Wow. You know, I think I've been really focused on this fic lately. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I suppose it's a good thing for all you fans out there still clinging to this! Hope you enjoy it. Lots of Ryan (Riley) angst. Don't strain your eyes too far.

Oh, and we have a special guest! Guess who it is? Only I know… although you'll probably figure it out by the end of the chapter.

Disclaimer: I'm really getting tired of this. I'll say it plain and simple: I do not own High School Musical or Halloweentown. I only own the evil mom. Sadly.

Riley groaned and opened his eyes. He felt kind of surprised that he could, as the full shock of the previous night hit him.

He had passed out from the lack of oxygen, because his lungs stopped working. He heard his father muttering curse words under his breath as he worked to save him. He hadn't seen anything after that, mainly because he had closed his eyes as the chemical took effect. He even remembered his last thought, his twin brother's name, as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Riley smelled blood and quickly checked himself. He twisted his wrists, which, he noted, were free. He bent his body and walked around, happy to know that he was not hurt in any way. But where was the blood coming from?

The answer came as soon as he stepped in it. It was still warm. Riley studied the pool of darkness through the own darkness of the room, and followed the trail to a still form in the corner. They were tied at the wrists and blindfolded, but Riley still couldn't make out their face.

Riley knelt down next to them and quickly but carefully unwrapped the ropes. He took off the blindfold just in time to see sleepy, light blue eyes blink back at him. Riley stared, shocked. It was his brother.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered fiercely at his twin. Ethan swallowed hard and coughed. Riley looked stunned at the black spots that now soaked his hand.

"I came for you, little bro," Ethan replied. Riley shook his head.

"They didn't hurt me like they hurt you."

Ethan laughed. "I put up a bigger fight than you."

"How did they get you?" Riley asked.

"I heard you call my name, so I came to investigate. I saw—" Ethan looked disgusted as he said his father's name, "Dad hurry out with a huge needle and I confronted him. I was doing pretty good, too, and then I used magic."

"You did WHAT?!" Riley whisper-shouted. "You used magic? He'll take it from you! What were you thinking?"

"Apparently, I wasn't." Ethan sighed. "They drained it all, Riley. I'm a mortal now."

"No," Riley said, horrified. "That is so wrong; you can't have one twin with magic and the other without. That's just so wrong."

"Listen to me, Riley." Ethan said, pausing slightly to hack a coughing fit, spitting up more blood. "You have magic now. They want it for themselves, but you can't let them win. Don't let them or the people they work for win—"

"What did you say?" Riley interrupted. He had been staring at Ethan with renewed concern at his condition, but now his steady gaze was suspicious now as he fixed it on Ethan. "The people they work for?"

"No, I didn't say the people they work for," Ethan backtracked. "I said—"

"No," Riley said in a firm yet shaky voice. "How did you know they were working for someone else? Only me and Sharon know, because I heard them tell me. But you didn't know. How did you know now?"

Ethan's eyes were wide. "I didn't, Ry, I swear!"

"You're not real," Riley realized. "You're a figment of my imagination, something my parents made me see to get me to use magic, probably to convince me to heal you. You're not here, you're not real…" For some strange reason, Riley felt oddly relieved at all of this. His brother was still free. He wasn't here. He wasn't hurt.

Ethan's gaze hardened, and then dissolved. Riley was left again in darkness.

Alone.

*****

Riley woke up from a nap he didn't know he took to the bright light flooding into the darkness. He cringed slightly and covered his eyes and saw his father come in. He sent a scolding look towards Riley.

"You're too smart for your own good." He sighed. "We almost had you, too!"

"What do you want?" Riley growled.

"Well, we thought that it would be easier if we used a real hostage instead of one we made from your memories."

"Leave. Them. Alone." Riley breathed dangerously.

Edgar laughed. "Those high school mortal friends of yours? No, I won't do anything to them. Yet."

Riley caught his breath. "Then who…?"

"WHERE'S MY BROTHER?!"

The voice shocked him so much he was cut off. The voice was high, shrill, rebellious and scared all at the same time. The voice belonged to his younger sister. His "twin" in the mortal world.

Sharon.

OMG! Bet you didn't see that coming. I sure didn't. I was literally arguing with myself, whether I should put in Ethan or Sharon (Sharpay). It was really, really really hard, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Details of Sharon's kidnapping will be in the chapter that follows. I'd appreciate it if you reviewed. That'd be lovely.

Jasmine

P.S. Thank you seriously honestly to goodness-ly for the help, from the wonderful VarsityFanclubGirl4life. You saved my sorry butt. Thanks a lot!