A/N: Hey everyone! How was you're week? Good I hope. Well, as I'm sure you've all figured out this is the Prequel to Ghosts of the Past, so instead of updating this week I redirected you all to here. This story will be rather short as it will only consist of two chapters, and I hope you all enjoy. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!

PS. If you're interested I found a picture of what I more or less imagined Tucker to look like so here's the link: .com/image/bernese%20mountain%?o=93

PPS. All of this is in Russian, but that's just too many italics for my taste so I'll just use normal print. Alright?

PPPS (damn that's a lot of p's). I've added onto one of my Beyblade fics called Disenchanted. If you have the time check it out :P

This chapter's song is: Lonely Day by System of A Down.

Such a lonely day
Shouldn't exist
It's a day that I'll never miss

Such a lonely day
And it's mine
The most loneliest day of my life

And if you go, I wanna go with you
And if you die, I wanna die with you

Take your hand and walk away

Give it a listen.

Kai woke to the sounds of birds coming through his open window.

A pair of crimson eyes cracked open as a warm fall breeze blew through the room. The small boy sat up and looked down at the large dog lying on the foot of his bed.

"Tucker," he called and the dog sat up instantly alert. Kai patted the area beside him and the Bernese Mountain Dog crawled over to him. Kai buried his face in the russet coloured fur

"Morning," he whispered.

The dog licked at his hands before turning to nuzzle at his face.

"Yeah, I'm getting up." The small Russian yawned as he crawled from the bed and Tucker followed with a 'thump' as he jumped from it.

As he opened the door he could hear his mother chastising his father for leaving his wet boots on the hardwood again. He didn't get why she was complaining. Compared to back home in Russia where they tracked in snow and water almost all the time, this was nothing.

Kai wondered down the stairs rubbing his eyes as he went, and soon found himself face to face with his smiling father.

"Well look who's finally up," the man laughed before picking up his son and standing straight again.

"I was wondering if you were going to sleep the day away!"

"Come on you two," Kai's mother, Natasha called. "I'll make you breakfast."

She was a beautiful woman with long brown hair and deep crimson eyes. Kai had inherited her slight figure instead of his father's sturdy and strong set one.

"Alexander I suggest you put Kai down so he can actually eat something," Natasha grinned as Kai's father sat down with him in his lap.

"He can eat like this. Can't you son?"

Kai nodded, "I don't care."

His father gave him a dazzlingly white smile. Unlike his build, Kai had inherited his father's hair unusual hair colours and face. Tucker flopped down under the table while Kai's mother set a plate of pancakes in front of him.

The boy frowned as his father reached over with his fork and stole a large piece. The older man laughed as his son glared at him, "Don't think that will work on me kid. Compared to your mother's that's nothing but, I'd bet anything that after a few years you'll be just as scary as her!"

The woman slapped him playfully as she sat down beside her husband, "I'll show you scary. So Kai are you done your homework yet?"

Kai made a face, "Its only writing out the letters of the alphabet. At least...I think. I can't understand what my teacher's saying! I don't get why I can't go to a school where they speak Russian. It's annoying!"

Alexander ruffled his son's hair, "Don't worry, it'll get easier. I bet soon you'll be able to speak in English perfectly, it might just be a bit of a challenge."

His mother nodded, "I had a hard time at first too Kai. You'll pick it up quickly enough but if you're really having trouble, I suppose I could look into getting you a tutor. We'll give it until the new year and if you're still struggling we'll see what we can do alright? But, I doubt you will. Children learn other languages relatively easily even though it might not seem like it."

Kai nodded as he bit into a piece of pancake. His father took a sip of coffee before looking back to him, "So, what do you have planned for today?"

The boy swallowed, "I thought I'd go out in the woods with Tucker for a while. I think I saw a fox back there the other day!"

His mother made a small noise of disapproval, "I don't think you should go looking for them Kai. Those things cool be ridden with disease. If it bites Tucker or even you, you could catch something."

The small Russian frowned, "I won't get too close to it."

His mother shook her head, "I don't want you anywhere near them. If you happen to see them, that's one thing but if they feel intimidated or scared then they might attack you. Why don't you play a board game with Nana? Or help your father rake the leaves."

"Help me rake the leaves?"

Natasha smiled at her husband, "Why yes dear. They won't rake themselves now will they?"

The man grumbled, "I thought we had gardeners for that sort of thing."

The woman 'tisk'ed, "The fresh air will do you some good, and some exercise will get your heart pumping."

Kai looked up, "I'll help you Dad, I don't mind."

