Summary: Tony Pickles, his family has always been hunters all of them. They are the best of the best, even his younger cousins were good. He didn't have a problem with being a hunter, he had a problem with being weak. He still hasn't mastered the art of being a hunter everyone in his family was amazing hunters besides him. It was harder for him to pick up techniques and he feels like he is a huge disappointment to his family. He feels even weaker when he is saved by a woman one night when he is attacked, a beautiful girl from another hunter family. She is strong, kind, and beautiful. He finds himself falling in love with her and getting trained by her. Can he survive her lessons? Can he finally become a strong hunter?

A Rugrats/All Grown Up Fanfic by: Jessica-Senpai

Beta by: Gabe & Juliana

Can't Escape Death (Book One)

The-Supernatural-Passageway Series

Prologue (Chpt. 1 - 00)

He left muddy footprints behind as he ran through the cold dark forest. It was past midnight and the moon was high in the sky being the only light, the stars seem to have disappeared from the sky. They weren't there like they were every night with the moon. His breathing was labored as he continued to run. It was still chasing him he just knew it. He felt like no matter how far or fast he ran it was still behind him growling ready to attack. He needed to get away.

He felt something tug on his pants, it was like a hand reached out and grabbed his pants. He stopped moving and glanced down with his honey brown eyes to find hands sticking out of the ground holding onto his pants leg. He started to kick at the hands to make them release him but the grip was too firm.

The growling from earlier was closer than before, he quickly looked around in panic. His eye roamed the entire area but he couldn't see anything. The dark felt like it was closing in on him, he still hadn't managed to get the hands off of his pants.

A snapping sound was heard from the left side of him. He turned his head in that direction only seeing trees and nothing in between the spaces. Even though he couldn't see anything he knew that something was there. Something huffed like a wolf or something and he tried moving back, but the hands caused him to fall onto his back.

He was now staring up at the moon in the sky his breathing finally calming down. The air around him growing colder as he heard steps coming closer to him until they stopped at his head. He closed his eyes feeling breath on the side of his face, his breath hitched in his throat. Any minutes this creature was going to rip him apart and eat him alive

He jumped at the sound of a yelp and felt something warm on his face. His eyes snapped open, it was blood running down on his face. The creature's head was hovering over his face with an arrow through it's head. He watched as the creature's lifeless body fell over and just stared at it. Who killed the creature?

"Stand up".

It was female's voice, he had just been saved by a woman. He was truly a weak person, he had been saved by a woman. He pushed half his body up with his arms and stared over at the stranger. She stood in front of him her pink hair flowing down her back reaching her knees, her ocean blue eyes staring intensely at him. Her beautiful olive skin seems to be shining in the moonlight.

"I said stand up," she said.

He stood up from the ground and dusted himself off. He was sure he was a goner, if she didn't show up he would have been dead. She didn't look familiar she probably wasn't from around her. The town he lived in a was small only have a population of a thousand. Everyone knew everyone around here. She has to be a traveler he would have remembered a beautiful face.

"What is your name?" she asked him.

He cleared his throat and stopped staring at her. "My name is Tony, what is your name?".

"Tony huh?" she walks over towards the creature and removed the arrow from it's head. "My name is Ashley Thatcher, the one who has saved you from this creature," she picks her arrow away and turns towards him.

Tony growled at the mention of being saved. "I could have taken him on by myself," he lied, he couldn't have done anything to that creature. It would have killed him if she didn't show up.

The girl named Ashley laughed softly and nodded her head, "of course you clearly had the upper hand in that situation I am sorry that I had stepped in, I should have allowed you to handle it".

She was mocking him and he hated to be mocked. How can a girl that showed up out of nowhere save him? He just wanted to run off and hide away from the shame if his family knew about this he was going to be made fun of. He turned on his heel and walked away from the girl. He could hear footsteps behind him. Was she following him?

