"Hey, Gregor, catch!"

Gregor turned just in time to see a football flying towards him. Not having any time to react, the football nailed him right in the head, making him fall to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Oh, sorry man! I thought you were better than that!" said his cousin, stooping to the ground, laughing and not sounding sorry at all.

Gregor ignored the hand he was holding out and pulled himself to his feet, rubbing the side of his forehead, already feeling the bump that was slowly forming. His cousin, Jake, was sent from his uncle's farm in Virginia, to help out Gregor and his family. Nobody knew anything of it until the day before he arrived, getting a phone call from Jake's mom.

Jake's presence only complicated things in Gregor's household. He was more harm than help, really. It was hard enough keeping the mouths of Gregor's own family fed, and now they had yet another mouth to feed. But Mrs. Cormaci just made more food for them and seemed to delight in having Jake around. But for Gregor, it was just the opposite; Jake was the kind of guy who would do anything to get his way and who would throw a football at an unsuspecting person and feign an apology.

Gregor sighed and made his way back to his apartment building with Jake trailing behind, still laughing hysterically. Gregor gritted his teeth and held back all the nasty comments he was dying to say to Jake. As they stepped inside the apartment, his little sister Boots raced towards them. Gregor, expecting her to run into his arms, bent his knees and stooped to the ground, his arms opened wide. But Boots flew right past him and plowed into Jake's knees instead.

He sighed and stood back up. And then there was another reason Gregor didn't like Jake. Despite how mean he was to Gregor, Boots seemed to adore him. First it was Mrs. Cormaci and now it was his own sister. Typical.

They sat down to a lunch of chicken noodle soup, made and served by Mrs. Cormaci, and then Gregor moved on to his room, which was really just a storage space. He sat on his bed and stared out his open window, thinking to himself, counting down the days until Jake left. Adding them up in his head, he realized he still had four more weeks to endure. Four more weeks of torture. Now, Jake didn't mess with Gregor until they were alone. He would mostly pester him, tugging on his ear or just tease him, but there were times like earlier in Central Park when he got nailed in the head with the football.

Gregor was snatched out of his thoughts by Lizzie, who had a frantic look on her face. "A message from Vikus came. Dad told me to give it to you."

Gregor sat up immediately, eager for news from the Underland. He hadn't been down for two weeks, since the day Jake had arrived. He quickly unrolled the note and read.

Dear Gregor,

Why have you not been around? What of your plans to train with Ripred? He is not too happy that you've missed so many lessons. Besides that, your mother is doing a lot better; she hoped to see you soon and she worries for your family's well being. I do too for that matter. What's happening?

Luxa

Gregor folded the note and sighed. He hadn't been able to get anywhere near the grate in the laundry room, not with him acting like a tour guide to Jake. So no one had sent any news to the Underlanders. Gregor had expected a note to come and he was surprised his father had gotten away to get it. He knew his mother would be tempted to come back up if he did not send some news soon.

"What's it say?" Lizzie asked, concern in her voice. "Is it about mom? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine, but worried. I got to get some news to her." Gregor unfolded the note again and read it over. Later that night, when Mrs. Cormaci asked Jake to come over to her apartment to help her, Gregor scribbled a note on a piece of notebook paper.

Luxa,

Can't explain it all in a note. Send Ares up to the grate tomorrow at midnight. I'll come down and explain everything then. In the mean time, don't worry, we're all okay. Sorry about scaring everyone. See you soon.

Gregor

Gregor took the note and stuck it into the grate. Hearing footsteps, he quickly straightened up and walked out just as a large man walked in, carrying a large black trash bag full of smelly clothes. Gregor had to resist the urge to clamp his fingers to his nose because he didn't want to be impolite.

After getting back to his apartment, he ate dinner with his family and went straight to bed, fully clothed. As he ran his fingers through his hair, he felt the bump where the football had hit him and sighed. Just another thing he would have to explain about tomorrow at school. He was relieved that tomorrow was the last day they had until spring break. Then he could maybe go to the Underland and say he was going to a friend's house.

