HERE IT IS, THE FIRST AND INCREDIBLY LONG CHAPTER!

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN YUGIOH GX OR MAXIMUM RIDE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE SERIES MAXIMUM RIDE TO UNDERSTAND THIS FIC, IT WILL ALL BE EXPLAINED AS IT PROGRESSES!

Chapter 1

It was evident to Jaden's self-claimed best friends that he wasn't going to snap out of it any time soon. Syrus was hysterical, shaking Jaden violently and screaming like a banshee while Hassleberry tried to calm the bluenette down. Once Syrus let go of the shocked brunette teen, Jaden slumped to the ground in a faint, obviously overcome by whatever had plagued him. Hassleberry managed to catch the student before he hit the floor, thanks to Syrus' shriek alerting him of the danger. The two roommates shared another glance, at a loss of what to do next. The nurse wouldn't be in the infirmary this late at night, she'd be in the girl dorms, and Syrus didn't want a repeat of their first year's fiasco.

No way, nuh-uh. Getting sat on by two girls twice his height was not fun. Oh, and the whole 'almost expelled thing' was bad too.

Syrus acted for the dino-lover by gently moving Jaden onto his bed and pulling the sheets over him. "We'll just have to watch over him tonight," the bluenette encouraged Hassleberry, trying to inject some sense into the situation. "And see if he gets any better in the morning."

They exchanged nods and Syrus rose to make them some tea, half-hoping that the smell would wake up the sick teen so they could help him more. Of course, that didn't work, but it helped to keep him going. He could only imagine what was happening to his best friend right now as he was trapped in his realm of conscious.

(In Jaden's Realm of Consciousness... AKA Dream land)

He was falling, the air was whipping his shorter bangs around in gusts and his arms were stretched out at his sides like balancing beams, laughing contagiously, then his father caught him and tossed him up again, catching him safely every time. His mother was also laughing from the kitchen, sipping her mug of hot chocolate with a glitter in her brown eyes. The game only stopped when the oven went off and fresh cookies came out of it. Jaden pointed enthusiastically towards the goldmines and his father complied, giving into the dooming power of the puppy dog eyes.

"Thanks mommy, daddy," he squeaked in his tiny little three-year-old voice. Jaden's father ruffled his hair and picked up a cookie for himself. Jaden's mom leaned back in her chair, obviously at ease with her surroundings, and typed something into the computer next to her, probably emailing some long-lost friend or something. Happily, little Jaden sat on her lap and nibbled on his hot chocolate-chip cookie, the heat searing the inside of his mouth, but he didn't care.

His ears perked up as a new sound echoed through their home, the ringing of the doorbell. As the last chime faded, the mood suddenly vanished. Jaden's father put him down carefully, his eyes never leaving the room in which the front door lies, and his mother's hand halted in her typing.

"Jaden, go to your room and color for a few minutes, alright?" his mother whispered to him urgently. After only a brief hesitation, he followed his orders and dashed up the stairs as lightly as his unsure toddler feet could take him. His brown eyes peeked out from the landing, watching his parents watch him, before he retreated into his red room and closed the door.

"You aren't expecting anyone, are you Connie?" Jaden's father asked in an undertone, inching towards the broom closet carefully.

"No Nathan," Connie replied, taking a knife from one of the nearby kitchen drawers and looking sadly at her reflection in the steel. "They finally found us."

Nathan nodded slowly, waiting for the door to be kicked open by the large, clawed feet and for the snarling to fill their home that they had tried so hard to hide away. "Connie, protect Jaden."

The young woman was already up the stairs and had her hair up in a tight ponytail. She grabbed the ends of her long hair and in one swift motion chopped it off to prevent it from getting in her eyes. "Remember, they are weak at the base of the spine. Don't hit the chest; they have too much muscle to stop it."

"Don't forget the teeth," Nathan added as wolfish eyes glared at him through the side window. He made a rude—but appropriate—sign with his finger and pulled out the handgun that they had been able to save with their mad dash away from that hell that had endangered their child. He deactivated the safety catch and pulled the trigger.

Jaden gave a small squeal as he heard a loud bang coming from downstairs. Fear tumbled down his spine at the sound and brought back some old, half-forgotten memories. He pulled himself into a ball when he heard snarls and another louder bang. Their door was knocked down. What was going on? Was Mommy and Daddy OK? His brain told his mouth to call out to them as the snarls and shouts grew in frequency, but his tongue betrayed him, glued to the roof of his mouth by the metallic taste of fear.

"Nathan!" his mother screamed so loud that he thought she might have been talking in a megaphone. Nathan? That was Daddy's name. What's wrong with Daddy? She screamed again, and this time the growls came from just outside of his door. It sounded like the neighbor's doggy when he had pulled his tail. Why was she here? Were our friends out here to play?

His door opened slowly and his mother's face peered in on him from the bottom of the door. Her eyes were wide and dilated. "Mommy?"

"Don't take my son you bastards. Please, just leave him! You have us! He has nothing to do with this! He's only a child for God's sake!"

"Mommy?!"

"I love you Jaden!"

Then there was a bang and mommy stopped talking to him. Her eyes stayed wide and glossy, watching him for all eternity. The small boy shivered and moved away from the still figure, wondering why his mom would take a nap on the floor with her eyes open. He squeaked when a thin nose poked into his room and sniffed the air. It was followed by a long muzzle and daggers for teeth, beady eyes, and brown ruffled fur. It laughed wolfishly at Jaden, appearing to grin.

"Hi doggy!" Jaden smiled innocently, the situation not quite registering in his young mind. The doggy started to pad over to him, only stopping when he was close enough for Jaden to reach out and touch him. So being the little child that Jaden was, he reached out and hesitantly patted the big doggy's nose. "You've got big teeth doggy!"

An intelligent gleam entered the 'doggy's' eyes. "The better to eat you with," it snarled. Jaden leapt back, colliding with the wall as hot pain seared into his wrist. He screamed loudly as red poured out of him, terrified now, as the talking big dog with sharp teeth laughed almost humanly and approached him again. Salt water started to pour from the brunette's eyes as it put it's cold nose to his forehead and opened its jaw gradually, giving him a full view of where he would be heading. He called out for his parents, told them that there was a monster in his room, pleaded with his mother to wake up, but for once, his parents did not come to his rescue and save him. His mother simply stared at him, her mouth hanging open slightly a red drool dripping off the corner of her mouth.

"They can't save you now kid," the wolf growled possessively. It closed its jaw until it was around Jaden's small head, preparing the child for a long and painful death. His eyes stayed wide and tearful, spilling their brine onto the carpet as the hot breath perpetrated on his face. He closed his eyes.

"Enough!" A cool voice cut across the room. The hot breath went away and the uncomfortable presence of the teeth vanished. He breathed again. "Are you alright sweety? You can't seem to trust those nasty Erasers to do what they're told eh? Nasty tempers!"

