A/N Hee, hee, I'm not even going to apologize because I do not expect to be forgiven. If anyone is still reading this enjoy. I have qute a bit written so I hope I'll remember to update soon. Please review.

Chapter III:

Goodbyes

The next six months flew by and as Mrs. Hiwatari became more ill while the four's friendship grew stronger. Kai no longer was afraid of Andy kissing him; in fact they were great friends. Kayla and Ray both learned to read at the same time, while Andy took her sweet time learning to write in print and braille, and slowly she got more confident.

On a sunny Saturday morning in March, Kai's father took him and Kayla to Hope Memorial Hospital to visit their mother. She had already been there for about a month. He had overheard the doctors say that she didn't have much time left. As they drew near her room they noticed people running in and out of her door. Quickly his dad sat him and Kayla on a bench near door.

"Stay here," he ordered.

Quietly Kai sat in his seat. A few minute later a Mrs. Kon and her children came. Like his dad she sat her four children on the bench and ordered them to stay put. A long time later she came back out, looking distressed.

"Dan, why don't you take the other's downstairs where the toys are," she suggested.

"Yes mom," Dan answered, getting to his feet.

"I wanna stay," Kai protested. No way were they getting him off that bench.

"Your father wants you to go," she said kindly.

"But," he began.

"Come on shorty," Dan said, slinging his arm on his shoulders. "When we were here last time they had video games, I'll play ya."

"Alright," he sighed.

"Mom, can I get my backpack from the car?" Andy asked. "My braille teacher gave me a tone of homework, the big meanie."

"I thought you asked for the extra homework?" Ray asked.

"Shut up," Andy shot.

"Enough," she said, handing the keys to Dan. "Can do that for me Dan?"

"Yes ma'am," Dan murmured.

Hours dragged by as they sat and played. Ray tied to keep things cheery, but the room was filled with sadness, as if summer was cancelled. After a while Andy stuffed her homework back into her bag and walked over to the three.

"What ya doin'?" she asked.

"Trying to get this puzzle done," Kayla murmured.

"Can I help?" she asked.

"Sure," the three said in unison.

For what seemed like an eternity they stayed in the room. Finally Mrs. Kon came down. A long time she stood in the doorway and watched Kayla and Kai play with the puzzle. Then she walked over to them and without a word took their hands in hers and led them upstairs. When they got upstairs Mrs. Kon sat them down on the bench. She looked a bit nervous Kai noticed.

"Children your mum is very sick, you know that right," she said going to her knees.

"Yes," they said softly.

"Do… do you know what dying means?" Both children shook their heads. "Well, it's when… it's when somebody goes to sleeps and never wakes up."

"Is that what's happening to mommy?" Kayla asked.

"Yes."

"Is she already asleep?" Kai asked suddenly.

"No, not yet, that's why you're here. You mommy wants to talk to you two."

Quickly both children jumped to their feet and went into their mother's room. Their father sat next to their mother's bed holding her hand. Kayla raced to her mother's side and climbed onto the bed. A second later Kai joined his sister.

"Are you going to sleep yet mommy?" Kayla asked.

"Soon baby, soon," she said softly.

-o-

Aly stood in the doorway and watched Adella lie with her family. Both children lay on either side of her cradled in her arms. As the day went by Aly saw her best friend grow weaker and weaker by the minute. Alex never uttered a word, but it was written all over his face. Slowly Adella fell into a deep slumber, a few minutes later the machine that had been keeping track of her pulse let out a long low beep. The nurse came in a second later and turned it off.

Tears ran down Alex's cheeks as he stood up and lifted a sleeping Kai from the bed. Quietly Aly entered the room and helped carry Kayla to the car. After she watched them drive away she returned to her own children. Dan and Chris were still playing video games, while Ray was getting frustrated over the puzzle he had started but Andy was nowhere in sight. Panic over took Aly.

"Dan, where's you sister?" she asked calmly.

"She should be in the chair doing her homework," he said.

"Yeah," Chris agreed. "And for once she's been quiet."

