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:D I really have nothing to say.

:D So enjoy!

In Which We Get Two Surprise Visitors

Three days.

Just three more days and it's all over.

I sighed, took a marker, and checked today's date off.

Just three more days.

"Stacey? Are you up?"

"Yeah, I'm up."

"Can you come down here? I need some help with breakfast."

"Oh, okay." I slipped my feet into some slippers and went down the stairs. My mom was in the kitchen making pancakes. My stomach turned at the memory of Bramble, Squirrel, Jay, Lion, my siblings, and I making pancakes together. I know it's been months since they've left, but I just can't get over the fact that they really are gone.

"Thinking about them?" I nodded. "Oh, sweetie. I know it's hard to let go of your first charges." I nodded. "Now, can you help me with breakfast?" I nodded. "Good. I need you take over the whole operation. I need to call your father."

"Can't that wait?"

"Sweetie, he's in Germany. The-"

"Time is different there. I know, I know." I sighed and leaned against the table. "I don't know why you even bother talking to him. He doesn't really care about us anymore."

My mother's voice was tight when she replied, "He does care about us. He just needs some time to, you know, get away from the USA."

Dear Lord, my mother will stop at nothing to believe that he will come back. Ever since he filed the divorce, she's been calling him up almost everyday. It's been hard for her to cope with him leaving. I can understand that but I just don't understand why she won't accept the fact that he is gone forever.

Sighing, I took control of making breakfast while my mom went up to call my dad. I looked out the window and looked at the frost that had settled on the ground. Just a mere week ago we has celebrated Christmas. Being in a Catholic high-school, they give you a good solid two weeks of vacation.

Three more days until I go back to school.

"You making pancakes?" I looked over my shoulder to see Casey.

"Yup."

"Reminds me of the time I threw a remote control at Lionblaze."

"The poor boy," I commented.

"Hey, he deserved it for showing up in only his underwear." She paused for a moment then said, "Do you want me to get the others?"

"If you could, please do. Uh... Don't get mom."

"Don't worry. I heard her talking to that shitty ass-hole while I was walking down here."

"Casey, the language."

"What? You agree with me!"

I sighed. "I know. Look, just go get the others."

I heard her footsteps fade away. Turning back all my attention to the breakfast, I saw a couple of strawberries. I took a knife and poked them cautiously.

Nope. None of them are poisonous.

When I was done, I put the pancakes on a plate and put it on the table. Magically, everyone appeared. Jacob, my 10-year-old brother, had grown almost two inches since summer. Krista, my 14-year old sister, was now a fresh man in what she called "The Highest Punishment." Casey, who turned 14 just two days ago, had grown at least an inch.

Me?

Well, I'm currently battling my friends over my feelings about Blaise, I haven't really grown much, High school has gotten harder, and I've been struggling to juggle all that plus my job as a Guardian.

Yup.

I'm an official member of the D.C now.

Apparently taking helping your brother's charges makes you a member.

We all sat down and started to eat. I glanced over to my mom's empty seat.

Still talking to him, I see.

We were finishing when she came downstairs to join us. I had offered to stay with her, but she told me that she was fine alone. "I need to think."

She's been saying that a lot nowadays. That and "I think," or "I'm tired," or "Could you please," or "I don't care."

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

Dear God, who could that be?

I went over to the door and opened it. Standing out there in the freezing cold was other than the boy that everyone thought I should be dating. Blaise wore a heavy black jacket and a black hat to match . I shook my head and smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh... My parents told me to get some fresh air."

"And...?"

"I threw a football at something I should 't have. So... They got mad. So I need a place to hide for a couple of hours. So..."

"Sure. My home is your home."

He smiled brightly. "Thanks, Stace."

My heart skipped a couple of beats. I'm not sure why though. It's been happening a lot more frequently than usual.

Blaise took them off and placed his boots on the porch and hopped inside. There, he took off his jacket and I was about to receive it for him but he brushed off my offer and hung the jacket himself. "Don't worry, Stace. I came here uninvited."

"But, you're still my guest."

He shook his head. "Well, whatever. Where is your mom?"

"Oh, in the kitchen," I said, pointing to where it was.

He stood there for a moment, looking at me. "Did... Did you do something to your hair?"

"Oh! You noticed?" I gently rugged my hair. "My mom wanted me to change my hair style a bit."

"It looks good on you."

My face went hot. He thought it looked good on me? "Oh... Thank you."

Blaise smiled sweetly.

"Blaise?" I turned around to see my mom. "Blaise, what are you doing here?"

"Oh... I did something so my parents are mad. I promise I will leave in a couple of hours."

