Authoress Note: To clarify, I don't exactly know Alicia or Fate's or Nanoha's ages. Anywhere from 13-15, I'd say. I'll definitely have decided by chapter 2, though, but all of them are still wearing pigtails, which tips you off about the less-than-16 age-limit…

For those of you STILL waiting for Currebat and/or Fire and Ice, I deeply apologize…I really feel the need to write new things! Thanks for being patient; I promise Fire and Ice will be updated by Friday!

"Alicia-neechan?" asked Fate Testarossa softly, knocking on the door to her sister's room. "Alicia-nee?" she opened the door, revealing a sleeping girl with long blond hair, wearing an overlarge blue T-shirt, half out of bed, one foot on the carpeted floor.

She opened one eye as her twin sister came in. "Good morning, Fate-nee," she said, smiling brightly at Fate and scrambling to her feet. "How are you?"

"Good," lied Fate. "Mother made yo—breakfast. Are you hungry?" she asked lightly, changing the subject quickly.

Alicia squinted at her twin sister for a second, then relaxed. "Can you help me find my uniform?" she asked sweetly, cocking her head to the side. Fate sighed.

"All right, all right," she said good-naturedly, pretending to be annoyed as she rifled through piles of discarded clothing for the wrinkled school uniform her sister tossed aside as soon as she got home. She held up the shirt and skirt after a minute's searching. "Here," she threw them at her sister, who had already pulled off her T-shirt.

"Thanks, Fate-nee," Alicia said, pulling on the shirt and arranging the bow carefully. Then she pulled on the skirt, smoothing the creases and grabbed two bright blue ribbons from her bedside table, putting her hair up in pigtails, the same style as her twin. "Mou…you wore the same black ribbons today," Alicia complained, half-dragging her sister down the stairs and towards the dining roo table. "What happened to the yellow ones I got you?"

"I wore these today for the first time!" protested Fate. "They're on my bedside table, you know…I mean…" she stiffened suddenly, her dark maple eyes suddenly wide with fear. Alicia gripped her arm tightly.

"What were you saying, Fate-nee?" she asked, looking at her sister with concern. She frowned. "You're shaking, what's…"

"Why are you touching my Alicia, Fate?" asked Precia Testarossa, her dark eyes glittering. She said Alicia's name like talking about an angel. Fate's name might as well been "cockroach" or "rat". Her hand was hooked on her leather belt that kept her thin jeans high on her waist, the long nails tapping the fabric as if anxious to strike.

"S-sorry, Mother," whispered Fate, slipping out of Alicia's grip and stepping away from her and bowing quickly. "I-I'm going to school now," she said quickly, practically running towards the door, her hands shaking.

"Mother," Alicia said in soft disapproval. "What did you do to Fate-nee?"

Precia turned like a theif caught by a police officer, her hands locked together, twitching uncomfortably. Then she steadied herself, drawing herself to her full height, her eyes flashing dangerously. "That is no sister of yours," she said angrily. "She is a monster. An unnatural, ugly, hideous…"

"That is enough, Mother," Alicia interrupted sharply. "Fate-nee and I are going to school now," she turned abruptly and left the room, Precia staring after her, eyes wide and pleading.

"But…your breakfast…"

Alicia stopped and turned, her eyes flickering coldly. "I will eat when Fate-nee eats," she said quietly, and turned into the hallway, not looking back at Precia's heartbroken gaze.

Fate looked up at her twin sister. "You shouldn't have done that to Mother," she whispered quietly. "Mother cares about you a lot,"

"I don't care," said Alicia hotly. "The way she looks at you…"

Fate shook her head, surprising Alicia with a small smile. "But I love Mother, no matter what she does or thinks of me. To me, Mother is still Mother,"
Alicia smiled at her. "I'm sure that she will come to love you someday,"

"Yes," Fate agreed. "Maybe someday," she held out a hand to her sister. "We're going to be late, Alicia-nee," Fate reminded her.

"Oh, right!" cried Alicia, jumping to her feet. She pointed at her shoes, which buckled themselves, then dashed outside, into the sunlight, Fate close behind her. "Hurry up!" Alicia yelled as Fate fell behind. When Fate did not speed up, Alicia turned back and grabbed her sister's hand. "Slowpoke," she whispered in her ear teasingly, then started running again, pulling Fate with her.

Fate blushed. "We'll be late," she warned her sister. "I'm slowing you down,"

"Stupid Fate-nee," Alicia laughed. "You're not slowing me down. I can go just as fast with you here as I can alone," she looked up suddenly. "Eh…we're on time!" she observed happily. "Wow, skipping breakfast does wonders for you,"

"Fate-chan!" came a loud voice, and Alicia found herself wrapped in the arms of a girl with auburn hair in short pigtails.