Strong feminine hands held his injured wrist and nursed it. "Mommy?" he wondered as he opened his eyes. A lady he didn't know smiled at him instead. Her eyes were locked on his wrist, watching the trail of blood start to thin out. He had an impulse to draw away, but his little hammering heart didn't allow him to move any farther.

"No, honey, your mommy is sleeping right now. I'm here to take care of you for her."

"But you a stranger," Jaden said un-trustfully. His eyes fell on the cowering doggy in the corner who was still eyeing him with distaste. He flinched. "Mommy says never to talk to strangers."

"Well, let's fix that then! You can call me the Director, what's your name sweety?" the lady continued in her overly sugary voice, as if she actually had no idea how to talk to the child at all.

"J-Jaden," he managed, gasping when she took a small thing out of her pocket and put it in his gash. His eyes widened again and he hissed when it made contact with the blood in him. "W-What's t-that?"

She smiled sugary at him again. "Just something to help your boo-boo, honey." She then proceeded to wrap up his injury with her free hand under the watch of his mother's unseeing eyes. The Director stood and snapped at the doggy, which promptly stood and was suddenly a man, and then started to walk out of the room. She paused at the doorway. "We'll meet again Jaden." And she was gone.

The child stared at the space where she had been blankly, suddenly feeling exhausted. His wrist hurt and his heart was pounding in his chest like his toy drums. He managed to weakly crawl over to his mother in the doorway and lay down next to her, away from her eyes. He held onto her arm tightly and whispered before the darkness claimed him, "I love you mommy, please wake up soon."

"Jaden!"

He turned around, putting his tapped-up wrist in front of his eyes and mumbling sleepily at the new voice that dared to interrupt his precious nappy time. The male voice called out to him again and he was half-aware of frantic hands pulling him up into a hug. Long hair tickled his nose and made it cringe unpleasantly, and the young brunette finally opened his eyes.

"Jaden! You're alright!" cried the unfocused shape that was holding him up. He stared blankly at the long green hair and wondered who was holding him for the longest time. Whoever it was had wet cheeks as if it were raining outside and was trembling. The young toddler snuggled closer to the friendly person, not entirely sure what was going on, but too sleepy to really care. The man made a shaky relieved laugh and hugged him tighter, practically cutting off his flow of oxygen and forcing him to wake up. "I thought I had lost you too," the man added softly, genuine fear entering his voice.

"Big Brother?" Jaden ventured unsurely, questioning his neighbor, uncle, and now guardian. Osamu nodded and hugged his young friend tightly.

"What happened Jaden? All of the police are saying... horrible things. They said that you were next to your mother... that they thought you were dead and didn't take your pulse until you moved in your sleep..."

"What's dead Osamu?" His guardian faltered, unsure how much he should tell a three-year-old child. Luckily for him, his new son was distracted by a sudden flashing of gold in the outside sunlight, and he twisted to see a man dressed in a blue uniform waving a badge around.

Osamu straightened slightly and adjusted the child to his left shoulder so he could take the police officer's outstretched hand and shake it firmly. "How are you related to this kid?" he gruffly question, eyeing him with untrusting eyes.

"I'm his Uncle and his legal guardian now that..." he paused and spared his new son a glance. The policeman nodded briskly and tipped his cap to the brunette boy. Jaden smiled happily at him and then asked the million dollar question.

"Where are mommy and daddy big brother?"

"They're gone kid," the cop said rather forwardly. "And I need to ask you some questions." The new guardian reared up in a kind of defense and glared heatedly at the balding officer, his green eyes showing clear outrage.

"He's only a child for God's sake!"

Jaden blinked and froze at the phrasing, something coming back into his memory. He focused on it as intently as his attention span could hold and was able to come up with a match.

His mother's voice rang from the other side of the doorway and many footsteps could be heard. There were light thuds against the open doorframe and his mom screamed angrily. "Don't take my son you bastards. Please, just leave him! You have us! He has nothing to do with this! He's only a child for God's sake!"

"Mommy said that," Jaden suddenly injected in the conversation, not really caring if it interrupted their thought waves. The two adults stared at him blankly, so the child felt a need to explain himself better. "She was behind... door and she was talking at someone... said what you said Osamu, that I is only a kid. But it knew that and so does he, so why did you say that? What's going on big brother?"

He suddenly felt very worried and small. His Mommy and Daddy weren't here and the lady had said she would see him again but she wasn't here and the weird doggy had left and he was scared, he realized. He started to desperately return the cling that his uncle had given him and felt small drops of water form in the corners of his eyes. Osamu returned the gesture absently, watching the youth warily again. Then his eyes fell on his left wrist. Osamu's eyes were suddenly glued to the white wrap. The officer followed his gaze as the man questioned, "Are you alright Jaden, who hurt you?"

The young child sniffled and clung onto him like he was his last lifeline. "It was the big doggy, big brother. He gots me and mommy and daddy too. Will they be ookie-dokie? Did the lady try and help them too?

"What dog? What woman Jay?"

"The Eraser, Osamu. The lady told it not to hurt me. Then she put something in my boo-boo and wrapped it up. She said she was the Director."

Jaden was turning in his sleep rather violently, twitching and tossing his covers around his lean form and successfully freaking out his two roommates. Their voices had long since been eroded into soft whispers and slow gestures towards the suffering brunette, and occasionally one would pick up their PDA only to have the other put it down rather harshly.

"I told you, calling our friends won't do any good Syrus!" Hassleberry snarled at the rather dwarfish boy impatiently. Syrus withdrew his stinging red hand from the other boy grudgingly and made a soft whine under his breathe. "They're on the other side of the island for Pete's Sake! It's not like they can magically teleport their way over here without campus security catching them sneaking out!"

"But maybe we should call an ambulance! He looks really sick! Ohmygawdwhatifhedies?!" Syrus screamed, running around like a moron and screaming. Hassleberry sighed and smacked him with the PDA, trying to calm down the frantic boy.

"Calm down already! He's not gonna die, since when do you freak out like this anyway?!" Hassleberry yelled at his only conscious companion. Syrus folded his arms across his chest and 'hmphed'.

"Cut me some slack! My best friend's acting like he's on death roll or something and this is the first time he's ever acted like this and you WON'T LET ME CALL OUR FRIENDS! I'd say those are perfect reasons to freak!" he growled, frustrated beyond his intelligent capacity. His eyes fell on Jaden again and he paled. "Umm, is he crying or do I need to clean my glasses? Please tell me I have to clean my glasses! Jaden never cries!"

Hassleberry walked slowly to his friend's side and stared at the corner of his clamped eyes. Fascinated, they watched as a small bead of despair formed on his long lashes and silently rolled down his cheek and onto the floor, where it made no disturbance in the carpet, simply stayed above the material, suspended by two individual fibers working together to preserve the moment. The room fell unearthly quiet and the tear faded away, as if it had never even existed in the first place.