She nodded and went up the stairs. She trusted Blaise not to do anything... Naughty, I guess. We've been friends for so long, she sees him almost like a son.

We went up to my room and sat down at opposite sides of the bed. "So, how was your Christmas?" I asked Blaise.

"It was pretty cool. I got to see some cousins I haven't seen in a long time. I liked all of my presents, except the one that I got from from my Aunt Queen. It was an algebra practice tablet. She said she got because she knew I was struggling with algebra. At one part, all the guys got together and played football. My team won, which was awesome."

"Of course they won! They had you their team. Aren't you the star player of the school's football team?"

He blushed intensely. "I'm not that good..."

"You did over half the touch-downs the last season!"

"That's only because they were easy. I bet you could have done it too."

I shook my head. Dear Lord, couldn't this guy see just how good he was? Why did he have to keep on denying it? "Okay, fine."

"You don't sound very convinced."

"Because I'm not."

"So, you really think I'm the best player?"

"Absolutely."

"Then you know nothing about football."

"I know you're good. That has to count for something."

Blaise blushed and shook his head. "If only you knew..."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. How was your Christmas?"

"It was nice. Everyone except my dad came over to celebrate. My cousin Gwen took out her Nerf gun and randomly started shooting people. Of course we all forgave her because she was only three. Much like you, I really liked all the presents I got. Well, I really didn't like the one I got from my Grandpa. He gave me a golf club and said that I should learn golf."

Blaise looked at me incredulously. "Learn golf? The most boring sport in the world?"

"Blaise-"

"You're defending a sport that's highlight is watching the ball fly after the guy hits at least an hour later?"

"It's just a minute or two."

"You mean an hour or two."

"No, I meant what I said." I shook my head. "Let's not argue about golf anymore."

"Oh, okay." Blaise leaned back in the pillows. "So, how long and the baby will be here?"

"Oh, about a month or so."

"It sure is showing in your mom. Are you being a good big sister and helping her out?"

"Of course! She's also been making Krista do chores around the house. It's quite amusing listening to her complain about how she was going to miss a phone call."

Blaise grinned for a moment, probably imagining her doing that. But, it was quickly with an irritated expression. "So, your douche-bag father going to help with the baby?"

I winced mentally at the language. "No. He divorced my mom, remember? He's never coming back."

Blaise contemplated this for a while. "I wish I could go to Germany just to beat the crap out of him."

"I wouldn't suggest that."

"Why? Because he's older? He left his wife and soon-to-be-five children alone, he slapped you and Casey, he disowned all of you, and he is a total and complete douche-bag. I have all the reasons I need to beat him up."

"I know, Blaise. It's just that-"

"Your not comfortable with the thought of your Dad and I punching each other."

"I just don't want you to get hurt again because of me."

Blaise's eyes softened. "Stace, you know I would do anything for you, even if it means getting hurt. You're my best friend. Whatever I do for you is on my own account. There is no reason to feel guilty."

I sighed. Dear Lord, this boy just won't understand. "Look, I don't want to talk about my father anymore."

"Alright," he said, shrugging nonchalantly.

I thought for a moment, then said, "Remember that I told you that I got an object to take care of?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to see it?"

Blaise smiled brightly. "Sure."

I grinned and got off the bed. I opened the dresser and took out a small red box. Around the corners were Chinese letters painted in gold. I walked back to the bed and handed the box to Blaise. He took it from me and opened it. Inside was a porcelain Chinese cat. Blaise gingerly took out from the box. "It's so small... This thing can bend dimensions?"

"Amazing, right? The got it from a raid. Mom said it was a Class 4 Dimension Bender."

There were six levels when it comes to objects that can bend dimensions. Class 1 is the weakest and Class 6 is the strongest. The numbers mean what the maximum number of people that it can transport at a time. Jacob's is a Class 2, as you can guess.

Blaise rubbed his hand against it. "How can something that can fit in the palm of my hand be able to transport at least four people?"

I shrugged. "Who knows. The only thing I have to do is make sure no one steals it or uses it. Mom says that for someone new into the world of Dimensions a Class 4 is really big responsibly. She said that I was only going to take care of it for a couple of weeks."

"For how long have you had it?"

"A couple of weeks."

"So..."

"This is probably my last day or so with it."

"Wow. You' be been able to take care of it for that long?"

I nodded. "But, it isn't as easy as it looks."

"What do you mean?"

"The D.C.R will do crazy things to get ahold of something like this. If you think about it, four people at a time is a lot."

"I guess." He handed me the cat. "I can't believe that something so small can be so powerful."

"That's what the D.C.R does. They take otherwise harmless objects and turn them into dimension benders. That way normal humans do all the dirty work for them."