"That's because she's not here," Aly almost yelled. All three boys turned and looked at the corner chair, no homework, no backpack and defiantly no Andy.

"Oops," they said.

"Come on we got to find her," she said leaving the room.

Round and round the four searched, asking anyone and everyone. Where could she have gone? It wasn't like her to wander off. After an hour of searching Aly headed back to the kids room, hoping that she had returned. As she walked down one of the halls she heard a familiar laugh. Peeking inside one of the rooms she saw an old man sitting in his bed reading a braille book and on a chair next to him was a raven hair five year old.

"Andrea Angel Kon," Aly said happily, hugging her daughter.

"Hi mom," she said cheerfully.

"You know better than to disappear like that," Aly scolded.
"No I didn't, I went to the bathroom and bumped into Mr. Lovely here, he's been helping me with my homework," she said. "But first I went back to the room and told Chris, honest I did."

"Sorry ma'am if we gave you a scare," Mr. Lovely apologized.

"No that's alright, I think I have a seven year old to talk to," she said, "come on Andy."

"Yes mum," Andy said, "Thank you Mr. Lovely for the help."

"No problem kiddo, come back anytime," Mr. Lovely said, as mother and daughter left hand in hand.

-o-

A week after their mother's death a purple hair man came to the door. Kai watched his father happily greet the man from the top of the stairs. Behind the man were four other men, all wearing black uniforms. For some reason the sight of them sent chills down his spine.

"Kids come down here," his dad called. Quickly Kayla and Kai ran downstairs. "Kids this is Mr. Balkov, he's a good friend of your grandpa. You're going to stay with him for a while."

"But," they began.

"No buts now go pack," their dad ordered.

Slowly they marched upstairs. As Kai just finished packing his sister came into his room. Almost in tears she ran up to her brother and gave him a huge hug.

"I don't wanna go," she cried, "Mr. Balkov's scary."

"I know, he scares me too, but we'll be okay," Kai soothed. "Now go finish packing."

"Are you ready?" their dad called.

"Yes," Kai answered.

"No," Kayla whined.

"Kai come down, Kayla will catch up," Mr. Balkov ordered.

"But," they began.

"Do it!" their hollered.

With a sigh Kai hugged his sister one more time and took him downstairs. Two of the men in black uniforms took him by the arms and marched him into the back of a van. A second later Mr. Balkov came into the van and sat next to him. 'Great,' he thought as they drove away. Looking back he took one last look at his home that he wouldn't be seeing for a very long time.

-o-

That same day Aly went to visit the Hiwataris at their mansion. The first thing she noticed was a black van in front of the door, with two men in black uniforms near by. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door. A few minutes later Alex came to the door.

"Hello Aly, what do you want?" he asked dully.

"I came to see how you guys are doing," she said. "What's going on anyways?"

"Come in if you must then," he said, opening the door.

"You still haven't answered my question," she said, walking inside.

"The kids are going to stay with my dad for a while."

"Are you nuts!? You're actually letting that nut job near them!?"

"He's my dad, all he wants to do is help me out," Alex argued.

"No! Adella wouldn't like it one bit."

"Well it's too late, Kai's already gone and Kayla's going to leave any minute. I can't handle them right now."

"I can't believe you! You've gone mad."

"Dad will take care of them."

"At least let Kayla stay."

"I told you I can't handle them right now. Every time I look at them I'm reminded of Adella."

"I can take Kayla for a while," she suggested, calming down. "She'll love it. She and the twins are getting along fine."

"Fine whatever, just get her out of my face," he snapped, walking away.

Slowly Aly went up to Kayla's room. The five year old was just finishing packing her suitcase. As she closed it she noticed Aly.

"Hi Mrs. Kon," she greeted.

"Hello Kayla, how would you like to stay at my house for a while," Aly suggested. "It'll be lots of fun."

"What about Kai?" she asked.

"Sorry sweetie, but it can still be fun," Aly said.

"Well… okay," she said after taking a few minutes to think.

Gently she took Kayla by the hand and lifted her suit case. Unlike her brother Kayla happily walked away from the Hiwatari mansion.