Syrus felt an urgent need to break the heavy weight of silence from them, but could not find the means to work his mouth. To the extent of his knowledge and for the year he had known Jaden, the boy had not shed a single real tear. There had been no tears of joy, laughter, or sorrow. Nothing. And now, as he slept, unaware of their concerned presence, he wept?

His mouth moved. "Hassleberry?"

The claustrophobic feeling that the quiet brought shattered like glass around them. Hassleberry flinched at the slightly cracked sound of his rival and peered at him, also desperate to respond. "Yes?"

Syrus stood there for a while longer, listening to the sound of Jaden's breathing, before he answered. "I'm scared."—then it all came rushing out—"Jaden isn't the type to scare easily and he's never cried before for as long as I've known him—and that was a year longer than you just to point it out—and now he walks into his own dorm and seems to be too freaked to even talk, and then he collapses and cries?! This doesn't make any sense! There's something really wrong with him!"

"There's nothing we can do Private, just take your leave," Hassleberry said, although his voice was far from relaxed. "Listen, it's like you said, we'll just keep watching him until the morning and see if the Serge gets and better. Don't make mountains out of mole holes man."

Syrus opened his mouth to correct his saying-challenged friend but thought better of it, settling down on the couch in Jaden's room instead. "Sorry," he mumbled. Hassleberry pretended that he didn't hear and flopped down next to him, looking around the dorm in search of something to do.

Jaden's luck must be contagious, because at the very moment a very disgruntled Chazz slammed open the door to their dorm and proceeded to yell at them. "WHAT ARE YOU MORONS SCREAMING ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?! I HEARD YOU THROUGH MY EAR-PLUG'S!!"

Both boys immediately turned to Jaden—who thankfully hadn't woken up, and then rounded on the black-clad Slifer in front of them. "Quiet Chazz!" Syrus hushed. "You might wake Jay!"

"GOOD!! I HEARD HIS NAME IN YOUR TIRADE SO WHY DOESN'T SLACKER SHARE THE FUN?!" Chazz shouted, stomping over to the brunette duelist. Hassleberry quickly got in the way, folding his hands over his arms.

"No way, son! You're not going anyway near the Serge in his condition!"

"Condition?" Chazz repeated, looking past them and locking his ebony eyes onto the still teen. "What else is wrong with this idiot?"

"See!" Syrus shouted triumphantly, seeming to forget that he was supposed to be quiet now. "I told you everyone would want to know Jaden is sick!"

"Oh, that's all?" Chazz yawned, turning his back to them and swatting at something in the air. "I don't care if he's sick, I might actually get some peace for once around here."

Hassleberry stuck out his tongue, still able to gloat even with his Serge down and out. Syrus pouted.

"Chazz doesn't count. Besides, sick really isn't the best word for it..."

Chazz sighed in exasperation. "Fine, what is wrong with Slacker then? Not that 'The Chazz' cares or anything."

"Err... Well," Syrus started, hopping from one foot to the next anxiously, "Jay had detention again today from falling asleep in Crowler's class—"

"I was there shrimp, get to the point," the raven-haired teen responded rudely. Syrus huffed, but his concern about his best friend was far greater than his pride in this case.

"As I was saying, he had detention and Crowler kept him for a while, so he just got back maybe ten minutes ago or something. And he came in... And we greeted him..."

"I don't need a play-by-play," Chazz growled, sitting down on the only chair in the small room. "Just stop wasting my precious time so I can get back to bed."

"But that's it soldier, that's the problem!" Hassleberry announced, glaring at the teen. The addressed teen closed his eyes and looked in the other direction, still listening, but bored in appearance.

"Yes, and dino-breath?"

Hassleberry threw his hands up into the air dramatically and Syrus took over again, shoving the taller boy out of the way, eager to relay the information. Jaden's real best friend would make sure everyone knew that the boy was sick. "Jaden didn't reply, it was like we weren't even here."

Chazz opened his eyes and turned to them again, suspicion crossing his sharp face. "Nice try, but that Slacker never misses a chance to flap his gums."

"I'm serious Chazz!" Syrus hollered again. "He didn't say anything, he just walked past us and sat on his buck, staring at nothing! We shook him and stuff, and he didn't respond at all. Then he just fainted!"

"So when did the hissy fit start then?" the snobby teen asked, trying to sound indifferent but failing when the tone didn't quite reach his eyes. For once, Syrus ignored the comment and turned back to Jay sadly.

"What do we do?" he asked the room, wishing that Jaden was awake, he'd have the answer.

Chazz snorted. "You two bring Slacker into my room and drop him on the couch or something and watch TV, but keep it on low, got it?! I'm going back to bed, but you morons would just stay up screaming all night if I don't give you something to distract yourselves with. Slacker just probably fell asleep in detention and slept-walked back to his dorm or something."

Without any further prompts, the rich teen stood and left out the open door, unlocking his room and waiting for the others to follow. After a brief pause of surprise, Hassleberry gently picked up his Serge and brought him into the other room, laying him down as instructed as Chazz went through another doorway and bid then a gruff goodnight:

"Don't touch anything other than the remote. I don't want your Slifer germs spreading."

They shrugged, draping Jaden's blanket back over him and adjusting the pillow under his head without any notice from the unconscious boy. Sighing, Hassleberry grabbed the remote, and turned on the television to some news station.

"And today we have news about the famous flying flock that has soared their way into the hearts of millions. Fang, the eldest male of the flock, has been updating his blog regularly and makes sure to keep all of their fans posted on what's going on. Now, the real interesting thing about the flock—if you don't already know—is their wings."

"The story is that they were injected with Avian DNA in a 'School' that was created by Itex, which was recently destroyed by the flock. This Avian DNA seems to have mutated them into having beautiful wings! And look at this picture!"

The two boys watched eagerly as another picture of the flock appeared on screen. They consisted of six hauntingly beautiful people, three nineteen year olds, one seventeen year old, an eleven year old, and a thirteen year old. The last member was a flying and talking dog and it looked like they now had another dog in their care.

"That's still all we really know about the flock even after five years! The only thing we know for sure is that they are true heroes and inspiration for all. This picture was taken a week ago by Pierre Preston in France, so it seems like the Flock enjoys their visits all around the world!"

Syrus changed the channel when the news lady started talking about some war in some country he had never heard of. They watched some stupid movie for another hour or two, and then Hassleberry rose to make some popcorn in sheer boredom despite Chazz's warning not to touch his stuff. Syrus was out for the count when he returned with the small goldmines. Shrugging, the sixteen-year-old sat down on the couch and tried to understand what was going on in the large TV screen.

"Mmmph..."

He turned towards Syrus with raised eyebrows, wondering if he was going to wake up. The older (though considerably shorter) boy hadn't moved at all. Confused, he looked at Jaden. Gray eyes met brown eyes and he leapt back. "Waaaaaagh!"

