Dragon: Happy Hoildays everyone! I'm sorry for the very long wait but life just happen to get in the way that delay in updating. Sorry! Well I hope this chapter makes it up.

Barricade: *scoff* they don't care, they just want to get on with the story.

Bumblebee: oh hush you, can't you get rid of that pipe that jam up your aft?

Barricade: *growl* shut up Autobot!

Dragon: Cade knock it off, since you decide to be a grump. Ya going to do the disclaimer.

Bumblebee: *grin and gave a raspberry*

Barricade: *growl* fine…DragonRiderWarrior doesn't own the AVP franchise, only her ocs and the fan plot story.

Bumblebee: Also special thanks to Chief Arbitrator Pauk-de for editing the chapters so far.

Dragon: Now onto the story!

Bumblebee: Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Luna's POV

Things are peaceful and serene, watching and caring for Orion fills my heart with joy. It amazes me every time to see how fast Orion is growing every day. I had to make the house baby-proof because Orion had learned how to crawl. Not to mention the fact that he enjoys reaching out and exploring, but man does that kid have energy! I could just watch him crawl forever, exploring his surroundings and finding everything in wonder. Trailing close behind him is Tiger, and being the well-trained dog, he will at times herd Orion away from certain things. The little one is very curious, which is normal for his age, and he wants to learn about everything. One day Orion found his way into the library, and I decided to read him a few books. Orion enjoys listening and looking at the pictures, and we will sometimes sit in the library for hours. I know that from reading that book about Predators that Orion is much smarter and will learn much faster than a human. Then again, I just wonder if I'm doing a good job in teaching him? Due to my influence would Orion be weak and dumb compared to others of his species merely a freak among his kind? In a way he might, because he is being raised by me a human. I truly fear the day when Orion encounters his kind, if he ever encounters his kind, I hope it never happens. I try not to think about it, but it's hard not to. I just want what is best for Orion, but even with the book to help guide me I'm not sure if I'm doing the right things.

I snap out of my thoughts when I feel clawed hands grip my leg. I look down to see Orion looking up at me. I feel those claws of his sinking into my clothes, and see his fangs just peeking out from his gums. Orion had whined, and I know that his fangs and claws were coming in. Knowing that he can easily destroy baby toys, I made toys that could withstand Orion's sharpening teeth and claws. Orion whines as he tries to pull himself onto my lap but instead he falls back onto his butt. I chuckle as he huffs, and then he tries a couple of more times before giving up. He looks up at me, and his arms reach out for me to pick him up. I can't deny him he looks like a kicked puppy. I pick him up and set him on my lap boy is he getting heavier each day! Orion grumbles as he nuzzles and cuddles me, then he purrs cutely. I chuckle as I gently rub circles on his back. His purring keeps on getting louder. I chuckle at this as I reach over to my plate and grab a piece of steak. I relish as my taste buds take in the great taste of the medium-rare steak. Orion whines for my attention, and I look down, only to see him reach for a piece of steak and eat it whole. I panic as I think he might choke on it, but he wasn't fazed by it at all. Instead, he tries to reach for another piece, but I push the plate out of his reach. The book says that Orion will eat meat at an early stage, but this seems to be just too early for that. After all, he is just a little over three months old. Orion cries as he attempts to get the steak, and I sigh as I didn't like seeing Orion suffer. I don't see a problem with this since Orion has his fangs coming in. It would make sense that he would naturally eat meat. So I let him have another piece, but I made sure he ate it instead of just wolfing it down. Orion ate the rest of my steak, and he started purring happily. I swear he sounds like a kitten getting his fur scratched and petted. I couldn't help but chuckle at how cute he is.

The radio in the living room suddenly came to life after weeks of radio silence. It has been a long time since I heard the radio clearly without getting very bad static. A news podcast is announcing the extended weather forecast for the surrounding area. I set Orion on the floor and walked over to the radio to turn up the volume. The news announced that spring is just around the corner and that the snow is slowly melting away. In some areas, the snow had already melted away, and plants are coming into bloom. All good news and glad to hear but, of course, Alaska s weather over the whole area is not consistent, so the weather forecast for Alaska has that lovely tendency to bring bad news. I half-listen to what they say since just in another part of Alaska there is property damage and a few lives lost.

