Ash

Even after a year, Ash and Maya's relationship with their father was… strained. It definitely wasn't the same as their one with Mr. Delaney, but at least they didn't hate each other. Calvin had helped them get to this point, by getting Maya away from the Nasts and telling her about the Genesis kids. Still, Ash couldn't forgive him for letting their mother take him away just to be dumped.

"So, anything new happen at school?" Calvin asked nonchalantly. Ash knew he was trying not to say anything that would strike the flame of either his or Maya's anger- which was a little hard since it was intensified by their regression and by the layer of tension already in their relationship- but he always broke that first silence when they sat down to eat this way, so Ash was really starting to get annoyed.

Already it had been a bad day. First he had flipped at Derek during their sparing (which was his fault for throwing me into the lake, he thought), so then he'd changed in the middle of the freaking lake and he had consequently talked to Dr. Frost, the psychiatrist that the Nasts paid to "help" them with their "extreme hormonal and emotional fluctuations caused by the experiment", as she had said when was introduced to them.

"You should know, Calvin. Didn't you get Frost to update you on every visit Maya and I have with her?" his voice was filled with sarcasm, as it usually was when he talked to most people and especially to his biological dad.

"Come on, Ash. Don't start this now." Maya was usually tried to be the mediator; at least when she wasn't in a bad mood herself. Turning to Calvin, who was on her left at his small, round table, she said, "Do you really have to ask that question every time? Especially when you saw what happened on the Platform today?!" The Platform was just a floating raft that was anchored in the middle of the lake, which was more of a large pond, and it was being used for sparring. So far everyone had made a point of keeping the fight in the center but Derek had been a little too close to the edge when he flipped Ash. Add his super, werewolf strength, and you end up with a wet cougar.

Hurt clouded Calvin's eyes as his gaze shifted between them. A hint of it slipped into his voice as well when he said, "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry for all of that? It's been a year and you know that I want what's best for you. Didn't I show that when I helped Maya? Plus I was in town when that happened so I wanted to get your side from your mouth Ash."

"Seriously?! I saw your truck in the driveway when I came out of the water," fury started to creep into Ash's voice. Last night it was Maya and tonight it's me. Shit! Please don't happen a second time or else Frost will have to have a special room just for me… Plus Tori will never leave me alone after one visit, let alone two! She always gets bothered when I have to visit the Doc.

Confusion and concern crept into Calvin's features. He had noticed Ash's increasing anger, though it may have been that he had already started to change. Ash couldn't really tell in the beginning anymore unless he touched his warping flesh. "My truck's carburetor blew. I had to convince Moreno to take me to get a new one. I thought you guy's knew that."

"You trusted his old Chevy? You said yourself that you wouldn't go to our place in it. Plus his driving is sh-"Ash calmed down as he spoke, but before he finished he and Maya jumped up. Their focus shot to the entrance of the kitchen.

"Whoa kids, it's just me. Sorry to interrupt but I thought I'd drop by and the door was locked. This was the easiest way." Since Moreno was an abeo demon, he could teleport anywhere within a certain range, as long as he knew what it looked like.

A few seconds passed before anyone said anything. Calvin was the one to break the silence, "Your ears must have been burning Moreno, 'cause we were just talking about our ride to town."

Sitting down at the only empty spot, while Calvin motioned for his Ash and Maya to sit as well, Moreno chuckled. "I'm guessing you told them about your little fit?" When Calvin's face took on a red tinge, Moreno laughed outright and continued before the other man could get a word out, "Your Father here forced me to borrow one of the security guy's cars. Said he would rather walk than take a chance in my The Red Wagon." This was what he called the old red Chevorlette.

Speaking through gritted teeth, his face slightly red with either embarrassment or anger, Calvin said, "They know why. Besides, I told you not to interrupt me today. You know that I was-"

Moreno interrupted, "I know but I just got a call from Sean. He couldn't get hold of you so he tried me. Apparently-"

Now it was Calvin who broke in, "You can't just popped in here and talk about business when I'm with my kids!"

"Fine," Moreno made himelf sound hurt, though they all knew he was anything but, "I just thought Maya at least would like to know that there are going to be two new kids in town tomorrow. She was the one complaining about the dating scene. I know honey," he continued on while Maya sat there, her mouth slightly open like she was going to speak and her own face the same shade as Calvin's, "you were doing it for your friends. I mean, you already have a hot guy yourself."

Moreno always liked to push Maya around, it was his way of saying that he liked her. Unfortunately for him, Ash was pretty protective of her and usually jumped to her defense, even though she could take care of herself. Luckily, this time he was too distracted by the bomb the half-demon had dropped to notice the chirp at his. "Do you know who they are?" Is it crazy that Maya and Ash said that at the same time? We are twins, Ash thought when he thought of it himself. They exchanged grins, Frost said this might happen. Our twin bond might not be as strong as it would have been if we were together from the start, he flinched slightly at the thought of his mother's choices, but it will still be there. He had to admit, he was glad that he had found her. Though Ash would never tell anyone else, he had hated living on the streets alone and would have happily joined his father if he had been the first one Calvin found.

"-how old? What project are they from? Come on Moreno, you gotta give me something!" Maya was trying to course some info in the new kids when Ash tuned back in to his surroundings. Since when do I zone out? I would have been screwed if that happened last year! Ash silently reprimanded himself as he listened to the argument between the half-demon and his sister, It's because of this town. I don't need to be as focused unless I'm in class.

"darling, I'm sorry, but I really know nothing. Besides, they'll be here tomorrow. Then you can get to know all about them yourself. Mabye you'll become bff's or something." At the end Moreno's voice went up into a falsetto.

"Yeah," Ash snorted, "and maybe Tori will stop hating Dr. Frost."

"Oh, Ash! She doesn't hate the doc. She's just jealous. I mean, you do spend a lot of time with her… and she's only six years older than you, plus she has a British accent. I can see why it looks like Tori hates her." With that, Moreno popped out as suddenly as he appeared.