Short Chapter for now . . . .

ok. i've been reading many of your reviews and many of you were surprised to find Ian crying. I guess what I pictured when I saw him crying (read right to veiw the spoiler ahead -) was how like, scared Natalie and Ian were and they were holding each others hands. Cause they only needed one Lucian. (ok, so they weren't crying scared, or peeing in pants scared, but hey, they love each other.)

"Now it all seems so clear, there's nothing left to fear
So we made our way by finding what was real
Now the days are so long that summer's moving on
We reach for something that's already gone, yeah" - September, Daughtry

Amy ran until she had reached the house where she and Dan were staying. Opening the door with the key around her neck, Amy called Dan's name, and hearing no response, she continues to scream and scream and scream, until her voice hurt and she couldn't scream any longer. Dan? Was he gone too?

It took all of Amy's strength not to start wailing as she had heard Ian earlier in the day, so she sat down on their black leather couch, threw her head back and sighed, in and out, trying to calm her mixed emotions. Rage boiled somewhere inside of her and her breaths started to come out faster and faster, louder and louder. But then, there was also emptiness, like a part of her was missing and that she had to find it at all costs. She and Dan had been through so much in the past few months, wait, maybe even longer. Ever since Isabelle had killed their parents, Dan was the one that she had trusted and relied on. Sure, he could be very annoying, but he was her little brother. Sigh. Crystal colored tears suddenly started to glide down her cheeks, now a scarlet color from all her crying. Amy's crying turned quickly turned into sobs, her vision blurred from tears. Is this how Ian felt? She wondered. Hm . . . .it had been funny hearing Ian crying like that, because it was so unlike him. She tried to smile at her pathetic joke, but her muscles wouldn't respond and her body hurt so much for some reason. It must be the crying, or from running all the way from school.

Amy was slowly drifting off into sleep when suddenly a huge knock came from the door. Oh no! What if their coming for me too! Amy. This is not the time to panic; Dan's captures might be right outside the door, and . . . . and . . . Amy took a deep breath and tried to come up with a plan. Maybe, if I let them take me, it they'll take me right to where they were holding Dan! Yes, that will work, and we'll escape together and warn Nelly.

Grinning with confidence, Amy walked to the door, her shoes squeaking on the hard wooden floor. She unlatched the latch she had hurriedly put on, and opened the door. Standing there was . . . . .Dan?

"Hey, you know I can't get in with that thing bolting the door?" He said, walking inside, unaware of his sister's distress that had taken place moments ago.

"Dan!" Amy ran forward and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him in a massive bear hug. "I was so worried. Dan, where have you been?"

"Didn't I tell you that I was going to get some ice cream in that store that opened a few blocks away from school?" He shrugged, "Maybe I forgot, sorry, but their ice cream is wicked! Have you seen all their flavors! It's heaven for fat people," he said rubbing his stomach, "and well, me."

Amy withdrew her arms from around his neck, giving her best big-sister-glare she could make, she screamed "I thought you were kidnapped along with Natalie! You err . . . . frustrate me so badly . ."

"Hey," Dan said soothingly, "I'm sorry that I forgot to get you ice cream, maybe . . . wait. . .Natalie's missing!" His mouth flew open in shock. "You mean Natalie who likes to shoot darts at our head? Natalie, Ian's little brat sister? Or the Natalie that lives a few blocks down with all those freckles and thick glasses, the one that thinks I'm hot, which one, because I would really appreciate it if Natalie-that-thinks-I'm-hot disappeared, but the other one. . ." He shrugged.

"The other one you dweeb, Ian called this afternoon, crying, really unlike him. He said he was coming over because he wants us to help find her, he should be hear by what? One o'clock tomorrow? Which bedroom should he stay in, maybe that guess room, but it still smells like paint." For some reason, she wanted to show Ian that their house was neat, clean, and Cahill material.

"Ian was crying! This is amazing! Whoever kidnapped Natalie must have done something horrible to make the Cobra cry!" He threw his arms up, and then started to laugh. "Oh no, what's mum gonna say when she hears little Ian crying?" He mimicked, laughed even harder.

"This is serious Dan, concentrate!" Amy scowled. Why did she have to be the only serious one around here? Well, Nelly was ok. . . . . "Ok. Where should he stay? Wait, I'm going to have to go to the market, and oh no, did you spill your pudding again, Dan. How old are you, two?"

"For your information, I cleaned up that mess, and second, Ian could sleep with you?" He shrugged, "Or maybe-"

"How dare you say that he's sleeping with me?"Amy shouted, pointing her finger at Dan, "How dare you!"

"Ok, JK, JK, JK! I'm sorry, ok? Wow, why so mad all of the sudden?" He smiled, knowing he had struck a nerve, or at least burst the last button. Amy's face grew bright red, and she started to think of the one kiss she had shared with Ian, and then how he had locked her, Dan, and Uncle Alistair in a cave to die.

"Dan. I'm going to the market would you like anything?" Amy was trying to change the subject, but Dan was already prancing and jumping around the house singing at the top of his lungs, "Amy and Ian sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

A/N: BTW-there is not going to be any people sleeping with each other nonsense, so have no fear!

Arn't you excited! There's another 39 clues book coming out! (not the black secrets one) but the Vespers rising! I can't wait, so when I buy it, and there isn't a Ian/Amy moment, I'm going to throw the book out the window! But if there is one, I'll be happy. CAN'T WAIT! :)