Alexander smiled, "That's my boy! Alright then, but what my dear will you be doing while we're out raking," he asked as he turned to his lovely wife.

The woman smiled, "Painting of course. I just can't seem to get the right shade for the back living room."

"We've noticed," Kai grumbled and his mother narrowed her eyes as she glared,

"Don't give me that Kai or else you'll be the one helping me until we get it right."

Her son rolled her eyes as he pushed away his plate and got up.

"And just where do you think you're going," Alexander asked.

"I'm going to get dressed and go outside."

"Four more bites."

"Two."

"Three."

"Deal," Kai smiled as he pull his still almost full plate towards himself and quickly ate three more pieces.

"I'll see you see you later," the boy called as he disappeared through the doorway.

Natasha sighed, "That boy just doesn't eat enough. The nutritionist said it isn't healthy, especially at his age."

"I had the same problem when I was young. He'll grow out of it just like I did if we encourage him."

His wife bit her lip, "Well I hope so."

---

Kai pulled on a sweater and jeans as Tucker waited for him by the door before running out behind the large dog. He longed to go outside and run through the forest surrounded by the fall coloured trees. Tucker would pad along beside him as always, his russet fur blending in with the tree bark and brown, dried leaves.

He quickly bounded down the stairs as the sound of the phone ringing went through the house. The boy could hear the scrape of a kitchen chair as one of his parents went to pick it up as he pulled on his shoes and slipped out the front door.

Kai stared for a moment at the leaf covered yard. They were everywhere, and he was expected to help rake them all up. The small Russian scrunched up his nose at he thought as Tucker gave a small yip of encouragement,

"Yeah I'm coming," he mumbled in response as he scratched the dog absentmindedly behind the ears.

For some reason there was a tingle of nervousness going down his spine. Like that feeling he got when waiting in the dentist's office for his appointment. It made him want to fidget and caused his fingers to shake subtly.

Tucker gave another small bark, "Alright, lets go," Kai sighed as he went off running.

--

Alexander slammed the phone down onto the table, not bothering to try and hide his rage. Natasha came into the room as she dried her hands with a dish cloth,

"It was him again wasn't it?"

Her husband nodded, "He's demanding Kai, says it's no longer up to us."

She slowly made her way over to him and wrapped a thin set of arms around his waist, "So what do we do now?"

Alexander sighed, "We could leave, I suppose maybe head up to I don't know, maybe Canada. There are places there with weather similar to Russia's and we know Kai loves the winter and Tuckers practically built for the cold. And I'm okay with it."

The woman nodded, "When can we leave?"

Her husband smiled, "Three days. I can book the flight tickets tonight. We'll close up the house and transfer all our accounts over to a bank up there. That and we'll have to set up severance pay for all of the staff. After that, we'll just disappear no one will know."

"What about visas? They're not going to just let us in."

Alexander laughed, "They're famous for welcoming everyone in need of a safe place. But, if it makes you feel better I'll speak with a friend and get some strings pulled. We'll practically be citizens when we land."

Natasha nodded, "Alright then. Three days."

---

Alexander had gone in search of his son and after about twenty minutes managed to find him and drag him out to the front yard. Although Kai had said he would assist in raking he hadn't actually meant it.

Or maybe he had, but that was before he had found an interestingly spotted frog hiding among the autumn leaves strewn across the ground. Either way, he wound up helping his father and it took them a whole of thirty minutes to rake all of the leaves into a pile, then another ten to re-gather them after Kai along with Tucker had decided to jump into the large heap.

The older man laughed as his son disappeared among the leaves and the dog dove under and through them. He couldn't help but stare as the young boy emerged covered in mud from the wet dirt covered leaves, Tucker in an even worse state.

"You're mother is going to kill me."

Kai just laughed, "I'll wash Tucker's fur with Nana once she comes over later. Mum won't care as long as he doesn't go on the couch like last time."

Alexander felt a shiver go down his spine at the mere memory. His wife could be a truly fearsome person when angered, "Come on bath time. You too Kai. It looks like you decided to roll in the dirt again," he mumbled as he grabbed his son by the arm and dragged him towards the house.

God help him if his wife saw.

---

Kai laughed as he was hit by a spray of bubbles and soap

"Tucker stay still," he cried as he tried to contain the large dog in the bath tub. If his mother saw she'd surely have a heart attack, dirty water was not easy to get off of the ceiling.

The boy continued to struggle with the large mass of fur until a voice called out, "Would you like a hand darling?"

Kai turned around to find an older woman standing in the door way, greeting him with a warm smile that sent lines across her face. Her brown and grey hair was pulled back into a loose bun while her hands were clasped in front of her.

