A/N: So. First of all, thank you for noticing my inexpertly written summary and reading this fanfic of mine (hopefully). Okay, I know what you're thinking; Angels replacing ghosts? Puh – lease. But yeah. I'd like to blame pretty much everything on my stupidly formed brain and not so creative creativity. I hope you get to like it though I must say that I do not update fast but I try my best to update as soon as possible. Anyway, please review. Feedback is one of the most important things in this site I hope to get.

heh heh heh

Kidding aside, your opinion matters to me as much as chocolate which is a lot.

P.S. This is a Rated M fanfic because of character/s dying in the story. I'm not that morbid but I think it's the only way to make the plot a little bit exciting not to mention er … grueling? Oh I don't know. There are no lemons since there are angels concerned. Oh and Suze can see angels even she was still a baby. And she likes to draw. Just so you know.

"The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly."

- XX -

Prologue: The End Of An Ackerman

"That's such a dorky drawing," a gruff voice came from my left side. I looked up and groaned when I saw that the intruder was Dopey.

Great. Just great.

For the record, Dopey is not my beloved stepbrother's real name. God forbid that a person would have name like that. But if somebody deserves it, it's him – Brad Ackerman. Or sometimes Bradley when I get annoyed at him. Which was always.

I don't know why he feels like his goal in life is to piss me till he dies (I am very positive that he'll die first).

I have stepbrother – or stepbrothers I should say because I have three – for my mother got remarried to this guy Andy Ackerman not by choice or by divorce but because she's a widow.

My father left us when I was still a little kid. I'm eleven now. Only two more years and I am officially a teenager and I'll get the privilege to yell at Dope – er Brad freely without Andy shouting at me in return.

Let's just say that my mom's new hubby doesn't like me a lot. Most people don't like me so I'm used to it. They say I'm obnoxious and arrogant even though I'm not. People nowadays are very judgemental. They don't listen to your reasons why you do what you do and then they label you. That abstract label doesn't come off easily I tell you

Anyway, Dopey was referring to my drawing. I was sketching an angel. You know, long hair, long dress, long wings and a nice shiny halo at the top of the head. I frowned at him. My drawing was not too bad. Sure, the wings looked a bit like petals of a sunflower but the whole thing seems good. I think.

"Shove off Brad. I don't need your lousy opinion of my current masterpiece," I said snidely.

His eyebrows met at the middle and he smirked. "You call that a masterpiece? I call it garbage."

He smirked diabolically as I felt the tears coming. But I fought them back. I wouldn't show him I was weak. I couldn't let anyone know that I am weak. "Oh yeah? Well what did you get Mom then? My creativity is much more creative than yours."

He showed me a black sophisticated wallet with a price tag dangling from one of its zippers. It costs fifty dollars. I felt the disappointment and rage pouring from inside of me. It was so much – what he's doing. Always showing me that he's much better than me at everything.

"Hmph. Mom would appreciate my gift better. Its…. Handcrafted," I mumbled.

He just smirked again and said, "Right." Like he didn't really believe that would happen. Seeing his gift made me feel terrible. Like why didn't I just buy her a gift instead of drawing a stupid angel?

"Don't listen to that moron Suze," I looked up from my pathetic gift and saw Jake, my eldest stepbrother. I'm close to him and it's really nice to have a protective older stepbrother. It's a nice change from being an only child. Though I don't know why Andy and his wife had to have a son like Brad. It just wrecks the family's perfect image.

"Oh hey Jake," I said in a sullen voice. "What are you going to give Mom?"

His look of disapproval turned into something sheepish. "Oh I –"

Then he showed me a bag. A matching black sophisticated – looking bag that's probably paired with the wallet Brad's going to give Mom. I groaned inwardly.

"Oh. That's nice," I said begrudgingly.

He look bummed that I was unhappy with the current situation. "We – the three of us – found it in sale that's why we figured we could split our allowance and buy it. We know that her bag's very old now. And Dave got her the cellphone case."

I looked at David and saw that he was wrapping his share of the gift in a very feminine wrapping paper. "I bet Mom would like your gifts," I muttered.

"Don't worry Suze. Mom's going to like yours best," David said winking at me.

I just smiled uneasily at him. I don't know about that but i do know one thing. It's time to throw away this drawing of mine.

Just then, the door opened and in came Mom and Andy laughing and looking like they had just had the time of their lives. Which they probably had. Mom and Andy are very much in love. They stopped laughing when they saw us gawking at them.

What? Adults having fun is just too much for us kids to process. Mom is always serious and overprotective while Andy… Andy's Andy. Anyway, Mom started talking when she saw us. "Oh hey kids! You're so early today. Usually you don't wake up until ten am."

I looked at my watch and saw that it was only nine o'clock. "I woke up at seven Mom," I bragged.

"Oh please. I woke up earlier than her Mom," Brad countered.

"Yeah but that's just because I woke you up. If I hadn't, you would have woken up after lunch. As usual," Jake said.