Gregor felt something at his feet and looked down. Boots was trying to crawl onto his bed, unsuccessfully. He grinned and lifted her up, setting her down beside him. He turned on the lamp and saw her sleepy expression.

"Hi you," Gregor said.

"Hi you. We shut eye now?"

"Yeah, Boots. We shut eye." He turned off the lamp and Boots lay down in the nook of his arm. She hadn't slept with him since Jake had arrived. Normally she would have snuck into his bed every other night. Their parents discouraged her doing it but Gregor didn't have the heart to put her back in her own bed. Every night she wasn't with him she was with Jake.

Gregor couldn't tell why she liked him so much. Yes he could. Jake snuck her cookies just before dinner and he even played with her toy poison arrow frogs with her. Gregor used to do those things but he was too busy helping out to play and he was trying to get her to stop eating snacks just before dinner. He even told Jake that she wasn't allowed to have cookies when they were about to eat but he smirked and gave her some anyway.

Man, Jake could really get under Gregor's skin! Almost as bad as Luxa. Gregor sighed again and yawned. "Why aren't you in your own bed, little girl?"

"I want to sleep in big girl bed. I sleepy with Jakey but he gone now. So I came to you, Grego!"

Gregor sat straight up. "Where'd Jake go, Boots?"

But Boots was out, snoring softly. Gregor crawled to the end of his bed and climbed out of his room. He went to the front room and searched the whole house, but Jake really was gone. Shaking his dad's shoulder, Gregor told him what was happening and together they got up to search the building.

"You don't think he went to the laundry room, do you?"

"Why would he? Nobody followed me. As I was leaving some man came in but that was all." But even as Gregor spoke those words, a terrible knot was forming in his stomach and doubt was forming in the farthest corners of his mind. Had Jake been in there when Gregor sent he note? Did he come in after that and read the note before the Underlanders got to it?

Gregor dashed out into the hallway and ran as quietly as he could to the laundry room. He opened the door to find it empty. He checked the grate but it was closed firmly but the note was gone. Gregor's heart missed a beat until his logical side interrupted.

Calm down. The bats have probably already taken it to Luxa. Gregor took a deep breath and went back to his dad. Explaining what he saw, his dad shook his head. "Then where can he be?"

They went back to the apartment and searched again but he wasn't there. Gregor knocked lightly on Mrs. Cormaci's door . She answered, coming to the door in a fuzzy pink robe. "Hi, Mrs. Cormaci, sorry to bother you. But have you seen Jake?"

Mrs. Cormaci frowned. "No, not since dinner, Gregor. Have you checked the building?"

Gregor nodded. After searching the building again, with the help of Mrs. Cormaci, Gregor's dad finally decided to go back to the apartment and call the police. But when they got back, there was Jake, sleeping soundly on his pallet on the floor. Mrs. Cormaci cried out in relief and Gregor's dad thanked her for helping.

The next morning, Gregor's dad confronted Jake on where he was last night. Jake apologized and said he just went for milk at the corner store. He was up late and trying to find a snack when he realized they were out of milk. He said he knew how much they needed milk for the mornings and decided to run and get some. He apologized again but Gregor's dad still punished him, grounding him from the TV for the rest of the day. Gregor half expected him to protest but he didn't.

After eating breakfast, Gregor got ready for school and went to see what was holding Lizzie up. He thought she was in the bathroom, brushing her teeth but instead he found her leaning over the toilet, vomit spewing from her mouth. After putting her to bed and giving her a dose of medicine, Gregor's dad sent him off to school.

For Gregor, the day past quickly enough. After school he stopped by a bookstore and bought a cheap puzzle book for Lizzie. That kid loved puzzles. He thought it might cheer her up about being sick. But as soon as he walked through the door, he was frantically pulled inside by his dad.

"They're gone, Gregor, they're gone."

Author's Note

This is my first ever fanfic so please review and tell me what you guys think! Flames, compliments, suggestions, whatever, they are all welcome! Just tell me what you think. Next chapter up soon!