture of him with the... I took the frame with both my shaking hands...It was a group picture and beside him was a girl smiling while both her hands pinched Mi-chan"s cheeks just to smile... "That"s Fuuko Kirisawa surprised huh? " A voice suddenly appeared from my back. I was very fixated on the picture but I was still listening to whatever he was saying. "Two years ago something happened to Kurei. He went rather crazy so we all came looking for him but that unfaithful night Fuuko separated from the group then disappeared. Quite a coincidence, Fuuko disappearing and then you who exactly had the same look and features came along 2 years after" he said with agony from his voice. I slowly turn around and look at him. "Mi..." I said but I was surprised when he suddenly grabs me and kiss me forcefully. I was too shock, I can"t even move but the feeling was so familiar. Seconds later he lips released to mine and his arms tighten around me. His lips went near my ears and whispered "Please, comeback now Fuuko. I need you here with me like before..." A/N: I wasn"t able to edit this sorry..sniff...This chapter is so dramatic...I feel for you Mi-chan. This for all the Tofuu fans out there! I hope you like it! I showed the other side of Mi-chan! Very lonely yet romantic...Okay this story is about to near the end so keep hanging on okay! The Poll is still on who would you chose? Will it be Mister Sweet liar Kurei, Romantic Lonely boy Tokiya or Hopelessly Romantic Knight Raiha? Vote vote vote or she might end up with someone you don"t want! Ja ne! "Silver Chains" "Silver Chains" Chapter 2: "Darker Side" Hokage walks going to their school late at night. Recca plead Yanagi to stay home with his mother and wait for their return. While walking, Fuuko remains silent, Recca and Domon never seen the quiet type of her, so they started to get curious. While Mikagami walks cooly behind them, Kaoru starts asking Mikagami weird questions. "Sempai, do you know why Fuuko neechan is silent today?" he ask and Fuuko started to blush. "Why do you ask me?.I don"t play with monkeys!"he answered cooly. Fuuko starts to fume in anger "Well, I don"t see a reason to be silent because of you!!" she shouts straight to his face. Recca and Domon started cooling Fuuko down "Okay okay!! We are just wondering why you are so silent." Recca said while patting Fuuko"s back to get her calm. "Well I was just thinking how to react when I see Raiha." she blushes and looks at Tokiya. Tokiya glared back "boy am I a good Actress or what?!' Fuuko thought while hearing Domon"s howling. "Face it Domon! Your not for Fuuko neechan!!" Kaoru teased. At the middle of their conversation, Uraha appeared behind them. "What"s this, a reunion or something?!" Joker jokes to get Hokage"s attention. Raiha went near Recca "Thanks for coming!" he smiles and bowed at his master"s half brother. "We"re glad to help" Recca grins. "We are going to do this in piers, and if one of us saw Kurei, just blow this whistle" Raiha explained the rules. "Fuuko-san would you be my partner" Raiha ask Fuuko then she was suddenly pulled away by Tokiya "Geez Michan! If you want to be his partner, you could have just asked me nicely!" she jokes. "I"m not gay, and I won"t allow a Hokage and Uriah member to be partners" he glared at the two. "Pure jealousy" Fuuko thought while laughing crazily in her mind, Raiha was puzzled and don"t know whether how to react. "Hey! I want Fuuko to be my partner too!" Domon reacts like a child. "Why not draw lots?" Neon thought. Minutes later they began their search. Recca was paired with Kaoru and as always they fought whether where to pass. Neon was paired with Joker, which makes him so annoyed because Neon kept commanding him. And as always Miki and Aki was paired, the unseperable. Fuuko was paired with.Domon which made her really really mad because Domon keeps bugging her. And last but not the least was Raiha and Tokiya, they keep glaring at each other while walking silently. Fuuko"s pov "That"s it! You"re dead Domon!" Fuuko punches him until he went unconscious. She left Domon and starts to walk at the dark hallway by herself. Minutes later she heard foot steps following her, she fastens her pace. The sound started to get closer and closer, like the person was already at her back. The faster she walks, the closer the sound gets and the faster her heart beats. She quickly turns around into her fighting position holding fuujin, ready to fight. She was surprise to see no one at her back; slowly she turns around...Her eyes widen. In front of her is Kurei and his face looks like his thirsty for blood. "OMG! It"s him.oh shit! The whistle is with Domon damn it" she thought as her heart beats wildy. Kurei holds her chin up to let her look straight to his eyes; all he could see were wide, scared eyes. "Wait a minute what am I doing! Okay time for plan B" she thought then Fuuko"s eyes started to change from scared to full of courage. Kurei started to get angry when Fuuko changed her reaction. He started to kick her tummy that made her gasp very loud. Fuuko could feel the pain but she didn"t give up, she started to make her moves but no one of it can hit Kurei. Kurei gets tired of dodging so he gets her leg swings and throws it out to the window. Recca and the others heard the noise so they quickly traced it. Fuuko"s blood scattered on the ground she was out of the school. She stand up, a piece of glass was stuck on her right leg. "Let me help you..." Her eyes narrowed when she saw Kurei pulling her up by her collar. He started punching her continuously "Your going to die just like the others." he mumbles. "Your evil wills not reign. You"re all going to die!!" he continued. "Father, a life for a life!" he said crazily and kicks Fuuko away until her head hits the tree. Fuuko shouts for the pain he caused, her body was too painful to move. "Please stop." she cried "Can"t you see it"s over. Why can"t you accept it?" she continued but Kurei didn"t listen he kept on punching, kicking and burning her down. "How dare you command me what to do!" he answered her back and kept on hurting her. "You don"t know how it feels to be left by someone!" he continued and started to pull her up by her hair. Fuuko puts out soft moan of pain, Kurei smiled and punches her stomach. Fuuko"s body hits the tree again but still she never gives up. She sacrificed the pain and with the support of the tree, slowly she stands up "I may not experience to lose someone but...I live for some else, that"s reason why I couldn"t die now...coz I haven"t found the one meant for me yet!" she smiles and slowly she fainted down that were her last few words. That"s when Kurei went to his senses "I live for someone else. That"s the reason why I still exist" he thought. All he sees was a frail girl falling straight down the ground. Minutes after the fight. "Blood everywhere..."Kaoru gasp. At the same time they met at the same place. Recca saw Domon crying "Fuuko my darling! Where are you?" he shouts. Recca started to pull Domon"s collar up "Fuuko"s suppose to be your partner! where is she?!" he demands. Domon didn"t answer. They started to cry. Neon and her sisters remained silent, Raiha can"t speak, Mikagami punch the tree close to him and Kaoru can"t control himself and started shouting Fuuko"s name. The wind started blowing hard and not a trace of Fuuko can be seen. Chapter 3 Forgotten Kurei"s Pov It"s been 2yrs. since she"s been in a comma. I lied to my brother, to my own personal assistant, to her teammates, to her family and to everyone else. All this time I was the cause of her disappearance, I was.scared, scared to face the truth that I cause all her injuries so it"s my responsibility. I promise if she wakes up, she"ll never see a trace of me ever again. I stood beside Fuuko"s bed, wondering whether when will she wake up. Soon autumn will be over and there Christmas will soon enter. I don"t want her to be at this dark room every Christmas without her love ones beside her. I walk towards her and touched her pale pink cheeks "is this what can 2 yrs do to you?' Her very short boyish cut hair has grown inches away her shoulder, her figure started to have a shape of a full grown woman and yet her face never change, as if she never grows old. There she is lying on her bed like she been sleeping forever and yet forever still has an end. As the days, weeks, months and years have passed I thought Kurenai is my end but it extended.when you came into my life. Its hard to tell the truth but I must be falling for you and yet it gets so hard for me to let you go, not knowing. whether I should be happy or sad if you ever wake up. Suddenly Kurei"s phone rang. "Hello?" Kurei answered. "Kurei-sama! Have you bought something for your brother yet this Christmas?" Raiha asked. "Did he call me up again in my

*Rukawa knock Rienne down. Rienne: What was that for, bastard?! Rukawa: To lower your steam... Rienne: You misunderstood me jerk! *Rienne runs after Rukawa with a trigger on her hands. This scene is cut off for awhile... Fuji: While waiting...please read the chapter!! *she bowed then turned the page... Chapter 3 Sometimes either one of you have to suffer in Love After 2 days both Rukawa and Fuji"s feeling with each other becomes stonger than ever. More and more girls gets more mad at Fuji but she didn"t care cause she know that Rukawa is there to comfort her. The only person happy with thier so-called relationship is Sakuragi, not Haruko, not Toufa, not the three trying hard "jologs" or cheap cheerleaders of Rukawa, not Rukawa"s fanclub and also not the gays that have a undying crush at Rukawa. Fuji? no comment. Every lunch, Fuji always ended up eating with Rukawa and every dismissal she always waits for Rukawa even if he ended his practice, late. She don"t mind the warnings and mockings of his fans, "who cares we are only friends anyway" she always thought but deep down, she don"t know if she still feel the same way to him or has it deepen. "Rukawa-kun"Haruko puts all her guts together and face her fear. "What...?" "I just want to know...do you have a thing with Fuji?"she asked. "And if I say yes!" "I really wish we have" he thought. "But but...you can"t!" she cried. "And why!" "Can"t you see! Ever since, I have always love you. Can"t you see that I have done everything just to express it to you. I have face all umiliations and snubs you have ever gave. You don"t even face me when I"m talking to you! But...but why!!! Why is it that only Fuji is the one you speak with? To tell the truth, she never felt something deep for you, just interest! What made you like her so fast? What did you see in her that you don"t see in me or any other girl who falls for you?!" she cried as more tears fell from her rosy cheeks. He looked at her "Courage" was all he said then left. Living Haruko standing alone thinking of what Rukawa meant. "Her courage to face me...nobody other than Ayako, treats me like a normal teenager. And what makes her different form the others is that she sees what"s inside of me not just my outer appearance.' he thought as he pass the hallway of thier school. Fuji heard all. And she was so guilty to hear such words that came out Haruko"s. "It"s my fault anyway. I never ever imagine that I would ever fall to Rukawa. True, I never felt anything at our first encounter but as days gone by I should interest at his playing and now that I faced him it turns out that my feelings for him deepen more than interest. And I felt guilty with it. Everytime I look at the sky, I always remember that he is to high for me to reach but as days goes by something is drawing me closer to reach him. Should I follow my heart or my conscience?' She look down and tears fell from her cheeks down to the ground. Haruko caught Fuji hiding at the back of the hallway "Are you happy! You have him all by yourself, without facing anything embarrasing! And I call you a friend, I hate you I hate you very much" she shouted to her. "Haruko-san! I didn"t notice him falling for me! I"m so sorry, but its not my fault if he falls for me!! You know I can"t control his feelings" Fuji cried. "I don"t want to listen to anymore! If you want our friendship to remain forget him and stay away from him, you don"t love anyway! Right?!." Fuji didn"t answer, one thing"s for sure she isn"t sure of her feelings for him. "Should I wait for him?"Fuji walk back and forth. She thinking of it before dismissal until now. "He might get worried if I didn"t show up! But if Haruko saw me with him again, then...I would never hear the end of it! So its final I won"t show up!! Gomen nasai Rukawa-san, it"s just that...' she can"t think anymore she just runned away without looking back. "Score! Haruko you just made that janky Fuji latered" said Toufa as she pats Haruko"s back. Matsui just stared at Haruko "Sometimes we have to change...But is this for the better?' she thought and look away. "Where is she?"Rukawa looked everywhere, he just finished his practice and wentout to look for her. It was getting dark and soon droplets of rain started falling above hitting the ground. "Rukawakun"said a sweet voice, he turned and saw Haruko standing infront of him. She was holding an umbrella and smiled. But he didn"t say a word he just passed her and left the school and went home without Fuji by his side. Meanwhile at Fuji"s room...she made a poem to express her feelings.alone by sumiyo Mutsumi A dry breeze is blowing The city is getting cold I wonder how many seasons have passed without even a sound? "I was sitting on my bed thinking, when...my phone ringed. I know its him...' All of the people coming and going bear heavy burdens, searching for tomorrow within the heat haze wavering in the distance. "Konbanwa, dare desu ka?" she said lamely. "Fuji-san..." "I was right was him" Feelings like sand falling through my hands... Back then, the words that pierced my heart suddenly started to throb with pain, but... "Doko ni ittekimashita ka?! Do shita no desu ka?" he asked worriedly. Where have you been? What happened to you? I"ve searched for pieces of myself, counting the endless nights all the while. These feelings are becoming so certain I almost lose myself. Right now, without fail, I will walk forward, however far "Rukawakun...Okamai naku...watashi genki desu...gomen"is all I could say. Rukawa...Don"t bother...I am fine...sorry I wonder, why is the sky so vast? Even though I tried to yell, my voice didn"t come and the tears poured out. "That"s nothing! I"m just checking up...what happened to you anyway?" Wonder where the birds are flying off to, as they freely slice through the wind? One can"t return to the same place as it once was in days gone by. "I didn"t feel better so I went home first" I said on the wires. Even if I give up my dreams likethis, I won"t suppress my soaring heart beat. "Watashi wa muko ni ikimasu" he said to me worrily. I will be there Someday, I want to reach as high as the clouds. I"ll spread wide the wings in my heart and journey once again I will reach it, without fail. "Iie, iie! Okamai naku "I answered quickly. No,no! Don"t bother I"ve searched for pieces of myself, counting the endless nights all the while. "Hai, hai...Ano, wasurenaide ashita no asa..."he said sincerly Okay, okay...but, please don"t forget tomorrow morning These feelings are becoming so certain I almost lose myself. Right now, without faol, I will walk forward, however far "Shirimamasen...gomen"I cried "Sayonara" then I hang the phone. I don"t know...I "m sorry Goodbye "Why do I felt like I wanted to go there but my conscience keep pushing here. I can"t under stand if I wanted to come or not, I must choose fast before tomorrow comes...' Fuji hugs her pillow. She wanted to cry but she strong, she not like any other girl. She"s different. "Why do I feel that she"s not alright" Rukawa thought as he looks at the ceiling of his room. "I could sense it with her voice...its sad and lonely" Rukawa covers his face with his pillow and recall his conversation with Fuji in the phone awhile ago. "Why do I have this feeling that she would not come...' The next day... "It"s comfirmed that I won"t come but...still...' Fuji folded her blanket and cleaned her room. "Nothing makes me alive today. I can"t smile, laugh, etc. My soul is shattered...I want to come but I can"t" Meanwhile at the station... "Where is she?' Rukawa turns his head seaching for Fuji but no where to be seen. "Hey Kitsune! Your going to left if you don"t get in quick" said a red headed man as he swings in and out of the door of the train. "Baka! tell Mr Anzai to wait for a few more minutes" Rukawa shouts out loud for everyone to hear. "What"s your damage anyway Rukawa? You never been like this before" a fat man went near him and asked him with care. "It"s just that..." "Don"t worry, whoever your waiting for must have woke up late. I"m sure she"ll find a way to see your game"smiled the man. Rukawa can"t wait anymore so he went in but his eyes still glued outside. The train started to run. He sat near Haruko "Rukawa-kun? Are you alright?" he didn"t answer. "It"s Fuji huh...I told you she doesn"t like you, so why keep denying it?!" "I won"t believe you til" she say it to me, infront of my face"he glared at Haruko and said no more. "The game will start in an hour and I"m still here" she said as she hugs herself tight. "I really want to go but..." "But what?!" her aunt suddenly appeared. "But everyone would hate me for getting his heart" "You mean the nice young man" "Hai"she said stubornly. "Why are you scared?" "No" "Then why bother? He chose you, not them. You must be happy that of all girls, he keeps his gaze only for you" smiled her aunt. "But what about my friends?" "Is that more important? To sacrifice you feelings for someone else? It"s your choice, follow your heart or to regret it all your life..." then she left leaving Fuji to reflect on what her aunt just said. "What should I do...?" she closed her eyes for awhile then opened it wide "I know" then stood up and left her house. "Taxi" she shouted and a cab stopped. "To follow your heart" It"s passed an hour and the game started but Fuji is still not there. Rukawa look aroud for her, thinking that she must be sitting with the audience. But she"s not there. "Time out" said the referee. "Coach Anzai, can I call someone first" said Rukawa as he bowed to the fat man. "Why not! Kuwaru why don"t you exchange with Rukawa first". Rukawa quickly wentout the court and runned to the hallway looking for a pay phone. "Hello"said a older woman voice. "Hello good afternoon are you Fuji"s aunt?" "Yes, I am"her voice was not as lively as before. "I Rukawa Keade Fuji"s friend, is she there?" the voice started crying "I"m sorry son but...she can"t come to your game" she cried. "But why?" "Because, while she"s on her way there...the cab she used...met an accident...she"s in a manner of life and death"she cried. "I"ll go there, where is the hospital?" "No, please...before she was brought to the hospital she told if you call... Flashback... "Auntie...please tell Rukawa...not to mind me...I want him to finish his game...that"s the only way to make me...happy" then she was brought to the ambulance. End of flashback... After talking to Fuji"s aunt Rukawa went to the court quickly. Then he exchange places again with Kuwaru. "I"ll win this game Fuji just wait and see" then he started playing. "Haruko-san what"s the matter" Matsui asked the pale girl near her. "It"s just that...Rukawa plays like his not himself" she answered. "Are you happy?" "What kind of question is that?"she looked at Matsui. "You know what I"m saying" Haruko frowned "I don"t know..." After the game Shohoku won. Rukawa left not reaching the awardings he went quickly to Fuji. "Fuji-san..."he holds her hand. "Please wake up...I don"t want you to leave me... please" but there is no use she can"t wake up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued... Author"s notes: Rienne: Hahaha...I won over you!!! Rukawa: _) You just won becoz you have a trigger Rienne: Anyway! Is it to late for Rukawa to tell his true feelings to Fuji...is she going to die... Rukawa: Will the author keep dreaming! * -_-# Rienne punched Rukawa"s head. Rienne: Find out at the last chapter of It came over me in a rush!!! IT CAME OVER ME IN A RUSH Author"s notes: Rienne: Well I"m back again, and I can see that not even one has a courage to read this coz they are not Fujiru fans. Rukawa: I told you your just wasting time for this! Rienne: Oh well! Whoever read this...I am greatful you even reached up to here and got the guts to read this. To tell you the truth I am not that good in English, especially the present and past stuff. Sometimes my ask becomes asked etc. you know! And got lots of wrong grammars. Rukawa: Baka Fuji: Poor dear Rienne: ^-^ but don"t worry this would be the last chapter...at least I have the strength to reach the last chapter...this is getting boring... lights...camera...action... Chapter 4 I Would Never Live You Fuji was confined in the hospital for two straight weeks with no sign of life, living Rukawa Kaede more cold than before. No one in Shohoku have the guts to start a conversation with him even Sakuragi can"t do it. "No one will ever bring back the old Rukawa Kaede...only...' Hanamichi cuts his thoughts and came to his senses. "Hey Kitsune! You seem to be not interested in playing basketball this last two weeks. Is something bothering you?!"he ask Rukawa as he pats his back. "I"m not in the mood to play monkey with you baka!" he glared coldly to the horrified red head man. "Hey why don"t you forget about your worries and celebrate with me and my friends, don"t worry my treat!" he smiles and shows his money. "What"s to celebrate for? The girl that I really like was in the hospital and in a matter of life and death?!"he shouts at him and walks away. "He really got it!" Hanamichi crosses his arms at the back of his head and left. Failure. After dismissal Rukawa went to the hospital to visit her. He can"t complete the day with out seeing her, slowly he opens the knob of the door that opens a small portion. There he saw a very familiar figure. "Fuji-san...I am so sorry for all my faults" she cried. "I wish I never told you not to go to the game and request you to stay away from him" hiccups started to irritate her conversation and her eyes started to get heavy watery red. "So its your fault that this happened to her" Rukawa barge in mad. Very mad. He was right the girl she heard was the one and only friend of Fuji, Haruko. "Rukawa-kun, Gomen" she bows and started to run off the room but he holds her wrist tight to prevent her from leaving. "We"re not yet finish" he pulled her closed and made her look straight in the eye. His eyes were deep dark blue, emotionless. "Do you believe in karma...everything you have done to her will come back to you" he said looking at a horrified face. His looks like he wants to kill. Haruko with all her strength pulls her wrist to get free and started to run as fast as she can. "I am so sorry" her tears starts to increase more and more. Rukawa faces Fuji and went near her. Her wounds are still there but it started to heal in a slow pace. She looks fragile, lying in the bed, but still...lifeless. "I want you to wake up as soon as possible...I want you to know what I feel for you" he touches her cheeks and felt her warmth. He strokes her hair went again back to her cheeks. "I won"t let anyone else hurt" then kisses her in the forehead. It was going to be the end of the school year and Rukawa is not sure if they would see each other again. He wants her to be his partner this coming Junior prom and wanted to tell her what he feels before he leaves for America. After a week... Rukawa dash to the hospital after classes to check Fuji, it was the day he was waiting for. Excitedly he opened the door into Fuji"s room after he heard that she just woke up 2 hours ago. Time stopped for him after he saw what"s inside the room...nothing . No sign of her. A nurse notice him entered the room. "Sir if you"re looking for the patient book in that room, she jut left awhile ago...she was brought to a better hospital. Her strength is not yet back and she needs more medical help."smiled the nurse. "Do you know where find her?" he asks politely. "I"m sorry but...they left so fast that we don"t know what hospital she was transferred at" he frowns "Ok, thanks" then left. "Looks like I would be bring myself alone again in the party" he thought as he lifelessly kicks the can blocking his way. The party is getting started and Rukawa sadly sat at the edge of the room, looking blankly at the floor. A herd of girls started to tempt him to dance with them. No use, he is like a statue with no life at all. He reaches for a glass of crambel and jin and started sipping. "What"s the use of life if not for her" he continued to drink more and more, glass after glass. "Don"t tell me your also a champion drinker" said a girl in front of him. He started to look at her feet, she was wearing dark blue high-heeled shoes. Slowly looking up. "You look kinda pathetic! You know" she said again. She was wearing a plain dress, length above the knee showing her perfect figure, continues in looking up. "You have change for the past few weeks...are you okay?" her voice started to be caring. Then he saw her face...shock. Infront of him was the girl that he really, really likes ...Fuji. She was wearing the slightest make up, and her hair was tied half pony that made her show her true beauty. "But...how?!" he said in a shock voice. She smiled the smile that melts his heart "At last I saw her smile again.' "I just woke up when I saw Haruko and Matsui. They quickly sent me to a better doctor to let me heal quickly as soon as possible before the party starts. I"m sorry if it took awhile...I really want to surprise you, so I didn"t tell anyone where I"d be"she said. It took them awhile to stare at each other then...Rukawa quickly holds her shoulders and pulled her near him. "Don"t thank me thank them"she said and points at Haruko and Matsui. The both went near them and Rukawa bows in front of everyone. "Thank you Matsui...Haruko! And Haruko...I"ll bring back what I have told you"he smiles at the blushing girl. Quickly she offended "Rukawakun, don"t worry I just want to straight things up so when that karma comes, it would also turn out fine" she smiles. The pair nodded "Excuse guys but may I have a word with Fuji?"ask Rukawa. "Why not" the both smiled and left the two. Rukawa led Fuji to the balcony, there they dance in a slow pace. Fuji leans at Rukawa"s chest she could hear the beating of Rukawa"s heart in a fast pace, she could also feel him stiffen when he laid his hand in her waist and felt the coldness of his hands as he touches her hand. In the other hand Rukawa felt Fuji"s warmth, her whole body hots. He looks down and saw Fuji"s cheeks red and rosy "definitely kawaii". The dance goes on and on that make them feel that they have been dancing forever, until the music ended slowly. Gently they pushed each other away, then silence. "Fuji-san in the past weeks I started to have feelings for you..."he broke the silence laid his hands in her shoulder. "I just want to tell you how much I...I...lo...ve...you" he said nervously. Fuji"s stare broke up into a smile, the most beautiful smile he ever seen "I love you too" she hugs him tight, a tear fell from her eyes. "But there is one thing putting us apart for awhile" Fuji"s smile turned to a frown. "Oh..." she push away. "I"ll be leaving tomorrow and be away for a few years" they said together. "Oh"they said again and looks away. "Whatever happens I will still wait for you...I wish you too"she blushes. Rukawa looks at her and laid his hands in her shoulders and said "I will wait for you no matter what" slowly he leans at her until both of them could hear each other"s breath. Fuji looks deeply at his blue orbs and slowly closes their eyes, the next thing they knew they are touching each other lips. Both description of the kiss, soft, sweet and gentle and ofcourse full of love. The kiss took minutes making them thinks time has stop and seemed forever but... forever seems too short for them. Fire works started to show and there kiss more fantastic. Slowly they broke up the kiss and hug each in other"s arms. Why waste time? They should use it wisely, it"s there last day together. So the night turns out to be fine but a bit doubtful for the both of them. "Wait a minute where is he/she going again" said Rukawa and Fuji as they lay up from their own beds. Rukawa calls Fuji"s phone and Fuji calls Rukawa"s phone. Busy. They given up. The next morning... Rukawa sits on the plane going to New York. "I wish I knew where she"d go so I could write her everyday" he thought then frowns. "Excuse me, your sitting at my chair"said a girl but in a gentle way. "Sorry I was wait for..."he broke his sentence when he saw the girl"s face. "Rukawa?!" "Fuji?!" "What are you doing here?" they said the same time. "I"m going to take up college in America" Fuji smiles as she blushes. "Me...too" he said while blushing. "Where there?"he ask her as she sits on her chair. "Green Meadows University" she answered. Silence. "What?" she waves her hand into his face. "Hello earth to Rukawa, still there?" he smiles...a very wide one and then hugs her tight. "whoa" "Fate really brought us together...We are in the same university!" Fuji can"t speak a word, she is over joyed the next thing she remembers is that he was holding her chin and his leaning closer to her, his head bowing to reach her"s. Their lips yet again...touched. Her arms circled him and his arms touched her waist...both deepen the sweet kiss for it won"t be last. "I would never live you, ever again" they both thought. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Owari!!!!! Author"s notes: Rienne: At last its finish!! Rukawa: Finally I could go back to my own world! Rienne: Don"t be sure Rukawa... *she glared at Fuji and Rukawa Rienne: This would end right now but it would not be the last *Rienne laughs Fuji: Oh dear! Rukawa: Booger! P.s. So what do you say I"ll be waiting for more complains!!! ( ^ ,~V

"Yeah, for all the good it did." Peter dropped into a chair and shook his head."He acted as if we were looking for a lost puppy. Didn"t show the least bit interested that a man from his jurisdiction had vanished." "Same thing with the rest of the town," Khan offered from the doorway. "Went to the drugstore, the local hardware, post office. No one we talked to would admit they had even heard of a Paul Baker in these parts." "Even the police?" Rykker asked. "Oh, the sheriff said he recognized the name...said he hadn"t seen him for months." Peter jumped up and started pacing again. "The whole town can"t be that closemouthed." "Oh, sure they can," Kermit said. "If they"re intimidated by something big enough. And they don"t know you from Adam. If they started talking to outsiders, well...anyone could be listening." "So, it looks like we"re not going to get any help from the locals," Peter said, slamming his hand on the doorframe in frustration. "I never expected we would." Kermit said as he lifted several chipped coffee cups from the drainer next to the sink. "But they know you"re here now, so let"s see where that takes us." "What did you and Rykker find on your little "walkabout"?" Peter asked as he accepted a cup of steaming brew from Kermit and sat back down again. "Exactly what Paul said we would find. A compound, small but well guarded, minimal security but enough to keep out the wandering hunter or curious neighbor." "How close did you get?" Peter asked. "Not close enough." Rykker reached for his own cup and warmed his hands around the sides. "But we will." "When?" Peter asked, leaning forward, his cooling coffee forgotten. "Soon." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fireflies glittered like stardust fairies against the blanket of darkness that surrounded the isolated cabin. The crackle of a roaring fire carried to Peter"s ears as he sat on the cabin"s front steps, oblivious to the unfamiliar sights and sounds of the night. Nightfall had come quickly, stealing away what little warmth the autumn sunshine could provide. With the sunset had come the disheartening knowledge that a second day had now gone by, and they were no closer to finding out what had happened to Paul Blaisdell than they were on their arrival. His restlessness had led him to explore the cabin again, even though the four of them had searched every nook and cranny the day before. Peter didn"t know exactly what he was looking for; he just knew he needed to do something to vent the frustration that was growing stronger by the hour. After prowling around the cabin for more than an hour, seeing what remained of his foster father"s possessions and clothing scattered about became more than he could handle. He had felt the gazes of each of his companions on his retreating back as he had finally stalked out of the cabin, headed for the river and the solitude it provided. The advancing darkness and plummeting temperatures soon sent him back up the steep bank to the inviting warmth of the cabin. But he settled instead on the rickety wooden steps outside, his emotions still too inflamed to return to the company of his friends. The small house reminded him too much of another cabin, in another place, another lifetime. A larger, more comfortable structure that smelled of wood smoke and wild flowers. The flowers were a tradition with Annie. Even though she couldn"t see them, she always applauded his sisters" efforts to forage the nearby woods for the makings of a bouquet that would make the family cabin feel more like home. She always knew when he and Paul neglected to shed their muddy boots at the door after a day of fishing on the lake. She always sensed the changes in the weather that signaled the approach of a sudden summer thunderstorm, and made sure her family was safe and dry inside the cabin long before its arrival. She always knew, Peter thought to himself with a wistful smile as a dragonfly whispered around his ear. Kermit said she knows Paul is all right. So why don"t I feel that way? A sudden gust of frigid air whistled across the narrow porch, sending a shiver through the young man"s bones. I hope she"s right...I hope she doesn"t know what"s happening now. He leaned his head against the railing and stared out into the night. "If he"s here, Mom," he whispered into the wind, "I"m gonna find him. I promise you that. I"m not going home without him...not this time...not ever." He closed his eyes in a silent prayer to the One to watch out over the soul of the man he loved more than anyone except his own flesh and blood father. Then he climbed slowly to his feet, opened the cabin door and accepted its invitation of warmth as he stepped inside and quietly shut the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The four men agreed to rotate 90-minute shifts of sentry duty throughout the night, with Kermit scheduled to relieve Peter just before dawn. As he sat huddled under a frayed woolen blanket near the front door, Peter could hear the constant clatter of the computer expert"s keys inside the cabin as he alternated typing and softly swearing at the minuscule screen. Leaning back against the rough boards of the cabin"s front wall, he stared out into the darkness, shivering in the predawn chill. A moment later, Peter realized the keyboard had fallen silent; only a rhythmic chorus of frogs and crickets broke the stillness of the crisp mountain air. He sensed his friend"s approach a second before the front door swung open and Kermit stepped out into the darkness. "Changing of the guard," Kermit announced as he wearily settled down on the other side of Peter"s position by the door. "Go get some sleep." "Turn up anything on your computer?" "Nope." Peter shifted under the blanket, but made no move to go inside. "Would you share it with me if you did?" "Why wouldn"t I?" "You tell me, Kermit. You"ve been treating me like the imbecile stepchild ever since I showed up at the airport back home." "You"re imagining things," Kermit replied tersely as he removed the Desert Eagle from his waistband and laid it carefully across his lap. "Expecting trouble?" Kermit turned his head toward the gentle wash of the river against the pier. "You can never be too careful." "Is that why you didn"t want me along? Being careful?" When he received no reply, Peter suddenly pushed himself to his feet, the blanket dropping to the rough plank floor. "What happened to him, Kermit?" Kermit continued staring out toward the black shadow of the river just beyond the cabin"s muted circle of light. "If I knew, do you think I"d be sitting here discussing it with you?" "Then what do you think happened?" Kermit slowly rose to his feet, his weapon gripped tightly in his gloved hand. "Keep your voice down. There"s...." "Someone out there," Peter finished for him, his voice almost a whisper. "I feel it, too." Both men stepped back into the shadows of the cabin"s front wall, barely breathing. Kermit slid closer to Peter, their shoulders barely touching. "I don"t know what you feel, but I heard something near the water...and listen. What do you hear?" "Nothing," Peter answered after a pause, reaching under his jacket for his own weapon. "Exactly. No crickets, no frogs...just things that go bump in the night." "I"ll go around back and come up on the riverbank that way," Peter whispered to where Kermit had been standing a moment before. But in the time it had taken him to glance down at his coat and retrieve his gun, Kermit had slipped off the porch and into the murky darkness beyond. Damn, he"s good, Peter thought as he lowered himself down to the ground on the opposite end of the front porch and slipped into the cover of the night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The predawn darkness enveloped Peter like a shroud as he crept silently around the cabin, keeping his back to the wall as he approached the rear corner. A heavy fog had rolled in from the river, lowering a curtain of opaque mist between his crouched position and the woods beyond. Peter paused, temporarily disoriented. It was not the environment a city cop was accustomed to...no street lights or familiar landmarks, only total darkness and an unnatural silence. He listened intently for anything that might give away the location of the intruder. He heard nothing. Two options here, Caine, he told himself as he attempted to peer through the darkness without can stay here and wait, or you can step out from cover and see what happens. He tightened his grip on the familiar Beretta, took a deep breath and made his decision. Just as he moved to step away from the building, a movement in his peripheral vision froze Peter in his tracks. A shadow, its form hidden by both distance and darkness, moved from one vaguely outlined tree to the next, in the general vicinity where Kermit had disappeared minutes before. Peter moved back against the rough wood of the cabin, sliding the weapon into the waistband of his jeans as he did so. He couldn"t see well enough to use the gun; for all he knew, the wraithlike form moving through the shadows could have been Kermit. Or it could have been his imagination. Leaning back against the rough hewn wall. Peter took a deep breath, closed his eyes and let his senses drift. In his mind"s eye, he could see Kermit, hidden behind a massive tree trunk, glaring into the dark curtain of fog that surrounded him. And then he saw the other man, dressed in black, creeping silently along the tree line toward his friend"s position. Peter opened his eyes and searched the mist for the towering oak he had seen in his mind. He could barely see it through the billowing fog, its trunk no more than a vague shadow as it towered over the neighboring pines. Leaning into a crouch, he took off at a half run toward the location of the intruder as he had seen it in his vision. Unable to disguise the sound of his approach across the deep carpet of the forest"s floor, Peter decided that surprise was a better weapon in this situation than stealth. He reached the tree line and never slowed down. Within seconds, he saw his target as the man began to turn, a startled look of surprise crossing his features a split second before Peter tackled him and slammed him down face-first onto the cold, soggy ground. "Don"t move," Peter growled as the man struggled underneath him. He twisted one arm behind the man"s back and pinned him down with his knee. "I said, don"t move." Kermit"s silhouette appeared out of the fog as he slowly surveyed the area for other prowlers, then turned his attention to the man in the dirt at his feet. "And who do we have here?" He nudged the prone figure with one mud encrusted boot. "I need...need to...talk to...you," the man gasped between grimaces as he tried to catch his breath. Kermit knelt down on one knee and studied their captive"s face intently. "I think that can be arranged," he replied as he reached down, helped Peter drag the muddied man to his feet and unceremoniously dragged him toward the back door of the cabin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kermit kicked a wooden chair out from underneath the kitchen table, and none too delicately pushed their unannounced visitor into it. Rykker watched without comment from the far wall, while Master Khan filled the doorway with his imposing presence. Peter closed the back door, leaning against it to block any possible avenue of escape. Kermit circled the chair and glared down at the man. "Why don"t we introduce ourselves?" he growled. "You first." "Campbell," the man snapped as he brushed mud caked leaves from his hair."Eric Campbell. Your turn." "I suppose you have I.D." "Sure." He reached into his rear pocket, pulled out a faded wallet and tossed it upon the table. Kermit picked it up, opened it and quickly compared the picture on the driver"s license to the man seated in front of him. "It doesn"t do me justice," Campbell said, his eyes casually scanning the room and the men whose eyes were fixed on him with varying expressions of curiosity. He extended his hand, and after a moment"s hesitation, Kermit snapped the wallet shut and returned it to him. "You want to tell us why you were sneaking around outside in the middle of the night?" Peter asked. "Well, I couldn"t very well drive up to your front door during the day, could I, Griffin?" He met the mercenary"s stony gaze with a rock steady one of his own. "You are Kermit Griffin, aren"t you? Your description fits you perfectly, right down to the shades." Kermit"s expression was unreadable behind his ever present green glasses. Only the slight tilt of his head gave any indication that the man"s words had carried to Kermit"s ears at all. Finally, he turned away from the man"s position, shucking his overcoat as he reached for the now lukewarm coffeepot. "You know this man, Kermit?" Rykker"s voice sounded from across the room. "No. But Paul did...does," he corrected himself as he put on a fresh pot of coffee. "Campbell is the undercover agent Paul was working with." He turned and fixed Campbell with a look that left no room for argument. "And he"s the man that"s going to help us find him." "Finding him isn"t the problem," Campbell replied. "I know where he is. Getting him out, now that"s going to be the problem." Khan stepped into the room and approached the man"s chair. "You know where he is?" "Yes. He"s inside the camp where I"ve been living for the past three months." "A prisoner?" Peter asked. "Yes." "Why? Why are they holding him?" Campbell wiped away a trickle of muddy water that trailed down his temple. He rose and motioned to the sink. "May I?" Kermit stepped back with an exaggerated bow and allowed the muddied man to approach the deep porcelain sink. The occupants of the room waited patiently for him to rinse the dirt from his hands and face before continuing. "The head honcho of this little "group" I"m working with is a guy named Gregory Dawson." He turned from the sink, wiping his hands as he glanced at each of them in turn. "Real anti-government extremist, a card carrying member of the lunatic fringe. Thinks Timothy McVeigh should be nominated for sainthood." Kermit leaned against the counter, armed crossed against his chest. "Is this Dawson guy following in his hero"s footsteps?" "He"s trying to. His operation started out small, but he"s beginning to build a reputation around the mountains. This is a perfect area for clusters of extremist groups to base their operations; it"s isolated, rugged country, and the natives usually keep to themselves." "Hence the lack of any real security around the camp." Rykker smiled at the surprised expression on the young agent"s face. "We"ve already checked it out." "Don"t let appearances fool you. What they lack in modern security equipment, they more than make up for in firepower and muscle. That"s how Paul got caught." "What do they plan to do with him?" Peter asked, his question echoing the thoughts of each of his companions. "At first, they planned to kill him." Campbell saw Peter"s anxious expression, and quickly continued. "Then Dawson decided to sit on him for a while, see if anyone came looking for him. That was the only way he would know for sure if any sensitive information had been leaked out. If so, he could just pull up stakes and set up business in another remote area. That"s why they came here and tore up this place. They were looking for evidence that Paul was spying on them." "Did they find anything?" "Not a damn thing. Frustrated the hell out of Dawson, too." "And where were you when all this was going on?" Kermit asked. "Had to make a run to the coast to pick up some equipment that Dawson"s been trying to score for months. I got back yesterday, and heard some of the men crowing about their first "prisoner of war.'" "Conveniently absent when an innocent bystander needed your help. Campbell...or whoever you are...you weave a delightful story," Kermit said as he pushed away from the counter and began pacing the room. "But you"ve gotta do better than that. You sneak up here in the middle of the night...and you knew we were here, so this wasn"t your first trip to spy on us. How am I doing so far?" "I did know you were here," Campbell admitted. "The picture on the driver"s license is worthless, as far as I.D. goes. My twelve year old niece can get a fake I.D. any day of the week in her junior high gym class." The mercenary stopped directly in front of the man"s position by the sink. "For all we know, you could be Dawson"s right-hand man, sent here to check us out. The real Campbell could be lying at the bottom of a canyon somewhere. Why should we believe any of this? Why should we believe that you"ve even met our mutual friend?" Campbell returned his stony glare for a moment, then turned and stepped over to Peter. "Because I recognize you. You"re his son, aren"t you?" Before Peter could respond, Kermit stepped up beside him. "How"d you know? Family resemblance, perhaps?" "No," Campbell smiled at Kermit"s obvious attempt to snare him in a lie, then turned his attention back to Peter. "Because you"re his foster son. He showed me a picture once...said it was the family he left behind. Never could get him to open up about why he was living up here alone. But he always liked to talk about all of you. I gathered that he wasn"t living up here in the middle of nowhere because he preferred it." "No, he wasn"t," Peter said softly. "So, when do we get him out?" "Sorry," the young agent replied. "Can"t help you there." "What?" Peter asked incredulously. "You guys are on your own. I took a big enough chance just coming here tonight." He moved to Peter"s left as if to push past him on his way to the back door. Before his hand could close around the knob, Campbell suddenly found himself propelled backward. His back crashed against the unforgiving plaster of the kitchen wall where he remained helplessly pinned by Peter"s arm across his throat. "I suggest you reconsider," Kermit emphasized his statement by pressing the barrel of the Desert Eagle into the soft space just below the gasping man"s right ear. "Your playmates are not the only ones with a little firepower, but I"d prefer a neat and clean retrieval if at all possible. Besides, you owe him. He risked his life on your assignment. The least you can do is help us get him out of it." Campbell"s eyes grew larger as he struggled for breath. "I can"t," he wheezed. "Not without blowing my cover,months of work...." "You"re not paying attention," Peter hissed, tightening his grip on the man"s throat ever so slightly. "We couldn"t care less about your cover, or your mission, or the tight asses in suits that you work for back in D.C. You just find us a way in, we"ll get Paul out and you can carry on with your little game." "Not going to be that easy," Campbell said, refusing to meet Peter"s eyes. "Sure it is, "Kermit said. "I"ve already recon"d the place. Security is laughable at best." "It"s not that." Kermit and Peter exchanged uneasy glances. Kermit removed the weapon from Campbell"s neck; after a long moment, Peter released his grip on the agent"s throat as well. "Explain, " Kermit said, the gun still cradled in his right hand. "I want to get him out, I swear to God I do." The young man was obviously sweating now, despite the cool environment of the cabin. "That"s why I came here tonight. I wanted you to know where he was, so you could get him out. But...." Peter was beginning to feel an ominous sense of dread that he couldn"t explain. "But what?" "Something big is about to go down. The men are antsy, real antsy. I keep hearing talk about "the mission", that they"re all ready to go with it. Security is tight and every man"s got his finger on the trigger right now. A stray bunny couldn"t get in there unnoticed." "Do you know what they plan to do with Blaisdell?" Kermit asked. "I don"t think they know what to do with him. But they"re gonna have to decide soon. They know he"s seen and heard too much; they can"t afford to let him go now." "And you just left him there?" "Yes, dammit, I left him there." Campbell shoved Peter away and stepped away from the wall. "I knew I couldn"t get him out alone. I knew I had to take a chance that you people really were here to help him. So back off; you wouldn"t even know where to look if it wasn"t for me." Peter shook off Kermit"s hand on his shoulder as he advanced on the agent. "And he wouldn"t be in this mess to begin with, if it wasn"t for you." The two men now stood toe-to-toe, the agent"s composure now firmly back in place while Peter"s was rapidly falling apart. "Paul is not in the business anymore. You put his life in danger when you dragged him into this little mission of yours." Campbell held Peter"s furious gaze for a moment, then glanced over his shoulder at Kermit. "I see you didn"t tell him everything, did you?" Peter turned and fixed his gaze on the now silent mercenary, his expression shifting from surprise to accusation. "Tell me what, Kermit?" "I told you everything you need to know." "The hell you have." Peter"s eyes flashed with barely suppressed anger. "You"ve been playing your little secret agent games ever since this whole thing started, and you"ve done everything you could to keep me out of the loop." He took a step toward Kermit. "And I want to know why."

Hardcastle caught the rough twang of an east coast accent...New York, maybe. "What address were you looking for?" "Ah, this is the address I was given, but..." the man shook his head. "There must be a mistake." "Okay, let me ask this another way," the judge said. "Who are you looking for?" "Someone I knew a long time ago. His name is Mark McCormick." MMMMMMMMMMMMMM Mark"s mood had not improved as he rolled the Coyote sharply to the left toward the garage. He stopped just outside the open doors, climbed out and grabbed a tarp from an overhead shelf. "What are you doing?"Hardcastle asked from the back steps as he watched Mark spread the canvas over the concrete floor. Mark rolled his eyes but didn"t look up. "What does it look like I"m doing? I"ve still got that oil leak somewhere, and since you probably have plans for me that don"t include finding it, at least I can keep it from dripping all over the floor." "Someone was here looking for you while you were gone." Mark brushed dust from the tarp from his hands as he joined the judge in the driveway. "Who was it?" "I don"t know." Hardcastle waited patiently while Mark turned the Coyote around in the drive and backed it onto the tarp. Once Mark had the car situated to his liking, the judge continued. "Said he knew you from a long time ago." Hardcastle stepped back out into the sunshine, then realized McCormick was no longer walking with him. He turned back to see the suspicion on the younger man"s face. "How long ago?" Hardcastle leaned forward as if to intimate a secret. "I...don"t...know", he growled. "He didn"t say and I didn"t ask him. I gave him your phone number and he said he"d call. I didn"t even get his name. That"s all." Only because you didn"t have time, Hardcase. There was very little Hardcastle couldn"t weasel out of a person, given the opportunity. He could testify to that from personal experience. And was there just a hint of frustration behind that comment, that there might be someone in McCormick"s past that he didn"t know about, or have an entry or two in his ever growing file in the judge"s desk? Maybe I"ll just keep the donkey in the dark about this . It won"t hurt Hardcase to step out of my personal life once in a while. "Oh, almost forgot. Here"s your file." Mark handed the folder to the judge. "Happy reading. I"ve got a oil leak to find. " "You"re not in some kind of trouble, are you?" Hardcastle growled as McCormick headed back to the garage. "Not today, but hey, the day is young." MMMMMMMMMMMMMM The judge looked up from the files scattered around his desk as Mark came in and settled into a chair. "Your friend call back yet?" Mark sat back in the chair. "Nope. So, what"s with the file you had me fetch this morning? I thought you already had a case you were nosing into." Hardcastle studied his young friend for a moment The seamless way McCormick had segued into the case and veered the conversation away from his question had not been lost on him. But he decided to let it be for now. "Oh, this is not a new case," he replied. "Frank just sent me some more information. I"ve been making some calls, checking out some stuff." He passed the folder over to McCormick and sat back in his chair. "This guy runs a used car lot and garage downtown. Don"t have a clear photo of him yet. Cops suspect him of running a chop shop, fencing stolen parts, stuff like that. Got busted a couple of months ago. He had a slick lawyer, I have to give him that. Made the case that his client didn"t know the car was hot and that it was on his property just for repairs. He had a solid alibi for the times that the car was boosted, and no one who worked for the guy who would testify against him." "So, he walked," McCormick said, the unopened file still in his hand. "Now it seems he"s back in business. The word is, he recruits kids off the street to boost the cars for him. He pays the kids off, the parts disappear to chop shops in Mexico, probably. There"s a lot of traffic in and out of the shop, so there"s probably a drug operation going on, too." Mark thought for a moment. "Why does he use kids? Gang members?" "Nah." The judge sat back in his chair. "Gang bangers want too much of the action. Word is, he recruits kids on the edge, street kids looking for a hustle, a quick dime. Some of them get paid in dope, others in cash. Guess there"s plenty of kids out there on the street that"ll do anything for a quick score." Mark considered that for a moment. "Yeah, I guess there are. What"s this guy"s name?" The judge frowned. "It"s in that folder...the one you"re twisting into a toothpick there." "Oh, sorry." Mark loosened his grip on the file but made no move to open it. Hardcastle frowned again. "What"s up with you? " "Huh? Nothing, judge. Just thinking, that"s all." "Jack Benson." "Who?" "Pay attention, McCormick. The sludge ball"s name is Jack Benson. We don"t have a background on him yet . Frank"s working on it." "So what is it about this case that lit up your radar screen?" "Keep reading." The judge watched as Mark sat back and opened the file, spreading several sheets across his lap as he read. Something is bugging him. Not one smart mouth comment since he came in. Maybe the case hits a little too close to home. Nah, he"s past all that now. But still... "Frank thinks he"s tied in to a murder?" The judge blinked out of his reverie and nodded. "A kid named Alvarez, had a juvie record for petty theft, shoplifting, nothing major. Family members, teachers, all said he was a good kid, just needed a little guidance. He got pulled over in a stolen car. The D.A. was pushing to prosecute him as an adult for the GTA and he got scared. Said he"s be willing to turn state"s evidence against Benson, the cars, the drugs, everything, and they were about to make a deal." "And the kid had an accident?" "Someone posted his bail, anonymously of course. He hit the streets and three hours later, he was dead in an alley." "Drugs?" "Nope. Someone beat him to death." "They what?" Mark looked stricken as he glanced down at the file in his lap. "Definitely not a robbery. The kid had fifty bucks in his pocket and a solid gold chain around his neck. Somebody used him to make a point." Mark closed the file and handed it back to the judge. "Explains why Benson"s employees are so loyal to their boss." He stood suddenly and walked slowly to the window. Hardcastle waited for several seconds; when no further input was forthcoming, he continued. "So, now we just have to figure out a way to get close to this guy, and catch him in the act." A long moment passed before McCormick responded. "You"re kidding, right?" he asked. "This is a police matter, judge. These guys are professionals. You can"t just hide around the corner and hope to catch them with their hands in the cookie jar." McCormick expected a sharp retort; instead, the judge nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, I"m still working on how to get a inside line on this guy. After all," he grinned, "You"re a bit too old to send in undercover on this one." "You have no idea how thrilled I am to hear you say that." Mark said as he turned from the window to stand in front of the desk. "So, what"s the plan, Kemo-Sabe?" "Don"t have one yet." Hardcastle sat back, dogged determination in his expression. "But I will." Mark smiled. "I don"t doubt that for a minute." He turned to leave and had barely reached the landing when the judge cleared his throat. "You didn"t tell me if you"d figured out who that guy was, the guy that was looking for you." McCormick grimaced. That close to a clean getaway. "No, I didn"t, did I?" he grinned as he slid backwards through the doorway and out the front door. The insolent look he flashed as he stepped outside slipped away as he headed for the gatehouse. I just hope I"m over-reacting here, "cause if I"m not, you"re not the only one without a plan. MMMMMMMMMMMMMM The phone was ringing as Mark entered the gatehouse. He turned back to shut the door and noticed a small piece of paper lying in the doorway, as if someone had slipped it under his door. He grabbed the phone in mid ring as he kicked his greasy sneakers into the corner and glanced at what turned out to be a business card. "Hello." "Ah, yes...Is this Mark McCormick"s residence?" The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but no name came to mind in the few seconds of hesitation he allowed before answering. "Yes, it is. Who"s this?" "You don"t recognize my voice, do you?" "Nope. Any reason why I should?" He wasn"t usually this short on the telephone, but he wasn"t usually sweaty, tired and reeking of oil and brake dust this early in the day. "It"s Jack. Jack Baker. Remember me now?" Mark froze as memory kicked in and locked the voice on the phone with a name he hadn"t heard in years. The voice was deeper, more gravelly than he remembered, but the accent was unmistakable and the inflection the same. "Jack?" "You"re a hard guy to find. I knew you were in LA somewhere, but it took me a while to find you." Mark sank down on the sofa and switched the phone to his other hand, slipping the now forgotten card into his pocket. "How did you find me?" "Well, I figured if I checked out the local tracks, somebody would know you. They said you weren"t racing anymore, but you had this souped up car. I checked a couple of garages, figured a car like that...somebody would remember, and they did." "You talked to Benny." "Yep." Mark made a mental note to remind his mechanic about discretion being the better part of valor. And then Benny would probably remind Mark that he wasn"t supposed to be on the run from anyone anymore. "I"d like to see you sometime, Mark." The request wasn"t totally unexpected, and yet McCormick felt the tension tightening his shoulders. "I don"t think that"s such a good idea. Besides, I don"t plan on going back to Jersey any time soon." "I"m here in LA." Mark closed his eyes and wondered how he was gonna talk himself out of this one. "Look, I know I kinda surprised you...It has been a long time. How about I let you think about it and I"ll get back to you, okay?" The voice was smooth, convincing, just like he remembered it. It was almost beguiling enough to cloud his judgement and short circuit his common sense...that is, until he glanced out the window and saw Hardcastle across the way, standing at the pool"s edge and staring at the water, hands on his hips. "Yeah...you do that. Get back with me. Look, I gotta go." Mark hung up the phone, and as he glanced out the window again, wondered how he would explain it to the judge if he suddenly got his phone number changed. This is a dumb plan, McCormick. Hardcase is gonna have your head hanging from the basketball goal if he finds out you came here. He pulled the Coyote over into a strip mall parking lot and parked within sight of his destination. After a long and mostly sleepless night, Mark had gotten up early, slipped into sweats and sneakers and gone for a long run on the beach. Once out of site of the main house, he sank down onto the wet sand to catch his breath...and to think. Poring over the judge"s file in his den the day before, Mark had been drawn to the picture of the young man whose attempt to extract himself from a bad situation had landed him into one much worse and much more permanent. The kid"s record had been lightweight until the arrest on the auto theft charge; none of his prior brushes with the law had been even remotely connected with anything heavy. And yet, before the ink was dry on his bail ticket, he was lying in a garbage strewn alley, dead from a well administered beating. The thought running in a loop in Mark"s head was unavoidable and not unexpected: That could have been me. Benson killed two birds with that stone, literally, McCormick thought as he watched a gull dip into the ocean to snare his breakfast from the incoming tide. He plugged a leak and sent a message to the rest of his team at the same time: step out of line and I will step down on you, permanently. Twenty minutes staring at the ocean"s repetitive assault on the sand failed to remove the stone that had settled in the pit of his stomach, and he finally returned to the gatehouse. After changing clothes, he had slipped unnoticed into the garage, climbed into the Coyote and roared down the PCH toward the city. The picture had not been the only thing that had robbed him of a restful sleep the night before. He had scanned the file quickly, getting the gist of the case Hardcastle was obsessing over, but something niggled at the back of his mind until he had flipped back to the first page again. None of the names mentioned as potential suspects had rung a bell, but now the address sounded vaguely familiar. Not until he remembered the card in his pocket did the disconnected parts slip into place. He remembered taking out the crumpled business card, staring at it as if the lettering was written in blood. A gory simile, but essentially correct, McCormick mused as he stared at the building across the street. He took a deep breath, threw the car into gear and crossed over the four lanes of oncoming traffic before common sense could kick in and change his mind. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM The auto shop looked like every other repair shop he had ever seen; the waiting area held a few utilitarian metal chairs with worn vinyl upholstery, one lone, stained coffee table with scattered copies of Car and Driver of unknown age and several overflowing ash trays. Mark stepped to the sliding window mounted on the far wall and waited. After several minutes, a kid with greasy hair and an equally greasy rag draped over his shoulder approached from the other side and slid open the glass. "Can I help you, man?" he asked. Before McCormick could answer, the mechanic"s eyes drifted over his shoulder to the sleek machine parked just outside the door. "Damn, man. That is sweet. That your wheels?" "Ah, yeah." Mark raised his voice, both to get the kid"s attention as well as to be heard over the sounds of air wrenches in the working area of the shop. "I"m looking for somebody." The kid looked disappointed for a moment, then the studied air of indifference returned to his expression. "Yeah? Who?" "Jack. Is he here?" "Yeah, he"s in the back. Come on through." The mechanic disappeared for a moment from the window; a moment later the door to the shop area swung open. "He"s back there, last door on the right." Mark stepped into the shop, watching the kid cast one more yearning look at the Coyote. Then the door swung shut behind him and the kid returned to the inner workings of a late model Lexus engine, the visitor obviously already forgotten. As he walked through the shop, Mark casually studied the other young men working diligently on their own vehicles. Not one of them a day over nineteen, he observed as he turned his attention to the office set into the rear wall of the building, and the man who had risen from his chair and now stood in the office doorway, a bemused smile upon his face. "I must say," the older man spoke as Mark approached. "I sure didn"t expect to see you here." "Well, you called," Mark shrugged. "You caught me on the downside of a really bad day." Mark offered a smile, but it felt tight and unnatural and he finally turned away to gaze out into the shop. "And today is better?" "Not really,"Mark shook his head. "You see, I"m having some problems with the Coyote, and..." "The what?" "My car. It"s called a Coyote." The older man nodded. "My regular mechanic is out of town. I was wondering if you had someone who could check out the brakes for me." "Sure. Gimme the keys" "No offense, but how about I drive it in? I"m kinda particular." "Not a problem. Pull it into that empty stall on the left. I"ll have Randy take a look at it. He"s my best. I taught him everything he knows." "I"ll just bet you did," Mark thought to himself as he made his way back to the ailing Coyote parked outside. McCormick supervised the positioning of his prized Coyote onto the lift and watched the awestruck young man as he ducked under the car and set to work. Jack had retired to his office to answer the phone, and the other young mechanics had left for lunch, so Mark took advantage of the moment by casually walking around the garage area. A short time later, Baker returned to the shop and motioned to Mark. "He"ll have it fixed in no time. Come on in, take a load off." "Coffee?" He asked as Mark settled into a vacant chair in the cramped office. "No thanks. "McCormick glanced around as the older man closed the office door. "So, what do I call you? Benson, Baker, what?" "I guess you"re wondering about the name change." "Name change, or alias?" "Whatever you wanna call it," Jack Baker said. "I came out here to start over, you know." "Clean?" Baker smiled as he circled the cluttered desk. "What do you think?" "You don"t wanna know what I think. Mark forced himself to relax as he shrugged his shoulders. "I"d say it doesn"t really matter." After refilling his own cup, Baker sat down behind his desk and studied the younger man. "Your car, it"s a prototype, one of a kind, right?" Mark nodded. This is crazy. After all our history, he wants to talk cars. We always could talk about cars, couldn"t we? The only thing we ever had in common. "How"d you end up with it? Cars like that cost a hell of a lot of dough." Mark shifted in his chair. "It was designed by a friend of mine. After he...died... his daughter gave it to me. She said he designed it for me to drive, and he would have wanted me to have it." "Yeah, I read about what happened to Flip Johnson." When he saw Mark"s surprised expression, he continued. " I did keep up with you over the years, you know. Too bad you never felt the urge to return the favor." Mark felt the familiar twist in his stomach at the sudden change in Baker"s demeanor. "There was nothing back in Jersey for me." "Not even your family." Baker"s voice was cold, accusing. Mark"s tone was equally frigid as he met the older man"s gaze. "I don"t have any family in Jersey. Haven"t since I was fifteen years old." This was such a huge mistake. The sudden urge to leave was dampened by the sight of the Coyote, still up on the lift. "So why are you here? Not because of the car." Mark rose from his chair, relieved to hear the hum of the pneumatics as the Coyote was slowly eased back down onto the floor, realizing that maybe his common sense had finally decided to make a belated appearance after all. McCormick blew out a deep breath. "To tell you the truth, I really don"t know." He yanked the door open and was halfway across the shop before he realized that Jack had followed him. "Wait." After watching the young mechanic carefully back the Coyote out of the garage, Mark followed, stepping out into the mid morning heat before he turned to face the older man. Baker studied him for a moment, as if pondering what to say next. Finally he crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. "The repair job...it"s on the house, okay? You know, I meant what I said. I looked you up to make sure you were doing all right, see if you needed any help." Mark felt the crawl of goosebumps down his spine as he recalled the kind of help he had received from this man in the past. The smile he offered in return felt forced; he wondered if he was as transparent to the other man as he felt. "Yeah, well, I"m doing okay...thanks." The two men locked gazes across the sun cracked drive. Neither spoke for a long moment; finally the older man broke the silence with a deep throated chuckle. "You do look shell shocked, Mark. Guess I was probably the last person you expected to see after all this time, huh?" Mark blinked once and continued to study the older man, his hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. "Yeah, I guess so." "Been a long time." Mark nodded, fighting the urge to just climb into the Coyote and leave. "The big house, the car..looks like you"ve done all right for yourself." "That isn"t my place." "Oh, I know that. But you live there, right?" Mark tilted his head and nodded. "I live there." When it became obvious that Mark didn"t plan to elaborate, the older man glanced over Mark"s shoulder. "Is that really your car?" "Yeah, it is. I told you already." "Mind if I take a closer look at it?" McCormick paused a beat, then shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, go ahead." Mark stepped back into the shade outside the garage doorway, watching as the older man walked slowly around the Coyote, whistling softly as he completed his circuit. "Now, this is nice." "What are you doing here, Jack?" The man glanced up as he ran his hand down the sleek lines of the car body. "Working, what does it look like?" "No, I mean in California." Jack leaned against the fender and crossed his arms over his chest. "I got sick of the cold winters in Jersey. Saved a little money, decided to come out here, enjoy the sunshine." "Alone?" "Yeah," he sighed. "Janet and I divorced a few years ago. Right after I got out of the joint. But I guess you didn"t know that. You been out of touch a long time, boy." McCormick shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "Twelve years," Jack continued. " Nothing, not a word for twelve years."

