AN: My first Holes fic, so be brutal. There's a little bit of symbolism in here, so tell me if you don't get it. I might add more chapters about the other members of D-tent.

Summary: For X-ray, the worst part about being caught breaking the law isn't Camp Green Lake. It's having to tell his little sister that she needs a new hero.

Rex climbed the many stairs up to his apartment. His mother was out, as usual. Victoria was sitting on the couch watching The Wizard of Oz.

Rex pored some cereal and ate it slowly, trying to postpone what he knew he had to do. But his contacts never lied, and they said the police were coming today, this evening. He gritted his teeth as he set his bowl on the counter.

Rex thought of something and went to the phone. He punched in a number he knew by heart. Someone picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" It was her. Good.

"Emma? I need you to come babysit. You can take the money from my shoebox, you know where it is." Victoria was watching him now.

"Okay." Emma sounded hesitant. "I'll be right there." She hung up. Rex glanced at his watch. He didn't have much time. He sighed as he went over to the couch and sat next to the small human being that looked up to him.

"Vic? I need you to turn off the T.V." Something in Rex's tone made the six-year-old listen. Dorothy asleep in the poppies blinked and went out.

Rex held back tears as he faced his little sister. The one the judge said was a good influence on him. "Victoria, am I still your hero?"

Victoria smiled up at her big brother. "You always have been." Her braided black hair nearly came down to her waist. Her chocolate brown skin matched her brother's.

"You need to find a new hero." It broke his heart to say it.

"Why?" Victoria sounded confused.

"Because I'm not a good person. I may have to go to jail. And I'm leaving tonight so they won't question Mom's parenting abilities and put you in a foster home. Do you still want to be a ballerina?" Rex bit his lip.

"Yeah."

"Make one of them your hero. I can't be." The doorbell rang. Rex got up and answered it, praying that it was just Emma.

It was. The blonde girl entered with her baby-sitting kit. "Okay, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you. Just make sure Victoria stays safe." Rex ran to his room and grabbed a blue duffle bag already packed with necessities. He went back to the living room, where Victoria and Emma were watching the movie again.

Rex went over and kneeled by the couch. "I'll miss you." He muttered as he gave his little sister a hug. Abruptly he broke away and ran out the door and down the staircase. His sneakers pounded the pavement as more then his footsteps carried him farther and farther away from home.

Fin