Disclaimer: I do not own El Cazador, if I did things might have gone a bit differently xD

A/N: This is going to an au fanfic. A couple different things inspired this idea. One was El Cazador itself. The opening credits have a couple moments of Nadie and Ellis as kids together playing on a beach and so forth, and the other inspiration is actually a mass effect story lol.

I here by thank my friend Gale for the motivation to do this story. Considering there isn't a whole of traffic on this side of I might not have wrote it if she hadnt of said she'd want to read it.

Without further rambling I bring forth this new story!

A Different Path

Chapter 1

Project Leviathan. A group of scientists worked endlessly to resurrect an ancient legend. A legend of human beings with the powers to be Gods. It began smoothly enough, but after years of dedicated research, and trials and errors, they finally had a major break through. But that break through would not last. It wouldn't even be as successful as they had hoped.

Sabotage. That was the assumption when hell broke loose. A great fire broke out, and many died. Research was lost, and the only two surviving experiments were quickly secured and secretly hidden away with new care givers. The project was devastated but not completely lost. They could still conduct their experiments to find out just how successful they were in the end.

But even that would not last long. One care giver worked on the project for about two years before he mysteriously vanished, with the experiment and any information concerning it. The head of the project was greatly disappointed, but did not seem overly concerned either. He calmly stated that they would resurface one day.

Mean while the doctor who had taken custody of a young girl, the very soul of Project Leviathan, had fled the country. After two years and having grown fond of his charge he decided what they were doing was immoral, even if his charge was born of science rather then natural causes. That no longer concerned him, she was still human in his eyes.

She was only 5 years old. She showed unusual abilities but was still very much a child. He felt that she didn't deserve a life like that. She deserved a life of a normal child. To grow up, to learn, make friends, to play. Everything a child should be doing. So he crossed the American boarders into Mexico.

Mexico had many places to hide, especially out in the deserts. He would search for somewhere remote, hidden away. Somewhere he could keep Ellis safe and give her the life she deserved. Even if it killed him in the end.

VWVWV

It was rare to ever find people passing through her town, but people moving in from else where was even more rare. In fact she hadn't seen new faces move in her whole life, and she was 7 years old! That was a long time. She grew up in a place that had families who lived here for many generations. Even her grandparents grew up here when they were kids.

To say it was a small town was an understatement. It was a close knit community of families who all grew up here. They expanded a little now and then but it was never anything big. They were lucky to even have a fast food taco place. Forget all that other fancy stuff like cable TV and internet. They didn't need it here.

Nadie watched from her perch as the new family moved into an old abandoned home that was across the road from where she lived. They didn't seem to have a whole lot when they first arrived in town a couple days ago, but now they were getting all kinds of things in one of those big trucks.

A couch, a couple beds, even a TV! Nadie's house didn't have a TV. Her family found other ways to have fun. Picnics, or swimming, they even would go camping on the weekends on a regular basis. They didn't need a TV, but Nadie suddenly felt a little jealous that the new people had one.

As she sat on the large tree branch high over her yard she spotted the little girl that was with the older man. The man had longer black hair and the little girl that huddled right next to him had blond hair. Nadie half wondered if they were even related. They really didn't look alike anyways.

As her blue eyes scanned the scene across from her home the little girl looked straight up at Nadie. Nadie blinked her eyes as she stared into lilac ones. The young girl had such a blank stare, but she knew the new girl was looking right at her. Like maybe she knew she was in the tree the whole time.

Nadie smiled brightly anyways as she waved at the younger girl. She looked like maybe she was a couple years younger then herself. The blond girl just shied behind the older man as Nadie slowly ceased her waving. "Wonder if she's shy..." she thought out loud. She then giggled and shrugged as she began to make her way down the tree.

She decided to grab her parents. They had heard about the new family but hadn't seen them as of yet. They had been on a camping trip and had just got home this morning and it was late afternoon now. Nadie figured she could even play with the new girl. There weren't many children in her town, and her friends were much older then herself.

"Mami, Papi!" Nadie ran into her home excitedly. Her over sized poncho fluttered about her small form as she ran through the house looking for her parents. She was excited to make a new friend and she only hoped her parents would go to meet the new comers.