"Did you see this, sir?" He growled and began pacing the room like an angry cat. "Of course I"ve seen it Jim." Banks ground out. "And I don"t expect you to autograph this copy either." The captain of Major Crimes tapped on the picture gracing the cover of the West Coast"s leading Sentinel/Guide magazine, "The Bond". "I know how thrilled you were to be interviewed." Banks said sarcasticly. "And mis-quoted." Ellison flicked the statement "Why I don"t need a guide..." contemptuously. "But that"s not important. This is." Ellison pointed to the last line on the cover." "Rogue Sentinels - Fact or Fiction". "Get to the point Detective." Banks knew that Senior Sentinel Prime of Cascade would deny the existence of rogue Sentinels, but Detective Ellison knew better. "Last winter, the high tech thefts, and the absence of evidence point to Sentinel involvement. We know it and don"t like it." Ellison wiped a hand across his mouth as if to remove a bad taste. "This article..." he tapped the offensive piece of journalism. "The writer knew a rogue sentinel and from what he revealed, he knew him well. It could be our first real lead." "So, go pick up the writer for questioning." Simon raised an eyebrow. "That"s just it Simon, the magazine said the writer wanted to remain anonymous. They won"t give out the name. And yes, " he held up his hand to his Captain before he could open his mouth, "I tried coaxing, coercing, and threatening. The Editor in Chief was only too happy to start talking about civil rights actions." "The premise is too flimsy for an warrant. We would get roasted, not only by the magazine, but by every other freedom of the press group as well." Banks mused. "It just grates me...that there is a Sentinel out there using his senses to break the law." Ellison fumed. "It grates on me when anyone breaks the law, not just Sentinels." Simon countered. "Why not put a Sentinel watch on the magazine offices and see if you can pick up some stray gossip?" "Yeah. We"ll get right on it." Jim nodded. "God knows where this will lead us." Part Two: A Private Event Two weeks later... Blair silently cursed the Martha Stewart wannabe who came up with the idea of Bonding ceremonies. The rather private, almost secret union of Sentinel and Guide had become a fashionable event for the newly bonded and their families. As an anthropologist, he could understand the social implications of a bond, and how it would involve not only the Sentinel and Guide. But this faked up wedding-type atmosphere put on by "happy" couple was nauseating. If only he hadn"t promised to write an article for "The Bond" magazine about the event. If only he didn"t desparately need the money... Since there was no real precedence for Bonding Ceremonies, they were often created around the wishes and imagination of the Sentinel and Guide. Or in the case of Tina and her Sentinel Wendy, their mothers. It was a sort of Tinkerbell meets Barbie scene. Tina was wrapped in yards and yards of Sentinel friendly silk, enough to make two parachutes. Wendy was also dressed in silk, but of the thinest most body hugging variety to accentuate her fine Sentinel physique. Blair tugged at his tie. He only owned one suit and he wore it last at his Master"s ceremony, a good four years ago. The rats and other vermin in the warehouse he called home had enjoyed the suit more than he had in the last couple years. Janine, the senior editor had offered him the loan of a "Guidewear" suit, but that would be a misnomer since he could no longer be a guide. Why attract any Sentinel"s attention? If only they would get this stand up comedy act over and he could at least get to the groaning buffet. His stomach rumbled reminding him of his meager breakfast of a stale bagel and coffee. Luckily the noise of his starved stomach couldn"t be heard over the choir of sweet faced children singing "We Are Bonded" to the tune of "We are Sailing". James Ellison didn"t want the ties of a bond, and after experiencing the bonding ceremony held by two members of his clan, he hoped he never would. Sentinel Wendy was a botanist and her Guide Tina an artist, both were level-headed sensible people,or at least he had thought so. The buffet food was in shades of pink, some rather unnaturally so. Then there was that elusive smell that pervaded the room, something spicy and appetizing, strangely enough it didn"t seem to come from the food or any of the exotic blooms decorating the venue. Something nudged his hand and he looked down to see the large black panther that was his spirit guide. "What the...!?" The last time he"d seen the spirit guide had been in Peru, why did it show up now? Jim opened his senses out further, the spicy smell becoming stronger. Just as he was beginning to pinpoint the origin the choir finished their song and a concerted rush was made towards the food. The panther was no exception and was already under the nearest table with a pawful of shrimp that it seemed to be sharing with some other invisible guest. Jim Ellison felt an unfamiliar frission of excitement run through him. The scent was intriguing, fascinating, alluring, and HIS! Blair started at the growl. It wasn"t his stomach. Standing in front of him was his spirit animal, the wolf. He had thought that part of his life was over. Done with, killed when his mind was burned to a crisp by Alex Barnes, rogue sentinel, and all around bad lady to be around. He shook his head, no it was just really strong wishful thinking brought on by the bonding ceremony. He tried to ignore the wolf that was now under one of the buffet tables eating shrimps. Blair felt a headache begin to throb behind his right eye. The headaches had been bad this month, keeping him from teaching regularily. Not since Alex, had he felt the sharp pounding pain. He had to get out. He was hindered in his getaway by a tall anoretic blonde dressed in the height of fashion. "Blair darling!" Blair got air kissed by Janine, the senior editor of The Bond magazine. "Make sure you mention the caterer in your article, they have certainly done a good job." She leaned in closer and whispered loudly in his ear. "Watch out for that big guy over there. He"s the one asking about your article on rogue sentinels." She gestured with an elbow towards Ellison"s back. Blair shivered as he eyed the broad shoulders. Janine caught the shiver. "Senior Sentinel Prime himself. Scary huh?" She patted Blair"s shoulder and shoved a plate of gooey pink food in front of him. It was the final straw. Blair turned white and made a hasty retreat for outside. Jim didn"t need the spirit guide"s push to pinpoint his quarry. A young man in a suit that had certainly seen better days was dry retching into a potted plant outside the ballroom. A pissed off concierge was making his way towards them. "Sentinel business." Ellison snarled. "You done?" he asked the young man in a slightly lighter tone. "Uh huh. Look man, Janine told me you were asking about my article. I- I can"t reveal my sources." Blair backpeddled to fall under the glare of the concierge. Ellison raised an eyebrow. "You wrote that article about rogue sentinels...interesting. We"ll talk about that after we bond." Blair backed up slowly. "Whoa man. You got the wrong person. I"m not a guide anymore..."Blair swallowed against the nasty taste in his mouth and looking the looming sentinel in the eyes, as well as he could focus around the bright sparklies of his headache, repeated forcibly. "I am not a Guide!" "Chief..." Ellison said exasperatedly and reached for the reluctant man. He buried his nose into the curly hair. "You smell like a Guide." His tongue rasped over a burning red ear. "You taste like a Guide. You feel..." He halted in his perusal of the new toy to realize he was holding a dead weight. "you feel passed out. Okay." Ellison hoisted the young man over his shoulder. "Bonding Suite?" He asked the hovering concierge. "It"s ah reserved...for the wedd...bonding ceremony participants." Ellison glared. "But I do have a very nice suite for you...ah that they can use." The man added helpfully. Jim Ellison held out his hand and the keycard was hastily handed over. Once in the room Jim Ellison deposited the passed out young man on the obscenely large bonding platform and promptly trashed the pink frou-frous. He prowled around the suite locking doors and sniffing for intruders or other unwanted objects. He turned back to find the bed occupied by his Guide and the large black panther that was washing his paws with an occasional lick to the face of the young man. Jim Ellison stripped off his shirt and started shucking the young man out of his suit. "Hey! Wha..." Blair came to with a snap as he found himself pinned by the heavy muscular body of a very determined sentinel. Ellison pulled out a worn and rather empty looking wallet from his intended"s trousers. "Blair Sandburg." he said aloud flipping to the driver"s license. "Ah registered unbonded Guide with Rainier University, too. Good." Ellison purred. "You can"t!" Blair pushed at the aggressive man. "That card isn"t valid any more!" "Are you bonded?!" Ellison growled deep in his throat. "You are MINE! I"ll challenge for you!" "Where were you six months ago?" Blair muttered and pushed again. "I mean, I can"t bond. I"m not a Guide anymore." "Smells like Guide. Tastes like Guide. Feels like Guide." Ellison dipped his head for a nip at the alluring scent around the man"s neck. He was unprepared for the scream of pain that came from the guide and echoed in his head. He jerked back like he had just got an electrical shock. "Sandburg? Chief? What happened? Are you all right?" Jim ran his hands over the quivering body trying to find the cause of the guide"s pain. He could hear a heart trying to pound itself out of the chest cavity. "Take it easy, Chief." He felt for Blair"s pulse, even though his heartbeat was loud and clear. "Shall I call a doctor?" "I tried to tell you, man. But you wouldn"t listen!" Blair grabbed a pillow and began to punch it. "I"m listening now." Ellison was relieved to hear the heart settle down to a less frantic pace. "You asked me about the article on rogue sentinels. My source was one, Alexa Barnes. She..she forced the bond. I kept fighting against it, but if I didn"t obey her she had her bully boys beat me up. In the end she fried my bonding synapses. I was useless to her. Mentally...fssst." Blair pointed a finger to his head. He very carefully started to rebutton his shirt. "Why didn"t you go to the police? Report this to the Sentinel Clan?" Blair was silent and began picking at the feathers coming out of one the pillows. The cold nose of a wolf poked into his armpit made him jump slightly and frown. "She left the country. Just dumped me on the steps of Hargrove Hall and drove off." Blair shrugged. "I was okay." "You were raped, mentally raped. You are lucky to be sane." Jim was furious. He would like to skin Alexa Barnes for even laying one finger on HIS Guide. "Listen. Senior Sentinel Prime..."Blair began and edged slightly away from the frowning man. A firm grip on his arm stopped him. "Jim. Jim Ellison." "Jim. Look, I"m sorry..." "Okay. We won"t bond." Blair gave a gusty sigh. Getting through to a determined Sentinel was next to impossible, maybe he got his message across anyway. Ellison was torn in two. He wanted to bond. He had to bond, but in order to do so, he would hurt the Guide. And hurting the Guide was something he couldn"t do. "We won"t bond .." Jim repeated, " today. We"ll work this out." "Right. Sure. Cause you say so." Blair"s sarcasm was ruined by his abused stomach growling and gurgling loudly. "Let"s eat first." Ellison got up off the bonding platform and started rummaging through the well-stocked refrigerator. "How about something pink?" Part Three: A Public Show "You know Senior Sentinel Prime..." the famous talk show hostess began. "Oh, call me Jim." Ellison smiled widely his blue eyes twinkling under the studio lights. "..and call me Ishmael." Blair Sandburg muttered off stage. He tugged on the blue silk tie of his tailored dark blue suit. "Well, Jim for a Sentinel who claimed he"d never bond, didn"t believe bonds were necessary you seem quite happily...bonded." "You have no idea how well bonded I am." Ellison smiled toothily again causing half of the female members of the audience to have acute heart palpatations. "So, what caused the change of heart?" Ms. "O" asked earnestly. The man was a hunk and the audience loved him, but wait until they got a look at the Guide! "Oh, serendipity. Right time, right place, right Guide." Ellison, Senior Sentinel Prime of his clan said smugly. "Well, on that note, ladies and gentlemen. Let"s bring out Dr. Blair Sandburg, anthropologist, professor, author, and ... Guide." The polite applause rose in volume as Blair Sandburg bounced onto the stage grinning broadly and waving expansively to the audience. He settled into his chair next to Ellison who laid an obviously proprietory hand on his shoulder. "So, you are the man who tamed Jim Ellison." Oprah leaned forward. "But, I hear he is not your first Sentinel." "Well no." Blair pushed his well-brushed curls back from his face and smiled into the camera causing a flood of sighs around the room. "I was acquainted with one other Sentinel...let"s just call her "Alice". Actually, she was pretty weak, not like Jimbo here." He slapped the sentinel on the leg familiarly. "...her senses were never refined enough, the poor thing had to rely on petty thievery to survive." "Blair is too strong a guide for just anyone." Jim interrupted smoothly his hand giving Blair a tweak on the back of the neck for the "Jimbo". "He and I make a perfect team." "But you are so different..." The talk show hostess continued. "Mr. Ellison, Jim, is a detective with the Cascade Police and Blair an academic." "Blair has been a big help with not only my senses, but also with solving some real big cases." Jim beamed proudly. "You see, anthropology and the study of human behavior can be applied to police work." Blair explained and began to bounce in place. "As a matter of fact Blair has been appointed as a special consultant to the Cascade Police Department"s Major Crimes Unit, isn"t that right?" The talk show hostess added. The two partners beamed brightly and nodded. "And now a word from our sponsors. Next we"ll be meeting with world reknowned Chef Gordon Ramsey." Once in the dressing room and removing the stage make-up. Blair rounded on Jim. "Man, it has been two months! How long are we going to keep up this charade?" "When we catch Alex Barnes." Jim frowned at the greasy make-up remover. "Here, I got you some special stuff that shouldn"t irritate your skin." Blair handed over a pot from his backpack. He may not be a bonded guide, but he knew how to treat a Sentinel. "She"s probably in the Bahamas reading a book." "You are the one who told us she would be furious if she thought you were bonded with someone else." "Yesss." Blair hissed. "She hated losing or being put down. I was lucky she didn"t outright kill me when she realized I was useless as a guide." Jim silently ground his teeth. He would break a molar if they didn"t catch up with Alex aka Alice soon. It was his idea to pretend to be bonded to bring out the elusive theif and guide destroyer. Blair, although reluctant at first, had thrown himself enthusiastically into the role. He had moved out of his warehouse (not too reluctantly saying goodbye to the vermin) and into Jim"s loft. Once he was sure that Jim wasn"t going to try to force a painful bonding attempt on him, he made himself at home. He became incredibly useful in helping Jim around the house and with his senses...in a superficial sort of way, not like they were really bonded, but a kind of easy friendship had developed between them. Blair had indeed proved useful to Major Crimes. Simon Banks, who knew of the deception, had even instigated the hiring of Blair as a consultant. "What are you going to do when the kid goes?" Banks asked his best detective. "It will work out." Ellison said stubbornly. Part Four The Truth Will Always Out He was running through the blue jungle again, plants and vines whipping at his face, tangling his arms and legs hindering him from reaching his quarry. He caught sight of the flash of grey ahead of him and he redoubled his efforts. Behind him he could hear the coughing growl of a hunting panther. Coming to the clearing, he notched an arrow to his bow and let fly at the fleeing beast. With a howl of pain, the beast fell to the jungle floor skewered by the arrow. He approached the fallen animal cautiously only to see it morph into...himself. Blair woke with a cry, sitting up in bed his heart pounding so hard he didn"t hear Jim come into his room under the loft. "Blair! What is it? Another nightmare?" The sentinel looked worried. He sat on the edge of the futon and pulled Blair under a sheltering arm. "That"s every night for five nights in a row. What"s the problem?" "Man, I wish I knew." Blair shivered slightly leaning into the warmth and comfort of the man who was fast becoming his best friend. "Is it because of - me?" Jim asked softly. "I told you that the zones are not your fault." "Of course it"s my fault!" Blair burst out miserably. "You need a real guide. Sentinel"s aren"t meant to function well unbonded. You"ve had three major zones in the past week, Simon has put you on desk duty and Alex never showed up. I think," Blair shuddered and drew away from Ellison. "I think I should go. Give you a chance to find someone else. I"ve had an offer of an expedition to Borneo." Jim Ellison"s eyes lost all their warmth. "Suit yourself, Chief. Better get some sleep. I"ll help you pack in the morning. "Yeah, sure. Thanks Jim." Blair said softly to his retreating back. In the darkness of loft, two sets of blue glowing eyes stared balefully at one another. They were not happy. Jim had no sooner punched his pillow a few times viciously when a figure materialized from the shadowy corner of the room. "Where is your guide Enqueri?" He asked in Quechua. "I have no guide, Incacha." The mournful cry of a wolf echoed around the room. "Where is your guide?" The spirit asked again. "He can"t...I can"t hurt him." Ellison"s bed creaked as two hundred pounds of black panther lept onto it dragging a woeful looking wolf with it. "Jim?" Blair crept up the stairs. "Who are you talking to...oh!" His eyes grew large as he took in the unnatural trio of a painted warrior and a panther and wolf sharing Jim"s bed. Incacha drew a knife on the young man and sliced his arm deeply. Blood spurted from the wound. Jim leaped to the half-fainting Blair"s aid, his hand clamped over what seemed like a dangerously serious wound. "What are you doing?!" He shouted at the spirit man. "Look again Sentinel. Does not the wound heal?" Ellison reluctantly pried his fingers off Blair"s arm. There was no longer any blood and the thin white scar faded before his eyes. Ellison shuddered as everything around him turned grey and misty. "It"s okay Jim." Blair was patting his back. "You zoned for a minute there." Jim was surprised to find himself still downstairs in Blair"s room. "You brought me out of the zone." He picked up Blair"s arm and looked for signs of cut flesh. There were none. He brought the arm to his face and inhaled deeply finding the spicy scent of Blair strong and enticing. He nibbled at the pulse point of the wrist. "Does not the wound heal?" He said in a soft growl. "Do you not guide me?" Blair Sandburg stood with his mouth open. "Oh wow. I mean that is so profound. I never thought of that. Man, what an idiot I am!" He popped himself on the head with his free hand. He then deliberately arched his head back exposing a stretch of neck. "I don"t want to hurt you." Jim released his grip Blair stepped forwards, "And I won"t let you go mad without a bond." He reached out his hands. "No! Back off Chief!" Ellison batted at Sandburg"s hands. "I can"t let you try. I"ve seen the pain it causes." "Maybe it won"t hurt." Blair lied valiantly. The two men stared at each other the distance between them mere inches. Electricity seemed to spark between the gap and they both swayed unconciously towards each other. The panther glanced at the wolf and the two spirit animals pounced at stubborn Guide and equally stubborn Sentinel. The two men landed on the floor. Blair pinned under the weight of Jim. Jim pinned down by a panther and a wolf. The wolf gave the Sentinel"s head a swipe with heavy paw forcing his nose into the Guide"s neck. Blair"s unique pheremones triggered his need to bond. "I"m okay, I"mokay, okay.." Blair was chanting exposing his neck more. A heavy feline tongue rasped across his head causing his head to spin in a not too uncomfortable way, somehow negating the fritzes of electricity that caused him bonding grief. Blair relaxed, his heart slowing to beat in unison with that of his Sentinel - Jim Ellison. Epilogue Alexa Barnes aka Alice Bannister was found to have been admitted five months ago to a Psychiatric Hospital in Mexico. She was suffering from a complete psychotic breakdown and her prognosis is poor.

"Hey, are you all right?" Heath took in the white face and trembling shoulders. He put a hand on her shoulder. "M" fine." She said looking with interest at her feet. Then with a sigh she pulled out the crumpled wad of bills from her pocket. "This is the money I won the other night, $50. It"s for you, for Buddy. " She stared at him challengingly. He looked at her seriously and pocketed the money with a nod. "I want to get all the new horses shod for the trip. Can you give the farrier a hand? Some of the new stock is a bit skittish and I know you can keep them calm." Heath continued on as if nothing momentous had passed between them. "Aye. No problem." She lifted her head. At least with the horses she knew what she was doing. "Here"s a dollar for lunch. I suspect the smith will be crowded and I don"t know when I"ll be free to give you a hand." "A dollar"s too much..." Jamie began. "Well, you gotta buy apples for the horses and maybe some candy or something for yourself. Enjoy yourself a little. It is allowed you know." "Well, at least your idea of enjoyment is better than Nick"s." Jamie muttered but pocketed the treasure of a whole dollar. Heath climbed the stairs to roust his brother Nick and was surprised to find two strangers in the sitting room with his brothers and mother. "Ah, there you are. Ben I would like you to meet my youngest son Heath." Victoria rose graciously and extended her hand towards Heath. "Heath. This is an old friend of your father"s and mine, Ben Cartwright and his son Adam." There was a split second of silence and then Ben grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. "By God, you have the look your father...glad to meet you Heath." "I want to thank all of you for taking such good care of my boy." Ben began. "Now, Ben, you would do the same for any of my boys. Think nothing of it." Victoria said and smiled at her old friend. "I"m sure you"ll want to have a word with your son." She and Ben went into the bedroom. Jarrod and Adam were already discussing the vagaries of younger siblings. Heath sidled over to Nick who was gulping a cup of coffee off the table. "Boy Howdy, Nick. What happened to Jamie. He looked like he hadn"t slept all night." "Well neither did I." Nick growled. "Where"s he at? I figured he"d like to meet the Cartwrights seeing how they knew his folks." "I don"t know, that Jamie is as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs when you talk about his past or his family." Heath shook his head. "I sent him to see to the shoeing. You know he"ll keep the horses still for the job. What the heck did you two do last night. He wasn"t too happy." "I thought he would like it. I did at his age. How was I to know that - well- things just didn"t - ah you know." Nick said rather self-consciously. Jamie was not taking this disappointment well. "No. I don"t know. What?" Heath pressed. "Aw heck, we went to Miss Lily"s, you know." Nick leered and nudged Heath. "And...?" Heath led on slightly blunting his brother"s attempt at lightness. Nick sighed deeply. "He had...mmm...problems. Poor kid, I thought a little warmth and kindness would do him good." Nick Barkley frowned. "Under all that noise is one lonely youngster." "Well, maybe if you won"t lose your temper with him so often, he wouldn"t feel so bad?" Heath raised an eyebrow at his temperamental big brother. "Hah! That"ll be the day." Nick snorted. "So, today we get the new horses ready for the drive home and get them loaded into the train. You did book us a boxcar?" Nick was back to being all business. "Yeah. Got our tickets and have got a couple of extra porters for Audra"s shopping." Heath winked at his brother. "Along with Miss Belle"s things we might have to rent another boxcar." "Yeah." Nick smirked. "Females and their baggage. Thank heavens boys that age, like Jamie, are much more easy to deal with." Later that afternoon, Victoria Barkley and Ben Cartwright had the opportunity for a little chat. "Heath is a fine looking young man." Ben said smiling. "You must be proud of him." "I"m proud of all my boys, just as you are of yours." Victoria raised a mobile eyebrow. Ben was being just a bit nosy , but polite. "Though I see so much of Tom in Heath. Not just his looks, but the way he moves, thinks. I sometimes forget that he hasn"t always been with us." "I can see that." Ben took a sip from his tea. While basically a coffee drinker, he could still appreciate a good cup of tea. "Earl Grey?" He changed the subject slightly, a silent apology for prying. "Yes. Pity Mr. O"Shannon can"t join us. That boy really appreciates a fine cup of tea." "Umm. Yes Joe mentioned that he was one of Seamus O"Shannon"s sons. Damn shame, they were one of the finest horse breeders west of the Mississippi. Joe"s paint, Cochise, was bred and trained by them. I swear that horse can all but speak and loyal...I could tell you stories about that horse." He laughed. "They say that the O"Shannons used magic on their horses." He tapped the side of his nose. "I can believe that."Victoria also laughed, "He has managed to work his magic on our horses too. Disturbs my sons to no end. They are imminently practical." "Oh I know. Adam came with me on the horse buying trip. He was a very righteous fifteen year old. You know how serious he has always been. He followed the O"Shannon boys and to see what they were doing to the horses." He took a sip of tea again and then shook his head. "It was such a shame that the war took away the whole family." "All of them?" Victoria asked and held up the teapot asking Ben silently if he wanted another cup. He nodded and then clarified, "Well, I believe the youngest died of influenza, I suppose the girl did too. She was a bright thing. Curly black hair just like her father and older brother. All the rest were red heads like their mother." "Yes, Jamie did mention his mother had red hair and apparently the temper to match." "Oh they all did. Would fight at the drop of a hat. I think Adam had a fight with all of them just in the three days we were there." "Not really. I just had to beat one of the twins and then I was accepted." Adam said coming in from his brother"s room. "Joe"s asleep. I hope you have a cup of tea left in that pot for me?" He flashed a white toothed charming smile at his hostess. "By all means, Adam." Victoria smiled. Jarrod and Adam were so much alike in mannerisms. "Remember the names of the boys?" Ben asked his son who had fitted his long-legged frame into one of the spindly chairs the hotel considered fashionable and adequate. "Liam and Andrew were the twins. I am not sure which one I gave a black eye to...Liam maybe." "I recall he gave you a bloody nose." Adam waved his hand in dismissal, a bloody nose was a mere detail. "Michael was the oldest, a couple of years older than me. Sean was the one with the gift..." "Gift?" Victoria asked. " So they did do something special." "Well, Seamus O"Shannon sure did have a touch with horses. I"ve seen him calm the wildest horse in minutes, and the horses sure adored him." Ben explained. "Remember the girl, Pa?" Adam chuckled. "She had a foal that followed her around like a dog. Her mother said that the horse would almost come into the house. Ellen or Alaine I think was her name." He laughed again. "Called this big roan horse Rosebud. Seems she had the gift" too." "That reminds of the time you boys brought in a wild cat kitten..." Ben mused and began to tell an amusing story that parents tell to embarrass their grown children. The dramatics of Alameda began to die down as the Barkleys and many others began to leave the city to fade back into dusty dreariness until the next year. A dark gunslinger and his six companions turned their heads back towards a magnificent little town called Four Corners that they called home. Ol" Ed and his crew went off to catch another bunch of mustangs to tame and train for next years auction. The Cartwrights spent a few extra days waiting for Little Joe to heal enough to travel. Little Joe was plagued by dreams of girls, girls with curly hair, but he figured that was just a natural part of bein Little Joe. Jamie began to forgive Nick, grudgingly of course, but when he had appeared to have forgotten the whole thing, maybe that was the best course. Audra and Belle returned from San Francisco laden with an inordinate amount of baggage and constant chatter and giggling. Man has lost most of his primal instincts when he left behind his days as a hunter-gatherer in the prehistoric times. Then, his survival was dependent upon his five senses highly attuned to the environment in which he lived. The real survivors had a sixth sense, a feeling that would arise from nowhere and would signal fight or flight. Nowadays, the other five senses have dulled considerably but the sixth sometimes could be just as effective, just like modern man"s far ancestors. It was nothing that normal five senses could detect. They hated each other at first sight. Belle Smithson was a perfectly turned out young lady. While not staggeringly beautiful, she wielded her prettiness with charm and a light laugh. What intellect she had was bent towards one goal, the conquest of men, and she did it well, leaving behind her a trail of broken hearts that would mend rather too soon than the breaker would have been happy with. At the age of nineteen she was in the height of her powers, soon she would begin the downhill slide into shrewishness and complaint. But before then it would be a good idea to be married. And who better than her dear friend Audra"s brother - which ever one came up to the mark first. She knew that in order to get the man she would have to make sacrifices, spend some time with Audra, be a good guest for Mrs.Barkley, and treat the people around the Barkleys like they were important. But one look at the young man herding the horses a feral grin slipped past the carefully rouged lips. This one was trouble. Jamie"s eyes swung momentarily off the horse she was herding into the gathering pen to meet the cold blue eyes of the young lady standing next to Audra and Mrs.Barkley. Her own lip curled into a snarl and she pulled hard on reins instinctively causing the horse to stop and rear. She dropped her hands and patting a quick apology to the horse she cast a last baleful glance at Belle and then went back to work. The deep atavistic feeling of two predators defending their own rose in both women. It wouldn"t be a pretty war. Blood would be shed. ACT THREE - THE BARKLEY RANCH Scene One: War has broken out between Belle and Jamie. Many people are caught in the crossfire. The first shots are fired. They had given the new horses a day or two to recover from the train trip and the short drive to the Barkley ranch. Now it was time to test them. Heath and Jamie sat on the fence with identical self-satisfied grins as each horse proved it"s worth. "Not bad." Heath said laconically. "Nope." Jamie said but grinned even wider as Nick watched the horses being run through their paces. He would nod occasionally, or shout an instruction to the rider. "Back him up Charlie. Don"t let him have the bit." Nick mopped the sweat off his brow and set his hat firmly back on his head. They had garnered a fine bunch of horses. He spared a sideways glance at Heath and Jamie who were sitting like a couple of old cats in the sun looking very pleased with themselves. "God knows what we are going to do with this old bunch of nags." He growled to the two. They both grinned back even wider. "Oh all right, they"ll do. But don"t go around thinkin" like you two know it all." He pointed an accusing finger at both of them. "We leave that all-knowin" to you Nick." Heath teased. "Like who"s gonna ride the black?" He pointed his chin to the black gelding that was running in nervous circles in the corral next to the barn. This was the horse that Heath and Jamie had seen the first night. They had bought him cheap, which was the only reason Nick had unbent enough to bid on the edgy horse. Jamie felt her breath catch slightly. She had really liked the black even though it had a lot of bad habits and was going to be handful to ride. She loved Rosebud with all her heart, but she and the horse were so much in tune with one another there was no challenge to riding. The black would be a challenge. Brash, stubborn, strong-willed dark-haired with soft brown eyes that caught your imagination. Now, there was a ma...horse. Nick caught Heath"s eye and the infintismal nod towards Jamie who was trying to look disinterested. "Go on boy. Let"s see how good a rider you are." Nick said gruffly, but with a twinkle in his eye. Jamie"s approach was much like Heath"s, a gentle monologue of talk and light touches to get the horse used to her. The black tried to bite her several times, but always got a slap across the nose for the audacity. "Quick ain"t he?" Heath said as the horse took a half-hearted nip at Jamie. "You should have seen him dodging Williams" punches. That boy could go through a rainstorm without getting wet." Nick laughed. Preliminaries over. Jamie mounted on the horse. It fidgeted nervously, shifting from foot to foot. "All right. Ye"ll stand for me, but others have got to ride ye." Jamie said and gave the horse a kick in the ribs. Somehow freed from the glamourie of gift the black took off bucking and sun fishing. Sure, Jamie had the gift, but her father and her brothers had also taught her ride- and ride well. It took all of her muscles, leg and arm to hold the black to her will. "Hey boss, figure Heath there will have some competition at the next rodeo." One of the hands yelled out in admiration. There was soon a cheering crowd of cowboys watching the horse slowly give up to the strong will and good riding of O"Shannon. Her concentration solely on the fractious animal under her, Jamie didn"t pay any attention to the noise of the crowd until she had the sweating horse tamed to a slow walk around the corral. He still had some rough edges to work out, but the horse was in her control. She took off her hat to wipe the sweat that was streaming off her face . She looked to see Belle waltz off holding Heath"s and Nick"s arms. She could of sworn that the blonde looked back at her with an expression of smug triumph. The other men"s praise and pats on her back seemed like nothing and she suddenly felt very angry about something. The lines had been drawn and fire was returned. "Oh you are such a strong man Heath. You make me feel so small and weak." Belle had neatly cornered Heath in the barn. She was slowly backing him into the shadows, the hunter playing with her prey before going in for the kill. She was licking her lips in anticipation of a kiss from the blond cowboy when they were rudely interrupted. "Hey Heath! I found worms in the manure. All squirming and writhin" they were. Wanna see?" Jamie had a lump of steaming hot horse droppings in her gloved hand. She thrust it past the woman"s nose towards Heath. "Ahh...umm...Jamie...I don"t think now is the time to show me this." Heath began and pulled the disgusted Belle away from the smelly mess. "Oh aye, ye want to be waitin" when the horses bloat with the worm and start having the runny brown gooey manure that stinks somethin" fierce and the blood runnin down the legs and the flies..." She tried not to look surprised when Belle put her hand over her mouth and beat a hasty retreat. "Was it somethin" I said?" Jamie asked innocently. Heath shot her a stern look. "Yes. Fine ladies like Belle are not interested in manure or horse disease. Didn"t your mother teach you any manners?" "Me mother taught me to judge people for themselves and not what they do." Jamie said a little more sharply than she wanted to. "I"ll apologize at tea today." "Is Mother expecting you?" he asked. "I..." She stopped and then carefully dropped the handful of manure into the straw. "I guess not." It was half a question and Heath"s rather stern face gave her the answer. It was like Da always said , "Revenge costs." Victoria gave a little sigh as she cleared away her tea things. One cup was still clean and unused. Jamie wasn"t coming. She still wasn"t sure what to do about - the boy. She smiled, sure that she had figured out the convolutions of Jamie O"Shannon"s family to her immense satisfaction. All she needed now was a name. A girl"s name. Nighttime reconnaissance, the enemy reveals herself. The sound of music and laughter from the big house drew her like a magnet. She should have felt happy, a good job, a nice place to lay her head, and good men to work with. What more could she want? Yet, she found herself more and more drawn to the warmth and light of the Barkley house. Audra"s friend, Belle, was the center of attention laughing gaily and flirting outrageously with all three brothers. Jamie"s lip curled as she saw even the most sensible Jarrod kiss the coyly offered hand. "Hussy." she muttered and shifted slightly causing the bushes to rustle. A small voice in the back of her mind, that sounded remarkably like her mother"s, asked her why she was sitting on the damp ground in the bushes watching other people"s business. Yet, she remained. "Maybe I can persuade to take a moonlight stroll in Mother"s rose garden?" Nick asked the lovely blonde in his low husky voice. "Mother always says a lady must not seem too forward..." Belle cooed, "But she also said it is not kind to refuse a gentleman any reasonable request." She laid a dainty white hand on Nick"s arm. The couple were barely out of the house when Belle turned to Nick raising her face invitingly for a kiss. "You are such a strong man, Nick. I feel so small and weak next to you." Jamie recognized the line that Belle had used in the barn with Heath. "Don"t fall for it Nick..." But of course he did. Despite her disgust at the whole thing Jamie found herself holding her breath as Nick leaned down and covered the willing blonde"s mouth with his. It was apparently a different kind of kiss than what he gave Lily at the Golden Gate because Belle only gave a little giggle and a sigh when the kiss was finished. Of course Lily was paid to be enthusiastic. The enemy recruits former allies. "No." Jamie said flatly. "She"s no rider for all them fancy duds. Fireball is the better horse." "Really Nick, do you let your servants talk back to you like that?" Belle laid a soft white hand on Nick"s arm. Her big brown eyes fluttered at him. "Saddle up Daisy." Nick said in his flat most angry tone. "I want that one." Belle pouted and pointed to Buddy. "Please Nick. All of my friends say I have a wonderful seat." She pointedly twitched the part of the anatomy that was referred to. Nick looked at her critically. Buddy was a lot of horse and while technically not yet Jamie"s it was still his horse. He only needed one glance at Jamie"s face to make his decision. The boy looked like he"d just been shot. "Now, Miss Belle, Daisy would match that pretty riding dress of yours. Anyway Buddy there wouldn"t know how to behave right around a lady, he hasn"t been taught any manners." The last pointed remark was directed over the blonde"s head to Jamie. "You just wait right here, and I"ll see that you have the prettiest horse in the ranch to ride." He smiled at the beautiful young woman winningly. Still smiling he took Jamie"s arm in an iron grip and practically dragged the boy into the barn. "I"M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR INSOLENCE O"SHANNON!" His voice carried back to Belle who had the satisfied look of someone who has made trouble on her face. "Insolence! For seeing past the pretty face to see that yon female has the brain of a chicken!" Jamie shot out more scared than angry. "SHE DOESN"T HAVE THE BRAIN OF A CHICKEN!" Nick yelled rather injudiciously. By now, half of the hands were drifting towards the barn to watch the fireworks. Heath found Belle"s reactions more interesting. She had made a move on him earlier which he had politely refused, it seemed she was setting her cap at Nick now. He frowned when he saw how she seemed to enjoy stirring up things. "MISS BELLE IS A GUEST IN OUR HOUSE, I EXPECT YOU TO EXTEND EVERY COURTESY TO HER THAT SHE ASKS!" Nick gave the arm he still held a sharp shake. "NOW SADDLE UP DAISY AND IF I HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THIS YOU"LL BE WALKING OFF THIS RANCH." He finished angrily. He didn"t have time for this sort of thing. He stalked out of the barn, not even watching to see if his orders were obeyed. Jamie felt as if all of the air in her lungs had been sucked out of her. How could he be so mean? Michael had his reasons for being cruel, the war and the shattered leg and shattered dreams. What had she ever done to Nick Barkley, but try to do her job? Her actions were automatic as she saddled the doomed Daisy to be tortured by the inexperienced riding skills of Miss Belle. The woman gave no heed to Jamie, but snatched the reins triumphantly and gracefully mounted the horse with Nick"s help. She gave him a brilliant smile that turned acidic when it brushed across Jamie. Heath followed Jamie into the barn. "Boy Howdy, Jamie. When are you going to learn not to go up against my brother?" He shook his head. "Nick is the boss. Even I know that." He chided gently.

"You gotta think that the water can"t hold you and the air will. Sort of like changing places." Fwee tried to explain. "The really good teachers say that if you work hard at it, the air can hold you up like the water." "That"s called flying. My Daddy and Uncle Lee do that in the flying sub. It can go in the water and fly in the air." Chris had been flying once in the flying sub. It was pretty neat even though it made his stomach feel funny. "Yeah, but you gotta do it yourself, not inside a big clam." Fwee said smugly. Chris tried many times and after about a jillion times he managed to leap out of the water. "Man that was fun." he said. "Is that the second test?" "Uh huh." Fwee said. "You weren"t very good. I"ve seen babies do better..." "But, I did it, didn"t I Fwee." Chris knew he wasn"t a baby any more. He and Daddy had a long talk about it just before he got sick again. Daddy explained that Mommy knew he was a big boy, but that now and then when she called him baby, it didn"t mean he was one. After all, Daddy called Mommy "Babe" sometimes and she didn"t mind. Much. "Yeah..." Fwee agreed. "So, what"s the next test?" Chris asked his friends. They were practicing swimming in formation. A pod should swim in formation. "You gotta be able to tell where we are." Twiie. "We are in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara..." Chris said hesitantly. "We"ve been swimming a long time now, betcha we"re halfway to Australia..." "Fic ossn? Sn frbra? Strrrla?" Twiie sounded confused. "Yeah. That"s how people know where they are they look at maps. Pictures with places on them." Chris tried to explain to the three dolphins, but they became even more confused. "Ok. You can also tell where you are by looking at the stars. My Daddy is a sailor. He says that you can always tell where you are by looking at the stars." "What are strrrs?" Chkk asked. "I"ll show you." Chris said and he and the dolphins rose to the surface. None of them were surprised to find that the sun had set and the night sky was full of brilliant stars that seemed to reflect on the surface of the sea like millions of diamonds or a school of silvery minnows. "See! That"s the North Star. It is always in the same spot. And over there is the Big Dipper and if you look over there there"s the Little Dipper." The three dolphins looked at him in awe, their jaws opened in surprise. "You...you know the names of the High Ones?" Chkk said quietly. "Wow." Twiie said her eyes rolling. "Do they talk to you?"Chkk asked. "Talk to me? Of course not, stars don"t talk."Chris said and wondered why his friends were so serious all of a sudden. "No. But they listen. They talk to the elders and the great ones." Twiie said solemnly she sang softly. The way to knowing is in the world The world is in the song The song comes from the high ones Who sing forever and in all the ways Of the Kin who are two and one "That"s pretty Twiie." Chris said. "You sing like Mommy. " "That"s us, you know." Fwee said, "We are kin. We used to be together a lot more. Swim together in pods. At least that"s what the teachers told us." "Well, we can be the first one in long time."Twiie said. "We got Krriss." "But he didn"t pass the third test. He didn"t know where we are." "Yes. I did. We"re in the Pacific Ocean between Santa Barbara and Australia. And I know the names of the stars which you didn"t. So there." "Look Fwee, " Twiie said reasonably. "If we want to be a pod and a pod with a kin in it we gotta do somethings that they do. It"s not fair if he has to do everything the way we do. He is uh different." She eyed Chris critically. Once you got over the four straggly tentacles and the strange flat face he wasn"t too hard to look at. He kinda grew on you. "OK. Let"s vote." Chkk said. "I say he passed. "So do I."Fwee said quickly. "Twiie is right." "So, Krriss passed his third test."Twiie said and lept into the air and the other three followed her in jumping in and out of the water. Chris found that he could do it better and better all the time. hhhhhhh Gwen wrung out the wet washcloth and began wiping down her son"s face and arms again. He was tossing feverishly around the bed. His temperature had risen again and she was beginning to be alarmed. She had the doctor on the cell phone that was glued between her ear and shoulder. ". I am not over reacting. My son is getting worse. I know that fevers peak in the evening. I"ve sat with him through this before you know. Yes, he"s been taking the antibiotics. Yes, I"ve been giving him plenty of fluids. No. He has not eaten. Jello? You have to be kidding. If you think tomorrow will be alright...OK. Thank you Doctor." She made a nasty face at the phone. Why was their regular pediatrician gone on vacation now when she needed him. Jamie would be here tomorrow with the Seaview, maybe he could take a look at Chris. Feeling slightly better she went back to trying to bring her son"s fever back down. She sang to softly and lovingly to her son who seemed to calm down and fall asleep again. hhhhhhhh "You have to sing." Twiie said. "It"s the test." "Why?" Chris asked. "We are singing now, aren"t we?" "Noo. We are talking. Singing is singing." Fwee said. "You know uh singing " Chkk said as they raced forward into the night. A bright moon seemed to spread a highway for the three dolphins and boy to swim along. "I don"t understand..." Chris felt confused. He and Mommy would sing together sometimes. They really enjoyed singing the songs from Sesame Street. He sang a couple of them for the dolphins. They liked them, but said that it wasn"t real singing. "Can you show me?" He asked. "You sing." "Twiie, you sing. You do it best."Chkk urged her. "Well, Ok." She was silent for a while and Chris watched her carefully. He felt a funny feeling in his chest. Then it stopped. "Did you hear it?" Twiie asked him. "No. I didn"t hear anything." Chris shook his head. "Well, then did you feel anything?" Twiie asked. "A funny feeling, here." he pointed to his heart. "Have you ever felt it before? You know in the upper world? Surely, you have it there too." Twiie felt shocked. Did the kin forget singing? No wonder they weren"t with the pods anymore. Chris thought hard. He kept his hand on his heart. It didn"t seem to slow down his swimming any. "When Daddy comes home after being away...and Mommy holds me in her lap and reads to me...and the time I skinned my knee and Uncle Francis made it better and bought me an ice cream. And Muffy and Cream Cheese come and sleep on my bed. " "Yes." Twiie flipped her tail. "That"s how they sing to you, but how do you sing ?" Chris thought a moment. He never thought about it that way. He was quiet for a while. "I guess I sing when I give Daddy an extra hug. When I remember to feed the cats and give Cream Cheese some cheese, and thanking Uncle Francis for the ice cream. I take care of Mommy when Daddy is at sea. I think what you call singing we call love." The three dolphins sighed happily. They were worried for a while. They didn"t want to think that the kin had become so far from the truth that they had forgotten to love. That would have been too horrible to be true. They would have become...kinless. "You know I love you guys, too." Chris said and hugged Fwee who was startled but found the sensation nice. "Ooooo. That"s a nice song." Fwee said. ".me."Twiie slid her sleek gray body near Chris". He gave her a hug and she wiggled in appreciation. Chkk hung back a little shyly. Chris hugged him and whispered. "Your my bestest friend in the whole world." "We gonna be partners?"Chkk asked hopefully. "Sure. Like Daddy and Uncle Lee. They"re friends like always and forever." "Always and forever. That"s a good song." Chkk agreed. hhhhhhhhh "How"s the little guy doing?" Lee Crane asked his friend as he relieved him from con for the evening watch. "Gwen says that he has been restless all day." Chip said. "Pain in the butt, huh?" Lee grinned. His kids were like that too when they got sick. "Yeah. Gwen looked tired." He smiled at his best friend. "She said to say hello and thanks for sending your better half over. By the way, the kittens are not returnable. It"s not my fault that your kids couldn"t make up their minds which one they wanted and took two home. One each. Be thankful they didn"t decide that you needed one too." As if understanding what was being talked about, a large black and white cat with a half-shredded ear and a definite cast in one eye jumped up on the chart table and deposited a large fat mouse on it for the officer"s approval. The former mother of twelve then began to wash her paws and face thoroughly. "Good girl Bouncer. You caught another one of them nasty mice. " Chip scratched the scraggly looking, but well-fed feline between the ears. She gave a loud meow and jumped down off the table to do some more hunting. "One more Morton enemy bites the dust." Lee laughed and picked up the mouse. "Why doesn"t she eat them?" "Tell me Lee, if you had a choice between eating a mouse and Cookie"s poached salmon in cream, or his liver with bacon, or Yankee pot roast..." "Good God. Can we afford to keep that cat? It"s eating better than we are." "Try feeding thirteen of them..." The two friends eyed each other and burst out laughing. "Seriously though Chip, if you want to take the flying sub and get home early to Chris and Gwen, just let me know." He put his hand on his friend"s shoulder and squeezed. "I know how much they mean to you." Chip Morton looked at his bestest friend in the world. "Thanks Lee. I"m sure they"ll be alright, but just knowing that I can get there if they need me helps a lot. Thanks." The two men were silent for a moment. They didn"t need the words. They knew. They were there for each other. hhhhhhhhh "Haven"t I passed all the tests yet?" Chris began to whine, just a little. "Shouldn"t we see the Seaview soon? I want my Daddy." "Flippers and fins." Fwee said impatiently. "You"ve passed all the other tests, now there is only one more." "Yesss!" Chris said. "Then we"ll see Daddy! Boy will he be surprised at all the stuff I can do now!" "Krriss..."Chkk began slowly and brushed up against his friend and partner. "The last test is...hard." "Yeah." Twiie said, "It"s, it"s scary." "And." Chkk looked at the two other dolphins and then turned to Chris. "You gotta do it alone. We aren"t supposed to be with you." "All by myself?" Chris suddenly felt scared and lonely. "What do I have to do?" The three dolphins looked nervously at each other. Finally, Fwee nudged Chkk with his nose. "You"re his partner...you gotta tell him." "Well, you have to go into the dark place, by yourself and...you can"t see, or whistle to feel what is around you and then you come back." Chkk explained vaguely. "I"m not afraid of the dark." Chris said bravely. If he felt afraid all he had to do was see the two kittens asleep on the end of the bed and hug his stuffed sailor bear to know he was safe. "Yeah, but..."Twiie began. "You ain"t supposed to tell..." Fwee warned. "Ok. Where is that dark place? I can be brave, just like you guys. My Mommy and Daddy are brave too." he said proudly. He remembered his Mommy climbing the tree in the backyard to rescue Muffy who thought it was a good place to go, but wasn"t too sure how to get down. He held the ladder so he was brave too. Daddy was an ossifer on the Seaview, he was always brave. "It"s right over there." Twiie nodded towards the ocean floor where a craggy rock formation had a small dark hole in it that led to a cave. "Where did that come from?" Chris wondered, it just seemed to appear. "It"s always there..."Chkk said. "It"s a part of us. We"ll have to go there many times..." "You will be here when I come out won"t you?" Chris said. The cave was looking very dark and very small. "Of course." Twiie and Fwee said. "Always and forever." Chkk said and brushed against Chris. Chris gave Chkk a hug and swam by himself down to the dark cave. hhhhhhhhh "Captain! Captain!" Lee Crane woke up immediately. He was being shook awake by Chief of the Boat Sharkey. "What is it Chief? What"s wrong?" He couldn"t feel anything wrong with the Seaview, she seemed to be running smoothly at full speed for Santa Barbara. "Sir. It"s Chris Morton. Gwen just called, he"s been taken to the hospital by ambulance. He"s got a real high fever and has been sick. , well sir, he"s pretty shook up." "Get the flying sub ready to launch." Lee Crane was already pulling on his shirt and trousers. "Yessir. Already have. But sir, I gotta tell you I don"t think is in any shape to fly her." "You"ll fly him in?" Lee Crane looked at Sharkey knowing how the older man had a close relationship with young Chris Morton. "That"s why I woke you sir. won"t leave unless you tell him to." "Stubborn..." Lee Crane shook his head. It was part of being a parent, both he and Chip had learned, the sheer terror knowing that their children"s lives and souls were dependent on you. They had survived alien invasions, sure death at the bottom of the sea, and other unmentionable horrors, but strength and courage faltered when it came to their children. They both agreed that their wives handled the stress much better than they did and loved them all the more for it. hhhhhhhh Chris entered the small dark hole cautiously. It was really dark and he found it hard to breathe. He used his hands to feel the rough rocks that surrounded him. There were funny sounds all around him. There were beeps and whistles and hums and the funny sound like people talking, but really odd and slow. No wonder the dolphins found this scary. They depended a lot on their hearing. The tunnel seemed to get bigger and he saw funny little lights begin to wink and blink around him. He tried to grab one, but it dissapeared. Then something bit him. It wasn"t a bad bite. More like one of the kitty"s chewing on him, but in this dark place it scared him. "Owww!" he cried out. Then something large and dark rushed by him. The wave sent him tumbling head over heels in somersaults. He hit one of the walls and hurt his arm. He whimpered, this was scary. He felt confused and didn"t know which way he was supposed to go. What if he got lost? The dolphins weren"t supposed to come after him. Would Mommy and Daddy know where to look? He wished that he knew where he was, maybe it was cheating when he passed the test by thinking about maps. Maps didn"t help him here in this dark cave. Maybe if he could see the stars...He looked up and saw that the bright little lights had stopped moving. He looked again carefully and saw that some of them looked like the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. He followed the lines of the Big Dipper and sure enough there was the North Star just where it always was. It beamed down a ray of light that lit up an opening on the other side of the cavern. Chris knew that was the way he had to go. He held his hurt arm close to his body. It didn"t hurt so much any more, but felt uncomfortable. hhhhhhhhhh The ambulance ride and rush to the Emergency room of the Santa Barbara Hospital had been terrifying. When Chris" temperature had risen over 104 and he had been sick, Gwen had to take action. She tried to still her feelings of helplessness. Chris seemed to be able to sense her unease at any time. Before the ambulance came, she had a few moments to make a call to Chip on the Seaview. Just talking to him made her feel stronger and able to cope with this emergency. She and Lee"s wife had discussed their feelings about raising kids many times. It was scary to think of the responsibility and the care needed. They agreed that without the calm strength that their husbands gave them, they would never be able to cope, and they loved them all the more for it. She was allowed to sit with him when they gave him a shot of antibiotics and set up an IV. Chris whimpered at the shot and fought when the nurse put the IV in, but other than that he was too quiet. Gwen wanted the perpetual motion machine back. The little boy that left her exhausted at the end of the day, tired but happy. She held his hot little hand in her"s. "It"s alright, Chris. I"m here. Mommy"s here. I love you Christopher." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. hhhhhhhh Chris realized that he wasn"t alone. Swimming along side of him was a large dolphin. He didn"t recognize her, she was a lot bigger than his friends. But, he was happy not to be alone anymore. She began to swim faster and Chris had to work hard to keep up with her. She began to leap out of the water and Chris had to jump after her. They seemed to spend more time in the air than the water. Suddenly, he found himself jumping onto a beach. He lay there for a moment panting with the exertion. He stood up shakily. He had been swimming for hours with the dolphins and it felt funny to be standing and have the gravity pull at him. "Now, we are in your world Chris." The large dolphin hung over his head in the air lazily waving her fins to stay in place. "You"re in the air!" Chris said astonished. The large dolphin looked around and winked at him. "Well, so I am. It"s not so strange. After all you were in my world. Didn"t you notice that you didn"t need to breath air and that you could swim as well as your friends?" she laughed. Her laugh reminded him of Mommy. "Umm. Yeah. But it felt easy."Chris said. "Easy for you. Easy for me." She turned herself so that she was looking at him upside down. Chris giggled. "You look funny." The dolphin stood on her tail so that she could look at Chris in the face. "You look pretty funny to me, too." She nudged him in the armpit where he was ticklish. Chris giggled again. "You"re like my Mommy." He said. "That"s because I"m your mother"s partner. We sing together." The large dolpin opened her mouth and sang: The way to knowing is in the world The world is in the song The song comes from the high ones Who sing forever and in all the ways Of the Kin who are two and one "That"s the song that Twiie sang!" Chris remembered. "It"s also your song, Chris. You have a long journey before you. One that will have many tests like you have already experienced." The dolphin was suddenly quite serious. "Some you will have help with, others you will have to do alone." "Do I have to?"Chris felt a little frightened. Going into the cave had been real scary and his arm still hurt where he had bumped it. "No, you don"t. It is your choice." She was quiet, but Chris could feel the warm feeling in his chest and he knew that she was singing to him. She loved him. He raised his eyes to hers and he loved her, too. "I"m still a baby, sometimes, but I can be brave too! When do I go? Can I see my Daddy first? Will Mommy miss me?" He felt sudden tears sting his eyes. The dolphin came closer and he felt as if she was hugging him. "Your journey will not begin for many years yet. You have to grow strong and learn much of your ways and ours before you start. But, I promise you this, you will never be alone. You have your Mommy and Daddy, your partner Chkk, Twiie and Fwee. You will have many more friends all around your world and ours who will be talking to the High Ones for you and wishing you well." She seemed to glow with a silvery light and he could see stars in her kind eyes. "Now, Chris." she said softly, " it is time for you to go home. Your Mommy and Daddy are waiting for you." Suddenly very tired. Chris yawned and lay down on the warm white sands of the little beach. His eyes closed. hhhhhhhh Chip Morton opened the door of the hospital room. His wife, sitting by their son"s bedside, raised up her white face to him. He could see that she had been crying. "Honey!" He called out and then she was suddenly in his arms. "I"m here dearest. How is he?" "I - I don"t know." she clung to him desparately. "He is so sick. I should have done something...if only." "Shhh. It"ll be alright. He has us and there are so many others here for him. All of our friends are praying for him and hoping the best. He can"t help but get better. He"s a fighter, just like his Mother." He smiled weakly at her. Where did she get the strength? Gwen leaned thankfully on him. Everything felt so much better when he was there. He was her strength. The two of them sat together next to their son"s bed. After a few minutes his eyes began to flutter open. "Chris.." his Mommy called his name. "C"mon sailor." his Daddy used his pet name. "Mommy...Daddy. I went for a swim with the dolphins...they talked to me...I"m hungry. What"s that thing stuck in my arm. Can I go home?" Everything came bubbling out at once. "Whoa, take it easy, sailor." Daddy laughed. "You have been having dreams." "But, it really happened. I went swimming in the ocean with the dolphins. We went half-way to Australia. Chkk is my partner..." Chris gave a big yawn. "It was a good dream then." Mommy said and pulled the blanket up around him. She tucked sailor bear under his arm. "Go to sleep, baby. When you wake up, you"ll be home." "Not a baby..." Chris said sleepily, his eyes closing. "No, dear, not a baby anymore." Mommy smiled and began to sing to him. hhhhhhhh Down in the cove, near the Morton house, three dolphins waited patiently for their friend to come and swim with them again. The Cove Pod had many adventures waiting for them and a lot to learn from each other. Chkk jumped high in the air and sang "Always and Forever Krriss, Always and Forever!"