"This just in a tragic accident occurred where a gas leak has caused a deadly explosion, taking five lives. It happened early Monday morning at a local shop in Dawn Oak where the owner had expected an expert to come by later that day for a routine gas line checkup, unaware that gas had already leaked throughout the store. The explosion was triggered when Tim Jeff, an employee, lit a cigarette in the store while unaware of the gas leak. The victims of this tragedy were the owner, Samuel Understay; an employee; Tiffany June; Tim Jeff, an employee; a young mother Lucy Johnson and her 8-year-old son Jake Johnson Jr. Their families, gathered at the site once things were clear, are mourning they're lost."

I held my hands over my mouth as I looked at the radio with disbelief. I couldn't believe what I just heard. How could this happen? Why did this happen? Why did it happen to them! Lucy may have got on my case, but she didn't deserve this! I tensed up as a thought crossed my mind. What about the baby? Is the baby ok? They didn't mention anything about the baby, meaning that Lucy didn't have the baby with her. What about Jake? Where was he in all of this? How is he handling all of this?

I happened to glance over at the phone. I'm tempted to call him, but I stop myself. Is it a good idea to call him? What will I say if I do? I just don't know what to say. I especially don't want to say I'm so sorry because I hated it when people said they were so sorry to me when ma died. It deeply annoyed me. Why were they sorry? They didn't kill my mother, an oversized cat did! What can I say? I know that Jake is hurting; he lost his wife and son on the same day, and now he is left alone with a newborn. I don't know if Jake is handling this well or not. I just don't know what I should do. I nearly jump out of my skin when the phone suddenly rings loudly. I race to answer the phone, but I trip over Orion's toy and tumble onto the floor. I reach out for the phone from the side table as I groan Damn it. Without thinking, I answer the phone, but it was what I least expected. "Hey, Luna."

Oh crap! My eyes widen in surprise as I jump to my feet. "Jake hey!" Shit, I don't know what to say!

I could hear him sigh tiredly. "I'm guessing you heard?" Jake stated. I nod my head, but I forgot he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, I just can't believe are you ok? How the baby? I didn't hear anything about her being mentioned" I said.

"Thank God, too. She ok, but she just " he sighs heavily. I could just hear it in his voice. I don't need to see him to know that he is sitting somewhere, his face cupped in his hands. He seems completely drained and just barely holding it together. "She is missing her mother terribly, and it is taking longer to settle her down." I hear him take a shaky breath. "It just I never thought this would happen to me. I hear reports and have seen it happen. Broken families lost loved ones, but I just didn't expect it to happen to me. With me being a cop and all, I figured it would have been the other way around. I would have to bite the bullet and leave Lucy, a widow."

"No one could have predicted that this could have happened," I said. I try to reason with him, try to offer the support of a friend, but I just don't think it is enough.

"It could have been avoided if the owner had closed the store for the day until the inspector came to check things out," he said sharply. "All this could have been avoided! Now my wife and son are gone!"

I rub my eyes, feeling tears threating to spill. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," he answers. He sounds completely lost, I could hear it in his voice. "Are you going to stay there or are you going to come back?" I ask softly. "What will you do for your baby?"

"I said that I don't know!" he snaps. I bite my lip as in the background I hear the baby cry. Jake sighs tiredly. "I I have to go."

Without saying another word, he hangs up. I toss the phone to the side, sit down on the sofa and place my elbows on my knees. I brush my fingers through my hair. I hope that things will be ok for him. I hear a whine, and I look over to see Tiger approaching. He licks my face before placing his head on my lap. I felt a hand grip my pants and look to see Orion trying to climb onto my lap. I pick him up and hug him, and he makes a soft purr as he nuzzles against me. I gently rub circles on his back while I use my other hand to pet Tiger's head.

