Chapter 1

Shatterpoint

A/N- Hey All!! Long time no see, huh? Well, I've got nothing but good news. I'll start with the first and foremost of the good news: I received Young Wizards Book Nine "A Wizard of Mars" in at the end of last week and I've read it cover to cover already. I paced myself so I didn't finish it all in one day (I could have since I was reading it over the weekend) but it's all read and I've got some ideas brewing for this here fan fic. So, that actually covers good news part two: that I've got ideas working in my brain for the fic instead of having writer's block. Yay!!

Good news part three is that I'm going to attend the book signing for (you guessed it) book nine in New York on April 24th!!!

The last and final bit of good news is that I'm back and ready to update this here fic as often as I can. Mind I do have my Star Wars series running at the same time so if I don't update one day it's probably because of that or because of my college homework.

Lastly I feel it's necessary to give a warning before this chapter starts:

CAUTION!!! THIS STORY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR YOUNG WIZARDS BOOK NINE "A WIZARD OF MARS." IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK NINE AND DO NOT LIKE SPOILERS- DO NOT READ THIS FIC UNTIL YOU HAVE READ BOOK NINE. SPOILERS AHEAD!!! HEED THE WARNING!!!! THANK YOU!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my computer.

Dai, Cousins!

-Don =)

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"Your death now would only serve to upset the balance."

"No."

"Nita!!"

The pain was unbearable. But it was over in seconds. Time-Heart. There's always Time-Heart.

Nita heaved a deep breath as she took the plunge from the dark space. Even though she had felt herself leave as soon as the Lone Power's blast had hit her, she was still able to hear the voices of the people around her body. Roshaun was screaming and she could almost feel the anger radiating off of his voice. Polliagdor was saying something to someone that Nita had to take a moment to hear and then she was sure her heart had cracked. Dairine. Her sister was there and her voice told Nita that Dairine knew Nita was dead. Nita also noted the sound of Ponch, the finder, and then felt cold dread and hurt rising in her chest. If Ponch was there then-

"Greetings and defiance!" Nita heard Kit say. The pain in his voice was evident. It was harsh and determined, a tone she'd never hoped to hear from him. It literally sent a stabbing feeling right through her, a feeling worse than the one when the Lone Power had struck her down. Why was she still able to feel these things if she was dead? Why wasn't she numb?

Time-Heart knows pain. It's not life but it's not death either.

Nita turned her head to look for the source of the voice but saw nothing in the blank white space around her. Was she truly in Time-Heart?

You should know. You've been there before.

It was wizardry. Wizardry was speaking to Nita.

It took you long enough to notice you could speak to me directly.

Nita scowled, "Cut me some slack. How was I supposed to know you could talk back?"

Living things can speak to you, therefore so can I.

Nita considered this and then nodded, "Touche," She then paused before posing the question that had been on her mind for a while, "What name do you go by?"

If wizardry could seem bemused it was certainly embodying that quality as it replied, What name would you like me to have?

Nita smirked, "Bobo."

Cute.

"I think it is," Nita said indignantly and then turned her head to the side to gaze at the endless white abyss she was suspended in. It wasn't anything like the Lone Power's world she'd been in before coming to the white abyss but it didn't feel like anything except for a pain, and it wasn't just any pain, it was the kind of pain that came forth when she felt like she was losing something important. Like losing her mother, only the loss was strange because she was the one who had died.

Supposedly, Bobo said, You seem to have missed the most important detail about your life so far.

Nita felt a stab of anger hit her as she whirled on Bobo, "Really, I think I know my life pretty well."

Not well enough, it seems.

"What in the name of the Powers is that supposed to mean?" She demanded.

Since you know already, why should I tell you? Bobo asked and Nita noted from the fact that Bobo was wizardry itself and not only that, her version of wizardry, Bobo could hardly lie to her.

She let out a long sigh, "I guess I already knew I'd miss my life sometime."

And?

"Don't push me," Nita said shortly to Bobo and it laughed as she refocused her attention and cupped her chin in her hand as she thought hard.

I believe the moment you were hit by the Lone Power should have shown you something.