"Well, maybe if you won"t lose your temper with him so often, he wouldn"t feel so bad?" Heath raised an eyebrow at his temperamental big brother. "Hah! That"ll be the day." Nick snorted. "So, today we get the new horses ready for the drive home and get them loaded into the train. You did book us a boxcar?" Nick was back to being all business. "Yeah. Got our tickets and have got a couple of extra porters for Audra"s shopping." Heath winked at his brother. "Along with Miss Belle"s things we might have to rent another boxcar." "Yeah." Nick smirked. "Females and their baggage. Thank heavens boys that age, like Jamie, are much more easy to deal with." Later that afternoon, Victoria Barkley and Ben Cartwright had the opportunity for a little chat. "Heath is a fine looking young man." Ben said smiling. "You must be proud of him." "I"m proud of all my boys, just as you are of yours." Victoria raised a mobile eyebrow. Ben was being just a bit nosy , but polite. "Though I see so much of Tom in Heath. Not just his looks, but the way he moves, thinks. I sometimes forget that he hasn"t always been with us." "I can see that." Ben took a sip from his tea. While basically a coffee drinker, he could still appreciate a good cup of tea. "Earl Grey?" He changed the subject slightly, a silent apology for prying. "Yes. Pity Mr. O"Shannon can"t join us. That boy really appreciates a fine cup of tea." "Umm. Yes Joe mentioned that he was one of Seamus O"Shannon"s sons. Damn shame, they were one of the finest horse breeders west of the Mississippi. Joe"s paint, Cochise, was bred and trained by them. I swear that horse can all but speak and loyal...I could tell you stories about that horse." He laughed. "They say that the O"Shannons used magic on their horses." He tapped the side of his nose. "I can believe that."Victoria also laughed, "He has managed to work his magic on our horses too. Disturbs my sons to no end. They are imminently practical." "Oh I know. Adam came with me on the horse buying trip. He was a very righteous fifteen year old. You know how serious he has always been. He followed the O"Shannon boys and to see what they were doing to the horses." He took a sip of tea again and then shook his head. "It was such a shame that the war took away the whole family." "All of them?" Victoria asked and held up the teapot asking Ben silently if he wanted another cup. He nodded and then clarified, "Well, I believe the youngest died of influenza, I suppose the girl did too. She was a bright thing. Curly black hair just like her father and older brother. All the rest were red heads like their mother." "Yes, Jamie did mention his mother had red hair and apparently the temper to match." "Oh they all did. Would fight at the drop of a hat. I think Adam had a fight with all of them just in the three days we were there." "Not really. I just had to beat one of the twins and then I was accepted." Adam said coming in from his brother"s room. "Joe"s asleep. I hope you have a cup of tea left in that pot for me?" He flashed a white toothed charming smile at his hostess. "By all means, Adam." Victoria smiled. Jarrod and Adam were so much alike in mannerisms. "Remember the names of the boys?" Ben asked his son who had fitted his long-legged frame into one of the spindly chairs the hotel considered fashionable and adequate. "Liam and Andrew were the twins. I am not sure which one I gave a black eye to...Liam maybe." "I recall he gave you a bloody nose." Adam waved his hand in dismissal, a bloody nose was a mere detail. "Michael was the oldest, a couple of years older than me. Sean was the one with the gift..." "Gift?" Victoria asked. " So they did do something special." "Well, Seamus O"Shannon sure did have a touch with horses. I"ve seen him calm the wildest horse in minutes, and the horses sure adored him." Ben explained. "Remember the girl, Pa?" Adam chuckled. "She had a foal that followed her around like a dog. Her mother said that the horse would almost come into the house. Ellen or Alaine I think was her name." He laughed again. "Called this big roan horse Rosebud. Seems she had the gift" too." "That reminds of the time you boys brought in a wild cat kitten..." Ben mused and began to tell an amusing story that parents tell to embarrass their grown children. The dramatics of Alameda began to die down as the Barkleys and many others began to leave the city to fade back into dusty dreariness until the next year. A dark gunslinger and his six companions turned their heads back towards a magnificent little town called Four Corners that they called home. Ol" Ed and his crew went off to catch another bunch of mustangs to tame and train for next years auction. The Cartwrights spent a few extra days waiting for Little Joe to heal enough to travel. Little Joe was plagued by dreams of girls, girls with curly hair, but he figured that was just a natural part of bein Little Joe. Jamie began to forgive Nick, grudgingly of course, but when he had appeared to have forgotten the whole thing, maybe that was the best course. Audra and Belle returned from San Francisco laden with an inordinate amount of baggage and constant chatter and giggling. Man has lost most of his primal instincts when he left behind his days as a hunter-gatherer in the prehistoric times. Then, his survival was dependent upon his five senses highly attuned to the environment in which he lived. The real survivors had a sixth sense, a feeling that would arise from nowhere and would signal fight or flight. Nowadays, the other five senses have dulled considerably but the sixth sometimes could be just as effective, just like modern man"s far ancestors. It was nothing that normal five senses could detect. They hated each other at first sight. Belle Smithson was a perfectly turned out young lady. While not staggeringly beautiful, she wielded her prettiness with charm and a light laugh. What intellect she had was bent towards one goal, the conquest of men, and she did it well, leaving behind her a trail of broken hearts that would mend rather too soon than the breaker would have been happy with. At the age of nineteen she was in the height of her powers, soon she would begin the downhill slide into shrewishness and complaint. But before then it would be a good idea to be married. And who better than her dear friend Audra"s brother - which ever one came up to the mark first. She knew that in order to get the man she would have to make sacrifices, spend some time with Audra, be a good guest for Mrs.Barkley, and treat the people around the Barkleys like they were important. But one look at the young man herding the horses a feral grin slipped past the carefully rouged lips. This one was trouble. Jamie"s eyes swung momentarily off the horse she was herding into the gathering pen to meet the cold blue eyes of the young lady standing next to Audra and Mrs.Barkley. Her own lip curled into a snarl and she pulled hard on reins instinctively causing the horse to stop and rear. She dropped her hands and patting a quick apology to the horse she cast a last baleful glance at Belle and then went back to work. The deep atavistic feeling of two predators defending their own rose in both women. It wouldn"t be a pretty war. Blood would be shed. ACT THREE - THE BARKLEY RANCH Scene One: War has broken out between Belle and Jamie. Many people are caught in the crossfire. The first shots are fired. They had given the new horses a day or two to recover from the train trip and the short drive to the Barkley ranch. Now it was time to test them. Heath and Jamie sat on the fence with identical self-satisfied grins as each horse proved it"s worth. "Not bad." Heath said laconically. "Nope." Jamie said but grinned even wider as Nick watched the horses being run through their paces. He would nod occasionally, or shout an instruction to the rider. "Back him up Charlie. Don"t let him have the bit." Nick mopped the sweat off his brow and set his hat firmly back on his head. They had garnered a fine bunch of horses. He spared a sideways glance at Heath and Jamie who were sitting like a couple of old cats in the sun looking very pleased with themselves. "God knows what we are going to do with this old bunch of nags." He growled to the two. They both grinned back even wider. "Oh all right, they"ll do. But don"t go around thinkin" like you two know it all." He pointed an accusing finger at both of them. "We leave that all-knowin" to you Nick." Heath teased. "Like who"s gonna ride the black?" He pointed his chin to the black gelding that was running in nervous circles in the corral next to the barn. This was the horse that Heath and Jamie had seen the first night. They had bought him cheap, which was the only reason Nick had unbent enough to bid on the edgy horse. Jamie felt her breath catch slightly. She had really liked the black even though it had a lot of bad habits and was going to be handful to ride. She loved Rosebud with all her heart, but she and the horse were so much in tune with one another there was no challenge to riding. The black would be a challenge. Brash, stubborn, strong-willed dark-haired with soft brown eyes that caught your imagination. Now, there was a ma...horse. Nick caught Heath"s eye and the infintismal nod towards Jamie who was trying to look disinterested. "Go on boy. Let"s see how good a rider you are." Nick said gruffly, but with a twinkle in his eye. Jamie"s approach was much like Heath"s, a gentle monologue of talk and light touches to get the horse used to her. The black tried to bite her several times, but always got a slap across the nose for the audacity. "Quick ain"t he?" Heath said as the horse took a half-hearted nip at Jamie. "You should have seen him dodging Williams" punches. That boy could go through a rainstorm without getting wet." Nick laughed. Preliminaries over. Jamie mounted on the horse. It fidgeted nervously, shifting from foot to foot. "All right. Ye"ll stand for me, but others have got to ride ye." Jamie said and gave the horse a kick in the ribs. Somehow freed from the glamourie of gift the black took off bucking and sun fishing. Sure, Jamie had the gift, but her father and her brothers had also taught her ride- and ride well. It took all of her muscles, leg and arm to hold the black to her will. "Hey boss, figure Heath there will have some competition at the next rodeo." One of the hands yelled out in admiration. There was soon a cheering crowd of cowboys watching the horse slowly give up to the strong will and good riding of O"Shannon. Her concentration solely on the fractious animal under her, Jamie didn"t pay any attention to the noise of the crowd until she had the sweating horse tamed to a slow walk around the corral. He still had some rough edges to work out, but the horse was in her control. She took off her hat to wipe the sweat that was streaming off her face . She looked to see Belle waltz off holding Heath"s and Nick"s arms. She could of sworn that the blonde looked back at her with an expression of smug triumph. The other men"s praise and pats on her back seemed like nothing and she suddenly felt very angry about something. The lines had been drawn and fire was returned. "Oh you are such a strong man Heath. You make me feel so small and weak." Belle had neatly cornered Heath in the barn. She was slowly backing him into the shadows, the hunter playing with her prey before going in for the kill. She was licking her lips in anticipation of a kiss from the blond cowboy when they were rudely interrupted. "Hey Heath! I found worms in the manure. All squirming and writhin" they were. Wanna see?" Jamie had a lump of steaming hot horse droppings in her gloved hand. She thrust it past the woman"s nose towards Heath. "Ahh...umm...Jamie...I don"t think now is the time to show me this." Heath began and pulled the disgusted Belle away from the smelly mess. "Oh aye, ye want to be waitin" when the horses bloat with the worm and start having the runny brown gooey manure that stinks somethin" fierce and the blood runnin down the legs and the flies..." She tried not to look surprised when Belle put her hand over her mouth and beat a hasty retreat. "Was it somethin" I said?" Jamie asked innocently. Heath shot her a stern look. "Yes. Fine ladies like Belle are not interested in manure or horse disease. Didn"t your mother teach you any manners?" "Me mother taught me to judge people for themselves and not what they do." Jamie said a little more sharply than she wanted to. "I"ll apologize at tea today." "Is Mother expecting you?" he asked. "I..." She stopped and then carefully dropped the handful of manure into the straw. "I guess not." It was half a question and Heath"s rather stern face gave her the answer. It was like Da always said , "Revenge costs." Victoria gave a little sigh as she cleared away her tea things. One cup was still clean and unused. Jamie wasn"t coming. She still wasn"t sure what to do about - the boy. She smiled, sure that she had figured out the convolutions of Jamie O"Shannon"s family to her immense satisfaction. All she needed now was a name. A girl"s name. Nighttime reconnaissance, the enemy reveals herself. The sound of music and laughter from the big house drew her like a magnet. She should have felt happy, a good job, a nice place to lay her head, and good men to work with. What more could she want? Yet, she found herself more and more drawn to the warmth and light of the Barkley house. Audra"s friend, Belle, was the center of attention laughing gaily and flirting outrageously with all three brothers. Jamie"s lip curled as she saw even the most sensible Jarrod kiss the coyly offered hand. "Hussy." she muttered and shifted slightly causing the bushes to rustle. A small voice in the back of her mind, that sounded remarkably like her mother"s, asked her why she was sitting on the damp ground in the bushes watching other people"s business. Yet, she remained. "Maybe I can persuade to take a moonlight stroll in Mother"s rose garden?" Nick asked the lovely blonde in his low husky voice. "Mother always says a lady must not seem too forward..." Belle cooed, "But she also said it is not kind to refuse a gentleman any reasonable request." She laid a dainty white hand on Nick"s arm. The couple were barely out of the house when Belle turned to Nick raising her face invitingly for a kiss. "You are such a strong man, Nick. I feel so small and weak next to you." Jamie recognized the line that Belle had used in the barn with Heath. "Don"t fall for it Nick..." But of course he did. Despite her disgust at the whole thing Jamie found herself holding her breath as Nick leaned down and covered the willing blonde"s mouth with his. It was apparently a different kind of kiss than what he gave Lily at the Golden Gate because Belle only gave a little giggle and a sigh when the kiss was finished. Of course Lily was paid to be enthusiastic. The enemy recruits former allies. "No." Jamie said flatly. "She"s no rider for all them fancy duds. Fireball is the better horse." "Really Nick, do you let your servants talk back to you like that?" Belle laid a soft white hand on Nick"s arm. Her big brown eyes fluttered at him. "Saddle up Daisy." Nick said in his flat most angry tone. "I want that one." Belle pouted and pointed to Buddy. "Please Nick. All of my friends say I have a wonderful seat." She pointedly twitched the part of the anatomy that was referred to. Nick looked at her critically. Buddy was a lot of horse and while technically not yet Jamie"s it was still his horse. He only needed one glance at Jamie"s face to make his decision. The boy looked like he"d just been shot. "Now, Miss Belle, Daisy would match that pretty riding dress of yours. Anyway Buddy there wouldn"t know how to behave right around a lady, he hasn"t been taught any manners." The last pointed remark was directed over the blonde"s head to Jamie. "You just wait right here, and I"ll see that you have the prettiest horse in the ranch to ride." He smiled at the beautiful young woman winningly. Still smiling he took Jamie"s arm in an iron grip and practically dragged the boy into the barn. "I"M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR INSOLENCE O"SHANNON!" His voice carried back to Belle who had the satisfied look of someone who has made trouble on her face. "Insolence! For seeing past the pretty face to see that yon female has the brain of a chicken!" Jamie shot out more scared than angry. "SHE DOESN"T HAVE THE BRAIN OF A CHICKEN!" Nick yelled rather injudiciously. By now, half of the hands were drifting towards the barn to watch the fireworks. Heath found Belle"s reactions more interesting. She had made a move on him earlier which he had politely refused, it seemed she was setting her cap at Nick now. He frowned when he saw how she seemed to enjoy stirring up things. "MISS BELLE IS A GUEST IN OUR HOUSE, I EXPECT YOU TO EXTEND EVERY COURTESY TO HER THAT SHE ASKS!" Nick gave the arm he still held a sharp shake. "NOW SADDLE UP DAISY AND IF I HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THIS YOU"LL BE WALKING OFF THIS RANCH." He finished angrily. He didn"t have time for this sort of thing. He stalked out of the barn, not even watching to see if his orders were obeyed. Jamie felt as if all of the air in her lungs had been sucked out of her. How could he be so mean? Michael had his reasons for being cruel, the war and the shattered leg and shattered dreams. What had she ever done to Nick Barkley, but try to do her job? Her actions were automatic as she saddled the doomed Daisy to be tortured by the inexperienced riding skills of Miss Belle. The woman gave no heed to Jamie, but snatched the reins triumphantly and gracefully mounted the horse with Nick"s help. She gave him a brilliant smile that turned acidic when it brushed across Jamie. Heath followed Jamie into the barn. "Boy Howdy, Jamie. When are you going to learn not to go up against my brother?" He shook his head. "Nick is the boss. Even I know that." He chided gently. "Aye. I"m just the servant Mr.Barkley. I know my place. If ye"ll excuse me sir, I got me some work to do." Jamie disappeared up the ladder into the loft. Heath started to say something, but then thought better of it. Nick would probably forget about the whole thing by tomorrow. He wasn"t the kind of guy that held a grudge. Once he blew up that was it. Jamie wasn"t too careful with his words either. He shook his head. He was beginning to have a feeling that the appellation of chicken brain" for Belle might be awfully close to the mark. Up in the loft, Jamie sat hunched into a little ball and tried not to cry. In one week it was payday and she could give Heath the last $25 she owed on Buddy. Then there would be nothing to hold her to the Barkley"s and their ranch. She would miss Heath, his shy crooked grin, and Mrs.Barkley and her kind words and tea, Audra was fun to be with, Jarrod was a nice man who loaned her books to read. But she wouldn"t be sorry to see the last of that ungrateful, self-satisfied, pompous fool, Nick Barkley. No! Not in a million years! Not that loud voice, nor his eyes that said so much, or , or, any number of annoying things about him. Like that lock of hair that fell on his forehead or the way he his muscles moved when he was doing work and that darn laugh of his, so full of life. She would be damned if she would miss that man! ACT THREE Scene Two: Audra notices something interesting and the Barkleys come to some startling conclusions. If trailing after Audra and Belle on their shopping trip to Stockton was supposed to be a punishment, it surely didn"t turn out to be that way. Jamie took careful note to watch the two girls behavior. It was certainly a new experience for her to see what normal girls her age did and talked about. Belle"s conversation was almost exclusively about men she knew, men she wanted to know, and men in general. She would talk about fashion and the like, but only in reference to what men" would like. Jamie thought she had the brain of a chicken, you fed it and it followed you looking for more. All a man had to do was look at Belle and she fancied that he loved her and she loved him. She was behaving herself very well today feeling that the Jamie person had been well put in place, of course the gentle talk the Mrs. Barkley had given her last night had also left an impression. It wasn"t a good idea to antagonize a potential Mama-in-law. Audra while interested in men, was much more sensible than her friend and had other more human interests. Compared to Suzy, Audra was much more appealing as a source of information and example of how women acted and were supposed to act around normal men. Men like Heath and Jarrod, not like Nick who was, of course, an uncouth loud-mouthed bully and totally disagreeable. The dress shop was as good as a corral full of fine horses. Bolts of bright and tempting cloth drew all three in like iron filings to a magnet. Belle was more interested in the rich brocades and velvets while Audra and Jamie hovered over the silks and satins. Jamie carefully ran her fingers over the shiny surface of a bolt of silk which garnered a disapproving cough from the elderly lady running the shop. Audra wandered off to look at some hat trims. Looking around quickly, Jamie pulled a bolt of blue ribbon silk out to hold up in front of herself in the mirror. The color mirrored her eyes and seemed to add a rosy blush to her cheeks instead of making her look sallow like Suzy"s turquoise dress had.

"Yeah. Got our tickets and have got a couple of extra porters for Audra"s shopping." Heath winked at his brother. "Along with Miss Belle"s things we might have to rent another boxcar." "Yeah." Nick smirked. "Females and their baggage. Thank heavens boys that age, like Jamie, are much more easy to deal with." Later that afternoon, Victoria Barkley and Ben Cartwright had the opportunity for a little chat. "Heath is a fine looking young man." Ben said smiling. "You must be proud of him." "I"m proud of all my boys, just as you are of yours." Victoria raised a mobile eyebrow. Ben was being just a bit nosy , but polite. "Though I see so much of Tom in Heath. Not just his looks, but the way he moves, thinks. I sometimes forget that he hasn"t always been with us." "I can see that." Ben took a sip from his tea. While basically a coffee drinker, he could still appreciate a good cup of tea. "Earl Grey?" He changed the subject slightly, a silent apology for prying. "Yes. Pity Mr. O"Shannon can"t join us. That boy really appreciates a fine cup of tea." "Umm. Yes Joe mentioned that he was one of Seamus O"Shannon"s sons. Damn shame, they were one of the finest horse breeders west of the Mississippi. Joe"s paint, Cochise, was bred and trained by them. I swear that horse can all but speak and loyal...I could tell you stories about that horse." He laughed. "They say that the O"Shannons used magic on their horses." He tapped the side of his nose. "I can believe that."Victoria also laughed, "He has managed to work his magic on our horses too. Disturbs my sons to no end. They are imminently practical." "Oh I know. Adam came with me on the horse buying trip. He was a very righteous fifteen year old. You know how serious he has always been. He followed the O"Shannon boys and to see what they were doing to the horses." He took a sip of tea again and then shook his head. "It was such a shame that the war took away the whole family." "All of them?" Victoria asked and held up the teapot asking Ben silently if he wanted another cup. He nodded and then clarified, "Well, I believe the youngest died of influenza, I suppose the girl did too. She was a bright thing. Curly black hair just like her father and older brother. All the rest were red heads like their mother." "Yes, Jamie did mention his mother had red hair and apparently the temper to match." "Oh they all did. Would fight at the drop of a hat. I think Adam had a fight with all of them just in the three days we were there." "Not really. I just had to beat one of the twins and then I was accepted." Adam said coming in from his brother"s room. "Joe"s asleep. I hope you have a cup of tea left in that pot for me?" He flashed a white toothed charming smile at his hostess. "By all means, Adam." Victoria smiled. Jarrod and Adam were so much alike in mannerisms. "Remember the names of the boys?" Ben asked his son who had fitted his long-legged frame into one of the spindly chairs the hotel considered fashionable and adequate. "Liam and Andrew were the twins. I am not sure which one I gave a black eye to...Liam maybe." "I recall he gave you a bloody nose." Adam waved his hand in dismissal, a bloody nose was a mere detail. "Michael was the oldest, a couple of years older than me. Sean was the one with the gift..." "Gift?" Victoria asked. " So they did do something special." "Well, Seamus O"Shannon sure did have a touch with horses. I"ve seen him calm the wildest horse in minutes, and the horses sure adored him." Ben explained. "Remember the girl, Pa?" Adam chuckled. "She had a foal that followed her around like a dog. Her mother said that the horse would almost come into the house. Ellen or Alaine I think was her name." He laughed again. "Called this big roan horse Rosebud. Seems she had the gift" too." "That reminds of the time you boys brought in a wild cat kitten..." Ben mused and began to tell an amusing story that parents tell to embarrass their grown children. The dramatics of Alameda began to die down as the Barkleys and many others began to leave the city to fade back into dusty dreariness until the next year. A dark gunslinger and his six companions turned their heads back towards a magnificent little town called Four Corners that they called home. Ol" Ed and his crew went off to catch another bunch of mustangs to tame and train for next years auction. The Cartwrights spent a few extra days waiting for Little Joe to heal enough to travel. Little Joe was plagued by dreams of girls, girls with curly hair, but he figured that was just a natural part of bein Little Joe. Jamie began to forgive Nick, grudgingly of course, but when he had appeared to have forgotten the whole thing, maybe that was the best course. Audra and Belle returned from San Francisco laden with an inordinate amount of baggage and constant chatter and giggling. Man has lost most of his primal instincts when he left behind his days as a hunter-gatherer in the prehistoric times. Then, his survival was dependent upon his five senses highly attuned to the environment in which he lived. The real survivors had a sixth sense, a feeling that would arise from nowhere and would signal fight or flight. Nowadays, the other five senses have dulled considerably but the sixth sometimes could be just as effective, just like modern man"s far ancestors. It was nothing that normal five senses could detect. They hated each other at first sight. Belle Smithson was a perfectly turned out young lady. While not staggeringly beautiful, she wielded her prettiness with charm and a light laugh. What intellect she had was bent towards one goal, the conquest of men, and she did it well, leaving behind her a trail of broken hearts that would mend rather too soon than the breaker would have been happy with. At the age of nineteen she was in the height of her powers, soon she would begin the downhill slide into shrewishness and complaint. But before then it would be a good idea to be married. And who better than her dear friend Audra"s brother - which ever one came up to the mark first. She knew that in order to get the man she would have to make sacrifices, spend some time with Audra, be a good guest for Mrs.Barkley, and treat the people around the Barkleys like they were important. But one look at the young man herding the horses a feral grin slipped past the carefully rouged lips. This one was trouble. Jamie"s eyes swung momentarily off the horse she was herding into the gathering pen to meet the cold blue eyes of the young lady standing next to Audra and Mrs.Barkley. Her own lip curled into a snarl and she pulled hard on reins instinctively causing the horse to stop and rear. She dropped her hands and patting a quick apology to the horse she cast a last baleful glance at Belle and then went back to work. The deep atavistic feeling of two predators defending their own rose in both women. It wouldn"t be a pretty war. Blood would be shed. ACT THREE - THE BARKLEY RANCH Scene One: War has broken out between Belle and Jamie. Many people are caught in the crossfire. The first shots are fired. They had given the new horses a day or two to recover from the train trip and the short drive to the Barkley ranch. Now it was time to test them. Heath and Jamie sat on the fence with identical self-satisfied grins as each horse proved it"s worth. "Not bad." Heath said laconically. "Nope." Jamie said but grinned even wider as Nick watched the horses being run through their paces. He would nod occasionally, or shout an instruction to the rider. "Back him up Charlie. Don"t let him have the bit." Nick mopped the sweat off his brow and set his hat firmly back on his head. They had garnered a fine bunch of horses. He spared a sideways glance at Heath and Jamie who were sitting like a couple of old cats in the sun looking very pleased with themselves. "God knows what we are going to do with this old bunch of nags." He growled to the two. They both grinned back even wider. "Oh all right, they"ll do. But don"t go around thinkin" like you two know it all." He pointed an accusing finger at both of them. "We leave that all-knowin" to you Nick." Heath teased. "Like who"s gonna ride the black?" He pointed his chin to the black gelding that was running in nervous circles in the corral next to the barn. This was the horse that Heath and Jamie had seen the first night. They had bought him cheap, which was the only reason Nick had unbent enough to bid on the edgy horse. Jamie felt her breath catch slightly. She had really liked the black even though it had a lot of bad habits and was going to be handful to ride. She loved Rosebud with all her heart, but she and the horse were so much in tune with one another there was no challenge to riding. The black would be a challenge. Brash, stubborn, strong-willed dark-haired with soft brown eyes that caught your imagination. Now, there was a ma...horse. Nick caught Heath"s eye and the infintismal nod towards Jamie who was trying to look disinterested. "Go on boy. Let"s see how good a rider you are." Nick said gruffly, but with a twinkle in his eye. Jamie"s approach was much like Heath"s, a gentle monologue of talk and light touches to get the horse used to her. The black tried to bite her several times, but always got a slap across the nose for the audacity. "Quick ain"t he?" Heath said as the horse took a half-hearted nip at Jamie. "You should have seen him dodging Williams" punches. That boy could go through a rainstorm without getting wet." Nick laughed. Preliminaries over. Jamie mounted on the horse. It fidgeted nervously, shifting from foot to foot. "All right. Ye"ll stand for me, but others have got to ride ye." Jamie said and gave the horse a kick in the ribs. Somehow freed from the glamourie of gift the black took off bucking and sun fishing. Sure, Jamie had the gift, but her father and her brothers had also taught her ride- and ride well. It took all of her muscles, leg and arm to hold the black to her will. "Hey boss, figure Heath there will have some competition at the next rodeo." One of the hands yelled out in admiration. There was soon a cheering crowd of cowboys watching the horse slowly give up to the strong will and good riding of O"Shannon. Her concentration solely on the fractious animal under her, Jamie didn"t pay any attention to the noise of the crowd until she had the sweating horse tamed to a slow walk around the corral. He still had some rough edges to work out, but the horse was in her control. She took off her hat to wipe the sweat that was streaming off her face . She looked to see Belle waltz off holding Heath"s and Nick"s arms. She could of sworn that the blonde looked back at her with an expression of smug triumph. The other men"s praise and pats on her back seemed like nothing and she suddenly felt very angry about something. The lines had been drawn and fire was returned. "Oh you are such a strong man Heath. You make me feel so small and weak." Belle had neatly cornered Heath in the barn. She was slowly backing him into the shadows, the hunter playing with her prey before going in for the kill. She was licking her lips in anticipation of a kiss from the blond cowboy when they were rudely interrupted. "Hey Heath! I found worms in the manure. All squirming and writhin" they were. Wanna see?" Jamie had a lump of steaming hot horse droppings in her gloved hand. She thrust it past the woman"s nose towards Heath. "Ahh...umm...Jamie...I don"t think now is the time to show me this." Heath began and pulled the disgusted Belle away from the smelly mess. "Oh aye, ye want to be waitin" when the horses bloat with the worm and start having the runny brown gooey manure that stinks somethin" fierce and the blood runnin down the legs and the flies..." She tried not to look surprised when Belle put her hand over her mouth and beat a hasty retreat. "Was it somethin" I said?" Jamie asked innocently. Heath shot her a stern look. "Yes. Fine ladies like Belle are not interested in manure or horse disease. Didn"t your mother teach you any manners?" "Me mother taught me to judge people for themselves and not what they do." Jamie said a little more sharply than she wanted to. "I"ll apologize at tea today." "Is Mother expecting you?" he asked. "I..." She stopped and then carefully dropped the handful of manure into the straw. "I guess not." It was half a question and Heath"s rather stern face gave her the answer. It was like Da always said , "Revenge costs." Victoria gave a little sigh as she cleared away her tea things. One cup was still clean and unused. Jamie wasn"t coming. She still wasn"t sure what to do about - the boy. She smiled, sure that she had figured out the convolutions of Jamie O"Shannon"s family to her immense satisfaction. All she needed now was a name. A girl"s name. Nighttime reconnaissance, the enemy reveals herself. The sound of music and laughter from the big house drew her like a magnet. She should have felt happy, a good job, a nice place to lay her head, and good men to work with. What more could she want? Yet, she found herself more and more drawn to the warmth and light of the Barkley house. Audra"s friend, Belle, was the center of attention laughing gaily and flirting outrageously with all three brothers. Jamie"s lip curled as she saw even the most sensible Jarrod kiss the coyly offered hand. "Hussy." she muttered and shifted slightly causing the bushes to rustle. A small voice in the back of her mind, that sounded remarkably like her mother"s, asked her why she was sitting on the damp ground in the bushes watching other people"s business. Yet, she remained. "Maybe I can persuade to take a moonlight stroll in Mother"s rose garden?" Nick asked the lovely blonde in his low husky voice. "Mother always says a lady must not seem too forward..." Belle cooed, "But she also said it is not kind to refuse a gentleman any reasonable request." She laid a dainty white hand on Nick"s arm. The couple were barely out of the house when Belle turned to Nick raising her face invitingly for a kiss. "You are such a strong man, Nick. I feel so small and weak next to you." Jamie recognized the line that Belle had used in the barn with Heath. "Don"t fall for it Nick..." But of course he did. Despite her disgust at the whole thing Jamie found herself holding her breath as Nick leaned down and covered the willing blonde"s mouth with his. It was apparently a different kind of kiss than what he gave Lily at the Golden Gate because Belle only gave a little giggle and a sigh when the kiss was finished. Of course Lily was paid to be enthusiastic. The enemy recruits former allies. "No." Jamie said flatly. "She"s no rider for all them fancy duds. Fireball is the better horse." "Really Nick, do you let your servants talk back to you like that?" Belle laid a soft white hand on Nick"s arm. Her big brown eyes fluttered at him. "Saddle up Daisy." Nick said in his flat most angry tone. "I want that one." Belle pouted and pointed to Buddy. "Please Nick. All of my friends say I have a wonderful seat." She pointedly twitched the part of the anatomy that was referred to. Nick looked at her critically. Buddy was a lot of horse and while technically not yet Jamie"s it was still his horse. He only needed one glance at Jamie"s face to make his decision. The boy looked like he"d just been shot. "Now, Miss Belle, Daisy would match that pretty riding dress of yours. Anyway Buddy there wouldn"t know how to behave right around a lady, he hasn"t been taught any manners." The last pointed remark was directed over the blonde"s head to Jamie. "You just wait right here, and I"ll see that you have the prettiest horse in the ranch to ride." He smiled at the beautiful young woman winningly. Still smiling he took Jamie"s arm in an iron grip and practically dragged the boy into the barn. "I"M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR INSOLENCE O"SHANNON!" His voice carried back to Belle who had the satisfied look of someone who has made trouble on her face. "Insolence! For seeing past the pretty face to see that yon female has the brain of a chicken!" Jamie shot out more scared than angry. "SHE DOESN"T HAVE THE BRAIN OF A CHICKEN!" Nick yelled rather injudiciously. By now, half of the hands were drifting towards the barn to watch the fireworks. Heath found Belle"s reactions more interesting. She had made a move on him earlier which he had politely refused, it seemed she was setting her cap at Nick now. He frowned when he saw how she seemed to enjoy stirring up things. "MISS BELLE IS A GUEST IN OUR HOUSE, I EXPECT YOU TO EXTEND EVERY COURTESY TO HER THAT SHE ASKS!" Nick gave the arm he still held a sharp shake. "NOW SADDLE UP DAISY AND IF I HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THIS YOU"LL BE WALKING OFF THIS RANCH." He finished angrily. He didn"t have time for this sort of thing. He stalked out of the barn, not even watching to see if his orders were obeyed. Jamie felt as if all of the air in her lungs had been sucked out of her. How could he be so mean? Michael had his reasons for being cruel, the war and the shattered leg and shattered dreams. What had she ever done to Nick Barkley, but try to do her job? Her actions were automatic as she saddled the doomed Daisy to be tortured by the inexperienced riding skills of Miss Belle. The woman gave no heed to Jamie, but snatched the reins triumphantly and gracefully mounted the horse with Nick"s help. She gave him a brilliant smile that turned acidic when it brushed across Jamie. Heath followed Jamie into the barn. "Boy Howdy, Jamie. When are you going to learn not to go up against my brother?" He shook his head. "Nick is the boss. Even I know that." He chided gently. "Aye. I"m just the servant Mr.Barkley. I know my place. If ye"ll excuse me sir, I got me some work to do." Jamie disappeared up the ladder into the loft. Heath started to say something, but then thought better of it. Nick would probably forget about the whole thing by tomorrow. He wasn"t the kind of guy that held a grudge. Once he blew up that was it. Jamie wasn"t too careful with his words either. He shook his head. He was beginning to have a feeling that the appellation of chicken brain" for Belle might be awfully close to the mark. Up in the loft, Jamie sat hunched into a little ball and tried not to cry. In one week it was payday and she could give Heath the last $25 she owed on Buddy. Then there would be nothing to hold her to the Barkley"s and their ranch. She would miss Heath, his shy crooked grin, and Mrs.Barkley and her kind words and tea, Audra was fun to be with, Jarrod was a nice man who loaned her books to read. But she wouldn"t be sorry to see the last of that ungrateful, self-satisfied, pompous fool, Nick Barkley. No! Not in a million years! Not that loud voice, nor his eyes that said so much, or , or, any number of annoying things about him. Like that lock of hair that fell on his forehead or the way he his muscles moved when he was doing work and that darn laugh of his, so full of life. She would be damned if she would miss that man! ACT THREE Scene Two: Audra notices something interesting and the Barkleys come to some startling conclusions. If trailing after Audra and Belle on their shopping trip to Stockton was supposed to be a punishment, it surely didn"t turn out to be that way. Jamie took careful note to watch the two girls behavior. It was certainly a new experience for her to see what normal girls her age did and talked about. Belle"s conversation was almost exclusively about men she knew, men she wanted to know, and men in general. She would talk about fashion and the like, but only in reference to what men" would like. Jamie thought she had the brain of a chicken, you fed it and it followed you looking for more. All a man had to do was look at Belle and she fancied that he loved her and she loved him. She was behaving herself very well today feeling that the Jamie person had been well put in place, of course the gentle talk the Mrs. Barkley had given her last night had also left an impression. It wasn"t a good idea to antagonize a potential Mama-in-law. Audra while interested in men, was much more sensible than her friend and had other more human interests. Compared to Suzy, Audra was much more appealing as a source of information and example of how women acted and were supposed to act around normal men. Men like Heath and Jarrod, not like Nick who was, of course, an uncouth loud-mouthed bully and totally disagreeable. The dress shop was as good as a corral full of fine horses. Bolts of bright and tempting cloth drew all three in like iron filings to a magnet. Belle was more interested in the rich brocades and velvets while Audra and Jamie hovered over the silks and satins. Jamie carefully ran her fingers over the shiny surface of a bolt of silk which garnered a disapproving cough from the elderly lady running the shop. Audra wandered off to look at some hat trims. Looking around quickly, Jamie pulled a bolt of blue ribbon silk out to hold up in front of herself in the mirror. The color mirrored her eyes and seemed to add a rosy blush to her cheeks instead of making her look sallow like Suzy"s turquoise dress had.

He remembered falling and then sinking deeper and deeper in the cold dark waters. Something large was pushing him down like a hand. He knew he was going to drown, but that didn"t stop him from fighting to survive. Then something was pushing at him towards the surface and he was on his back, the life vest holding him up. Heavy seas continued to toss and batter him and more often than not he got a mouthful of water rather than a gulp of air. His last coherent thought for sometime was that someone was under him holding him...there was movement, he felt as if he was flying...someone was singing...he couldn"t understand the words...but he could feel ...safe. fffffffff The first real sensation was that of a bright light, then gradually he became aware of sound, a soft rhythmic sound like breathing. He little by little began to hear other noises and began to feel warmth. Other senses began to function. He was lying down on something gritty. "Sand" his mind identified. He tried to open his eyes, but they seemed glued shut. After a moment, he tried again and was rewarded by the image of something blurry and pink in front of his face. Startled, his eyes focused on his own hand. In a detached way, he moved it and watched the grains of sand shift and flow. It was the most fascinating thing he"d ever seen. The breathing sound sorted itself into the sound of waves hitting a beach...a beach he was lying on. Suddenly, everything seemed to crystallize and he realized that he was alive. He was lying on a beach somewhere and he had not drowned. Gritting his teeth, he turned onto his back and then gradually sat up. His hands moved automatically to the ring on the life vest beacon and he pulled it. A faint hum rewarded him as the little radio began to send out an SOS. Feeling too warm, with fumbling fingers, he began to undo the straps and buckles of the heavy life vest. It took him sometime to work at the water-soaked fastenings, but he took satisfaction in completing the task. After he stripped off the vest, he then removed the heavy rain gear. Somewhere, somehow, he had lost his boots and had on only a heavy pair of waterlogged socks. He took them off and arranged them to dry with meticulous care. He then sat for a long time, knees pulled close to his chest arms hugging his legs, his bare feet dug into the warm sand. He sat watching the sea pound the beach. Off in the distance, he could see dolphins leaping through the waves. He was alive. Help would come. ffffffffff Today, the search had got underway aboard the Seaview at the crack of dawn. Nobody had got much sleep, having stood down around midnight. Dr.Jamieson had even reluctantly released Chief Sharkey from sickbay, realizing that the man was not going to rest at all. The Skipper was up all night setting up search plans and through Admiral Nelson talking to the California Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy. The Captain also had to have a talk with Seaman McGinty. He held the brief interview with the COB Sharkey. "I was on the conning tower with Mr.Morton, sir." The young man swallowed nervously, whether from having to face Sharkey and the Captain or from his barely recovered bout of seasickness. Lee eyed the seaman sharply and nudged the wastebasket with his foot closer to where McGinty sat. "He said he wanted me out of trouble, where he could keep an eye on me." He said truthfully. Chief Sharkey sighed and thought to himself, "Cause no one wanted to work with you, you jerk!" "That"s right sir," he said aloud. "I wanted to put Seaman McGinty on latrine duty, but Mr.Morton said he wanted to ah - assess McGinty for himself." Crane rubbed his jaw, not noticing that he needed a shave. Chip had such good judgement about the crew, he wasn"t surprised that he took McGinty"s "problems" as his responsibility. "OK. So you started your watch on the conning tower with Mr.Morton at 18:45?" "Yessir. At first, it was actually quite exciting the ship bouncing up and down, and rolling..."he paused looking a little pale, and then continued. "I was fine at first, but then I began to get sick. I was throwing up over the side when the Exec, Mr.Morton, told me to go below and send up Patterson." He looked down at his hands and to the two men"s dismay he started to cry."I guess I should have stayed there, if I had stayed Mr. Morton would still be here." "Get a grip on yourself." Sharkey hissed at the young man. Lee Crane looked wearily at the young seaman who was sniffing audibly. He stood up and paced around the room to stop before a picture of himself with the Admiral and Chip. It was a good photograph, but it wasn"t the real thing. He wished the Admiral were here now. He wished to hell that Chip was here now. "If you had stayed on the conning tower, you would have been disobeying orders, Mr.Morton ordered you below, you did the right thing by obeying." The Captain of the Seaview said slowly. "Mr. Morton took responsibility for being alone on the conning tower." Sharkey looked as if he"d been poleaxed. The Skipper had just cleared that nincompoop McGinty from any blame and placed the fault on the Exec himself! His mouth must have been hanging open, because he found himself the recipient of the Captain"s steely stare. "There may have to be a formal board of inquiry about this....later." Crane said. "That will be all for now McGinty. You are confined to quarters for the time being." He watched as the young man left rapidly, sniffling so much that he almost tripped over the hatchway. "Sir!" Sharkey said when the man was gone."You gonna let that lame-brained, ham-boned idiot off?" "You heard me Chief. Mr.Morton knew... knows the safety rules as well if not better than anyone on this boat. He put himself in harm"s way. McGinty is a screw-up, but he"s not to blame." He smiled grimly and tried to lighten the tension in the room. "Executive officer or not, when I get Mr.Morton back on board he"ll be doing latrine duty for a month." He eyed Sharkey who was visibly wilting in the chair in front of him. "Go get some rest, Chief. I"ll be needing you later." He went back to sit at his desk and started compiling a list of supplies they would be needing for the search. fffffffff He looked at the small pile of scavenged articles that would mean his continued survival on this desolate stretch of beach. The life vest with the softly humming beacon came equipped with a compass, a packet of shark repellent, a package with three fish hooks and two small flares. His heavy rain coat would make for some shelter against the elements, but from the looks of the dry arid area, he would be lucky if it rained at all. His pockets yielded two pens, a waterlogged list of "Things to do " with Get rid of McGinty underlined at the bottom of the list and a small pen knife. He had never seen such a desolate stretch of coastline. The beach was beautiful white sand, which then quickly became rolling dunes covered with scruffy, dry plants and cacti. Not too far in the distance were high mountains like a wall as far as the eye could see in either direction. They had been in international waters off the coast of Mexico looking for the beacon. Somehow, he expected the area he would be washed up on to would be more tropic. Once the stars came out he could maybe get some idea where he was. Right now, the most important thing was to get water and food. He eyed the nearest cactus speculatively. Even from fifty feet away he could see that the thorns on it were formidable. When he pushed himself to his feet, he almost fell flat on his face. It wasn"t only just dizziness, he felt as his body was one big bruise. He hurt in muscles he didn"t realize he had. Gritting his teeth he started to cross to the dunes and the cactus. The fine sand of the dunes made it hard to climb, even though they weren"t steep. Several times he would find himself slipping further backwards than moving forwards. He used his toes to dig in and found himself more often then not on all fours. The cactus was easily twice as tall as he was and looked so withered and dry he wondered briefly if it was worth trying to get past the wicked looking thorns to hack off a chunk. Well, there was no other source of water in sight and he was thirsty, really thirsty. Even moving carefully, by the time he had managed to hack off a chunk of cactus with the small pen knife his hands were badly scratched and bleeding. The thorns had nasty barbs that got under the skin and were hard to pull out. He was finally rewarded with a small chunk of cactus meat and he sucked on it greedily for the moisture. The taste wasn"t pleasant, very acidic, but it was wet. He looked at his bleeding hands. "Get smart, Morton." he reasoned. Using the pen knife he managed to cut off the sleeves of his uniform shirt and wrapped his hands in the material before attacking the cactus again. Occasionally, he would stop to look towards the sea and the horizon looking for signs of rescue. "Lee"s going to go ballistic," he thought. "What kind of example are you to the crew by falling overboard Mr.Morton?" he would say and give me that look that nails you to the bulkhead and leaves you there, babbling useless excuses. The sun was beginning to set when he went back to the beach and his little pile of earthly possessions. He carefully unwrapped the sleeves from around his hands. They were swollen already and the flesh around the thorn wounds looked inflamed. He went to the water and began to wash them, the coolness of the water seemed to take out the sting. He soaked the sleeves in the water and wrapped them up again. He looked out at the flat calm sea, no sign of the storm of last night here. "Come on Lee." he whispered as the sun set swiftly. "Come and get me." Once the sun set, he began to feel chilled. Almost regretting the use of his shirt sleeves on his hands he pulled the heavy slicker around him. It was clammy and the only warmth it generated seemed to be from weight. He pulled the life vest on over it for more warmth. As he became more cold, he began to shake. "Can"t be that cold..."he thought muzzily "Must be going into shock... Can"t go into shock, gotta be here when Seaview comes...Skipper? C"mon Morton, you survived drowning, can"t die of shock on the beach...Dad will kill me if I miss another Thanksgiving at home. Promised Mom...I"d make it this time...I"ll ask Julia out when I get back, been meaning to, what a fox...Definitely get rid of McGinty, how could I have missed his ineptitude...Lee"s gonna laugh at me for years about this..." He muttered disjointedly to himself and curled into a ball around the life jacket. He then fell into an uneasy sleep. He woke up a few hours later with awful pain in his hands and especially his left hand. The moon had risen and flooded the beach with soft moonlight. The stars shone bright and clear overhead. He sat up and almost screamed in pain as he used his hands to push himself up. "Oh God,"he moaned, a cold sweat breaking out over his forehead. He couldn"t move his hands without excruciating pain. The left hand felt the worst. He had to use his teeth to pick off the sleeve wrappings. His left hand was swollen and the fingers looked like sausages, even in the moonlight he could see that they were white. The reason for the horrible pain was his watch which was almost sunken in the swollen flesh of his wrist. "Damn." he snarled and with his teeth began to work at the fastening. The metal strap had a simple catch, but it was tight, that"s how he liked it, no good losing your watch when things got a little rough. The relief when it snapped open was only momentary as the blood began to flow back into his hand. The pain was incredible and he screamed into the night. Before he passed out he thought he heard an answering cry from the sea. fffffffff Diego Ruiz of the fishing boat La Bonita crossed himself when he heard the unearthly cry coming from the sea. He had spent all his life on the sea and never had he heard such a strange noise. He went below to wake up the Captain, who was his father. "Father, I have heard something." he said "What is it Diego?" the boy was the most reliable of all of his sons and not easily given to needless alarm. He slipped on his sandals and joined the young man on the deck. They had bad luck this trip fishing and were many miles north of their usual fishing grounds. The little fishing boat was tossing gently at the end of its sea anchor on the waves. On the far horizon to the west, the coastline of Northern Baja gleamed in the moonlight. They both then heard the sound again. It was a high-pitched squeal not unlike a whistle and scream together. Suddenly, a dolphin leapt up next to the boat causing both men to jump. "Dios!" Luis Ruiz called out involuntarily. The dolphin then leaping and jumping began to head towards the coastline. "Dolphins!" his son laughed in relief. "Forgive me father, I did not know it was dolphins. I would not have wakened you." He looked curiously at his father when he saw that the old man was not looking at him, but was watching the dolphins swim towards the far off shore. "Father?" "Wake your brothers Diego. We will follow the dolphin." He began to crank up the anchor. "Wait, Father." Diego said putting his hand on his father"s arm. "The dolphins, they are nothing but trouble, tear the nets, spoil the fishing." "Do as I say Diego, and quickly." Luis Ruiz said sharply, but then his expression softened. "It was dolphins who led us to your Tio Diego when he was drowned. You were not even born then, but it is his name that you carry. Thanks to them we had a body to bury in the churchyard. Would you have some poor soul die without that blessing?" he crossed himself and began to pull up the anchor secure that his son would follow his orders. He was no older than Diego when he went to look for his brother with his own father. Diego"s boat had washed up onto shore in pieces after the storm. The other three members of the crew were snarled in the riggings. The only comfort to their families and young widows was the decent burial in the churchyard instead of the lonely grave of the sea. They had gone to search for his eldest brother when suddenly a dolphin leapt in front of the boat and then arrowed off to the north. "Follow her." his father said curtly. "It is not unknown for them to succor a drowning man." They had found Diego floating in between some rocks. His face was almost peaceful, but he was dead. Would the dolphin lead him to another drowned man? His other two sons, Antonio and Pablo, were working quietly on the deck., although they shot curious glances at their father, they knew when he was the "captain" it was best to obey. She had been uneasy for sometime, she could sense the physical illness of the kin she had rescued. When he called to her she called back, but he was swimming in the dark waters again. She would bring some other kin to him. She signaled to them and they followed. Good! This time the kin was behaving with some sense. One could never count on them to be logical or even sensible when traveling the world and the ways, or even less when they dealt with each other. The moon had set and the soft pearl colors of dawn were beginning to appear when the little fishing boat set anchor off the deserted stretch of coastline that was studded with dunes and the occasional cactus. The body of a man or something in a bright orange vest lay visible against the white sands of the beach. Diego and his father rowed the little dory to the shore. Luis Ruiz approached the body. It was no one he knew, and by the blond hair he figured it must be a "Americano del Norte". He firmly grasped the man"s shoulder to turn him over and was rewarded by a groan. The man"s eyes opened and he stared at him. "Lee?" he whispered and passed out. "Madre de Dios" Luis said. "He is still alive! Quickly Diego, we must get him to the boat." The two men carried him to the waiting dory. Diego handled the oars while his father poured some water into the man"s mouth. He coughed and began to come to again. "Take her down.."he muttered feverishly. "Look out!.. Lee!... So hot...mermaids?...dive!... Make that a double chocolate shake, Cookie... Honey?" Chip thought he saw a woman"s face. She was smiling at him and her eyes were a warm honey color, as he reached for her the face faded and he was looking into the dark brown eyes of an older man. His face was wrinkled and color of polished mahogany. The man was speaking to him, but he couldn"t understand. He did understand when he was offered something to drink and he greedily swallowed the water. It tasted like nectar down his dry throat. He was being handed into a small fishing boat. He stood uncertainly swaying on the deck in the gathering sunrise. The older man led him into a small cabin that was apparently the galley, the bunkroom, and living quarters for the crew. He waved him to a chair and talking to him gently in Spanish began to inspect his hands. "This is not good, se or. The spines are still imbedded in your flesh, I must cut them out." He pantomimed his intentions to the blond man. He then offered him a bottle of some strong liquor to blunt the pain. Chip took a good swig from the bottle offered to his lips and gasped as the fiery liquid burned down to his empty stomach. He saw stars and was still gasping for breath when the old man held his hand down firmly and strongly on the table and with the tip of an incredibly large and sharp gutting knife made a cut on his hand. Pus and blood poured out along with small black pieces that were bits of cactus thorn. The second cut was too much and he slid into unconsciousness. Luis Ruiz grimaced as he drained the wounds on the man"s hand. Stupid gringo to be fooling with the cactus spikes and then bathing them in seawater. The infection was very bad, and he was sure that he would soon have to deal with fever. They had no catch to speak of, he could not return home empty-handed, his family depended upon their fishing. The blond man would have to manage with what care he and his sons could provide, until they caught some fish. He had done his rough surgery and was bandaging the man"s hands when he heard Antonio shout excitedly on deck. "Father! Come look! Such a school of fish!" The surface of the sea glinted silver in the sun as a large school of fish were milling around near the boat. "Quickly! Set the nets!" he cried out in surprise and gave his youngest son a hit on his shoulders. He was relieved to see that Diego had already anticipated his order and was reeling the nets out and shouting instructions to his brothers. All thoughts of the strange blond man fled their thoughts as they filled the hold with the biggest catch they had in many years. Finally there was no more room for fish and the sun was beginning to set. "Dios. I am suddenly an old man." Luis said and mopped his brow. "Where did the fish come from? Antonio?" The young man shrugged and pointed out to sea where there were dolphins also feeding off the bounty of fish. "Perhaps his friends." He also felt as if his muscles were burning. "Never will I curse dolphins again." Diego said solemnly. "And I promise by the Holy Virgin to cut my own net if one should ever become trapped." Luis laid a hand on his son"s shoulder and squeezed it silently in approval. "Now, we must get to work. Pablo and Antonio will start cleaning the fish, Diego you will set course for home. I will see to the "norte americano" and then come to help. We have done good work today and I am proud of all of you." Praise for his sons was not given lightly and even though they were all tired, his words gave them the energy to continue to work. Chip had woken up with his head on the table before him. His hands hurt like hell, but it wasn"t the pulsing burning pain of earlier. They were roughly bandaged. He practically fell into the nearest bunk, which wasn"t far as the cabin was very small. He could hear unfamiliar noises on deck, shouts, yells and strange thumping and bumping. He could hear them speaking, Spanish?. They sounded more excited than alarmed so he let himself slide into sleep. fffffffffff Lee Crane leaned over the chart table and made another notation. "Rodriguez."he said to the sailor standing next to Sparks in the minute radio shack. "Ask Capt. Guitterez to check section 8 and then do a sweep of section 2. " The seaman then translated the orders in Spanish to the Mexican Navy Cruiser that was helping in the search effort. "Sir. I have a message from the Coast Guard, they say that the choppers have been called out on another rescue. They send their ... regrets." Sparks reported. "Thank them for their help." Crane said heavily. Another rescue, probably one with a hope of survivors. Was he wasting time and resources? One man in a life jacket. One man in the Pacific Ocean. The man that was his best friend. Each hour, every minute that passed made the possibilities of finding him slimmer and slimmer. He couldn"t look at his watch. Every time he did the crew held it"s breath, waiting for him to call it all off. To give up, to quit. "You never know when to give up." Chip himself used to tease him, especially when it was the Seaview"s skipper who had managed to save the day with his stamina, determination, and sheer stubbornness. "Right. Mr. O"Brien, let"s try a little further south, the current could have taken him well out of the probable search area. Take us there flank speed." His lips were set in a tight line. No, he never knew how to give up. "I"ll be on the conning tower, let me know if there is any news." "Aye, sir." O"Brien answered. The search for Lt.Cmdr Morton continued some 400 miles in the wrong the direction. ffffffffff

The bowriding broke up as the ways began to become unstable. While they were able to move easily, they knew that the ship would not. They began to swim off to do other activities, like feeding or playing, but always within close call of one another. She was more curious then her fellow pod members and especially liked to watch the kin at their doings. They never made much sense, but it was fun guessing at what they were up to. Therefore, she was next to the ship when one of the kin fell into the world. The ship did not seem to notice that she was causing distress to the little one by sending him deeper into the world by her passing. The dolphin could see that the little kin was in distress as it was bubbling air like a sick dolphin. She knew she had to help it to the air and quickly. She began pushing him with her nose towards the surface. Moving it was awkward and she called for help. Within seconds another dolphin had joined her and they pushed the little one to the surface. It blew like a dolphin but seemed unable to make any noises. It floated on the surface like a dead fish and if it hadn"t been her hearing to confirm that it lived and breathed she would have left it for the kinless ones, the killers to dispose of. She nudged him (she recognized that it was male) curiously. He began to make noises of distress as the world shifted and moved in it"s rhythms and ways. He was worse than a baby. He could not swim. She and her partner then moved in on each side of him and kept him on the surface as he apparently was too hurt to dive. The pod took turns effortlessly carrying the kin with them through the storm. They knew what they were doing. Memory of the two kin together was long. They would take this one to the dry world where it preferred to swim. As they swam, they sang to him, ancient songs, songs of friendship, of love, and the good ways in the world, the warm and the cold. He remembered falling and then sinking deeper and deeper in the cold dark waters. Something large was pushing him down like a hand. He knew he was going to drown, but that didn"t stop him from fighting to survive. Then something was pushing at him towards the surface and he was on his back, the life vest holding him up. Heavy seas continued to toss and batter him and more often than not he got a mouthful of water rather than a gulp of air. His last coherent thought for sometime was that someone was under him holding him...there was movement, he felt as if he was flying...someone was singing...he couldn"t understand the words...but he could feel ...safe. fffffffff The first real sensation was that of a bright light, then gradually he became aware of sound, a soft rhythmic sound like breathing. He little by little began to hear other noises and began to feel warmth. Other senses began to function. He was lying down on something gritty. "Sand" his mind identified. He tried to open his eyes, but they seemed glued shut. After a moment, he tried again and was rewarded by the image of something blurry and pink in front of his face. Startled, his eyes focused on his own hand. In a detached way, he moved it and watched the grains of sand shift and flow. It was the most fascinating thing he"d ever seen. The breathing sound sorted itself into the sound of waves hitting a beach...a beach he was lying on. Suddenly, everything seemed to crystallize and he realized that he was alive. He was lying on a beach somewhere and he had not drowned. Gritting his teeth, he turned onto his back and then gradually sat up. His hands moved automatically to the ring on the life vest beacon and he pulled it. A faint hum rewarded him as the little radio began to send out an SOS. Feeling too warm, with fumbling fingers, he began to undo the straps and buckles of the heavy life vest. It took him sometime to work at the water-soaked fastenings, but he took satisfaction in completing the task. After he stripped off the vest, he then removed the heavy rain gear. Somewhere, somehow, he had lost his boots and had on only a heavy pair of waterlogged socks. He took them off and arranged them to dry with meticulous care. He then sat for a long time, knees pulled close to his chest arms hugging his legs, his bare feet dug into the warm sand. He sat watching the sea pound the beach. Off in the distance, he could see dolphins leaping through the waves. He was alive. Help would come. ffffffffff Today, the search had got underway aboard the Seaview at the crack of dawn. Nobody had got much sleep, having stood down around midnight. Dr.Jamieson had even reluctantly released Chief Sharkey from sickbay, realizing that the man was not going to rest at all. The Skipper was up all night setting up search plans and through Admiral Nelson talking to the California Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy. The Captain also had to have a talk with Seaman McGinty. He held the brief interview with the COB Sharkey. "I was on the conning tower with Mr.Morton, sir." The young man swallowed nervously, whether from having to face Sharkey and the Captain or from his barely recovered bout of seasickness. Lee eyed the seaman sharply and nudged the wastebasket with his foot closer to where McGinty sat. "He said he wanted me out of trouble, where he could keep an eye on me." He said truthfully. Chief Sharkey sighed and thought to himself, "Cause no one wanted to work with you, you jerk!" "That"s right sir," he said aloud. "I wanted to put Seaman McGinty on latrine duty, but Mr.Morton said he wanted to ah - assess McGinty for himself." Crane rubbed his jaw, not noticing that he needed a shave. Chip had such good judgement about the crew, he wasn"t surprised that he took McGinty"s "problems" as his responsibility. "OK. So you started your watch on the conning tower with Mr.Morton at 18:45?" "Yessir. At first, it was actually quite exciting the ship bouncing up and down, and rolling..."he paused looking a little pale, and then continued. "I was fine at first, but then I began to get sick. I was throwing up over the side when the Exec, Mr.Morton, told me to go below and send up Patterson." He looked down at his hands and to the two men"s dismay he started to cry."I guess I should have stayed there, if I had stayed Mr. Morton would still be here." "Get a grip on yourself." Sharkey hissed at the young man. Lee Crane looked wearily at the young seaman who was sniffing audibly. He stood up and paced around the room to stop before a picture of himself with the Admiral and Chip. It was a good photograph, but it wasn"t the real thing. He wished the Admiral were here now. He wished to hell that Chip was here now. "If you had stayed on the conning tower, you would have been disobeying orders, Mr.Morton ordered you below, you did the right thing by obeying." The Captain of the Seaview said slowly. "Mr. Morton took responsibility for being alone on the conning tower." Sharkey looked as if he"d been poleaxed. The Skipper had just cleared that nincompoop McGinty from any blame and placed the fault on the Exec himself! His mouth must have been hanging open, because he found himself the recipient of the Captain"s steely stare. "There may have to be a formal board of inquiry about this....later." Crane said. "That will be all for now McGinty. You are confined to quarters for the time being." He watched as the young man left rapidly, sniffling so much that he almost tripped over the hatchway. "Sir!" Sharkey said when the man was gone."You gonna let that lame-brained, ham-boned idiot off?" "You heard me Chief. Mr.Morton knew... knows the safety rules as well if not better than anyone on this boat. He put himself in harm"s way. McGinty is a screw-up, but he"s not to blame." He smiled grimly and tried to lighten the tension in the room. "Executive officer or not, when I get Mr.Morton back on board he"ll be doing latrine duty for a month." He eyed Sharkey who was visibly wilting in the chair in front of him. "Go get some rest, Chief. I"ll be needing you later." He went back to sit at his desk and started compiling a list of supplies they would be needing for the search. fffffffff He looked at the small pile of scavenged articles that would mean his continued survival on this desolate stretch of beach. The life vest with the softly humming beacon came equipped with a compass, a packet of shark repellent, a package with three fish hooks and two small flares. His heavy rain coat would make for some shelter against the elements, but from the looks of the dry arid area, he would be lucky if it rained at all. His pockets yielded two pens, a waterlogged list of "Things to do " with Get rid of McGinty underlined at the bottom of the list and a small pen knife. He had never seen such a desolate stretch of coastline. The beach was beautiful white sand, which then quickly became rolling dunes covered with scruffy, dry plants and cacti. Not too far in the distance were high mountains like a wall as far as the eye could see in either direction. They had been in international waters off the coast of Mexico looking for the beacon. Somehow, he expected the area he would be washed up on to would be more tropic. Once the stars came out he could maybe get some idea where he was. Right now, the most important thing was to get water and food. He eyed the nearest cactus speculatively. Even from fifty feet away he could see that the thorns on it were formidable. When he pushed himself to his feet, he almost fell flat on his face. It wasn"t only just dizziness, he felt as his body was one big bruise. He hurt in muscles he didn"t realize he had. Gritting his teeth he started to cross to the dunes and the cactus. The fine sand of the dunes made it hard to climb, even though they weren"t steep. Several times he would find himself slipping further backwards than moving forwards. He used his toes to dig in and found himself more often then not on all fours. The cactus was easily twice as tall as he was and looked so withered and dry he wondered briefly if it was worth trying to get past the wicked looking thorns to hack off a chunk. Well, there was no other source of water in sight and he was thirsty, really thirsty. Even moving carefully, by the time he had managed to hack off a chunk of cactus with the small pen knife his hands were badly scratched and bleeding. The thorns had nasty barbs that got under the skin and were hard to pull out. He was finally rewarded with a small chunk of cactus meat and he sucked on it greedily for the moisture. The taste wasn"t pleasant, very acidic, but it was wet. He looked at his bleeding hands. "Get smart, Morton." he reasoned. Using the pen knife he managed to cut off the sleeves of his uniform shirt and wrapped his hands in the material before attacking the cactus again. Occasionally, he would stop to look towards the sea and the horizon looking for signs of rescue. "Lee"s going to go ballistic," he thought. "What kind of example are you to the crew by falling overboard Mr.Morton?" he would say and give me that look that nails you to the bulkhead and leaves you there, babbling useless excuses. The sun was beginning to set when he went back to the beach and his little pile of earthly possessions. He carefully unwrapped the sleeves from around his hands. They were swollen already and the flesh around the thorn wounds looked inflamed. He went to the water and began to wash them, the coolness of the water seemed to take out the sting. He soaked the sleeves in the water and wrapped them up again. He looked out at the flat calm sea, no sign of the storm of last night here. "Come on Lee." he whispered as the sun set swiftly. "Come and get me." Once the sun set, he began to feel chilled. Almost regretting the use of his shirt sleeves on his hands he pulled the heavy slicker around him. It was clammy and the only warmth it generated seemed to be from weight. He pulled the life vest on over it for more warmth. As he became more cold, he began to shake. "Can"t be that cold..."he thought muzzily "Must be going into shock... Can"t go into shock, gotta be here when Seaview comes...Skipper? C"mon Morton, you survived drowning, can"t die of shock on the beach...Dad will kill me if I miss another Thanksgiving at home. Promised Mom...I"d make it this time...I"ll ask Julia out when I get back, been meaning to, what a fox...Definitely get rid of McGinty, how could I have missed his ineptitude...Lee"s gonna laugh at me for years about this..." He muttered disjointedly to himself and curled into a ball around the life jacket. He then fell into an uneasy sleep. He woke up a few hours later with awful pain in his hands and especially his left hand. The moon had risen and flooded the beach with soft moonlight. The stars shone bright and clear overhead. He sat up and almost screamed in pain as he used his hands to push himself up. "Oh God,"he moaned, a cold sweat breaking out over his forehead. He couldn"t move his hands without excruciating pain. The left hand felt the worst. He had to use his teeth to pick off the sleeve wrappings. His left hand was swollen and the fingers looked like sausages, even in the moonlight he could see that they were white. The reason for the horrible pain was his watch which was almost sunken in the swollen flesh of his wrist. "Damn." he snarled and with his teeth began to work at the fastening. The metal strap had a simple catch, but it was tight, that"s how he liked it, no good losing your watch when things got a little rough. The relief when it snapped open was only momentary as the blood began to flow back into his hand. The pain was incredible and he screamed into the night. Before he passed out he thought he heard an answering cry from the sea. fffffffff Diego Ruiz of the fishing boat La Bonita crossed himself when he heard the unearthly cry coming from the sea. He had spent all his life on the sea and never had he heard such a strange noise. He went below to wake up the Captain, who was his father. "Father, I have heard something." he said "What is it Diego?" the boy was the most reliable of all of his sons and not easily given to needless alarm. He slipped on his sandals and joined the young man on the deck. They had bad luck this trip fishing and were many miles north of their usual fishing grounds. The little fishing boat was tossing gently at the end of its sea anchor on the waves. On the far horizon to the west, the coastline of Northern Baja gleamed in the moonlight. They both then heard the sound again. It was a high-pitched squeal not unlike a whistle and scream together. Suddenly, a dolphin leapt up next to the boat causing both men to jump. "Dios!" Luis Ruiz called out involuntarily. The dolphin then leaping and jumping began to head towards the coastline. "Dolphins!" his son laughed in relief. "Forgive me father, I did not know it was dolphins. I would not have wakened you." He looked curiously at his father when he saw that the old man was not looking at him, but was watching the dolphins swim towards the far off shore. "Father?" "Wake your brothers Diego. We will follow the dolphin." He began to crank up the anchor. "Wait, Father." Diego said putting his hand on his father"s arm. "The dolphins, they are nothing but trouble, tear the nets, spoil the fishing." "Do as I say Diego, and quickly." Luis Ruiz said sharply, but then his expression softened. "It was dolphins who led us to your Tio Diego when he was drowned. You were not even born then, but it is his name that you carry. Thanks to them we had a body to bury in the churchyard. Would you have some poor soul die without that blessing?" he crossed himself and began to pull up the anchor secure that his son would follow his orders. He was no older than Diego when he went to look for his brother with his own father. Diego"s boat had washed up onto shore in pieces after the storm. The other three members of the crew were snarled in the riggings. The only comfort to their families and young widows was the decent burial in the churchyard instead of the lonely grave of the sea. They had gone to search for his eldest brother when suddenly a dolphin leapt in front of the boat and then arrowed off to the north. "Follow her." his father said curtly. "It is not unknown for them to succor a drowning man." They had found Diego floating in between some rocks. His face was almost peaceful, but he was dead. Would the dolphin lead him to another drowned man? His other two sons, Antonio and Pablo, were working quietly on the deck., although they shot curious glances at their father, they knew when he was the "captain" it was best to obey. She had been uneasy for sometime, she could sense the physical illness of the kin she had rescued. When he called to her she called back, but he was swimming in the dark waters again. She would bring some other kin to him. She signaled to them and they followed. Good! This time the kin was behaving with some sense. One could never count on them to be logical or even sensible when traveling the world and the ways, or even less when they dealt with each other. The moon had set and the soft pearl colors of dawn were beginning to appear when the little fishing boat set anchor off the deserted stretch of coastline that was studded with dunes and the occasional cactus. The body of a man or something in a bright orange vest lay visible against the white sands of the beach. Diego and his father rowed the little dory to the shore. Luis Ruiz approached the body. It was no one he knew, and by the blond hair he figured it must be a "Americano del Norte". He firmly grasped the man"s shoulder to turn him over and was rewarded by a groan. The man"s eyes opened and he stared at him. "Lee?" he whispered and passed out. "Madre de Dios" Luis said. "He is still alive! Quickly Diego, we must get him to the boat." The two men carried him to the waiting dory. Diego handled the oars while his father poured some water into the man"s mouth. He coughed and began to come to again. "Take her down.."he muttered feverishly. "Look out!.. Lee!... So hot...mermaids?...dive!... Make that a double chocolate shake, Cookie... Honey?" Chip thought he saw a woman"s face. She was smiling at him and her eyes were a warm honey color, as he reached for her the face faded and he was looking into the dark brown eyes of an older man. His face was wrinkled and color of polished mahogany. The man was speaking to him, but he couldn"t understand. He did understand when he was offered something to drink and he greedily swallowed the water. It tasted like nectar down his dry throat. He was being handed into a small fishing boat. He stood uncertainly swaying on the deck in the gathering sunrise. The older man led him into a small cabin that was apparently the galley, the bunkroom, and living quarters for the crew. He waved him to a chair and talking to him gently in Spanish began to inspect his hands. "This is not good, se or. The spines are still imbedded in your flesh, I must cut them out." He pantomimed his intentions to the blond man. He then offered him a bottle of some strong liquor to blunt the pain. Chip took a good swig from the bottle offered to his lips and gasped as the fiery liquid burned down to his empty stomach. He saw stars and was still gasping for breath when the old man held his hand down firmly and strongly on the table and with the tip of an incredibly large and sharp gutting knife made a cut on his hand. Pus and blood poured out along with small black pieces that were bits of cactus thorn. The second cut was too much and he slid into unconsciousness. Luis Ruiz grimaced as he drained the wounds on the man"s hand. Stupid gringo to be fooling with the cactus spikes and then bathing them in seawater. The infection was very bad, and he was sure that he would soon have to deal with fever. They had no catch to speak of, he could not return home empty-handed, his family depended upon their fishing. The blond man would have to manage with what care he and his sons could provide, until they caught some fish. He had done his rough surgery and was bandaging the man"s hands when he heard Antonio shout excitedly on deck. "Father! Come look! Such a school of fish!" The surface of the sea glinted silver in the sun as a large school of fish were milling around near the boat. "Quickly! Set the nets!" he cried out in surprise and gave his youngest son a hit on his shoulders. He was relieved to see that Diego had already anticipated his order and was reeling the nets out and shouting instructions to his brothers. All thoughts of the strange blond man fled their thoughts as they filled the hold with the biggest catch they had in many years. Finally there was no more room for fish and the sun was beginning to set. "Dios. I am suddenly an old man." Luis said and mopped his brow. "Where did the fish come from? Antonio?" The young man shrugged and pointed out to sea where there were dolphins also feeding off the bounty of fish. "Perhaps his friends." He also felt as if his muscles were burning. "Never will I curse dolphins again." Diego said solemnly. "And I promise by the Holy Virgin to cut my own net if one should ever become trapped." Luis laid a hand on his son"s shoulder and squeezed it silently in approval. "Now, we must get to work. Pablo and Antonio will start cleaning the fish, Diego you will set course for home. I will see to the "norte americano" and then come to help. We have done good work today and I am proud of all of you." Praise for his sons was not given lightly and even though they were all tired, his words gave them the energy to continue to work. Chip had woken up with his head on the table before him. His hands hurt like hell, but it wasn"t the pulsing burning pain of earlier. They were roughly bandaged. He practically fell into the nearest bunk, which wasn"t far as the cabin was very small. He could hear unfamiliar noises on deck, shouts, yells and strange thumping and bumping. He could hear them speaking, Spanish?. They sounded more excited than alarmed so he let himself slide into sleep. fffffffffff

