[=Chapter 2: "10 years later…"=]

"Pinky Promise?"

"LIAR!" He screamed as he sat up abruptly from his bed. Sweat moved down from all sides of his face, including on his dirty blonde hair while his bluish-gray eyes were starting to form salty tears from the emotional trauma he recalled so long ago.

An unholy roar followed by the world around him trembling, threatening to collapse on him and his crying, small sister. Then a muting darkness followed; a dark silence that nullified his sense of both time and space to a halt.

He felt his breath quicken as he viewed the world around him and felt only slightly better. The same dusty, hand me down old room for the past ten years…

He felt himself tired and weakened, he went back on his dirt-white pillow and fell back into sleep. Maybe this time he could get a peaceful sleep—

SLAM!

"WAKE UP AIDEN!"

On second thought, sleep was for the fortunate. He probably should have given up on happiness at all.

Aiden groaned as he slowly turned his head towards the bozo who just disturbed him, but his mind had already recognized the younger more shrill voice.

"What do you want Abby? I'm trying to sleep…" Aiden almost mumbled as he looked to his thirteen year old sister.

"It's one P.M., Aids." The older brother inwardly rolled his eyes. His little sister really spited him by making his nickname be after one of the most taboo sicknesses.

But it was also the nickname she used when she was angry. Aiden moaned before reluctantly getting out of bed and seeing his sister. Then his brow was raised as he saw her dressing up quite fancy. Just like him, she had bluish gray eyes, but since she was a girl she had longer blonde hair tied up into a pony tail that reached the back of her back. She was now wearing skirt, something she would avoid of her own monstrous will, sleeveless shirt and regular shoes. Her hair which was messy at times looked well combed and shampooed.

"Who are you and what have you done to my sister?" Aiden asked confusingly since his sister almost never dolled up. "Actually, forget I said that. From now on, you will act like a cute, doting little sister that will call me Onee-san and forget you ever where so brutal and brutish for the rest of your life."

Abby smiled… before she quickly scowled hard and threw a hard rising punch into Aiden's stomach, making him clutch it and fall to the old creaky floors beneath him.

"Oh, Onee-san~ You're little sister is pissed off as heck!~" She clenched her fist as she faked a sweet act and smile.

"OK, ouch… you're definitely her…." Aiden coughed before getting back up in wincing pain and thinking his day can't get any worse. "So what's up really?"

Her look faded fast again, but this time it looked more filled with concern. "You really don't know? Aiden it's your birthday, you're eighteen years old today."

Aiden's eyes widened as he confirmed that today was his 18 birthday. But then… what exactly was the point? For the past seven birthdays, nothing ever went his way.

They were both still orphans.

Four futile birthday wishes that their mom would come back and pick them up from this place and three previous wishes that someone loving would come and pick them up.

All of them failures and unanswered…

Aiden sighed.

"What's wrong?" Abby asked with more of her caring side showing, she sat down on the bed with her brother to somehow relieve his pain.

Aiden smiled kindly at her and pinched her chin.

"Hey!" She yelped.

Aiden stood up and went towards his door. "Come on, Abby. I'm hungry for some breakfast."

"It's afternoon you dunderhead!" Abby yelled out after trying to soothe her pinched cheeks.

"Then you better make me two meals worth right now." Aiden smiled teasingly as he went towards the restroom.

The younger sister watched silently as her brother left the room. She looked to his bed and noticed something sticking out beneath Aiden's pillow. Abby was curious and pulled it out before frowning, it was a picture of their mom smiling brightly in front of a field of flowers.

Abby looked into the restroom where her brother went into before looking back at the picture, determined than ever.

"Don't worry Ma. I will help my brother…"

[=Author Notes=]

PhantomGalaxy13: Well Folks, here is the second chapter. You know you could essentially call this a collaboration since this is Joe' s story in Mango's Account, but I'm writing it. Hmm… though I don't think anyone one of us meant to do this.

I personally find this slightly easier to write due to the fact it's amazingly shorter than what I write but maybe after the third re write, the length will increase due to the amount of things I would have to write from scratch. As such, the uploads may come slower due to my own schedule and other works I am busy with. Still, I do enjoy re writing this story and planning my own spin to already existing ideas.

Oh and Mango, since you put this in the M category… huehuehuehuehue… *Rubs hands evilly.*

Thank you for reading this story, please show your support by reviewing, following, and favorite(ing).