From The Shadows

When Gene and crew go out walking one night, whom do they find but a long lost "relation" of Melfina. But who is this little girl, and why does Jim feel he must protect her? (Jim/OC Gene/Mel. Rated T for now, might change later)

Chapter One

And She Enters

"Hey gang, lets go get some grub, huh, what do ya say?" Gene Starwind leaned in the doorway of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises, looking at the four people sitting in the room.

"Gene, you know we don't have the money! How do you expect us to pay for food when we can hardly keep up with the rest of these bills?" Asked the youngest of the crew, James, Jim, Hawking, tilting his blond head to face the scarred redhead from his place on the floor.

"That's what you think, Jimmy boy, I just finished off a bounty tonight that got us 4000 wong. Tonight we feast!"

"Only 4000 Gene? You seem to be going for the small kills lately…" This voice was feminine. Suzuka, Twilight Suzuka, looked over from her place on the couch next to the feisty Ctarl-Ctarl, Aisha ClanClan, who was muttering something about Gene being cheap.

"Well, I don't see you bringing in any money lately" Gene retorted, looking away from them all, and to the only person not to have said anything. "Well, Mel, what about you? Want to hit the town tonight?"

Melfina, the ever loyal android wife of the redhead, looks up from the cookbook she was reading to face her husband, "I don't see why not… we are running low on food in the pantry… and having someone else cook might be nice" Melfina smiled at Gene, who moved to kiss her softly on the forehead.

Jim, Suzuka, and Aisha sighed, knowing that if Melfina was going, they had no real choice then, considering no one really knew how to cook.

A Few Hours Later

After dinner, and having to do dishes since Gene's money didn't cover Aisha's appetite, the crew headed home.

"Dammit Aisha, just once could you not order so much food?" Gene growled at the Ctarl-Ctarl, who was skipping a few feet ahead.

"Well, I'm sorry your puny meals can't fill a Ctarl-Ctarl belly, but maybe if you went after bigger bounty…wait a minute…. Did you hear that?" Aisha stopped, tilting her head to the side, letting her feline hearing catch the faint sounds of a fight. "It sounds like some thugs are beating up someone"

"Well then, lets go save them, maybe the thugs have a bounty on them." Gene smirked, pulling his gun out of the hostler, running after Aisha and Suzuka. Melfina looked down at Jim and sighed.

"Well, we better follow them…" Melfina smiled down at Jim and together, they took off after the three.

Arriving at the scene of the fight, Melfina and Jim saw Gene helping a little girl up off the ground, the other girls holding the thugs down by sheer force.

The girl was about Jim's height, and looked to be about his age. She had pale blue eyes and honey blond hair, and she was wearing very tattered clothes, that looked to have once been a pink dress.

As Jim looked closely at the girl, he could feel heat rush to his face, and he felt content to look at her, until he heard Melfina gasp at his side.

"Kara?" Melfina said, unable to believe her eyes. She was almost certain that the girl being held up by her husband was Kara, her little sister.

The girl looked up slowly, looking to the sound of the voice. Seeing Melfina, she pulled away from Gene and ran into the waiting arms of the older woman, yelling in a harsh whisper "Sister!"

The rest of the crew looked at Melfina and the girl, Kara. No one could believe his or her ears… sister? They had all believed Melfina to be the only one… and now, a sister? Where did she come from? Why was she here on Sentinal? And why was Jim feeling like a grappler ship just grabbed his guts and were playing jump rope with them?

Gene came over slowly, followed by Suzuka and Aisha, the thugs they were holding forgotten on the ground. Aisha looked at Jim and smirked at seeing the bright blush that painted the short blonds cheeks. Aisha knew that look. She had seen Gene give it to Melfina enough times, Little Jimmy was in love, with Melfina's little sister.

"So, uh, Mel?" Gene stammered a bit, looking at his wife and newly found in-law.

"Yes Gene?" Melfina looked up at the redhead while still hugging Kara to her.

"This is your… sister?

"Why yes! This is Kara! Kara sweetie, say hello to my friends." Melfina turned Kara around to face the crew. "This is my husband Gene," Gene nodded hello to the little blond girl "my very dear friends Suzuka and Aisha." Suzuka nodded hello while Aisha pumped her muscles, Kara backed away a bit from the Ctarl-Ctarl "Now, there's nothing to worry about, Aisha is just showing off… oh, and this is Jim" Jims blush got darker as Kara turned to face him. Her cheeks pinked softly as she looked at the red-faced boy who was trying to stammer out a hello.

"H…hello everyone…." Kara whispered softly, then looked back up at her sister, who was having one of those silent conversations with Gene that only married couples seem to have.

Gene sighed and nodded, "ok everyone, lets head home." Melfina smiled and led Kara as she walked alongside Gene. Suzuka followed slowly. Jim stood there with Aisha for a bit, not believing how he felt.

"So Jimmy Boy, you fancy a bit of android too huh?" Aisha poked his sides, causing Jim to jump in shock.

"I...I do not!" Jim defended himself, feeling his face turn even darker red, if THAT was even possible, as the Ctarl-Ctarl just smirked down at the stammering blond boy.

"Say what you want Jim, but I can tell you do." Aisha skipped off after the others, leaving a thoroughly embarrassed Jim standing in the middle of the street.

Jim stood there for a few seconds before running after the others, his mind filled with images of the mysterious Kara.

Authors Notes

Ok folks that was Chapter One. I hope you like it and will review it.

Also, I'm setting this about 5 years into the future, so Jim is about 16, and Kara is aged 15

This was my first attempt at writing fanfiction, and I hope to get better with practice.

Thank you for taking the time!

Val