What We Never Knew

Summary: I know who I am. I know when and where I was born. Yet when I moved to Detroit following a lead about another one of us I didn't know it would end like it did. We thought we were alone. For the longest time we knew we were alone. But we were wrong, we always had been wrong.

A/N: So thanks for clicking on the little link for this story. This is just something that I have been thinking about for a while. So I am going to be switching back between this and Better World just so I don't get burned out on one story.

I gawked at the ceiling. My body ached and screamed at me for doing it. I smelled and was sticky yet the only thing I could focus on were the black dots that sprinkled the space above my head. It was strange to see and they started to make patterns like the stars do. Little animals and other things looking back at me, now that was creepy. The bed I was laying on jumped with the weight of someone else sitting down. I moaned at the movement.

"Oh for the love of the Gods it wasn't that bad." The voice was smooth like silk but the tone was a rough as sand in your shorts.

"I'm just a lowly street artist, not some fitness guru, Kali!" I whined sliding off the bed to the cool wood floor and shut my brown eyes. You know that feeling when someone is watching you, yeah having that currently. I opened one eye to look up at her. Hanging over the bed was a five foot nothing woman that struck fear into her students, which currently included me. Her sharp blue eyes watched me though short amber locks daring me to whine again.

"Angela, it was only two hours. We barely…" She started drying her hair with my purple spotted green towels. Or was it a purple towel with green spots. Either way it was a hair dye accident gone horribly wrong.

"I'm weak and pathetic. After five minutes of walking I get tired." Yeah so I was exaggerating I was a gymnast years ago but had to quit and yet I kept up with training but come on. Two hours of hardcore workout and she's not even winded. So yes I am weak and pathetic compared to her.

She scoffed at me and rose from the bed. She walked away into the closet. Well partly in the closet it was only a foot deep so the door was open all the time. Kali started to pull on a dark hoodie and tight bike shorts. I watched her trying to keep a smile off my face I was pretty content with my life. "If I can't expect my girlfriend to keep up with me then how can I expect it from my clients?"

And it just turned awkward. I winced at her words. "Um…you said the 'G' word."

Turning she shot me a glare. "Oh yeah I forgot!" Shit. I pissed her off, I'm dead. I slowly pulled myself up to lean with my back against the bed and my legs sprawled out in front of me. "The person I spend time with, confide in, go on dates with, kiss, and have sex with isn't my girlfriend!"

She grabbed her bag and stepped over me walking out of the room. "Wait, Kali!" I yelled leaning forward before hearing the door slam. Dropping my head back it bounced on the bed then pulling myself to my feet, I headed towards my little bathroom. It was still warm from Kali taking a hot shower to help her muscles. I stripped out of my black sports bra and bike shorts which I swear look better on Kali then me and stepped into my stone mosaic shower stall.

It had been Kali's idea of a bonding project. She said it would bring us closer. Yeah eight hours of work with the two of us crammed in the small stall. It brought us close all right. I got a bruised rib from the closeness.

Turning on the water I leaned into the wall my forehead resting on it letting my mind wander. It's not like I'm in the closet or anything. I have no emotional connection with anyone, men or women. I don't really find myself looking towards spending time with Kali but it wards off the loneliness. Kali will mumble I love you to me now and again and I just can't say it back. If I did I would be lying. I feel nothing emotional towards her or any of my past partners, well accept one but that was before I knew. See I can't even call them lovers because it has no meaning to me. That is why being called her girlfriend bothers me. I prefer partners.

"Now I'm just justifying it." I mumbled stepping from the shower. Wrapping one of my dye splotched towels around me I walked through the bedroom to the rest of the apartment.

My apartment wasn't much. It was in the first floor of an old house that had been divided several years before I moved to Detroit. Besides the bedroom and bathroom everything else was in one large room. A brick chimney with some of the mortar half covering it sat across from the door. In front of that was a broken legged coffee table and a worn out blue couch. What can I say I slept on it for almost a year before I had enough spare money for a bed. A few posters littered the walls of bands, and movies along with my wonderful degree in art that got me to this amazing life. Bitter? Who's bitter?

I grabbed a RC cola, breakfast of champions from the fridge and leaned against the only window in the whole apartment. My view of the street was half blocked by an ancient oak tree that leaned to one side. Beyond that was an iron wrought fence around the small yard that I am convinced is older that the house and tree combined. I could see the sun light slipping down the black cracked pavement. I sighed pushing off the sill to cross the room. I deposited my drink on the dresser and the towel over the closet door.

Dressing in dark blue jeans and an orange hoodie that was ratty and paint stained I paused to pull on black combat boots and finish my soda. Crumpling the can in my hand I tossed it to the sink and grabbed a worn green half army bag that had once been my second cousin's.

Checking the contents I spotted my folding easel, paintbrush roll, and paint with pen, pencil, canvas and paper tucked tightly in the back. Grabbing my wide brim leather hat from the floor where it must have landed after Kali stormed out I left the apartment for the park.