Brad colored and he scowled at Jake. I smiled at my stepbrother in gratitude and he smiled back. Really. I don't know what I would do without Jake. He's like my hero. He solves all my problems and even my homework. And he keeps Brad from teasing me. But when he's not home Brad attacks me with lots of ridiculous comments about my hair, my face or my room. And I don't usually have comebacks to those comments. Or I have but they're lame.

Andy gave Jake a threatening look. He doesn't want any fights going on around his house you see.

"Mom I need to buy a paint set. We're having this project that requires them," I spoke up not wanting Andy to burst something bad to Jake.

Brad snickered. "Paint set. You don't have a project that requires them since I'm in your classes right?"

Oh right. I forgot that. "Well, there's this project that needs to have an artistic quality that our teacher wants us to present so for me to have that quality I need to have the paint set." I used words that are David – like so they're not going to argue. And I said them real fast. Trust me on this. Adults just bound to nod and say OK when you're in a rush.

"Okay Suze. If you need the paint set that badly we're going to shop for it," my mom said. I told you it works.

Andy frowned at my mom. "But we just arrived dear. Aren't you tired?"

"Not really, besides I want to make my Suze happy," my mom said. I smiled at her and presented my drawing. Who cares if it sucks? It's the thought that counts.

"What's this?" she asked quizzically. She turned the card to its second page. Inside was a drawing of an angel with the words 'You are my angel Mom! Happy Birthday! I love you.' "Aw Suze, thanks I love you. The angel looks beautiful."

I stuck out a tongue at Brad. What do you say to that huh Dopey? She loves it!

Brad gave me an incredulous look and gave Mom his gift – the gorgeous wallet. Mom gasped and took it from him. "Oh Brad who knew you are such an excellent gift – giver."

Brad? An excellent gift – giver? Not on this lifetime Mom.

David and Jake handed out their gifts too with extra kisses at both cheeks. "Oh I love it! Thank you kids. Now how about that paint set Suzie?"

Suzie.

I cringed on the inside but way on the inside I was ecstatic. I was bugging Mom to buy me a paint set for who knows how long. I nodded my yes and managed to look just a tad triumphant. I didn't want to give my brother Dopey a chance of ruining my special bond with Mom. I am her daughter after all.

As much as my hesitation to come with her when Andy and his kids said that they were coming with us, I still decided to come. I wanted to handpick my paint set personally.

So we were off to the market downtown and as pretty cramped at our car but we finally arrived at the market. We all got off the car and looked at the varieties of fruits, vegetables, books, school supplies, fishes and paint sets sold everywhere. All the basic necessities were here. Mom and I wander off to the school supplies store and I bought the paint set that I wanted which was complete with all the materials that an artistic girl like me could want.

"Mom, can I go to the car now?" I asked mom when I got bored waiting for Andy and my three stepbrothers to come back.

Andy was probably at the car station – he said the 'old girl' needed something. I hate it when men equate females to nonliving things. His sons were at the arcade but Doc was probably just strolling around the market; there's no library at the market see.

Mom looked at me anxiously and said, "Oh I don't know Suze. I'd be very comfortable with you right here but if you can't wait then fine go to the car."

"Don't worry Mom," I said soothingly. My mom was a normal paranoid person especially because of my father's death. I viewed things differently of course.

I got to the car and felt warm and comfortable right away. Although the market was fine it did reek because of the different things in there like fish, rotting foods and such. I breathe in deeply like I don't have enough air.

And then I got a look at the car. I was alone with no adult supervision and no eyes staring at me. I was free to do anything I wanted.

I didn't know what made me do it. But I suspect that my complete innocence and utter idiocy had something to do with it. I also blame my curiosity.

I went to the driver's seat and placed my hands on the wheel. I saw Andy once how to do it. I started the engine and turned the wheel like Andy did. But then I stopped. Was I really driving? How was I moving then? I looked at the back and saw that the view was going away. The car was moving! In panic I jabbed my foot at the platform thingies. But I just managed to go faster!

Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no! I started panicking more when I saw Jake's running form loom beside the car. "Suze! Suze the brake! Hit the brake!"

I just stamped my foot harder into the brake. But it wasn't the brake. I went faster and I saw an intersection. An empty intersection but still –

"Suze! Hit the brake for God's sake!" Jake's voice sent me out of my panic attack. I touched the other part tentatively with my foot and exerted more effort. Jake was in front of the car now like he was trying to stop it himself using his own body. Like he was strong to do it. Which was complete idiocy but I was more of an idiot than him.

The car went into a full stop at the end of the intersection. Jake backed a few paces and smiled in relief.

That was the last thing I saw of him before a truck hit him on the right side of the intersection.

- XX -

A/N: Now that I've managed to reread the whole thing again it looks pretty morbid to me. But the next chapter's got more cheer don't worry. Andy would be a lot worse to Suze but he'll get better and he'll be at the point where Suze would think of him as her own father. Eventually.

Please review. ^^