I don't own any of the Foster's Characters or that show in any way. (If I did then it would have to be on late-night on adult swim, and then an uncensored version on IFC)

Author's Note: "Maps" (Acoustic and Studio) by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs was the main inspiration for this story as well as many of the songs by The Birthday Massacre, mainly "Happy Birthday" and "The Night Loop".

Signals In Your Eyes

Chpt. 1 "Wishing Well Tears"

"Well here we are, the beginning of my little tale. Now that I sit down and think about it, I'am pretty sure I would have went insane had I not found Foster's and the people there-especially a certain purple somone. But enough of that now, let me tell you how this all started...hmm...it was a saturday night and it was cold and rainy outside and my parents had just finished another big fight..."

The lightning flash illuminated a darkened room where a dark-haired teenager lay on a bed near the wall. His eyes stared blankly at the cieling fan as it slowly revolved. If one listened closly, it was possible to hear the music from his headphones and his whispers in time to the vocals. At the moment, he was relaxed but his mother soon saw fit to rekindle the fight in his room upstairs.

"What the hell is wrong with you Mark! Look at all the shit you make me clean! Get up you lazy bastard, now!"

"Mom, nobody asked you to come into my room and besides, you don't clean anything in the first place!"

The fight went on in this peculiar manner for some time and soon Mark's mom began ripping things off the wall and knocked all of his knick-knacks from his dresser to the ground. Eventually his mother left and Mark was left to cry wondering what he did in the first place to have his things broken and hit several times in the face. Truth was, his mother was bipolar and his father was a coward. His whole life he had tried to make an imaginary friend for himself, but each time he tried he just wound up with a horrible headache and a broken spirit. Even so, he knew that his friend wouldn't be able to take the fights and would probably abandon him.

It didn't take long for Mark to calm down, he had gotten used to it. The boy had a great personality and it showed in how he wnt about his life. He was chubby, but could still fit into a small-sized t-shirt like the Pokemon or pinkish girly one he had in his closet. He wore eyeliner from time to time and loved to hang out with his friends and cruise about the small town.

No matter how much of a wreck his home life was, he couldn't help but be happy. There was just one thing missing in Mark's life though and he was about to find out what it was later.

Mark didn't know the exac time hae had fallen asleep but it seemed to be about 12:00. He was having an odd dream, his eyesight had was perfect, his brown hair had melted into a dark blond color and spread all over his body like fur, his jaw reset itself in a new position on his face and his teeth had gotten a bit sharper but maintained their old shape. He soon realised that he was turning into some kind of human/cat crossbreed thing. He bagan to scream ino the blackness as he stared at his paws.

"BOOM!" "Oh god what the hell!" A rumble had awoken Mark, however after a few minutes of waiting he passed it off as part of the dream. Which come to think of it, was pretty wierd, he thought. Kickin back the blue and black sheets, Mark stood up and trudged to the bathroom. Flicking on he light, he found the way to the toilet though sqiunted eyes. Reaching down he pulled down the front part of his pants to take aim. He sighed low and long as he released and then once finished, shook.

Just as he was about to find the lever on the toilet to flush, he stopped noticing something odd. "Since when have I had blond hair down there? Why is it here on my stomach too? Oh god-whyisitonmyface!" Trying not to scream Mark stared into the catseyes staring back at him from the mirror above the toilet. Slowly bringing his "paw" up he grabbed at his "mouth" and "cheeks" all the while the horrific truth dawning on him-he had become the cat from his dream.

That last thought broke Mark's nerve, sending him over the edge with a scream of terror. Quickly turning on his heels he raced out of the bathroom and down the stairs, panic settling further in as his father gaped at him from the living room. With a quick snatch he grabbed his shoes and race out into the dark, the rain providing camouflage for his escape.