"Ehh…Nanoha-chan?" asked Alicia. Nanoha looked up and blushed bright red.

"S-s-sorry, Alicia-chan," Nanoha stammered, releasing Alicia and stepping back. She looked at the girl with dark ribbons in her hair with a sheepish expression. "Hi, Fate-chan,"

"Good morning, Nanoha," said Fate, walking forward to stand next to her sister. "Ah…" she cringed as Nanoha's blue eyes widened. Crap.

"Your arm!" Nanoha gasped, noticing the stiff way that Fate held herself. She grabbed Fate and rolled up her shirtsleeve. "It…" she swallowed, plainly horrified by the bruises that marked Fate's pale skin. Her eyes darkened. "Did she do this to you?" she asked, looking down at the bruises again.

"Uh…"

But it was too late. Alicia was looking at her as well, her eyes filled with horror, her mouth open. "Mother…did this to you?" she asked.

Fate shook her head. "No, of course not," she lied. "I fell on the way home from school yesterday when you were at club,"

"Liar," Alicia said, her eyes filling with tears. "You're a liar,"

"Alicia—"

Alicia turned away as Fate stretched out a hand. "How could you, Fate?" she asked.

Fate's hand dropped. "Sorry…Oneesama," she whispered sadly, and turned away. Nanoha wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked slowly into the school.

***

Hayate Yagami opened her blue eyes slowly and turned to find Fate Testarossa staring at her with large, dark eyes, a smirk playing across her lips.

"Good morning, Hayate-chan," Fate said.

"G-Good morning…Fate-chan," answered Hayate. Then she looked at the girl before her. Really looked, and sat up, frowning at the girl. "Mou, Alicia-chan, you really shouldn't do that to me!" she said angrily. But she was smiling, and Alicia laughed.

"My dear oneechan is long gone," she said, a hint of sadness in her lilting voice. "But I'm here, and clubs are over,"

"I slept a long time," commented Hayate.

"Vita-chan, Shamal-sempai and Signum-sempai are all waiting for you outside," Alicia informed her.

"Eh…I better hurry, then!" Hayate said, clambering to her feet and stumbling out of the classroom. Alicia was left alone. She crawled under one of the high desks and sat there, thinking to herself.

What is happening at home that I don't know about? What is mother doing that I don't know about…? Why did Fate lie to me? I'm so confused, I can't think…Mother loves me so much, so why doesn't she love Fate? Fate loves Mother, and…

"Oneesama,"

Alicia looked up to find Fate's solemn face staring at her, a mirror image. Fate held out a hand, and Alicia took it grudgingly, pulling herself out from under the desk and to her feet.

"Fate?" asked Alicia, looking at her twin oddly. "What's wrong? Are you…" she faltered, her voice breaking off.

"I'm fine," Fate insisted, shaking her head. Alicia was not convinced. She twisted so that she could look at her sister's face, and discovered that tears stained Fate's cheeks. Fate turned away. "I'm fine," she repeated.

Alicia wrapped her arms around her sister. "Sorry…" she whispered. "I was mad at you for lying to me,"

Fate shook her head. "It was my fault. I just…didn't want to tell you. About Mother," she answered quietly. "But…"

"She won't touch you, Fate-nee!"

Fate smiled lightly. "I know, Alicia," she whispered. "But, I can't stay. If someone finds out…Mother will not be allowed to stay with us,"

Alicia's temper flared and she stepped away from her twin, hands on her hips, glaring. "Nanoha Takamachi talked you into this, didn't she?" When Fate didn't answer, Alicia sighed. "I swear, that girl has you wrapped around her pinky finger,"

"No!" protested Fate. "Nanoha didn't…"

"Well, this sure as hell isn't your idea," growled Alicia. "I know you, and you wouldn't leave unless someone talked you into it,"

"She's right, Fate-chan,"

A steely-eyed Nanoha Takamachi came into the room, hands clenched into tight fists. "I asked Fate-chan to leave, and come stay with me," she said steadily. "I won't let her stay with that…monster," she met Alicia's glare with a cool but determined gaze, and Alicia walked up to her, truly angry now.

"Just who the hell do you think you are? This is between me and my sister, and it's really none of your business," Alicia hissed furiously, face-to-face with Nanoha now.

"Alicia-nee…Nanoha…" Fate said weakly, but neither girl paid any attention to her.