Jaden blinked at him sleepily, staring down at the alarmed teen at his feet. He rubbed his eyes carefully before extending a helpful hand to his fallen friend. "What?"

"You were just asleep!"

"Yes? And?" Jaden yawned, his features showing nothing of the emotional stress that weighed him down. In truth, he felt as though the sharp claws of the Eraser was digging deep into his chest and slashing his heart in too many pieces to count. They couldn't know. He wouldn't let them be killed too. He forced his face to rearrange itself into amusement and asked, "What, did I scare you?"

Hassleberry immediately went on the defensive, waving his hands around adamantly and insisting, "Nope! Not at all! You just startled me a bit is all!"

"Uh-huh. And Syrus isn't afraid of spiders." At the sound of his name, said teen shot up and looked around the room, his eyes resting on his not-sick-anymore friend.

"Jay!" he announced to no one in particular. Jaden smiled at him charmingly and then his eyes wandered to the sky out the window. He flinched slightly, and then remembered that their room's window was much smaller and had black-out shades over them.

"Hey, why are we in Chazz's room?"

The other two ignored him and started to question him eagerly, like he hopped they wouldn't.

"So what happened, Serge?"

His chocolate gaze left the stars and tuned back in on Syrus' gray eyes. They were wide and pleading, gleaming with the strong bond of trust that they had built up in these years. The claws dug deeper. "I need some time on my own guys," he answered instead, avoiding looking at the two boys.

"But Jay—!"

"Please, Syrus, I just... I just need to do something on my own..."

"Why were you crying?" Hassleberry inserted suddenly. Jaden blinked at him, incomprehensive. "When you were asleep, you cried," he elaborated for his friend's benefit. "What were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing," he answered flatly, and then walked out of the room and into the night again. Hassleberry growled, his dino DNA flaring up, and made to follow him, but Syrus held him back with sad eyes.

"Wait Jay, take this," the bluenette called as Jaden turned around, catching the tossed PDA on reflex. "You always forget yours, so take mine, just in case, alright?" He nodded and disappeared. Hassleberry jerked away from the younger Trusedale brother, wanting to go.

"Just let him go," Syrus whispered. "If he needs some time, let him have it. He'll be back to normal soon, he always is."

Jaden's feet brought him far away from his dorm and towards the docks of the school, his friend's question haunting him with every step.

"Why were you crying?"

He couldn't believe that he had shed a tear in his sleep, he had lived through that nightmare more than once, so why did he have to let out a tear the one time his friends were watching him like that?

Kuri, Kuriboh cooed, appearing on his shoulder. Jaden managed a small smile at his partner and answered his question aloud.

"Yeah, buddy, I guess it is a bit more complicated than back then, huh?"

Kurrrrrrrrri! The little fuzz ball scolded, flying circles around the brunette's head.

"NO! Kuriboh, I can't tell her! That'd be an immediate death sentence for all of us!" Jaden said, alarmed. He paused at the lighthouse, searching the shore for the boat he had used as an escape vessel in his first year from a crazy Admiral.

Kuri, kuri? he chanted back.

Jaden sighed as he checked the gas tank for once, glad that it was actually fill. He paused, wondering if the encounter with Neospace had anything to do with it but shifted the boat out into the ocean anyways, heading towards mainland. "I'm just visiting Kuriboh, I know we're going home anyway tomorrow, but I just have to make sure he's still alright... besides I haven't seen my parents in a long time..."

The spirit fell silent, staring at his partner with understanding eyes before settling back down on the boy's shoulder for support. He gunned the machine as fast as it could go, which was formidable thanks to the Admiral's paranoia that the school could sink before they finished it. A smile found its way to his lips at the irony, it was the speed of this boat that had allowed him to escape in the first place, and now it was the speed that was going to allow him a bit of peace so he could pull himself together...

Or fall apart.

He made great time, pulling into Domino City in only two hours, silently thanking whoever was watching out for him, and shaking off the feeling that something had followed him as he melded into the still busy streets of the city, hoping he didn't run into any trouble. As he walked along the sidewalks, he took in the familiar sights, the train station that had picked him up from his foster parent's sister's house before taking his exam at the Duel Academy building over to his right...

The park where he had met the famous Yugi Moto and had received Winged Kuriboh...

His own home...

He picked up his pace almost unconsciously and avoided the building, hoping that no one was up. A light was on in the downstairs family room, but no one came out to chase away the 'creep' walking around the neighborhood in the middle of the night. He'd be in that building tomorrow over break with Sy and Hassleberry, so it was best that he didn't show up a day early without either of his friends with him.

He pushed past the houses, walking so quickly he was almost jogging. He was close, almost there. As he approached the dark and whistling woods outside of the city limits, he hesitated, staring down the well-beaten path. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he push forward and deeper into the woods. The feeling of being watched intensified, and he could almost pin down exactly where his watcher was coming from. He cast his gaze out of the corner of his eyes and up into the branches of the trees. He could have sworn he saw a dark shape among the leaves, but when he squinted it was gone, just a misshapen branch.

Pull yourself together Jay, there's no one left to get you now except for...

He shivered.

Faster now, he sprinted towards the heart of the forest, down another worn dirt path, and finally in front of thin black gates. He hesitated while his shaking hands opened the obstacle, eyes searching sightlessly in the dark. Two small stones stood out to him among their brethren and he made his way over, carefully avoiding marble and gravel structures until he kneel down in the grass in front of the objects of desire. He simply stared at them for the longest time, unsure of what to do. Finally, he said, "Hey guys."

The names stared back at him silently. A trembling finger lifted to the tombs, tracing C, the O, the N, another N, an I, and E. Then just as longingly, N, A, T, H, A, N. The finger dropped limply to his side and his eyes took in the last name, the only thing he had left of his parents. "Alexander," he mouthed, unable to bring himself to say it out loud. His throat felt dry and constricted, and his eyes burned. "I'm sorry haven't visited in a while..." His parent's didn't respond as he paused, forcing himself to keep his emotions in check. "I really wish you were still here," he whispered tightly. "I really need you... I need you so badly... I miss you..."

The graves stood tall and strong, showing no sign of wear or dust.

"Mom... Dad..."

There was still no response. It hurt worse than their deaths.

"You see," he began, wondering if he was insane to be talking to stone. Then he figured most people already though he was crazy for talking to his cards, so it didn't matter. "I really like this girl... I think I might love her even... and... and..."

He couldn't finish his sentence, just saying it out loud would bring him so much more pain, but it was already eating him alive from the inside out. "... and she's either...dead... or she's not... it's just... I wish... I wish that you were still alive! I know you would have known what to do! I don't care about what you guys did! I don't care about all of the wrongs you've done! I love you, and I need you here!! Please!"