He stopped walking and looked back at the girl, she was standing a few feet behind him. "Why are you following me?".

"It is that way into town is it not?" she asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

Tony sighs softly, she had to go into town. That meant she was staying for awhile. The walk towards the town was miles away and they both walked side by side in complete silent.

As they walked he couldn't help but steal glances at her, she was a very beautiful girl. He wondered where she had come from, it had to be somewhere far because this town was miles and miles away from any other town. The town was hard to find and was hidden away pretty good, they had a visitor at least once every two or three years.

"How did you find this town?" he asked.

"I have been looking for this town for about three months, it is pretty well hidden but I had found someone from this town and they told me how to get here, the leaders of this town had done an amazing job hiding it," she pulls out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. "They drew this map for me and that's how I got here in time to save you".

He glared intensely at her and snatched the piece of paper from her hand. He pulled open the map and study it well, the person who made this map probably lived here for a long time because it was well detailed. Who was someone that left the town recently? He couldn't remember.

He ripped up the map and set it on fire until it turned into dust. He could have this getting out to anyone else, they didn't need any more people coming to find this place.

They had finally reached the road, the path from the forest was widen the close they got to the road. They weren't many cars out due to it being around one or two in the morning. He looks over at Ashley who was now chewing gum and texting on her phone.

"Bye," he said walking ahead of her on the road. He needed to get home before his mother noticed that he is missing.

He only lived with his mother after the death of his father. It was hard on him but even hard on his mother, after that he had to become the man of the house and take care of her. He once had a stepfather five years after his father's death but he tried to hit his mother and he beat his ass kicking him out and telling him if he ever since him again he was going to kill him and they never heard from him again. And it was just him and his mother again.

"Wait," she shouted and grabbed his arm. "I need a place to stay for the night".

Tony stopped when she grabbed him and looked over his shoulder, "and I should care why?".

"Um, because I saved your life and it's the least you could do," she said with a sweet smile.

He felt his heart pound in his chest at the sight of her smile. It was sickly sweet, it reminded him of innocents. He pulled his arm away from her hold and sighed. "Fine, but only for the night and don't make any noise my mother is sleeping and she can't know I was out this late".

"Why was you out this late?" she asked curious.

He glared at her, "none of your business now come on". He grabbed her wrist and started walking down the road.

His house wasn't far from the forest just around the corner, he was happy the forest was close to his house. It was somewhere that he loved to visit all the time. When he needed to be alone he would always go to the forest down to the river and sit along the rocks. When they reached the house he brought her in through the back door, he led her up towards his room and walked inside after her closing and locking his door behind them.

"Don't make any noise," he walks over towards his bathroom that was connected to his room and went to the closet grabbed a blanket and a pillow for her to sleep on. He walked back out the room and tossed the blanket and pillow at her face. "I'm going to sleep don't ask for anything I mean it," he said removing his shirt and climbing into bed underneath his sheets.

.

.

.

The next morning Tony had woken up to the sound of knocking on his door.

"Tony, your cousin Tommy is here to see you wake up," his mother said knocking on the door.

"I'm up, stop knocking mom," he said rubbing his eyes. He stretch his arms over his head and stepped off the bed. He couldn't help but wonder what Tommy wanted, it was strange for him to come around.

The girl from last night wasn't in his room anymore she probably left before he woke up and he was happy about that. He scratched his chin and walks over towards his door unlocking it allowing his cousin to come into his room. He was so tired he just wanted to go back to sleep.

The thought of sleep was comforting.

"What do you want Tommy?" he asked moving over to the closet to get himself a shirt.

He was already up so he might as well get dressed. No matter how much he would love to go to sleep, with Tommy being here he knew he wanted to do something. He could never catch a break when it came to his younger cousin Tommy. He takes a random shirt off the hanger and puts it on.

"Good morning to you too Tony," Tommy said with a slight frown. "What time did you go to sleep last night?".

