XXXXDan's POV
Dan stared out the lawyer's window. It had been a year already. Shaking his head he tried to grasp that he hadn't seen Amy in one whole year, his heart winced in pain as it had too often that year. The year had passed so much slower than he thought possible; his life had slowed down after that had happened. Night after night the nightmare had flooded his dreams. Amy had gone to buy food while Nellie and he had rested on a park bench when the cops surrounded them. With no chance to escape they let the cops take them; Dan had been relieved that Amy wasn't there at the moment. Only later when Aunt Beatrice had walked into the cell he and Nellie occupied did he start to realize what happened. Waves of shock went through him as Nellie was taken and charged with "kidnapping" him and Amy. Fake tears had streamed down his pathetic aunt's face when she had seen Amy wasn't there. The words that the judge had said were engrave into his mind still. "One year at a correctional facility". During the first part of the sentence he believed that Amy would find a way to rescue him, or send him a message. As the months had worn on he gradually ran out of hope. Now a year later he was once again going into his aunt's custody.
"Well, Daniel, there seems to be," the lawyer cleared his throat, "a change in you guardian plans. A relative of yours is here." He motioned to a person in the hall. Dan was immediately on alert, as the person approached he realized with dread it was a women. Please, please don't be a Kobra, he silently pleaded with himself. The women took off her deep brown sunglass, Dan wasn't sure to be relived it wasn't who he thought it was or worried about the unknown face. Her green eyes stared at him; something was unnatural about them, as if they weren't quite green.
"Hello, Dan, I am your new guardian." The lawyer motioned them out of his room, glad to be rid of him finally. Putting her shades on the quickly brought him to a black, sleek car.
XXXXAmy's POV
Nellie sat slouched on a black leather couch, I could hear the music blasting from where I sat behind a maple desk. It had been a loteasier than I had first inspected, with my recourses. Sarah was probably brining Dan here and this very moment. My heart ached thinking of him near, of seeing his face again. No, I thought he couldn't know I was here, not yet; I could help him so much more while he didn't know I was here. Nellie walked over grinning.
"Dan is going to be so glad to see you." I chuckled sadly.
"You can't tell him I'm here." I winced as Nellie's voice went up a couple octaves.
"Did I hear you right? You aren't going to tell your own brother you are here!" I shook my head. She sat down in the chair nest to the desk, "you are serious aren't you." I sighed and nodded. "Ok, but I refuse to let him know you aren't helping him." I shrugged that wouldn't hurt. I quickly answered my phone as it rang.
"You are outside? Yes, thank you." I hung up, smiling grimly how much I had changed in one year, I didn't even stutter anymore. "I'll be leaving then; Dan will be in here in a couple minutes." Before she could respond I was out the door.
XXXXDan's POV
The women drove through alleyways; Dan had a sinking suspicion that they were being followed. After a while they finally pulled out to a worn out old building, a dirty sign hung out side, black paint it read, "Dark Butterfly." He glanced around hastily before she shoved him gently into the building. To his annoyance the women who had abducted him didn't talk the whole ride to this old place; he couldn't guess who was possible behind all of it. Then he saw Nellie, the next second she was hugging him sobbing into his shoulder, to his disgust he found tears on his own face. Abruptly she pulled away.
"I'm glad you are alright." She grinned, wiping her eyes dry. Only know that he really looked at her did he see what jail had done to her. Her eyes seemed older than the fun loving Nellie he had known before; her black hair was cropped short, mandatory he guessed at the prison.
"How?" Dan asked, simply, his mind was working in over time trying to figure out how this was possible. How he was looking at his Au pair.
Sadly she looked at him, "I can't explain everything, but Amy did it." All Dan could do was stare at her wide-eyed. "She arranged for me to get out of jail and for Sarah," she nodded to the women, "to pose as your relative."
Sarah cut in, "I owed her. Now I'll be leaving." Dan glanced at her only for a moment before returning his full attention to Nellie.
"For reasons I can't say, Amy can't see you, or meet you." She continued catching the look on his face, "No matter how much she wants too. With that cleared up, are you ready to start the hunt again?"
"No..Yes. I mean I need to think." His brain hurt, Amy had rescued him, but couldn't see him? His heart wasn't sure if it was supposed to be elated that Amy hadn't abandoned him and wasn't dead, or mad that she hadn't done anything till now.
XXXXAmy's POV
Angrily Amy wiped her eyes, she wouldn't cry, but just the sound of her voice shook her to the core. The only reason she was able to survive was the knowledge that he was waiting for her. She leaned against the black oak door that lead into the "Dark Butterfly," listening to Nellie explain what had happened. Although Nellie had told Dan a little about her she was kind of glad, at least Dan would know that she cared. It took all the self restraint she had gotten in the past year to not break down the door, even though she knew full well she could. "Just wait Dan, I willsee you soon." For now she would be his quiet guardian, protecting him from all those that opposed him, until it was no longer better for her to do so. Until then he had to wait.