He was down on all fours, desperate for some kind of a guiding star. For once everything had been going well in his life, he had great friends, he loved someone, and he didn't have to live in the shadow of fear and pretend that everything was alright! It just wasn't fair that all of this was going to be taken away from him because he was at the wrong place and the wrong time! The girl he loved, the girl that he was terrified to tell after he saw how hard she shot down everyone else, the girl that was one of his closest friends, she was going to die by his hands.

He was going to lose all of his friends, one way or another. He was going to lose his family if he failed to do his task. Why did it have to be him?! Why wasn't there anyone else that could help him?

"Please!" he begged again, not sure who he was begging to. He just knew that right then he would have signed a deal with the devil just to get out of this, just so he could save them like he always did. Just to spend a little more time with them, to laugh, to smile, to sleep in class and get yelled at and stuck in detention together, just anything!

The thought of them only made him sink further, imaging the look on Syrus' face if he had seen him now, the way that Hassleberry would demand what was wrong and then go beat up whoever had bothered him, the way Alexis would hold him and whisper gentle words into his ear—Alexis.

His eyes fell on the graves again. "I'm sorry, guys, all of you. I don't know... I don't know what I did to deserve your sacrifice. All I do... All I am... I'm exactly what you were saving me from! Your sacrifices were wasted, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry... I want to stop, but I can't... I can't risk the other's lives too. I'm sorry, so sorry..." His eyes welled up with the tears that had been repressed through the ages. "Why can't I ever save the ones I love?!"

Oh course, no one answered his pleas. The ground rippled with the force of his fists slamming mercilessly into them, the depression seeping deep into the ground and forming roots. A shadow crossed above him, casting him in a merciless case of darkness before darting away again. Out of the corner of his unfocused eyes he could have sworn he saw the white and hazel speckled wings against the moonlight, and it was that that brought him down.

Fresh tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes for the first time that he could remember, watering the roots he had planted deep within his heart and causing them to flourish and blossom. He wept like a small frightened child, letting out everything that he had ever experienced, ever known. Somewhere in his mind he knew that he was behaving irrationally, but he had always ignored that voice anyway, so why should he start now?

All the things that had bottled up, the laughs, the sorrow, the heartache, the relief, came rolling off his eyes and nurturing the roots until he felt the red rose blossom in his chest. His hopes, his friendships, who he was: Beautiful and delicate, but not without his thorns.

"So emotional," a crisp voice entered the graveyard. Jaden whipped around, his eyes flashing dangerously through the darkness and any trace of tears vanished. Shifting his weight to his center, he stood up and swept the area with his sharp eyes, willing his sanity to be lost instead of the voice being real. He should have listened to his instincts, they were always right! Someone had been following him!

No signs of weakness he reminded himself. Show no fear, show nothing and it can't hurt you. Show nothing and it can't hurt my heart.

Nothing moved and he let out a short breath. Then he felt a presence start to move behind his parent's graves and reach out to touch him. Every muscle in his body tensed as he whirled around and stumbled back, away from the slit eyes that glowed in the midnight stars.

"What do you want?" he snarled at the eyes, eerily aware of its hands gripping the memorials of his parents'. Its mouth opened in a deadly smirk, revealing pointed fangs. Quicker than the eye could see, it lashed out at him, snatching thin air as Jaden leapt back and smacked the angled hand away. He allowed no fear to enter his mind, even though it was already pulsing through his body.

"It's not what I want," the voice continued, its eyes glittering devilishly. "It's what she wants now, isn't it?"

"She's in jail," Jaden snarled. "And she's rot there until she dies and then she'll spend the rest of her days in hell along with freaks like you."

"Cocky now that she isn't here, eh?" the voice chuckled, not at all fazed by the normally mellow boy's harsh words. "Freaks you say? Doesn't that include your little girlfriend? Oh, mummy and daddy, I think I love her, boo-hoo!"

He felt his body shake with rage, willing himself not to lash out at the mutant in front of him. It laughed when it saw his anger and reached out to play with his long hair. His body froze against his will as the scaled, thin, hand reached out and pulled at his brown locks. It took every bit of self-control he had not to bite the hand. When it drew away, he repeated the question. "What the hell do you want?"

"Oh, tsk, tsk, little Jaden. Still uncooperative are we? You should be more willing, 'less you want what little mercy she gives you to"—it snapped its fingers—"whoops! Vanish into thin air."

"Do it, it would be a relief," Jaden dared the creature, feeling completely reckless. It smirked odiously at him and then shifted down to his wrist, staring at his white knuckles and violently contrasting veins with a sort of glee.

"And you're willing to take the responsibility?" it mocked him, waving the hand in the general direction of his home. "You want to kill your family again?" He flinched back as if slapped and his jaw hardened in response, eyes narrowing dangerously. "You think that they would have died if she hadn't have wanted you did you little Jaden? Admit it; you are the one who causes all of this pain!"

Jaden saw red and punched at the creature, which quickly and effortlessly had his pinned against the ground and staring up at the names, which now seemed disappointed in him. He felt the cold breath against his ear and heard the whispered, "Nasty temper, eh? Well, you can always take it out on those little humans you enjoy hanging out with. Make it easier for them to hate you, eh? Make it easier to kill her."

"No! I won't listen to your lies!" Jaden snarled in the dirt, earning his a mouthful of the mud. "I won't hurt her!" The lips brushed against his ear again and demanded:

"You don't have a choice."

And then the pressure was gone, lifted from him like a heavy blanket, leaving him to spit out the ground and curse into empty air until he was sure his voice was gone. His fist slammed into the ground, denting the grass and sending pebbles flying everywhere.

Why? Why was this happening to him? What did he do to deserve this? What was so special about him that the Director didn't "retire" him? Why does she want to do this so badly?! WHY?!

The moon tentatively peeked out from behind the black clouds and illuminated his figure, his red jacket and his trembling shoulders, and most of all, his silver tears. Quick as light, a shadow darted across the sky, making darkness embrace the teen again. Instantly, his head was up and he was staring into the moon as the lone figure of a bird flew far over him and back towards the cliffs of Duel Academy. Alexis—no! It wasn't Alexis! She was at her home, sleeping in her bed! She had not committed suicide; she had not flown away on wings! She was human! Please, she had to be!

Ever so slowly, he pushed himself up onto his feet and touched the stone on the graves for support, his breathing ragged. He stumbled slightly, and then took a tentative step in a completely new direction, from the dead to the living. By the time he had stumbled to the center of the city, the moon had positioned itself far overhead his head and his roommates had called the PDA three times. He had been too deep in thought to recognize the ringtone the first two times, and neglected to speak on the third, unsure if he could trust his voice.

So he settled with texting them a quick reassurance that he would be back in the morning. They called back angrily as he listened over voicemail, yelling at him to come home and tell them what was wrong. He ignored the message as the nurse approached him from the double doors and bowed her head respectfully. "Mr. Alexander," she smiled sadly.

He stood up, the normal routine. He knew what would come next, the reassuring smile, the confidence in recovery, the awkward silence where he would see, and then the hasty departure of the nurse. So he was startled when she walked him into the white room and told him something new.