"I don't remember," he said rubbing the back of his head. It was true he doesn't remember the time he fell asleep, but he did know that it some time after midnight. "I repeat what do you want?".

Tommy sighs softly and takes out his phone. "I got a mission report, it seems like someone important has came into town and we have to bring her to the leaders headquarters".

Her? Could it have been the girl from last night that saved his life? He closed his closet door and sat down at the chair near his desk. He turned it towards the computer and turned it on.

"What does this have to do with me?" he asked.

"Because it was reported last night that you were seen walking with a girl, a girl that fit the description of the girl we need to find," Tommy said standing up and walking over towards his cousin grabbing the back of the chair turning it around. "What was you doing out late last night? You know the rules Tony and if you help me find the girl I won't tell your mom that you've been sneaking out the house".

Damnit, Tommy has gotten good a blackingmailing him. He should have been careful last night. He should've known that people were going to rat him out. It was too bad he didn't know where she went.

"Why do you have dry blood on your face?" Tommy asked.

Tony furrowed his eyebrows and stand up racing towards the bathroom. He looked into the mirror and the blood from the creature was dried up on his face. He was so stupid how could he forget to wash his face. He turned on his water and started to wash his face.

Tommy leaned against the doorframe and stared at him, "what happened last night?".

"Nothing happened and the girl you are looking for stayed the night but left before I woke up," he said scrubbing his face to make sure the dry blood got off. He was so tired last night he just went to bed forgetting about washing his face. If his mother would have since him she would have flipped.

"Come on, i'll buy you breakfast at the diner before we look for her," Tommy said lightly hitting his shoulder and walking out the room.

Tony stopped washing his face and looked in the mirror. "Oh great, a whole day spent with Tommy looking for that annoying girl from last night, at least I'm getting breakfast out of this".

It was around nine in the morning when Tony and Tommy made it to the diner. It was pretty far away from his house since it was more into town.. 'Aunt Pam's diner' was the most popular diner around with the best food no matter what time of the day. They always went there during breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner. 'Aunt Pam's diner' was run by a sweet old lady named Paula, the diner has been in her family for many generations and was going to be passed down to Philip since she didn't have any family members and Phil worked there part time to help and was close to her.

They two boys walked into the diner and sat at the counter.

"Welcome boys, what can I get you two fellas today?" Miss Paula asked cleaning out a cup.

"I would love a cup of black coffee and a stack of banana pancakes," Tommy ordered.

Tony rolled his eyes. "I'd love some eggs and bacon with a glass of orange juice," he ordered.

Miss Paula smiles at him, "coming right up sweet hearts".

While they waited for their food Tommy pulled out his phone again and started texting away. He was probably texting that girlfriend of his Racheal, they have been dating for awhile and everyone around time knew it. Tony has predicted it before it even happened.

He knew that Tommy had the biggest crush on Rachel. She was the daughter of the sheriff and one of them goody-two shoes. She was the perfect girl from Tommy, them were the type of girls that he hated. He was kind of a troublemaker and her dad was always on his case, he was sure Rachel was snitching on him.

Everything he did that girl was running her mouth about him, if she wasn't dating Tommy has would have gotten his cousin Angelica to handle her.

"So are you going to tell me what happened last night?" Tommy asked putting his phone away.

"Nah," Tony replied.

Tommy sighs and puts his hand on his shoulder. "It had to be pretty bad you had blood on your face Tony".

He shrugged his hand off his shoulder and stared at him. "Are you going to keep bugging me until I tell you?".

Tommy nodded his head with a frown.

"Fine, last night I left the house after my mother was sleeping to go do some training. I was doing fine until a creature came out of nowhere and started to attack me, I started running and that damn thing used it's powers and them damn hands came out the ground grabbing me and making me trip. I thought I was a goner until some girl came, the girl Ashley the one we are looking for, and shot it in the head with an arrow and that's how it's blood got on my face".

"Wow," Tommy said.