Nita turned her head in confusion, "What's that?"

"You're not dead."

Nita then felt a searing pain before her eyes shot open and she let out a short gasp of breath and then restrained a scream before turning to notice that she wasn't in the Lone Power's world or in the white abyss.

I told you.

"Shut up, Bobo," Nita muttered and sat up, slowly noticing that she wasn't alone in the small room. Kit lay a few feet away from her on the floor near the bed she was reclined on.

Another pain slammed her and this time the suddenness prevented her from restraining the small frightened cry that escaped her lips. In an instant she found a pair of chocolate eyes inches away from her gray. For a moment Kit didn't say anything but then gave Nita a short regard of concern that she wasn't sure how to respond to.

"What happened?" He finally said. Nita shook her head.

"I don't know," She replied. Kit's eyes narrowed.

"Do you remember anything about what happened?" Kit asked, his voice almost tentative, a tone Nita had never heard from him until now.

"I remember telling the Lone Power to shove its plan up its ass and then I don't really remember too much after that," Nita said, attempting a small joke to lighten up the situation. Kit's mouth twitched slightly into a wry smile before he sat back on his hands with a tired sigh.

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" Nita questioned. Kit turned his head towards her and then shook his head.

"I didn't until a few minutes ago," He replied in a barely audible tone, "I drifted off right before you woke up." The clear relief in his tone told Nita everything she needed to know. She could tell that Kit had probably thought, despite what Nita knew from her own experience with Bobo in the white abyss, that Nita had truly been dead.

"Kit," Nita said in a quiet voice. He shook his head fervently.

"You have no idea what that did to me," Kit said, his voice shaking as he spoke. "Seeing you dead," The words almost didn't come out but once they did, Kit's voice cracked completely and he fell silent once more. This wasn't the conversation she'd imagined having with Kit once she'd finally gotten to see him again. Since she'd gone into the Lone Power's world it had seemed like year since she'd clapped eyes on Kit and now she wasn't even sure what to say to him. It was a strange feeling since she'd known Kit for almost ten years and they had been through more life endangering situations that any average person would care to go through and never had they faltered. Yet here Nita was wondering exactly what it was that was preventing her from saying anything to Kit, her best friend and wizardry partner for the past seven, eight years of her their lives.

To her surprise Kit's mouth formed a smile, "That's a first," He gave a small chuckle, "Me rendering you silent."

Nita found her voice right then, "Yeah, right. Like you ever stop talking."

"That makes two of us," Kit raised an eyebrow at her before Nita shrugged off the comment.

"If it helps you to sleep at night, then sure, go ahead and believe that lie," Nita shot him a challenging smirk before they both started laughing together. After a few minutes Kit rubbed the back of his neck, only now glancing at Nita and noticing something he hadn't before.

Wow, Nita's- He shook his head. Cute? No, that's not even enough. She's just, wow. Kit was amazed now by his own lack of adjectives to describe his best friend.

"A penny for your thoughts," Nita said, breaking Kit's reverie. "I saw that look. What's going on with you?" She gave him a glare when he started to say 'nothing' and he fell silent. "Don't tell me it's nothing. We went over this before, if you want my help asking her out why didn't you just say so?"

Kit inwardly cursed in English and outwardly muttered something in Spanish. It was hardly what he'd call a collected response since his bilingual skills had split literally down the middle. "I don't want you to help me ask her out." He said in frustration. Nita blinked and then scowled deeply. Kit sighed, knowing he'd approached this in the wrong way once more.

"Why not?" Nita demanded.

"Because if you did it'd be pointless," Kit answered, again berating himself for not just outright saying what he wanted to.

Nita's brow went up at that, "Oh?" Kit gulped. He knew that look. It was the one she'd get right before she snapped. Crap, what did I get myself into? This isn't the reunion I had in mind. I didn't want to piss her off! Kit thought and outwardly let his head sink into his hands. Nita immediately noticed how stressed he looked and let her anger subside for a moment. "Is she really that important to you?" Kit looked at Nita and then nodded silently. "Okay, then I'll let you tell her yourself." She smiled at him and turned her head away only to return her gaze when he spoke her name.

