A/N-I know I should be working on New Cahill Allies, but I decided to take a small detour. This fic's about the Kabras-before they joined the hunt. Kind of their life when they were just getting to know about the Clue Hunt, and weren't that corrupted yet. One-shot.

Disclaimer:-I don't own 39 clues (obviously), but I wish I did. One of the best series' ever!

Nine-year-old Natalie Kabra was excited! Her mother was finally going to reveal the biggest secret of the Lucian branch to her-what the clues were exactly, and tell her and her brother Ian all the Lucian clues. Natalie hoped it was something she could decode, though Ian would probably be better at that than her. He had a 100+ IQ. Still, Natalie loved a good code or riddle to crack.

She did something a Kabra never did-she woke up early! By 6 a.m, Natalie was dressed in her brand new cashmere dress-all her dresses were brand new (a Kabra never wore the same outfit twice)but that didn't make the beautiful blue frock any less special.

Ian was still snoring in his 20,000 euro bed-how could he? A Kabra was never supposed to snore, and wasn't he excited at all? Natalie bobbed on her high-heels-a pointless thing to do, but she couldn't help it.

After 3 hours of waiting, fidgeting and basically acting like her ruffian of a cousin Daniel Cahill, Vikram and Isabel Kabra finally got ready and came down to dine. (well, it was technically breakfast, but still) Ian got ready too, but somehow he managed to avoid fidgeting. A true Kabra, Natalie thought. That's how I usually am, and that's how I'm supposed to be. Has spending too much time with Daniel and those Dolts at the old bat's funerals corrupted me?

Natalie shook away the thought. "Ian!" she called. "Are you excited?"

"Kabras are not supposed to show their excitement", he replied. Seeing his sister's crestfallen expression, he added in a whisper, "Oh, alright, I am. But don't tell Mum or Dad."

Natalie couldn't help skipping down the halls. She was going to become an adult! Finally. Her life was going to start.

"Ian, Natalie!" called Papa. Ian proudly walked into his father's room, chin held high. Vikram smiled at them, something he rarely ever did. Ian felt a flush of pride.

"To business, then", said Vikram. One of the few things Ian admired about his criticizing father was the fact that he never beat around the bush, unlike Mother, who always believed in sweet-talking the target.

"The Cahills. We have told you enough about the family, your right to leadership after us, and your family. What remains is the clues. What do you think is the reason for all this war, Ian?"

Father always addressed his questions to Ian, and Mother to Natalie. It was so obvious they played favorites, though they denied it.

Ian involuntarily shuddered. He didn't want to admit it, but when he was younger, shame used to coarse through him. Now he could control it, though.

"A serum?" he asked. It was all he knew.

"A serum, yes", said Vikram, "the greatest one, made by your ancestor, Gideon..."

He went on about the clues the branches, and the hunt, each word sending a thrill through Ian's body. "And... we're destined to win. We're chemists, Ian. The Lucian clues are blood, iron solute, calcium carbonate, salt..."

Ian had memorized every one.

Ian and Natalie met outside the hallway, smiling a each other. We're finally Kabras, they thought.

"Let's go to Harrods", said Natalie. " We deserve it."

Ian nodded. They spent the afternoon shopping, considering tuxes and dresses, ending in the Swiss Dessert Department. (A/N-Okay, I forgot the real name. I'll re-read Medusa plot, okay? Sorry, BTW)

They smiled at each other. They'd never admit it, but the Kabras loved each other. A lot.

Six Months Later

Ian and Natalie were true Lucians now. After months of practice, poisoning and torturing rivals, they were almost done. Isabel and Vikram had only one final test left for them.

What will it be? wondered Natalie. Isn't watching Mum poison and torture what seems like every fellow Cahill enough?

"Natalie", called Isabel.

A man was strapped to a bed. By his muscle, Natalie guessed he was a Tomas.

"This, Natalie", said Isabel, "is Percival Kleister, the Tomas head. You need to convince him to give up all his clues."

"I'll never do it", Percival said. "Not on my life."

"We'll see about that", said Isabel.

Natalie tried to replace her do-I-have-to-do-it expression with her piece-of-cake expression.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she pulled out a syringe of poison from her pocket and sunk it into the man's skin. She glanced at Isabel, who was wearing a disapproving look. What had she done wrong? Oh, right. Squeezed her eyes.

Natalie forced herself to stop shuddering. "Oh, you won't die", she said, imitating her mother's sweet-yet-menacing voice. "Just feel some nasty pain."

Where did that come from? Is it the Lucian in me?

The thought chilled Natalie's skin.

Isabel's mouth twitched.

Yes! Natalie thought. I'm doing it!

Unfortunately, the man wasn't even flinching. Natalie sunk the syringe in deeper. She ignored the blood trickling down his throat. "What are your clues?"

Isabel was smirking at the man now. Her look seemed to be telling the man, That's my daughter! You didn't think she was a coward, did you?

The man was screaming now. Natalie blocked out his screams, her terror, tried to focus on the task at hand. "Tell me", she said, "or Ivan dies."

Isabel looked almost surprised. She made an obvious tick on her clipboard and gave Natalie a warm smile.

Instead of the relief she'd anticipated, Natalie felt terror.

Am I a monster?

"G-g-gold", he said through sobs. "B-b-bone. M-magnesium. I don't k-k-know any m-m-more. P-p-please don't hurt Ivan. My s-s-son..."

Natalie couldn't say anything.

The man was dead.

"Well done! I'm proud of-"

Natalie couldn't hear more.

I'm a murderer.

Ian was shaken at what he'd done. You need to that to be a Lucian.

His sister looked equally shaken. That night, she came to his room to sleep with him and did so for the next few months too. They even cried a few times at night, trusting each other not to tell.

Ian and Natalie Kabra didn't want to admit that they were scared. Of themselves. Of their parents. Of the world.

A year later

The Kabras were now comfortable in their role of being Lucians. They were becoming their parents, but something was nagging at them.

Grace Cahill could feel it.

And she included them in her will.

A/N-So...hope you liked it! And review!

~grass-berry09