ACT THREE Scene Two: Audra notices something interesting and the Barkleys come to some startling conclusions. If trailing after Audra and Belle on their shopping trip to Stockton was supposed to be a punishment, it surely didn"t turn out to be that way. Jamie took careful note to watch the two girls behavior. It was certainly a new experience for her to see what normal girls her age did and talked about. Belle"s conversation was almost exclusively about men she knew, men she wanted to know, and men in general. She would talk about fashion and the like, but only in reference to what men" would like. Jamie thought she had the brain of a chicken, you fed it and it followed you looking for more. All a man had to do was look at Belle and she fancied that he loved her and she loved him. She was behaving herself very well today feeling that the Jamie person had been well put in place, of course the gentle talk the Mrs. Barkley had given her last night had also left an impression. It wasn"t a good idea to antagonize a potential Mama-in-law. Audra while interested in men, was much more sensible than her friend and had other more human interests. Compared to Suzy, Audra was much more appealing as a source of information and example of how women acted and were supposed to act around normal men. Men like Heath and Jarrod, not like Nick who was, of course, an uncouth loud-mouthed bully and totally disagreeable. The dress shop was as good as a corral full of fine horses. Bolts of bright and tempting cloth drew all three in like iron filings to a magnet. Belle was more interested in the rich brocades and velvets while Audra and Jamie hovered over the silks and satins. Jamie carefully ran her fingers over the shiny surface of a bolt of silk which garnered a disapproving cough from the elderly lady running the shop. Audra wandered off to look at some hat trims. Looking around quickly, Jamie pulled a bolt of blue ribbon silk out to hold up in front of herself in the mirror. The color mirrored her eyes and seemed to add a rosy blush to her cheeks instead of making her look sallow like Suzy"s turquoise dress had. "That"s a pretty color, but hardly good for a man"s shirt." Audra said quietly beside her. "I - ah- if I was a girl..."Jamie began desperately looking for some reasonable explanation. "My sister, she had the same color eyes and hair as me. I wondered if she would look good..." her voice trailed off. "Oh yes! The blue matches your eyes perfectly. But Jamie, you never said you had a sister. What is her name?" Jamie swallowed, it was her name but hadn"t been said aloud for years. As if waiting for a bolt of lightning to hit her and sort hoping it would, she opened her mouth, "Alanna," and then a little louder as if it were important to say it again, "Alanna O"Shannon." "So, is she older or younger than you? Where is she?" Audra took the bolt of cloth carefully out of Jamie"s hands. He looked awfully upset all of a sudden. Audra put a sympathetic hand on Jamie"s arm. "Did something bad happen to her?" "Aye Audra. She got lost." Jamie looked at her brown capable hands, hands that guided horses, healed their hurts, hands that were unused to the feel of silk under them. "Oh dear. Did you look for her?" "No, Audra. No one looked for her. In my family, girls weren"t worth looking for. She stayed lost." "But Jamie, surely you...I can"t believe you wouldn"t look for her." "Ah well, then ye don"t know me, do you Audra Barkley. I"ll wait outside fer ye and Miss Belle." Audra looked in total dismay as Jamie left the store. She looked down at the bolt of cloth and a funny thought crossed her mind and then flitted away quickly as Belle bore down on her demanding her opinion on a choice of fine bonnets. The trip back to the ranch was dominated by Belle"s conversations about the shopping they had done and her comparisons to the shops in the east. She easily made up for Jamie"s silence and Audra"s own preoccupied nods and monosyllables. It was only when Audra was dressing for dinner when that stray thought that crossed her mind in the shop came back. It was preposterous, it was impossible, it was...intriguing! This was too good to keep to herself. Audra found the rest of her family in the library. Jarrod standing by the fireplace with Heath looking at a book, while Nick was lounged comfortably in one of the chairs. Her mother was carefully working on a piece of mending, probably one of Heath"s shirts that always seemed to suffer. Her brothers smiled at her entrance, their unconscious greeting warming her heart. In a sudden burst of love and affection she flew across the room to hug her eldest brother tightly. "Hey, kitten." He said returning the hug, but confused at her sudden show of love. She was hanging on to him as if she hadn"t seen him for a month of Sundays. "Audra is something wrong?" He asked as she almost reluctantly let go of him. "If I was lost, would you come to find me?" "Of course I would." Jarrod said becoming almost alarmed at what Audra was talking about. "We all would."Heath said seriously. "What"s got into you girl?" Nick asked getting to his feet. "You know we would do anything to protect you. Has something, has someone bothered you in town? I suppose Jamie sloped off to look at horses, when I told him to keep an eye on you two. That"s it, the boy can take his damn horse and..."Nick began angrily. "Wait Nick, it"s not like that."Audra took a deep breath. "Did you know that Jamie had a sister?" "Ben Cartwright mentioned it..." Victoria dropped the mending into her lap and looked with interest at her daughter. "Her name is Alanna." Audra said triumphantly. "Do you know what happened to her?" "Well, Ben seemed to think that she may have died when her younger brother Patrick died of influenza or something like that. What of it?" Jarrod added. "Jamie said she got lost, and that no one in her family thought it important to look for her." Audra said triumphantly. "Why would they do that?" Heath asked his brow furrowing, "From what Jamie says about his family they were real close before the war. I don"t see Jamie not looking for a lost sister." Nick nodded slowly, "Yeah, the kid is a pain, but loyal to a fault. Look at that fight he got into about Heath and that time in Alameda." "What fights?" Audra asked temporarily diverted. "Nothing." All three brothers said at once, causing Audra to wrinkle her nose at them. Men and their secrets. Victoria carefully put away the mending in her sewing basket ."Tell me, what do we know about Jamie"s family?" "Now Mother, where is this going?" Nick asked gruffly. "No, fair enough question Nick," Jarrod said, "Let"s look at the facts." He switched into lawyer mode. "James O"Shannon has an older brother Michael. Presumedly still living. He had three, no four other brothers. Sean, Liam, hmmm Andrew, and..." "Patrick who died of influenza." Nick added and settled himself back into his chair. "And now a sister who has died." "Not necessarily dead."Jarrod asked,"Lost, is that right Audra?" "That is exactly what Jamie said, lost." Audra said. "Now Nick you saw the photograph...how many children were in the picture?" "Four boys standing, the Mother holding the little girl in her lap and the Father a small baby. But what does all this prove?" "Boy Howdy!" Heath breathed, "You don"t think..." He looked at Jarrod who was thinking hard and Victoria who was looking smug. "Adam told me that the little O"Shannon girl had a foal named Rosebud. The horse followed her everywhere nibbling on her curly black hair." "Who in the family had the horse gift?" Jarrod asked. "Sean and the girl, Alanna. And who had black hair? Michael and the girl, Alanna." "And how do you lose a sister and not look for her?" Audra chimed in "By turning her into a boy, into James O"Shannon." "Oh No! No!" Nick said jumping to his feet again. "You all are crazy. Jamie O"Shannon is not a girl." He laughed forcefully. "You all have been reading too many books, out in the sun too long." Heath shrugged. "Makes sense to me. Jamie keeps to himself, ah maybe herself. That cheek will never see a beard and she acts a lot older than she looks." "She was admiring a bolt of blue silk, how many boys would do that Nick?" Audra looked very pleased with herself. "Rosebud can easily be Buddy." Jarrod added. "Now wait, he, she, Buddy, Rosebud, the three of you are just barking up the wrong tree. Jamie acts like a man, rides like a man, drinks like a man, fights like a man, I even took him to..."Nick broke off the sentence and looked at his little sister and mother. Her unspoken question was never voiced as Silas came to announce dinner. "Well, whatever secret life James or Alanna O"Shannon may have, I suggest we wait until after Miss Belle has left our company." Victoria said wisely. Audra nodded reluctantly as did Heath. Nick snorted. "Jamie O"Shannon, a girl, ha!" Jarrod stopped his mother on the way to the dining room, "How long have you known, Mother?" Victoria smiled at her son. "Long before any of you." The day started like most other days with no clue of potential disaster or roll of thunder to herald destruction or doom. Victoria and Audra went off to visit neighbors with a new baby, a pastime that Belle graciously declined. Babies were such noisy distasteful things always taking attention away from others - just like her little brother had when he came into the world - disgusting thing. Superficially she pleaded a headache and a desire for a little rest or maybe pursuing someone interesting. Unfortunately, Heath and Nick and the majority of the ranch hands were out doing some fencing work. Jamie had spent the morning cleaning tack and brushing down the few horses that were left in the barn. She had expected to join the men with the fencing work, but Nick had looked at her strangely and told her to stay close to home. She shrugged and considered a ride out to the river on Buddy for a bath. Quick wash-ups in a bowl were not getting her clean enough to her satisfaction. Maybe that was why Nick and Heath looked so strange at her this morning. She took a hesitant sniff at herself and frowned. Jamie had just finished saddling Buddy and was leading him out of the barn when she was accosted by Belle. "Oh boy." Belle said in a soft syrupy voice. "Are you going for a ride? Could I come too?" She fluttered her eyes at Jamie who wasn"t too impressed. "I"m just going to the creek. Not a pretty ride." Jamie said tightening the cinch on Buddy. "Please. I really think we should be friends, for the Barkley"s sake. They had so many good things to say about you." Belle said winningly. "Really?" Jamie looked at the young woman who looked all innocence and a touch of remorse. "I"m sure you would like to know what they said..." Belle tossed the baited hook out. Jamie took the bait hook, line and sinker. "Well alright, let me saddle up a horse for you. Daisy is out, you"ll have to ride Fireball." "All right." Was the bright cheerful reply. After the fuss of several days ago Jamie should have been on her guard, but the thought of hearing what the Barkley"s and Nick thought of her was too good to pass up. Maybe she could stay on the ranch for a while, maybe they could be told her secret... Heath and Nick were just returning from the barn after caring for their horses after a hard day"s work. "I could eat a bear." Heath said stretchin his back muscles lazily. "I"m with you brother, but I hope it"s Silas" pot roast." Nick said slapping his brothers shoulder affectionately. "Boy Howdy, what is that?" Heath said suddenly stopping to point at a sorry sight coming into the yard. Fireball was half-trotting half walking, it"s rider bouncing awkwardly around. As soon as the rider spied the two men a wail that would put a cat to shame broke out. "OooooOOOooo." Belle cried and waited until she could fall neatly into one of the men"s arms. "MOTHER! AUDRA!" Nick bellowed inviting someone else to take over the handful of teary muddy young woman. "My heavens." Victoria said running out of the house. "What on earth happened to you? Are you hurt dear?" "Well, no." Belle said honestly. "But look at my dress..."Belle sniffed audibly. "It is just ruined! I am completely disheveled, Mother says that a woman must never appear in polite company in a less than perfect order. I must surely bathe, change and then tell you of my most frightening experience." Belle managed to flutter her eyelashes which were unfortunately glued in clumps by mud. Nick nimbly avoided her muddy hand on his arm. "You go and do that." Nick said gruffly. He turned to Heath, who was patting the sweating, trembling horse. They both watched as the blond girl marched into the house supported by Audra and Victoria, each tantalizing sway of her hips dropping half-dried clumps of mud along the way. "Poor Fireball" has been rid pretty hard, Nick." Heath said running his hands down the elderly pony"s legs. The animal was covered in dried foam and was still breathing hard. "Damn." Nick eyed the exhausted horse."Take him to the barn, um I"m sure Jamie can take care of him." "Well, Nick. I think you ought to, seeings how Jamie told you that Belle was too rough on the horses. You can say he was right." Heath grinned his lopsided grin. "Matter of fact, mebbe I"ll just tag along and hear you eat crow." Nick opened his mouth and raised his finger to his brother who was laughing silently. He closed it and pulled the horses reins from his brother"s hands. He stalked towards the barn with Heath following at a leisurely pace behind him. Fireball"s ears perked forwards as the familiar odors and sight of the barn faced the tired horse. "Jamie!" Nick called out just inside the barn. He was greeted by a few whickers and shuffling from the horses. Coco stuck his head over his stall door and gave a welcoming farrup. Other than that the barn was quiet. He quickly pulled the saddle and blanket off the horse. "JAMIE!" Nick bellowed. "Got us a sick horse here..." This would usually bring the boy double time. Heath wandered in looking around carefully. "Don"t seem to be here, Nick. Buddy isn"t in his stall. You don"t think he took off?" "Now, why in ell would Jamie take off?" Nick groused and grabbing a brush began to vigorously brush the coat of the grateful Fireball. "Well now, could be because you yelled at him the other day for calling Miss Belle chicken brain." Heath sat down on a block of hay. He pulled out a whisp and began chewing on it thoughtfully. Nick snorted. "The boy would have taken off the first day he was here if he was afraid of me yelling at him." He gave the horse a slap on it"s rump as it was beginning to lean gratefully on him. "Jealous." Heath said succinctly. "Look at the way she has been acting around Belle." He shrugged and repeated. "Jealous." "What? Aw, hell Heath you aren"t buying into that crazy idea that Jamie is...is a girl?" Nick staggered a bit as the horse managed to lean on the distracted man. He gave it a less than gentle slap and it looked at him reproachfully. "Kinda makes sense to me. Y"know her age is right to be Alanna, Buddy is Rosebud, the gift with horses...Jamie is Alanna." "You all have gone south around the bend..."Nick finished brushing the horse and was covering it with a blanket. "Face it Nick, you just don"t want Jamie to be female. Or maybe..." Heath paused and looked at his older brother thoughtfully and then grinned. "Maybe what?" Nick shot out and pushed the horse into an empty stall and dumped a measure of grain into the grateful animal"s manger. "Well Nick, maybe you would be more disappointed if we were wrong." "What do you mean..." He was interrupted by Audra who came running out to the barn. She had a rather distracted Belle by one hand. Belle"s hair was half covered in soap and was hanging in unattractive rat tails around her face. She had a robe clutched around her with one hand. "Nick! Heath!" Audra yelled. "Jamie"s in trouble! Belle just told me." Audra shot her old school friend a contemptuous look. Flirting with everyone in trousers was bad enough, but deserting a rider in trouble out on the range was less than human. "Tell them what happened," She gave the girl"s arm a tight squeeze, "What really happened, not any of your stories." "Audra," Belle whined, "You are hurting me, I will have to tell my mother about this breech in good behavior. I will have to cut my visit short." She raised her eyes to look beseechingly at the two men who were paying more attention to their sister than to her. There appeared to be no help from that quarter and Audra did not seem to want to stop squeezing her arm. She began to speak, Nick wondered why he even considered her whiny voice dulcet and sweet. "I wanted to go for a ride and that nasty boy, wouldn"t let me go alone. He saddled two horses, that awful slow one and the pretty red one. I wanted to ride the red one. He was quite rude, I must say..."she began, but paled as Audra pulled her around to face her. "Tell them what you did." she grated out between her teeth. "I took the red horse, when he was saddling the other one. My, we took off like the wind. That boy couldn"t keep up on that old pony. If it hadn"t been for that ditch..." Her voice trailed off. "Ditch?" Nick said dangerously, the only ditch was the newly dug irrigation ditch for the orchard about five miles from the ranch. It was fairly shallow, but wide, too wide for a horse to jump. "I thought we could jump it, then that boy couldn"t follow. He was yelling, saying such bad words. The horse fell and I got thrown into the mud. I was lucky not to get hurt. That boy helped me out of the ditch with the rope and then he went into the ditch to the horse. He was yelling at me! It wasn"t my fault. The horse was making a lot of noise...I got on the other horse and rode here. I was going to tell you..."Her voice trailed off as she faced the three furious people. She took refuge in bursting into tears, her face screwing up and turning red and ugly. Nick was already pulling Coco out of his stall and was throwing on a blanket and saddle. Heath started to saddle up Charger. "I can take the south end and you the north, we can ride towards each other, they gotta be easy to spot." "We have only about an hour of daylight left." Nick tightened Coco"s cinch. "Audra, I want you to get her, "Nick threw a head over towards the sobbing Belle, "out of here." "Nick. I can come with you." Audra put a hand on her older brother"s arm. Nick in a cold rage was not a good thing, better to have him yelling and ranting. "Better, do as Nick asks Audra." Heath said, "Tell mother. She"ll take care of Belle and...and Alanna when we bring her home. ACT THREE Scene Three - A death brings Jamie to his end. Nick must be careful to save Alanna"s life. Nick rode at a bruising pace to the Northern and farthest end of the irrigation ditch, it had been quite a job digging the half mile long ditch, but it would make all the difference to the fruit trees during times of drought which plagued the area all too frequently. He turned Coco to face south and began riding at a slower pace. The sun was still up, but the long shadows hid the bottom of the ditch from seeing much. "Jamie! Can you hear me? Jamie! Answer me boy!" Nick shook his head. Was Jamie a boy? No matter, right now he was someone in trouble. "Jamie!" He had been riding about ten minutes when he heard a faint answer to his shout. He slid off Coco and paced along the rim of the ditch, the earth was soft and crumbly at the edges, clods rained down to make soggy pattering noises in the muddy bottom of the ditch. The growing shadows softened what was a heartbreaking situation. The roan gelding was down in the bottom of the ditch, covered in thick mud. Jamie was holding the horse"s head out of the mud. The animal was breathing heavily, as if it had just run a long race. "Throw me your gun." Jamie"s voice floated like a specter on the breeze, it sounded thin and tight. "I gotta put him out of his misery." "Legs broke?" Nick said and dallied his rope around the saddle horn, he trusted Coco to hold his weight while he went down the loose side of the ditch. "Jest throw me the damn gun, Nick Barkley." Jamie"s voice was high, it was the first time Nick had heard the boy swear. "Do you want me to..." Nick said pulling the heavy six shooter from his holster. "He"s my horse, I saw him born, I"ll put him down." Came the tense reply. He handed the gun to Jamie who carefully aimed at a point in the horse"s skull and pulled the trigger. Nick was close enough to hear the sharp sob that was almost drowned out by the bark of the gun. "Jamie, I"m sorry." Nick said brusquely. "I should have listened to you." "Listen to me? Ah hell, Nick why should ye listen to me?" The gun began to wave in a dangerous direction towards him. She thumbed the hammer back, cocking the gun. "Whoa, take it easy." He held his hands up."You want to be more careful with that gun, Jamie." He lowered his hands and reached out slowly for the loaded weapon. "You don"t want to do this." "I didna want to kill Rosebud either. He was all I had. He was the last thing in the world to love me. How can ye understand? In that house with yer family around you. Ye took yer time coming too. I sat watching him suffer with no way to make it go away. Did you and Belle take a walk in the garden before ye came to see? Damn ye Nick Barkley I trusted..." Her voice broke off as she took in a shaky breath. The gun dipped and wavered.

Jasmine woke with a start. She sat up. A cold sweat was breaking out over her. She shook her head and looked around. Everything was dark... black... her mind went back to years ago, when she was a young child... Flash back Jasmine was sitting on Jarred"s knee, Anna weaving beside them. All of them looked happy. "It"s time for bed,' said Jarred to Jasmine. "Bed time story first! Bed time story first!' cried Jasmine. Jarred smiled at Jasmine"s eager face. "Alright,' said Jarred. "Once, there was a thing called The Dark. It was the Old Times.' Jasmine stiffened in excitement. She loved her father"s recounts of the Old Times. "Nobody could survive The Dark,' continued her father. "Once they were there, nothing could save them. Once they were there, there was no way out. You had to meet your fate.' "One day, a young girl went out to find The Dark, and to kill it because it had killed so many of her own cows and her family. She went out, fell into a pit that was The Dark, and killed The Dark forever. This is how she killed it. She chanted this rhyme: "The Dark, The Dark, Bad it is but in here cold will not be in my heart. Many people don"t survive this battle, But I will live after this, for my own cattle. I chant, I sing, I fly on the wind. But only will that end, If in my life, I reach the dreaded bend. In here I cannot take the pressure, But I want to breathe in the outside pleasure. Once more I will come out, No more will I pout. I will be happy to live, My joy will be to give." And The Dark was... and is... no more.' Jasmine looked at her father in awe. Never could she imagine he had heard this. She flung herself into his arms and thought about the rhyme, how emotional it was. To her surprise, fiery Jasmine found tears welling in her eyes. She blinked them away. "Good night, my lamb,' Jarred had said, kissing her on her forehead. "Good night, my little Jasmine,' cooed her mother. Flash back to present Someone groaned besides Jasmine. Jasmine instinctively drew out her dagger, but she couldn"t because she could not see around her. She wasn"t used to this darkness in The Dark yet. Since she couldn"t see, she poked Riealle"s eye. "Owch!' Riealle cried. Riealle tried to stand up, but missed because she was unsteady and ended up kicking Jasmine in the cheek. "Oof!' cried Jasmine, falling over, who had just managed to get up. "Where are we?' grunted Riealle. "The Dark,' murmured Jasmine softly. "The Dark?' cried Riealle in alarm. "And no, don"t try to walk about or stretch your arms, you might end up poking me, or kicking me again,' said Jasmine hastily. "This is a bad dream,' said Riealle uncertainly. She gave a small cough. "Are you okay?' Jasmine was by her side at once. She felt her way to Riealle. She treated this older girl as her sister. "Of course I am, Jasmine,' said Riealle. "So,' Jasmine said, helping Riealle down then seating herself down, before feeling underneath her. They couldn"t see anything so they had to do everything by hand, carefully. "What happened to the grand Palace in Tora, and your beautiful home, Riealle of Tora?' "It"s no more,' said Riealle miserably. Jasmine patted her on the shoulder. "I was the only one who escaped. Of course, my brother and sisters didn"t survive. You know them. Quint, Maris, Petrine and Ginny (Note to readers: Some of these characters are from a Deltora roleplay site my friend owns). The gardens, Palace, house, pond, absolutely everything in Tora was burned down. By who, I do not know. But Quint has been interested in fire recently... he might have been the one... but I can"t judge my own brother like this!' Riealle was panic-stricken. "Calm down,' says Jasmine, remembering Riealle"s tall, beautiful mother, her proud, loyal father and her younger siblings. "None of your family could have done this. They are too kind.' "You didn"t know Quint,' said Riealle, turning her face towards Jasmine. Her eyes were glowing mysteriously, but Jasmine didn"t see this, as it was, of course, The Dark. "He was terrifying. Evil. What he wanted he got. I was afraid... so afraid... and now it"s too late.' Riealle fainted silently onto Jasmine"s lap. Jasmine was careful with her. "Fire Beads!' she suddenly exclaimed in the dark, feeling a small glass jar in her pocket. She pulled it out and jiggled it. She listened carefully. There were very few Fire Beads left from Tom"s Shop. She opened the jar, tipped it at what she thought was a fair angle and let the few precious beads fall into her palm. Luckily, she had good aim so she did not miss. She quickly placed the Fire Beads on the ground but they didn"t burst up into flame, as they should have. "No light or flame works here,' she remembered from her father"s tale. She sat down slowly and thought, a thing Jasmine had never had to do very often. She tried to untangle Riealle"s hair while thinking. Jasmine then shook Riealle gently, and she woke up. "Jasmine, what is it?' whined Riealle sleepily. "Have you figured a way out of this... dark place?' "Well... not exactly,' said Jasmine. "But you know how you have Healing and Magic powers?' "Yes,' said Riealle slowly. She was a Sorceress like her mother Jayden. "But what use is my... oh! I know what you"re thinking!' She clicked her fingers, but nothing happened. "Strange,' Jasmine said. "A small blue fire should have come up. But nothing. I know light and flame don"t work here, but I thought magical light and flame worked here. Now I know better.' They both sat down again and thought and thought for a very long while. "The Ak-Baba must have dropped us in here... but how?' thought Riealle aloud. "Jasmine, do you know where the entrance to The Dark is? We know we are in The Dark right now.' "That"s right,' said Jasmine. "But my father didn"t ever mention where the entrance was. He said a small girl...' Her eyes widened in excitement. "Riealle!' she exclaimed. "It was here in my brain, all along! The childhood tale Jarred told me! Just let me remember it...' Jasmine thought carefully, and finally repeated the verse. "The Dark, The Dark, Bad it is but in here cold will not be in my heart. Many people don"t survive this battle, But I will live after this, for my own cattle. I chant, I sing, I fly on the wind. But only will that end, If in my life, I reach the dreaded bend. In here I cannot take the pressure, But I want to breathe in the outside pleasure. Once more I will come out, No more will I pout. I will be...' She trailed off. "Oh no,' she groaned. "I forgot the last two lines! What could it be? I remember it"s easy, but I"m having a brain blank!' "Don"t worry,' said Riealle soothingly. "Have a rest, and I"ll try and think.' Jasmine flopped herself in the darkness next to Riealle and slept, while Riealle thought and thought. There came a faraway sound. "Jasmine!' hissed Riealle. She shook Jasmine softly. Jasmine stirred, and muttered something. "Shh,' said Riealle. Both girls listened to an interesting conversation. "Come on, Dok 4!' the metallic voice cried. "Why do we have to struggle through this Dark, Pen 7?' whined Dok 4. "We"re lost, I"m sure of it!' "Dok 4, Pen 7, stop!' commanded a much stronger voice, more powerful than Pen 7"s frail one or Dok 4"s whinging one. "Yes, Jod 3,' said Pen 7 and Dok 4"s meek voices. "Now come on, I smell the humans,' said Jod 3. Riealle and Jasmine stiffened. Riealle grabbed Jasmine"s arm. "Let"s sneak away,' said Jasmine decisively, getting up slowly and helping Riealle. "Let"s stay put,' said Riealle equally as firmly, pulling Jasmine back down. "It"s so dark, those Grey Guards won"t see us.' "I guess you"re right,' said Jasmine. She lay back down and slept. The Grey Guards rounded the corner, surprisingly, with a lamp. "I"ve got her,' chuckled Riealle to them. "She really believes it"s The Dark. Come on.' Riealle lifted Jasmine up strongly and placed her roughly into a scratchy bag and pulled the string tightly. "Let"s go,' said Riealle, lifting the bag onto her back and walking away. Jasmine awoke as Riealle lifted her onto her back. She kicked and screamed. "Riealle! Help! Grey Guards!' Riealle lifted up the bag to her face level and sneered at Jasmine, "Look at you now, you little maggot. You"re caught.' "Traitor!' yelled Jasmine as strongly as she could. "Betrayer! Double crosser! Treasonist! Lief will get you!' Jasmine bit at the scratchy cloth, but only succeeded in filling her mouth with sand. "How can Lief get me when he doesn"t know I even exist?' snarled Riealle, shaking the bag. She held up a sharp dagger with a crystal set in the hilt, and showed this to Jasmine through the material. "I"m not scared,' said Jasmine strongly and truthfully. "Oh, this is a magic dagger,' said Riealle, twirling it between two fingers. "It kills well, and is filled with poison. See that I don"t get you!' She stabbed the dagger through the cloth, just missing Jasmine by an inch. "So you"d better be careful.' She slid the dagger out and said, clearly surprised, "We"re here already. Come on, lamb.' She dumped Jasmine onto the cold hard floor and walked away, leaving Jasmine with the three Grey Guards. Jasmine wasn"t scared, but she was clearly angry. The Grey Guards made as to pick her up, but Jasmine snarled, just like Riealle, "If you dare to even touch me, I"ll fight you,' said Jasmine. The Guards laughed and picked Jasmine up. Jasmine pulled out her extra dagger from her boot with difficulty and stabbed Dok 4, Pen 7 and Jod 3. They fell to the ground with a slight thud and Jasmine started stabbing crazily at the hole Riealle had made with her dagger. Finally, Jasmine crawled out, weak, and collapsed to the floor. Okay I think Chapter One is better... Jasmine awoke with a stiff back, to find herself binded with fine thin cord. She struggled, but gave up after a few minutes. She lay back and thought about how she had helped Riealle through the past month. Flash back Riealle was lying, helpless, in the mud. Jasmine looked on, sneering at the what was then, innocent girl. "Help,' called Riealle. "Please. I will repay you well... if you just...' She didn"t have to say anything else. Jasmine helped at once. She couldn"t bear to see someone like her in pain. Riealle was sinking, deeper, deeper... She slowly pulled out an arm from the mud, clearly in pain. There was a large squelch as her arm came out. She held it up to Jasmine, a beseeching look on her face. Jasmine grabbed her hand and said, "Just for you.' She shifted all her weight to her legs to keep her steady, then pulled with all her might on Riealle"s arm. There was a sickening crack, a squelch, then Riealle came out of the mud. "Thankyou,' she panted. "It"s okay,' said Jasmine, brushing some sand off herself. "I"m Jasmine. Your name is...?' "Riealle,' said Riealle. "Come up here to a tree that"s safe,' said Jasmine, picking up a sharp sound in her ears. Riealle climbed up the tree that Jasmine told her climb up deftly and swiftly. "You know your stuff,' said Jasmine, surprised. She looked at Riealle"s clothes, then gave a small exclamation. "Oh! You"re from Tora, aren"t you?' she cried. "Oh, poor you, would you like to go back?' "No, no!' begged Riealle. "I... just... I ran away, okay?' "That"s fine,' said Jasmine. "But I"m married to Lief, you can"t...' "You"re Queen!' cried Riealle. "Yes,' said Jasmine calmly. "But anyway, as I was saying, you can"t come to the Palace with me, because Lief would just send you back to Tora.' "Of course not,' agreed Riealle, giving a toss of her head and a flick of her similarly tangled black hair. "You can stay here,' suggested Jasmine. Riealle"s eyes widened. "Really! That would be great! I"ve never lived here before! It"ll be such a change! I can make a new start!' Jasmine left and from then on came for visits with food and drink. The two acted as sisters. Flask back to present Jasmine shook her head and sighed deeply. "Thinking, are you?' came Riealle"s voice from a dark corner. Jasmine remembered that she could read minds. "Ahh... the good old days... I could"ve just killed you right away... or even better...' Riealle said no more and turned on her heel. Jasmine woke up again, this time facing a small polypan. "Chett!' cried Jasmine, as she recognised him. "How come you"re here? Wait, don"t tell me. You"ve turned to the Shadow Lord too, have you?' She snorted disgustedly. Chett the polypan made a few mad gestures with his hairy arms, then realising that Jasmine didn"t understand, he just made the following mark in the sand. "So you"re still with us?' Jasmine inquired. Chett nodded, and wrote in the sand. "Oh,' said Jasmine. "So... can you free me?' Chett nodded eagerly, and put a finger to his lips. Jasmine silenced, and Chett set to work unbinding her. At last, his quick fingers undid the tight knots, and him and Jasmine slipped out unnoticed. Soon, Chett and Jasmine were on the River Broad, Chett rowing strongly. He stopped for a moment and held out his hand. "Alright, alright,' said Jasmine, grumbling, and gave him the brown gum that polypans like to chew. Chett made a strange cackling noise, then tore apart the small paper bag shoved the whole gum into his mouth and started chewing vigorously. He resumed rowing and soon they had reached Tora, where Jasmine was to depart. "Thankyou, Chett,' she said, after a slight pause. "I can never repay you. But take this.' Jasmine handed over a heavy bulging leather bag filled with silver coins with which Chett could buy the gum he loved so much. "Not so much a returning favour,' she said. "But it"s the least I can do.' Chett chattered away and made a peculiar clicking with his teeth. He flung his hairy arms on Jasmine and hugged her, to her amazement. He let go and quickly rowed away, keeping the precious bag on his lap. Jasmine just smiled and started her journey back home. On her way, she heard a singing voice. She quickly ducked behind a bush, but then laughed and jumped out again. It was just Steven the Pedlar. "Hello, Steven,' she said, as his bright worn caravan reached her. "I"ve just been in the Shadow Lord"s clutches. Luckily Chett the polypan rescued me.' "Hello there, little missy,' said Steven cheerfully. "But how come Chett was there?' "Well, he said that the Shadow Lord liked to use polypans,' said Jasmine. For once, a small flicker of doubt about Chett working for the Shadow Lord, even if he was still on her side, came across. She wondered if Chett was lying. "Don"t worry,' said Steven, but he did look slightly worried. "Would you like a ride home? Thought so. Hop in the back, and you can stay there while I ride along. Remember, singing helps!' He gave a slight wink, and Jasmine understood. His message would be given to Jasmine through singing. Jasmine hopped into the back of the caravan and heard Steven whistling. She settled down on the sacks of grain and tried to go to sleep. Jasmine awoke with a jolt. She heard Steven"s voice outside, singing, "Here I come to the city of Del, I can"t see anyone dwell. Here I come to the city of Del, I can"t see anyone dwell.' (Okay the rhyme is not very good) Jasmine sat up and slowly opened the caravan doors. Steven was just outside the Palace gates. Jasmine hopped out and quickly climbed over the wall, just as Lief came hurrying up. "Jasmine!' he called sharply. "Where one earth have you been? You"ve been gone for four days!' "It"s a long story,' smiled Jasmine, and headed inside. There came another warning squawk, before Jasmine and Lief hurried inside to the Dining Hall. "Ak-Baba outside! Load your arrows!' called Lief to the Palace guards. Jasmine didn"t stop him, but something wasn"t right. If they killed the Ak-Baba... Jasmine could think no more. The sixteen Palace guards had already shot down the huge bird with sharp talons. "Well done,' called Lief, and headed inside, his arm around Jasmine. She felt a little safer with one of the Ak-Baba gone. There were only six more to shoot down. Yet... something was wrong. Terribly wrong. "Oh, no!' Jasmine cried suddenly. She slapped her forehead with her hand. "You killed the Ak-Baba, you idiot, Lief! Once you kill one, the rest is doomed to come upon you! And you will be trapped in a dark forever... The Dark!' She groaned and sank down to the ground. "My dear, I did not know,' said Lief, kissing Jasmine gently. "It"s too late now,' she snapped, and ran out of the open gates. Lief could not follow her. He sighed deeply and headed inside. "You can"t just leave her, alone, in the Forests of Silence!' came an angry exclamation. It was Barda, head of the Palace guards. "Go after her! You are her husband! Go, young Lief! You can"t ignore her forever!' Lief looked Barda straight in the eyes, and knew he could not keep the secret forever. "Well?' said Barda, nudging Lief. "Are you going, or not? Otherwise I will go by myself!' Barda made to set off, but Lief caught him on the arm. "I will go,' he said. "Good,' said Barda firmly. "Now you go after that young woman, and tell her...' Lief cut in. "Only with you, old bear,' he said. Barda sighed and said, "Just for you, dear friend.' Soon Lief and Barda were packed, for they did not know how long they were going to be away. In Lief"s pack were all their essential needs - the last few drops of the Lilies of Life that Jasmine had left in her bedchamber, his own water flask, two big jars of Queen Bee Honey, a few bottles of Queen Bee Cider, the rich drink made of Queen Bee Honey, six flasks of Dreaming Water they had asked the Kin to fill up for them, the Golden Arrow Head they could use to call the Dread Gnomes, Curnih, the special blessing liquid from the Resistance Stronghold in Withickmere, Fire Beads and No Bakes (in case they ran out of loaves) from Tom"s Shop, the rough leather bag with the Pirran Pipe around Lief"s neck and of course, the almighty famous Belt of Deltora around his waist in a special embroidered belt with leaves on it from Steven the pedlar. In Barda"s pack was food; some loaves of fresh bread, a special jar of jam from Sharn, a chunk of butter from Amarantz, a cut off bit of meat wrapped specially and a slice of jam cake for each of them. They picked up their packs and set off. Endon and Jarred, who were playing in one of the Palace trees, spotted their father going out. "Hey! Father! Where are you going?' whined Endon, jumping out of the tree and running up towards Lief. Jarred tried to pull him back, as he was the more boyish one and wanted to appear strong to his father. Little Anna was with them too, reading under the tree they were playing in. "Father, please, tell us!' cried Anna, hugging her father. "Somewhere with Barda,' was all Lief said. He patted each of the children on the head, and Jarred scowled. "Ooh, going after Jasmine, are you, Daddy?' asked Anna cheekily. "Now you be off,' said Lief, blushing. "Daddy loves Mummy, Daddy loves Mummy!' chanted Anna. "Duh,' said Endon. "Otherwise we wouldn"t be here!' Lief didn"t wait and went out of the gate, his three children waving earnestly. "Troublesome lot,' muttered Barda good-naturedly, walking alongside Lief. "Ah, here we are,' said Barda, reaching a tumbledown shack. "Hmm, not so good as before,' pointed out Lief, looking at the holes in the roof and the broken window. "So? Who cares? At least it"s a place to stay in,' said Barda, stretching and looking around for some heather to make some beds. "We could always stay in a tree,' suggested Lief. "What?' cried Barda. "Last time I did that, you remember, I fell off the branch I was sleeping on and broke my back! No, thankyou!' Barda walked off to find some heather, and Lief sighed. "Alright, here it is,' he said. He opened the door. Part of it crumbled away as he touched it. "Not in a good condition, are we?' he asked himself. Lief went inside and looked around. The hut was empty as usual, except for the small ledge that ran round the whole thing. His sharp eyes caught some crockery on the shelf. "Hmm. This wasn"t here last time,' he called to Barda came hurrying back. "What now?' he asked impatiently, for he had found a good spot of heather and didn"t want to loose it. "Did you put this here last time?' asked Lief. "No,' said Barda. "Maybe Jasmine came and put it there.' "But these are... so fancy cups, none that she would have!' "Who cares, just leave it there.' Barda turned on his heel and walked out back to the spot of heather. "Here, come and help me with this stuff!' he called. "Okay,' said Lief. Be there in a moment.' He took his pack with him and placed it beside the patch of heather. Barda lifted some in his arms and Lief did the same. They walked back to the shack and made the heather into the shape of two rough beds. "Finally,' said Barda, flopping down onto his bed. "Owch. This floor is way too hard. Do we have any rugs?' "Yes,' said Lief, unstrapping some from Barda"s pack. "Here you go.' He pushed the velvety rug underneath Barda"s bed of heather, then pushed another one, much grander, under his own. "Why bring the good ones?' Barda groaned. "That"s a waste, you know, Lief.' "Doesn"t matter. I can afford it,' he said, spreading out his bed. He flopped down, too, and started talking to Barda about the happenings. "You know, Jasmine has been disappearing lately,' he started off. "Not again, with Riealle,' Barda groaned. "Who"s Riealle?' asked Lief instantly. He sat up. "Oh, nothing, just a distant cousin of Jasmine,' said Barda. "Oh, right,' said Lief. "How do you know that?' "Have you seen her?' "No,' said Lief truthfully.

I like to start a new line whenever someone new speaks, as you"re meant to. If I emphasise on a word, I"ll put it in italics, like this. Thoughts are also written in italics. If emphasis during thoughts it is in normal writing, like this. If someone"s shouting, I"m going to write it in CAPS, LIKE THIS. And you"ll also find that I like to write in actions in stars, but they don"t appear in fanfics, so I"ll be writing them in /s. So, for example, like this: I don"t like you. /death glare/ Mainly will be in ANs if I put stuff like that. Okay, now about the fic... This fic is a Lucas/Mattie. Lucas/Mattie is my favourite couple, well was because they"re technically not together anymore, and I also ship Jack/Martha and Tasha/Robbie. Actually I like all the couples, it"s just that they"re my favourites. Anyway, this is the first time Lucas and Mattie meet, and they"re on Summer Camp. I know I know, Australia doesn"t have Summer Camp but anyway I"m just making this up "cause I feel like it! By the way I reckon Ric and Cassie shouldn"t have split up! They were cute! But now I don"t really like Belle but I sortta do, because she"s a bit like me... not in the "boyfriend stealing" terms but like, being rebellious and stuff. I like the storyline with Amanda as her mother, ya? Well anyway Lucas and Mattie are on Summer Camp, and this is the first time they meet, besides from school which they know each other from. Mattie really hates Luke "cause she thinks he"s an arrogant conceited brat (which I know Luke isn"t but she just hates him). The reason she hates him is because she likes him, but she hates herself for liking him. Follow me? Anyway. Then Ric finds her diary and reads it, and knows she"s talking about Luke. He and Cas set up a plan to get them together. Then before the plan is performed, they go back to Summer Bay and it so happens that the Holdens are Mattie"s new neighbours... shock for Mattie. See what happens in this /cough gay cough/ fic. /cough Jess loves Sirius! cough/ Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system. Private joke... Oppositions - To Be or Not To Be? by xX hArMoNy Chapter One: Hard Convincing - He"s Not the One for Me Oh. My. God. What the hell is he doing here? thought Matilda Hunter as Lucas Holden ran up to the bus, waving wildly for it to stop. He was laden down with bags and his father Tony was also running after him, holding up Lucas" toothbrush, which he had forgotten. The bus screeched to a stop. Darn it, thought Mattie. Lucas was a classmate at school in Summer Bay, her home, and she really hated him for being an arrogant conceited jerk. Okay, maybe not arrogant and conceited, but she hated him because she liked him. Mattie kicked herself for liking Lucas, but hey, ever heard of hormones? Anyway, Lucas shoved his bag into the bus compartment and clambered on board the bus, taking his toothbrush from Tony and putting it into his pocket. "Mind if I sit here?' asked Lucas to Matilda, who had a spare seat next to her. "Sorry, Cas" sitting here already,' mumbled Mattie, making up a lame excuse. "Er, that"s not possible, she was sitting up the front with Ric,' said Lucas, pointing to the front. Cassie Turner was her best friend and she would"ve sat with Mattie, but she had started dating Ric Dalby and the two were pretty much inseparable. Matilda rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever.' She put her elbow up on the window sill as Lucas sat down next to her. Geez, can"t he take a hint? Matilda thought. I wonder if anything ever penetrates that thick skull of his. He"s so dense... But it"s so adorable, thought Mattie, positively melting inside. She sighed deeply, fogging up the window. "You okay?' asked Luke. "Yeah, yeah,' grumbled Mattie, sitting up straighter. She arched her sore neck. Transportation by bus definitely wasn"t her favourite form of travelling. After half an hour"s silence, Mattie dared to speak to Lucas again. She was getting bored, anyway, staring out the window at the horses and cows grazing in the pastures. "So... why"re you coming on Summer Camp?' It"s only for losers, she added silently in her head. Not pretty boys like you. "Jack wanted me to come, said it would build up character and bring out the man in me,' Lucas joked weakly. Matilda grunted in response. What does she have against me? thought Luke. After 15 more minute"s silence, the bus screeched to a stop. Mattie brushed passed Lucas quickly and was the first off the bus, despite having a seat in the middle. She slung her bag over her shoulder and looked at the desolate surroundings. I can"t believe I"m stuck out here for 4 bloody days, Matilda thought. There were a few wooden cabins, which looked as if they would be knocked down if someone so much as touched them, but otherwise there was nothing else but dry, barren sand. And I thought Mum said the info package described surfing and swimming! I wonder who runs this place. They must be pretty desperate, advertising fake stuff like that. At that moment, the camp manager, a fat woman smoking a cigarette dressed in a dress that looked as if it was 4 sizes too small and carrying an overweight baby, came out from one of the 5 cabins. "Hello,' she wheezed through puffs from her cigarette. "Welcome - to - Summer Camp, girls and boys.' And she shuffled back into the cabin, slamming the door shut. Mattie could hear her banging pots about in there, no doubt preparing a "decent" meal. Mattie and Cassie exchanged simultaneous glances. "I am so not going to survive,' said Cas, dumping her big duffel bag on the sand and sitting on it with her arms folded across her knees. "I know,' murmured Matilda. "And this is just the start of hell.' After a few minutes where the guys kicked randomly at the sand and the girls stood in groups discussing makeup and such, the lady came out again with 3 trays of jam tarts. She handed one to each of the 16 campers, and went back into her cabin with the overweight baby. Mattie glanced down at her "jam tart". The pastry was soggy and middle was a murky red. Cas pulled a face but nibbled at it anyway. "Oh, gross, it"s feral!' she cried, spitting out the tiny corner of pastry. Mattie carefully bit a bit of the pastry off too. "Ick,' she said, spitting it out too. But boys, being as they are, gobbled down their "jam tarts", hungry for more, not even noticing the dodgy taste and the disgusting smell of overdue strawberry jam. "Can I have yours?' Ric asked Cassie. "Go for it if you want it,' encouraged Cassie with a disgusted face. Ric took her jam tart, threw it into his mouth and chewed it up. "A little soggy, but otherwise fine,' he said, dusting his hands off. Lucas was standing next to him, but he didn"t "offer" to eat Mattie"s "jam tart". Ric nudged him. "Go on mate, I know you"re hungry. Otherwise I"ll eat it.' Lucas shrugged. "Mind if I take yours?' he asked Matilda dully. "Knock yourself out,' was Mattie"s careless response. She walked away to inspect the cabins with Cas. Lucas took the tart and wrinkled up his nose. "Uh, Ric, I think I"ll pass,' said Lucas, who still had his first tart squished in his pocket along with the toothbrush. Ric shrugged and gobbled up the tart. "Today - the groups,' wheezed the middle-aged lady. Mr. Baker decided to take charge. He had volunteered to supervise this group of teenage campers, and he had everything prepared anyway. He was an outdoor kind of guy and loved the bush, but he felt a little nervous as he was the only adult supervision besides the fat lady, who didn"t look as if she would be much help. He cleared his throat insignificantly. Everyone instantly silenced and actually listened to him instead of the fat lady. "Okay, here are the groups,' said Dan Baker, taking a booklet from his backpack. "There are 4 groups of 4 and each are going to be rotating at a different station every day. "So we have to stay in one place for the whole day?' Ric rudely interrupted. "Yes, Mr. Dalby,' said Mr. Baker, coughing/clearing his throat again. He always did that when he thought students were being inattentive or he had an announcement to make. "Group 1: Matilda Hunter, Cassie Turner, Lucas Holden and Eric Dalby.' Cassie squealed with joy and jumped into Ric"s arms. "No need to be so enthusiastic, Miss Turner,' said Dan, a small smile creeping onto his lips regardless. "Group 2: Hannah Gregory, Emma Hansol, Peter Fairham and Henry MacLinlay.' Group 2 got together, laughing and chattering. "Group 3: Alisa Dowe, Mia Cussack, Ryan Ferdinand and Paul Piper.' Group 3 got together, looking at each other curiously for they weren"t really friends. "Group 4: Sonya McKinnon, Jennifer Hardy, George Hardy and Lochlan Furner.' Jen and George Hardy were twins and were very close, therefore Dan put them in the same group. Jen and George grinned identical grins, but besides from their facial appearances, they were nothing alike. Jennifer was interested in boys, makeup, boys, shopping, boys and clothes, and George was interested in wrestling, football, soccer and surprisingly, tennis. He idolised Lleyton Hewitt. Oh, great, stuck with the numbskull for 4 whole days, thought Mattie, pleading to God silently to take her away from Lucas. On the other hand, thought Mattie. At least I have Cassie with me. She turned around to talk to her, but found her engaged in a furious tongue battle with Ric. I"d prefer not to see that, Mattie thought, rolling her eyes at her best friend. Lucas silently slid up to Matilda"s side. "I guess we"re stuck together,' he said. "Looks like those two won"t have much time for us.' "Yeah. Stuck together,' echoed Mattie miserably. "Oh come on, it"s just a bit of fun,' urged Cassie. Matilda glared up at the cliff. They were doing rock-climbing and Mattie didn"t want to do it. Yeah, she wasn"t scared, but she didn"t like the thought of being supported by just one little strand of string on that great rock face. "No,' said Mattie again. But something else changed her mind. Lucas grabbed her by the waist from behind, lifting her off her feet. "AHH! GET THE HELL OFF ME!' screamed Matilda. "No, you"re doing this challenge whether you like it or not,' said Lucas firmly. "I don"t know if you"re scared of heights or anything, but if you overcome your fear then... I"ll...' Mattie smirked. Lucas didn"t know her well enough to know what she liked. Cassie whispered in his ear. Damn. You, thought Mattie, as Lucas continued. '... treat you to strawberry ice cream.' As soon Luke put Mattie down on the ground, she started to run off, but she felt Lucas" strong hand close over her own, pulling her back. "Come on, it"s easy,' he whispered in her ear. Mattie"s skin tingled. "Relax, take in a deep breath. You"ll do great.' Matilda reluctantly let the man clip a carribeana to her harness. "Uh... who"s going to be ballaying?' asked Mattie nervously. "I"ll be doing that,' said Lucas with an encouraging smile. He started to pull on the rope, and he gave pointers all the way. "Look, you can start at that one just there. Yep, that"s right, get a firm grip and pull yourself up-' Mattie slipped, but Lucas pulled the rope tight. "Let me go down,' said Mattie in a small voice. Now she was scared. "Please.' Lucas sighed. "Okay,' he said. As soon as Matilda was on the ground, she flung herself into Lucas" arms, as he was the closest person, and sobbed into his shoulder. "Don"t make me do that again, ever,' she whispered. "Okay, I"m scared. I"m scared of-' She gulped. '-heights.' Then she realised who"s arms she was in. She took a reluctant step backwards. "Oh - sorry. It"s just - Cas!' She ran over to Cassie and hugged her. "Are you alright?' asked Cassie. "Yeah,' said Matilda, nodding. "I"ll skip out.' Lucas cast a worried glance as Mattie walked away with Cas, Cas" arm around her shoulders. "She"ll be fine, she"s strong,' assured Ric, who knew Mattie all too well. He ran after Cas and Matilda. Lucas was left standing on the sand. '-yeah, so...' Lucas banged the door open to their cabin to find Matilda reciting her "dangerous and daring" rock-climbing experience to a couple of other girls. "GET OUT!' shouted Lucas, who was really pissed off at the moment. "THIS ISN"T A CHAT ROOM!' The girls scurried away. Mattie scowled at him. Lucas, however, ignored her glare and lay down on his bed heavily, picking up a book to read. "What did you do that for?' she exclaimed. "I just need to do some private stuff,' spat back Lucas. "You gotta learn to respect other people"s privacy as well, you know.' Matilda didn"t say anything but pursed up her lips. She too lay back down on her bottom bunk (next to Luke"s) and picked up her diary moodily. She bit on her pen, yes, the one with the fluffy pink feathers on the end, and thought about what to write. Hey, it"s me, she started. Then she crossed it out. She sighed again and rolled onto her back, looking up at the top bunk"s bottom. Hey, it"s me. I need to talk to someone. It"s not working. No matter how hard I try, I"ll always love him. It"s gonna take some hard convincing, but in the end it"ll- Mattie slammed her diary shut. She got the feeling someone was reading over her shoulder. She looked around. No one but Ric listening and watching his iPod Video, Cas absorbed in a Dan Brown book and Lucas blankly staring at his book, his brain not absorbing the words, a thousand thoughts whirling through his mind. Mattie rolled her eyes at his immaturity. He also had a bottom bunk like her and Cas and Ric had top bunks. He was the only one who could"ve been committed guilty of the crime of reading her private diary. "Privacy, huh?' spat out Matilda in a dangerous tone. She got up off her bed, still clutching her diary. Luke, on instinct, grabbed her diary, and held it up high over his head so she couldn"t reach it. "I wonder what"s in it?' he said, starting to open the cover. "You wouldn"t dare.' Mattie lunged for her diary, but Lucas held it up over his head again and clucked his tongue. "Now, now, you wouldn"t want me - to - er - read it now, would you?' Mattie sent a death glare at Luke. The 2 of them stood standing there, glaring at each other for a moment. And then Mattie whirled around in a huff and exited the cabin. Lucas flipped open the diary. Dear Diary, I wish I had a cat for Christmas. Daddy promised me he would get one, but Henry, Robbie, Scott and Kip all want a dog. Mum says that there"s no point getting a cat if only I want it, so I probably won"t be getting a cat anyway. Love Mattie. 23rd December, 1997 Lucas checked the date again and calculated in his head. So she was 6 when this happened, he thought silently. He opened the diary again. I can"t believe Dad"s really gone now, started out this entry. He was never really close but I loved him. I never got to say goodbye. If only he hadn"t sent me away... 18th October, 2003 Lucas leant back on his mattress. He didn"t think he could read anymore. I can"t believe it. Mattie never acted like this. She never showed it. Or maybe I was just too blind... He flipped shut Mattie"s diary and, for some strange reason, placed it safely in the topmost drawer of his bedside cabinet. He lay back on his pillow and closed his eyes... Red and orange. Flames licking up old wooden houses. 2 small girls and 3 small boys, being wrapped up in their mother"s arms. A house crashing down, and a long, loud scream that penetrated eardrums. Sobbing from the children. Soothing music from the mother, her voice trembling with emotion. Lucas sat bolt upright in bed, bumping his head on the low top bunk. "Ow!' he exclaimed as softly as he could. He listened to himself, trying to steady his breathing and calm himself down. After a few moments, his breathing slowed to normal. He slowly swung his feet over the side of the bed and slipped on his sneakers. He walked over to the door, to bang, hard, into someone halfway there. "What"re you doing out of bed?' exclaimed Mattie, rubbing the back of her head with her hand. "I was going to get a drink,' whispered back Lucas. "Well hurry up, the fat lady"s outside prowling around, trying to catch us out.' Lucas laughed and helped Matilda up. "Okay, thanks for the warning. G"night.' "Night,' said Mattie, blushing furiously, heading back to her bed. How come he makes me feel this way? A/N: Yaay, the first chapter is FINALLY finished! Lol, it took me ages... finally it"s up! Hope you enjoy! P.S.: I have to get at least 2 reviews until I update, so 2 reviews, remember! xX hArMoNy A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews! I feel so special /grins/ and I"m so glad you like my story! Well I just watched the ep where the bomb exploded and Peter and Rachel"s mum died! DUN DUN DUN/scary music/ IT"S TOO SAD! I mean Rachel is going through a terrible time and Peter can"t die knowing Zoe is back! I can"t believe this... Well anyway here"s another chapter! Where we last left off... "Night,' said Mattie, blushing furiously, heading back to her bed. How come he makes me feel this way? Oppositions - To Be or Not To Be? by xX hArMoNy Chapter Two: Caught Out! Lucas, without further ado, opened the door quietly and slipped out into the cool night. He could hear the pad pad pad of the lady"s slippers. He silently slid along the dorms, keeping as much as he could in the shadows. Luke closed his eyes for a moment and let out a small breath as he neared the bathroom cubicle. He opened his eyes to find a big beam of light being shone into his eyes. Lucas hurriedly forced his eyes closed, rubbing his temples. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING OUT OF BED, YOUNG MAN!' screeched the woman, her folds of fat bulging everywhere. Many people, including Cassie, opened their dorm doors curiously and poked their heads out. The fat lady grabbed Lucas by the ear. "YOU"RE COMING WITH ME!' Lucas was dragged over to the lady"s cabin. "Ahh! Owch! That hurts! Stop it! I"m going to tell Mr. Baker and I"m gonna sue-' "No need, Mr. Holden,' said Dan, crunching down the hill to them in big boots and wrapped in a warm jumper. "Mrs. Gregory?' Mrs. Gregory grumbled and let go of Lucas" ear. Luke rubbed his ear. "Good night,' said Dan pointedly. Mrs. Gregory went back to her cabin and banged the door shut, which triggered off the baby to cry. "Back to bed, all of you,' said Dan. Everyone withdrew their heads, disappointed at the disappearance of a good telling-off. Lucas heaved a sigh of relief and gratefully started to trudge off to his cabin. "Except for you.' Lucas rolled his eyes. What have I done? "Care to explain?' "I was going to the bathroom,' said Lucas straight out. "But that fat woman-' Dan coughed. "Okay, Mrs. Gregory, caught me and thought I was sneaking out.' "Why would she think you were sneaking out?' Lucas shrugged nonchalantly. "Ask her.' Dan nodded. "I will. Now off to bed.' "And make sure you sue!' called back Lucas, going down the hill. "My ear"s never going to be the same again!' Dan laughed and headed back up to his cabin. "So, what were you really doing out there?' said Ric cheekily to Lucas, sitting up in bed. "Oh, shuttup,' groaned Mattie, rolling over in bed as Lucas shut the door. "I needed to take a toilet break.' "Yeah, right,' said Ric disbelievingly. "Oh, come on, give Lucas a break,' said Cas, propping herself up on one elbow. Mattie was the only one who seemed to be a grumpy person in the morning. Well you can"t blame her, it was 2 a.m. "I need my caffeine,' she moaned, rolling about in agony. She rolled completely off the bed onto the hard concrete floor. Cas stifled a giggle, looking down from above. Lucas immediately jumped to her aid. "Don"t move,' he warned her. "Whatever,' groaned Mattie, getting up and into bed again. "I just need sleep - and don"t forget the caffeine.' "I won"t,' promised Lucas. Bugger off, thought Mattie, rubbing her sore and spinning head. "Welcome to Camp Fun and Games, welcome to Camp Fun and Games!' sang Cassie sarcastically and loudly from the doorway. Lucas pulled his sleeping bag over his head, and Ric followed. "Oh come on, we"ve been up for ages already!' exclaimed Mattie, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "You"ve had your coffee?' inquired Lucas, rubbing his eyes. Mattie just smiled sweetly. "Trust me, you don"t know the half of it. She used to call me Slave Boy,' groaned Ric, rearranging his sleeping bag over himself then burying his head under his fluffy pillow. "Can"t you girls just go off and sun bake or something?' he whined. "Aww, poor baby, did you have a rough night last night?' asked Cas sweetly. Too sweetly. She immediately changed her tone. "Eric Dalby, you"re getting out of bed now! Breakfast starts in 10 minutes and both of you, yes you too Lucas Holden, are doing the washing up by yourselves if you don"t get up!' The boys leapt out of bed straightaway and rushed together to the bathroom. Various girls shrieked as they dodged in and out. "Scuse me, sorry,' went Lucas like a gentleman along the way. Oh, stuff it, thought Ric. "CRAZY PEOPLE COMING THROUGH! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!' he screamed ahead hoarsely. Lucas chuckled slightly as they kept running side by side to the bathrooms. "You took that off The Amazing Race, didn"t you?' Ric groaned. "You know me too well.' '-blah blah blah, blah blah blah, blah?' were the words Ric heard at breakfast while Dan was making his daily breakfast speech. "I. Am. So. Bored,' yawned Ric. "Save it,' snapped Mattie. "Shh,' hissed Cas. Ric slumped over the table and groaned again. "Lucas, help me.' Luke shook his head. "If I can go through this, you can.' A/N: And that concludes Chapter Two, a lame attempt at it anyway... if you read Harry Potter FF check out my new story A Lot Like Love!