Later after Amy was sure Dan was dreaming peacefully she tiptoed into his room. He had grown, she noted smiling. Sitting carefully she watched him sleep, it had been so long. In truth when she was little and upset she often found herself in Dan's room, watching him sleep. He was the last of their family, and Amy swore that she would not lose him too, not now that she could protect him. A gentle, lonely smile crossed her face as he sighed turning in his sleep.
XXXXDan's POV
Dan awoke, startled. His eyes quickly searched his room for the disturbance, but found none. Something nagged at the back of his mind, like this had happened before, after a while he gave up. Checking the room carefully, he curled up and went to sleep.
"Wake up sleepy head!" Nellie yelled pounding on his door, "We are off to _(I couldn't decide on a place)! That's where the next clue is supposed to be!" Looking around the small room he found himself in disbelief, how could he be safe, away from his awful aunt? Hunger soon diverted his thoughts to the smell coming outside his door. Nellie shoved him a plat of pancakes, "Hurry we need to leave in," she checked the clock, "ten minutes," she looked at him grinning, "This time I didn't have to buy them." Amy,thought, just her name made his heart hurt. The on going battle at whether to be made at her still raged inside of him. Soon he found himself, first-class on his way to _.
XXXX Amy's POV (sorry I change so often)
Amy smiled, watching people's jaws drop. Only a year ago she would have hated all the attention she was getting now. Her black high heeled boots covered her skinny jeans up to her knees, they were complemented with a deep purple top, and she looked good. That was the point. After checking the airport she was positive no one had followed Dan, now she walked aimlessly around looking for nothing in particular. Then she heard a voice that stopped her in her tracks.
"I know that watching all the airport cameras would work." He chuckled, "Not that we watched them, those Ekrats are good for something after all." Ian laughed at his joke, to her enjoyment she noticed that when she looked at him she felt nothing, but anger. Putting on her sunglasses, she knew it was stupid, she purposely bumped into him. "Watch i-…"he trailed off when he saw who it was, not that he recognized her, Amy was sure. He quickly flashed his smile, the one that use to make her smelt, not today she grinned.
"Watch where you walk, twit." She said snobby, in a perfect British accent, she glared at him. Although he kept his face composed she saw the anger flash in his eyes.
"Do you know who I am?" he spoke, in a cold clipped voice.
"No I don't believe I know any twits," she said, making her voice sound bored, next to him Natalie sniggered.
"Does Kobra, mean anything to you?" he grinned as he saw realization strike her face.
"You are the snake charmer? I thought you would be old and scarred!" her face showed amazement, if she hadn't been wearing dark sun glasses maybe he would have notice the suppressed laughter there.
His face turned red, "No, the rich, handsome, Kobra, Ian." She couldn't hold in her laughter in any longer.
"I'm afraid I don't see a handsome male anywhere." Natalie laughed outright, earning a scowl from Ian. "Good day…" she trailed off, "Oh and Dan is off limits." She said quietly so only Ian would here, as she walked away.
"WHAT!" Ian's voice carried over the mummer of the crowd, but Amy was already long gone. Well, she thought, that should distract him long enough. In the shadows Amy watched as Nellie ushered Dan into a beat up old car. She could have gotten them a nicer car to drive, but that one was less conspicuous.
XXXX Dan's POV
Dan grinned as he walked through rows of clothes, he couldn't remember the last time he had gotten new clothes. Ew, I'm acting like a girl. Still it was good to have new shoes, and pants that were the right length. Nellie hadn't mentioned where the money had came from to buy their clothes, but in the back of his mind he already knew. Amy. Then a thought occurred to him, what if Amy had become a ninja! As soon as it came into his head he quickly dismissed it. Amy hated fighting, let alone knew how to fight. Something nagged at the back of his mind, A year is a long time, long enough to change. His train of thought was interrupted by Nellie, running towards him, arms filled with tons of designer bags filled with who knows what.
"Hello Dan," it took all Dan's self control not to turn around and punch that guy.
"Hello Ian," Dan was surprised at the harshness that filled his voice, not that he didn't want it harsh. For all he cared Ian Kobra could go fall in a pit and die.
"Lets be civil, shall we, and go into the alley way? You don't want to get," he motioned to the crowd around the market, "innocent people to get hurt. Like your poor sister, Amy." Dan grinned at that last comment, so the Kobras thought she was dead? Well, it was fine if it stayed that way. All that mattered was that Dan knew that Amy hadn't left him, ever.