"Nana! Yeah, he's a bit of a mess and I can't get to him to stay still," he grumbled rather frustrated.

The woman laughed as she rolled up the sleeves of her blue sweater, "Well then I'll just have to help you won't I?"

Kai nodded to his Nana as she slid down onto the ground beside him with surprising ease. As they began to lather the soap into the thick brown and gold fur Nana looked over, "So I hear you have some homework that you need help with?"

Kai nodded, "Its just printing out the alphabet. I don't really need help; it's just boring is all. Plus, I can't understand any English so I never even know if I'm doing my work right. Its not like I can read and asking doesn't help either."

"Do you know how I learned English?" The boy shook his head. "I watched English television programs. At first I put on some subtitles and then eventually I took them off and tried to learn what they were saying. After a while I started to pick it up and now I can speak it almost perfectly. Sure it was hard and yes it took a while but I got it in the end."

Kai nodded as he began rinsing Tucker off, "I guess. But I still like Russian better." His

Nana laughed, "Well so do I."

The day had gone by relatively quickly.

After washing Tucker, finishing his homework, going for a walk with his parents, and eating dinner Kai could barely keep his eyes open.

He was sitting on the couch in the entertainment room while his father was watching t.v. He could hear the older man laugh as he leaned into him and nuzzled his head into his thick sweater.

"I think its time for bed eh Kai?"

The boy shook his head, "No."

Alexander laughed quietly as he ran his fingers through his son's thick hair. He heard his wife come in and she sat down lightly beside him, "Someone's tired."

Her husband nodded, "I would so say but someone he apparently begs to differ."

Natasha chuckled, "Oh does he? Because he looks fast asleep to me."

Alexander looked down and sure enough Kai was fast asleep with a small handed fisted in his sweater. "I guess I should get him to bed," he whispered as he went to get up only to have his wife grab his arm.

"Wait. Just...just sit here for a moment," she mumbled sadly. "Everything is going to get to chaotic, let's just enjoy this moment."

Her husband nodded with a small smile as he sat down and pulled his wife and son close. If he had had it his way, he never would have let go.

Kai woke in the middle of the night to the sound of the doorbell. His curiosity getting the better of him the small Russian decided to go see who would be calling at that time of night.

The only problem came in the form of a rather large dog lying on his legs fast asleep.

"Tucker move," he ordered. No reaction. "Tucker. Move."

The dog sighed loudly as he rolled further up onto Kai's knees. "Tucker," he groaned as he pushed at the large mass of fur that was cutting off the circulation to his legs. He suddenly heard muffled yells as he continued to struggle with the dog only to have him jump off the bed at the sound of trouble.

Kai made his way quietly to the door with Tucker padding along beside him, hackles raised. With no door to block the sound Kai could easily hear his father arguing with someone.

"You will leave now!"

"Not without the boy," responded a voice the small Russian didn't recognize.

Kai made his way to the top of the stairs wondering what was going on. When he looked down into the front hall he realized it was his grandfather who had come to call. Truthfully, he didn't care much for the strict man and it was common for him to argue with his parents but it had never been about him before.

Or had it...he'd always chosen to tune out what they were saying. Sometimes they even spoke in English so he wouldn't know what they were saying. Suddenly he wished he'd paid more attention.

Tucker dashed down the stairs to Kai's mother's side, who was standing in the door way to the front room. The woman looked up to see him and quickly mouthed for him to go.

He nodded as he backed into the shadows but didn't leave. He wanted to figure out what exactly was going on, and there was no way he was going to do that back in his bed. Besides, he couldn't just leave Tucker down there.

His father was yelling again, "You have no right to take him away from us, now go!"

Grandfather simply laughed. It wasn't a normal laugh either, it was the kind that sent shivers down your spine and echoed eerily off of the walls,

"Oh my dear boy, so you really think you can stop me?! Kai is the perfect candidate for the Abbey's program. I will have him."

Alexander looked disgusted as he stood his ground, "I have an idea of what goes on in that place. What you do to all those innocent children. That institution has no right to be called anything with ties to something Holy," he spat. "You bring shame upon our family father and I will not let my son be involved in it."

Kai began to shake slightly at the sound of the hate and malice in his father's voice. Never before had he heard him speak in that tone. Grandfather smiled as he stuck a hand into his coat pocket, clearly trying to be discreet.

In all the excitement Kai's father and mother missed the small movement, but Kai didn't. Maybe if he had been a bit older, a little wiser he would have known what the old man was reaching for. Could have warned his parents.