"There's been no improvement over the years Mr. Alexander," she started uncertainly as he sat down on one of the beds. Jaden shot her a confused glance and she shrank back against the wall as if she really didn't want to tell the sweet boy anything.

"And?" he prompted with only a hint of fear in his voice.

She sighed, glancing across the room at one of the heart monitors to avoid his eyes. "The condition is only worsening," she continued slowly, obviously worried about his reaction. "I think we should just... stop."

He stayed silent, the shock evident in his big chocolate eyes.

"Mr. Alexander, you've been coming here for a long time now; several years, and nothing has ever changed. Don't you think—?"

"No," he said with such a calm tone that it cut deep. He stood up to and held the door open for her, signaling her to leave. She messed with her clipboard anxiously, twisting the pen around. He had learned that she always did this when she was about to argue. "Please Mrs. Indigo. Please just give some more time."

She bit her glossy lips and her eyes squinted at him, deep in thought. He folded his hands together patiently, waiting calmly for her to finish the routine and allow him more time. She nodded, leaving the room with only a small backwards glance and a mouthed, "Goodnight," softly.

Jaden spared her one of his famous dazzling smiles and moved over to the bed next to him, drawing a chair close and sitting on it backwards so he could stare at the still figure on the bed next to him. He gave a sad grin at the man and a tear leaked down his face, the last one he would shed tonight. When he grasped his hands their pale skin almost matched. "Happy Birthday Osamu."

"What should we do?!" Syrus freaked, running around the room, half hysterical and half murderous. "He won't answer the PDA!! Should we call the police?! The Navy?! Campus security?! Our parents?!"

Hassleberry watched all of this with mild amusement before he scowled and put the PDA back down. "It's going straight to voice-mail," he commented airily. "You, know there's someone we haven't tried yet."

"Huh?" Syrus asked, pausing mid-panic. "Who?" Hassleberry moved his eyebrows suggestively and made kissy faces. Syrus' face lit up. "Oh! Alexis! She'll be able to find him! If he hears her on his voicemail he'll definitely call her back! DIAL THE NUMBER!"

Hassleberry smirked evilly as he picked up the PDA again and dialed Alexis's little machine impatiently. Sure, it was like, three in the morning, but she would probably still have it cell on. She was infamous for keeping it on in case of emergencies, especially after everything that had happened in their first two years. Strangely enough, it went to her voicemail too. The two roommates shared a look and Hassleberry asked, "You don't think they're..."

"NO YOU PERVERT!!" Syrus shouted, blushing bright red. "NIETHER OF THEM ARE LIKE THAT!! BESIDES, JADEN HASN'T TOLD HER HE'S INTERESTED YET!"

"Uh-huh, he didn't even tell us," Hassleberry added curiously as an afterthought. He tapped his fingers against the desk and then his face split into a creepy grin. "But I know how we could find out," he suggested, dialing a new number and then putting it on speaker.

Jaden jerked into consciousness when the nurse's soft hand shook his shoulder. He blinked owlishly as she put the clipboard under his eyes and stepped away, as if waiting for his reaction. "What's this?" he yawned, noticing that the first rays of sun were breaking the horizon.

"It's a consent form," she said uncomfortably. Her eyes flickered towards the door and I noticed that there was an important looking male there. His brown eyes narrowed slightly.

"What for?"

"Mr. Alexander, please don't make this more difficult that it has to be," the male said formally.

"I'll make it as damn difficult as I can," he snarled, showing a bit of his nasty side. He felt slightly out of control thanks to everything that had consumed him last night, but he needed to vent somehow, and the man was providing him a pretty good opportunity.

"Language!" the nurse gasped. He swore again, more loudly and forcefully.

"You're asking me to kill him! Of course I'm going to eff-ing swear!" Jaden announced pointedly.

I won't let it happen for real. I know he'll wake up as soon as I...

But can I really let her win to save him?

To save my friends too...

But to lose my love...

Forever...

"You don't have a choice."

He froze, every particle of his being radiating Déjà Vo. But this man was not covered in grotesque scales nor did he have slit eyes. He must have sensed Jaden's alarm, because the man elaborated. "Your parents,"—Jaden's eyes narrowed. His parents were dead—"I'm sorry, the Yukis, your adoptive parents—"

"I know who they are, thank you," he bit back coldly. The doctor seemed uneasy.

"They've already signed," the nurse continued. She watched in concern as every color drained from his face.

"W-what?" he breathed, his voice full of betrayal and sorrow. "But—no! They couldn't have! They promised me that..." He couldn't speak anymore. He had been stabbed in the back yet again. How could they do this to him? Could they do it? "I thought that only I could sign the forms! I'm the only Alexander left!"

"But they do have custody over you," the male reminded him gently. "And they think that it would be best to let him go, to end his suffering."

"They're foster parents! I haven't actually been adopted! Osamu is still my legal guardian, not those bastards!"

"Mr. Alexander, please calm down and sign the form. We can still proceed without your signature, but we thought that you might want to reconsider, take part in relieving your guardian from his pain."

"You mean 'retire' him," he snipped, not entirely sure about his choosing of words. However, they had the desired effect. After all, talk about Itex and their terms for killing their creations had been spread long ago. The doctors flinched visibly.

"Please leave the room Mr. Alexander." It was more of a demand, but he chose to ignore it. He stood, knocking his PDA off the table and at the man, and went defensively between his last living relative and the medical people. He would not let them kill his uncle; he would protect him with his life if he had to. He knew that he would get better.

... If he did his job...

The doctor caught the machine out of reflex but nearly jumped when it vibrated. His eyebrow raised, but his tossed it to the side, on another empty bed. "It's been seven years and he hasn't woken up."

Duh, of course he hasn't woken up. The Director has been in jail, the birds have been free, and I haven't come across any of them until now. Oh God, Alexis.

"He has been in a continuous coma Jaden," the nurse said. I noticed the unusual use of my first name and cringed as if slapped. It really was going to happen. They really were going to let him go.

Why?!

"We'll be forced to remove you from this room if you don't step outside Jaden," she continued softly, her fingers hovering over the security button. He stared at her blankly, wondering if the Director knew this was about to happen. Somehow, he knew she was the one causing it.

"Then do it," he dared. "He raised me when my parents were killed; he saved me from an orphanage when he fell ill!! I'm not going to pay him back by ending his life when I just have to—!" He cut himself off abruptly, taking a deep breath, and tried again. "Listen to me please. I just know that he'll wake up again soon. I can feel it. Please, another month won't hurt will it? Besides, you all get money in your pockets for taking care of him," Jaden added under his breath.

"Why are you always alone?" the male asked suddenly, disregarding his anger-fueled words. The brunette's attention snapped over to him and his chocolate eyes darkened dangerously.