"Nita," Kit rested his brown eyes on her and he took in Nita's storm grey eyes, her casual sense of fashion and her wonderfully vibrant face. It was always amazing to look at no matter how many times he had already seen her face it always stunned him to see how delicately shaped her features were despite how tough she was inside and out.

It was a vulnerability that Kit both appreciated and worried about. After Nita's mother died he had seen Nita break down only once in front of him but that was enough to make him promise to himself never to allow that to happen again. He wanted nothing more than to see Nita's mother alive so he could see Nita smile like she used to but it seemed like Nita was stubbornly accepting of the death and thus shouldering her hurt on her own.

He felt guilty that he hadn't been there for her right when the pain was setting in the most. Kit had gone off on his own wizardry quest to find Darryl and left Nita alone when she probably needed someone to talk to even if she wouldn't admit it out loud.

"She's the most important person to me," Kit said without even thinking about what he was saying. But this time he decided to let his subconscious flow through instead of stopping himself. "My best friend."

Nita opened her mouth and then shut it as his words hit her. "Who-?" She blurted and then fell silent as confusion set in. She stared at him. "You're kidding."

"I'm surprised you didn't notice," Kit replied with an amused smile. Nita grunted.

"How was I supposed to know? You may be bad at lying, Christopher Rodriguez but you're even worse at giving hints."

He wrinkled his nose, "I was being subtle."

"That wasn't being subtle, Kit, you were being outright vague," Nita said, folding her arms across her chest in annoyance.

Kit narrowed his eyes, "I could have sworn 'Mela said I was an open book."

"And you took her word for it?" Nita asked, surprised. "For the record it's always better to just say these things."

Kit turned his eyes on her, "Really? Then let's hear you say it if it's that easy." He nodded, "Go on."

Nita blinked, "What?"

"You said it's better to say it out loud. If it's that easy why don't you say it first?"

"Hold on a second-" Nita said, holding up her hands but only found herself trying to talk while Kit's lips were on hers. After that all thoughts went out of her head and she could almost hear Bobo laughing in the far reaches of her mind. When Kit pulled away she gave him a stern look.

"That still doesn't count."

"Jeez, what do you want me to do?" Kit asked. "Most girls would just flip at being kissed."

"Are you implying I have to be like other girls?" Nita asked, her voice dangerously low. Kit shook his head. There's no way I'd think that. Ever. When Kit looked up at Nita once more her expression told him she'd heard his thought.

"I wouldn't ever imply such a thing," Kit said, "For obvious reasons." He gave her a knowing look. She looked thoughtful for a second before responding.

"Such as?"

"Do I have to?" He asked. Nita gave him a strange look.

"You make it sound like it's a death sentence," Nita said in an amused tone. She raised her brow at him.

"It's embarrassing," Kit said defiantly.

Nita looked at him incredulously. Kit, who wasn't ever intimidated or afraid of anything and who hadn't ever let anything, even a wizardry ban, stop him from doing something was scared. I think the world just boiled over, Nita thought with amazement. "So?" She replied, "You just kissed me and you think saying something is embarrassing?" When he didn't budge she sighed and rubbed her forehead before asking, "You want me to start?" Once more she didn't get much of a response out him other than a simple nod. She turned as the whistling of Ponch's snore sounded nearby. She smiled as she noticed Kit's gaze resting on his dog. Kit had clearly missed Ponch and she knew how crushed he'd been when Ponch had moved on to be the Finder. Even though Kit was happy for his dog's progress, the hurt was obvious. There wasn't a certainty of whether or not Ponch would be able to stay after he was done with whatever he needed to accomplish. What that was, Nita couldn't be sure.

"Alright," She said, sitting cross legged on the bed and gestured for Kit to join her. He stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, an almost apprehensive expression on his face as he waited for Nita to begin. "First, I think you need to just hear me out when I say this so no interruptions until I'm done, okay?" He nodded, wondering what it was she was planning to say to him. He had some idea since she'd been trying to get him to say exactly what he felt but it was still a little unnerving to think about what she'd say since he knew she was going to say exactly how she felt about him and since Nita was honest and straightforward he was sure she'd say everything she thought no matter what it was.