But he wasn't. And he didn't.

The gun went off with a loud bang and for a moment only silence followed. Kai ran to the top of the stairs and began descending down them as his father slowly swayed. Drops of red began dripping onto the floor and as he neared he realized his father had been shot in the chest.

Alexander gripped at the wound as white hot agony shot through his body. He stared into the eyes of the man that had sentenced him to death. His own father. The man who had raised him and supposedly 'loved' him.

What was to become of his family now? He turned to his wife who seemed to be in shock. He smiled at her for what he knew to be the last time as the blood continued to spill onto the floor, "Nat, take Kai and go."

A few tears escaped his eyes as he looked over to his stricken son, "Kai take your mother, and get out of here."

The boy continued to stare at him, or more specifically his bloody front. His wife finally seemed to find her voice, "Al-Alexander," she whispered as his world began to spin.

"ALEXANDER," she screamed and ran forward as the ground rushed up to meet him. He hit the ground with a grunt as another wave of pain hit him.

Natasha carefully rolled her husband onto his back and began applying pressure to his wound, "Darling it'll be alright. Do you hear me?" Alexander smiled at his wife's lie as her tears splashed onto his face.

"Nat. Take Kai. Go," he forced out as blood filled his mouth and poured down his chin. Tucker whined sadly as he trotted up and sedately licked at his calmly hand.

"I love you," he whispered and how true it was. He could still remember the first time he's stared into those deep crimson eyes. She'd yelled at him for not watching where he'd been going after bumping into her in a restaurant. They'd been filled with such fierce passion and emotion. He'd fallen in love. It pained his heart to see those orbs filled with sadness. Sadness which he was the cause of.

"Don't talk like that," she admonished "You'll be fine."

He weakly reached out and weakly grabbed her hand as darkness crept into his vision, "Natasha. You need to go."

She looked horrified at the thought, "But, I can't leave you here. Not all alone."

Kai appeared by his side crying loudly, "Dad we can't go without you."

He was getting cold, Alexander noticed and his breathing came in harsh rasps that made his entire body ache, "You need to be strong now. Both of you."

He let go of his wife's hand despite the comfort her warmth and presence beside him brought and pushed her away. As death took hold, he realized what he would be missing.

He would never get to see Kai graduate and grow up. He wouldn't be able to grow old and spoil his grandchildren with his wife at his side. He would never get to meet the strong, brave man his son would surely grow up to be. But they would make it.

They just had to.

---

Kai stared as the life faded from his father's eyes, "Dad?"

He received no answer. The tears rolled down his face as he sobbed into his mother's side. She looked up to meet the eyes of his grandfather who had quietly been watching the scene unfold.

"Kai. We have to go," she commanded as she stood up.

"But- but mom—

"NOW KAI," She yelled.

The boy was dragged away from his father as he protested. Tucker charged forward towards the old man only to be kicked aside and sent flying into a wall.

"You truly believe I'll just let you take him and leave," Voltaire, no longer Grandfather laughed as he aimed the gun.

Kai's mother quickly pushed him away as the gun went off. The boy turned around at the sound only to feel something hit him into face and suddenly his mother toppled over onto him.

"Mom...mom you're squishing me," he groaned as the air was forced from his lungs.

"Mom, please get up," he wheezed as he struggled to draw in air. Voltaire cackled as he stalked forward and grabbed the woman by her long hair and threw her aside.

"MOM," Kai screamed as she collided with that wall.

It was then that he noticed the bloody marks her body had left behind. The small Russian lifted a hesitant pair of hands to his face and when he drew them away they were covered with his mother's blood.

He stared down at his now crimson covered hands and then over to the bodies of his parents. They were gone. The sight of it all made his stomach lurch.

"Oh you stupid child," Voltaire sneered down at him "Look what you've done."

Kai stared up at him, "Wha-what I've done...it was you!"

The man laughed, "I'm here for you Kai. No one else. They just happened to get in my way." Kai stared down at his hands again.

It was all his fault.

His parents were gone and Tucker was hurt. Their blood was smeared across the hall's floors so much that he almost slipped in it. They both looked so broken and it was his fault. They were dead because of him. There was a ringing in his ears as the world began to spin.

The house echoed with his screams.

---

Dear Readers,

So what did you think? I hope you enjoyed it. I'll post the next chapter relatively soon. I have the rest of Ghosts of the Past all mapped out so I figure the next chapter to this will be after chapter 13. Thanks for reading.

Yours truly,

ForeverFalling.

PS. Don't forget to review.