Bianca, Eric and Samantha had been strangled, overpowered, with what was most likely a belt, according to Dr. Llewllyn. Andrew, Rian and William were stabbed repeatedly, one in the side, twice in the stomach and once in the heart, killing them. This murderer had crossed ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexualities, genders, methodologies. The bodies were dumped all over Whitechapel, and, except for the location they were last said to have been, nothing about these people overlapped. Then it has to be the location, Chandler theorized. What else could it be? "Riley," he called, eyes zeroing in on the red circle on the map that marked the last place, "Did we find out what was around the last known location of the victims?" Riley looked away from the computer screen for a moment before ducking her head towards her notes, "Um, yes, there"s a chippy, a shoemakers and an old pub that has complaints for loud music. Locals said that some company brought it out a few months back - Jason Reynolds, he"s the owner of a chain of nightclubs around London - and there"s been a few complaints about the noise, up until four weeks ago when soundproofing was installed as a kind of compromise." "A nightclub..." Chandler murmured, "Doesn"t that seem like the perfect place for a serial killer to pick and stalk his targets?" "It"s as good a place as any," Miles commented, taking a few steps to stand at Chandler"s side, "Lots of loud music, smoke, other people to hide behind it." "But why would the Dagmar"s be at some dive nightclub in the middle of the rat arse end of Whitechapel?" Mansell questioned, causing the DI and Sergeant to turn towards him. His feet were up on his desk and he was fiddling with a pen. "They weren"t exactly the type to need to take advantage of four shots for five quid and ladies get in free nights." "It"s the only thing that makes sense," Chandler argued, "There"s nothing else in that area that would attract anyone from outside. It"s got to be the night club." "Think Reynolds would talk to us?" Miles asked. Riley frowned slightly. "It"s unlikely. He didn"t take too kindly to the police turning up at his business about the noise complaints, only did what he was asked to do to stop the old bill from knocking again. I can"t imagine he"d be too happy about us turning up again." "So we have to find another way of getting information," Chandler stated. "We could show up there? Act as if we"re clubbers, get information from the guests? If there are regulars, it"s likely they would have seen our victims before," Kent theorized. Mansell snorted. "Do you really think skip will blend into a club scene?" "Oi," Miles grumbled and Mansell held up his hand in surrender, although the amused grin on his face didn"t let up. "He"s got a point though," Riley reluctantly agreed. "I could go," Kent volunteered, sitting up a little straighter at his desk, hand raised in a school yard gesture. Eyes turned to him. "I"m in the age range, I wouldn"t stand out." "No," Chandler denied automatically, "It"s out of the question. What if the murderer is there that night and sees you?" "But he only targets couples," Kent reminded, "I"d be fine." "Lancaster and Torrez are never mentioned together until three nights before their bodies were found, and that"s from a picture on Torrez" facebook account. What if the killer just pairs you with someone you happen to speak to?" he argued, "And they wouldn"t know how to protect themselves or you. I"d feel better if someone more experience was with you." "Then why don"t you go?" Miles nudged him, a wicked grin on his face like he knew exactly what he was doing and that was a little terrifying. Chandler blinked, startled by the sudden suggestion. "W-what?" "Miles is right, you"d probably be the only other one of us that could blend in well enough," Riley concurred with the Sergeant, "You and Kent pose as a couple, gather your information, and if anything happens, you"ll be there to make sure this bastard"s body count doesn"t go up to eight." "I-I..." Chandler stammered uncertainly. He glanced at Kent out of the corner of his eye, the DC being unusually quiet during this situation. His head was ducked a little, his face shielded, and he was absentmindedly rolling a ball of glue tack on the surface of his desk. But he was listening, Chandler could see that in the arch of his shoulders, the tension. He wasn"t sure what it was about seeing him like that, which made Chandler gather himself. To straighten his back and fold his arms across his chest. "It seems like a perfectly reasonable idea. Kent, we should get started on his as soon as possible." Kent looked up at him and smiled, a mixture of uncertainty and excitement - was that excitement, Chandler wasn"t sure - in the curve of his lips. "Of course sir." Chandler smiled back and nodded briefly before glancing back towards the board, at the bodies, at the people that hadn"t been saved and needed to be avenged. That was why he was doing this, the only reason why, he told himself and tried to ignore a small part of him that rebelled against the idea. Torrent was loud, smoky, cramped and overcrowded with people, all dancing against each other, shouting, laughing, drinking. Chandler supposed it was like any other nightclub in London, with the same kind of people that always frequented these establishment. Not that he would know, not from first hand experience anyway. He wasn"t exactly the nightclub type, not even when he was a teenager or at university. They never really appealed to him, for the exact reasons why they appealed to everyone else he guessed, although he assumed his issues with cleanliness also played a part. Torrent didn"t seem like the most sanitary of places, and it was all he could do to restrain himself from flinching away from the contact whenever someone"s bare arm, sweaty and glitter covered, brushed against his shirt. He tried not to look uncomfortable, or to give away his true purpose there, but he just felt so out of place and like he shouldn"t be there. Kent though, he seemed to fit right in. The clothes of the party goers, the tight jeans and the band shirt making it easier for him to blend in than Chandler in his slightly loose jeans and plaid shirt that Riley had forced him into - "you have to look like you"re supposed to be there, sir, not like a dad there to watch his teenage daughter," she had told him when he complained about the choice of attire - and he was relaxed and comfortable as he was. When they had entered and seen the number of people, the silhouettes in the grey clouds, Kent and Chandler had shared a look as if uncertain of where to begin, and then Kent had offered to go get them some drinks, to try and make them look less conspicuous. From where Chandler was standing, he could see Kent conversing with two women on his right, smiling widely as he leant in close to hear what they were saying over the thumping of the music. Chandler couldn"t help but smile a little at the sight. Since he had known Kent, he knew that the man took his job seriously and when it came to gathering information from the less than willing, he gained their trust. Perhaps it was something about his face that made it so, Chandler couldn"t be sure, he just knew that Kent was aware of this strange ability that he seemed to possess and used it whenever he could to get the job done. He was rather dedicated to it. Kent turned and gestured towards him through the crowd, making the two women glance towards him, small smirks on their faces. Chandler smiled and waved politely, until he realised he was being gestured over, and startled began to push his way through the crowd to join the trio. "Joe, this is Abigail and Whitney," Kent shouted over the music to introduce. His arm slung easily around Chandler"s waist, in a manner so comfortable, as if it were something he did all the time, that it genuinely made Chandler jerk, but he pushed down the violent movement just in time. Kent grinned up at him and Chandler strained a smile down, "This is my Joe." "Oh, he"s cute," one - Whitney, Chandler thought - cooed at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm resting on the table, and eyed him up and down, bringing a flush to the DI"s face. "But he looks a little out of his comfort zone here, pet," Abigail commented, her Newcastle accent thick and strong, no mistakes about it. "Clubs aren"t really his thing," Kent explained, "But he did it for me. We"ve been looking for some friends of mine, they"re supposed to be meeting us here. Apparently this is a regular place for them." "Regular, huh?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "We know all the regs." "So you might be able to help us then?" Chandler questioned, a small hopeful smile coming to his face at the thought that this wouldn"t be a completely useless line of enquiry. She grinned at him. "I don"t see why not pet. Gives us the names and we can see if we can help." "Dagmar, Will and Sam Dagmar," Kent told them. Whitney grinned. "Yeah, we know "em. Couple of oldies that like a good time. Usually in the backroom," she frowned, "Haven"t seen in a while though." "The backroom?" Chandler quoted urgently, "What"s that?" "It"s like private rooms, ya know, for those who can afford it," she explained with a small shrug, "PDA ain"t allowed on the dance floor, but if you can afford to get back there, from what I"ve heard, there ain"t nothing stopping ya, if you know what I mean." she winked playfully. "And two like that, they"d definitely want to get back there," Abigail teased, "Kinky as hell, always looking for a good time and a third." "A-a third?" Chandler questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A threesome hun," Whitney clarified, and Chandler turned red. "So when did you last see them?" Kent quickly diverted. "Uh, a few days I guess. They grabbed some fresher from the floor and went down back," Abigail shrugged. "Do you know who this fresher is? Maybe they can help?" "He was just a fresher, but I"ve seen him a few times recently. He"s cute, so he keeps getting lucky, if you know what I mean," her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and Kent laughed boisterously whilst Chandler strained a smile. "So how much does it cost to get into the backroom?" Kent wondered. "Why pet, you interested?" Whitney grinned wickedly. Chandler flushed and stammered embarrassed by the insinuation and how casually it was thrown about, but Kent just smiled widely and stated, "You"ve got to try everything once, right?" Kent glanced up at him uncertainly. "Are you ready for this sir?" he questioned. Chandler"s eyes darted between the narrow corridor and his DC and then back again. He wanted to say "of course I am, don"t be ridiculous" but they would both know it was a lie. He wasn"t an undercover agent, he never had been, and he found it hard to act when he knew something would bother him, and Chandler was hundred percent sure that whatever laid beyond the hallway, would bother him. Kent"s hand was still a steady and, perhaps mostly unusually, comfortable presence around his own. When they"d walked away from Abigail and Whitney, Kent had kept up the couple pretence by grasping his hand and tugging him through the crowd, but he hadn"t felt the need to let go and Chandler honestly hadn"t felt the need to ask him to. "I"ll be fine," he finally answered, realising that he"d been silent for far too long and Kent"s worried look had increased. It lessened a little at the words. "You do know what we"ll find in there, right?" he wondered, and turned a little pink, "And what we"ll be expected to do?" "Kent, I think for the sake of stopping another set of bodies from turning up, we can be...intimate," Chandler chose his words carefully, trying to ignore the flush of heat that warmed the back of his neck. It was understandable, he theorized, it had been a long time since he"d let anyone get that close, for work or otherwise, and now it was likely to happen with eyes firmly placed in his direction. Of course he would feel embarrassed. It had nothing to do with the curly haired man beside him that he would be expected to ki-be intimate with, and he was absolutely not fond of the idea. Why would he be? As if the idea of...being with Kent was favourable, regardless of the circumstances. Kent was...Kent, attractive yes, and sociable and hardworking and was no doubt a catch for any man or woman who caught his eye, but that didn"t mean that man was him. Chandler felt as if he was trying to tell himself something but he couldn"t quite put his finger on it. "Boss?" Kent"s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Joe," he corrected automatically, without much thought behind the instruction. Kent blinked surprised. "If we are to be in a couple, it only seems fitting," Chandler excused himself quickly, and Kent smiled widely, too brightly, too everything. "We should go in...Joe," he told him, his voice a little shy. Chandler nodded shiftly and straightened his collar, as if he were still wearing a suit at work and the straightness of the fabric would depend whether or not he made a good impression. "Let"s go," he ordered and took the lead, their linked hands pulling Kent behind him. Chandler could never honestly say that he liked kissing. It was level of intimacy that he had reached on several occasions in life, before he had realised that perhaps it was simpler to just be alone than to find someone who could accommodate to his habits, and yes, he could see the appeal, the feelings behind it, the closeness and the connection and the expectation behind the touch. He could understand that. But on a deep and personal level, it had always been seemed in its basic form - the spreading of germs through saliva and although he had gotten used to suppressing the urge to jerk away, it had never really disappeared entirely. He tried his hardest, when he took the lead and pressed his lips to Kent"s, not to focus on the statistics about germs and diseases, tried not to recoil away and ruin the image of a happy couple that they had portrayed. Instead, he focused on the warm body beside him on the loveseat, the heaviness of it pressed against his side. He thought of the cotton fabric of Kent"s shirt under his fingertips when he placed his hands on his waist, his grip tightening around it as he slipped, further and further. He thought about the taste of beer, bitter, on Kent"s breath, and how it washed shakily over his own lips, heating the skin in a surprising pleasant way. It was almost...enjoyable, could he say, when he thought about it like that. But they had work to do, he remembered quickly, and pulled away slowly. Kent looked a little flushed, dazed perhaps if one looked too closely and Chandler couldn"t stop himself from doing so. Kent traced his bottom lip with his tongue and looked up at Chandler from under his eyelashes. "Um, d-do you see anyone?" he murmured unsteadily. Chandler"s eyes flickered up and around the room and back again. "A few eyes. None that explicitly stand out." "Should we, ah, do it again then?" Kent wondered. "I suppose so," Chandler agreed, a second before the younger officer reared up and claimed a kiss once more. Chandler couldn"t help but be startled by the eagerness behind the touch, the way that Kent"s hands moved from gripping the front of his shirt and moved to the back of his neck, a warm touch against the skin, the way that he half climbed onto Chandler"s lap to get to him. This must be for the realism, one part of him reasoned. If you think that, you"re delusional, another one responded, he wants you almost as much as you want him. I don"t want him. Keep telling yourself that DI Chandler. It was funny how his inner voice was beginning to sound a lot like Miles. Kent pulled away after a moment, his breathing heavy and his face too close. His eyes were dark and Chandler was very much away that he was putting some bodily distance between them, the gap allowing a flood of cold air between them. "Think that did the trick?" he smiled, his words veiled with something that Chandler wasn"t certain that he could read. "I would say," he muttered back almost involuntarily. Kent blushed at the suggestion behind the words and grinned back a little more confidently. Chandler"s hands tightened around Kent"s waist and he gently urged the man to pushed down on him. Kent went a little wide eyed and uncertain, but did as he was ordered, lowering himself between Chandler"s legs. Chandler tilted his head towards Kent"s neck, his lips barely a brush against the flesh and he felt the full blown shiver that went through the DC"s body. Over Kent"s shoulder, Chandler watched the room. He scanned the people, some in couples, trios, groups, others standing alone, just watching. When his eyes swept scenes that seemed far too intimate for public consumption, he skidded past them quickly, with just a brief glimpse that their pleasure marred faces. It seemed likely that the killer was already part of a group, having already chosen his next victim, but these faces, they seemed too distracted, too wrapped in what was happening. From what they knew about the person responsible, this man wouldn"t enjoy the warm up gig more than the opening act. So he was standing alone, just watching, deciding. Only five people standing, two women and three men. The women were close together and chattering, eying each display before them with interest. Chandler didn"t spend too much time focused on them. It was statistically unlikely that this killer was female due to the brutality of the kills, and the strength it would take for one person to be able to subdue two victims, some of which were pretty hefty men. And the two women had said the Dagmar"s were last seen with a man, much like Lancaster and Torrez, and Morrison and Fitz. Two striked out. Kent"s lips pressed firmly against Chandler"s adams apple, making him gulp in response and his breathing pick up just that little bit more. It was a wet kiss, the sound seeming to echo even in the crowded, busy room. His mind flickered to the idea of spit on his skin, which goosebumped automatically, before Kent hummed, the noise vibrating against his skin and he gasped. It was an expected reaction, he argued. He was sensitive there, an exogenous zone, and he couldn"t control that. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Kent who had brought the shiver through him, who had made his thoughts jump and muddle in a mess at the front of his brain. Absolutely nothing. Chandler focused again. Three men, three men, he repeated. Each standing alone, their eyes dancing around the room, a mixture of interest and desire in their eyes. One was beckoned forward by an outstretched hand which was taken eagerly and he disappeared into the fold. A wet stripe was painted across his neck and he froze, physically and mentally. He glanced down startled, and Kent grinned up at him just a bit too innocently for it to be trusted. His hips rolled down, and his hands slide up and around the back of Chandler"s neck. He veered up and whispered in his ear, "Anything?" "Narrowed down to two," he muttered back, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling quite so hard. "Got a favourite boss?" Kent questioned. "Not as of yet, but we should probably try and get their names, get them checked out," Chandler stated almost absentmindedly. Kent pulled back a little. "Sir, that would mean...inviting them in, wouldn"t it?" The thought hadn"t occurred to him. He guessed he had forgotten he wasn"t supposed to be a police officer here. He could hardly approach the two figures and ask for their names, not without asking them to join or giving away who they really were. He had to be honest, the idea of anyone touching Kent kind of irritated him. Because Kent was his partner right now, he was on his team, of course he"s being protective. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss him again. Oh god, he wanted to kiss Kent again. Chandler was sure that his mind was going to spin into a panic at the revelation, it felt like that was what was going to happen. But a voice, unfamiliar, a little nasally perhaps, broke through the ramble. Kent and Chandler turned at the same time, and eyed the man beside him. He was about Chandler"s age, dark hair and dark eyes, with a polite smile. "Your drinks sirs," he stated and presented them towards them. "We didn"t order any drinks," Kent stated with an almost dismissive smile. "These drinks are for you both sir," the man said again, "On the house." "We don"t want them, thank you," Chandler forced a smile. "You must take them," he insisted, "They"re for you." "Well, let someone else have them," Chandler suggested. "No, only you!" the man snapped and stopped sharply, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked...shocked by his own actions. Chandler"s eyes narrowed and glanced between the champagne, the bubbles that floated to the top and popped as it reached the surface, and the man"s face, who was still staring at them. The victims were taken from Torrent, in the middle of the night without any witnesses to the abductions. Half were strangled, killed quickly, whilst the other was stabbed multiple times in the torso. The killer was a man, strong and fit enough to overpower two people at the same time. The only thing that hadn"t clicked was how the killer was doing it, how they were getting these people - these reasonable, safe people - to go with them. There was no visible marks on the bodies to show restraint, not even any defensive marks - but there was never going to be. Not when they were drugged beforehand.

Her smile widened as she leant into the touch, pausing for a moment before her face became serious; "There is another reason why I came back..." "What is it?" The smile softened. "I have a mark for you." Mickey arched one eyebrow. "A mark, huh?" Rosalind hummed and sipped her drink. "Who?" Sean leant forward in his seat, hands clasped together in anticipation. "His name is James Cern. He"s the Financial Manager of "Carnal and Change"." Rosalind explained. Eddie rested their drinks on the table. "I"ve heard of that company. Isn"t it owned by that, ah reclusive billionaire - the one that just bought that poker franchise?" "Victor Von Ratsen, yeah," Rosalind confirmed, "Now, Mr. Cern is in control of the money that goes in and out of the company, for every department in London. He"s obsessed with the stuff. He"d do anything to make a profit..." "That"s not really a good enough reason to con the man." Mickey started. "My friend used to work for him, as his secretary." Rosalind interrupted, "Apparently, he"s a very hands on boss." She wrinkled her nose at the thought, "She told me a lot about him in her emails to me so I checked him out. He"s been accused of sexual harassment, fraud and theft more times than I can count, but each time a case has been filed, it gets brushed aside and forgotten. James Cern is an arsehole - a worthy mark if they had standards." "Exactly the kind of man I hate." Emma commented. "Which friend is this?" Ash wondered. "Abigail Munroe - remember? She used to go to my primary school. Mum thought she"d be a good influence on me." She scoffed and shook her head as if it all were a joke, "I want to get back at him - for her - and...I want you to help me..." "You want our help?" "Please." Rosalind clasped her hands together and gave the group an over exaggerated look, her eyes wide as she blinked away fake tears. It was a look she had perfected as a child. She hoped it could still work on them. Albert laughed. "You are far too old for that look to work anymore my dear, but I do believe you are right about this Mr. Cern. A vote?" Eddie sighed. "I"ll go get the coasters..." Chapter 10 Rosalind entered Eddie"s Bar was a skip in her step, humming a familiar tune under her breath, holding a Costa coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Ash arched an eyebrow in amusement, clasping his hands together in front of him. "What has you so happy Babygirl?" Mickey questioned. "...Have you seen today"s paper?" she wondered. "No...should we have?" She sipped her drink and dropped the newspaper onto the table top. She slid further up in the seats when Sean and Emma joined them, drinks in hand. Eddie approached them, interested, leaning against the wall to the right to their booth. "Page six," she instructed almost smugly. Albert carefully turned the pages, pausing and laughing in happiness at the headline. "Oh you, Rosie, are a genius." "Thank you," Rosalind grinned. Sean appeared confused. "What?" ""Fraud Finance Manager in Money Scam"" Albert read aloud, ""Mr. James Cern is the Finance Manager of "Carnal and Change" - or he was, up until yesterday morning when it was revealed that 2% of the company"s profits were being transferred into the private bank account of Mr. Cern. With the help of an anonymous tip, billionaire and company owner, Victor Von Ratsen discovered the swindle within his own business. He told the public, from now on, he would personally deal with the money that moves in and out of the company...'" "Is that true?" Rosalind smiled knowingly. "I was his secretary for the past part of a fortnight. I had full access to his computers and all that was on it. It wasn"t that hard to piece together to be honest..." Emma laughed. "Brilliant." "Amazing," Sean breathed. Rosalind flushed pink, her grin widening ever so slightly. "We shouldn"t expect anything less," Mickey commented, smiling, "Babygirl has always been the best at finding and analysing the finer details. A fixer in the making." "I trained her well," Ash added. "The apple never falls far from the tree. Grifting is in her blood - in her family," Albert pointed out. "I am in the room people," Rosalind spoke, a hint of a whine in her voice, "Stop talking like I"m not." "Sorry darlin"" Ash grinned. He checked his wrist watch quickly, "Are you ready?" She hummed in acknowledgement, finishing her coffee and standing up. "Where are you two going?" Emma asked. The younger Morgan beamed brightly at the small group. "We"re having a Daddy-Daughter day." Sean watched the father and daughter with interest from over his shoulder, only shifting slightly in his seat. He found himself watching the wiggle of her hips as she exited the bar before he could stop. He clenched his fists and forced himself to turn back to his drink. He paused when he felt eyes on him. "What?" "You don"t pay dumb very well, do you Sean?" Emma stated amused, "That had to be the most obvious reaction to someone leaving I have ever seen..." "I...I don"t know what you"re talking about..." "Fine, don"t admit it - just listen, okay?" Emma ordered. "Sean, all we"re saying is you need to be careful when concerning Rosalind," Mickey warned carefully, "If there is one thing Ash Morgan cares about, it would be his daughter." "And he is not the only one." Albert interjected, sipping his drink. "Exactly; just...don"t do anything unless you"re completely serious, alright?" Eddie added in his two-cents, catching onto the jest of the conversation. "Nothing is happening between me and Rosalind, alright?" Sean insisted, "We"re just friends - nothing more, nothing less." Not that she"d ever want there to be more... "No...but you want there to be," Emma commented quietly, watching her brother"s reactions closely, "You have that look in your eyes - you can"t hide it from me Sean. I"m your big sister. I know you..." she sighed deeply and gave her brother a pleading look, "...just be careful, okay?" "So where are we going?" Rosalind questioned, smiling happily as she brushed her curls behind her ear. Ash placed an arm around her shoulders, guiding her in the right direction. "I thought I"d share some Grifting wisdom with you. How are you with casinos?" "Crap," she stated bluntly. "Excellent." He answered with glee. "Full House." Rosalind glanced down at her cards and sighed in defeat. "Two pair..." Ash cackled happily. "Royal Flush - guess this means I win." He circled his winnings with his arms, dragging the money closer to his chest before organising it into one pile. Their opponent cursed loudly, leaning back in his seat with a huff. He was a prosecutor, used to winning by any means necessary, so he wasn"t happy with the current situation. Something that Rosalind (despite her hatred at playing poker, especially with Mickey and her Dad) found amusing. "Dad, can we move on now?" she whined, laying her cards on the table, "There"s a roulette wheel calling my name..." "No - I want a rematch!" the solicitor demanded furiously. "Sorry mate, but its lady"s choice," Ash shrugged as he stood up from his place, folding his winnings in half and placing them in his back pocket, "Come on Rosie..." Rosalind stood up. "Sorry mate." "So...roulette huh?" Ash stated. She grinned happily. "Oh yeah, my game - no real way to cheat at roulette as the player. It"s all about chance. It looks like I"m going to have to teach you a thing or two, Dad." Ash gazed down at the stacked pile of chips with amazement. It seemed roulette was his daughter"s gambling gift. Starting off with £200, she managed to make up to £2400 within an hour. "How do you do that?" He wondered, awed. Rosalind smiled brightly at him. "It"s simple really - just math. Luis owns a lot of casinos and betting companies. He taught me techniques that help you win a large percentage of the time. For example, if I placed a six line inside bet, with a quantity number of six, the odds are 1 in 6.2 - the percentage of win 16.22%." At her Dad"s confused look, she laughed, "Yeah, I know. It"s confusing if you don"t know it of by heart, but it was the one thing I was good at remembering - odds and statistics are easy." "Says you..." Ash muttered, clearing his throat loudly, "Okay, I"ve been cleared out. How about we use some of your winnings and go out for ice cream or something?" Rosalind laughed, arching an eyebrow. "Ice cream? Okay, sounds nice - let"s go get ice cream." He shouldn"t be thinking about her. He"d been warned, by numerous people, to leave her alone - to be careful. He still didn"t know whose sake it was for: his or hers? Still, that did not change the fact she was plaguing him like a bad dream. Usually, Sean was the cool and collected type. Women come to him, not the other way around, so why was it that, with Rosalind, he would rather make his move now, no matter what her reaction might be? And he was sure they would be negative. All the other close encounters they had always seemed to end in them being interrupted, or she disappears. It was very clear sign that nothing was supposed to happen between them. So why couldn"t she leave him alone? Even now, as he lay on his bed in the Langham Hotel, he could remember the smell of her cherry lipstick clearly, the slight pout in her lips, the hint of a smirk as she joked with him; he remembered how much he wanted to kiss them. He could remember her walk, her teasing nature, the feel of her body pressure up against his when they were practicing their roles as "Harry" and "Elizabeth". Sighing heavily, he rolled onto his back, resting his head on his hairs, staring up at the ceiling with contempt. This is getting ridiculous, he decided, I just...have to get her out of my system is all... No, he couldn"t do that. Other than the fact he would most likely get killed by three of the scariest conmen he knew, and his sister, he couldn"t do that to her. She was just too...her. Groaning loudly, he ran his hand over his face. Oh yes, he was definitely screwed. "You know...this place looks familiar..." Rosalind commented, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember, licking contently at her Mr. Whippy Ice Cream Cone (with chocolate sauce and a flake). Ash smiled slightly. "You should, Rosie. This used to be your favourite park when you were toddling about - you said you used to like the ducks..." Rosalind smiled softly, reminiscing. "I remember." Six-year-old Rosalind giggled childishly as she knelt down by the edge of the large pond, watching the fish swim just beneath the surface and the elegant birds attack each other for the last scraps of stale bread. She couldn"t understand why they liked stale bread - she"d try it. It was gross. Ash stood at a slight distance with Mickey and Albert, watching her closely for any sign of distress. She had been told time and time again that swans were vicious creatures but, no, she refused to listen, so they had taken to just watching her alert, in case they were needed. Besides, she looked so happy, and who were they to destroy that? "What time does Chrissie want her back?" Albert questioned. Ash"s smile wavered at the mention of his baby"s mother. "Tomorrow at three. The woman, apparently, has a date with some bloody businessman and can"t take care of her tonight. So I have her tonight, instead of tomorrow, and my times cut down "because I wasn"t supposed to have tonight"." He shook his head, "Bloody woman"s a menace I can tell ya. If Rosie didn"t want to see me, she"d stop contact all today." Mickey rested a hand on his friend"s shoulder. "Just keep in mind Rosalind does want to see you - it"ll make you feel better." "Daddy," Rosalind appeared at her father"s side, tugging at the bottom of his suit jacket. She peered up at him with wide pleading eyes, "Can we go and get some bread to feed the duckies with? They"re hungry..." "Um and how can you tell?" Ash challenged. She pointed to the pond"s bank. "That brown duckie is eating grass. Mummy said grass isn"t good for ducks." "She"s right - it isn"t good for ducks." He agreed, holding out his hand for her to take, "Come on then - let"s go find some bread." Grinning happily, Rosalind gladly accepted the larger hand. "...Is the pond still there?" she wondered. "I think so. Wanna go see it?" Ash questioned, holding out his hand. Nodding happily, Rosalind accepted her Dad"s hand and quickly tugged him in one direction, making him laugh quietly. A/N: I just wanted to point out I have no idea about statistics and betting ratios, or anything like that. I got my roulette information from some website after I googled it (where would we be without Google?) so don"t ask me about them, because I have no clue. Thank you x Chapter 11 Rosalind stood beside Albert, struggling to hide her smirk as she watched Emma dancing just behind the camera before her, playing her part as Kylie as convincingly as possible. Just watching her older friend dance, a routine that it had taken her a few good days to even learn in the first place, she could see how much effort it was taking to keep up the charade that she did this everyday was amusing. Betterherthanme... Her job for this con wasn"t difficult. She mostly had to be the one who got Emma on and off set as fast as possible, acting as her Personal Assistant. She played her part well, she thought, checking her "state of the art" Blackberry as random points, and pulling away from the group as if she had just received an important call. As simple as her part was, Rosalind couldn"t help but feel she was getting into the swing of things again. She"d missed this, even when she"d run her own grifts in America (her father would be so proud). The teamwork of it all, the family dynamics; the way everyone looked out for each other. Albert clapped loudly, dragging her out of her thoughts, to signify the end of the shoot. The room instantly joined in and the music trailed off into silence. Emma straightened up instantly, offering the cast and crew a smile, just before Sean reached her side and, as her security, led her away from the set. "Gentleman, it"s a pleasure," Rosalind nodded quickly, offering them a polite smile. She turned sharply on her heels and walked off, shoes clicking, following the two towards her car. Instantly, her face broke out into a true smile. "Much better than rehearsals," she commented. "Honestly Em, that was amazing," Sean congratulated. Emma shot a mock glare in her direction, her face filling with relief when she finally managed to pull off those torture instruments that rich woman called shoes. "I hope that worked. I"m aching in places I didn"t know I had places." "Well, he seemed pretty enthralled to me," Rosalind teased. Ash swept past her, holding onto the door frame of the car. She moved out of the way, shuffling towards Sean. He raised an eyebrow. "Well?" "Yeah, well, you know, almost there," Ash started. "What do you mean almost?" Emma questioned. "How"s your Aussie accent?" "What?" Both women said together. "He wants to meet you," Ash clarified. Emma objected, a tone of panic in her voice. "What, no, Ash, you said..." "Um, yeah, dad, I don"t think Emma"s had time to prepare for a face-to-face encounter," Rosalind supported, nervously. She knew Emma could do accents. In fact, she had practised with her - why hadn"t they tried Australian accents? Looking back on it, that seemed like a very obvious accent to perfect. "I"ll send Kev round. Get your kit back on," Ash told her. He jokily blew her a kiss before disappearing again, probably to convince Kevin to help them out again. Oneofthesedays,thatmanwasgoingtolosehisjobonset,anditwouldbedad"sfault, Rosalind shook her head and looked sympathetically at Emma, who sighed and began to slowly put her shoes back on again. Sean hid a smirk behind his hand. The knock at on the trailer door, no more than a second after Kevin had showed them to the trailer, signified the start of the unexpected part of the con. The three shared a look. Rosalind sighed. "Showtime," she exited first, in a hurry, "Make this quick. We have two hours to get the airport before her next appointment at five, Spanish time." She didn"t really pay much attention to the conversation, allowing Mickey to take over control of the situation - to be honest, the man annoyed her and she really didn"t want to know anything other the acceptance of his money - but she did have to struggle for a moment to hide her impressed features at the pretty accurate Australian accent. With little to no practise, it was convincing. She caught Sean"s eye over the head of his sister and felt a small smile cross her face. He returned the expression, although he didn"t relax his stature of the bored bodyguard. "That"s it. You must say "Happy Birthday", like Marilyn Monroe to J.F.K but instead of "Mr. President" perhaps you could say...my name?" Rosalind arched an eyebrow; Ash and Sean shared a look. Yeah, Emma had to be commended for her patience with this man. She kept her wide smile in place and just agreed to it; in fact she gave him ideas. Rosalind was still debating whether or not that was a bad idea. Mickey tried to end the conference but was stopped - apparently the man had a list of songs for "Kylie" to sing next week. It was then she decided to step in. "I"m sorry, but you"ll have to wait until next week to continue this conversation. We simply cannot waste anymore time here," Rosalind interjected loudly, offering the group a smile. Ash clapped flamboyantly. "Right, if we don"t get her out of those shoes, she"ll have blisters the size of Ann Widicombe"s arse." "We"ve taken up enough of your time," Mickey smiled politely, all businesslike. "It"s good to meet you in person," Rosalind nodded towards the mark, "Our mutual friend here will deal with all the arrangements. Kylie, sweetie, you"re going to have to get your butt inside that trailer." She walked into the trailer first and Emma followed, waving goodbye to the mark. Ash and Sean came after. Instantly, Emma sat down and roughly pulled off those shoes she was beginning to despise, throwing them into the corner of the trailer. She huffed loudly and her body went limp in the chair. "Next chance I get, I"m going to burn those shoes..." she muttered darkly. "I"ve got to say Em, that was amazing," Sean complimented. "You did very well by dear," Albert agreed. "Especially considering you couldn"t dance three days ago," Rosalind added, throwing one arm over her friend"s shoulder, grinning widely. "And he was just rich enough and obnoxious enough to make it fun," Mickey nodded. "Yeah, but there is one thing I don"t get..." Emma started. "What"s that?" "I don"t even look like Kylie," She finished. Rosalind blinked a couple of times, surprised, before shaking her head in amusement. She released her hold on her friend and followed the others, her dad"s arm wrapping around her shoulder. She smiled when she heard Emma voicing her confusion behind her as she hurried to catch up. A/N: I apologise for the short chapter. This is more of a filler chapter before I get into the rest of the episodes. If you have any suggestions of situations you want the Hustle characters, please let me know because I"d love to know what you think and what you would want to read in this story. Now read and review! Chapter 12 Rosalind relaxed into the seat besides Albert and leant her arms on the table, resting her chin on her wrists. From her position, she could see everyone clearly. Her dad and Uncle Mikey were on her right, and Sean and Emma had approached the bar to order drinks. "You know Sean and Emma are working out really well..." Albert started. Mickey glanced towards the siblings briefly. "Yes they are." "I think they"re a real asset to the team, don"t you?" the older American continued, raising an eyebrow that pretty much said "you know what I want to hear". Rosalind grinned in amusement. He glanced towards Ash. "He"s going to make me say it?" Albert coughed. "Hmm, yes I am." "Of course he is," She interjected. Mickey sighed overdramatically. "Albert...you were right." "That"s very kind of you to say," he smiled smugly causing Rosalind to giggle. "And so unexpected," Ash commented. Sean and Emma made their way over from the bar, Sean stating that Eddie would bring the drinks over, and took the free seats on the end of the table. Rosalind straightened up with a small hum as her back clicked, and glanced at each member of the gang individually. "So, what"s next?" "Albert"s be working on a mark," Mickey started. "Anyone we know?" Emma asked. "Sir Edmund Richardson," Albert stated with a roll of his "r". Ash laughed. "What, Piggy Richardson?" He bowed his head. "The very same, yes." "Whose he when he"s at home?" Sean wondered. "He was the head of one of those banks that nearly when under last year," Mickey supplied helpfully, "The government had to bail them out." "We bailed them out you mean," Ash corrected his friend. "We?" "Well, the tax payer." Sean looked confused. "Do we pay tax?" "No, no, but it"s the principal." "My dad, pupil announcement for the common man," Rosalind teased, releasing a laugh at the look he sent her. "So what you"re saying is if we paid tax, which we don"t, then we bailed them out, which we didn"t," Sean summarized.

Rosalind shifted uncomfortably. "...Still feel like an escort..." Ash elbowed Sean in the stomach sharply. He gapped, winded. "Keep your eyes up, and hands to your self." He warned. Sean nodded, rubbing the point of impact in an attempt to easy the pain. "Now that we"ve established that Rosie does not look like an escort, we have 35 minutes." Emma pointed out, "We need to get changed and sort of the last minute details, like the deal." Mickey and Albert shared a knowing look, eyes sparkling. "Leave that to us." "He"s here: positions people." James Cern stood near the doorway of the Penthouse suite, watching the talkative and happy crowd for a familiar face. He strolled forward, one hand in his trouser pocket, and snagged a champagne glass from the snack"s table. In all honesty, he had always preferred wine to champagne - he sipped the drink anyway. At the back of the room, he could see the faces of Barkley and Harlem, deep in conversation with another suit clad man. Not far from them was another man, dressed in black, standing stiff and silent. It was unnervingly obvious in the friendly atmosphere. "James!" Cern turned on his heel at the sound of his name and instantly smiled when his hungry gaze landed on Elizabeth, looking so sweet and innocent as she smiled up at him warmly. "I"m so glad you made it!" she gushed. "Are you really?" "Of course," Rosalind tilted her head to the side, "Harlem and Barkley are a bit busy at the moment. That"s my Dad over there - they"re discussing the new product that Global Intec is investing in. It"s meant to be amazing...I just came over to get some drinks..." "I can speak to them later then. Care to keep me company until then?" he flirted. "Lizzie!" a voice called from within the crowd. No one reacted to the unexpected shout. Her eyes lit up. "I would but it seems I"m being called. Mingle...make new friends; I"ll talk to you later James." Before Cern could say anything more, the young woman had grabbed three glasses of champagne and carefully made her way across the room. He stared after her. She handed the drinks over to the three suited men, smiling widely, before moving the side of the strange man. His eyes narrowed when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the underside of his jaw. "So this must be Harry Lister...' "Are you sure this is going to work Mick?" Ash questioned. "We have to proposition him quickly - give him no chance to think over the huge gamble he"s making." Mickey explained and sipped his drink, "It has to be direct and obvious." "Yes, but are you sure this is going to work?" Ash repeated. Mickey paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "...We can"t afford to believe it won"t." "Well, that"s comforting." The fixer mumbled, feeling slightly uneasy, and gulped the alcohol heavily. "Relax," Albert advised, "Don"t let the mark, or more importantly Rosalind, know you"re nervous. Confidence is key." "This dress is so swishy..." Rosalind complained, as she grasped Sean"s hands and swung them at her side. To Cern, it would look as if they were flirting. "Swishy? Is "swishy" even a word?" he wondered amused. "Of course it is. I said it, didn"t I? If you can say it, it"s a word." Rosalind stated firmly. "Of course, whatever you say Rosie." Sean rolled his eyes, "So you don"t like "swishy" dresses?" "I don"t really like dresses." She admitted, "I prefer shorts, or jeans. Some dresses are okay but most of them..." she shook her head, "...not for me." "I think you look good in a dress." Sean assured. "Thank you, I guess...I think you look good in black?" Rosalind offered. "Rosie, I look good in anything." He pointed out cockily, smirking. Rosalind rolled her eyes in amusement. "You"re also very modest. Has anyone ever told you that?" "Not that I remember..." "Hmm...I can"t imagine why." Rosalind laughed behind her hand. Sean grinned in return. He raised his gaze away from the younger woman and glanced around the room. In discussion, they had decided that Harry Lister would be very paranoid - always looking for trouble, as it were. It also meant he could keep an eye on the mark from where ever he was. He could see Cern having a conversation with Emily Carter (aka Emma) near the settee. The mark"s eyes darted over to where they were standing. First they watched Mickey, Albert and Ash; then they trailed off to Rosalind. "He"s watching." Sean mumbled out as a warning before instantly grabbing low on Rosalind"s hips, pulling her tight against his chest. She flinched, as if in pain. It was only for a moment, before her face relaxed, but the expression had been clear on her face. He peered down at her worriedly. "Are you okay? I didn"t hurt you, did I?" She smiled weakly. "No, you didn"t. I"m fine." Sean rose an eyebrow disbelieving. Rosalind watched him for a moment, almost debating, before she sighed in defeat. "I...don"t like being touched...well; I don"t like being touched without any warning. It"s got nothing to do with you; I just wasn"t prepared..." "Bad experience?" She hummed in response, dropping her gaze and raising her hand to play with one of the buttons on his shirt. Sean dipped his head, so his lips were at her ear, and whispered, "You don"t have to say what happened. Just let me know if you feel uncomfortable and I"ll, uh..." She smiled sweetly at him. "...I"ll let you know." "James!" Rosalind rushed off, grasping his hand, "Barkley and Harlem want to speak to you know. They said to hurry." Cern straightened up at the command and allowed the young woman to pull him in the direction of the three men. He only had a moment to think how good it would feel to have her hands on him properly, before he was face to face with the owners of Global Intec and the investor who was almost certainly Elizabeth"s father. He smiled professionally at them in greeting. "Mr. Cern, it"s good to see you again. We"re glad you could make it." Mickey stood to shake the man"s hand firmly, "You already know George Barkley, of course. This is one of our main investors, Mr. Peters." "Call me Darren please. After all, aren"t we all friends here?" Ash grinned as he shook the mark"s hand in greeting, "You are Elizabeth"s employer, are you not?" "Yes that would be me. She is an asset to the department." Cern complimented. Rosalind flushed. "...I"m just a secretary..." "Don"t be so modest, Elizabeth." Albert reprimanded in a teasing way. He then tensed his back and turned his attention back to Cern, "I do believe Mr. Cern that you are here for business, not pleasantries. Please sit." He complied, sitting beside Darren. He leant forward and clasped his hands together, looking between the two business men in anticipation. "As you know, Global Intec has become famous for bring new products into the market before any other company." Mickey began, "The main marketing frenzy of this year is handheld technology, according to our surveyors. Handheld technology being anything from mobile phones to children"s toys, you understand." "If the market is already as wide as you say it is, how you going to bring something new into it? Wouldn"t it be near impossible?" Ash questioned. "Nothing is impossible - you should know that by now, Darren." Albert grinned, "This new product has come to our attention. It"s claimed to be one of the greatest revolutions in the world of technology. It"s already a hit in Japan." "It will be one of the most important and successful devices that Global Intec has ever invested in. Our researchers believe we will sell up to 80 million of these things." Mickey added with a slight laugh. Cern leant forward in his seat, excited. "What is this amazing device you speak of?" "We"re not allowed to divulge the actually name of the device - some laws and contracts that need to be dealt with before the release." Albert explained briefly, "This is a product that we need our investors to be greatly involved in." "How much?" "At a minimum we"re expecting an investment of 190,000." Cern choked. "190,000 pounds sterling? Jesus, that"s a lot of money..." "Completely worth it when the investment makes you both very, very rich men." Mickey assured, "We"ll need the money to be a one off payment, of course, but it does not have to be straight away. We understand it can seem like a lot of money but I"ve been assured that your investment will be doubled, even tripled, by the sale of this product." Ash grinned. "You know me. Always up for a risk. Give me a couple of days for the cheque to clear and I can have the cash ready for you." His eyes darkened suddenly with annoyance and his smile became strained, "You will have to excuse me. It seems I have some...personal issues to deal with." Ash stood up sharply and quickly made his way through the crowd. Cern watched him curiously as he moved to a darkened corner of the room, where he could clearly see a familiar couple embracing each other, romantically and heavily. He gritted his teeth to stave off the annoyance and turned his attention back to the company owners. "It seems this meeting has been cut short." Mickey laughed humourlessly, "We do not want to rush you, Mr. Cern, but you will have to make a decision soon. We need the investments before the products release in four days." Cern nodded and stood up. "I"ll think about it and let you know." Albert nodded. "Perfectly acceptable; a sensible man. We"ll look forward to hearing from you Mr. Cern." Chapter Eight James Cern sat at his desk, his chin resting on his hands as he stared at a spot on wall opposite him thoughtfully. After all, he had a lot to think about. The offer that had been put forward was...amazingly dangerous business wise, for lack of a better description, especially with the company"s money. But he only has four days to make a decision. Cern had always been an opportunist, and this was a huge financial opportunity. The biggest one that had ever been introduced to him - he"d done the math so many times, just to be sure - 190,000 multiplied by three was a heart stopping amount of money; about double what his monthly pay was contracted as. And he really liked money. Cern closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. In the craziness of his mind, the image of Elizabeth Peters was formed. He growled under his breath. Gods, how he wanted her - he had never lasted his long waiting for a woman, but this one was so innocent and young and so damn teasing. It was as if she was playing with him but he doubted she was capable of such things. "I like someone who can take a risk," her voice flittered through his memory. Someone who can take risks, huh? He smirked to himself. "Elizabeth!" Rosalind looked up at the call of her character"s name and a bright smile covered her features when Cern approached. "I"ve just spoken to that Emily Carter - you know, the secretary at Global Intec. I have a day arranged for the pickup. It"s in two days. 190,000 pounds..." She whistled. "That"s a lot of money..." Cern sighed deeply and took a step closer, so his hand brushed her hip. "I know it"s risky but isn"t it worth it with the outcome being so large - so profitable?" Rosalind swallowed nervously. "Well, yes...I suppose it would be worth it..." "And wouldn"t that be the same in a situation where say, a woman you really want has a boyfriend?" Cern questioned, raising his hand to stroke under her chin. Rosalind took a step back instinctively and Cern followed. "I...I don"t know James. I"ve, ah, never been in that situation before..." "I have. Many times. It"s quite frustrating actually." He mused, "But I"ve long since realised it is so much easier just to take what I want..." Rosalind tensed when he grabbed her hips tightly, his nails digging in, and he forced his mouth against his. The kiss was toothy and hard and painful. All too familiar. Cern groaned in annoyance when he heard (and felt) the buzz of her mobile phone. "Let it go to voicemail..." Rosalind fumbled with the phone. "I...I can"t. It"s my Dad. If I don"t answer, he"ll come here himself." With shaking hands, she raised the device to her ear. "H-hello?" "Get back now." "I"ll be right there." "Are you alright?" Sean asked worriedly as soon as she came through the door of the penthouse suite. Dropping her bag to the floor, she gave him a watery look and shook her head. She sniffed loudly and rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands. Ash hugged her in a way only a father could his daughter. Rosalind clung to him tightly, her eyes clenched shut. He brushed his hand over her hair in an attempt to calm her. Everyone stayed silent and just watched the family embrace until the sobs subsided into high pitched hiccups. She pulled back sniffing. "Are you okay Rosie?" Emma rested a hand on her friend"s shoulder. Rosalind smiled weakly. "I"ll be fine. He just...terrified me in all." She sniffed again and rubbed her nose, "Apparently, he was "taking a risk"..." "Would anyone be opposed to the idea of kicking the crap out of him?" Sean questioned furiously. Rosalind shook her head. "You guys aren"t thugs and I don"t expect you to act like them now. No, just stick with the plan. Conning him out of his lively hood will make me feel better and none of you will end up in a cell." She smiled softly at Sean, "Thanks for caring though..." She sighed shakily and levelled her gaze with her uncle, "So Mickey, what"s the next step?" He stared at her silently for a moment as if not knowing if he should. She cocked her head and gave him a pleading look that no one else saw. With a sigh, Mickey nodded. "Cern called a few hours ago to organise a drop off of his £190,000 investment. Emma said that she"d fax him the whereabouts once we"ve heard from Darren Peters. Ash, I need you to find us an office building, somewhere open and busy - make it more realistic. Albert, I"ll need you to try and get some money together from your business friends, for Mr. Peters to handover. It has to be real money, and our...reservoirs are currently empty. Sean, from the office building that Ash finds I need you to find us a weak point, a way in. Emma, I need you to get us some identifications - something new and will get us into the office building that Ash picks out. Babygirl, you are going to take a break, and don"t argue with me." he interjected when she opened her mouth, "You"ve done your job so now you have to rest." She sighed in defeat. "Okay Uncle Mickey..." He clapped. "Excellent. Everyone get busy - we have two days." Rosalind paced her room, circling her bed once, and then twice. She had her arms folded across her chest and was holding her upper arms tightly, breathing deeply and slowly. She could still feel his hands on her and it made her cringe at the memory. As much as she loved Mickey for caring, she knew that leaving her alone to her thoughts at the moment probably wasn"t the best idea. She circled the bed one more time before she grabbed her mobile from her bedside table and typed in the number she knew off by heart. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes wide, as she listened to the dull ringing. "Hello?" "Abby? It"s me, Rosalind." "Rosie! How are you?" "...Can we talk?" Her voice was concerned. "Rosie...what happened? Is it Jackson, again?" "No...Definitely not." Rosalind chuckled weakly, dryly, "But you"re the only one I can talk to about this. Remember you told me about that seedy boss of yours..." "James Cern - yeah, I remember him but...oh, Rosie, you didn"t..." "I did." The 5th floor of a rented building in the centre of London was the perfect setting. The owner of the small time business company, Richard Keiths, was a man who made some bad choices in his past, and it was an easy weakness to play on. Mickey and Albert had been hurriedly put into one of the offices and, after letting the smiling man know that they had associates coming soon, were left alone. "Are we sure about this?" Albert asked. Mickey nodded. "Positive. This will work, I know it will. I think our main problem is keeping Ash - and Sean, for that matter - from attacking Cern when he arrives." "That is easier said than done." Albert pointed out. It was about 10 minutes later when Ash and Sean appeared with Cern not that far behind. Pleasantries were exchanged before the four settled into their seats (Sean was standing beside Ash). Cern leant back in his chair; hand on his lap, with a huge smile on his face. It seemed he was acting as if what had happened between him and "Elizabeth Peters" hadn"t happened - Ash believed that was what really annoyed him. "So do you have your investments ready?" Albert questioned, glancing between the two men across from him. Ash raised his hand, clutching a brief case. "It"s all here - £190,000 in full." As if to prove he was telling the truth, he opened the case and showed them the rows of £20 notes that had been specially prepared for that moment. Cern opened the brief case and showed the £50 notes off to the two men. Mickey grinned. "Excellent. It seems it"s all there. We"re glad you both decided to invest. I assure you, it is not a mistake." "It was a good deal. You"d be stupid not to take it, Nico." Ash laughed deeply. "So when do we see the prototype?" Cern asked. "We will get this lot taken to the broker as soon as possible. Once the instalment has cleared, we are legally allowed to reveal the product. It will be sent with you within the next 24 hours at the most." Mickey explained. Cern clapped the arms of his seat. "Perfect. Is that all?" "Did you expect it to be more difficult?" Albert laughed. "I didn"t know what to expect to be honest - each company is different after all." Cern smiled, "Anyway, I have to return to the office. I have a ton of work to do and I left the sub in charge of the phones." "Ah, yes, my dear Elizabeth is sick - bed ridden." Ash explained sharply, "I was meant to get her to call in sick but she was just so ill, the poor thing." "It"s no problem really Darren. I wish her a speedy recovery." Cern nodded. "Well, it seems we"re done here." Mickey rose from his seat and held out his hand, "It"s a pleasure doing business with you gentlemen." "As always old friend." Ash rose onto his feet and shook the hand graciously. Cern copied. "I"ll look forward to doing business with you in the future, and even more for the money that soon follows." Chapter Nine Albert, Ash and Mickey sat in their designated "office" within Eddie"s bar, hands cupping their glasses. From their position, they could watch Emma and Rosalind converse at the bar, acting as if they have been friends for years, instead of the few days it had been in reality. "They seem to be getting along well enough," Mickey commented. "In a world full of men, the women must stay together..." Albert explained intelligently. "It"s a good thing - then we don"t have to listen to all that poncy, girly crap." Ash grinned and sipped his scotch. "Ladies," Mickey called and gestured towards the free seats. Grabbing their drinks from the counter, they slid into the plush seating; Rosalind beside her father, and Emma besides Albert. "We have one more thing to do before we can celebrate." Mickey continued, "Remember, the "prototype" still has to be delivered to Carnal and Change." "Aw, I wouldn"t worry about that," Ash spoke nonchalantly, shrugging, "We"ve already had a volunteer." Emma suddenly straightened up, her eyebrows furrowed as she glanced around the empty bar. "Where"s Sean?" Mickey barked out a laugh of amusement, his eyes sparkling. "Ash Morgan, you did not..." Ash smirked smugly. "Better him than me." Rosalind dropped her head into her hands and groaned. "Oh boy..." Albert chortled happily. James Cern looked up in surprise when a heavy box dropped onto his desk from a height. When he caught sight of Harry Lister looming over him, he smirked dangerously and relaxed into his seat. "Mr. Lister...I"m surprise to see you here...Is there anything I can help you with?" He questioned a fake smile on his face. "Mr. Peters asked me to drop this off personally. It"s the prototype." Sean answered shortly, his hands in his pockets. Cern"s face brightened. "Ah, thank you. I"ve been waiting for this." He pulled the box closer to him before pausing, "So how is Elizabeth?" Sean tensed, his eyes narrowed. "I almost forgot. I came here for another reason." He leant on the desk and leaning forward, his eyes gleaming threateningly, "I came here to tell you to stay away from Elizabeth Peters." Cern laughed darkly. "Oh please. Do you really think that would work on me?" "I"m telling you this for your own safety," Sean chided frustrated, "You see, Lizzie told me what you did - trust me, the only reason why I"m not beating your face into your skull is because she doesn"t want me to go back to prison...so I"m just going to give you some friendly advice: don"t touch her. Don"t look at her, don"t speak to her - don"t even think about her..." Cern laughed again. "That"s going to be difficult, don"t you think? After all, she works for me." Sean smirked knowingly. "Oh yeah - she quits." "Uncork that for us, would you Eddie?" Sean grinned happily as he entered the bar. He appeared relaxed as he handed the champagne bottle over to the disgruntled bartender. Sharing a look, the five other members of the group carefully slid from their seats and slowly approached the smiling man.

"Joe, this is Abigail and Whitney," Kent shouted over the music to introduce. His arm slung easily around Chandler"s waist, in a manner so comfortable, as if it were something he did all the time, that it genuinely made Chandler jerk, but he pushed down the violent movement just in time. Kent grinned up at him and Chandler strained a smile down, "This is my Joe." "Oh, he"s cute," one - Whitney, Chandler thought - cooed at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm resting on the table, and eyed him up and down, bringing a flush to the DI"s face. "But he looks a little out of his comfort zone here, pet," Abigail commented, her Newcastle accent thick and strong, no mistakes about it. "Clubs aren"t really his thing," Kent explained, "But he did it for me. We"ve been looking for some friends of mine, they"re supposed to be meeting us here. Apparently this is a regular place for them." "Regular, huh?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "We know all the regs." "So you might be able to help us then?" Chandler questioned, a small hopeful smile coming to his face at the thought that this wouldn"t be a completely useless line of enquiry. She grinned at him. "I don"t see why not pet. Gives us the names and we can see if we can help." "Dagmar, Will and Sam Dagmar," Kent told them. Whitney grinned. "Yeah, we know "em. Couple of oldies that like a good time. Usually in the backroom," she frowned, "Haven"t seen in a while though." "The backroom?" Chandler quoted urgently, "What"s that?" "It"s like private rooms, ya know, for those who can afford it," she explained with a small shrug, "PDA ain"t allowed on the dance floor, but if you can afford to get back there, from what I"ve heard, there ain"t nothing stopping ya, if you know what I mean." she winked playfully. "And two like that, they"d definitely want to get back there," Abigail teased, "Kinky as hell, always looking for a good time and a third." "A-a third?" Chandler questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A threesome hun," Whitney clarified, and Chandler turned red. "So when did you last see them?" Kent quickly diverted. "Uh, a few days I guess. They grabbed some fresher from the floor and went down back," Abigail shrugged. "Do you know who this fresher is? Maybe they can help?" "He was just a fresher, but I"ve seen him a few times recently. He"s cute, so he keeps getting lucky, if you know what I mean," her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and Kent laughed boisterously whilst Chandler strained a smile. "So how much does it cost to get into the backroom?" Kent wondered. "Why pet, you interested?" Whitney grinned wickedly. Chandler flushed and stammered embarrassed by the insinuation and how casually it was thrown about, but Kent just smiled widely and stated, "You"ve got to try everything once, right?" Kent glanced up at him uncertainly. "Are you ready for this sir?" he questioned. Chandler"s eyes darted between the narrow corridor and his DC and then back again. He wanted to say "of course I am, don"t be ridiculous" but they would both know it was a lie. He wasn"t an undercover agent, he never had been, and he found it hard to act when he knew something would bother him, and Chandler was hundred percent sure that whatever laid beyond the hallway, would bother him. Kent"s hand was still a steady and, perhaps mostly unusually, comfortable presence around his own. When they"d walked away from Abigail and Whitney, Kent had kept up the couple pretence by grasping his hand and tugging him through the crowd, but he hadn"t felt the need to let go and Chandler honestly hadn"t felt the need to ask him to. "I"ll be fine," he finally answered, realising that he"d been silent for far too long and Kent"s worried look had increased. It lessened a little at the words. "You do know what we"ll find in there, right?" he wondered, and turned a little pink, "And what we"ll be expected to do?" "Kent, I think for the sake of stopping another set of bodies from turning up, we can be...intimate," Chandler chose his words carefully, trying to ignore the flush of heat that warmed the back of his neck. It was understandable, he theorized, it had been a long time since he"d let anyone get that close, for work or otherwise, and now it was likely to happen with eyes firmly placed in his direction. Of course he would feel embarrassed. It had nothing to do with the curly haired man beside him that he would be expected to ki-be intimate with, and he was absolutely not fond of the idea. Why would he be? As if the idea of...being with Kent was favourable, regardless of the circumstances. Kent was...Kent, attractive yes, and sociable and hardworking and was no doubt a catch for any man or woman who caught his eye, but that didn"t mean that man was him. Chandler felt as if he was trying to tell himself something but he couldn"t quite put his finger on it. "Boss?" Kent"s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Joe," he corrected automatically, without much thought behind the instruction. Kent blinked surprised. "If we are to be in a couple, it only seems fitting," Chandler excused himself quickly, and Kent smiled widely, too brightly, too everything. "We should go in...Joe," he told him, his voice a little shy. Chandler nodded shiftly and straightened his collar, as if he were still wearing a suit at work and the straightness of the fabric would depend whether or not he made a good impression. "Let"s go," he ordered and took the lead, their linked hands pulling Kent behind him. Chandler could never honestly say that he liked kissing. It was level of intimacy that he had reached on several occasions in life, before he had realised that perhaps it was simpler to just be alone than to find someone who could accommodate to his habits, and yes, he could see the appeal, the feelings behind it, the closeness and the connection and the expectation behind the touch. He could understand that. But on a deep and personal level, it had always been seemed in its basic form - the spreading of germs through saliva and although he had gotten used to suppressing the urge to jerk away, it had never really disappeared entirely. He tried his hardest, when he took the lead and pressed his lips to Kent"s, not to focus on the statistics about germs and diseases, tried not to recoil away and ruin the image of a happy couple that they had portrayed. Instead, he focused on the warm body beside him on the loveseat, the heaviness of it pressed against his side. He thought of the cotton fabric of Kent"s shirt under his fingertips when he placed his hands on his waist, his grip tightening around it as he slipped, further and further. He thought about the taste of beer, bitter, on Kent"s breath, and how it washed shakily over his own lips, heating the skin in a surprising pleasant way. It was almost...enjoyable, could he say, when he thought about it like that. But they had work to do, he remembered quickly, and pulled away slowly. Kent looked a little flushed, dazed perhaps if one looked too closely and Chandler couldn"t stop himself from doing so. Kent traced his bottom lip with his tongue and looked up at Chandler from under his eyelashes. "Um, d-do you see anyone?" he murmured unsteadily. Chandler"s eyes flickered up and around the room and back again. "A few eyes. None that explicitly stand out." "Should we, ah, do it again then?" Kent wondered. "I suppose so," Chandler agreed, a second before the younger officer reared up and claimed a kiss once more. Chandler couldn"t help but be startled by the eagerness behind the touch, the way that Kent"s hands moved from gripping the front of his shirt and moved to the back of his neck, a warm touch against the skin, the way that he half climbed onto Chandler"s lap to get to him. This must be for the realism, one part of him reasoned. If you think that, you"re delusional, another one responded, he wants you almost as much as you want him. I don"t want him. Keep telling yourself that DI Chandler. It was funny how his inner voice was beginning to sound a lot like Miles. Kent pulled away after a moment, his breathing heavy and his face too close. His eyes were dark and Chandler was very much away that he was putting some bodily distance between them, the gap allowing a flood of cold air between them. "Think that did the trick?" he smiled, his words veiled with something that Chandler wasn"t certain that he could read. "I would say," he muttered back almost involuntarily. Kent blushed at the suggestion behind the words and grinned back a little more confidently. Chandler"s hands tightened around Kent"s waist and he gently urged the man to pushed down on him. Kent went a little wide eyed and uncertain, but did as he was ordered, lowering himself between Chandler"s legs. Chandler tilted his head towards Kent"s neck, his lips barely a brush against the flesh and he felt the full blown shiver that went through the DC"s body. Over Kent"s shoulder, Chandler watched the room. He scanned the people, some in couples, trios, groups, others standing alone, just watching. When his eyes swept scenes that seemed far too intimate for public consumption, he skidded past them quickly, with just a brief glimpse that their pleasure marred faces. It seemed likely that the killer was already part of a group, having already chosen his next victim, but these faces, they seemed too distracted, too wrapped in what was happening. From what they knew about the person responsible, this man wouldn"t enjoy the warm up gig more than the opening act. So he was standing alone, just watching, deciding. Only five people standing, two women and three men. The women were close together and chattering, eying each display before them with interest. Chandler didn"t spend too much time focused on them. It was statistically unlikely that this killer was female due to the brutality of the kills, and the strength it would take for one person to be able to subdue two victims, some of which were pretty hefty men. And the two women had said the Dagmar"s were last seen with a man, much like Lancaster and Torrez, and Morrison and Fitz. Two striked out. Kent"s lips pressed firmly against Chandler"s adams apple, making him gulp in response and his breathing pick up just that little bit more. It was a wet kiss, the sound seeming to echo even in the crowded, busy room. His mind flickered to the idea of spit on his skin, which goosebumped automatically, before Kent hummed, the noise vibrating against his skin and he gasped. It was an expected reaction, he argued. He was sensitive there, an exogenous zone, and he couldn"t control that. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Kent who had brought the shiver through him, who had made his thoughts jump and muddle in a mess at the front of his brain. Absolutely nothing. Chandler focused again. Three men, three men, he repeated. Each standing alone, their eyes dancing around the room, a mixture of interest and desire in their eyes. One was beckoned forward by an outstretched hand which was taken eagerly and he disappeared into the fold. A wet stripe was painted across his neck and he froze, physically and mentally. He glanced down startled, and Kent grinned up at him just a bit too innocently for it to be trusted. His hips rolled down, and his hands slide up and around the back of Chandler"s neck. He veered up and whispered in his ear, "Anything?" "Narrowed down to two," he muttered back, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling quite so hard. "Got a favourite boss?" Kent questioned. "Not as of yet, but we should probably try and get their names, get them checked out," Chandler stated almost absentmindedly. Kent pulled back a little. "Sir, that would mean...inviting them in, wouldn"t it?" The thought hadn"t occurred to him. He guessed he had forgotten he wasn"t supposed to be a police officer here. He could hardly approach the two figures and ask for their names, not without asking them to join or giving away who they really were. He had to be honest, the idea of anyone touching Kent kind of irritated him. Because Kent was his partner right now, he was on his team, of course he"s being protective. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss him again. Oh god, he wanted to kiss Kent again. Chandler was sure that his mind was going to spin into a panic at the revelation, it felt like that was what was going to happen. But a voice, unfamiliar, a little nasally perhaps, broke through the ramble. Kent and Chandler turned at the same time, and eyed the man beside him. He was about Chandler"s age, dark hair and dark eyes, with a polite smile. "Your drinks sirs," he stated and presented them towards them. "We didn"t order any drinks," Kent stated with an almost dismissive smile. "These drinks are for you both sir," the man said again, "On the house." "We don"t want them, thank you," Chandler forced a smile. "You must take them," he insisted, "They"re for you." "Well, let someone else have them," Chandler suggested. "No, only you!" the man snapped and stopped sharply, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked...shocked by his own actions. Chandler"s eyes narrowed and glanced between the champagne, the bubbles that floated to the top and popped as it reached the surface, and the man"s face, who was still staring at them. The victims were taken from Torrent, in the middle of the night without any witnesses to the abductions. Half were strangled, killed quickly, whilst the other was stabbed multiple times in the torso. The killer was a man, strong and fit enough to overpower two people at the same time. The only thing that hadn"t clicked was how the killer was doing it, how they were getting these people - these reasonable, safe people - to go with them. There was no visible marks on the bodies to show restraint, not even any defensive marks - but there was never going to be. Not when they were drugged beforehand. "It"s the drinks," Kent whispered out a second after, and Chandler nodded sharply, eyes narrowing. Kent moved slowly, climbing from Chandler"s lap, and the DI sat up slowly. That was the killer. He was right in front of them. Until he wasn"t. The man cursed loudly and the glasses were flung in their direction, one hitting Chandler in the center of his chest and the other bouncing off Kent"s shoulder. Later on, Chandler would worry about the wetness seeping through his clothes and the smell of champagne that would take ages to get out. Later on, he"d even worry about Kent and everything inbetween. Right now, they had a murderer to bring in, and this time, they would be alive. David Somerset, aged 39. Criminal History: theft, assault, battery - his wife, Allison Somerset now Venson, divorced him three years ago after the last arrest, and took their eight year old son away to live with her lover, Charles Pertree, whom she had met during an illicit encounter at a swinger"s event the year prior. Allison was blond and Charles was brunet. David Somerset was caught in the process of trying to drug a set of undercover agents, and whilst making his escape, he stepped onto a busy road and was knocked down by a white van. He didn"t make the night. After he"d put the phone down, Chandler had sat up a little straighter at his desk, and reached instinctively for the little pot of tiger balm that was rubbed evenly - three circles clockwise on his temples - on both sides of his head. He closed his eyes and breathed out shakily. Another one had died. It was an accident, he had reasoned, nothing could have been done to prevent Somerset from stepping in front of that van. It happened. It just seemed to be happening a lot to his unit, to him. "At least the killings are over now." Chandler opened his eyes at the voice, surprised. He had thought that everyone had left hours ago to finally get some sleep after the long few weeks, and that he was the only one in the Incident room. Kent stood in the doorway to his room, hands pushed into his pockets and hesitant to enter. He smiled comfortingly. "The killer didn"t get what he deserved," Chandler stated. "But he"s dead. No one else has to die like that again." "But the ones that did aren"t going to get their retribution," Chandler snapped before sucking in a breath through his teeth and sighed heavily, "...I didn"t mean to snap." "You"re being too hard on yourself sir," Kent told him firmly. He took a small step into the room. "You figured out who it was, you stopped him, whether it was the way you wanted it or not, it"s over now. And that"s a good thing sir." He sounded so sure of himself, of Chandler, of what had transpired. The look on his face was determined and Chandler was beginning to get the impression that Kent wouldn"t stand for any more of his frustration at not being able to bring in a killer alive, not when their deaths had meant the end, and that it had been him to figure it out. "Yes, it is isn"t it?" Chandler smiled from one side of his mouth. He adjusted and then readjusted his stapler on his table, and glanced back at Kent, "What are you doing here so late?" "Cleaning," Kent blurted out awkwardly. "Cleaning?" Chandler questioned curiously. The DC seemed embarrassed when he spoke. "Um, I just...after a case like this finishes, the Incident room is always in a state and I know that you don"t enjoy the mess of it, so I thought I"d try and help. You know, make it easier for you so you don"t have to stay so late all the time." "You know I stay late?" Chandler wondered quietly. Kent nodded, looking as if he wasn"t sure whether it was wise to answer the question. "Yes sir." "...I thought I told you to call me Joe," Chandler reminded him nonchalantly. He watched with curiosity and fascination as the man bounced a little on the balls of his feet, his expression suddenly that much brighter and his grin that much wider. "Joe," he echoed back, pleased. "You did some excellent work today Emerson," Chandler congratulated him, "You played the part well, and got the information we needed. No one could have done better." "Thank you sir - ah, Joe." "It seemed like you were having fun tonight..." Chandler stood up slowly and walked around his desk. He wasn"t sure what he was doing, half of his brain was screaming at him that this was a terrible idea for so many different reasons with a least half a dozen that were already circling his mind to try and convince him out of it, but while the rest of him pounding and shook nervously, he wanted to do this. He had to try at least. It would be good for him, really good for him. "Working with you is always fun," Kent told him awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other. "So that kiss...it was for fun?" "Wha- no, no, of - it was for work, of course it was for work," he argued, alarmed by the sudden insinuation. Chandler perched carefully on the edge of his desk, his legs crossed in front of him and his legs behind him. "So it was just work then? You didn"t like kissing me then?" "I-I didn"t..." Kent fumbled over the words, lost and worried and scared even of where he was supposed to go. "You seem unresolved on the matter," Chandler mused, "Perhaps we should give the test another go?" "T-test?" Kent repeated confused. "The kiss. To determine whether you enjoyed it or not," Chandler supplied. Kent flushed pink and looked all as if he couldn"t quite believe what was happening. "I..." "We"ll have to do it right though," He continued, "The right mood, the right setting - perhaps my apartment at seven next Wednesday, work permitting?" "W-wait, are you..." Kent stepped into the room, hand raised, and stopped, hand dropping to his waist. "Are you asking me...on a date?" "Y-yes, it would seem so," Chandler responded, all his confidence leaving him in one ago, fear and realisation of what he had just done abandoned behind. "And I would very much like to know the answer to my question." "Next Thursday," Kent told him. "I"m sorry?" He smiled softly, shyly. "We should meet next Thursday instead. Wednesday, Skip"s having his birthday dinner and if we miss it, Judy would do her nut. She"s almost as scary as Skip when she"s angry." Chandler returned the smile. "Thursday...seems like an even better day." "G-good, good," Kent"s smile widened into a grin, that seemed to take over most of his body, happy and eager and yes, Chandler had made the right decision. "So, Thursday and I should ah..." He took a small step back and jerked his thumb behind him, "should get back to...cleaning." "Of course," Chandler conceded. He turned away only when Kent did, and returned to sit behind his desk. From where the chair was positioned, he had the perfect view of the Incident room - and of Kent moving around it. He watched the way the man walked, the way he moved systematically around the room, and smiled. He then sighed and ducked his head, eyes on the papers and pictures that had once been plastered across the white boards. Although he had met a number of hurdles tonight head on, there was still one more left: paperwork. This is my first time writing a Whitechapel fic so I"d love to know what you think of it. You can leave comments or feelings either here on my tumblr: imthekeptainnow