"Have you seen Fate's injuries?" Nanoha asked coldly.

"Her arm…"

Nanoha laughed—it was cold and frightening, full of carefully controlled anger. Hardly a laugh at all. "Oh, no. Fate-chan has cuts and bruises all over her body. This has been happening for weeks now," she whispered.

"And just how the hell do you know that?" asked Alicia, clenching her fists.

"Alicia-nee…" whispered Fate. "Stop…"

Nanoha ignored Fate. "Because I've seen them," she answered easily.

"Really?" asked Alicia, putting on a bored expression. "Because I'm sure that Fate doesn't take her clothes off in front of you,"

Nanoha smiled cruelly. "Then you'd be surprised at how much you don't know,"

"Alicia-nee!" cried Fate, running forward to stop her twin from slapping Nanoha across the face. "I can explain! It's just that Nanoha found out, so she asked me to show her my injuries, and I did..." she trailed off miserably at the expression on Alicia's face.

"What?" asked Alicia flatly, her dark eyes turning practically black with anger. "Injuries where?" the last word was little more than a hiss.

Nanoha answered. "Under her shirt. Not on her legs, Precia thought that would be too obvious," her voice was dead, emotionless; not the controlled anger Alicia's tone held, but more like she was trying to detatch herself from the experience altogether. "There are only lighter, less noticable injuries there. You won't see them unless you look closely,"

Alicia clenched her fists and turned to her sister, who flinched. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her eyes and voice softening as she read the fearful expression in her twin's eyes.

Fate looked down. "I…I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough, to…stop Mother…and I don't mind, really, it's not a big deal, and…"

"She could hardly walk last Tuesday," whispered Nanoha.

"Show me," ordered Alicia, ignoring Nanoha and staring at Fate.

"Here? But…"

"Show me,"

Wordlessly, Fate turned around and lifted the back of her shirt to reveal several long cuts and multiple bruises, some yellow, healing, other as fresh as maybe yesterday night. The cuts were still bleeding a little.

"Holy…" breathed Alicia as Fate dropped the fabric again, hiding the ugly sight. "What happened to you, Fate?"

"Let's just say that Precia likes leather belts," said Nanoha dryly. "But that's not really my point. The thing is, Fate can't stay there, with you and Precia. It's impossible. She'll die, honest. Precia has already made her commit crimes, and when she stopped doing them, she started beating her. Since Fate-chan refuses to turn Precia in, she has to stay somewhere else," Nanoha explained.

"And I suppose that 'somewhere else' is your house, huh?" asked Alicia, matching Nanoha's dry tone, putting one hand on her hip.

"You guessed right," said Nanoha, smirking slightly.

Alicia sighed, but held up her hands in defeat. "I give up. You win," she told Nanoha. "Fate can't stay here, I agree, but…" Fate sighed, happy that the argument was settled, but Alicia wasn't done yet. "But…if you ever touch my sister again, you will die,"

"Alicia!" cried Fate in surprise. "Nanoha's never…" she broke off and turned to Nanoha helplessly, searching for denial in those slate blue eyes.

"Yes, ma'm," said Nanoha mockingly, snapping a salute, then relaxed, her cold features breaking into a warm smile. "Come on, Alicia-chan, Fate-chan. It's time to go home,"

Fate looked at Alicia sadly. "I'll be going home with Nanoha-chan from now on," she said in a quiet little voice.

"Yeah," sighed Alicia. "What am I going to tell Mother?" she asked, leaning her head on Fate's shoulder. She felt the girl wince, and closed her eyes for a moment. "Sorry," she said, pulling away.

"It's fine," Fate said, smiling as they reached the front doors, pushing them open. "Anyway…"

"Don't," said Alicia halfheartedly. "Don't…"

Fate smiled wider as they reached the front gates into the school. "Bye, Alicia-nee," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her sister. "I'll see you tomorrow, silly," she added at Alicia's sad expression.

"Yes…" sighed Alicia. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it,"

Fate pulled away and took Nanoha's hand. "Bye!" she repeated as the two of them walked off.

Leaving Alicia Testarossa completely and utterly alone for the first time in her life since she'd been born.

Authoress Note: Wow, this actually took a really long time to make, even though it's not even that long! Man, I can't seem to write long chapters! Anyway, I wrote this while reading "Two Souls, One Destiny," so if that style sort of peeks through, I apologize.

Anyway, I promise to stick by this story for a while! Thanks for readiing, and if you would be so kind as to leave a review, I promise to reply right away!

~Lyrical Moon Ema