"Because people keep taking my family away from me!" he snapped coldly, taking a step forward threateningly. The doctor backed away and the nurse balked skittishly.

"That's not what he meant," she whispered quietly. He rounded on her next.

"Oh?! Then enlighten me in the strange world of murderer vocabulary!!"

She flinched again at the sound of his new low and dangerous tone and watched his eyes grow even darker with anger and pain. "He meant why do you always visit alone? Doesn't anyone else know about Osamu Alexander? To them is your name even Jaden Kyle Alexander? Are you just Jaden Yuki?"

"Why do you care?" he growled, getting into a defensive position, wanting nothing more than to protect his uncle—no, his father. His guardian. The one he had let down by disobeying the Director seven years ago. The one that she had given his punishment to. The one that kept him from lashing out at her.

"Nobody will miss him then."

And with that, two large men swept into the room and lifted him up into the air, bolting him out of the white room and away from his uncle. He fought hard, his fists and feet connecting with everything in his range and his body flailing around like a fish out of water to try and slow them down. They grunted in annoyance, but showed no other signs of weakening.

Should I really try to hurt them just to get away?

Two lives for one?

...

Or one love for another?

"LET ME GO!!" Jaden hollered as he struggled, and they complied suddenly, throwing him into another room with a plastic window between him and the room that held his uncle. He threw himself against the door with all of his might, crying out when the echoes metallically against his shoulder, and then stumbled over to the plastic, feebly attempting to break it, but losing strength to as he watched what was happening.

His eyes widened as the life support equipment, one by one, were removed from his uncle. The assisted breathing, the heart-monitor, all the various needles stuck in him. No! This couldn't be real! This couldn't be happening. Desperate, he slammed against the plastic, earning him as much luck as he had with the steel door. The medics glanced at him sympathetically and then one of them picked up a needle and flicked the tip out of habit. As the deadly serum neared Osamu's skin, Jaden felt everything within him freeze over painfully, and a large wall start to surround his already torn heart. After this, he could not love. He couldn't let this happen again. He just couldn't...

"Jaden." He opened his eyes slowly, his eyes looking again at his uncle. The shot was in his skin and was injected, but his uncle was looking at him! He was alive! He was awake! Then he realized that he was dead in the next few seconds. Only then did the vague pain register in his wrist and did he know that this had all been her doing. She had made him wake up again, at the very moment that he would die, just to torment him and show him finally what happened if he dared to cross her again.

Rage suddenly filled him when his uncle's calming eyes met the startled and horror-struck expressions of the doctors surrounding him.

(Jaden's POV)

Do you know how they say that time seems to stop in moments like this? Well, to me, everything seemed to happen too quickly to understand. I don't know how I did it or why, but I barely registered as the plastic barrier shattered and I leapt into the room, landing nimbly in front of Osamu. I shoved anyone who got in my way to the ground with strength that scared me and flung myself on his chest like the small child I was when I had last seen him.

"Jaden?" he asked, awed. I sobbed into his chest, feeling the racing of his heart against mine. His eyes misted slightly and looked muddled, as if confused. "You've grown up," he said suddenly, stroking my brown hair like he had when I was a child. I felt my hands curl into fists and I was sobbing one thing over and over again.

"I'm sorry! I sorry! I'm sorry!"

"You don't need to be sorry Jaden, its over, I'm alright now. How long has it... been?" he paused, frowning when his breathing became more labored. I just plowed on with my useless apology as he became more hazy and distant. He seemed to understand now. "Jaden," he said with finality. "I'm going to leave you again, aren't I?"

"I'm sorry! I couldn't stop them! It's my fault... all my fault!" I chocked, forcing myself to look up into his misty eyes. They blurred, and I realized that tears were falling from my eyes again. He lifted his hand and brushed them away like the father he was to me.

"It's not your fault, hush Jay," he whispered faintly. "I'll tell Nathan and my little sis you said hi."

"N-No!" I managed between sobs. "Please don't go! Please don't die! I just got you back, please!" Of course, the Director didn't bother to answer my groveling. She had planned this to happen after all.

"Promise me you'll stay strong and never let go," Osamu distantly demanded. I grabbed his hand and held it to my forehead, the other stretched out to reach the alarm on the stand, although we both knew that there was nothing that could be done anymore. He stopped me with what little strength he had left and stroked my hand. "Promise me Jaden, please."

"I p-promise!" I spluttered, rivers carving down my cheeks and staining the white sheets. He smiled faintly.

"Besides, I'm glad that you're the last person I'll see. You're more of a son to me than anyone else could have ever been Jaden. I felt blessed when I could raise you. I felt like I was finally helping my sister for once, that I was protecting her for a change, and you were so sweet even though you had just witnessed..." he broke off with a strangled sound and I bit my lip to stop more tears from leaking onto his arms. "I'm just glad for the time I've had. Remember that Jaden, and cherish your time too. I'm happy that you're the last face I'll see before death."

"No! Osamu! Osamu!" I cried out, tightening my grip to make up for his lack to strength.

"No more 'big brother' huh?" he smiled softly. "I remember the day you started calling me that... copied your mother, didn't you, huh Jay? I thought for the longest time you really thought I was your older brother..."

He trailed off, distantly staring into some memory where his sister and her husband were still alive and happy, and I was just a little kid again, not a teen.

"I'll... be watching... over... you Jaden," he uttered as the serum took its toll on his system, effectively embezzling his newly regained life. He smiled at me one last time, and then, like a candle flickering in the wind, he was gone.

It was then that the white-coats snapped out of their daze, doing both heroic and pointless things as the last part of me was stolen again. I refused to drop his hand as they moved me around, refused to leave his side, refused to believe.

That smile was still on his lips, and I realized that I hadn't said goodbye.

A nurse wandered into the room and watched Jaden as he slept, holding his uncle's hand. Her eyes softened sadly, reaching out to the poor distressed boy mentally, and then starting when his PDA went off. Her beautifully manicured hand snatched it up and went to shut it off so it wouldn't disturb the poor lad. However, her eyes caught the text message before closed the gray machine.

"Jaden Yuki, get your butt back before I have to come beat you myself! (No, I'm not talking about a duel!) Alexis."

Her eyebrows arched at the message, and she looked at Jaden with new-found respect. He was going through all of this by himself, his friends didn't even know his real last name, and he hadn't snapped under the pressure. Smiling faintly, she lifted the covers from one bed and draped them over his sleeping form gently. He deserved a shoulder to lean on though, he was just a bit lost at what to do, she could tell. Living a double life was probably not easy for a seventeen year old in High School.

He stirred and she noticed the strange appearance of water on his face, and her composure cracked a bit. He was hurting. He was dying too...

She turned towards Osamu Alexander sternly and hissed, "You had better get better for this boy here, you hear me?! If you don't, I'll make sure to hunt you down in the next life and kill you myself!" With that she flounced out the door, leaving the comatose legal guardian and his legal son alone in the dark.

