Andy leaned against the concrete wall. Her breathing was ragged and heavy. The thought of what might have been making that horrible noise shot her system so full of a adrenaline that she was able to run all the way from Chalice's house to her own without stopping. Now her body was tired and virtually useless. She mumbled a quick goodbye to Rini and opened her front door. She was relived to find it empty. Her parents must have taken her little brother somewhere to pacify his temper. Normal she would be angry at her parent's favoritism, but right now she was too tired to care. Gazing up the stairs, she was tempted to sleep on the couch, but she knew her parents would grill her until she spilled her guts to them if they found her like that, so she dragged her self up the stairs and fell onto her soft bed.

"I'll ask Chalice about it tomorrow..." She told her self before falling into a deep sleep...

THAT EVENING...

A high voice pulled Andy into consciousness.

"But mommy!" Her little brother whined "Why did we have to leave so early?"

"Because it's your bedtime, deary." Her mother replied "Now run upstairs and brush your teeth."

Andy slipped groggily out of her bed. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked at her clock. 7:00P.M. It read in bright red numbers. She sighed and glanced out her window. The sun had left its place in the sky and was lowering behind the horizon. She could see the Island from here, with its tiny palm trees and white beach, and...Chalice? Andy Rubbed her eyes again to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Still there. What was Chalice doing there on a school night? What was she doing there anyways? It almost looked like she was...Praying. Over come with a sudden determination, Andy rushed out of her room, shouldered past her brother, grabbed her jacket, put on her shoes and walked out the door.

"Andrea Trint Lucifer! Were do you think you're going on a school night?" Her mother called from the door she had left open.

Andy didn't bother answering. She could come up with an excuse later. Right now she needed to know what exactly Chalice was hiding. Walking quickly to the small dock were her boat was, she loaded her back pack ,which she had grabbed as she left her room, and her self into the tiny rowboat. Paddling fiercely, she was at the island in no time. She hoisted herself onto the dock and flat out ran to the small shack that leads to the upper level. She stopped half way on the wooden bridge to the small sub-island on which Chalice stood.

"Why are you here?" Chalice asked suddenly. A voice spoke before Andy could answer.

"You know why we have come." The voice seemed far away.

"Do you wish to take her heart?" Chalice looked up at the darkening sky.

"Yes, her heart is the best suited for it." The voice sounded closer.

"And of the others?" Chalice asked the voice.

"They will serve us as well." The voice was much closer now

"I see..." Chalice let her head fall.

"Don't cry, little one. You will be duly rewarded for you assistance." Something white materialized into front of Chalice and cupped her chin.

"Can...can you really heal him?" Chalice said tentatively.

"Of course we can, Child. Our powers are great. Your fathers aliment is but a trifle to us." The voice said softly.

Chalice let out a small sigh, then said: "Why her?"

MEMORY RESTORATION INITIATED

PROGRESS: 1%

Pain ripped through Andy's head. It felt like a rusted dagger was being dragged through her temples.

"Why not me?" More pain

"Your heart is too pure. You know this."

"She's not ready." Andy's vision blurred.

"It must be done."

"None of them are..." Her head was screaming now.

PROGRESS: 7%

"Do not fret. They will be taken care of."

"Thank you..." Chalice whispered.

"It is our Pleasure. You should go now, your friend seems to need your help."

"What—ANDY!" the last thing Andy saw was Chalice running towards her before her world went black....

THE NEXT DAY...

Andy's sleep was restless. She dreamed of Chalice being taken away to some far of place filled with demons and a huge monster ripping open her chest and eating her heart. The monster had turned to her when a strange and frightening figure came and killed the beast. The figure then stabbed her with its sword and stole her heart as well.

"Andy!" Rini's panicked voice yanked Andy to consciousness.

Her eyes flew open. A bright white light blinded her at first. Only dark shadows marked what she knew to be people.

"Chalice...?" Andy said weakly.

"I'm here Andrea." A new shadow moved into view. Andy blinked several times and could faintly make out the worried features of Chalice's face.

"Chalice, What--" Chalice pressed a finger to her lips.

"Don't speak. You have to rest now." Chalice said.

"But--" Andy pressed.

"Now." Chalice's firmness surprised Andy. "Please." a forced smile spread across her face

"Chalice is right, Andy." Rini said. "You look horrible."

"I feel horrible." Andy rubbed her throbbing head." What happened?"

"You fell out of the tree house on the Island." Chalice answered.

"You were lucky Chalice found you when she did. You hit your head pretty hard." Andy was confused. That wasn't what had happened. Chalice had been talking to…someone, and then the pain and...Nothing.

"Chalice...Can...Can I talk to you?" Andy looked at Chalice. Her composer faltered for a moment, fueling Andy's rising suspicion

"Of course." Chalice forced out.

"Alone." Andy looked at Rini expectantly.

"O-oh uh, sure." Rini stammered, wondering what was going on.

"Why did you lie?" Andy looked at Chalice the moment the door closed.

"Why did you follow me?" Chalice countered

"Touché." Andy scowled. "Okay fine. I'll ask one then you ask one. Deal?"

"...As you will." Chalice agreed grudgingly.

"Good. What were you doing on the Island?" Andy stare was unwavering.

"Family business. What were you doing on the Island?" Chalice avoided Andy's eyes.

"Checking on you. Who were you talking to?" Andy glowered at the girl seated next to her.

"A friend. Why did you collapse?" A hint of anger wound around her answer.

"I don't know. What's wrong with your father?" Meeting Chalice's anger with her own.

"He is not him self. Why did you follow me?" Chalice said through her teeth.

"Because you're my friend." A look of surprise flashed across across Chalice's face.

"...How trivial..." Chalice closed her eyes and turned away in disgust.

"How can you say that!?" Andy yelled exasperated.

"Friendship is meaningless without good reason!" Chalice yelled back.

"So our friendship is meaningless then?!" Andy sat up.

"Only if it has no reason!" Chalice stood abruptly.

"Then what is our reason Chalice?! Why are we here, now, talking like this?!" Chalice open her mouth to answer, but stopped.

"I....I don't know..." She said slowly.

"What?" Andy felt her heart beating fast.

"I don't know! I don't why they chose you, or what they want with you! I don't know why I was put in this position, or why all of us are here!" Chalice started to cry. "I just know that I care about all of you too much and I can't do it! I just can't!"

Andy was stunned. It wasn't like Chalice, a normally quiet and demure girl, to let fly her emotions in such an outburst.

"Chalice I..." She didn't know what to say.

"Don't." Chalice wiped at her eyes vigorously. "Just...don't...please...."

"Is everything alright in here?" Rini peeked in the room. "We heard screaming and--"

She noticed Chalice.

"What happened?" She and Melony rushed to comfort her, only to be pushed away

"It's nothing." Chalice strode past them and out into the hall way. There was only silence as they listened to the sound of her boots clicking against the linoleum floor fade away. Andy's heart sank. She had done it now. They had fought before, but never like this. Andy was sure that a simple "I'm sorry" And a hug wouldn't mend things this time...