This had been at one time the better part of the city. The houses once stood as monuments to the money and imagination of the people here. Now were deserted or condemned, forgotten by the world around them. The city board was trying to get rid of all the old buildings to upgrade to all high rise apartments and offices. Sure time and progress marches on but we can't forget where we once were and see the beauty in them. Also if they did that people like me and other street performers would not only have the street our place of business but of residence.

I've lived on the streets before and I refused to go back to it, again. Yet it did come with a several major benefits. The latest was my painting skill.

The pavement gave way to grass and I set up my spot for the day. I stood looking over the view of Sumdac tower. It was what people wanted to buy an image of the future world done in the old way. Most people snapped a picture but many wanted a painting. I never like painting what people want but I had to pay rent and put some kind of food in my stomach. It may sound weird that a practicer of old would come to Detroit, the start of the new technical revolution but I had my reasons. My stomach growled loudly, so I put my wandering mind away and got started.

After several hours and just a many small paintings an explosion echoed through the air. I looked up to see the tower smoking or dust flying I wasn't sure. I could hear sirens roaring through the air as Captain Fanzone's little yellow bug flew around back of the building, instinctively I started to pack up my stuff.

Cops and I have never seen eye to eye. Fanzone and I had already had our run in for the week so I was going to split until I heard Sumdac, yelling about his daughter. I froze on the spot. Shit kids, my only weakness. Well that and puppies but come on no one can resist that puppy begging look. To make matters worse the kid was in danger. Fuck me! I dropped my bag and shot across the plaza dogging people and emergency vehicles. I reached Isaac Sumdac and grabbed his shoulder.

"Where was she last?" I spoke quickly.

Sumdac looked at me for a seconded then responded "In the factory." I nodded and shot by the emergency workers. "Her name is Sari!" He shouted as I whipped around a corner.

"Who doesn't know your kid's name?" I mumbled vaulting over some fallen wreckage. I paused as the building rumbled again. Dust drifted down as I glanced around. "Sari!" Yelling I cup my hands over my ears to listen. Slowly I turned until I heard it, a short yell.

I took off towards it. My boots thudded in the empty wrecked halls so I had to stop again. I stayed very still and closed my eyes to listen better.

"Spark-Plug give me back my key."

I went towards the voice. The building shook again and it a piece struck the side of my face. I touched it drawing back a wet substance. Looking up I saw more coming down. I dove forward and rolled to my feet. The path back was sealed. Coming to a stop in front of a wall of rubble I pounded on the wall. It shook and wobbled. "Sari are you in there!?"

"Is someone there?" There was no fear in her voice that I could tell.

"Stay back from the wall." I pressed once more on the wall and stepped back. Taking deep breaths I focused on a single spot on the wall with my eyes shut tight. It had been so long since I had done this, used this power. I could feel the power vibrating around me, pressing forward on the wall and I dashed towards it. Flipping I connected both feet with the wall and enough of it gave that I followed my feet through. Landing in a crouch with one hand on the ground and the other behind me I opened my eyes.

A little girl looking no older than eight or nine with mocha skin and red pigtails stared at me. She was wore a yellow dress and held onto a little cybernetic dog. Strangely she didn't have a speck of dirt on her. I stood carefully brushing myself off. "You alright?" Then she exploded.

"Oh my Gosh! That was so cool! The way you burst through that wall." She yelled then began making crashing sounds as she dropped the dog to wave her arms around wildly. I grinned and glanced around as she continued to rant. There was a slightly open path leading down the hall. I extended my left hand and raised two fingers focusing my energy again. It seemed clear for a length. "Oh I'm Sari by the way." I heard as she pulled on my hoodie.

I glanced down at her. "Name's Angela. I think we can get out this way." I offered her my hand.

She stayed silent for a few moments then taking my hand she spoke. "Your eyes are glowing blue."

"Yeah I know. They do that from time to time." I said leading her down the hall with her dog a few steps behind her. I listened to the sounds around us of crumbling building and military grade weaponry firing outside. I felt her tug on my hand as we entered another room.

"This is leads to the parking garage." I nodded and took the lead again. We quickly made it down the damaged hall and out into the open only to come face to face with… I don't even know what it was but it was huge, ugly, and gross. I tightened my grip on the girl and ran.

We didn't get far as a large tentacle-like thing slammed down in front of us. Yeah I have seen enough Anime to know where with is going. Turning we sprinted off. Sari stumbled and I lost my grip on her hand. Pausing I turned to see her start to scream as a tentacle went towards her.

Did I mention I have a weakness for kids in danger? Yeah obviously my power of reason shuts down and I just react.

"Sari!" I shouted before shoving her down. The appendage swung over her and collided with me. It knocked the wind out of me as I doubled over on to it. The thing switched directions and I was flying through the air. I got a breath just in time to lose it again as my back slammed against a wall. I crumpled to the ground.

Balancing on my one hand I was gasping for air trying to sit up. It sounded like water rushing in my ears as I focused on Sari. That thing had grabbed her. "Sari." I managed softly. Then the strangest thing happened five of the vehicles sitting there changed. They transformed into robots.

A/N: So what did ya think? I think this is one of the longest chapters I have ever written. So please if I can get 4 reviews I will continue this.