"Since when have you ever been civil?" he sneered, his eyes searching for Nellie frantically.
"Don't worry your babysitter will be here soon."
"It's Au Pair, to you." Grudgingly Dan followed Ian into the alley.
XXXX Amy's POV
Amy walked slowly, a good block away from where Dan and Nellie were searching through stores.
"Hey, sweet thing." A man grinned, slowing down to walk in step with her. Ignoring him she surveyed the crowed, no doubt the Kobras would appear soon. The man smiled undaunted, "How much you want?" he wrapped his arm around her.
A gruff familiar voice answered for her, "She ain't for sale, get lost." The man who had been hitting on her turned at her friend in anger, until the flirtatious man good a look at her friend.
"S..sorry d…d..didn't know she was taken." The stranger took off quickly.
"Thanks Hamilton." She said gratefully, not taking her eyes off of where Dan and Nellie were. A flash of movement caught her eye, she hissed under her breath. Kobras.
"Go and kick Ian's butt, he deserves it for breaking your heart." Hamilton slapped her shoulder as she took off running.
XXXX Dan's POV
"Nighty night." He heard the voice of Natalie murmur. He groaned bracing himself for the prick of the poisoned dart. To his surprise he heard a clank and Natalie gasp. Opening his eyes cautiously his mouth gapped. The dart was stuck in the wall…with none other than a ninja star. "What was that!" Natalie whimpered, looking at Ian for an answer.
"Show yourself!" He yelled, looking at the spot behind Dan. When the person emerged, his heart stopped, then started in over drive when the person spoke.
XXXX Amy's POV
"I w..w..warned you." She stepped out of the shadows, her black hoodie covering most of her face. The stuttering wasn't necessary, but she wanted him to know who was toying with him. Not a stranger, but the girl whose heart he broke.
"Amy!" his jaw dropped before he could recover, "Hello love, you look…"
"Different?" she prodded, stepping closer to him.
"No…beautiful," he reached his arm out to touch her face. The next second he was on the ground, pressing her foot onto his chest she grinned.
"H..how?" he exclaimed, struggling desperately, in her vice grip. Then realizing he couldn't escape, he looked pleading to her. The expression once would have broken her heart, but now she felt nothing. Not towards him, he lost the right for her feelings long ago.
"I have changed, a lot. None of my feelings for you exist anymore. I warned you not to mess with my brother; I guess you didn't think I was serious." A movement behind her caught her attention; she spun around, acting on a year of brutal training that had been beaten into her, until they were instinct. A perfectly executed roundhouse promptly slammed into Natalie's unsuspecting face, knocking her posed blow gun out of reached. She went down, not making one sound. "I told you, I've changed. See the stuttering is only for show. Look, I don't have the patient to deal with you, but there is one person who wants to settle a score with you." A bulky shadow approached from the street. "Isn't that right Hamilton?"
XXXXHamilton's POV
"You got that right," Hamilton approached grinning. Glancing at Amy he motioned her to go as she debated to leave or not. "Go you have a lot of explaining to do," he motioned to Dan who had mixed emotions crossing his face. She looked at him once more the reluctantly left with Dan and Nellie.
XXXX Dan's POV
"Amy." Dan stated simply, not sure what question to ask first. Neither of them had talked on the way to the hotel even though a thousand questions were swarming through his head. Amy wrapped him in her arms, to his embarrassment, tears streamed down his face.
"Shh..I'll explain everything."
Letting him go she sat on one of the twin beds that were in the hotel. "When I came back and found out what happened I knew I couldn't help if I was captured to so I went out." She paused sighing, "I found work and went to classes, tae-kwon-do, jujitsu, and karate, soon I excelled at all of those," she glanced at him smugly, "I have a black belt in all of those." Dan's stomach fell, Amy had changed so much. "It was the only way I could think of getting you out, soon I made friends in high places. Certain people owed me favors, so I used some strings and to my surprise it wasn't that hard. Any way that's the long story short." His head hurt, from lack of sleep or over thinking he wasn't sure.
"What about Hamilton?" he asked cautiously, wondering who else she was allied with.
Laughing she continued, "He is a friend, helping me out of some ruff spots," catching his look she continued hurriedly, "I trust him, I can't explain it, but he is a big reason I am still alive. A couple months after you were…abducted he left his family. Not the race for the 39 clues, but he isn't living with his family anymore."
XXXXHamilton's POV
Turning back to Ian he didn't hide his anger, "You broke the promise!"
"Yes, yes. So what? It's not like I meant it when I said I would stay away from Amy, if you did." Ian continued to look at him bored, but Hamilton saw the flicker of fear in his eyes.