Dear God, I'm calling others normal humans. My life really has become messed up.

"Stace..."

"Yes?"

"I-I have something to tell you."

I cocked my head. "Yes...?"

"Stace, I-"

"STACEY!"

"Oh, could you hold that for a moment?"

Blaise bit his lip. "Sure."

I smiled. "Thanks." I left my room and went over to Jacob's room.

For all of you who didn't know this before, my brother's room used to be a disaster. It used to be like a hurricane had gone through it, had a party, got drunk, and made mountains. Now, however, he's made an effort to make it clean. Now the hurricane did all that his closet, leaving his room spotless. Oh, how I dread the day that I have to clean his closet out.

Jacob handed me a book. "Could take care of this for a while?"

"Of course!" I took the book from him.

Just as I was leaving, he said. "Stacey, good luck. Remember to never trust the Scarred One."

"The what?"

"What are you talking about? Just remember to not put the book near your object."

I opened my mouth to say something, but opted not to. I've learned from experience that once Jacob closes a conversation, it's impossible to go back to it. I left the room and went back to Blaise.

"Another Warriors book?"

"What can I say? My brother happens to be a fan of cats with weird names."

"You haven't read the series yet?"

I shook my head. "I haven't had the time."

"And yet you finished the whole Percy Jackson series under a week?"

"That's something totally different," I retorted, blushing.

"Yeah, right."

I flushed and threw the book at him. Blaise caught the book and looked the cover. "The Last Hope, huh? Sounds interesting."

"The title is a bit cliché ."

"Really?"

I shrugged. "Pretty much."

Blaise shook his head. "Only you would know that."

I smiled briefly. He handed me back the book and I put it on the top of my bookshelf.

"You know, I've been thinking about finally cracking on the Warriors series. It's just that... Well... I guess you could say I'm scared. I don't want to read anything bad about Brambleclaw or Squirrelflight. I want to remember them they way they were when I met them."

Blaise hugged me from behind. "I understand, Stace."

I sighed and leaned back into him. Some part of me wanted to see them so badly that it would be stupid enough to put another Warrior book in from of a Dimension Bender just to see them again. But, what were the chance of it actually picking them up again? The only way I would be able to see them again would be somehow going into their dimension. Unfortunately, I have only a very small amount of knowledge on Dimension traveling, so I don't want to risk it.

I don't why but it popped into my head that Blaise was about to say something to be when Jacob called for me. "Blaise?"

"I'm listening."

"Good. Do you remember what you were going to tell me before Jacob called for me?"

"The question is if I will ever forget," he muttered under his breath. I'm not sure if I was supposed to hear that, so I chose to ignore it. He sighed. "Yeah l, I remember."

"Could you tell me now?"

Blaise let go of me. I turned around to face him. He took a deep breath. "Stace, I've been trying to say this for a long time now. I-I know you might not feel the same, but I need you to know this. Stacey, from the bottom of my heart, I-"

CRASH!

There was not time to think. I immediately launched myself onto whatever genius had decided to crash through my window. Unfortunately, I used too much force and almost ended up falling out of my window with that said person. As I dangled on the windowsill, I looked up to see the one person that had never wanted to see ever again.

"Miss me?"

"Curse you, Zachary!"

Zachary just grinned. "Aw, is that anyone to say hello to a lover?"

"Lover?" I spat angrily. "What the heck?"

"Anderson? What the hell are you doing here?" Blaise poked his head out of the window.

"Oh, Donner, didn't your girlfriend-"

"Stacey is not my girlfriend!" Blaise said, livid with anger.

"Oh, you were saving her for me? How kind of you!"

If looks could kill, Zachary would have dead. Blaise glared at him and said, his voice an angry whisper. "Say that again."

"Oh, you were saving her for me? How kind of you!"

With incredible ease, Blaise hauled him up into the room. I managed to scramble back in. Blaise had started to beat Zachary up. I took this chance in which Zachary was distracted by to take the box and find some other place for it.

I didn't get too far

It all happened in slow motion. I was taking the box from the bed, ready to sprint out of there. Zachary saw me take the box. He managed to escape Blaise's punches and tackled me to the ground. I fell and the box flew up into the air. It opened and sent the cat flying.

My heart nearly stopped.

I have no clue what happens to a Dimension Bender when it breaks, but I don't want to find out.

But, I couldn't get Zachary off of me. All I could do was watch helplessly as the cat sailed through the air.

And landed right on the Warrior book Jacob had just given me.

The last thought I had before the world became black was around the lines of:

Dear Lord, we are so dead.

Oh, Zachary. You just have to come in and ruin everything, don't you? xD

Yup. ^^

That's all I have for now.

Good bye! :D