She skidded to a stop at the kitchen entry way in her dirtied socks from being outside with them on. She danced excitedly as her mother turned to greet her daughter. "Well someone's in a good mood!" her mother greeted with a smile. She was just finishing up with the dishes they had used over their weekend camping trip when Nadie came running in.

Nadie giggled as she practically skipped into the kitchen, her father walking in from the other entrance that led to the living room. "What's all the excitement about?" he questioned curiously. His wife, Carman shrugged as she sat down the cleaned plate she was holding.

Nadie practically bounced where she now stood. "The new people have a little girl! Can we go meet them? Oh please, oh please!" Nadie begged, but still smiled a toothy smile. Even for a 7 year old, she still held a certain charm about her. Perhaps it was from her interactions with adults. She rarely got to meet a child of her age so was a little more mature then most would be at 7.

Carmen and her husband, Carlos exchanged looks with each other. Nadie took to dancing with her hands clasped together in front of her with a begging look in her bright blue eyes. "Well, I don't see why not. We'll have to meet them sooner or later." Carlos said as he approached his dancing daughter smiling at her.

Nadie giggled as she felt her dad ruffle her hair a little. Carmen smiled as well as she dried her hands on a towel. "Maybe we can invite them over for dinner as well." She suggested as Carlos stood, Nadie clasping his hand in her small one already tugging them towards the door, still giggling with excitement.

Carlos quickly scooped Nadie up in his arms as she cried out with a new fit of giggles as she kicked her feet up in the air in surprise. "Calm down, silly girl." he teased cradling her in his arms. He then looked over his shoulder at Carmen who was catching up to them from the kitchen. "Sure, having guests over for dinner is always a nice change of pace." he then said.

Once they were outside Carlos sat Nadie back onto her feet as she quickly ran across the lawn and onto the dirt road. Carlos shook his head with a smile as he reached for his wife, pulling her up to his side. "Our kid has way too much energy." he joked as Carman gave her own giggle.

Nadie stopped at the edge of the new girl's lawn as she watched the movers continue to move in all these new looking things into the old home. She still had a big smile on her face as she searched around for the older man with the dark hair. She was so excited to play with someone new. Maybe they could even play cops and robbers! Oh she loved it when she could get some of the teenagers to play that with her.

Nadie's parents finally caught up to her as they each grabbed her hand. She cheered as they lifted her off the ground for a short ride towards the door before setting her back down. It always felt like she was flying when they did that.

"Hello?" Carlos called into the home as he knocked on the open door. He looked around as he saw all the movers setting things down here and there. Nadie poked her head inside as well looking at the neat newer stuff they owned. Everything looked so clean and brand new, Nadie wondered if they were rich.

Finally the older man with the long dark hair came into view as he smiled at the family in his door way. "Oh, hello!" He greeted as he approached them adjusting his glasses along the way. Nadie tilted her head as his voice had what sounded like an American accent. Even when he spoke Spanish.

He shook hands with her father as they began to talk at the door way. Carlos introduced himself and his wife. He then rested his hand on Nadie's head as he introduced her as well. Nadie smiled brightly at the older man as he introduced himself as a Dr. Schneider.

As the adults continued to talk Nadie continued to look around the living room. She was trying to find the little girl she had spotted when she was sitting in her tree earlier. But when she didn't see her she absent-mindedly tugged at the man's pant leg. He blinked his eyes as he looked down at the little girl before him.

"Where's that little girl that was with you?" Nadie questioned curiously as she tilted her head slightly. He could hear Carlos chuckle some as he nudged his daughter slightly saying she needed to be more patient. Nadie just giggled in return as she continued to look around for the girl she questioned about.

Schneider scratched at his cheek a little as he gained a thoughtful look himself. He was sure Ellis was just wandering around the house somewhere. She normally didn't go very far from him anyways. "Ellis, come here a moment." he called out as Nadie began to do a new excited dance.

When she saw the new girl appear from around a corner Nadie couldn't help herself. She went running on into the house towards the blond girl, who looked slightly startled by the fast approach. "Hi! My name is Nadie, what's yours?" Nadie asked brightly and even boldly, and in English. By the looks of the family she was sure they weren't from around here.