"Oh definitely." Emma laughed, "Come on, we have three suits and two dresses to buy before the next hour is up." "Sounds like fun." Rosalind muttered, cautiously eyeing the golden clothes racks that surrounded her, not moving. Emma laughed in amusement, reaching over to grasp the young woman"s hand and tug her into the colourful abyss of dresses and other designer clothes for women. "Come on, Rosie. I"ll make sure the mean, evil clothes don"t hurt you. I promise." "Fine, but if I get us permanently banned from this place, be it on your head." "It will forever weight on my conscience. Now, how do you feel about animal print?" "I hate it." "Good. Then I know the prefect dress for you." Rosalind raised an eyebrow. "You figured that out with one question?" "Of course. I already told you - I like to shop." "Your name is Harry Lister. You"re nearly eight years older than me. Classic bad boy routine - most importantly you like to take risks. Oh, and you work as Darren Peters" bodyguard." Rosalind listed off all the information she could remember, "The rest we can make up as we go along." "Um, okay. We met through your Dad when you were seventeen, were in a relationship by the time you were eighteen. I have anger management problems - which would explain the arguments and make me seem like a better bodyguard." "Yeah, because you don"t exactly have that "built like a brick shit house" look about you." Rosalind smirked, squeezing his upper arm as if to prove a point, "Maybe your expertise is Karate or something." "We could have one of the guests get too close to Ash and I could demonstrate my brilliant moves." Sean suggested, grinning. "Maybe. It certainly would annoy Cern." She smiled at the thought. "You really don"t like him, do you?" "No, not much. He"s a good looking guy, it"s just his personality that let him down." Sean shrugged. "Just a small problem then." he joked. "Yeah, he"d be fine if he didn"t open his mouth." Rosalind giggled, before coughing and struggling to keep a straight face. For some reason, she kept imaging James Cern with a zip for a mouth. "We have to be serious now. This is important...think couple stuff..." Sean cleared his throat. "Yes, couple stuff..." The two dissolved into laughter and giggles, somehow unable to help themselves. They fell back into the sofa they were sitting on and struggled to smother the chuckles. Rosalind"s face was already pink from her failed attempt to calm down. They had to be serious about what was happening because one mistake could cost them the entire con. "No...no. We have to be serious about this." She took in a deep breath and let it out again. Sean, a moment after, copied. "Right. One of the things we have to do is be able to act like a couple. Are you comfortable with that?" "Comfortable? With acting like a couple? With you?" Sean repeated, "Oh yeah, of course. No problem. It should be fun..." Rosalind raised an eyebrow. "Fun?" Sean flushed. "Yes, fun. Very fun, enjoyable even." She smiled softly, watching him closely with wide eyes. Eyes, he realised, were a strange ocean blue colour. "It should be fun. Messing with people is a fun activity on any day, even better when that person is such a dick." "Definitely. Couldn"t happen to a better person." He commented, "Would you be...comfortable?" Rosalind leant closer, smirking, eyes sparkling playfully. Sean swallowed instinctively. "I can"t be certain but I can say I"m looking forward to the experience." "What is she doing?' His lips twitched upward. "Do you really?" Rosalind hummed in answer, shifting forward in her place until her legs brushed his own. She leant forward, her lips brushing his ear. "Does it look like I"m kidding?" He smirked. If she was going to play, so was he. His hand grasped her hips tightly and tugged her roughly onto his lap. She fell into place willingly, her hands coming to rest around his neck as a way to keep balance. One of his hands rose to her head, interlocking with her brown curls, and moved her head away from the side of his head so she faced him in a brutal way. He arched an eyebrow. "Did I pass your test?" Rosalind smirked widely, her fingers brushing the thin hair at the back of his neck. "With flying colours, believe it or not. I don"t think we"ll have any problems convincing Cern that we"re a couple. Not after that performance." He simpered at her smugly. "Impress you, did I?" "Don"t act so modest. It"s a character flaw." Rosalind scolded, smirking with amusement. There was a pregnant pause between the two of them, where neither moved or spoke, just watched each other. Somewhere in the distance, a car back fired and broke the silence. Sean cleared his throat nervously and Rosalind glanced away. "I should go ask my Dad if he needs any help." She rationalised in a low voice, carefully climbing off the older man"s lap and onto her bare feet. She straightened her top uneasily, and ran a hand through her hair, ruffling the back into a messy mass. Sean sniffed, brushing his nose. "Yup, of course." "Work on your "bad boy" attitude. It"s important for the, ah, con..." "Yeah, I will. You just, ah, keep acting innocent..." Rosalind smiled gingerly. "Shouldn"t be too hard...I"ll just..." she gestured behind her. "Yes, ah, I"ll talk to you later..." She hummed in response. Rosalind knocked hesitantly on her Father"s bedroom door, peering through the small gap. He looked up at the noise, his phone to his ear, and waved her in smiling. She quietly shut the door behind her and made her way over to the bed. "Ah, yeah, that should be enough. About six at the usual place...alright, good, thanks." Ash ended the call, snapping his phone closed and glanced at Rosalind out of the corner of his eye, "Hey Rosie...something wrong?" She smiled gently. "Nothing - just wanted to see if wanted any help." "Alright...you can attach this motherboard to the back of this." He passed her over the circuit board and the metal casing, "I don"t have small enough fingers to get it properly." "No problem." Quietly, she went to work, spreading the wires out across the front to leave enough from for the superglue to be added. She bit her bottom lip as she concentrated, using her free hand to screw open the tube. "Is something bothering you, "cause I can tell that something"s wrong - remember, I"m not a mark, I"m your Dad." Ash told his daughter firmly, turning so he faced her properly, "Tell me, and you dare think of lying...it isn"t to do with Sean is it?" Rosalind"s cheeks dusted a light pink, as she shook her head. "No, it"s nothing like that...I just realised we haven"t spent much time together since I"ve arrived, what with the Score and all. It just doesn"t seem right after so long..." "Is that it?" Ash raised an eyebrow, "You"re just...upset that we haven"t spent much time together? Are you sure?" Rosalind hummed, her eyes firmly focused on screwing the cap on the superglue. Carefully, she pressed the electronic system into the metal casing. She held it there for a few seconds, just to be sure, before letting go. "It"s stupid really...It"s just it"s been over a decade since I left England and we haven"t had much contact thanks to her and I missed you..." Ash put his arm around her, one hand grasping her own. "I missed you too darling. How about this: after we finish with this mark, we"ll go out somewhere, just the two of us." Rosalind"s smile widened and she hugged her Father back. "Yeah Dad...I"d like that..." Chapter Seven "This is a celebration of Barkley and Harlem, played by Albert and Mickey here, making you all rich shareholders and investors, so keep it casual and classy." Ash explained to the group of extras that had been found by one of his contacts, "You have two main jobs tonight: tell the mark wonderful success stories, and keep him away from those two until one of us give you the go to. Oh and make sure, where ever the mark is, he can see Rosalind and Sean, alright?" "Emma! I changed my mind - I can"t wear this out in public!" Rosalind"s voice carried from the next room, the distress clear. Emma rolled her eyes, smirking with amusement. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You look fine Rosie." "I feel like an expensive escort." "Hey!" "Sorry, but it"s true, and I was taught not to lie to my friends." Emma stood up and casually approached the bedroom door. "Then as your friend, I"m telling you to come out." "You can"t make me!" "Wanna bet?" She raised an eyebrow at the challenge, before opening the door and stepping into the room. The people in the main room pretended to turn their attention away from the girlish squeals and obvious sounds of a struggle. The door swung open again to reveal a persistent Emma tugging an equally as stubborn Rosalind out the door. She was holding onto something within the room. "Come on Rosie...you look fine..." the eldest Kennedy tried to coax the younger woman, as you would a terrified cat. "Expensive escort!" She shouted back firmly. "Just...come on..." Emma gave one more, rough tug and Rosalind tumbled from within the confinements of her room, a surprised look on her face. "How could someone so small, be so strong?' She shook slightly on the silver Jimmy Choo"s Emma had brought for her and had to hold her arms out at her side in an attempt to regain stability. She tilted her head up slightly, just enough so she could see the eyes on her, and instantly tensed up; her cheeks flushed a pale pink. Emma beamed breathlessly. "See. You look great - definitely not an escort." The dress was a satin silk in a dark navy colour. It was like a wrap dress, tied with a black ribbon just under her bust. Towards her feet, it flared outwards. Diamond jewellery donned her ears, neck and wrist. "Perfect choice Emma." Mickey congratulated, making the woman smiled proudly at him. "You look stunning my dear." Albert assured, placing a kiss on her forehead. Rosalind shifted uncomfortably. "...Still feel like an escort..." Ash elbowed Sean in the stomach sharply. He gapped, winded. "Keep your eyes up, and hands to your self." He warned. Sean nodded, rubbing the point of impact in an attempt to easy the pain. "Now that we"ve established that Rosie does not look like an escort, we have 35 minutes." Emma pointed out, "We need to get changed and sort of the last minute details, like the deal." Mickey and Albert shared a knowing look, eyes sparkling. "Leave that to us." "He"s here: positions people." James Cern stood near the doorway of the Penthouse suite, watching the talkative and happy crowd for a familiar face. He strolled forward, one hand in his trouser pocket, and snagged a champagne glass from the snack"s table. In all honesty, he had always preferred wine to champagne - he sipped the drink anyway. At the back of the room, he could see the faces of Barkley and Harlem, deep in conversation with another suit clad man. Not far from them was another man, dressed in black, standing stiff and silent. It was unnervingly obvious in the friendly atmosphere. "James!" Cern turned on his heel at the sound of his name and instantly smiled when his hungry gaze landed on Elizabeth, looking so sweet and innocent as she smiled up at him warmly. "I"m so glad you made it!" she gushed. "Are you really?" "Of course," Rosalind tilted her head to the side, "Harlem and Barkley are a bit busy at the moment. That"s my Dad over there - they"re discussing the new product that Global Intec is investing in. It"s meant to be amazing...I just came over to get some drinks..." "I can speak to them later then. Care to keep me company until then?" he flirted. "Lizzie!" a voice called from within the crowd. No one reacted to the unexpected shout. Her eyes lit up. "I would but it seems I"m being called. Mingle...make new friends; I"ll talk to you later James." Before Cern could say anything more, the young woman had grabbed three glasses of champagne and carefully made her way across the room. He stared after her. She handed the drinks over to the three suited men, smiling widely, before moving the side of the strange man. His eyes narrowed when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the underside of his jaw. "So this must be Harry Lister...' "Are you sure this is going to work Mick?" Ash questioned. "We have to proposition him quickly - give him no chance to think over the huge gamble he"s making." Mickey explained and sipped his drink, "It has to be direct and obvious." "Yes, but are you sure this is going to work?" Ash repeated. Mickey paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "...We can"t afford to believe it won"t." "Well, that"s comforting." The fixer mumbled, feeling slightly uneasy, and gulped the alcohol heavily. "Relax," Albert advised, "Don"t let the mark, or more importantly Rosalind, know you"re nervous. Confidence is key." "This dress is so swishy..." Rosalind complained, as she grasped Sean"s hands and swung them at her side. To Cern, it would look as if they were flirting. "Swishy? Is "swishy" even a word?" he wondered amused. "Of course it is. I said it, didn"t I? If you can say it, it"s a word." Rosalind stated firmly. "Of course, whatever you say Rosie." Sean rolled his eyes, "So you don"t like "swishy" dresses?" "I don"t really like dresses." She admitted, "I prefer shorts, or jeans. Some dresses are okay but most of them..." she shook her head, "...not for me." "I think you look good in a dress." Sean assured. "Thank you, I guess...I think you look good in black?" Rosalind offered. "Rosie, I look good in anything." He pointed out cockily, smirking. Rosalind rolled her eyes in amusement. "You"re also very modest. Has anyone ever told you that?" "Not that I remember..." "Hmm...I can"t imagine why." Rosalind laughed behind her hand. Sean grinned in return. He raised his gaze away from the younger woman and glanced around the room. In discussion, they had decided that Harry Lister would be very paranoid - always looking for trouble, as it were. It also meant he could keep an eye on the mark from where ever he was. He could see Cern having a conversation with Emily Carter (aka Emma) near the settee. The mark"s eyes darted over to where they were standing. First they watched Mickey, Albert and Ash; then they trailed off to Rosalind. "He"s watching." Sean mumbled out as a warning before instantly grabbing low on Rosalind"s hips, pulling her tight against his chest. She flinched, as if in pain. It was only for a moment, before her face relaxed, but the expression had been clear on her face. He peered down at her worriedly. "Are you okay? I didn"t hurt you, did I?" She smiled weakly. "No, you didn"t. I"m fine." Sean rose an eyebrow disbelieving. Rosalind watched him for a moment, almost debating, before she sighed in defeat. "I...don"t like being touched...well; I don"t like being touched without any warning. It"s got nothing to do with you; I just wasn"t prepared..." "Bad experience?" She hummed in response, dropping her gaze and raising her hand to play with one of the buttons on his shirt. Sean dipped his head, so his lips were at her ear, and whispered, "You don"t have to say what happened. Just let me know if you feel uncomfortable and I"ll, uh..." She smiled sweetly at him. "...I"ll let you know." "James!" Rosalind rushed off, grasping his hand, "Barkley and Harlem want to speak to you know. They said to hurry." Cern straightened up at the command and allowed the young woman to pull him in the direction of the three men. He only had a moment to think how good it would feel to have her hands on him properly, before he was face to face with the owners of Global Intec and the investor who was almost certainly Elizabeth"s father. He smiled professionally at them in greeting. "Mr. Cern, it"s good to see you again. We"re glad you could make it." Mickey stood to shake the man"s hand firmly, "You already know George Barkley, of course. This is one of our main investors, Mr. Peters." "Call me Darren please. After all, aren"t we all friends here?" Ash grinned as he shook the mark"s hand in greeting, "You are Elizabeth"s employer, are you not?" "Yes that would be me. She is an asset to the department." Cern complimented. Rosalind flushed. "...I"m just a secretary..." "Don"t be so modest, Elizabeth." Albert reprimanded in a teasing way. He then tensed his back and turned his attention back to Cern, "I do believe Mr. Cern that you are here for business, not pleasantries. Please sit." He complied, sitting beside Darren. He leant forward and clasped his hands together, looking between the two business men in anticipation. "As you know, Global Intec has become famous for bring new products into the market before any other company." Mickey began, "The main marketing frenzy of this year is handheld technology, according to our surveyors. Handheld technology being anything from mobile phones to children"s toys, you understand." "If the market is already as wide as you say it is, how you going to bring something new into it? Wouldn"t it be near impossible?" Ash questioned. "Nothing is impossible - you should know that by now, Darren." Albert grinned, "This new product has come to our attention. It"s claimed to be one of the greatest revolutions in the world of technology. It"s already a hit in Japan." "It will be one of the most important and successful devices that Global Intec has ever invested in. Our researchers believe we will sell up to 80 million of these things." Mickey added with a slight laugh. Cern leant forward in his seat, excited. "What is this amazing device you speak of?" "We"re not allowed to divulge the actually name of the device - some laws and contracts that need to be dealt with before the release." Albert explained briefly, "This is a product that we need our investors to be greatly involved in." "How much?" "At a minimum we"re expecting an investment of 190,000." Cern choked. "190,000 pounds sterling? Jesus, that"s a lot of money..." "Completely worth it when the investment makes you both very, very rich men." Mickey assured, "We"ll need the money to be a one off payment, of course, but it does not have to be straight away. We understand it can seem like a lot of money but I"ve been assured that your investment will be doubled, even tripled, by the sale of this product." Ash grinned. "You know me. Always up for a risk. Give me a couple of days for the cheque to clear and I can have the cash ready for you." His eyes darkened suddenly with annoyance and his smile became strained, "You will have to excuse me. It seems I have some...personal issues to deal with." Ash stood up sharply and quickly made his way through the crowd. Cern watched him curiously as he moved to a darkened corner of the room, where he could clearly see a familiar couple embracing each other, romantically and heavily. He gritted his teeth to stave off the annoyance and turned his attention back to the company owners. "It seems this meeting has been cut short." Mickey laughed humourlessly, "We do not want to rush you, Mr. Cern, but you will have to make a decision soon. We need the investments before the products release in four days." Cern nodded and stood up. "I"ll think about it and let you know." Albert nodded. "Perfectly acceptable; a sensible man. We"ll look forward to hearing from you Mr. Cern." Chapter Eight James Cern sat at his desk, his chin resting on his hands as he stared at a spot on wall opposite him thoughtfully. After all, he had a lot to think about. The offer that had been put forward was...amazingly dangerous business wise, for lack of a better description, especially with the company"s money. But he only has four days to make a decision. Cern had always been an opportunist, and this was a huge financial opportunity. The biggest one that had ever been introduced to him - he"d done the math so many times, just to be sure - 190,000 multiplied by three was a heart stopping amount of money; about double what his monthly pay was contracted as. And he really liked money. Cern closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. In the craziness of his mind, the image of Elizabeth Peters was formed. He growled under his breath. Gods, how he wanted her - he had never lasted his long waiting for a woman, but this one was so innocent and young and so damn teasing. It was as if she was playing with him but he doubted she was capable of such things. "I like someone who can take a risk," her voice flittered through his memory. Someone who can take risks, huh? He smirked to himself. "Elizabeth!" Rosalind looked up at the call of her character"s name and a bright smile covered her features when Cern approached. "I"ve just spoken to that Emily Carter - you know, the secretary at Global Intec. I have a day arranged for the pickup. It"s in two days. 190,000 pounds..." She whistled. "That"s a lot of money..." Cern sighed deeply and took a step closer, so his hand brushed her hip. "I know it"s risky but isn"t it worth it with the outcome being so large - so profitable?" Rosalind swallowed nervously. "Well, yes...I suppose it would be worth it..." "And wouldn"t that be the same in a situation where say, a woman you really want has a boyfriend?" Cern questioned, raising his hand to stroke under her chin.

"But he only targets couples," Kent reminded, "I"d be fine." "Lancaster and Torrez are never mentioned together until three nights before their bodies were found, and that"s from a picture on Torrez" facebook account. What if the killer just pairs you with someone you happen to speak to?" he argued, "And they wouldn"t know how to protect themselves or you. I"d feel better if someone more experience was with you." "Then why don"t you go?" Miles nudged him, a wicked grin on his face like he knew exactly what he was doing and that was a little terrifying. Chandler blinked, startled by the sudden suggestion. "W-what?" "Miles is right, you"d probably be the only other one of us that could blend in well enough," Riley concurred with the Sergeant, "You and Kent pose as a couple, gather your information, and if anything happens, you"ll be there to make sure this bastard"s body count doesn"t go up to eight." "I-I..." Chandler stammered uncertainly. He glanced at Kent out of the corner of his eye, the DC being unusually quiet during this situation. His head was ducked a little, his face shielded, and he was absentmindedly rolling a ball of glue tack on the surface of his desk. But he was listening, Chandler could see that in the arch of his shoulders, the tension. He wasn"t sure what it was about seeing him like that, which made Chandler gather himself. To straighten his back and fold his arms across his chest. "It seems like a perfectly reasonable idea. Kent, we should get started on his as soon as possible." Kent looked up at him and smiled, a mixture of uncertainty and excitement - was that excitement, Chandler wasn"t sure - in the curve of his lips. "Of course sir." Chandler smiled back and nodded briefly before glancing back towards the board, at the bodies, at the people that hadn"t been saved and needed to be avenged. That was why he was doing this, the only reason why, he told himself and tried to ignore a small part of him that rebelled against the idea. Torrent was loud, smoky, cramped and overcrowded with people, all dancing against each other, shouting, laughing, drinking. Chandler supposed it was like any other nightclub in London, with the same kind of people that always frequented these establishment. Not that he would know, not from first hand experience anyway. He wasn"t exactly the nightclub type, not even when he was a teenager or at university. They never really appealed to him, for the exact reasons why they appealed to everyone else he guessed, although he assumed his issues with cleanliness also played a part. Torrent didn"t seem like the most sanitary of places, and it was all he could do to restrain himself from flinching away from the contact whenever someone"s bare arm, sweaty and glitter covered, brushed against his shirt. He tried not to look uncomfortable, or to give away his true purpose there, but he just felt so out of place and like he shouldn"t be there. Kent though, he seemed to fit right in. The clothes of the party goers, the tight jeans and the band shirt making it easier for him to blend in than Chandler in his slightly loose jeans and plaid shirt that Riley had forced him into - "you have to look like you"re supposed to be there, sir, not like a dad there to watch his teenage daughter," she had told him when he complained about the choice of attire - and he was relaxed and comfortable as he was. When they had entered and seen the number of people, the silhouettes in the grey clouds, Kent and Chandler had shared a look as if uncertain of where to begin, and then Kent had offered to go get them some drinks, to try and make them look less conspicuous. From where Chandler was standing, he could see Kent conversing with two women on his right, smiling widely as he leant in close to hear what they were saying over the thumping of the music. Chandler couldn"t help but smile a little at the sight. Since he had known Kent, he knew that the man took his job seriously and when it came to gathering information from the less than willing, he gained their trust. Perhaps it was something about his face that made it so, Chandler couldn"t be sure, he just knew that Kent was aware of this strange ability that he seemed to possess and used it whenever he could to get the job done. He was rather dedicated to it. Kent turned and gestured towards him through the crowd, making the two women glance towards him, small smirks on their faces. Chandler smiled and waved politely, until he realised he was being gestured over, and startled began to push his way through the crowd to join the trio. "Joe, this is Abigail and Whitney," Kent shouted over the music to introduce. His arm slung easily around Chandler"s waist, in a manner so comfortable, as if it were something he did all the time, that it genuinely made Chandler jerk, but he pushed down the violent movement just in time. Kent grinned up at him and Chandler strained a smile down, "This is my Joe." "Oh, he"s cute," one - Whitney, Chandler thought - cooed at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm resting on the table, and eyed him up and down, bringing a flush to the DI"s face. "But he looks a little out of his comfort zone here, pet," Abigail commented, her Newcastle accent thick and strong, no mistakes about it. "Clubs aren"t really his thing," Kent explained, "But he did it for me. We"ve been looking for some friends of mine, they"re supposed to be meeting us here. Apparently this is a regular place for them." "Regular, huh?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "We know all the regs." "So you might be able to help us then?" Chandler questioned, a small hopeful smile coming to his face at the thought that this wouldn"t be a completely useless line of enquiry. She grinned at him. "I don"t see why not pet. Gives us the names and we can see if we can help." "Dagmar, Will and Sam Dagmar," Kent told them. Whitney grinned. "Yeah, we know "em. Couple of oldies that like a good time. Usually in the backroom," she frowned, "Haven"t seen in a while though." "The backroom?" Chandler quoted urgently, "What"s that?" "It"s like private rooms, ya know, for those who can afford it," she explained with a small shrug, "PDA ain"t allowed on the dance floor, but if you can afford to get back there, from what I"ve heard, there ain"t nothing stopping ya, if you know what I mean." she winked playfully. "And two like that, they"d definitely want to get back there," Abigail teased, "Kinky as hell, always looking for a good time and a third." "A-a third?" Chandler questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A threesome hun," Whitney clarified, and Chandler turned red. "So when did you last see them?" Kent quickly diverted. "Uh, a few days I guess. They grabbed some fresher from the floor and went down back," Abigail shrugged. "Do you know who this fresher is? Maybe they can help?" "He was just a fresher, but I"ve seen him a few times recently. He"s cute, so he keeps getting lucky, if you know what I mean," her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and Kent laughed boisterously whilst Chandler strained a smile. "So how much does it cost to get into the backroom?" Kent wondered. "Why pet, you interested?" Whitney grinned wickedly. Chandler flushed and stammered embarrassed by the insinuation and how casually it was thrown about, but Kent just smiled widely and stated, "You"ve got to try everything once, right?" Kent glanced up at him uncertainly. "Are you ready for this sir?" he questioned. Chandler"s eyes darted between the narrow corridor and his DC and then back again. He wanted to say "of course I am, don"t be ridiculous" but they would both know it was a lie. He wasn"t an undercover agent, he never had been, and he found it hard to act when he knew something would bother him, and Chandler was hundred percent sure that whatever laid beyond the hallway, would bother him. Kent"s hand was still a steady and, perhaps mostly unusually, comfortable presence around his own. When they"d walked away from Abigail and Whitney, Kent had kept up the couple pretence by grasping his hand and tugging him through the crowd, but he hadn"t felt the need to let go and Chandler honestly hadn"t felt the need to ask him to. "I"ll be fine," he finally answered, realising that he"d been silent for far too long and Kent"s worried look had increased. It lessened a little at the words. "You do know what we"ll find in there, right?" he wondered, and turned a little pink, "And what we"ll be expected to do?" "Kent, I think for the sake of stopping another set of bodies from turning up, we can be...intimate," Chandler chose his words carefully, trying to ignore the flush of heat that warmed the back of his neck. It was understandable, he theorized, it had been a long time since he"d let anyone get that close, for work or otherwise, and now it was likely to happen with eyes firmly placed in his direction. Of course he would feel embarrassed. It had nothing to do with the curly haired man beside him that he would be expected to ki-be intimate with, and he was absolutely not fond of the idea. Why would he be? As if the idea of...being with Kent was favourable, regardless of the circumstances. Kent was...Kent, attractive yes, and sociable and hardworking and was no doubt a catch for any man or woman who caught his eye, but that didn"t mean that man was him. Chandler felt as if he was trying to tell himself something but he couldn"t quite put his finger on it. "Boss?" Kent"s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Joe," he corrected automatically, without much thought behind the instruction. Kent blinked surprised. "If we are to be in a couple, it only seems fitting," Chandler excused himself quickly, and Kent smiled widely, too brightly, too everything. "We should go in...Joe," he told him, his voice a little shy. Chandler nodded shiftly and straightened his collar, as if he were still wearing a suit at work and the straightness of the fabric would depend whether or not he made a good impression. "Let"s go," he ordered and took the lead, their linked hands pulling Kent behind him. Chandler could never honestly say that he liked kissing. It was level of intimacy that he had reached on several occasions in life, before he had realised that perhaps it was simpler to just be alone than to find someone who could accommodate to his habits, and yes, he could see the appeal, the feelings behind it, the closeness and the connection and the expectation behind the touch. He could understand that. But on a deep and personal level, it had always been seemed in its basic form - the spreading of germs through saliva and although he had gotten used to suppressing the urge to jerk away, it had never really disappeared entirely. He tried his hardest, when he took the lead and pressed his lips to Kent"s, not to focus on the statistics about germs and diseases, tried not to recoil away and ruin the image of a happy couple that they had portrayed. Instead, he focused on the warm body beside him on the loveseat, the heaviness of it pressed against his side. He thought of the cotton fabric of Kent"s shirt under his fingertips when he placed his hands on his waist, his grip tightening around it as he slipped, further and further. He thought about the taste of beer, bitter, on Kent"s breath, and how it washed shakily over his own lips, heating the skin in a surprising pleasant way. It was almost...enjoyable, could he say, when he thought about it like that. But they had work to do, he remembered quickly, and pulled away slowly. Kent looked a little flushed, dazed perhaps if one looked too closely and Chandler couldn"t stop himself from doing so. Kent traced his bottom lip with his tongue and looked up at Chandler from under his eyelashes. "Um, d-do you see anyone?" he murmured unsteadily. Chandler"s eyes flickered up and around the room and back again. "A few eyes. None that explicitly stand out." "Should we, ah, do it again then?" Kent wondered. "I suppose so," Chandler agreed, a second before the younger officer reared up and claimed a kiss once more. Chandler couldn"t help but be startled by the eagerness behind the touch, the way that Kent"s hands moved from gripping the front of his shirt and moved to the back of his neck, a warm touch against the skin, the way that he half climbed onto Chandler"s lap to get to him. This must be for the realism, one part of him reasoned. If you think that, you"re delusional, another one responded, he wants you almost as much as you want him. I don"t want him. Keep telling yourself that DI Chandler. It was funny how his inner voice was beginning to sound a lot like Miles. Kent pulled away after a moment, his breathing heavy and his face too close. His eyes were dark and Chandler was very much away that he was putting some bodily distance between them, the gap allowing a flood of cold air between them. "Think that did the trick?" he smiled, his words veiled with something that Chandler wasn"t certain that he could read. "I would say," he muttered back almost involuntarily. Kent blushed at the suggestion behind the words and grinned back a little more confidently. Chandler"s hands tightened around Kent"s waist and he gently urged the man to pushed down on him. Kent went a little wide eyed and uncertain, but did as he was ordered, lowering himself between Chandler"s legs. Chandler tilted his head towards Kent"s neck, his lips barely a brush against the flesh and he felt the full blown shiver that went through the DC"s body. Over Kent"s shoulder, Chandler watched the room. He scanned the people, some in couples, trios, groups, others standing alone, just watching. When his eyes swept scenes that seemed far too intimate for public consumption, he skidded past them quickly, with just a brief glimpse that their pleasure marred faces. It seemed likely that the killer was already part of a group, having already chosen his next victim, but these faces, they seemed too distracted, too wrapped in what was happening. From what they knew about the person responsible, this man wouldn"t enjoy the warm up gig more than the opening act. So he was standing alone, just watching, deciding. Only five people standing, two women and three men. The women were close together and chattering, eying each display before them with interest. Chandler didn"t spend too much time focused on them. It was statistically unlikely that this killer was female due to the brutality of the kills, and the strength it would take for one person to be able to subdue two victims, some of which were pretty hefty men. And the two women had said the Dagmar"s were last seen with a man, much like Lancaster and Torrez, and Morrison and Fitz. Two striked out. Kent"s lips pressed firmly against Chandler"s adams apple, making him gulp in response and his breathing pick up just that little bit more. It was a wet kiss, the sound seeming to echo even in the crowded, busy room. His mind flickered to the idea of spit on his skin, which goosebumped automatically, before Kent hummed, the noise vibrating against his skin and he gasped. It was an expected reaction, he argued. He was sensitive there, an exogenous zone, and he couldn"t control that. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Kent who had brought the shiver through him, who had made his thoughts jump and muddle in a mess at the front of his brain. Absolutely nothing. Chandler focused again. Three men, three men, he repeated. Each standing alone, their eyes dancing around the room, a mixture of interest and desire in their eyes. One was beckoned forward by an outstretched hand which was taken eagerly and he disappeared into the fold. A wet stripe was painted across his neck and he froze, physically and mentally. He glanced down startled, and Kent grinned up at him just a bit too innocently for it to be trusted. His hips rolled down, and his hands slide up and around the back of Chandler"s neck. He veered up and whispered in his ear, "Anything?" "Narrowed down to two," he muttered back, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling quite so hard. "Got a favourite boss?" Kent questioned. "Not as of yet, but we should probably try and get their names, get them checked out," Chandler stated almost absentmindedly. Kent pulled back a little. "Sir, that would mean...inviting them in, wouldn"t it?" The thought hadn"t occurred to him. He guessed he had forgotten he wasn"t supposed to be a police officer here. He could hardly approach the two figures and ask for their names, not without asking them to join or giving away who they really were. He had to be honest, the idea of anyone touching Kent kind of irritated him. Because Kent was his partner right now, he was on his team, of course he"s being protective. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss him again. Oh god, he wanted to kiss Kent again. Chandler was sure that his mind was going to spin into a panic at the revelation, it felt like that was what was going to happen. But a voice, unfamiliar, a little nasally perhaps, broke through the ramble. Kent and Chandler turned at the same time, and eyed the man beside him. He was about Chandler"s age, dark hair and dark eyes, with a polite smile. "Your drinks sirs," he stated and presented them towards them. "We didn"t order any drinks," Kent stated with an almost dismissive smile. "These drinks are for you both sir," the man said again, "On the house." "We don"t want them, thank you," Chandler forced a smile. "You must take them," he insisted, "They"re for you." "Well, let someone else have them," Chandler suggested. "No, only you!" the man snapped and stopped sharply, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked...shocked by his own actions. Chandler"s eyes narrowed and glanced between the champagne, the bubbles that floated to the top and popped as it reached the surface, and the man"s face, who was still staring at them. The victims were taken from Torrent, in the middle of the night without any witnesses to the abductions. Half were strangled, killed quickly, whilst the other was stabbed multiple times in the torso. The killer was a man, strong and fit enough to overpower two people at the same time. The only thing that hadn"t clicked was how the killer was doing it, how they were getting these people - these reasonable, safe people - to go with them. There was no visible marks on the bodies to show restraint, not even any defensive marks - but there was never going to be. Not when they were drugged beforehand. "It"s the drinks," Kent whispered out a second after, and Chandler nodded sharply, eyes narrowing. Kent moved slowly, climbing from Chandler"s lap, and the DI sat up slowly. That was the killer. He was right in front of them. Until he wasn"t. The man cursed loudly and the glasses were flung in their direction, one hitting Chandler in the center of his chest and the other bouncing off Kent"s shoulder. Later on, Chandler would worry about the wetness seeping through his clothes and the smell of champagne that would take ages to get out. Later on, he"d even worry about Kent and everything inbetween. Right now, they had a murderer to bring in, and this time, they would be alive. David Somerset, aged 39. Criminal History: theft, assault, battery - his wife, Allison Somerset now Venson, divorced him three years ago after the last arrest, and took their eight year old son away to live with her lover, Charles Pertree, whom she had met during an illicit encounter at a swinger"s event the year prior. Allison was blond and Charles was brunet. David Somerset was caught in the process of trying to drug a set of undercover agents, and whilst making his escape, he stepped onto a busy road and was knocked down by a white van. He didn"t make the night. After he"d put the phone down, Chandler had sat up a little straighter at his desk, and reached instinctively for the little pot of tiger balm that was rubbed evenly - three circles clockwise on his temples - on both sides of his head. He closed his eyes and breathed out shakily. Another one had died. It was an accident, he had reasoned, nothing could have been done to prevent Somerset from stepping in front of that van. It happened. It just seemed to be happening a lot to his unit, to him. "At least the killings are over now." Chandler opened his eyes at the voice, surprised. He had thought that everyone had left hours ago to finally get some sleep after the long few weeks, and that he was the only one in the Incident room. Kent stood in the doorway to his room, hands pushed into his pockets and hesitant to enter. He smiled comfortingly. "The killer didn"t get what he deserved," Chandler stated. "But he"s dead. No one else has to die like that again." "But the ones that did aren"t going to get their retribution," Chandler snapped before sucking in a breath through his teeth and sighed heavily, "...I didn"t mean to snap." "You"re being too hard on yourself sir," Kent told him firmly. He took a small step into the room. "You figured out who it was, you stopped him, whether it was the way you wanted it or not, it"s over now. And that"s a good thing sir."

Sasayan reached out his hand and grabbed the phone from Natsume. He puts it in his ear and what he heard was the voice of a man. Sasayan tries to figure things out. Judging from the look of Natsume, she doesn"t seem to know this man. This wasn"t the first time Natsume"s ignored a phone call either. She"d done it a few times in this day alone. His eyes landed on the flyers and noticed that her number was on it. Like looking for a lost dog. "If seen, please contact *her phone number here*". Those words were written in the flyer. Sasayan gave Natsume a look of disapproval. "Hello? Is this really that flyer girl"s number? I saw you putting one near my class and wow, you"re cute!" The boy on the phone said. "You know, I"ve noticed you since the first day of school but I never got to know your name-" Sasayan was listening to the continuous rambling on the phone. "Hey stop it, dude. The number was there for contact if you"ve seen the person on the flyer." The boy on the phone replied. Sasayan was starting to get ticked off. "If you want to tell how you feel about someone-" Sasayan got cut off. The boy on the phone was starting to get really annoying. "You have no idea how lame you sound right now." Sasayan said. Natsume was looking at him weirdly but he ignores it. The boy on the phone doesn"t back down. "I"m just tying to tell you that"s not how things wor-" Sasayan sighed. "Yes!" Sasayan yelled. "Yes, I am! So stop calling this number again for this kind of talk alright?" The boy on the phone scoffed and hang up first. Sasayan handed Natsume"s phone awkwardly. He couldn"t seem to look at her directly. "What did you say to him?" Natsume asks. "Nothing much." Sasayan said. "You sounded angry..." "No. That"s just how I talk." "Are you seriously kidding me right now?" "Natsume, I seriously wish you"d just continue scolding me right now. Like what was it? You won"t invite me to your date with Haru or something?" Natsume rolls her eyes again. Sasayan smiles triumphantly. "As I said, when Haru gets back, we will have a celebration with Mitty and Ooshima and Iyo and even Kenji! Yes! Even that guy I despise so much and not you! There will be no Sasayan in the-" Natsume gets cut off again. A classmate of theirs was leaning her head out the window, looking down to where the both of them are standing. "Natsume-san! There you are. Mr. Hashima says you need to pass your 3-day late assignment already or he"s going to fail you!" "Crap!" Natsume says. She hands out all the remaining flyers in her hands to Sasayan. "Why are you doing this to me?" Sasayan could only say. "Redemption!" She says and she leaves him there, running as fast as she could to who knows where. Probably Mitty, she"s going to need help for her assignment. Yes, most probably Mitty. Sasayan sighed. How did he manage to fall with this kind of girl? A/N: Oh would you look at that! Another chapter! I"m just here trying to savor the last few moments of freedom before school will probably swallow me for the following weeks. So here"s another one. I hope you enjoy it and don"t forget to leave any reviews. 24 Sasayan usually sees a lot of strange things as he walks on their school"s hallways. One time, he witnessed a girl slapping her boyfriend across the face, and then apologizing for it afterwards, touching the boy"s face gently. He also saw a teacher once, giggling sweetly while looking at their phone. He bumped into a student once who was apparently practicing trying to walk backwards. On that morning, he didn"t need to see who it actually was. A familiar brown-haired girl was keeping her eyes on one of the bulletin boards. Apparently, Natsume still wasn"t over with the flyers. "Are you out there, hungry and alone? Are you hurt and alone?" Natsume was talking to the picture of Haru posted on the board. "He"s really not a lost dog, Natsume-san." Sasayan says. Though he worries his words doesn"t have any effect on her. "Why are you so concerned about Yoshida-kun? Though I guess I am a bit worried too." He continues to say after Natsume hasn"t replied. "Because Mitty is pretending like she doesn"t care." Natsume replies sadly. Sasayan can see from her eyes that she was really serious about this. Of course she is. He remembered once when he had a little fight with her, she was talking about female camaraderie. She was doing her job to support Mizutani here. "If it"s something I can do, shouldn"t I do something? Even though Mitty doesn"t tell me anything. Even though we"re friends. And Haru-kun as well. If he"s having trouble he could at least come and ask me for some advice. What do those two see me as? Argh, when I think about it, tears come into my eyes..." What about me, then? Am I your friend or not? Sasayan was thinking, but Natsume was always like this. Sometimes, he really does ask himself why he likes a girl who doesn"t even consider him that much. "It"s okay Natsume-san. He"ll come back soon." Sasayan says instead. From behind him, Sasayan can hear laughter from some familiar boys. He looks back to see that he knew them from his middle school. "Sorry, I sound like I"m whining." Natsume says from his side, but Sasayan was not looking at her. He was looking at his middle school friend. "So after sticking this flyers, today"s melon bread-" Natsume wasn"t able to finish her sentence because Sasayan spoke. "Sorry, I thought I just saw my friend. Natsume, go on home without me." He says, and then he walks off without looking back at Natsume. At that gesture, Natsume was surprised. "What?" She shrieked. "What am I gonna do with this "Special-limited one per person" melon bread?!" "I"m really sorry." Sasayan says as he continues to walk. "I"ll pass today." For the longest time, Natsume"s eyes were not focused on Haru"s flyer but on the figure of Sasayan walking away from him. She was stomping her feet and yelling at him. She was definitely angry. "You were the one who wanted to eat it!" But Natsume"s words were useless. Sasayan was gone. Sasayan didn"t want to pass up a moment with Natsume, of course. But the thing with Shinjou has bothered him since the school festival. And he didn"t even expect Natsume would notice it. He tried to keep it all to himself because it was entirely his problem, after all. He didn"t want to bother anyone else. Was there really a problem, even? Perhaps he was just thinking of it too much. When he looks at Shinjou now, he seemed really happy. It seems like nothing has happened. It seemed like Sasayan didn"t have a fuss with him back in the days. Perhaps that"s what irked him the most: the fact that he"s still letting a thing from the past affect him while Shinjou is off laughing. Perhaps he should try to laugh, too. When Sasayan left Natsume after saying he thought he saw a friend, he wasn"t actually planning on following anyone. He didn"t really have plans. He just wanted to escape as soon as possible. And so he found himself just walking to who knows where? He regretted leaving almost instantly, he was kind of hungry. The thought of melon bread sure is appealing, but he"s not sure what will happen to him if he suddenly show up in front of Natsume after rejecting her. Rejecting her, now that was a funny thought. He managed to smile. As he was walking down a few flight of stairs, he noticed a familiar figure sitting at the bottom step. He doesn"t need to look at the face to know that it was Haru. His stance as he sat, his black hair that sprung out everywhere, it all spoke too much of who he is. "What are you doing over there, Yoshida? Actually... where have you been all this time?" He says. Yoshida looks at him but he doesn"t look surprised. It"s like he was expecting that he"d meet up suddenly with someone he knows. Haru explains his situation and Sasayan listens. While they were talking, Sasayan wonders if he should share his problems. "It"s always about his friends, his friends! Then what am I to him?" Natsume was walking home alone, furious at a certain guy. "What"s so great about having boy friends?" She grumbles. She kicks little stones as she walks. She was thinking about the complexity of Sasayan: how he doesn"t seem to act the way Natsume would think he would. If she thinks about it, it"s ridiculous how she is upset with how unpredictable Sasayan is. Also when she does, she sees his face, remembers how he talks to other people, how he mingles with his pals in baseball. She doesn"t want to think about it, but he doesn"t really act as if he confessed his feelings to her. Not that she"s complaining, but she thinks this is another reason why he couldn"t understand boys at all. "Well, that"s fine by me! Wasn"t I the one who wanted him to stop?! That Sasayan-kun... Hmph, when I go back, I"ll just share the melon bread with Haru-kun!" At the thought of Haru, she stops on her heels. She looks up at the clouds and starts to get sad. "Haru-kun, can"t you come home soon?" She was practically talking to no one. She fishes the melon bread coupon from her back and looks at it in dismay. She doesn"t particularly like melon breads. Sasayan was the one who wanted to eat it. Sasayan! And he wasn"t even there. Natsume was so upset. She was also upset why she was upset about it. "Well, I"ll have to eat myself. Mitty won"t come even if I ask her, too. And screw Sasayan! He"s probably laughing with his "boy friends" right now. Why am I always talking to myself?" She says, walking towards the path that leads to the store which sells the "Special-limited one per person" melon bread. When she enters the store, she was surprised to see that it wasn"t crowded. She was expecting a lot of people, but it seems like she was wrong. The place wasn"t bad. It was warm and they sold a lot of bread other than melon. It made her happy. Despite being alone, she was smiling as she was looking at the rows of food. But no, she came to the shop to purchase the melon bread. She hands the coupon to the cashier. She puts the other coupon back because she wasn"t supposed to be alone. Sasayan was still with Haru as they were walking home. He managed to tell Haru about Shinjou. He hasn"t really forgotten about being bothered about it though. Sometimes, it sucks to be a person who, as Natsume might call it, "Mr. Popular". Sometimes he wished he wasn"t as talkative to people. As they were walking, Haru randomly blurts out words Sasayan least expected to hear from him. Iyo"s observation can"t be helped, but he forgot about Yoshida at all. He wouldn"t have thought he would suddenly ask him if he likes Natsume. He didn"t know what to feel: attacked or annoyed or what. "Don"t ever repeat such weird things again." Sasayan says. "Well, she doesn"t trust guys at all so it would be hard." Haru says. "You seem to get her a lot." "That"s because I talk to her the most." "You should be that way with Mizutani-san." "You understand her, right?" Haru says and this time looks at Sasayan. "That"s why you like her, right?" Sasayan turns away. He can tell he was going red right now and it"s not really helping that Haru has to see him this way. Understand her? He was thinking about it. Does he really understand Natsume at all? Perhaps he does. After all, he was probably the first guy who confessed to her and got to keep her as a friend for the longest time. Perhaps he was doing a great job. Natsume still hasn"t cut him off, although she has been continuously threatening him, though. "Oh right, next break, come with me to see Shinjou." Sasayan says. "Why are you changing the subject?" Haru replies. "I"m not." Sasayan says. As they reached the intersection, Sasayan has never felt so relieved. They would part ways then. Haru waved goodbye before saying "Tell me about you and Natsume,okay?" Sasayan doesn"t answer but he waves back. So he was alone again. All the talk about Natsume made him think of her. She must be really angry at him right now. He was thinking she was probably talking to herself right now and cursing at him or whatever. The thought made him laugh. He realizes he laughed twice without reasons on that day. No, it was her fault. He was still walking when he passed by the store where he once told Natsume to accept the coupons for a melon bread. He realized it too late but he wasn"t expecting Natsume to be there. What was she thinking? Was she that upset? But there she was. The two of them awkwardly looked at each other through the wall of glass. Natsume was holding her melon break to her mouth. She hasn"t taken a bite yet. Sasayan was just looking at her. He wasn"t even offering up a shy smile or something. Natsume turns away first and takes a huge bite from her food. She doesn"t look at him after that. Sasayan feels his stomach make a noise. Haru could have hit him up with some food or something. He goes inside the shop, trailing his eyes to where Natsume was sitting. She wasn"t looking at him, but he knows she knows they"ll see eye to eye later. He sits in front of her and she doesn"t say anything. She continues to eat her bread as if there wasn"t anyone with her. She doesn"t even look at him. "Natsume, I"m sorry." Sasayan says. "Was your friend fun to be with?" Natsume says sarcastically. "Oh Sasayan-kun, this melon bread is too delicious. Too bad I throw your coupon away." "I knew you"d be upset but I don"t think you"d throw away precious stuff like that." Sasayan replies. "You don"t know me." Natsume says. She was talking and crumbds were falling from her mouth. "Of course I know you, that was why I stated liking-" "Shut uuuuuuuuuuup!" Natsume says. "I should go." "Hey!" Sasayan says. He almost holds her hand but he was quick to stop himself. "I was just joking. I"ll stop. Okay, I"ll stop." Natsume doesn"t talk to him. "Should I go?" Sasayan says. Natsume doesn"t reply. Sasayan stands up and Natsume doesn"t stop him. So he goes to the counter. "Did she really throw a coupon a while ago?" Sasayan asks the counter. Natsume can hear this from where she was sitting. She quckly turned around to give the cashier a death glare. "I think she put one back in her bag-" "Seriously!" Natsume says. "Why is no one on my side!" "I"m on your side, Natsume-san. I"m always on your side. Well, apart from when we"re fighting over ridiculous matter. That"s why you should give me that coupon. So I can order one now and you won"t have to be eating alone." "Oooooh. You"re so sly." Natsume says. " .HA. You think that works on me? Don"t even try, Sasayan-kun." "I"m not." Sasayan says. "But seriously, I"ve gotten hungry. I was talking to-" Sasayan stopped himself. He should probably tell her about Haru. But on second thought... "Talking to your precious boy friends?" Natsume says. "Yes. Talking to my friends. Not let me eat. Please." He says. "If you want, sir. I can give one free bread for you-" The cashier says. "What? Did you fall for this guy"s words?" Natsume was yelling at the cashier. She was glad there wasn"t anyone around at that time. Sasayan wasn"t kidding when he said she"d be eating "alone". "No, really ma"am. There"s a free taste corner here." The woman replies. Natsume was embarrassed. She goes back to sitting. A few seconds later, she talks. "Here!" She holds out her hand, the coupon wedged between her fingers. Sasayan takes it but Natsume wasn"t looking. After a while, both of them were sitting face to face with each other. "This melon bread is great." Sasayan says. "It is." Natsume says, but there"s no emotion in her tone. "But listen to me, Natsume-san. I"m really selfish right now. I really am. You might even hate me afterwards when you find out." Sasayan says. "Oh boy, can I possibly imagine?" Natsume says. Sasayan laughs lightly. "No, really. But does this count a date?" "I"m leaving." Natsume says. As she stands up, Sasayan grabs her hand, but quickly let"s go. At least he made Natsume stop. "I"m sorry." Sasayan says. "But I can"t let you go. I mean, while I"m still here." He says. Natsume sighs. "If we weren"t friends, I"d cut you off a long time ago." "Yes, I know." Sasayan says. "Thanks for not doing it. Really." Sasayan says. "Also, Natsume-san, there are crumbs on your mouth." Sasayan watches as she frantically wipes her face. He laughs for the third time because of her that day. This wasn"t really bad, he thinks to himself. He felt guilty because Natsume had been so worried about Yoshida and Sasayan didn"t tell her that he was back. If he did, Natsume would leave this instant and drag him along to meet Haru. Or worse, she could call him and invite him over. Anyways, his date will be ruined. Natsume will never consider this as one, but Sasayan could. Besides, she"ll find out about Haru eventually anyway. For now, he just wants to forget about Shinjou and look at Natsume. A/N: Aaaggh. Feeling kind of not busy today. Decided to post another one. Since this week would be one hell of an exam week, and from then on I"d be deprived of their cuteness. This chappy"s kind of short, but I hope it can still live up to that Sasanatsu feels. Now. Need to study. R/R :) 4 "Gaaaaaaaah." The whole room was filled with an agonizing scream of defeat from a girl named Natsume. It"s been their fifth game and Natsume was already tired of losing. "Haru kun." She said. "Are you really not cheating?" They"ve been playing cards, and throughout their rounds, she had always lost. Haru had won all of them. She looked at her fellow players. "Mitty." She cried, pleading to let her win even just once, or at least let her not be in the last place. She turned to Sasayan. "Sasayan-kun." She said, looking at him as if he did something unforgivable. Sasayan raised his eyebrows. "What did I do?" "I can"t stand losing to a boy, especially to Sasayan-kun." "Ah." Sasayan felt insulted. "What about Haru?" "I can accept that Haru can beat me, but not Sasayan-kun." "What about another round then?" Sasayan said, smirking. "You beat me, well, I treat you something. If I win, you stop that... thing." "Hmmm." Natsume thought about it. "Ah." Haru raised his hand. "We"re playing too. You guys shouldn"t have any bets that involve only you two." "Haru." Mitty said, her voice as serious as her face. Her hand was on his shoulder. "Let them be." Haru looked at her back and thought for a while. He concluded Shizuku just don"t want to be involved with some kind of wager. She didn"t even agree to play with them in the first place. But Natsume insisted. Oh, Shizuku. "Yo, manager." Sasayan said as soon as Micchan stepped inside. Micchan waved his hands. "Playing cards, eh?" He said. "Who"s losing?" Natsume"s face turned red as soon as everyone turned their eyes on her. "One round." Natsume screamed. "Just give me one chance. Sasayan-kun, no cheating." "I-I"m not..." But Natsume didn"t let him continue. So they started their game. The manager was watching them as they played. He was done cleaning the counter and Natsume still hasn"t made her turn yet. She noticed Micchan look at her, he came closer. He peeked at her cards and reached out his hand. He took one and threw it on the table. "Let me help you with this." He said. He turned to her. "You don"t want to lose again." Natsume was supposed to feel embarrassed about it, and her face didn"t fail to show it. Sasayan can"t help but watch her in that state. He didn"t know why the way Natsume looked at Micchan bothered him. "Ah. It"s my turn then." Sasayan said. He threw a card. "An ACE?" Natsume screamed. "Baka baka Sasayan-kun. You should"ve told me you"ve had that." "If I did, then I"d lose." Sasayan said. Natsume stayed quiet. It was then Shizuku"s turn, and then Haru"s, and then it was back to Natsume"s. She was scanning her cards carefully but Micchan had already picked one. When he threw out one, Sasayan gasped. "Waah." He couldn"t help himself. "Seriously?" And for the first time ever, Natsume had a chance. Even Shizuku and Haru were surprised. Sasayan continued to scan his cards. His face was almost beading with sweat. "Gaaah. I give up." He admitted. "You win, this time." He looked at Natsume. Then he looked at the manager, "But I guess without the manager, you wouldn"t have done that." Natsume stuck her tongue out to him. "Sasayan-kun jealous." Then he looked at Mitty and Haru. "I won." She screamed in glee. "Congratulations." Micchan said. She turned to him and she receded from jumping up and down on her seat. "Ah, no. It"s.. Thank you, actually." Natsume said. "You cheated." Sasayan interrupted. "It wasn"t against the rule to have someone help you." Natsume said. She turned to Mitty. "Right?" Maybe Shizuku was just too tired to argue, so she just agreed to Natsume. "Congratulations, Natsume-san." Haru said. "Another round?" She was quick to say no. "Ha-ha-ha." Natsume laughed. "Sasayan-kun. Now you treat me." "You had someone help you." "Yeah. But I won!" "Should I treat the manager, too?" Sasayan said. "Hahahaha." Haru laughed. "Sasayan"s such a kid." "Go take her out on a date." "Not a date!" The two of them said in unison. They looked at each other after they said it. Sasayan looked down, but Natsume continued to speak. "Sasayan"s just jealous." "I"m not jealous." Sasayan said quietly. "What should I be jealous about?"