"Neither of us was supposed to get close to her." His voice was gruff with emotion, which he didn't like.
"Come on Hammy," Ian rolled his eyes, "We made that promise years ago." His grip on Ian's shirt tightened as he remembered the first time he met Amy, it had been pleasant except that Ian had been there.
"This is your cousin Amy," his parents had left him at his grandma's house, solame. That's when he saw her. A little red headed girl, around his age, peaked around Grace's leg shyly. Her eyes made him dumbfounded, they were the prettiest green. "Say hi Amy," Grace prompted
Then a cute blush crept up her face, "H..hi." her voice was so soft he had to strain to hear.
"Hello, I am Ian," Hamilton glared at Ian, and then he realized he stood no chance. Already big for his age he was sure to be scary to something as small as her, for the first time Hamilton hated his strength. Ian was, Hamilton admitted, the object of every girl's fantasy while he was the nightmare. Timidly the girl approached.
"W.w..what is your n..name?" Hamilton smiled at her cute stutter.
"Hamilton," he replied quickly, slouching, trying to look smaller. She smiled. A warm feeling spread through him.
Grabbing his hand she said, "Lets play," she tugged him gently after her, "You can too Ian." She called over her shoulder. Later that day Hamilton got more and more anxious as he saw the glances Ian was giving her. Although they were both seven, Ian was a known player, Hamilton worried for the frail girl who stole his heart. Taking Ian aside Hamilton warned him, "Stay away from Amy."
Ian looked at him for a moment, "Ok, but you can't have her either." That was the day they swore never to get closer to her.
"Don't be mad she fell for me and not you Hammy." Ian mocked him, Hamilton wasn't upset, and he grinned to Ian's confusion.
Chuckling he asked, "Do you know where Amy has been all year, because I do." Ian's eyebrows knitted together before he blacked out from Hamilton's punch. Walking out of the alley way he made his way to the hotel where Amy was staying and probably explaining what happened.
XXXXAmy's POV
Amy gently ran her fingers through Dan's hair as he slept, her mind drifting to the past. As she drifted off to sleep she remembered his gruff voice.
"What are you crying for?" his voice spoke from the shadows of the alley to her left. Lifting your face from her knees she wiped her eyes.
"N. one is w. to teach me to fight," her voice shook as she stood facing the unknown figure.
"Crying like that its no wonder," his black hair fell into his face, "You need to be tough to learn to fight."
"I to learn.n fight and to stop s. stuttering," she looked him in the eyes, warily trying to guess if he was trustworthy, not like she had a choice.
"I'll tell you what, if you never cry again, I will teach you."Later that year she had mastered all that he had to teach him.
"You have learned everything I have to offer you." Slapping her on the back, "Dark Butterfly, you don't need me to teach you anymore. You have made your own allies. It is time, go into the world I have trained you for." Never again had she seen him, it had almost been half a year since she left. Stretching she awoke, the sun still low in the sky. Rolling over she yelled, "HAMLITON! GET OUT OF MY BED," he awoke with a start falling off the bed.
Rubbing his head he groaned jokingly, "You sure know how to wake a fella up." Glaring at him she snarled, "And you sure know how to make a girl mad." Brushing off her anger he chuckled. "Who said you could sleep in my bed!"
XXXXDan's POV
This place was nice, they had stayed in countless hotels while on the hunt for the clues, but this was the Ritz. Walking over to Nellie, with his plate full of breakfast, he asked, "How are you able to pay for this?" Looking up from buttering her toast she answered.
"I'm not, Amy is."
Trying not to show his surprise he questioned her, "How"
"Better for you to ask her than me, Dan" he shook his head, taking out his room key, when he heard a thump. As he took in the scene, Hamilton rubbing his head on the floor he laughed. He handed Amy her plate of food, asking casually.
"Where are you getting the money to…you know pay for this?"
She glanced at him almost hesitantly, "From my jobs. I have a lot saved up."
Looking at her eyes he questioned, "What kind of jobs exactly."
Her gaze never wavered, "I am a mercenary." A cold shock that had become familiar ran down his spine.
"You…why?" he trailed off not sure how to phrase the question that made his head pound.
"Dan, in order to get you and Nellie out, I couldn't do things the legal way." Then cheerily she exclaimed, "Well I'm going to get ready for today," and bounded off to the bathroom. Sitting on the bed he sighed. He wasn't troubled so much that she had become like this, but that it had been to save him that had caused her to change, to grow up.
"She acts like she is in her mid thirties…not sixteen."
"She looks like she is eighteen," Hamilton grinned; Dan made a disgusted sound, sticking his tongue at him.
"I got one word for you. GROSS," he groaned.