Ellis gained a slightly shy look as she fidgeted where she stood. "Ellis.." she said quietly. Nadie held out her hand as she saw the adults do. She expected Ellis to shake her hand of course, but Ellis blinked her lilac eyes in confusion as she looked down at the hand offered her. She had never seen this before, or at least never understood it's meaning.

Nadie tilted her head as she gained a look of curiosity when Ellis never accepted her offered handshake. "You're suppose to shake it." She said lightly as Ellis looked back up at expressive blue eyes. She still looked confused as Nadie just smiled lightly reaching down for the younger's hand before shaking gently. "See?" she then asked as if she was teaching her now.

Ellis blinked again as she felt her arm being shook as Nadie sighed slightly. "Why?" Ellis finally asked. She was more curious now, then shy. Nadie dropped the girl's hand as she looked up at the ceiling a moment, rubbing her chin with her hand. Now that she was asked, it was a good question.

She then smiled at Ellis again and shrugged her shoulders, her over sized poncho making the shrug look a little bulkier then it really was. "I dunno! The grown ups do it though when they say hi to each other." Nadie replied. Ellis gave a look of thought at this. Really must have been a grown up thing.

Nadie then grabbed Ellis' hand once more before spinning on her heel. "Lets go play!" she then said with a laugh before she ran towards the front door, dragging a confused Ellis a long with her as they ran through the front door. Ellis had never really played before so the sudden announcement of doing so confused her more then the hand shake.

"You girls don't go too far!" Carman called out as Nadie darted between her parents with a slightly dazed Ellis behind her, still gripping her hand. Schneider almost looked concerned a moment but tried to calm himself saying that Ellis was safer here in this small village. She would be ok if she wandered off for a little while. It would be good for her to make friends with this Nadie anyways. She could do the things little girls were suppose to do if she was under Nadie's wing.

VWVWV

The doctor had accepted the offer for dinner at the young family's home. They had made some tasty enchiladas for them, and even made them not so spicy. Nadie had explained that she didn't like spicy food as much when they were eating. She was a really bold girl, but seemed very smart and mature for her age. Schneider felt more and more confident about letting her teach Ellis how to be a child.

Ellis was a quiet girl, Nadie noticed. She tried to teach her how to play tag but Ellis just seemed confused by the concept. Nadie gave up on that one and opted for hop scotch. Ellis seemed more inclined to play that game more. So they spent the early evening hoping around the dirt road playing hop scotch while their parents made dinner in Nadie's home.

But now it was getting darker outside. Schneider had spent the whole evening getting to know Nadie's parents as they got to know him. Nadie had dragged Ellis back outside as she introduced the younger girl to her favorite tree in town. She began to climb it before she reached a lower branch then the one she sat in when she first saw the blond girl.

"Come on, Ellis! You can see most of the town up here!" Nadie called down as Ellis looked a bit hesitant about climbing the tree. Nadie was more of an out doors type girl it seemed. Ellis hadn't been out doors a whole lot in her young life. But she decided she wanted to join Nadie in the tree so began to slowly climb up the same way the older girl did.

After Ellis had joined the other girl in the tree Nadie began to point out different places in the town. Indeed it was a small place to live in, but Nadie seemed to love it here. The way she was so excited about pointing out different places, and she spoke of a small lake over the hills where the older kids would go to swim and fish.

She even spoke of some of the adults and some of the businesses. Ellis tried to listen but she was growing sleepy. She slowly leaned towards Nadie. Finally she leaned onto Nadie who blinked looking down at the shorter girl. Nadie made a bit of a face as the girl's eyes were closed. "You're so weird." Nadie said quietly.

But she smiled as she leaned against the trunk of the tree. No matter how odd Ellis seemed, Nadie was determined to make the girl have fun. Nadie was quick to label someone friend, and she already planned to make Ellis her best friend, simply because she was around her age. It was nice to just be like a little kid with someone else instead of trying to fit in with the older ones.

VWVWV

Yay! First chapter is done. Hope you all like it so far, and I plan to write more in the near future. Don't be afraid to leave comments or criticism. I'm always learning how to improve through my readers.

Well, see you all next chapter! -hearts-