"Kit, stop giving me that look, there's nothing about you that I think is bad, so relax," Nita said when she noticed how tense he was. Kit blinked as he realized that he'd been shifting nervously. "I think I'll start by saying that you've always been more about what you're thinking than I have but at the same time I know that's part of who you are so I wouldn't change that for the world. I don't really want to simplify this but I think it might be better just explain it," She sighed. "Kit, you're the only person I know who doesn't expect me to change who I am and expects nothing less of me than my best. You've always stood by me and even though we've had our fair share of arguments, you've come through. I'm not sure thank you is enough to express what I feel," She shook her head, "Because it's not," She paused and then rested her head in her hands as she shook her head, "Kit, I feel like such an idiot."

"What-?" Kit started and Nita held up a hand but he continued, "You're not an idiot. You're the furthest thing from idiotic. You're always the one with brilliant ideas and you're better at handling things than I could ever be. I don't know if I'd have survived half of our wizardries without you there."

Nita took her turn to fall silent as his words washed over her. "Honestly, I don't even know where you got the idea that you're even remotely idiotic."

Nita gave him a wry smile, "If you heard half the things I say," She shook her head, "Or don't say, you'd agree with me."

"Normally I'd agree with you but in this case I have to disagree," He replied with a laugh. "Yes, you might say some things you didn't want to or mean to but I can't say I'd leave just because you said something a little silly."

"Or stupid."

"Neets," Kit groaned. Nita had to laugh at that. He was trying to be a good sport and tell her not everything she said was stupid and was covering it up with 'silly' but she was letting her stubborn side get the better of her.

"I got it, don't worry," Nita said with a grin. Kit mock glared at her for teasing him and then sighed.

"I think I'm the idiot," Kit said. Nita raised her brow.

"How do you figure that?"

"Maybe because I've gone to the trouble of staying with you no matter what adventure our wizardry takes us on but none of those times I've actually admitted to myself, let alone you what I actually thought or felt during those times," Nita nodded for Kit to continue, indicating that she wouldn't interrupt him. Kit recomposed himself before continuing "I was afraid during the song of twelve. Not just because it was a dangerous spell but because I knew deep down that once you took the oath you would have to go through with it. I couldn't do anything and it hurt. I might have said that much but I didn't realize until afterwards how close I was to losing you altogether. I couldn't live with that. Not even then when we were still just getting to know each other. I don't think there was ever a time that I didn't care about you after we met. I felt like life wasn't worth half the laughs or the strain when you weren't around. I knew that and I still didn't admit to myself that I'd honestly loved you from the beginning." Kit let out a long breath and could hear his heart thudding in his chest as he met Nita's eyes, which were wide but understanding.

"I love you," He repeated. "I don't know what took me so long to say that but as soon as I saw you in the Lone Power's world, dead, I thought I'd lost the chance to tell you." His shoulders immediately began to shake but stopped as Nita placed a hand over his.

"I don't think you're the only one who took too long, Kit," Nita said and then kissed him lightly on the lips. "I probably should have said something. I just thought you liked someone else."

"Not possible," Kit said with a smirk. "You kind of knocked my socks off from day one."

"So you don't mind if I tell you I love you?" Nita asked, smirking now too.

"As much as you want," He said, gesturing with his hand for her to go ahead and his brown eyes glowed with a new life.

"I love you," Nita said but didn't get any further as Kit was already kissing her without hesitation. She pushed him back.

"I thought you said you were going to let me talk?" She gave him a knowing look. He shrugged.

"I changed my mind," Kit grinned from ear to ear and Nita took her turn to shrug.

"No complaints from me," She answered but before she could lean in the door to the room slid open and Kadarn appeared in the doorway. His expression was just a few creases short of furious and his eyes fixated on Kit.

"The Heart of Mars was shattered," Kadarn said. Kit swallowed hard. This was definitely not his fault. But Kadarn's expression said otherwise. This is going to be bad.