The princess smiled, and gracefully put her hand together. "Okay. I"ll marry him." She said. Dan, or Prince Joseph was looking at her without interest. And disgust, realizing this girl will only love him because of wealth. Dan"s face after hearing about the gems was quite priceless, according to Ian. Then another scene. This time, Prince Joseph was strolling around the village once more. Hoping to see Dana again. Then he saw her. "Come with me." Prince Joseph said. ""I"ll show you something." "Wherever shall we go?" Dana said. "You"ll see." The prince said. And he, Dan, held Natalie"s arms and led her towards a fine place. The place was perfect for picnic. The two of them talked and talked and basically being lovey-dovey, as what Amy likes to call it. They ate and laughed. Apparently, someone was watching them. It was the princess. Then she alerted the guards, or her servants. Or actually, it was her assasins (they had a lot of assasins in their kingdom) She told them to search for the girl and kill her, if possible. They agreed. The next day, they started looking for the girl. The next day, while Dana was picking apples in her backyard, the assassins started their assault. They grabbed her and covered her mouth before any villagers could notice. Then they carried her someplace, as she kicked and fought her way out of the men"s grip. "What are you doing? Let me go." She screamed. They dropped her on the place where she and Prince Joseph (she still didn"t know it was the Prince) had a picnic. She looked up to see her kidnappers, they were all wearing black all over, like ninjas. Then she saw a girl, a pretty girl. It was Princess Joanna. The princess asked her some questions, then saying that she"s only luring the prince and whatnot. That she"s only acting it nice with Prince Joseph so that she can marry him and have all the palace"s fortune. Dana, however had no clue what she was talking about. She didn"t even know why she"s spouting about a Prince. What prince? She never met any prince. She kept denying. Eventually, the Princess got bored, and she ordered the assassins to kill her. They obeyed. But before the Assasin could hit the girl with his sword, Prince Joseph came out. Or more accurately, a boy dressed in simple clothes with a hood on. "Henry." Dana said. "Henry? That"s what you call him? Pathetic." The princess said. Prince Joseph kept on fighting the enemy"s until they were all wiped out. Apparently, King Joseph was trained in fighting, and Dan sure knows how to play it out. "Henry, thanks for saving me." Dana said, walking over to him. The princess had enough of it. She pulled out the hood and told her about his true identity. "Is that true?" Dana said. "Is that all true?" The princess rolled her eyes. "I"ll finish this myself. I can"t have anyone steal my gems." She grabbed the sword and almost hit Dana with it. Almost, if Prince Joseph hadn"t noticed it. He grabbed Dana"s arms and ran. "I"ll explain later." They took off, leaving the princess behind. Angered. Next Scene. Prince Joseph and Dana were panting, hiding behind some huge rock. Prince Joseph explained everything. About his marriage arrangement to Princess he didn"t like it. That he was tired of living in the palace, and so he went out occasionally. Then he saw her, and later on, when they were together, he felt something. "Look." Prince Joseph said. Dan looked at Natalie with those jade eyes. She always hated this scene. She doesn"t like looking at Dan face to face, and so close. She doesn"t want to see him staring at her and making her blush. But she can"t afford to look away now, and so she looked at him. And she can"t deny it that Dan looks so handsome when he"s looking at her like that. But she never told Dan about it, she never would! "I"m tired of it all. I just want to live a normal life." Prince Joseph continued. Natalie almost forgot her lines. She stuttered at first, then regained her composure. "You- you can"t." She said, looking away. "I can, If I want to." He said. He reached for her hand. Touched it gently, and put it to his lips. Even if this is just a play, Natalie can"t help but blush, but she tried to hide it, of course. "I want to be with you, Dana." Prince Joseph said. "From the moment I"ve known your name, there"s not a time everyday that it hasn"t ringed in my ears. I kept thinking about you, and. And. "And what?" Dana said. "That. That maybe this is what they call l-lo-Love." "I feel the same way, your highness." Dana said. "And- and don"t think that I only do because you"re the ruler of this kingdom." "I know. I believe in you." The prince said. "Princess Joannna, she only loves my fortune, not me." Dana didn"t answer. Prince Joseph held her hand tighter, making Natalie purse her lips. "You are the most -" Starting from the lines about the love, Dan was already fighting hard to say it. He knows this is just a play, and everything in it is just purely lines that isn"t really true. But what if it is? "The most be-" He cursed himself for stuttering. "Beautiful girl I"ve ever seen." He heard shouts from the audience, it was probably Amy"s. "I knew it!" it said. Dan made a mental note. "Deal with Amy later." "I don"t know, Prince Joseph." Dana said. "What if you"ll get in trouble." "Dana." This time, Dan touched her face. He hesitated at first, he could just disobey the script on him holding her face, and instead just look at her. But.. he didn"t know why he did it. When his hands touched Natalie, Natalie flinched. "Crap," She thought. "Daniel idiot. Now I really can"t look at you face to face right now." But she did. "Dana." Prince Joseph said. "I. lo-" Dan doesn"t want to say it. He hated himself for having second thoughts about it. This is just a play, he thought, this is not real. Why can"t he just say it? Does some part of him think its real? "I lov-" Then the lights turned off and everything went dark. Done. Tell me what you think about it. Reviews :)) A/N: Hey there! I decided to update, since I wasn"t too busy. This fic"s almost over. The next chapter may be the last one. And thanks for the reviews :). You do all like cliffhangers. Or do you hate it? Anyways. Please read this chapter and enjoy. Review. P.S, For the anon who asked if Natalie and Dan would kiss, hmmm, I dont think Dan and Natalie would in this fic. Hehe. Sorry, if ever. Detention Room "I"m done with this. I"m tired of hearing all the noise outside." Madison was saying. "Me too. Let"s get this started with. I want to escape now." Her sister, Reagan, agreed. "Okay. Okay." Ned said. "So when I push this button and this little light here goes red, it mean it"s safe to go out." "We know we know." Madison said, annoyed. "Ready?" Ted said. They pushed the button. They should"ve waited for the light on the device to turn red, but instead, all the light in the whole building went off. "What the?" Ted said. Everywhere, it was dark. The four of them couldn"t see anything. Reagan screamed. Not a terrified scream, but an angered scream. "You two always mess things up. You"re little device? It. Doesn"t. Work. And I thought everything will go well." "Shut it Ballet Bulldog." Ted said. "It does work alright, but the problem is. What was the problem Ned?" "I don"t know, I guess we brought the wrong one. Remember last week we made two of these. They look the same. We experimented on the other one, fiddled with it, and we didn"t know what it does." "Well we do now." Madison said. "God, I can"t believe I trusted you guys." "Well, we"re sorry okay." Ned and Ted both said. There was silence. Then Ned spoke up. "So, does anybody have a light or anything?" "Oh yeah." Reagan said. She fiddled with her bag, feeling it"s contents since she couldn"t see anything. "Aha!" She said. She was holding a little flashlight in her hands. She flicked it on, giving the room a little illumination. "Hey, our plan didn"t fail you know." Ted said. "It"s all dark here. Why don"t we just get out. The cameras can"t see us, right?" The four looked at each other, or looked at where they think their companions are. They stopped for moment, thinking how then never thought about just going out with their current situation. "Reagan, turn the light off." Madison said. She did. And they felt their way out of the room. Dan wasn"t sure what to feel when the lights turned off. Was it relief that he never get to finish what he was about to say? Or was it the opposite. Either way, it was now chaos here. People were standing up, and trying to get out of the stadium. Dan couldn"t see it, of course, but he could hear the noise. Then he thought. "Natalie, wheres Natalie?" He waved his hands in front of him as you would do when you"re walking and the place is very dark. "Natalie?" He called out. Then someone grabbed his arms. Tightly. It was Natalie. "Here." She said. Dan sighed. "Don"t just grab my hands Cob-." Dan didn"t get to finish it. Someone ran in front of them and he hit Natalie, disrupting her balance and down she fell. With Dan, "cause she was still holding him. "See?" Dan said. "If you hadn"t held me. You would"ve fallen by yourself. And I wouldn"t be sitting with my butt aching on the floor." "Shut up, Daniel." Natalie said. She said, She was quivering. Dan wanted to argue more, but there"s something about Natalie this time that told him he shouldn"t. There seem to be something wrong with the way she was talking, Dan thought. Was she... crying? Then they heard a loud sound from beside them. It was a prop, maybe, that fell down with all the chaos around. And Natalie was startled again, since the sound was very close to her, and she ran her arms around Dan, hugging him tightly. Dan was surprised at what she did. "Ahhh. Cobra. Too tight." Dan said. He was glad it was dark. He wasn"t sure if he was blushing or not. But if he is, then it"s better that Natalie didn"t see it. Natalie was shaking. Wow, Dan thought. He never thought Natalie has this side on her. Maybe she"s like any other girl too, she gets scared too, and she depends on whoever"s with her when she"s frightened. Dan was perplexed by the thought, but it didn"t seem wrong. It seemed...cute? "Ahh. Cobra?" Dan said. "You do realize you"re hugging me ri-" "I know." Natalie said. "And shut up." Dan was surprised at first, but then he smiled. But Natalie didn"t see it. "Dan?" Natalie said. "Yeah?" "Next time." Natalie said. "What?" Dan asked. "Next time you should hug the girl first." Natalie said. Dan didn"t reply, but Natalie could feel him chuckling. "You know, in the play, you can"t look at me straight in the eye. But here, backstage, without the lights, you suddenly hug-." Natalie held him tighter, cutting his air. He didn"t finish his sentence. Natalie was quiet. Dan thought she may be embarrassed about it. But she shouldn"t be, Dan thought. She shouldn"t be. "Aggggghhh." Amy wasn"t quite sure where to be annoyed. The fact that the lights turned off or the fact that he didn"t get to hear his little brother say "I love you" to a girl. "What happened?" Hamilton asked. "Why did it suddenly turn off." "Electrical problems, maybe." Sinead said. "We need to get out of here." Ian grabbed a flashlight from his bag. "Here. But we need to find Dan and Natalie first." "Of course." Amy agreed. She grabbed the flashlight from Ian"s hand and walked towards the stage, or where she thinks the stage is. The three of them followed suit. Ian catched up to walk beside Amy. "Natalie must be frightened right now." Ian said. "What? You"re sister? Afraid of the dark? I don"t think so." Amy said. "Agreed." Hamilton said and Sinead said. "Well, she isn"t afraid of going into dark places but. Maybe, just maybe, she may be afraid if the light suddenly turns off." "What"s the difference?" Amy asked. "Well, I might have scared her when we were little." "Really now?" Amy said. "Yeah. She was in her room playing. She was still five then. And I turned off the lights and I walked around her room making creepy noises. She cried, but I just laughed, It went on for about 5 minutes and then I turned on the lights to see her hugging a big stuffed toy beside her, and her eyes were puffy from crying. When I saw her like that, I was ashamed of myself. She may be a little brat, but I felt bad with what I did to her then." "Awwww." Amy said. "Good brother. I mean bad brother, but feeling conscience for what he did." "Does that mean you"ll like me now." Ian said teasingly. "No." Amy said, then she laughed. "Well I for one would really hope that Natalie is hugging my little brother right now." She cotinued "Me too, Ames." Sinead agreed from behind. "That would be really cute." "I doubt that. Natalie and Dan hate each oth-" Hamilton was saying, but he stopped when he saw the scene. Amy illuminated a corner, and Natalie was in fact hugging Dan. But it wasn"t a romantic hug, of course. It was more of like "protect me" hug. "Sometimes, doubting is wrong." Sinead said to Hamilton. "Owkay. Wasn"t expecting that." Hamilton said. "Me too." Ian agreed. "I was hoping that." Amy said. "Shut up you guys." Dan said. "What are you talking about?" "Nothing, brother dear." Amy said. "Just discussing how surprised I am to see you two. In that... state." "She hugged me. The Cobra hugged me. I never thought she"s be scared." Dan said. Natalie pinched him in the back. "Ouch." Dan said. It took a little time for Natalie to release Dan. Maybe she was wiping her tears away first? "I"ll kill you, Ian." Natalie said, looking at his brother. "Let"s settle that when we get home." Ian said. "In the meantime, I want to see you hug my brother again. Go on. You two look perfectly cute. I would take a picture." "No way I"m hugging him again." Natalie said. "No way I"m letting her hug me again." Dan said. "Lies. Such sweet lies." Amy said. "I swear I"m going to kill you too Amy." Dan said. "Oh look." Amy said, looking at Ian, Sinead, and Hamilton. "The two already proposed a plan to kill their own siblings. How sweet." Then suddenly, the lights turned back on. Four people were running towards them. They knew those people. And those people weren"t supposed to be here. "Aren"t you in detention?" Sinead said, talking to her brothers. "Well, yeah. We managed to get out." Ned said, then he grinned at his sister. "Is the play over?" Madison said. "It wasn"t over, but it was interrupted." Hamilton said. "The lights suddenly turned off." Ian said. The four stifled a bit, teensy bit. But the others probably noticed it. "Well, the lights went out in the detention room too. And so, here we are." Ted said, grinning like his brother. "That"s good then." Sinead said. "But you still didn"t see the play. But at least now you"re out of detention." The four of them sighed. They already agreed that no one should know about it. That they were the one"s behind the electric problem. Or should they say, Device Malfunction. "When we get home, tell me what happened to your little invention and why it interrupted a beautiful play, ok?" Sinead said, directing the question to his brothers. Ted and Ned looked at each other. "We can never escape our sister." Ted said. "Never." Ned agreed. ""Cause she"s amazing." Hamilton suddenly spurted out. Everyone looked at him, including Sinead. "What did you just say about our sister?" Ned said. "She"s amazing. Hehe. Yeah. Amazing. At getting you two in trouble. Yeah. That"s it. Hehe." Hamilton said, trying his best lie. Then he looked at Sinead, who smiled before she turned away. After the play, or more precisely, after the disruption on the play, when the lights were turned on and all activities in the building resumed, there was a sorry speech. The operators said they weren"t expecting the problem, and that they are trying to find out whatever happened. The play resumed. All that was left after all was a wedding. Royal Wedding between Dan and Natalie, or Prince Joseph and Dana. It took a lot of time to convince the King. Especially the part where Princess Joanna tried to kill Dana. But eventually, it all turned out well. The curtains closed as Prince Joseph and Natalie were about to kiss. There were applause from the crowd. The play sure was fantastic. Their efforts didn"t go to waste. When the curtain was completely closed, Dan pushed away Natlie, who was leaning close to him as a "kiss" act. "Get away from me Cobra, if you lean in more closer, I might die." She slapped Dan"s hand away from her shoulder. She ignored what he said. "Finally, the nightmare"s over." He said. "Yeah." Natalie agreed. "Good work everyone. Nice job!" Mrs. Bills called out. "I have a surprise for you the next time we have our class." Some cheers from the actors. Natalie and Dan looked at each other. They smiled, and quickly turned away. After awhile, they changed to their normal clothes. The stage was now taken by a band playing loud songs while students crowded the hall. The Cahills meet up in the corner, away from the dancing students. "So, I guess we should enjoy the festival now?" Amy said. "Yeah." Sinead agreed." "Where do you guys wanna go?" Amy asked. Then Ian grabbed her hand. "Milady and I would like to go somewhere." Ian said. "What?" Amy said, trying to remove her hand from Ian"s. Dan was pushing her away from the group. "Go with him. We know you want to." Dan said. Happy to get revenge at his sister with all this love crap. "Yeah, Amy. Come on" Ian said. Then he ran off, Amy trudging behind. "Well that was fast." Hamilton said. "Sooo. How bout you?" Sinead said, looking at Hamilton. "Weeeell. I don"t know. It isn"t fun walking around alone." Hamilton said. "Go with Sophie then." Sinead said. "I prefer you go with me." Hamilton said. "Oh yeah. I have something to ask you. About math again. And a little word play." "Don"t fool me again Ham." Sinead said. "Oh come on. Please?" Hamilton said. Sinead sighed. "Fine. But this better be good." "Of course." Hamilton said, and off they went. "Well that was fast too." Dan said, looking at Natalie. "Weeeell, I guess I"ll go around. Take some break and think about how ridiculous I"ve been in front of that stage today." "I guess I will too." Natalie said. "You don"t want to go with me like the others?" Dan asked. "Definitely not." Natalie said. Dan pursed his lips, shrugged his shoulders, and went off. Natalie to the other side. "Sooo. We"re the only ones left here?" Ted said. "Yeah." Reagan agreed. "Four of us, again." "Hey, let"s enjoy the time. Imagine, right now, we should be in detention, but see? Were out. Let"s do what we can." Ned said. "Agreed, but we"re not going with you two nerds." Madison said. She and her sister walked off. "It was fun being in detention with you guys!" Ned called out. "Let"s see each other in detention again." Madison and Reagan stopped walking, they turned around and stuck their tongue out. Ned waved his hands at them. "Dude? You sure about that?" Ted asked his brother. "With the detention thing? Not quite, but with the "together" part..." Ned said. "Yeah. I agree." Ted said. "Where do you think the others went by the way?" Ned said. "I don"t know. They all went away in pairs. Except for Natalie and Dan. Our sister"s with Ham." Ted said. Ned was silent. Then Ted spoke. "Do you think we should find them? And Amy and Ian too." "No." Ned said. "Let"s just leave them be." He looked at his brother. "We"ll only be causing trouble, and we don"t want another trouble do we?" "Yeah." Ted agreed. "But how do you say let"s find Reagan and Madison? It"s no fun walking around, just the two of us." "Okay, then." Ned said. Done. What do you think will happen? Keep watch for the last chapter. What"s your favorite part in this story? Do tell. Reviews :) A/N: Hey guys! Finally reached the last chapter of this fic. Here it is, please read and review. And enjoy too. :) Sinead and Hamilton was sitting on the bench. At this time, they should be walking around enjoying the place, but instead they were solving math equations. "So what"s this about now?" Sinead asked. "Here." Hamilton said, handing out a paper with a complicated math problem written on it. "Solve this." "Owwwkay." Sinead said. "I"ll try." It took some time before Sinead answered the problem. The whole time, Hamilton was just watching her, trying not to laugh. "Done." Sinead said. "Wow." Hamilton said. "Already? That"s my girl." "You"re girl?" Sinead asked. "Nothing." Hamilton said. "So... the word play part?" Sinead asked. "Oh yeah." Hamilton said. "Here." It was another paper, and some words were written on it: A round object used in transportation Comes after Tea (Stay) (In) : Inside the parenthesis is the antonym of the answer. "Dry up" minus "er" Third musical syllable. "Answer that." Hamilton said. "Hmmm. Let"s see." Sinead said, grabbing the paper. "A round object used in transportation? That"s easy... Wheel?" She turned to see Hamilton, who shrugged his shoulders. "Comes after Tea?" Sinead said. "I don"t know. Conversations? Can I skip that?" "Yeah." Hamilton said. "Inside the parenthesis is the antonym of the answer... So "Go" for stay and "Out" for in?" She was now talking to herself. "Dry up minus er. There"s no er in dry up." She continued. "I"ll skip that." "Third musical syllable." Sinead said. "Do re mi... Mi?"

Growing impatient with Satsuki not resuming their fight, Nui stabbed her in the chest with her axe. While this certainly hurt, it was still not nearly as painful as when Nui pulled her hair just several seconds ago. "If you"re not going to fight, i"ll just get a head start." Satsuki then looked at the axe that was jammed into her chest and pulled it out without much effort with her left hand. However, upon removing the axe, she was surprised by the sudden sight of several blue rays of light glowing out of her wound, which promoted Nui to cheerfully speak out, "Oooooooh. We really are the same, Satsuki! You"re just like me and Ryuko. Blessed with the majesty of life fibers. If you just let yourself go back to mommy, we could make this world bow down to us. The possibilities of what we could do are endless!". "Is that why I have a disco ball inside my body?" Satsuki questioned Nui as she continued to be confused by this particular piece of information. "I know I have life fibers in my genetic make-up, but I didn"t expect them to actually glow like a lava lamp." "I guess you"ve never seen a life fiber in person, Satuski Matoi. That"s another good reason why I must take me with you. Ragyo can show you what a life fiber actually looks like and tell you everything you ever wanted to know about them. Even the stuff you didn"t want to ask about." Nui replied with a bit of eerie cuteness creeping into her voice. "You"re not yourself, Nui. You need to listen to what you"re saying. Whatever Ragyo did to you, we"ll try our hardest to fix it. I believe the woman I worked with for so many years is still in there. There"s no way she"s gone completely." Tsumugu shouted at his (now former) partner, trying his hardest to get his anguish ridden pleas through her seemingly thick skull. "Listen to what he"s telling you, Nui Harime. You"re still the person we"ve known you as, not this violent lunatic that does everything to please Ragyo Kiryuin. Just..try to block out this sugar diabetes inducing psychopath out of your head and bring yourself back to normalcy. I know you can do it somehow. I trust you." Satsuki chimed in, sounding very serious and determined to help the ailing hero cop who Ragyo made completely out of whack. She then added, "And if words fail to work, perhaps this could help undo the damage!" and smacked Nui in the face with the non-blade part of the axe and kicked the left side of her chest, sending her a few steps towards to the edge of elevator to the point where one more attack could knock her off it completely. "I don"t know why you idiots keep trying to do this stupid shit to me, but it"s not going to work. Never...ever going to work on me. I am Nui Harime, the future grand couturier of the Kiryuin Conglomerate. Oldest daughter of Ragyo Kiryuin and i"m going to kill those two annoying pricks that stand in my way of getting you back in the fold, Satsuki Matoi...and if I have to kill you against my mother"s wishes, I...FUCKING...WI..." Before Nui could finish her malicious monlogue, Nonon , who had been completely fed up with hearing what Nui was saying, shot a concussive rocket at her that hit her so hard, it knocked Nui off the elevator properly, sending her crashing down all the way to the bottom, resulting in her hitting the ground below in such a stomach turning matter, it made Satsuki and Tsumugu cringe quite a bit. "Sorry, Satsuki. I couldn"t stand hearing her babble about such dishonest bullshit anymore, so I had to shut her up." Nonon told her best friend, feeling a bit of regret over her own instinctive action to protect her best friend. "It"s okay, Nonon." Satuski replied, understanding why she took action. "And if she really is like me, she"ll heal her injuries in no time." "Dammit. I can"t believe what Ragyo did to her. Now we have worry about my partner getting back up as we keep standing here if we don"t move fast enough." Tsumugu groaned back as he put Nui being way down on the bottom of the elevator shaft. "Well...if you ask me, I think we don"t have to worry about Nui for a while." Satsuki told Tsumugu and Nonon as she poked her head down the hole into the inside of the elevator, who both nodded their heads in response. "Now that you mention it, Satsuki. I think you have bigger problems to worry about." Tsumugu stammered back as he suddenly realized the massive, blood gushing flesh wound between the blue and black haired girl"s breasts which was responsible for the surreal light show that lit the area up a bit. "Oh don"t worry about that." Satsuki lightly shrugged back as her injury began to heal heal back, which was especially noticeable as the blood that seeped out was sucking back into the gradually disappearing wound, consequently making the colored lights increasingly dim away until it was completely gone once said wound was finished healing itself. "It"s not the first time it happened and with how things are starting to get really hairy now, it"s definitely not going to be the last." Several minutes later, the trio had left the apartment complex, Nui was seen still laying on the ground, looking incredibly mangled. However, she then stood back up, cranked her head and turned around, revealing that her facial expression is no longer the psychotic axe murdered type but is now smiling in a very cutesy yet unsettling way. "Ooooh, that felt so good. I need to get back to mommy now. She"s waiting for me." Nui replied as her body movements were now a lot choppier and unnatural than before. She then jumped back onto the top of the elevator in a manner that looked less like she actually jumped and more like her body hovered like if she was badly animated. "Mommy needs her grand couturier back on her side. She"s been without me for too, too, too long." At the Kiryuin Conglomerate headquarters, Ragyo was seen still sitting by her desk in her office, still smiling like before. She then saw the office doors open up with Nui proudly exclaiming, "MOMMY! I"M HOME!" "Ohhh, Nui. I"ve missed you so, so much." Ragyo replied, completely overwhelmed with joy as she saw her oldest standing in front of her, acting in a manner she approves of. "Looks like we need to get you in more...appropriate clothing." Over the course of an hour, Nui, with the help of her mother, done her hair up the way she saw it right before her mental state completely deteriorated, put a bow in between her twin tails, put on a very frilly yet somewhat skimpy pink dress and put on some boots and arm bands with the same quality as said dressed, which pleased Ragyo immensely. However, when Nui finished grooming herself into looking like her ideal self, Senketsu caught a glimpse of the blonde hair woman while peaking into the locker room, which made him quietly tell himself, "Oh shit." "You look so much better now, my darling grand couturier." Ragyo told her daughter while examining her attire. "Thank you so much, mommy." Nui joyfully replied like a child as she curtsied out of respect. "I got some gifts for you." Ragyo added as she pulled the wooden box out with her right hand and picked up an object on the floor that was wrapped up in a massive white blanket and handed them over to Nui. Without any questions, Nui opened the box and saw several sewing needles and life fibers that made her go, "OH MY GOODNESS! YOU KEPT MY PRECIOUS TOOLS! THANK YOU SO MUCH, MOMMY!" "Now please take that blanket off. I"m sure you"ll love it a lot too." Ragyo added, which prompted Nui to remove said blanket from the object. Much to her surprise, it was none other than...another scissor blade that looked like it if it was combined with the scissor blade that"s currently in Satsuki Matoi"s possession, would form a weapon that looked a lot like massive hedge clippers. Although said scissor blade was red upon being removed from the blanket, when Nui touched it with her hands, it turned purple to better match the person who will now be wielding it. "Mommy...this is incredible. I...love it." Nui replied, extremely happy that she now has a weapon of her own. "Good. It"ll come in handy." Ragyo told Nui as she patted her right shoulder, turned around and started leaving the locker room. "So where is Ryuko?" Nui asked right before her mother left the area. "In jail." Ragyo quickly replied as she was about to enter a nearby elevator. "No need to worry though. We"ll get her out first thing in the morning, sweetie, but first...you need to start doing what you do best again." "Right on, mommy!" Nui chirped back as she ran out of the room with her box of sewing equipment in one hand and the purple scissor blade in the other. "The fashion world has no idea i"m back in business!" "Exactly, my daughter." Ragyo nodded as a few tears dribbled onto her cheeks. She then told herself, "Once I get Ryuko back in company, there"s just one more person left to get back into my nest...but she won"t be so easy to get back. Oh well, it"s only inevitable I bring the family back together like it should be." "Where the hell did I go wrong? How the hell did I get myself into this mess?" an exhausted, sleep deprived Ryuko Kiryuin whined as she was seen sitting against a wall inside her cell room. Since being arrested, dark circles had began to appear around Ryuko"s eyes and her normally clean appearance had been traded for something much more grungy, scruffy and oily. Had she been a homeless person, no one would assume she would actually be worth some wealth. "I...I just can"t believe i"m actually in jail. This is...just...impossible." Ryuko continued to groan as she stretched her face with her palms, expressing her despair. "Savor me the crocodile tears, Ms. Kiryuin." a police guard sarcastically blurted back as he nonchalantly lounged on a chair sitting behind a table with his feet propped onto said table. "Unless your mommy pays for your bail, your ass is gonna be here for a while." After hearing the guard"s retort, Ryuko lowered her head against her chest, clenched her fists and lightly banged her forehead with them. "Dammit. Dammit. Dammit." she weakly groaned with each blow smacking the sweat and tears off her face. "So you"re here to pay for your ungrateful daughter"s bail, Lady Kiryuin?" a grumpy receptionist with a considerable amount of wrinkles on her face asked Ragyo as she patiently stood by the desk. "Yes I am, officer. That"s exactly why i"m right here, standing in front of a human marionette wearing inert clothing." Ragyo coldly replied with a hint of her hammy, over the top nature in her voice. "Excuse me, Lady Kiryuin?" the receptionist quickly replied, obviously offended by Ragyo"s comment. "What did you just call me?" "An honest truth to your primitive nature, officer." Ragyo responded while tilting her head. She then took a few side steps to her right while adding, "Perhaps my darling grand couturier will help reinforce this truth." As Ragyo walked aside, the receptionist saw Nui, who was holding onto her newly obtained scissor blade behind her back while wearing an outfit totally unlike what she was used to seeing her dressed in, bugged her eyes out and stammered in shock, "Detective Harime? Why the hell are you with Lady Kiryuin and why in god"s name are you wearing that goofy ass dress?" Although the receptionist was expecting a verbal response out of the police detective, Nui instead violently rammed her purple scissor blade into the receptionist"s chest while grinning. "Don"t look at this as your demise, officer." Ragyo blurted out in a sinister tone while still smiling. "Think of it as your rebirth." "My life is gonna suck so damn much now." Ryuko sulked as she still had the palm of her hands pressed against her face. "It"s gonna suck so fucking much!" However, in the midst of her lengthy self-absorbed angst session, she saw a familiar looking silhouette approaching her cell as an equally familiar voice spoke out, "It"s time to come home, Ryuko." "Mom? How did you get here?" Ryuko spouted back in bewilderment as she saw her mother standing a few distances away. "Did you pay for my bail?" "That...and then some." Ragyo replied with a slight laugh buried underneath her words while grinning. "So how come that lard-ass pig hasn"t opened my cell door yet?" Ryuko added, growing increasingly confused with the ongoing situation. "Oh there"s no need to worry about him. Our grand couturier promptly dealt with that puppet of the law." Ragyo quipped back, still smirking. "Mr. Tapatío? That wafer thin pussy? You gotta be kidding me." Ryuko snickered in disbelief upon hearing this info, looking and sounding more animated than she has been during her entire time in the jail cell. "That loser couldn"t even stand the sight of blood whenever he would accidentally poke himself with his own damn needles!" "Mr. Tapatío is no longer an employee of mine, Ryuko dear." Ragyo bluntly responded whiled tilting her head towards her right shoulder. "The grand couturier position is now being filled by someone better qualified for it.". Upon mentioning the grand couturier, Ragyo stepped towards her left, which granted her daughter to see a silhouette she didn"t recognize. "Nice to meet you, Ryuko!" Nui exclaimed in a very jolly tone as she held onto her scissor blade. "My name is Nui Harime and i"m so very excited to see my ba..." but before she could finish her sentence, Ragyo nudged her left rib cage with her right elbow with a somewhat more serious facial expression. "Now"s now the time to be saying that, Nui. We"re still one person short." "Sorry." Nui quietly replied with a strange smile that encapsulated both her joy and her embarrassment. "Couldn"t help myself." "What the hell is going on here, mom?" Ryuko asked, increasingly puzzled by what she was witnessing. "Why the hell is that cop in a fucking tutu?" "Oh come on, Ryuko. I"m not a cop, silly. I"m the Kiryuin Conglomerate"s number one seamstress. Don"t be making such nonsense up in front of ou...errr...your mother." Nui laughed back, brushing Ryuko"s truths aside in denial. "Now can you step away so I can get you out of here?" "...yeah, whatever." Ryuko shrugged back in aggravated disbelief as she took a few steps back as requested. In a blinding flash, Nui suddenly appeared inside the jail cell, which took the daughter of Ragyo Kiryuin completely off-guard. "What the hell?! I thought you were going to get me out, not lock yourself up with me!" "Calm down, Ryuko. The door"s open." Nui coyly told Ryuko while pointed her scissor blade towards the cell door, which was now open for unexplained reasons. "...what the...fuck?" Ryuko stammered back as she looked at the door, looked at Nui and looked back at the door and so forth in a brief loop as she was surprised to see the door open in spite of things happened too quickly for it to have been opened. "How...how the hell did you do that?!" "There"s no need to ponder, Ryuko. All that matters is that it"s now time to go, go, go." Nui ecstatically chimed as she skipped out of Ryuko"s prison cell, still smiling. In spite of still having an utterly hard time comprehending what Nui has done, Ryuko closed her eyes, shook her head towards both of her shoulders, opened said eyes again and followed the grand couturier and her mother. Despite being surprised to not see the guard that was watching her and the receptionist at the entrance (Though there was a briefcase full of money sitting on the desk which supposedly represented the bail money), she bothered not bringing them up since she was more focused on just getting back to her the company headquarters with her mother and the unusual blonde in the pink dress. "Are you telling me Detective Harime has gone rogue, Tsumuga?" the police chief asked Detective Kinagase as the latter was seen hunched over his desk. "I doubt she intended to do so, chief." Tsumuga replied with a haunted expression. "I wish I could explain what I know but you would not understand a single damn thing." "What are you hinting at?" the chief asked while looking at Tsumuga with a bewildered expression. "I...don"t quite understand." "And you wouldn"t if I told you anyway." Tsumuga added as he leaned back upward from the desk and pulled his badge out of one of his jacket pockets. "That"s why i"m requesting my resignation from the department." "Excuse me?" the chief stammered back while being taken off guard by what he just heard. "You"re quitting? That"s unbelievable." "I must find a way to save Nui from herself and i"m afraid I won"t be able to do it if I continue to do police work. I"m very sorry." Tsumuga explained while looking relatively unhappy with his own decision. "Well...if that"s something you have to do, then i"ll grant your resignation." the chief replied, sounding disappointed by the decision but also respecting it. "If you manage to save Nui, the door will be open for you two to come back." Upon hearing the chief grant his request, Tsumuga turned around the face the opposite direction, told him, "Hopefully, that"ll be the case." and left, leaving his lucrative job behind so he could save Nui Harime. His own partner on the job re-corrupted by unspeakable evil. "I TOLD YOU FOOLS NOT TO USE THE DAMN HAMMERLOCK! WE"RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOCUSING ON OVER THE SHOULDER HIP TOSSES, NOT HAND TO HAND STRIKES, YOU DENSE MORONS!" a woman in a KI Judo gi screamed at two men wearing similar uniforms as they all stood inside a dojo. While the men were in pretty good shape and looked like they were capable of taking anybody of their choice out, they were both greatly intimidated by the five foot nine tall tan skinned brunette woman with a twin ponytail hairdo who was shouting them down. "Sorry, sensei." one of the men apologized to the woman in a somewhat half-hearted tone as the other man quietly laughed. "We can get a little punchy during these long ass sparring sessions." Although the explanation was seemingly noble, the woman shook her head and spouted back, "I DON"T BUY YOUR CRAP WHEN I SEE LAUGHING BOY COMPLETELY RENDERING WHAT YOUR SAID TOTALLY INERT! PERHAPS I SHOULD STIFF THE BOTH OF YOU JUST TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR HALF-ASSED EFFORT!" Right as the woman was about to backhand the talking man with her right hand, a considerably larger, even tanner male hand grabbed it, accompanied by the deep voice that told her, "No need to waste your energy on them, Jun." "Dammit, Ira. I don"t need your gargantuan ass to help me. I"m the one who has a trainer"s license." the woman snapped back, visibly annoyed that the massive man that towered over her. "Well you don"t have to do much if I lend you a hand, Jun." Ira blurted while smiling as he had his arms crossed against his chest. In spite of wanting to keep her staunch stance against having some help, Jun shook her head with a frustrated grimace and replied, "Screw it. Just...don"t try to put those clowns into the hospital." With much satisfaction, Ira nodded and turned his attention towards the the men Jun was getting mad at, who were relatively intimidated by him. Without any hesitation, Gamagoori extended his right index finger out and poked both men in their chests, which instead of just having the effect of a normal poke to the chest, sent them quickly hurling towards the wall at the other end of the dojo like if they were caught in the blast radius of an explosion. As the foolhardy men were writhing in pain on the floor, Jun strutted up to them and shouted, "That"s what you idiots get for not listening." "Sorry, Sensei Jun Gamagoori. We will never disobey your orders ever agai..." the men both apologized but without hesitation, Jun backhanded them and added, "And that was for you bastards being chronic liars!" all while Ira watched, laughing at the incredibly inept nature of the two guys his sister was trying to help. "I have to say I definitely do not regret turning down your offer to help my ass out, brother." Jun told Ira as they sat by a table, eating a breakfast plate from a nearby restaurant. "Had I tried to get the message across their thick skulls on my own accord, they would"ve just laughed me off." Ira quietly nodded his head in agreement as he ate his meal with a slight smirk. "So i"ve seen you"ve been hanging out with Professor Matoi"s daughter this school year, brother." Jun added after she took a sip of a glass of soda that was next to her plate. "Seems like a nice person outside of her constant altercations with Little Miss Media Circus." "Satsuki Matoi is a very good soul indeed, sister." Ira nodded his head while smirking. "But she seems to be a bit troubled these few days. She may not express it on the outside but I can see it in her eyes." "That sounds rather peculiar." Jun quipped back as she sipped on a cup of soda. "Not if you turned into an indescribable walking nigh..." Ira replied but before he finished his response, he noticed the time and changed the subject by adding, "Excuse me, Jun, but I gotta get going. Can"t be late for school." "Okay brother. Perhaps we can finish this chat after school." Jun told Ira as she saw him stand up, put his dish into the kitchen sink and make his way towards the front door. "Maybe if I have some free time when school"s done, I could hang out with you and your friends and get acquainted with them all."

Inside the club, Laurie, not wearing her shades anymore, dances her ass off with Chris as the music of Division Alpha pound through the dance floor with a violent, dizzying pulsating rhythm. Bodies get sweaty and hair gets messy as they all dance to the music. The lights flash off and on as Chris caresses Laurie"s adorable body with his hands as she shakes her body. This consists for about a good ten minutes until the young couple are drenched in sweat and decide to retire to the club"s bar. Sitting in one of the booths, Laurie and Chris chat with each other, sounding a little winded. "Say Laurie...that was quite a blast dancing with you. Do you...ummm...have a car to drop me off at my place?" "Yeah I got a car and I can drop ya off at your place." Laurie replies back. "I guess that means no drinks." "Most definitely. We can"t afford a goddamn driving ticket." Chris nods in response. "Alright show me the way." Laurie nods back and the couple leaves with Laurie leading the way. They take about three minutes to get to Laurie"s car, which shocks Chris when he sees it. "Holy shit that"s really your car?" he asks her, being totally surprised at the sight of it. "Yup. Let"s get in and see what it"s like." Laurie replies, sounding very cheeky as she unlocks her car and gets in. Chris gets in too and rides shotgun as his driver starts the car up and drives off. As Laurie drives the car, she asks Chris, "So where I am going now?". "Well first you take two rights, a left and another right. Right before you get to the next turn off, you"ll see a very trashy looking single story house. That"s my place so you must pull up there." Chris replies and explains in fairly good details which Laurie nods back and follows the directions. Taking at least a good two minutes to get there, Laurie pulls up at Chris" house which she remarks, "Wow that"s kind of a crappy looking joint you got there." "Yeah I know but even at that, you got to at least have the home sweet home mentality to even the shittiest of living conditions." Chris replies back. "I"ve lived in places that makes this look like a fuckin" palace." "Well alright then." Laurie responds. "So I guess i"ll see you around town then." Yeah...but I have an idea." Chris responds with a grin on his face. "Why not you come inside for some drinks?" "Well we only met since tonight...but we sure had a lot of fun so why the fuck not then." Laurie replies while smiling and chuckling a little. "Right this way, baby." Chris romantically replies back while helping her get out the car and locking it up for her. They walk into his rather small and dingy house and shut the front door once inside. Laurie plants herself down onto an aging couch as Chris makes the drinks. She asks, "So what we"re drinking then, my punk rock knight in grimy armor?" "What you like then my headbangin" queen?" he replies back while in the kitchen. "You got any chocolate vodka and Kahlua?" she asks him while stretching her body out onto the couch. "Yes ma"am I sure do." Chris replies back while getting the drinks ready. As Chris continues to make the drinks, Laurie starts to feel a bit horny and pulls the straps of her vinyl dress off, letting it barely hang on her breasts. When Chris walks into his living room, he stops for a second we he sees Laurie looking a bit more sexed up than before. He asks her, "Ummmm Laurie...you look like quite the sexy meatball right now." "Oh yes I do Chris." Laurie replies in a seductive tone. "Please take me my liege to your throne." "Alright my princess in vinyl. Right at once." Chris stammers back despite wanting to screw her anyways. He puts the drinks down, walks up to Laurie and lifts her up with ease over his shoulders. With her in his arms, Chris walks out of the living room and enters his sloppy bedroom. He calmly puts Laurie on the bed and shuts the door. "So you want to fuck me, big boy?" Laurie asks him, still talking in the seductive tone. "Do you?" "Oh yes I do Laurie, but first I need to get something that I want you to wear." Chris replies back, which he opens the closet and takes out a box. He opens it, takes out two leather gloves, hands them over to Laurie and tells her, "Please Laurie baby...put these on and jerk me off. I get off on the feeling of fingers in leather stroking my big hard cock." "Alright baby, i"ll put them on." Laurie responds, still keeping the husky, seductive tone in her voice. "Oh and by the way..." "Yeah what is it?" Chris asks her. "Please call me Angel for now on." Laurie demands while licking her lips with her tongue and putting the leather gloves on. "Angel, eh?" Chris replies, at first sounding a little confused but simply rolls with it. "Alright then. Let"s get to the fucking then." Chris smiles back, nods and picks her up again. Holding her, he gets on the bed back against it and hoists Angel up on top of her. She pulls off her vinyl dress, revealing her fairly decently sized breasts and curvaceous buttocks. She reaches her hand down towards Chris" pants and unzips them. He moves back a little to help her take them and his underwear off, revealing, much to her surprise, his not so big penis. "Dude, you so lied about having a big hard cock." Angel sneers back in disbelief. "Well shit Laur...I mean Angel. It gets bigger when its harder to please, stroke then fine ass fingers in leather to help them get bigger." Chris sighs and groans back as he takes off his vest and Rancid T-Shirt to expose his toned abs and body. As Angel jerks Chris off, she notices some scars on his body, most notably his wrists which makes her ask, "Say...what"s with the scars man?" "Well...ummmm...before I got all confident with myself in life, I was...unfortunately...a cutter. In fact, I still have the urge to cut as you can see on the table next to us." Chris replies and points to a knife sitting on said table. Angel takes a quick glance at the knife and asks, "Well...how about we do some foreplay with that steel?" "Wait you mean foreplay with a knife?" he asks her which she simply nods back with a grin on her face. He then adds, "Okay then, you"re the one on top so show me what you got planned." Angel smiles, takes the knife off the table and slides the non sharp parts of it through Chris" genitalia which sends chills through his body. "Oh Angel this is even hotter than you masturbating me with leather gloves on. I"m already getting hard faster than before." Chris moans as he feels all tingly as Angel continues to slide the knife through his sack and stick. However, she starts to get fairly disturbing and devious looks on her face as she continues to arouse him which she caps off by asking, "So Chris...you ever wondered how it would feel to be a little bit of blood on yourself?" "Um what. I"ve felt blood tinkling on me before so what"s the big deal now?" he asks her, sounding even more confused than before. "You"ll see!" Angel screams as she pulls the knife back and plunges it right into his scrotum, penetrating the knife into his body and forcing a queasy splash of blood splattering on his and Chris. "OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING THIS. FUCKING HURTS!" Chris screams as Angel pulls the knife up through his scrotum, cutting it open and letting blood and his testicles spill out. Not satisfied with that, Angel starts to repeatedly stab him in his now mutilated scrotum, making more blood splash and splatter all over the room and them as Chris" wails grow more agony ridden and piercing. She grabs his man-meat and simply lops it off, making a massive geyser of blood erupt from the stump and Chris scream in higher vocal octaves as the pain grows harder and more uncontrollable. Angel grows more frenzied and demented as she starts to pound the bloodied knife into Chris" chest, making even more blood and even some other bodily fluids spew out. A putrid mix of bile and blood starts to gurgle through Chris" throat and spew out of his mouth and nostrils as he starts to enter shock. Even after just making a bloody mess out of his chest and genitalia, Angel is still not totally satisfied in mutilating him. She looks at him right in his eyes and laughs, "Alright Chris...time for me to make you a real cutthroat!", which in a split second she slits his throat, forcing blood, vomit and bile to spray out of the cut. He starts to choke to death which Angel simply smiles and starts laughing uncontrollably. Chris" continues to choke and gurgle right until she stops still and motionless while bodily fluids of various assortments flow out of his horribly mangled genitalia. After killing Chris, Angel gets off the bed, licks the knife to taste some of her victim"s blood and laughs out, "Blood certainly contains more protein than milk.". Afterwards, she opens the door, walks into the bathroom and takes a shower to clean herself up. After doing so, she walks back out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. She puts the vinyl dress back on, puts the knife aside and looks at her first murder victim. She kneels down and ponders to herself, "How the fuck am I going to expose of him?". Thinking for several seconds, Angel stands back up and walks into the kitchen. She looks in the cabinet of the drainage and sees a hacksaw. She takes it, grabs several black duffel bags and takes them into the bedroom. For the next two hours or so, she cuts her victim up into smaller parts she can fit into the duffel bags and take them out of the trash with ease. Once Chris" body is reduced to a bunch of dismembered body parts thrown into the trash, Angel washes the hacksaw off, steals it alongside with the knife and bottles of chocolate vodka and Kahlua, completely leaves her first victim"s house altogether, gets back in her car and leaves to head back to her house. September 29th, 2011. Laurie wakes up from her bed and sees that she"s only wearing a white bra and white panties. She at feels a bit woozy, but quickly shrugs it off after she gets out of bed and makes herself breakfast. She sits on the couch and turns on her TV which lands right onto ABC7 Chicago. At first the news is the usual mundane news regarding the weather and typical political turmoil regarding Congress, the various conflicts in Middle Eastern countries and the stock market. However, the news perks her attention when a reporter is shown standing in front of a house she does not quite recognize. "Earlier this morning, people have reported that local punk rock group Blade of Adam"s bassist Christopher Greenaway has been missing since visiting a club last night. Some have reported that he was last seen with a blonde woman around 5 foot 3 but details on this mysterious accomplice have been considered to be fuzzy. If you have found Mr. Greenaway, please report here as soon as possible." the reporter informs the viewers. "Christopher Greenaway?" Laurie ponders. "Never seen him. Guess some other blonde gal saw him last night." However, a sinister yet distant voice that resembles her own whispers, "Laurie...you know who Chris is. You partied with him last night." which she looks around and sees no one. While sitting around, Laurie tells herself. "You know...i"m going to pay Haddonfield a visit today" which she gets up, grabs some of the clothes she bought last night, gets dressed, puts her glasses on and leaves to make her trip back to Haddonfield. Her real home. Chapter 3 Return to Haddonfield Although Laurie tried to go back to Haddonfield, she realizes, "Oh man how the hell am I going to get there?" "Get a fucking map!" the scratchy disembodied voice shouts which startles her quite a bit. She looks around and shouts, "If you"re gonna call me out then please show yourself. Stop acting like a coward, dammit!" The voice does not reply back nor Laurie could find the person that said it in her car. However, she adds, "Wherever you are, I will tell you that I really do need a map.". She starts her car back up and drives away from her house. She quickly stops at a Walgreens not too far from her home and walks in. Inside, she asks one of the clerks, "Um excuse me good sir. Where can I get a map to get to Haddonfield in this store?" Initially, the clerk looks at Laurie with a smile but is taken aback by the graphic and sexual nature of her T-Shirt. However, he rolls his eyes to remain courteous and replies, "Yeah just walk over to the aisle in front of you. The maps are on the rack first thing you see there." "Thanks." Laurie thanks the clerk which she immediately follows his directions, walks over to the aisle and plucks a map out of the rack. However, the clerk then tells her, "You might want to grab some goodies to munch on the way up. It"s a two hour drive from here to Haddonfield so i"m just warning ya before you check out." Laurie nods back, smiles and quickly mutters, "Thank you.". Afterwords, she then goes looking around the store and picks up a bag of pork rinds, a bag of Cheetos, some candy bars, several 20 Fl Oz soda bottles, some Hostess cupcakes and a shovel of all things. Having some goodies to munch and drink on during the drive, Laurie gets in line to check out and purchase her goods and the map. In the line opposite of her own, she sees an older woman and her child daughter standing and waiting to be checked out too. The little girl looks at Laurie and smiles at her which Laurie smiles back. However, the girl"s mother turns her head away upon seeing Laurie"s shirt. Laurie"s smile twists into a frown and she goes check out of the store with purchases in hand. Back in her car, Laurie pulls the map out and examines it to see how she"ll get there. Having never traveled to long distances on the road by herself, she looks at the map with a look of doubt and uncertainty on her face. "Even with this map, I don"t have a friggin" clue how i"m going to get to Haddonfield." Laurie whines to herself, realizing how much of a headache this plan really is. "Just go for it, Laurie." the scratchy voice whispers again, making Laurie turn her head around with a sullen look on her face. She quietly replies, "Alright then. I"ll do it, just please show yourself for once. I know who you are and i"m fed up with your shit." The voice, as usual, doesn"t reply, leaving Laurie completely frustrated over whoever keeps calling her out not showing up to confront her. She waits for a few seconds, gains a renewed sense of confidence, starts her car up and drives off on her mini-journey back to home tome of Haddonfield. About an hour and twelve minutes in her drive, she pulls over at a gas station to fill up her car, stretch her body out and get more goodies to round the trip up out. As she fills up her car, she once again catches a glimpse of her doppelganger standing from a distance, waving at her with what appears to be a twisted smile on her lips. Looking extremely angry, Laurie shouts out, "Okay I see you now, why not you come to me face to face like you used to do you bitch!" but the doppelganger simply laughs it off. Angry, Laurie simply nods her head in disappointment and focuses back on filling the car up. She turns her head back and sees that the doppelganger has disappeared again. Seeing that the gas has been filled up, Laurie puts the nozzle back into the gas tank, puts the gas cap back on, gets into her car and drives away. Back on the road and now at least an hour and thirty minutes in her drive to Haddonfield, Laurie takes a look at the car radio and flips it on, at first being on US99.5, a country station. She changes it and it lands onto 107.5 WGCI, a hip-hop/R&B station that quickly turns her off and changes the channel again. This time, it lands onto 93XRT which she keeps it on there. At first the music seems fine but about ten minutes in, a familiar voice on it says, "Well anyways, the next ditty we have up is a classic from 1967. You might recognize it very well...Laurie.". As soon as she hears the voice and the song "Nights in White Satin" starts, her gut sinks a little as memories of a nightmare she used to have two years ago leading up to that fateful Halloween night. She quickly flips the radio off and pulls out her copy of Black Flag"s Slip It In into her car"s CD player to round out the rest of the drive. Finally, about two hours in her drive, she spots a "Welcome to Haddonfield" sign that completely surprises her in total awe. "I"m here. I can"t believe i"m here." Laurie quietly tells herself in a borderline monotonous tone. Pulling up at a mom and pop restaurant, Laurie parks her car, gets out, locks it up and walks into it. Inside, she sits down on a stool. A waitress walks up to her and asks, "Alright honey. Wha"cha want?" "I"ll take a chocolate milkshake and a Sourdough melt meal with seasoned french fries." Laurie replies back and sits back to wait for her meal. From a distance, a young yet slightly overweight guy wearing a Watchmen T-Shirt sees Laurie. At first, he thinks he saw a ghost but rubs his eyes and blinks them a little. He takes a second look and realizes his eyes are not deceiving him. Laurie Strode is back in town. At first, he"s a little hesitant in approaching her, but decides to do so anyways right after the waitress brings Laurie her food. When he walks up to her, he at first stutters out, "Ummmmm...Laurie...is that you?" Laurie looks up and sees who"s approached her. She"s pleasantly surprised to see who it is and calmly replies, "...Darren...oh my gosh it"s been a while. How you"re doing." "Laurie...you look...hmmmm...pretty good for someone who"s been unfairly in a nuthouse for two years." he replies back. Even though he does catch a glimpse of Laurie"s Cannibal Corpse T-Shirt, he"s not bothered by it in any way. "Yeah I know." Laurie replies back with a slight chuckle in her voice. "So what you been up to?" "Not much." Darren responds with a sigh. "Even since what happened on Halloween two years ago, life"s been a bit of a drag down here. Last year, there wasn"t even a Halloween comic book convention here so I had to take a drive to Jacksonville to get my Halloween comic convention fix. This year, I don"t even know what the mayor and town council will do when it comes to the 31st of October. Anyways, what about you?" "Well first off, I was let out of Smith"s Grove yesterday and i"ve relocated to Chicago with my shrink." Laurie calmly replies back while taking some time to eat her food. "Chicago, eh?" Darren lightly stammers back. "Is it nice up there?" "I"ve only been living there for a day now but it"s a pretty cool city." Laurie replies. "You should come up and visit one of these days." "Sure, i"ll try one of these days." Darren replies back. However, he starts to think about something and adds "Sucks that...that..." only to start feeling a bit depressed. Laurie realizes what Darren is referring to and sulks her down in a sullen motion. She quietly replies, "...yes. I...I know, Darren. It sucks that happened." Both simply have their heads lowered in remembrance on someone they both knew is no longer with them. Outside of the restaurant, a mysterious figure stands by a window and sees Laurie and Darren sitting at a table. The figure puts it"s leather glove wearing right hand against the window and slides it"s finger down. However, rather than sticking around, the figure walks away, disappearing out of sight. Back inside the restaurant, Laurie finished up her meal and tells Darren, "Alright I gotta go make more stops around town so I guess i"ll see you another time." "Same here." Darren replies. "I"ll try visiting you another time, okay?" "Okay thanks." Laurie replies back. She and Darren both stand up and hug each other right before the leave their separate ways. Right before Laurie leaves, Darren tells her, "I"ll pay your tab okay?" which she nods back, waves at him and walks away. Outside, Laurie walks back to her back and gets in. She ponders where to go next but quickly realizes the best place to stop by, tells herself, "Oh I know where I should go next!", starts the car up and drives away to her next stop. About 2 minutes later, Laurie pulls up at Uncle Meat"s Java Hole, the record shop/coffee shop she worked at two years ago. She parks her car, gets out and locks it up. Looking at the store, she gets another sinking gut feeling as she remembers the times she had with her friends and co-workers that her supposed older brother killed on that Halloween night two years ago. Not wanting to stand around any longer, she promptly walks into the store without hesitation. Inside, she steps into the store and sees that not much has changed from the last time she was there, aside from that some kids she doesn"t recognize are putting inventory up into stock and that some of the decorations on the wall are different than she remembers. However, a familiar voice calls out, "Oh my my my the Princess of Punktuality has returned!" which immediately catches Laurie"s attention. "Uncle Meat...what"s up?" Laurie asks the old man who called her out. "Oh man it"s so great to see you again after so long." he replies back, though he immediately sighs afterwards and adds, "I sure miss the good old days with you, Mya and Harley. Yes, even I miss Harley"s foul mouth."

"Oh Angel this is even hotter than you masturbating me with leather gloves on. I"m already getting hard faster than before." Chris moans as he feels all tingly as Angel continues to slide the knife through his sack and stick. However, she starts to get fairly disturbing and devious looks on her face as she continues to arouse him which she caps off by asking, "So Chris...you ever wondered how it would feel to be a little bit of blood on yourself?" "Um what. I"ve felt blood tinkling on me before so what"s the big deal now?" he asks her, sounding even more confused than before. "You"ll see!" Angel screams as she pulls the knife back and plunges it right into his scrotum, penetrating the knife into his body and forcing a queasy splash of blood splattering on his and Chris. "OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING THIS. FUCKING HURTS!" Chris screams as Angel pulls the knife up through his scrotum, cutting it open and letting blood and his testicles spill out. Not satisfied with that, Angel starts to repeatedly stab him in his now mutilated scrotum, making more blood splash and splatter all over the room and them as Chris" wails grow more agony ridden and piercing. She grabs his man-meat and simply lops it off, making a massive geyser of blood erupt from the stump and Chris scream in higher vocal octaves as the pain grows harder and more uncontrollable. Angel grows more frenzied and demented as she starts to pound the bloodied knife into Chris" chest, making even more blood and even some other bodily fluids spew out. A putrid mix of bile and blood starts to gurgle through Chris" throat and spew out of his mouth and nostrils as he starts to enter shock. Even after just making a bloody mess out of his chest and genitalia, Angel is still not totally satisfied in mutilating him. She looks at him right in his eyes and laughs, "Alright Chris...time for me to make you a real cutthroat!", which in a split second she slits his throat, forcing blood, vomit and bile to spray out of the cut. He starts to choke to death which Angel simply smiles and starts laughing uncontrollably. Chris" continues to choke and gurgle right until she stops still and motionless while bodily fluids of various assortments flow out of his horribly mangled genitalia. After killing Chris, Angel gets off the bed, licks the knife to taste some of her victim"s blood and laughs out, "Blood certainly contains more protein than milk.". Afterwards, she opens the door, walks into the bathroom and takes a shower to clean herself up. After doing so, she walks back out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. She puts the vinyl dress back on, puts the knife aside and looks at her first murder victim. She kneels down and ponders to herself, "How the fuck am I going to expose of him?". Thinking for several seconds, Angel stands back up and walks into the kitchen. She looks in the cabinet of the drainage and sees a hacksaw. She takes it, grabs several black duffel bags and takes them into the bedroom. For the next two hours or so, she cuts her victim up into smaller parts she can fit into the duffel bags and take them out of the trash with ease. Once Chris" body is reduced to a bunch of dismembered body parts thrown into the trash, Angel washes the hacksaw off, steals it alongside with the knife and bottles of chocolate vodka and Kahlua, completely leaves her first victim"s house altogether, gets back in her car and leaves to head back to her house. September 29th, 2011. Laurie wakes up from her bed and sees that she"s only wearing a white bra and white panties. She at feels a bit woozy, but quickly shrugs it off after she gets out of bed and makes herself breakfast. She sits on the couch and turns on her TV which lands right onto ABC7 Chicago. At first the news is the usual mundane news regarding the weather and typical political turmoil regarding Congress, the various conflicts in Middle Eastern countries and the stock market. However, the news perks her attention when a reporter is shown standing in front of a house she does not quite recognize. "Earlier this morning, people have reported that local punk rock group Blade of Adam"s bassist Christopher Greenaway has been missing since visiting a club last night. Some have reported that he was last seen with a blonde woman around 5 foot 3 but details on this mysterious accomplice have been considered to be fuzzy. If you have found Mr. Greenaway, please report here as soon as possible." the reporter informs the viewers. "Christopher Greenaway?" Laurie ponders. "Never seen him. Guess some other blonde gal saw him last night." However, a sinister yet distant voice that resembles her own whispers, "Laurie...you know who Chris is. You partied with him last night." which she looks around and sees no one. While sitting around, Laurie tells herself. "You know...i"m going to pay Haddonfield a visit today" which she gets up, grabs some of the clothes she bought last night, gets dressed, puts her glasses on and leaves to make her trip back to Haddonfield. Her real home. Chapter 3 Return to Haddonfield Although Laurie tried to go back to Haddonfield, she realizes, "Oh man how the hell am I going to get there?" "Get a fucking map!" the scratchy disembodied voice shouts which startles her quite a bit. She looks around and shouts, "If you"re gonna call me out then please show yourself. Stop acting like a coward, dammit!" The voice does not reply back nor Laurie could find the person that said it in her car. However, she adds, "Wherever you are, I will tell you that I really do need a map.". She starts her car back up and drives away from her house. She quickly stops at a Walgreens not too far from her home and walks in. Inside, she asks one of the clerks, "Um excuse me good sir. Where can I get a map to get to Haddonfield in this store?" Initially, the clerk looks at Laurie with a smile but is taken aback by the graphic and sexual nature of her T-Shirt. However, he rolls his eyes to remain courteous and replies, "Yeah just walk over to the aisle in front of you. The maps are on the rack first thing you see there." "Thanks." Laurie thanks the clerk which she immediately follows his directions, walks over to the aisle and plucks a map out of the rack. However, the clerk then tells her, "You might want to grab some goodies to munch on the way up. It"s a two hour drive from here to Haddonfield so i"m just warning ya before you check out." Laurie nods back, smiles and quickly mutters, "Thank you.". Afterwords, she then goes looking around the store and picks up a bag of pork rinds, a bag of Cheetos, some candy bars, several 20 Fl Oz soda bottles, some Hostess cupcakes and a shovel of all things. Having some goodies to munch and drink on during the drive, Laurie gets in line to check out and purchase her goods and the map. In the line opposite of her own, she sees an older woman and her child daughter standing and waiting to be checked out too. The little girl looks at Laurie and smiles at her which Laurie smiles back. However, the girl"s mother turns her head away upon seeing Laurie"s shirt. Laurie"s smile twists into a frown and she goes check out of the store with purchases in hand. Back in her car, Laurie pulls the map out and examines it to see how she"ll get there. Having never traveled to long distances on the road by herself, she looks at the map with a look of doubt and uncertainty on her face. "Even with this map, I don"t have a friggin" clue how i"m going to get to Haddonfield." Laurie whines to herself, realizing how much of a headache this plan really is. "Just go for it, Laurie." the scratchy voice whispers again, making Laurie turn her head around with a sullen look on her face. She quietly replies, "Alright then. I"ll do it, just please show yourself for once. I know who you are and i"m fed up with your shit." The voice, as usual, doesn"t reply, leaving Laurie completely frustrated over whoever keeps calling her out not showing up to confront her. She waits for a few seconds, gains a renewed sense of confidence, starts her car up and drives off on her mini-journey back to home tome of Haddonfield. About an hour and twelve minutes in her drive, she pulls over at a gas station to fill up her car, stretch her body out and get more goodies to round the trip up out. As she fills up her car, she once again catches a glimpse of her doppelganger standing from a distance, waving at her with what appears to be a twisted smile on her lips. Looking extremely angry, Laurie shouts out, "Okay I see you now, why not you come to me face to face like you used to do you bitch!" but the doppelganger simply laughs it off. Angry, Laurie simply nods her head in disappointment and focuses back on filling the car up. She turns her head back and sees that the doppelganger has disappeared again. Seeing that the gas has been filled up, Laurie puts the nozzle back into the gas tank, puts the gas cap back on, gets into her car and drives away. Back on the road and now at least an hour and thirty minutes in her drive to Haddonfield, Laurie takes a look at the car radio and flips it on, at first being on US99.5, a country station. She changes it and it lands onto 107.5 WGCI, a hip-hop/R&B station that quickly turns her off and changes the channel again. This time, it lands onto 93XRT which she keeps it on there. At first the music seems fine but about ten minutes in, a familiar voice on it says, "Well anyways, the next ditty we have up is a classic from 1967. You might recognize it very well...Laurie.". As soon as she hears the voice and the song "Nights in White Satin" starts, her gut sinks a little as memories of a nightmare she used to have two years ago leading up to that fateful Halloween night. She quickly flips the radio off and pulls out her copy of Black Flag"s Slip It In into her car"s CD player to round out the rest of the drive. Finally, about two hours in her drive, she spots a "Welcome to Haddonfield" sign that completely surprises her in total awe. "I"m here. I can"t believe i"m here." Laurie quietly tells herself in a borderline monotonous tone. Pulling up at a mom and pop restaurant, Laurie parks her car, gets out, locks it up and walks into it. Inside, she sits down on a stool. A waitress walks up to her and asks, "Alright honey. Wha"cha want?" "I"ll take a chocolate milkshake and a Sourdough melt meal with seasoned french fries." Laurie replies back and sits back to wait for her meal. From a distance, a young yet slightly overweight guy wearing a Watchmen T-Shirt sees Laurie. At first, he thinks he saw a ghost but rubs his eyes and blinks them a little. He takes a second look and realizes his eyes are not deceiving him. Laurie Strode is back in town. At first, he"s a little hesitant in approaching her, but decides to do so anyways right after the waitress brings Laurie her food. When he walks up to her, he at first stutters out, "Ummmmm...Laurie...is that you?" Laurie looks up and sees who"s approached her. She"s pleasantly surprised to see who it is and calmly replies, "...Darren...oh my gosh it"s been a while. How you"re doing." "Laurie...you look...hmmmm...pretty good for someone who"s been unfairly in a nuthouse for two years." he replies back. Even though he does catch a glimpse of Laurie"s Cannibal Corpse T-Shirt, he"s not bothered by it in any way. "Yeah I know." Laurie replies back with a slight chuckle in her voice. "So what you been up to?" "Not much." Darren responds with a sigh. "Even since what happened on Halloween two years ago, life"s been a bit of a drag down here. Last year, there wasn"t even a Halloween comic book convention here so I had to take a drive to Jacksonville to get my Halloween comic convention fix. This year, I don"t even know what the mayor and town council will do when it comes to the 31st of October. Anyways, what about you?" "Well first off, I was let out of Smith"s Grove yesterday and i"ve relocated to Chicago with my shrink." Laurie calmly replies back while taking some time to eat her food. "Chicago, eh?" Darren lightly stammers back. "Is it nice up there?" "I"ve only been living there for a day now but it"s a pretty cool city." Laurie replies. "You should come up and visit one of these days." "Sure, i"ll try one of these days." Darren replies back. However, he starts to think about something and adds "Sucks that...that..." only to start feeling a bit depressed. Laurie realizes what Darren is referring to and sulks her down in a sullen motion. She quietly replies, "...yes. I...I know, Darren. It sucks that happened." Both simply have their heads lowered in remembrance on someone they both knew is no longer with them. Outside of the restaurant, a mysterious figure stands by a window and sees Laurie and Darren sitting at a table. The figure puts it"s leather glove wearing right hand against the window and slides it"s finger down. However, rather than sticking around, the figure walks away, disappearing out of sight. Back inside the restaurant, Laurie finished up her meal and tells Darren, "Alright I gotta go make more stops around town so I guess i"ll see you another time." "Same here." Darren replies. "I"ll try visiting you another time, okay?" "Okay thanks." Laurie replies back. She and Darren both stand up and hug each other right before the leave their separate ways. Right before Laurie leaves, Darren tells her, "I"ll pay your tab okay?" which she nods back, waves at him and walks away. Outside, Laurie walks back to her back and gets in. She ponders where to go next but quickly realizes the best place to stop by, tells herself, "Oh I know where I should go next!", starts the car up and drives away to her next stop. About 2 minutes later, Laurie pulls up at Uncle Meat"s Java Hole, the record shop/coffee shop she worked at two years ago. She parks her car, gets out and locks it up. Looking at the store, she gets another sinking gut feeling as she remembers the times she had with her friends and co-workers that her supposed older brother killed on that Halloween night two years ago. Not wanting to stand around any longer, she promptly walks into the store without hesitation. Inside, she steps into the store and sees that not much has changed from the last time she was there, aside from that some kids she doesn"t recognize are putting inventory up into stock and that some of the decorations on the wall are different than she remembers. However, a familiar voice calls out, "Oh my my my the Princess of Punktuality has returned!" which immediately catches Laurie"s attention. "Uncle Meat...what"s up?" Laurie asks the old man who called her out. "Oh man it"s so great to see you again after so long." he replies back, though he immediately sighs afterwards and adds, "I sure miss the good old days with you, Mya and Harley. Yes, even I miss Harley"s foul mouth." "Yeah...I...can"t believe they"re gone." Laurie responds while looking around the wall and catches a memorial photo of Harley David which not only makes her upset, but makes her rather curious about something which she adds, "Say...why is there only a picture of Harley on the wall...did that mean that Mya is still alive?" Hearing that name, Uncle Meat simply breaks into laughter that greatly catches Laurie off guard and replies, "Mya? Well...she"s alive that"s for sure but she sure has had quite the loose screws since that Halloween night two years ago. Whatever happened to her that night really screwed her up. If you plan to look for her then I might as well tell you to forget about it." "Wait what do you mean about having loose screws and advising me to not visit her?" Laurie calmly replies back. "Is she horribly scarred, crippled or something?" "Oh no no no, Laurie. She"s neither of those judging by how she dresses these days. Its what"s with her head that"s really depressing." Uncle Meat sternly replies back. "If you want to spare the tear drops, then just go back home to...ummm...where are you living at now?" "Chicago." Laurie quickly replies back, feeling a bit unnerved about what Uncle Meat has implied about her friend. "Chicago, eh?" he immediately responds, only to quietly mutter to himself, "Goddamn corporate city scum.". He then tells Laurie, "Yeah you might as well go back to your new home sweet home that is Chicago than pay Mya a visit. I strongly advise you to do that." Laurie sighs, takes a deep breath and replies, "Okay Uncle Meat...I guess i"ll come back at another time and buy some stuff to help support the store." "Please do so," he replies. "You need to keep fighting the corporate conglomerates and support the little guys. Bye now." Laurie waves back at him and leaves the store. Once again back in her car, Laurie tells herself, "I really respect you, Uncle Meat, but I need to see Mya. I can"t just stay away from a friend like that.", starts her car up and drives away. Taking a good yet scant two minutes to get there, Laurie pulls up at her friend Mya"s house, gets out of her car and locks it up. She examines the place and notices that some aspects of it, the outside decor in particular, are dramatically different than from what she remembers. The stairs and roof are covered in black sequins and the doors have been repainted to a rich velvet red, all puzzling Laurie quite a bit. "What the hell is this?" Laurie remarks to herself, looking totally confused about the new decorher friend has set up, looking like it"s straight out of some gothic novel about hopeless people in their dark clothes sitting in gothic architecture drinking coffee at the break of dawn. Rather than simply standing around, Laurie decides to ascend on the stairs and enter the house to see what it looks like from the inside. After opening the doors of the place, Laurie"s eyes widen in shock and surprise as she sees the extremely gothic furniture and decor all around. She also hears what seems to be a scratchy old orchestral tune that fades out to allow a J-Pop/J-Techno song to start playing which just confuses the hell out of her even more. From a distance, a woman who"s dressed as what appears to be a gothic romantic and a gothic lolita is sitting on a pitch black gothic armchair with an equally pitch black gothic table in front of her. She pours some tea into a teacup, puts the teapot down and starts to takes sips out of the teacup. Her somewhat pale and pasty skin heavily is a total juxtaposition with her black clothing and black fingernails. The teacup is moved real close to her black lips, with some of the lipstick smearing onto the teacup when she moves it away after taking a sip. Her shiny black strapped knee high stripper boots cross over each other as she sits on the chair, with her skirt dangling a little against the boots. However, her calmness shatters when a disturbingly familiar voice calls out, "Mya are you home?". Her hands start to tremble a little as she gulps, puts the teacup down on the table, moves the table aside and stands up. Standing near the door, Laurie sees a very gothic looking woman with extremely long black hair stand up which continues to blow Laurie"s mind. "That cannot be Mya." she quietly tells herself as she sees the woman standing quite a distance away from her with her back turned. The woman finally turns around with her long bangs obscuring her face. She moves her hair away from her face, sees Laurie and tells her, "...oh my god...what are you doing here?" Seeing the woman"s face, Laurie gets quite possibly the deepest gut feeling she has received of the day. That woman is, in fact, her friend Mya. Her long black hair is completely unlike the short bleach blonde hair she had two years ago, not wearing glasses at all like Laurie is used to and her gothic attire and makeup being the cherry on top. "Mya...is that really you?" Laurie asks her, looking totally stunned at the sight of her friend. Mya tilts her head to the side with a slightly demented yet confused look on her face and replies, "...Laurie...oh my fuckin" god it"s you.", which she breaks into tears and goes right up to hug her. However, she quickly backs off and quietly tells her, "No. Her brother is that bastard Michael Myers that royally...ummm...wait was that such a bad thing that he made me this way...now i"m confused." Looking totally puzzled at the sight of her friend, Laurie calmly asks her, "Is something wrong?" "No...nothing. Nothing at all." Mya quickly replies in a slightly neurotic tone and hugs her friend. "In fact, I"ve been feeling rather splendid since the last time we saw each other.". However, she quickly breaks again, crouches on the floor and whispers to herself, "No she"s a fucking cunt that totally fucked me up. She should be cast away like her cursed brother." Looking a bit disturbed by her friend"s new-found erratic behavior, Laurie continues to stand around and ask, "Seriously, Mya...are you okay?" Mya quickly pops back up with a big smile on her lips and replies, "Yes Laurie, i"m fine. Care for some tea?" Sitting at a table while some Bach plays in the background, Mya asks Laurie in a very perky and eccentric tone, "So when did you get out of Smith"s Grove?"