"Ahh!" I screamed, jerking up in panic and forcing myself to look around in the darkness. I took deep, shaking breaths, listening to the heart monitor beep. Wait, beep?! "Uncle Osamu!" I shouted probably too loudly in the early moonlight. A miracle! was my initial thought. Maybe she had just decided to show me what could happen to all of my friends and family if I crossed her, maybe she had taken pity on me (yeah right) or maybe she had died!

Alright, not the last two, but could it have been the first? Could she really bring back the dead?! I knew already that she could put this 'spell' over him because of what I had in...

My gaze flickered to my unmarked skin again angrily, and I had an epiphany. I had just been dreaming, hadn't I? But it had felt so real. Gingerly, I raised my hands up and felt my cheeks, not entirely surprised when I felt the wetness. Distractedly, I snatched up my cell and checked the date. It was the same; May 2nd, 2020. I had just fallen asleep. Thank Ra for that.

A true smile worked its way onto my face and I allowed myself to temporarily forget about the looming prospects of my future, and the chance that my dream could become a vision. He was alive. My guardian—father—was honestly and truly alive. I felt part of me thaw again as I repeated the words with a distinct sense of dizziness. He was alive.

He was alive!

My cell PDA rang suddenly and I picked it up on instinct. A single new text notice was there, and also one from Alexis. Curious, I read the new one and froze, all sense of elation fading away.

"And so am I dear Jaden. And so is she. Don't you have work to do? M.J."

It was her. Marian Janssen, the Director.

"Who're you—?" Syrus started, pawing at the PDA.

"Shh!"

Someone picked up just as it went into the voice-mail box. The sleepy voice of Atticus Rhodes came over the PDA, sounding like he had just woken up. "Hello? If this is Joanna I already told you that our date is tomorrow after I go out with Shannon. Not all singers are nocturnal you know."

"Err... this is Hassleberry and Private Trusedale," Hassleberry nervously interrupted, his hand scratching his neck sheepishly. There was a pause at the end of the line and then a loud yawn.

"Hey, just ignore everything I just said. So, why are ya callin' in the middle of the night?" Atticus yawned. They heard his feet padding over the huge capacity of his dorm and then outside.

"We need to talk to Alexis real quick," Syrus inserted before the other boy could say something pervert-related.

"Oh. Well, that's fine if ya guys have a death wish," he shrugged over the line. They heard a door open and his feet moving again. "She's pretty... angry whenever I wake her up late."

"Early bird gets the worm," Syrus mumbled, listening to Atticus' surroundings to see if he could figure out where the elder Rhode's secret way into the girl's dorm was. Everyone knew that it existed thanks to the way the fan-girl magnet always vanished from sight in the dorm and then reappeared at random times despite security at the door.

"Don't say that to her either," Atticus added tiredly. "She hates it for some reason or other... Ouch! Pharaoh, not the face!" The two roommates sweat-dropped, understanding that Atticus had probably just been jumped by their crazy campus-wandering cat. Sure enough, there was a dejected meow as the cat obviously left and Atticus grumbled about felines in general. Then they heard knocking and Atticus shouted, "Lex, two of your guy friends are a callin."

Silence.

"Don't worry it's not Chazz, Pierre, Steve, Jimmy, Carl, Drew, Marcus, or—!"

"Jeez!" Hassleberry announced loudly. "Just how many guys are after her?!"

There was a pause and Atticus answered, "At the moment? Eighteen. And half are my doing to! It's entertaining to watch the results. LEXI, WAKE UP ALREADY!!"

"Why don't you just open up the door?" Syrus wondered.

"She got a lock ever since someone snuck into her room and tried to panty raid her. And I swear I had nothing to do with that one."

"Oh," he replied awkwardly.

"Lex, would ya just get up already before I get caught in here again?!" Atticus shouted angrily at the door, obviously not wanting to be awake either. "Sorry guys, she's not opening up... I better sneak back to my dorm through my secret passageway..." He cut off abruptly, as if listening closely to something. The two boys grew very silent and fidgety. "Hang on, sounds like someone's in there," Atticus whispered mutedly. "Lex?" he asked, raising his voice.

"I'm coming, I coming," a feminine voice sounded from the other side of the line. They all breathed in relief. They heard the lock unbolt and the door open. "What is it Atticus? This better not be some crazy scheme or song idea."

"Why's your hair all crazy-like Lexi?" Atticus wondered, suddenly more alert. Hassleberry made an 'I told you so' face at Syrus, who backhanded him in response. They heard a slight sound of a scuffle and then the opening of a door, probably the one that led to Alexis's room.

"Atticus! What are you doing?!" Alexis snapped over the line, her voice sounding breathless.

"Trying to open your door to see whoever it is that's in there with you!"

A beat of silence.

"Ouch Lexi!" Atticus wailed after a particularly loud thump.

"You pervert!" she responded angrily, and they could hear her whip open her wooden door. "I left the balcony open you ditz! Now why are you here?! Are you just trying to bother me while Ms. Fontaine is asleep?! How do you keep getting in here anyway?!"

"Se-cret!" Atticus answered sleepily, handing her the PDA. "Friends want ya fur something... sleep beckons. I've got to look perfect for all of my adoring fans you know!" His footsteps faded away and Alexis closed the door.

"What do you want?" she snapped, obviously not content with our hour of calling.

"Hey Alexis," Hassleberry managed, suddenly nervous. Her voice sounded kind of breathless, and he couldn't help but wonder why. It was three in the morning for Ra's sake! "We need some help."

There was a pause. "Well?" she prompted, rubbing one of her hazel eyes.

"Umm... Serge kind of freaked out on us tonight."—he could tell she was listening now—"He came home from detention really spooked and wouldn't say anything to us at all... then he fainted."—she drew in a sharp breath—"And when he woke up a few hours later he wouldn't tell us what was wrong and just hightailed it outta here. We let him go at first, just give him some time to cool off, ya know? But he didn't come back so we started calling him. He wouldn't answer his PDA but gave us a message that said he'd be back in the morning."

"Why are you so worried?" Alexis wondered. "He isn't the type of person to lie to you guys, he'll be back."

She had them there. Syrus sighed and leaned over the PDA-gadget, "We're worried about him Alexis, trust us, if you had seen how scared he looked, you'd be worried too. I think that he may be in some kind of trouble. We're going to go out and check out his usual haunts, can you help up look too?"

"Tomorrow morning at dawn," she answered rapidly. "You guys should probably wait until the morning to look too; it isn't the smartest to be out this late without knowing where you're going. Now please hang up, I'm very tired and I don't want to have to whip you guys in a duel tomorrow for my lack of sleep."

They obliged quickly, knowing too well that Alexis would keep her promise.

NEXT UPDATE IS FOR GOLDEN EYES!

PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME IF I EVEN MILDLY GRASPED THE CONCEPT OF MERGING TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLDS INTO ONE!

AxJfan