Crystal Keegan is Shane's sixteen year old niece. Shane's sister and her husband had both been undercover agents for the government. Crystal has had extensive training in self defense because of her parents' job. They had died recently when a cruise they were on for vacation was sunk, while Crystal had been staying with her uncle. Aware of his new responsibility, Shane decided to bring his niece with him for his next assignment.

Start:

"Don't worry, Mrs. Plummer," Shane assured Julie Plummer," I'll make sure your kids are safe."

Julie smiled and turned to Crystal, the teenage girl who stood beside her uncle. She was an average girl with light brown hair. She wore a denim skirt, a white tank top, a denim jacket, and a pair of white shoes. Her blue eyes were inspecting the Plummer children carefully, as they stood just feet away from her and her uncle.

"I'm sure you'll get along fine with the kids, Crystal," Julie said, getting into the taxi.

After she left and everyone went inside, Crystal went up to what would be her temporary bedroom. She unpacked her stuff and then sat on her bed with an old photo album of hers. While flipping through it, a girl of about ten came to the door. Crystal looked up.

"Can I help you?"

The girl smiled.

"I'm Lulu. I was wondering…is Shane single?"

Crystal looked at Lulu surprised.

"Uhm…so far as I know."

"Thanks!"

With that, Lulu disappeared. Crystal, deciding she was hungry, got up and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The downstairs was in wild disarray. Crystal couldn't believe she'd be staying in a house like this. A boy who looked around five was standing in the fish tank throwing cheerios everywhere. Helga, the babysitter, had the youngest Plummer and was cooking in the kitchen with cheerios on her face. Lulu was playing a loud and obviously violent videogame. Shane, as seen through a window, was bullying a kid outside while Zoe, the eldest girl of the family, yelled at her uncle.

"I'm living in a mad house," Crystal muttered, picking up an apple from the fruit bowl.

Walking back upstairs, she figured that in this house, she'd pretty much be ignored. She was an intruder in the Plummer household, as was Shane. That meant she was as welcome as he was. Going towards her room, Crystal stopped at her door when she felt someone watching her. Turning her head to the left, she saw a boy her age wearing a beanie on his head staring at her.

"What? I look like some kind of freak to you?"

They boy looked slightly surprised at what she said to him, but he just glared and shut his room door.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Crystal shouted at the closed door before heading into her room.

-Next Morning:-

Crystal was woken up to loud whistles and her uncle's shouting. As she walked out of her room, she caught her uncle flipping the mattress of the boy from last night's bed. She made her way over to the room.

"Uncle Shane, that is not how you make friends," she chided, as the boy struggled to get up.

"I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to protect them."

He marched past her and went down the stairs. Crystal looked at the boy as he got out from under the overturned mattress.

"What is your uncle's freakin' problem?" he yelled at her.

"I'm sorry about him," Crystal said, softly," He-"

"Well, I'm sorry that you two are even here! We don't need him or you!"

He shoved past her and went downstairs. Crystal frowned before following him. Her uncle was telling the family how he was in charge and started giving people code names and locators to wear. Luck for her, Crystal didn't have to wear one since she wasn't part of the family. When Shane went to look for the eldest boy, who'd left, Zoe turned to her.

"Your uncle is insane."

"I know," she sighed, heading back upstairs.

When she reached the second floor, she was shocked to see that Shane had kicked down the boy's room door. When Shane stalked away back down the stairs, the boy rounded on Crystal, but she stopped him.

"Don't bother. I don't' have a say in being here or in what my uncle does. Just because of what he does, I don't need to get blamed!"

Turning her back on him, she headed towards her room.

"Wait a sec-"

"No. I don't need to hear it. I'm not staying forever so just leave me alone."

She slammed the door in his face.

-That Night:-

Crystal was sitting on the couch reading. It had been an interesting day considering that Helga had mysteriously slipped down the stairs and then quit. It had been mildly entertaining for her to watch her uncle try and get Helga to stay, but failed as the woman escaped in a taxi. She was sitting on the couch reading when she felt someone sit beside her. She scoffed when she noticed who it was.

"Can we talk?"

Looking up, she took in the boy dressed from head to two in black still wearing his beanie. She braced herself for more rudeness from him.

"About what, exactly?"

"Look, I'm sorry that so far I've been pretty mean to you without even knowing you or your name."

She looked at him curiously.

"You didn't anyone say it?"

He shook his head.

"I'm Seth, by the way," he said, extending his hand to her.

"Crystal," she said shaking it.

An awkward silence befell the two, giving Crystal the idea that Seth wasn't used to conversing with girls.

"Um, so…Seth, "she asked," What do you like to do? Are you in any sports or activities?"

He visibly stiffened.

"I'm on the wrestling team."

Crystal looked at him with wide eyes. He didn't strike her as to kind of guy who'd like that kind of thing.

"Um…that's…cool."

"What about you?"

She smiled.

"I like to read, sing, dance, and act."

It was Seth's turn to look surprised.

"That's…really cool."

Looking at her watch, she saw it was almost ten thirty.

"I'd better get to bed. I'm going to be going to your school so…"

She got up and started to go upstairs, when she tripped on one the stray toys on the ground. She yelped as she fell, only to have Seth grab her. The two looked at each other in surprise. She had landed on the couch on top of Seth. It was better than the floor, she supposed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, grinning as she blushed.

"I-I'm fine. Sorry."

Pulling herself off the teenager and the couch, she dashed towards the stairs.

"Goodnight, Crystal."

"'Night."

--

Author's Note: I hope you liked it. Plz, no flames. If you don't like it, don't comment. If you don't like it, don't torture yourself and read it. If you like it, keep reading. Though, HELPFUL tips are appreciated.