Jake's POV

Why did I call her? I shouldn't have called her, but I did. I guess I just wanted to hear a friend. Lucy's family is taking it very hard; they had lost a daughter, niece, cousin and not to mention a grandson. I suddenly felt like a complete stranger. Everyone mourns over Lucy and Junior, while I am left behind. I lost a wife and a son, yet no one seems to mourn for me. I breathe deeply as I sit up, noticing Angela crying in her crib. God, why is this happening? I force myself to my feet, making that little trip across the room which felt like ages to cross. I just felt so tired, so empty my limbs feel almost too weak to use. I'm just forcing myself to move with what little energy that I have. It felt like forever to reach the crib, holding onto the bars to support myself as I look down into the crib. Angela's face was red from wailing, her arms and legs thrashing. She wants attention. Not my attention, but her mother's attention. I lean into the crib to pick up Angela, my little girl. When she was born I was scared; I just didn't know what to do. However, when I first held her, things suddenly became clear to me. I can do this; this is my daughter. I will love and protect her for as long I live.

My voice sounds broken as I speak, trying to comfort her. "I-it's ok, shh it ok. Daddy s here."

Is it? Will it be ok? I don't know. What can I do? I breathe deeply, trying to hold back tears. How can this happen? How did I lose both of them on the very same day? They were here in the morning, Lucy making breakfast while Junior and I play with Angela. Both of my children's laughter echoes in my head while I also picture Lucy smiling happily at us. After breakfast, I saw them leave to go to the store. Oh God! How can they be gone so soon!? Junior was eight years old, barely beginning his life and Lucy just had Angela. She was so excited to have a daughter.

Angela settles down, and I look down at her as she looks up at me. Her innocent face fills with pure curiosity, looking over my features while she made simple babble nonsense noises. I give a weak smile, but I felt that aching swell in my chest. I have to take care of my daughter; I need to protect her and make sure she is safe. That is what Lucy would have wanted. So that's what I will do. Angela gurgles as she reaches out to me. I felt my eyes swell with tears; my teeth clench tightly while that ache in my chest tripled. I suddenly feel very weak, and I fall to my knees while gently clinging onto Angela. I hold her close, as tears stream down my face.

Luna's POV

A couple of days went by, and I haven't heard anything from Jake. Since then, I just try to go along with each passing day. The snow is finally melting away, and it came to the point that I was able to climb out of the second-floor window. From there, I kept myself busy by digging my way out of my house. Not the whole house at least that would take forever. Instead, I made a clear path from the front entrance of the house and the barn. When I made a path to the barn, I could tell that the animals were getting antsy. They could tell that they were going to be released from the barn and get that sweet fresh freedom of the outside. So as soon as I open the barn doors, all the animals charge out, kicking up snow as they did. I nearly got run over. Tank and Bugs were impatient when I walked over to their stalls to let them out. They bolted out of the barn, and I swear that is the fastest that I ever saw them run before.

I went inside to get Orion, curious to know what is happening. Tiger was impatient to race outside himself, but he didn't want to leave Orion's side. He paced back and forth in front of the door, begging that I hurry up and open the door and let him run free for a while. I'm exhausted from all the digging that I did. I would like, to just go upstairs and sleep it off, but I push through it. I got Orion ready, put thick layers of clothes on him to protect him from the cold. During the cold months, trapped within the house even though I try to make sure that the inside is kept warm, cold temperatures don't set well with Orion. The poor little thing will shiver, whimpering until he becomes warm. I hope that as he ages he will build up some tolerance to the cold. I hate to see him suffer when things become cold, which happens a lot. Maybe I should uproot to somewhere quite a bit warmer, but the possibilities of how many bad things could happen were just too high; not to mention, would I be able to manage? My family lived here in Alaska for five generations. My grandfather worked hard in building this place for his family. At the same time, Alaska isn't a very friendly place, not to mention the fact that things can be boring way out here in the boonies. Each generation slips away and lives somewhere else. I have family out there that I'm not even aware of, and family out there that I haven't seen in ages. Hell, before Ma had died we haven't heard from anyone. At the same time, I notice with each generation; it slowly thins out. My grandfather was an only child, my mother was an only child, and I'm an only child. At times, I just wonder that if I were to die would they even care?