However, several individuals did not bother to applaud, which included an abnormally large, tan skinned man with long blonde hair, a blue haired, metrosexual looking guy in glasses who was fiddling with an iPad, a man with long, curly blonde hair wearing a surgical mask, who was reading a medical book and most obvious of all, Satsuki, who looked very unimpressed by Ryuko"s speech. "Can you believe this nonsense?" Satsuki told Nonon as they watched Ryuko"s speech. "It"s so obvious she"s faking that smile, Nonon. Her act right now is completely ingenuine." "How can you tell?" Nonon asked her friend, sounding a little confused. "She seems to be kinda honest to me." "Nope. It"s very fabricated." Satsuki disagreed as she stretched her neck and popped her knuckles. "She"s about as honest as a cheating husband if you ask me." "What did you say about President Kiryuin?" one of the attendees shouted as he took offense to what Satsuki said. "Yeah, pal." Satsuki sarcastically replied to the disgruntled attendee. "I said President Kiryuin"s speech is very fabricated." Growing increasingly angry over what Satsuki said, the attendee clenched his fists and tried to punch her but she quickly dodged out of the way and hit him right in his stomach. He then dropped to his knees, holding his stomach as it ached in pain, looked back up at Satsuki and tried to deliver a haymaker at her. However, Satsuki spun around and smacked him in the face with her left knee, which knocked him out cold. This brief but noticeable altercation gained some notice from Ryuko, who calmly shouted at the crowd, "Can you guys stop fighting, please?" Satsuki, who heard Ryuko directly referring to her, turned her attention towards Ryuko and replied, "I"m sorry, Ryuko Kiryuin. Sorry that I wasn"t convinced by your...oh I don"t know, severe lack in sincerity in your inauguration speech." "...excuse me?" Ryuko stammered back in response, completely blown away by the lack of respect Satsuki has in her. "Excuse you for what? Not respecting someone who blatantly pretends to be a kindhearted person who seems to be legitimately happy with getting this position of power via the great wonders of nepotism? I apologize but your crocodile tears don"t fool me, Ryuko Kiryuin." Satsuki replied, smiling over getting to call Ryuko out on her BS. "What...the fuck did you just say, little miss blue balls?" Ryuko growled as she clenched her teeth in sheer anger. However, Uzu, who was standing not too far away from the rooftop, shouted, "Hey Ryuko! You"re so sexy when you"re angry!", although she was too angry to even notice he was talking to her. "Yes, Ryuko Kiryuin. I was being crystal clear about what I said and i"ll say it once again. I. Don"t. Buy. Your. Flipping. Crocodile Tears. Get it?" Satsuki replied back as her grin grew steadily bigger over her satisfaction of getting Ryuko to show her true clues. "Also, for the record my name is actually Satsuki Matoi. Remember that." "I will, bitch!" Ryuko growled as slowly walked away from Mako and the podium. This prompted Mako to run towards her friend and plea, "Don"t do this, Ryuko-chan. This is not the right time to be picking a fight." "Fuck off, Mako!" Ryuko yelled at her as she reached the edge of the rooftop. "This bitch needs to be humbled.". She then took a few steps away the edge just to get herself an extra push, ran towards the edge and jumped off the rooftop. She then landed on the ground, shoved some of the attendees out of the way, power walked towards Satsuki, took her katana out and pointed it right towards her right as she stopped, standing several inches away. "If you utter one more damn insult, Satsuki Matoi, i"ll cut your goddamn throat." Ryuko growled at her in a very stern tone. "Before you do that, Ryuko Kiryuin, give me a few seconds." Satsuki replied in a fairly cheerful tone, which threw Ryuko off a bit. Satsuki then took her backpack off, zipped it open, reached into it and pulled out a small object that resembled the blue scissor blade she found on the streets the other day. Confused, Ryuko turned her head, quietly laughed since she knew what Satsuki pulled out seemed to look like a bunch of nothing and looked back at her, only to find herself facing the blade of Satsuki"s scissor blade, which is now back to its regular size. "How the...how the hell did you do that?!" Ryuko stammered in confusion since she could not comprehend how she was able to make a sword change sizes. "I honestly don"t know, Ryuko Kiryuin, but I like that it can." Satsuki chimed in as she tilted the scissor blade. "Well...that"s...that"s...oh who the hell gives a shit about your stupid looking sword!?" Ryuko sneered back as she got right into Satsuki"s face. "All I give a shit about is cutting that stupid smile off your ugly ass manface!" "Come on, Ryuko Kiryuin. Try that if you can." Satsuki chuckled as she dared Ryuko to attack her. Ryuko, growing increasingly angry over Satsuki not taking her threat seriously, stepped back and raised her sword. However, she heard a voice shout out, "Ryuko, this not necessary." This voice immediately caught Junketsu"s attention, which made him mutter back, "Senketsu? Is that you?" The sole eye on Ryuko"s uniform them looked right at Satsuki"s school uniform, which the voice then replied, "Junketsu? How in the world did that girl get a hold of you?" "It"s a long story." Junketsu politely told Senketsu as the girls stopped noticing each other and instead paid attention to their respective clothes. "Satsuki is a really nice person if you just get to know her though." "Eh. I wish I could say the same about Ryuko." Senketsu replied back, disappointed about the person wearing him. "Wait. How the heck are you able to talk to Ryuko Kiryuin"s uniform?" Satsuki asked him, more interested in this development than fighting Ryuko. "Just like how i"m able to hear what your...hold on...how the hell did you get a hold of that school uniform?!" Ryuko asked her, having noticed that Satsuki"s school uniform has eyes like her own uniform. "Why should I tell you, Ryuko Kiryuin?" Satsuki chuckled back at her. "Since you"re the kind to lie about things, why should I tell you the truth about anything?" "I"m sick of your fucking shit, Satsuki Matoi!" Ryuko screamed at her as she got into a fighting stance, which Satsuki followed suit and did the same. Right as both girls were about to attack each other, Mako and Nonon both got in front of their respective friends. While Mako told Ryuko, "Stop it, Ryuko-chan. This is really embarrassing. You"re only doing even more damage to your public reputation for god"s sake!", Nonon shook her head in disappointment and told Satsuki. "This is goddamn stupid, Satsuki. You made an enemy out of Ryuko friggin" Kiryuin! How the hell am I supposed to try and convince her to make me the leader of the music club now?!" Despite the pleas (and complaints) of their respective friends, the girls shoved them out of the way, repositioned themselves into fighting poses and smacked each other"s swords. Due to sheer power of the girls, the spots on the ground they were standing on cracked and a huge force wave caused a bunch of no name attendees around the girls to be send hurdling away from them. "Come on, Satsuki Matoi. You"re no fuckin" match for master race Kiryuin genes!" Ryuko yelled at her opponent as her katana kept a firm hold against Satsuki"s scissor blade. "It doesn"t matter what kind of genes you have, Ryuko Kiryuin." Satsuki replied, keeping her cool as she held her own in this dire situation. "What only matters is that you have enough will power to keep up." Ryuko then clenched her teeth again and raised her katana up again to attack Satsuki again but right before she could strike her down, Mako shoved her cellphone right into Ryuko"s face and told her, "Ryuko-chan, it"s your mother." "God fucking dammit!" Ryuko sneered, which she then put her katana down, grabbed Mako"s phone and answered, "Yes, mother. What the hell do you want?" "Oh sugar cube. This little publicity stunt your plugging is incredible." Ragyo replied, sounding very pleased with her daughter and the opening of Honnoji Academy in general. "Everybody"s going to talk about this all day." "Mom, this is not a fuckin" publicity stunt!" Ryuko yelled back at her mom. "This stupid bitch ruined my damn inauguration speech and we"re only going to get bad publicity from this bullshit!" "No no no, sugar cube." Ragyo calmly replied back. "Remember that there is no such thing as bad publicity." "Yeah yeah yeah, whatever!" Ryuko groaned as she started to pace about. "Can at least ban this ugly bitch and her stupid pink haired friend from the school?" "No, sugar cube." Raygo replied in a more stern tone than usual. "Let them attend classes her. They"ll only make more people want to transfer here." Although Ryuko wants to say very profane things to her mother, she resisted saying them, instead told her, "Okay mom. I understand." and hung up. She then looked back at Satsuki, pointed her katana and her and told both her and Nonon, "My mother is allowing you to attend here but if you do anything and I mean, ANYTHING to fuck with me, i"m not going to hold back. You got that?" While Nonon nervously nodded her head, Satsuki shrugged off her threat and just looked at her with a smug grin. This infuriated Ryuko a bit but not enough to make her attack Satsuki. Instead, she looked at everyone else, switched back to her happy expression and informed them, "I deeply apologize for the delay. However, I am here to officially announce to you all that Honnoji Academy is now officially open!", which they then all applauded and cheered her. "All of our new students please enter the building and consult the student class assignment sheet on the front wall of the first floor to find out what classes you"ll be attending today. All second, third and fourth year students with the exception of those who recently transferred here, on the other hand, you all know what classes you"re going to be attending this year. With that said, everyone have a good day, be safe and enjoy your stay at Honnoji Academy, the number one school in the world!" Since the opening ceremony of the school has just ended, all of the no name students attending the school all made a mad dash to get to their classes. Satsuki and Nonon, on the other hand, simply followed the swarm of students entering the front door of the main building. "Nice job making us look like friggin" delinquents, Satsuki." Nonon scoffed at her friend as they entered the main building. "Try not to get involved in crap like next time we"re near President Kiryuin. I don"t want her to think lowly of me." "I"ll try." Satsuki apologized as she and Nonon reached the student class assignment sheet. Back outside, Ryuko and Mako were seen making their way to their office. Mako told her friend, "Ryuko-chan, you need to stop getting yourself in trouble like that. You"re going to give yourself a stroke sooner or later." "Can"t make promises like that, Mako." Ryuko told her friend in a very stern tone. "Especially when you got a cunt like Satsuki Matoi around." "Isn"t my lovely sugar cube wonderful, Takiji?" Ragyo asked her daughter as she got off the chair she was reclining on. "Yes, Lady Kiryuin. You daughter is really going to make Honnoji Academy the school of legends." Takiji replied as he escorted his boss off the cliff. However, Ragyo then heard her cellphone ringing, which she then answered it and asked, "Hi this is Lady Kiryuin of the Kiryuin Conglomerate speaking. How can I help you?" "Hey baby. It"s your husbando The Gi Man!" the man on the other end replied in a very cheeky tone. "Man your little girl keeps impressing me every damn day and I love it!" "Thank you so much, pumpkin." Ragyo replied to her husband. "How are things on your end going?" "Ab-So-Lutely splendid!" the Gi Man replied back, still sounding as cheeky as ever. Before Ragyo could continue talking to the Gi Man, she heard a beeping sound, looked at the screen of her cellphone and told him, "I"m sorry pumpkin, but someone"s on the other line." She then switched to the other person and asked them, "Hi this is Lady Kiryuin of the...", only for Daisuke to cut her off and tell her, "Lady Kiryuin, we got a real serious situation here." "What?!" Ragyo yelled back at him, annoyed that he had the gall to cut her off. "We ran into this chick last night and she fuckin" owned our asses!" Daisuke replied, sounding relatively tense. "What was she wearing?" Ragyo asked him, growing more invested in what he was telling her. "She was wearing this crazy looking stripper suit or something." Daisuke replied. "It was all white and blue. I mean, shit. I never saw anything like it, let alone that fuckin" blue sword she cut our clothes off with." The minute Daisuke described what the woman was wearing and mentioned the blue sword, Ragyo sternly replied, "This is a very serious matter, sir. If you ever encounter her again, please call me and i"ll send some of my husband"s men to deal with her." "Thank you so fuckin" much, Lady Kiryuin." Daisuke thanked her, only for Ragyo to hang up on him. "What"s the matter, Lady Kiryuin?" Takiji asked his boss as they reached the limo. "Call my husband and tell him I couldn"t call back." Ragyo replied, sounding far more serious than before. "I got some pressing matters to deal with." "What?! No music club? What kind of garbage is this?!" Nonon whined as she and Satsuki strolled down the hallway in a leisurely pace. "I come here expecting the "numbah won skool in da wuld" to have at least a flippin" music club but nope. There isn"t one. Nada, zilch, negative." "Well you could try..." Satsuki replied, sounding very optimistic about things. However, Nonon cut her off and sneered, "But you blew it, Satsuki! There"s no way I can convince President Kiryuin to make a friggin" music club after that crap you pulled this morning!" "Perhaps you should bypass asking Ryuko Kiryuin to make a music club." Satsuki chimed in as she and Nonon reached a classroom. "You could always try to consult Vice President Mako instead." "Bah. I don"t think the vice president would give enough of a shit to create a music club." Nonon whined at her friend as they waited by the classroom, which the door happened to be locked. "Also, where the hell is this Mr. Suto guy? Class is going to start soon." Right as Nonon complained about the absence of their teacher, a gray haired man in a winkled brown suit came power walking towards the classroom. He told the girls, "Please step aside, girls. I"m running late." "No shit, Sherlock." Nonon snickered at the man as she and Satsuki got out of his way. "Hey. Cut some slack now. This is my first day teaching here." Mr. Suto replied, sounding a little annoyed by Nonon giving him crap. He then opened the door, looked back at the girls and told them, "Come in. We don"t want the new school president to catch us being tardy." Although Nonon sarcastically shrugged his response off, Satsuki calmly nodded and followed Mr. Suto into the classroom, with Nonon following along as usual. Inside the classroom, Mr. Suto told the girls, "Feel free to take whatever seat you want. I really don"t give a flying damn about assigning seats.", which Satsuki then took the middle seat in the front while Nonon sat right next to her. Mr. Suto then looked back at the girls, saw them sitting and wrote down where they"re sitting on a piece of paper. However, all three of them then heard loud footsteps echoing from the hallway, followed by the sight of the absurdly tall man with long blonde hair and tan skin, who"s forehead had broken into the ceiling and making quite a mess of it. Nonon took a particular interest in this man and asked Satsuki, "Is that...The Big Guy?" Satsuki then looked out the classroom, saw the man as well, looked back at her friend and replied, "Nah, I don"t think that"s The Big Guy. Why would such a mythical person be attending high school?" "I dunno." Nonon replied, realizing what Satsuki said did make a bit of sense. "Maybe we should ask him ourselves after school." "Sounds like it should be fun." Satsuki chimed back as she put her arms behind her head and leaned back against her seat. Shortly after, several more students started to enter the classroom, which Mr. Suto, who"s eyes were obscured by his shiny sunglasses, did his seat assignment schtick again, wrote down where the other students decided to sit and sat back down on his chair. He then pulled a relatively big book out, took a brief look into it, sat it aside, stood back up and got in front of the classroom. "Hello ladies and gents, my name is Kaneda Suto but you all can just call me Mr. Suto. I"m going to be your history teacher of the year and even though we"re in the middle of the afternoon due to the very...ummm...festive opening ceremony, I will be your home room teacher." Mr. Suto informed the class as he paced back and forth. "Over the year, i"ll be teaching you all various pivotal moments in the history of our country and, to lesser extent, the whole world, such as Imperialism, World War II, the nukes that came at the end of World War II and other such assorted...things." One of the students then raised their arm, which Mr. Suto then pointed at him, which he then replied, "Mr. Suto. What would"ve happened if the Axis never lost World War II?" "Oh yeah. Speculative history. My favorite subject." Mr. Suto replied with a grin on his face. "What I like to think what would"ve happened is that while some things would"ve remained the same, such as this school being the property of the Kiryuin Conglomerate, others would be...drastically different. Like, I dunno, take our school vice president as an example. I assume that in this Axis won universe, she and her family would"ve been low-class members of our society as opposed to being upper class citizens." "I could see that being the case." the student replied back and quieted down. Mr. Suto then asked the students, "Anyone else have any questions?" Nonon then raised her hand, which Mr. Suto then pointed at her, which she then stood up and told him, "Why don"t we have a music club at this school?" "Beats me." Mr. Suto shrugged back, which annoyed Nonon a little. "I don"t make the rules, though I did read we have a music class here." "But music class sucks pebbles." Nonon snicked back after she pointed her conductor baton at Mr. Suto. "Music class doesn"t do jack squat to actually teach you music. A music club, on the other hand, especially one led by...ahem...yours truly, would be a real journey into the orgasmic wonders music brings to the world, especially of those of the classical style." "Good argument in favor of one, Miss...ummm...your name?" Mr. Suto asked Nonon since he has yet to get familiar with the names of his students." "Nonon Jakuzure." she replied, smiling as she swayed her baton back and forth. "Also, my dear friend next to me is Satsuki Matoi. We"ve been friends since kindergarten, ain"t that right?" "Most definitely." Satsuki chimed back, smiling. "We may have had our differences and squabbles here and there, but our friendship is completely inseparable." "That"s very impressive of you too." Mr. Suto replied as he clapped his hands. "I don"t remember anyone I knew from kindergarten, so that"s quite the accomplishment. However, that"s enough time wasted, so let"s...uhh...try and get class started in case the President pops in and complains about us not doing anything. I guess you should all pull out the history book and...just start reading from page one or something. It really doesn"t matter to me." Although the majority of the class sighed after hearing what Mr. Suto ordered them to do, Satsuki and Nonon immediately grabbed their books out and started to read them. Some time later, Satsuki and Nonon were seen walking down the hallway, passing by fellow students. However, everyone then heard a snotty sounding man with a slightly high pitched voice yell, "You think you"re hot shit, Gama?!" "You"re the only one who"s insinuating that, Takaharu." another man, albeit with a much deeper pitch, replied back in a far more calm tone. Curious to see what"s going on, Satsuki and Nonon ran down the hallway and saw the tall blonde guy arguing with a short guy with a shaved head who happened to be wearing a gray trenchcoat. The latter person then shoved the former and yelled, "Fuck off, retard! Just because you"re the tallest fucking stack of gorilla shit in this school doesn"t intimidate me one single fucking bit!" "If you really want to settle this, Takaharu, meet me at the fight club in a half hour." the tall guy replied, still retaining his calm but commanding presence. Despite looking extremely annoyed by not getting his way at the moment, Takaharu swallowed his pride, replied back, "You got a deal, Gama. Your ass is going to be mine." and stomped away. Gama, on the other hand, sighed and left the building as quietly as possible. "Should we go ask him now?" Nonon asked Satsuki, not sure if this would"ve been the right moment to ask him if he is The Big Guy.

Amber and Cali were getting ready for school. "Cali can you hurry up", Amber yelled as she finished her breakfast. "I can"t decide what to wear", Cali screamed as clothes got thrown into the hallway. "Well it"s not that hard to pick out an outfit. I mean look at mine", Amber said as she picked her way through the clothes. Cali looked over at her best friend whom made it into her room. Amber was wearing black converse, camo cargo pants, a black shirt that said "Go Green" in green and black arm warmers. "Cute now you should help me pick out something to wear while I do my make-up", Cali replied going over to her vanity. "Fine I"ll find something", Amber replied going over ta an unopened chest. Amber opened the chest and gasped. "Uh Cali when did you get an exact replica of Vlad the Impaler"s sword made", Amber asked picking up the sword."Uh never cali replied looking over with eyeliner in her hand. "OK so someone put it into your chest so whatever, we"ll figure who"s it is when we get back from school", Amber said laying the sword on the floor. Amber began to dig into the chest looking for something for Cali. She grabbed a short black ruffle skirt and a form fitting light blue button up shirt and a silver cami to go under it. "Perfect! Now can you go find me some shoes to go with it? Please", Cali asked with puppy dog eyes. "Fine", Amber sighed as she looked through the shoes and grabbed silver strappy heels and handed them to Cali. Amber grabbed both their bags, went to the kitchen grabbed poptarts and a for Cali to have for breakfast. "Come on Cali. We need to leave now before we"re late for our first day of school", Amber yelled at Cali as she grabbed the keys and headed toword the Lamborghini and threw the bags in the back and started the car. "You better have grabbed me some food", Cali said as she closed her door."Yep! Here ya go", Amber replied handing Cali the poptarts and . "Have I ever told you how much I love you lately", Cali asked as she opened the poptarts. "No, but its nice to be told", Amber replied pulling out on to the road. "And you grabbed the blueberry with sprinkles on them. Those are my favorite poptarts", Cali said with a huge grin on her face. "Duh why else would I grab them", Amber replied as she turned up the radio because "I love the Way you lie" by Eminem and Rhianna was on. It only took fifteen minuets before they pulled into the parking lot and find a spot. "I have office aid first. What about you", Cali asked getting out of the car."Band", Amber replied with a goofy grin on her face. "You and your music", Cali said shaking her head. "Yep it"s my life", Amber replied while smiling ," so shall we face our first day of school, my lady", Amber ended in a lavish bow. "Yes we shall my god lady", Cali replied. "Then lets go", Amber said skipping to the front of the school. "Where do you get your energy from", Cali asked. "Like I know", Amber said as she did a flip. A few minuets later the bell rang for first period to begin. "Later", Amber yelled as she practically ran to her first class. Amber walked into the band hall and was amazed by all the lockers a long the wall, all the chairs that were set up in an arc around a podium, plus all the teens just milling around. "Hi. you must be new seeing as I"ve never seen you here before", a girl with midnight black hair, pale skin, and grey eyes. She was wearing blue jeans that had some patches on them and a black shirt that had vampire fangs dripping some blood and said "Bite Me". "Yeah, my names Amber", Amber replied holding out her hand. "Cool! Mines Crystil", Crystil replied shaking Amber"s hand. "You want to meet some of my friends", Crystil asked. "Sure why not", Amber replied with a shrug. Crystil led Amber to a group of kids who were standing and talking next to some lockers. "Hey guys this is Amber", Crystil told the group of kids."Hi, I"m Misty", a blond hair blue eye girl shaking Amber"s hand ,"And I play the trumpet and since I"m guessing Crystil didn"t say what she playe like always. Anyways she plays the flute." "I"m Ace and i play the tuba", a guy with brown hair blue eyes said. "I"m Dannie and I play in the percussion", a black hair green eyed guy said. "I"m Max and I play the trombone", a girl with brown hair with blond highlights and brown almost black eyes. "And I"m Jasper", A guy with brown hair and brown eyes, "And I play the saxophone." "What do you play", Max asked. "Uh... this is my first time as a school but I"m hoping to play the bass clarinet", Amber replied. "So your one of the famous people that"s going to this school now", Crystil stated."Uh-huh the other one is Cali", Amber replied. That"s so cool so your her stunt double right", Dannie asked.The director came out of his office and started to yell at everyone to get ready for class. "Guess I need to go talk to him", Amber said before heading toward the head band director. "Um excuse me. I"m uh new here and I uh need a um instrument ta play", Amber said. "So I see. I"m and what instrument do you play", he said with a smile on his face. "Well I was hoping to play the bass clarinet", Amber replied."Well your in luck we just happen to have an extra bass clarinet", he replied before going to some stairs and into a room. After a few minuets he came out caring a long black case with 85500 written in white. "Well here you go", said handing her the case. Amber walked over to three people that had same instrument as her and got hers out and put together. It was boring as band practices went and the bell didn"t come soon enough foe some people. "How can you live without eating meat", Cali asked the black hair brown eyed girl next to her. "Easy I just eat other food in its place", the girl responded. "Whateve. So who are you waitin" for again", Cali asked. "His name is Jasper and who are you waiting for", the girl asked. "Amber", Cali replied, "And there she is", She continued when she saw a familiar red head talking to a brunette male next to her. Amber looked over to where Cali was and made her over with the guy behind her. "Hey Am, how was band", Cali asked."Awesome!", Amber replied smiling, "and I made some new friends." "That"s great when do I get to torch... um meet your new friends", Cali asked with an evil smile on her face. "Well this is Jasper", Amber gestured to the male brunette that is now talking to Maggie her new best friend."So how was being an office aid", Amber asked. "Couldn"t ask for another class more perfect for me", Cali replied, "And I also made a new friend." "Wow! You made a new friend! Who is it", Amber spoke rapidly jumping up and down. "The girl Jasper is talking to and her name is Maggie", Cali replied with a smirk. "So this is the famous Cali", a girl with black hair and grey eyes asked from behind Amber. "Yep! The one and only", Cali replied with a smirk still on her face."Hey Crystil", Amber said. Crystal smiled,"I"ve seen all of your movies." Cali smiled "flattered" "They all sucked", Crystil added."How"d do you like your pretty little nose redone?" "Ah theirs that famous temper," she smiled. Cali snorted. "You two. You two. Behave." Amber broke them apart. Just then the bell rang. "Um I have a bird thing", Cali said. "Calculus", Amber retorted. Cali waved goodbye and ran off down the hallway in her strappy heels. "Guess I"m coming with you", Crystil smiled. Henry shall be in the next one. Most of the story is going to from the girls POV. The story is slowly developing into the adventure. Reviews=happy writer and happy writer=more updates Once again I dont own Unnatural History "What do you have against Cali", Amber wrote down and slid to Crystil, while the teacher was going on about some theorem. "Nothing really. Just don"t like actresses, stuck up little snobs if u ask me", C "Cali isn"t stuck up, Drama queen, yes, and a bit... (lot), self centered, but she"s really down to earth",A. Crystil gave her an as if look and began taking notes on the theorem the teacher was talking about. Amber thought about what Cali and sighed when she saw that she was redoing her make-up and filing her nails rather than taking notes. "She"s gonna be coping them from me again", Amber thought before taking really good notes. The class seemed to drag on forever before the bell rang. Amber waited near the door for Cali. "Whats your next class Cal", Amber asked as she adjusted the strap of her Transformers messenger bag. "Art and what about you", Cali asked her friend. "Same thing", Amber replied with a small smile on her face. "Coolness! That means I can copy the notes from calculus", Cali said while clapping her hands. "How did you even get into that class", Amber asked before entering the room. "I don"t know. Apparently the people here think I"m suppose to be really smart", Cali said before taking a seat and setting her red. black and yellow plaid purse on the ground. "Or maybe cause you copied off me", Amber replied taking a seat next to Cali at the table. Amber and Cali heard bickering coming from the door and saw Jasper and Maggie arguing about something. After they looked up and saw Amber and Cali sitting at a table the began to head toward them. Amber saw a guy with blond hair, tan skin, and grey eyes follow them. "Wow he"s a sexy beast", Cali thought when she finally saw him. "Hey Amber", Jasper said sitting across from her. "Hey Cali", Maggie said sitting next to Cali. Cali smiled a sweet innocent smile while Amber gave a huge goofy grin. "Hi I"m Henry", the blond guy said sitting next to Amber and held out his hand for her to shake."Amber and that"s Cali. Nice ta meet ya", Amber replied with her southern accent coming out while shaking his hand. At that point the bell rand and the teacher walked in and began to talk about the history of art. "So are you new here", Henry whispered to Amber. "Yeah. We just moved here from LA", replied Amber. "Where"s LA", Henry asked. "It"s in California, on the other side of the country", replied Amber with a weird look on her face. "Oh, sorry my parent are anthropologist and I traveled the world with them", Henry replied with a sheepish grin on his face. "That sounds exciting", replied Amber. "It was now I live here with my cousin and uncle", Henry replied with a sad tone. "It can"t be that bad", Amber replied. Henry was about to reply when the teacher stopped talking and got out some papers and started to hand them out the papers. "I will choose your partner and you have to do a report on the artist that I give you", he said out loud as he finished handing out the papers ,"Starting with our two new students. Amber Light will be paired with Henry Griffin and Cali Black will be partnered with Jasper Bartlett", after that he went on with all the other students in the class. "Sorry you got pared with with Mia",Jasper said to Maggie. "It could e worse I guess", Maggie sighed putting her head on the table. "I don"t see how you and Mia hate each other", Jasper said putting his arm around Maggie"s shoulder trying to comfort her. "Your not helping", Maggie replied looking over at Mia whom was talking to the teacher who kept shaking his head to everything Mia was asking him. "Look on the bright side the faster you get your work done the less time y"all have to spend together", Amber said."Thats true", Henry agreed with a nod. "Or you can do all the work", Mia said from behind Maggie. "I don"t think so because will know if I do all the work", Maggie replied. "OK so why don"t half and half", Amber suggested which she got weird looks for. "She means why don"t y"all split the work in half then one person puts it all together", Cali simplified. "That sounds like it could work", Mia said before walking off with her brown hair with pink highlights swishing behind her hitting Henry in the head. For the rest of the class they talked and got to know each other a bit more and were becoming really good friends. As everyone existed the room handed on person from each paring a piece of paper with their person written on it. "how about we work at mine and Henrys house today", Jasper asked as they headed to lunch. "Sounds fine to me", Cali replied as everyone got in line except Amber. "I"m gonna find a table", she said before walking off. "Why isn"t she eating", Henry asked. "She probly packed her lunch", Cali replied with a shrug. The line seemed to drag on forever but in reailty it was only a couple of minuets. During lunch Henry was telling Amber and Cali about the time he spent in Nigeria. Amber was listening and watching as his eyes lit up as he would talk about getting in and out of trouble. While Cali was only thinking about how hott he looked and how she was going to make him hers. As Henry was getting to how he found the missing villagers there the bell rang. "You"ll have to finsh telling that story", Amber said getting up. "How about when you come over for the project", Henry said as he grabbed his bag and threw his trash away. "Sweet but you or Jasper need to give either Cali or me y"all address", Amber said as she walked next to Henry seeing as they had the same class. The teacher was standing outside his room shaking the hands of the students and greeted them as they entered the room. He had a firm hand shake and looked inti her eyes as he greeted her warmly. As she took a seat next to Henry the bell rang. The teacher in and came to her desk and introduced himself as Frank Honey but she could call him Frank. "OK today"s we"re going to do a trust excise. I"m going to hang this hula hoop from the celling. It"s the port hole on a ship and the ship is sinking. You have to get everybody across safely and you can"t pull the hula hoop down or of the rope or you"ll have to start over again", Frank said before going and taking attendance. When he finished talking everybody began to talk at once about their idea but nothing was getting down. Amber sighed knowing that they weren"t going to accomplish anything if they didn"t shut-up and talked one at a time. "OK everyone listen up! We"re not going to get anything down if everyone is talking at once", Amber said loudly to get everyones attention. They all looked at her as if she were crazy. "I"m sure everybody as a good idea but talking ain"t enough and no one else is listening", she continued. "OK so what"s your idea", a guy in a red shirt asked. "We have two people hold the hoop still and have the two strongest guys get people through the hoop safely and the last guy jumps through", she said. "That"s a good idea", a girl with dread locks said. They did this idea over and over till the had the best time- 2.5s The rest of the day went threw a blur and soon Amber and Cali were outside waiting on Maggie because they were giving her a lift to Jasper"s. Maggie walked out with Jasper and Henry and guess what... the weren"t arguing about anything! "So everyone ready to go", Cali asked a little bitch because a guy was hitting on her and wouldn"t take no for an answer. "What crawled up your butt and died", Maggie questioned. "His name is Alex and he won"t take a hike", Cali scowled. "OK so who"s ready to leave school", Amber asked. "I think everyone is", Jasper said with a light laugh. They headed th their cars which just happened to be sitting next to each other. "Oh my God! You guys drive a lamburgini", Maggir yelled when she saw the car. "Uh duh", Cali replied snobbishly. "You"ve got to let me drive it", Jasper said as his hand ran over the hood of the purple car. "What"s the big deal about the car", Henry asked cluelessly. "It"s just the most awsome car ever", Jasper answed his cousin. "So lets get a move on", Amber said with a slight smile on her face. Tell meh what ya think! Cause I"m in a really good mood because of the reviews I"m updating again this week. I still don"t own Unnatural History "Y"all have a lovely house" Amber told Jasper and Henry when they got there. "Yeah it feels homey", Cali commented when they entered the house. "I guess", Jasper replied to the both of them as he sat down on the couch. "So... who"s ready to work", Amber questioned as she sat on the floor. "Uh.. not me", Cali sighed as she sat down next to Jasper who was pulling out his art book. Henry sat down next to Amber on the floor and Maggie sat across from Jasper and Cali on the recliner. "You guys do you know you can sit in the love seat", Jasper said to Amber and Henry who bent over an art book whispering to each other quietly. "But the floor is so comfy:, Amber replied as she looked up at Jasper. Cali looked over at them and gave her "are you crazy" look. "Man I wish I could be sitting next to Henry", Cali thought as she tried to contain her jealousy. "So who did y"all get", Cali asked everyone. "We got Michelangelo Buonaroti", Henry as Amber wrote something down from the book. "I got Raphael Sanzio", Maggie replied flipping pages in her book. "What "bout y"all", Amber questioned. "Donatello I-cant-pronounce-his-last-name", Cali replied trying to keep a straight face. "It"s di Bardi", Jasper said as he wrote something on a piece of paper. For the next four hours all you heard were flipping pages and whispered comments. "OK break time", Henry said getting up and stretching. "Hey Cali remember Vlad"s sword replica that I found in your chest when I was looking for clothes for you to wear", Amber suddenly asked. "Uh yeah. I"m planning on finding uses for it", Cali smiled evilly as she said this. "Well hold those plans up because I think it might be the real one", Amber said. "What makes you say that", Jasper asked since the conversation caught his interest. "Well it was on display in California near where Cali and I lived", Amber replied. "OK so what makes you think the sword you have is the real one", Maggie questioned. "Cause I remember the headline in the news paper today. It said it went missing", Amber replied. "So I can"t play with it", Cali asked. Amber gave her "what do you think" look. "OK i was just checking", Cali held her hands up in mock surrender, "Do your parents know", Henry asked as he sat back down."Um... No their on a Cruise in the Caribbean", Cali started to pick at her black nails that sparkled purple in the sunlight, "Their not home very often", Amber said sadly ,"I"m going for a walk." "I"ll come with you", Henry said getting back up. Amber gave him a weird look with her catlike amber eyes. "Because you don"t know this area", Henry clarified for Amber who just nodded her head and walked toward the door with Henry close behind. "So why aren"t you parents with you very often", Henry tentatively asked. Amber shoved her hands into her jacket that she grabbed from her car. "Because I was a mistake to them. They love me buy act like kids themselves and Cali"s parents always follow them." Henry put his hands in his pants pockets. "Your not a mistake." "Don"t look but we have a couple shadows", Amber whisper to Henry. "We should probably head back", Henry spoke out loud for their shadows to hear him. Henry and Amber walked briskly toward the passed where the shadows had hidden and were attacked from behind. "Um Henry I think we should run. Like now", Amber said before turning back toward the house. "Your right", Henry and Amber took off running as the shadows gave chase. A small daggers like the ones from ancient times flew by their heads missing them by mear centimeters. Soon both of them had their backs to the door breathing heavily. Amber slide down the door to sit. Henry soon joined her and they looked up and everyone looked at them wide eyed. "I thought you guys went for a walk", Jasper stated. "We did but we were chased and had daggers thrown at us", Henry said when he caught his breath. "Dinners ready", Bryan Bartlett said from the kitchen. "Guess that means Amber and I are heading home", Cali said getting up from the couch. Amber went over and got her things. "Do you need a ride Maggie", Amber asked. "Jasper"s giving me a ride, but thanks", Maggie said with a smile. Cali opened the door and saw someone peeking threw a window that looked vaguely familiar. "Alex", Cali called out. The stranger looked up at the name and took off when he found out that he had been caught. "He"s odd", Amber said from behind Cali. "Like you have room to talk", Cali replied with a small giggle. Amber huffed as she walked to their car in the street. Cali apologized and Amber excepted it and were soon on their way to their two story white house with sky blue trimming. "Hey Amber, do you think Alex could have been one of the people who attacked you and Henry", Cali asked out of the blue. "Maybe. It was to dark to tell", Amber sighed and stared out the window as the world passed her by. They didn"t talk the rest of the way home and the music disrupted the silence that enveloped them in it"s arms. Amber unlocked the door once they got home and went to their kitchen. The counters had black marble top and mahogany cabinets. Their appliances were either purple or red. The had a black fridge. "Hey Cali does Velveeta mac and cheese sound good to you", Amber asked as she bent down to the cabinet and grabbed a purple pot. "Hell yes", Cali yelled from her room. Amber put hot water with oil and salt on the stove and put a lid over it and went to talk to Cali while she waited for the water to boil. Amber stepped into Cali"s room and observed her surrounding. Cali had dark purple walls with black trimming. She had had a cherry wood dresser and bookshelf. Her vanity was covered in black and purple duct tape. Her bed had a black canopy and black and purple bed spread on it. Her flat screen plasma TV was mounted on the wall. Her chest was at the end of her bed with sword on it and a bed near the door for her Tink.

"So has anything changed," Kato looked at Britt with hope in his brown eyes. "Sorry bro, but no. The doctor still doesn"t know when she"ll wake up but if she doesn"t wake up soon he doesn"t think she ever will," Britt saw his eyes dim a little at the news. Britt hated seeing Kato like this, he seemed to close up a little bit more. He hoped that Halo, who was like his little sister, would wake up soon because he didn"t want to lose Kato to. The door slammed opened and Derek came walking in with a grin on his face and a paper in his hand. "We got a lead," he grinned has he hand both Britt and Kato each a copy of the papers he was holding. "James Cross: 28 years old, from Britain. He has grey eyes and blond hair," Britt read the top before looking at the picture. Cold grey eyes stared at him under a mop of blond hair. "He knows Samantha from the CEMO therapy because his younger sister had cancer but was unlucky and had died killing him inside," Kato read. "I"m questing him tomorrow so he"s all yours tomorrow night and maybe the faster we get this over the faster Halo will wake up, like in all those movies," Derek grinned. This brought light to Kato"s eyes as his hope returned. Review and let me know what you think please and I will update faster if you do! The last chapter :( Enjoy~ The real Green Hornet and Kato stood outside of James"s house taking a moment to watch as he enter acted with Samantha they watched as they kissed but he slapped her away and yelling that this wasn"t the time for that. This man made Britt and Kato sick to their stomachs. They glanced at each other before walking up to the door. Britt steped aside and let Kato knock it down. They saw a girl with long light pink hair on the ground with tears streaming down her face. Britt requinized her as Samantha before looking up at James and he felt a chill run through his body at the coldness in the mans eyes. "Did you really think that we would find you," the Green Hornet asked. "No, I was looking forward to meeting you two and so far you haven"t disappointed me,' James said with no hint of emotion. "There are only two options for you. The first is you stop pretending to be me and get out of my city or the second which isn"t very pleasent, I"ll let Kato her beat the shit ooout of you till you can"t even remember your own name," Britt smirked hoping the man would choose the second one. Kato was already poping his knockles and loosing up his muscles. "I think I will pick the second one because who wants the easy way out," he shrugged his shoulders. the Green Hornet nodded to Kato who walked forward before swing his leg up to kick James in the head but James ducked down. Britt didn"t pay attenticen while his friend beat the shit out of the man who hurt Halo. Britt watched Samantha as the tears stopped flowing as she watched the two men fight. It was creepy that she seemed excited from their fight. Her hand moved under her shirt and grabbed something. Britt turned his eyes to the matched and saw Kato was winning and his eyes darted to Samantha who was holding a gun that was pointed at Kato. Britt moved quickly and pushed himself and Kato to the ground as she pulled the triger. The bullet just missed grazing Britt and it his James square in the chest. Samantha gasp and went to James and cried over his dead body. She grabbed the gun an held it to her head and pulled the trigger. Both Britt and Kato were to stunned to do anything but watch. The sirens stirred the two out of their dazzed state and they ran outside to the Black Beauty. They went to Britt"s place and changed, cleaned up, and changed cars before going to the hospital. Amazingly Derek was already there sitting next to her bed. "What are you doing here already," Bitt asked. "It sees as though Samantha killed him and herself so theirs nothing to investigate there," Derek smirked. Kato looked over Halo and noticed that her eyes were fluttering open. He ran to her side and held her hand. "Who are you? Who am I?" Halo asked once who eyes opened and she looked around at them. Kato felt his heart shatter at those words. A crappy ending. Oh well makes you wonder what"s going to happen Thanks that added this story to something and to everyone who reviewed Halo slowly opened her eyes and looked at the object that had woken her up. The offending objects screen was lit up and was blaring one of her favorite songs. She reached over to it grabbed it looking at the screen- Incoming call: Zane. Damn what does he want at this ungodly hour of nightHalo thought as she answered her phone. "what do you need, Sir," Halo asked still have asleep. "For you to get your ass downtown because the Green Hornet struck," he yelled into the phone before hanging up. Halo sighed throwing the covers off of her. She made her way to her her closet and grabbed the first things she saw that matched. She pulled on her cargo black pants and a red sweater and grabbed her white running shoes and put them on as she walked to her door almost falling as she did so. She grabbed her keys from the table that was by the door and made her way to her camero. She was cursing the Green Hornet in her head making her get up so early. She drove the relative quiet streets to where her boss told her to go. She was at a stop light when a black car with green headlights that also had HORNET for its licence plates. It"s the Black Beauty! I should probably give chase...Nah Halo thought while waiting for the light to turn green. A few turns later she was standing in front of a burning building. "we should go look for the Black Beauty," a cop said in front of her watching as the firefighters put out the fire. "No use. I saw it on my way here. It"s long gone," Halo walked past them. "And you didn"t chase it," one of the others asked. "I personally like my car," Halo turned to look at them making them scowl. "ID ma"am," an older officer asked her. She flashed her badge to him before going up to the now bunt house. Nothing really was left but ashes..She walked into the ashes seeing if anything of value to the investigation remained. After seeing nothing she sighed and went to the officer in charge. "Officer Tate if you find anything of importance can you have a copy of it sent to my office at the Bureau," Halo asked him not wanting to stick around longer. "Sure thing Miss," he nodded to her going back to watching what everyone was doing so they wouldn"t mess up. Halo sighed before going to her car heading to her office to get ahead start on her paper work so she could hopefully go home early. Maybe I should text Brit and ask him he and Kato want to go out and get lunch togethershe mused as she parked her car. She sent a text to Brit knowing she wouldn"t be getting one back for a couple of hours. With that she walked into the building and went straight to lounge and made herself some hot cocoa before making her way to the elevator "Morning Halo," a bouncy red head said getting into the elevator with her, "Morning Sami," Halo said unenthusiastically Sami just shook her head and got off the floor below Halo"s. Halo groaned looking at the stack of paper work next to her desk that she had to finish before going home for the night Reviews=love=updates Kinda sad that my last chapter didn"t get any reviews but I thought I would write another one anyways. Derek walked into Halo"s office carrying a box full of glazed donuts. Halo looked up from her paper work which she has barley made a dent in it even though she had been working for four hours. "Heard you got called in early because of the Green Hornet and though some donuts would cheer you up," Derek smiled. "It wouldn"t hurt but some help with all this paper work would be nice," Halo hinted because half of it was her partners. Derek was about to say something when her phone went off. She grabbed it to see who had text her hoping it was Brit. Some higher power heard her pleas and answered it.Sure! Me and Kato would love to go out to eat with you. Where will we meet up? Brit texted making Halo"s face lit up. "So who"s the guy," Derek asked sitting in the chair in front of Halo"s desk. Halo"s cheeks flushed red from the comment. "It"s just Brit and his friend," Halo told him trying to play it off as nothing. "Ah! So you have the hots for Brit"s friend," Derek was smirking at her now. "Do not! I only think that he is sexy," Halo snapped at him. She quickly covered her mouth when she realized what she had said. "So what"s his name," Derek wore a triumphant smirk on his face. "Kato," Halo sighed in defeat. "Huh that"s funny cause that"s what the Green Hornet calls his partner," Derek rubbed his chin. "But I"m sure it"s just a coincidence," Derek got up in left. "I"m not sure if it is or isn"t" Halo thought as she grabbed a donut before replying to Brit. Now having something to look forward to-even though it was still another two hours away- Halo went faster through her paperwork then she had the four hours before. "Dang girl! You go through paper work faster when you have a guy," Derek said when he came to check up on his partner. Halo was now three-fourths of the way done and it was the beginning of her lunch break. "Well I had something more interesting to look forward to then more work," Halo smirked at him as she grabbed her jacket and walked out of her office. "Can I join you because I really want to meet this guy," Derek pushed the button for the elevator. "Fine," Halo sighed giving in because if she didn"t then he would bug her till she did. Derek grinned as they walked a couple o blocks to the cafe that she and Brit had agreed on. They walked in through the door and she saw Brit and Kato sitting in a corner in the back while Derek was looking at all the pretty waitress. She grabbed Derek"s arm and dragged him away from the waitress he was flirting with and pulled him to the table that Brit and Kato were sitting at."Hey Brit," Derek greeted him pulling a chair to him. Brit nodded to him while flashing a smile at a blond that passed by. "Why do they both have to flirts," Halo asked taking a seat next to Kato. "Kato flirts when he thinks no one is watching," Brit winked at her."I"m sure he does," Halo said as a blond with huge boobs that Halo was disgusted by them came over with their drinks. "Why hello gorgeous," Brit"s flirting smile was on his face. The blond giggled at the treatment she was receiving from Brit. Halo made fake gagging noise earning a chuckle from Kato. The blond glared at them before stalking off. "So Halo have you heard about the killer party this weekend," Brit asked taking a drink of his beer. "How can I not? Moron over there wont stop talking about it," Halo nodded toward Derek. Derek had a mock hurt face on. "So does that mean your going," Brit asked since Halo hardly ever went to a party. "Hell no! Derek would make me his driver so could get wasted," Halo told him before taking a drink of her water. "Come on! I"m even dragging Kato," Brit said making Kato"s head snap toward him. "No your not," Kato didn"t like being surround by so many people especially ones he didn"t know. "Brit you drag Kato and I"ll drag Halo," Derek made a pact with Brit. "This is going to be a long weekend," Halo put her head in her hands. "We could always hide before they find us," Kato whispered to her. Kato and Halo were making plans to hide from the other two so they wouldn"t have to suffer at a party. "What are you two doing," Brit asked from right next to Halo"s ear making her jump and bump into Kato. "God Brit don"t scare me," Halo blushed and threw a piece of ice at Brit. "Sorry but you two were in your own world and weren"t talking back yo us. Wait a minuet...you have a crush a Kato," Brit declared pointing at her then Kato. "Do not," Halo tried to defend herself only to make Brit and Derek laugh at her. Kato had a small smile on his face because Halo interested him. Halo was saved when the food arrived. Review and let me know what you think otherwise I won"t be able to improve it! Kato seemes a little out of charcter to me in this chapter. Oh well enjoy! The Green Hornet didn"t make any more appearance to Halo"s relief. It was now Friday and Halo was waiting for Kato to come get her before Derek dragged her to the party that she really didn"t want to go to. Halo sat on her black couch watching the latest news when she heard the sound of a bike coming her way. She went to her door knowing it was Kato. She walked down steps as Kato took off his helmet. "Ready to go to bowling," Kato asked Halo looking her up and down. "Yeah," Halo took the extra helmet Kato handed her his extra helmet. Halo put it on and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Be sure to hold on tight," Kato took to off making Halo wrapped her arms tighter around him making him chuckle. They saw Brit"s limo pass them by and Brit rolled down his window and yelled something. Kato sped up before Brit got a chance to chase them. They both grinned and even though they couldn"t see the other they knew they were grinning. They both loved to make Brit"s life hell every once in a while. They passed the building that was having the party and they heard the pulsating music. Kato stopped in front it and looked back at Halo who shook her head. The party just starts and it was already out of control. He took off again and soon they were at the bowling alley Kato payed for everything with the card let him borrow without knowing. "Brit is going to pissed when he finds out," Halo grinned as she put on the shoes they gave her. "That"s only if he finds it missing," Kato replied grabbing a ball and rolling it down the lain. He turned around before the ball hit the pins making the strike look even more amazing. Halo clapped when the ball hit the pins making Kato turn around. "It"s not that amazing," Kato sat down by her. "To me it is," Halo smiled at him before going to bowel. She knocked down five pins and that"s it. "I can help you next time," Kato offered to get closer to her which Halo excepted without a second thought. Kato went to bowl and got another strike. He stayed up there and when a Halo came up to bowl he went behind her and grabbed her arm and lead her through the motion and she got a strike. She turned around and threw her arms around Kato and hugged him. Kato stiffened at first but hugged back. "Thanks," Halo kissed his cheek before going to take a seat. Kato held his cheek and watched her walk. A grinned formed on his face because Brit wouldn"t be able to try and take her from him. The only problem was that she was suppose to hunt down the Green Hornet and his partner and put them behind bars. He and Halo traded funny Brit stories and trying to decided who"s was funniest. Naturally Halo won because she talked Brit into doing stupid stuff which he got blamed for because everyone thought Halo was an angel. "I"m starting to feel sorry for Brit for having a best friend like you growing up," Kato laughed. "Hey! You"ve only heard the bad stuff. If you ask Brit he"ll tell you what a good influence I was on him," Halo defended herself. "I"m sure you are," Kato raised his hands in surrender. Halo huffed and crossed her arms. "We should go check on the party because who knows how much trouble Brit and Derek could get in," Kato grabbed his jacket and lead Halo back to his bike. They sped the entire way to the party and red and blue lights were flashing. "Uh I do believe this party got busted," Halo mumbled from behind him getting off his bike. Kato turned to look at to find out what she was going to do. "We should check and see if Brit or Derek got in trouble," Halo told him before walking up to the house. "Hold it right there you two. No one one aloud to enter the house," a over weight cop told them. Halo flash her badge and continued to the house with Kato right behind her. "Do you carry that thing were ever you go," Kato asked when they entered the house. "You never know when it will come in hand," Halo flashed him a grin. Inside were blood splatters on the wall and a couple of bodies on the floor. In one of the rooms she saw her partner and Brit giving a female cop details of what happened. "Derek what happened," Halo asked him when he finished telling the cop what happened. "Looks like theirs a fake Green Hornet running round now," Derek"s face was grim. "He came in here and demand money and the people that didn"t have any got shot," Brit added. "Looks like we have one hell of a mess on our hands now," Halo sighed. She and Derek knew Zane was going to give it to them because even though this guy was a fake he was still going by Green Hornet. "How did you know it was a fake," Kato asked Derek because he knew hoe Brit knew. "He had a red headed female for a partner and the real Green Hornet has a male Asian as a partner," Derek replied as the left the house. Kato gave Halo a lift home and he kissed her cheek before leaving her. If Brit seems out charater to you is because I"m mixing it with the TV show because I did"n"t like how they made him seem stupid and not a food fighter in the movie. Well anyways you should thank ottoslittlefangirl13 and Rakuen91 for this chapter cause thay reviewd. So pleasr review! Another chapter tonight ^-^ The next morning Halo found herself at the office looking through the folders of information they had on the original Green Hornet. She pulled out a picture they had gotten but the quality of it was so bad that Kato didn"t feel the need to destroy it. Halo wanted to put her mind at rest because it was trying to tell her that Kato- Brit"s friend- and Kato -the Green Hornet"s partner- were the one in the same. Halo couldn"t bring herself to believe it because that makes Brit the Green Hornet and she was sure Brit would of told her because she could make false leads and they wouldn"t get caught. "Then again Brit wouldn"t think that far ahead"Halo thought as she put the picture back into the folder she got it from and and pulled out the one on the fake Green Hornet. They had a clear picture of both of the people in it. The women looked like someone Brit would date and the guy gave her the creeps. His eye were a cold grey and his hair was sopale blond that it was almost white. His partner had bright blond hair and her eyes were a violet color."This pair should be easy to spot because their appearance is not normal"Halo thought when Brit walked in leave Kato outside. "So what did you do to Kato cause he freezes up every time I ask him what you two do last night," Brit sat on her desk. "We went bowling and naturally he beat cause I suck at bowling," Halo replied pulling a piece of paper from under his butt. "I want the juicy details," Brit stared her down. "He helped me bowel, I hugged him, he hugged back, I kissed his cheek, then he kissed my cheek when he dropped me off at home," Blaze said rapidly hoping Brit wouldn"t understand what she had said. Brit stared at her for a moment taking in what she said before a grin covered his face. "You like Kato and he likes you back," Brit went to go get Kato before Halo could stop him. "You two need to go on an actual date," Brit demanded making Halo blush and Kato speechless. Brit always wanted Halo to get a good guy in her life besides him andwho better then his best friend Kato. "Brit, if you don"t leave me and Kato alone I will hunt you down and skin you alive," Halo"s voice was soft and low. "Hey, I"m just trying to help," Brit put his hands up in defense. Halo"s blue eyes narrowed and a couple of strands of her black hair fell into her face making Brit run out of the office. "I wouldn"t mind going out on a date with you," Katowent to move the strands behind her ears. His hand stayed on her cheek and they stared into each other eyes and they started to leave forward. She felt his warm breath caress her cheeks when her door swung open. They jumped a part and saw Derek pulling Brit by the collar of his shirt. "Halo tell Brit your not going to kill him for whatever he did to make you mad it him," Derek said pointing to Brit cowing in a corner. "Brit I"m not going to kill because your my best friend and who else is going to help me get rid of the dead bodies when I decide to go on a killing spree," Halo told Brit. Brit came our of the corner and dusted himself off. "Well me and Kato gotta get going," Brit walked out with Kato but Kato stopped at the door. "How does Saturday night at seven sound," Kato asked. "Sounds great," Halo smiled at him before he left. "You two have date plans," Derek asked. "Yes. Now make yourself useful and tell everyone to look foe people matching this description," Halo handed him a piece of paper with the description of the fake Green Hornet and his partner. "Your better give me all the details on Monday," Derek said walking out of her office. Halo sighed and fell back into her seat but a smile came to her face. She was looking forward to tomorrow night with Kato. Zane walked into the office ruining her happiness. He stared down at her with his dull grey eyes. "Why is Brit and his friend keep coming here," he demanded. "Like I know and no one wants to tell him he can"t be here because they don"t want to get bad press," Halo shrugged picking up a random folder nd started to through the papers.