Tony looked down at the counter, "I'm not proud of being saved by a fucking girl".

"There is nothing wrong with being saved by a girl, Rachel saved my ass plenty of times," Tommy said trying to cheer him up. "Hey, at least you aren't dead right?".

Miss Paula came back with the pancakes and coffee setting it down in front of Tommy and walked back to get Tony's food.

"I wish I was," he whispered.

"Alright enjoy your food sweethearts," Miss Paula said putting Tony's food and drink in front of him walking off.

He looked at his food and started to eat. He hated that he was weak and a girl has to save his life. It was like he could do anything right, what is the point of training if he couldn't defend himself? He was starting to make himself depressed again. He started to eat his eggs.

The girl, he did wonder where she went off to. She didn't know her way around and he could have been her guide for a day. He could help but wonder if she got something to eat. He shook his head he shouldn't been worried about her. He shouldn't even be thinking about this girl.

"Welcome sweetheart, are you new in town?" Miss Paula asked.

"Yeah I just got here last night".

It was her voice, Tony's head snapped open and he looked to the left. She was sitting there a few seats away from him. Her hair now tied in a ponytail and she was dressed in his clothes. A black shirt a little too big for her and some of his old jeans that he forgot to throw out from three years ago.

She grabbed the menu off the counter and started to look through it.

"Ashley," he called out her name.

She put down the menu and looked over at him with a sweet smile. "Tony, I left without waking you because I thought you need some extra sleep and then when I left I got lost it took me awhile to find this place," she said standing up and sitting next to him. "Who is your friend?".

He tilted his head towards Tommy, "this is my little cousin Tommy".

"Nice to meet you Tommy, I'm Ashley Thatcher," she said holding out her hand towards him.

Tommy put his cup down and shook her hand. "I know who you are, I have been sent to bring you to the leaders headquarters, if they knew that you got here yesterday they would have sent someone to get you, I'm sorry for the trouble of you having to save Tony and sleeping at his house".

Tony glared at his little cousin.

"Awe, don't worry about it I'm happy I ran into Tony he is great company," she said waving her head. "What's good here I'm hungry".

"I really like the pancakes here," Tommy said.

"But the Pancakes aren't the best on the menu, you should try the french toast," Tony said shrugging his shoulders.

Ashley slowly nods her head looking through the menu, "I love french toast and pancakes, it's hard to pick between the two". She shrugs her shoulder and smiles, "I'll just get both".

Everytime she smiles Tony couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked. They both shared the love for french toast, that was his favorite but he had that twice yesterday and the day before he had to eat something different today. He watched her talk to Miss Paula and order the food. He wondered how long she would be staying in town.

"How long do you plan on staying in town?" Tommy asked.

Tony secretly glares at him. 'Damn you Tommy I wanted to ask her'.

Ashley looks over at him and shrugs, "I have no idea it depends on the mission that I receive if I'm being honest, but I just go here and I don't want leave any time soon, so I'm thinking about staying for a year or two".

"A year or two? Wouldn't your parents miss you?" Tony asked.

"Nope, they like it when I visit different places and stay for awhile. I wouldn't have to worry about school since i've been homeschooled my whole life and I finished earlier than other kids," She said smiling down at the two plates placed down in front of her. "Do you guys go to school still?".

"Just like you I was home schooled, up until the eleventh grade. I'm a senior this year and Tommy is a junior," Tony answer with a small smirk.

He had his reason for being home schooled ones that he does not wish to share at the moment. It was hard to enter public school after so many years at home. He didn't make many friends and was happy to be finally leaving high school this year. However, his cousins Timmy-Ray, Tammy-Faye, and Emmet said they were going to drag him to all the school dances and sports games. He would rather rot in his bedroom then do any of that.

"That means we are the same age Tony, I would have been a senior this year too," she winks at him and started to eat her food.

Tony was starting to like her already, she could be like his partner in crime. She seemed just like his type.