I snap out of my drifting thoughts when Orion wails loudly. He squirms in my arms as he wants to be put down. I couldn't help but chuckle at his behavior. "Hold your horses, kid. We're going."

I made my way to the door, opened it, and stood in the doorway. The entire landscape is covered in a thick blanket of snow, and a lot happens to be buried beneath it, but it's a beautiful sight to behold none the less. I breathe in the cold fresh air and puff out a stream of warm air. I look down at Orion, watching him as he takes it all in, the sights and the sounds. It's not the first time he saw the snow and encountered the coldness. I step outside, the snow crunching under my weight with every step. Orion looks around his surrounding, but his attention is suddenly re-directed as Tiger zooms past us. The dog barks loudly with joy as he jumps and runs around, kicking up snow everywhere. Orion watches him as he races to the other animals, chasing them around before he begins to play with Tank. The big, heavy Draft kicks up piles of snows as the two of them interact with each other. I chuckle at the amusing sight, Orion giggles as well, but then he begins to wiggle and squirm in my arms. I know he wants to be put down, so I gently set him down on the soft snow. This would be the first that Orion sat on the snow since I usually carry him around and keep him close to keep him warm. However, I think he will be ok since he is wearing thick clothes.

Orion just sat on the snow, thinking about what he sat on. He pats the snow, rubs it, then grabs a whole handful of it. He brought it close to his face to look at closely. Tiger rushes by, coming to a sudden halt in front of Orion, but at the same time Tiger kicks up snow, and it falls all over Orion. He shivers upon feeling the cold on his exposed skin, but he giggles soon after. Orion grabs a handful of snow and tosses it at Tiger. The dog shakes it off, making Orion giggle. I just watch with a smile, making sure nothing goes wrong. Tiger dashes around, pacing playfully, while Orion is tossing snow at him and laughs joyfully. It's such a peaceful day, a great day to finally be outside. The sky is clear, the warm sun shines upon everything, and the animals fill in the background.

However, that came to a sudden halt when I hear the sounds of a snowmobile. Without thinking, just reacting, I snatch up Orion who whines at the sudden moment. I dart into the house to hide Orion, jumping up the stairs two steps at a time to make my way to the nursery as quickly as possible. I place Orion in his crib, and he cries because he wants to be left out and play in the snow. I close the blinds so he won't be seen from the outside, and take a quick peek outside. I breathe a quick sigh of relief as I notice that it is only Officer Ed Woodward. He a good man who puts others before himself, but he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I look down at Orion as I reassure him and calm him down. "Shh, please baby. Hush, I'll be right back."

Once Orion calms down, I leave the house to greet Woodward. When I step outside, I saw the officer was holding one of the chickens, petting the hen as if it were a cat. The chicken herself didn't mind the attention and rather enjoyed being petted. I bet if I get close enough I could hear her clucking in delight. Ed doesn't hide the fact that he loves chickens. Maybe he should work at Chick-fil-a. I smile with amusement watching him. When Ed takes notice of me, he grins happily with that boyish grin that could melt any girl's heart. The man is a real sweetheart, and I'm surprised he isn't married.

"How's it going, Ms. Nova?!" he greets cheerfully.

I give him a half-hearted glare, the corner of my lips twitching. "Come on, Ed I know I'm only a few years older than you. No need for the formalities."

He laughs. "But I know that it rattles you."

I cross my arms and huff with a smirk. "Honey, it would be wise not to rattle my cage. You don't want to release the tiger that's in it. You saw it often enough when I dealt with the townsfolk."

Ed laughs joyfully. "It's something to see, that's for sure!" he exclaimed. "But I know better than to cross the lines."

I chuckle. "Good to know. So what brings you way out here? I know it not just mainly to play with the hens."

He pouts as his attention is drawn back to the hen he currently held. "Well you do have pretty chickens, and I just want to see how they did over this pretty intense winter."

