Author's Note- PLEASE DON'T SKIP

I'm bored out of my mind and am suffering major writer's block for my "Not Completely Alone" story. I apologize for not updating that one in so long if you also have read that one. This is a potential story, meaning I'm just posting it up so others may enjoy it and I may not continue it. If enough people like it, I might continue but that won't be the determining factor. It really depends on if I continue the spark of creativity I have for this story.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it. (Rina is pronounced Rin-na btw)

Prologue

Peregrina was born 1995 in the Colorado Mountains of the United States. Her mother held her for the first time in the small hospital room. Her head already sported quite a bit of hair and she slept, completely healthy and peaceful. But, her mother wasn't feeling nearly as peaceful. Her husband had gone missing months ago; this wasn't his first time.

Jacob Faerwald has disappeared 4 times in the span of the 6 years Haidee had been with him. Each time, he'd return safe, and mostly unharmed. However, he changed each time. Worn out, tired, sometimes even close to breaking completely. Haidee smiled softly, remembering the first occurrence, how scared she was when she woke up and he was just gone, how he returned days later and told him of his adventure. Of course, she had been skeptical but Jacob had never been a liar or crazy and eventually, after seeing all the proof, she knew he wasn't lying. She looked back fondly at the memory but frowned again as she looked at her unknowing daughter.

Because, Jacob had inherited THE family gene.

The Faerwald family were inter-world travelers, unknown to the world. Their original world was the 'Human' World but their 'special' gene caused them to randomly be ripped away and dropped into different worlds, usually to carry out a goal or help secure the future. There were no warning signs, no triggers, and no goodbyes. Just gone. Most of the time, it was only passed to just men but occasionally, a female would inherit it.

Jacob had first travelled when he was 14 years old; entering puberty. Haidee and him met in college, around age 21; 3 adventures later. When the two met, Haidee was skeptical. She had had trouble in the past with boys who chased after her and mistrusted Jacob. The muscles, the dark brown hair and eyes, the tanned skin, handsome face. He had the bad-boy looks and an arrogant, know-it-all attitude. Haidee didn't want anything to do with the supposed 'bad-boy'. Jacob, of course, became completely smittened by Haidee. After seeing gory battles, quests, and horrid things no one should have to see, she was an angel to him. Contrary to his reputation, he was quite humbled and highly intelligent. It was about 3 years before Haidee caved to his charm (and constant asking) and went on a date with him. They married 2 years later and now, 4 years later, Peregrina was born, much to the worry of the parents. They had agreed they didn't want children. Jacob hadn't wanted to curse a child with what he had to go through and Haidee didn't want her heartbroken by losing a child.

The whole concept of the gene scared her to death now that Peregrina had been born. It hadn't bothered her before because she knew that there were very rare occurrences where the men who disappeared never returned. However, women with the gene went on many journeys then, for unknown reasons, never return from one. Her daughter could be one moment playing and then POOF be in who knows were, destined to do who knows what with who knows who, and maybe, just maybe never return. The idea that Jacob could very well die on his adventures never came to her mind until now. Her husband had never been gone for so long. The longest time before now had only been a few weeks. It has now been months.

Sighing and drowning the thoughts from her mind, Haidee looked back at the small bundle in her arms.

"Oh, Rina," Haidee cooed to the sleeping girl, "What are we going to do? What are we going to do?"

As silently as she could, she cried.

And she would cry for four years.

Far away, a man laid, alone and heartbroken.

"I promised!" He yelled, to seemingly no one. "I promised to return from every journey! DON'T TAKE THAT FROM ME!" Tears poured down his face, mixing with his blood and together, they were absorbed by the ground.

"I promised," He weakly whispered. "That- I would be there for my daughter. I-I would protect her, like -gasp- like a father should. I would come... back. Please, don't... take that from me..." And, Jacob died.

"Mama?"

4 year old Rina asked, her doll clenched in her hand, tears starting to fall from her eyes. Haidee looked up from her book. She had put Rina to bed hours ago and was startled to see her in the door frame. Haidee's face now had noticeable lines, the weariness of surviving motherhood alone now reaching her eyes but she was content nevertheless. She loved her daughter more than anything.

"What's the matter, Rina?" Haidee asked, stooping down and hugging her small daughter, "Why are you crying? Are you hurt? Did you have a nightmare?"

Rina sobbed, crying in her mom's arms. Concern was building inside of Haidee, higher and higher. Nightmares often plagued her daughter's sleep but never had Rina sobbed. Screamed, sweated, muttered, but never sobbed like this.

"Rina?"

Rina looked into her mom's eyes, tears still falling quickly. "Why did they hurt him? B/c he pwomised?"

Haidee froze,"Rina, what are you talking about?"

"There was a man and he had a pwomise. But they killed him anyways. Why would someone kill someone who had a pwomise to do? Isn't that against wules?"

"Who did they kill, honey? I'm not understanding."

Rina shrugged. "I didn't know him. But... I think you do. That's why I was so sad."

Haidee wanted to throw up, bawl, cry, yell, scream, ANYTHING. But, she regulated her breathing. Rina couldn't have dreamed about him. He never came back. "Why do you think that, dear?"

Rina cocked her head to one side. She was only 4 but she wasn't stupid and easily saw that something was wrong, even if she didn't understand what. Her deep blue-green eyes studied her mom as she answered.

"Because, you have a pictuwe of him in your little book thingy."