I chuckle. "They did fine. They were happy to get out finally." I smile as I raise an eyebrow at him. "Also, FYI, I did ok myself. Thanks for asking."

"Oh, that's good to hear!" he said happily. I'm not sure if he meant me or the chickens; probably the latter. I roll my eyes, but my thoughts then drift to Jake. I felt uncomfortable. I didn't want to ask, but I wanted to know how he is. Jake and I are not together, but he is still my friend, and he knows about Orion. I clear my throat, my voice sounding a bit shaky. "Have you heard anything from Sheriff Johnson?" I ask. I cringe at how fast the mood suddenly changes with Ed. He's usually happy and cheerful, and I hardly ever see him in a bad mood. Ed sets the chicken down and sighs tiredly. He brushes his fingers through his hair before turning to face me.

"The sheriff is slowly coping with what has happened, taking it all in and trying to get through things one day at a time. He'll let me know what he plans on doing" he answers. He sighs deeply as he looks up at the sky, his face set in sad disbelief. "I just can't believe that something like this happened to him."

I look at the ground. "Me either," I said softly. "Do you think he'll come back?"

Ed looks back to me and shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. Johnson could either stay where he is or come back. I'm just not sure what his plans are."

"And if he doesn't?" I ask. Ed frowns as he scratches his chin, a thoughtful gaze on his face as he thinks about it.

"Well, it would either be me or one of the other officers in the department that will become the new sheriff," he answers. A cold chill went down my spine, Jake figured out something wasn't right, and he was quick to discover about Orion, but he went along with it. Ed might not be sharp, but when things become serious, he would get his job done. Eventually, Ed would figure something out, but he might be acceptable to Orion; maybe hopefully. However, with the others, it might be a different story. They might not take it kindly like Jake or possibly Ed. Benny Weaver, I swear that man is a bloodhound, and if he gets a whiff of something he won't back down until he finds it. If it's something dangerous, he will be aggressive in dealing with it. Then there is Dave Turner a noisy fellow that likes to get involved in people's business, and he will go as far as to sneak around to get to the truth. He was the greatest new reporter back in school, but the biggest pain in the ass for everyone. Having either of those two as the new sheriff could mean bad news for Orion and me. I flinch at the thought of it, but I calm down when Woodward speaks. "However, if anything I might become sheriff."

I nod my head, glancing at the house. I hope Jake comes back. Everyone respects Jake as a sheriff. He's kind but firm. If something were to happen, God forbid, and Orion was discovered, Jake would figure something out, somehow. Ed, on the other hand, I don't know how he would react to Orion. Another thing is that people might not respect Ed as equally as they do Jake. Ed is a nice man and all, but he too kind and forgiving. I hate to think what might happen to Orion. "Alright. I hope Jake comes back."

"Yeah, me too. Being sheriff might be cool and all, but I think it's just too much pressure" Ed comments. "Anyway, I better be off to check in with the others. See how they did over the winter. Do you want to come?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I have lots of work to do here. Sorry." Normally I would jump at the chance to lend a hand. I always tend to put others before myself. However, I have Orion, and I can't leave him alone. Not to mention the fact that I have all of my animals roaming about. To someone that knows me personally, it might seem a little odd, but luckily Ed doesn't seem to notice as he jumps onto his snowmobile. "Alright. Take care, Nova and be careful."

"You too. Please try to pay attention to the folks and not their chickens?" I tease.

"No promises!" he laughs as he turns and rides off. When I couldn't see him anymore, and the sound of the engine of the snowmobile fades into the distance, I sigh with great relief. That was a bit too close for comfort. I walk back into the house, but when I open the door, I stop dead in my tracks, my jaw dropping in surprise. Orion, he crawls down the stairs, but when he took notice of me he crawled down the last step and then he got to his feet and began to walk towards me! Even though he waddles and stumbles, he is freaking walking! I kneel down and wait patiently for Orion to walk into my arms. He falls into my arms and looks up to me; his face lit up with joy while I nervously chuckle in disbelief. He is actually walking!

"When did you start walking?" I laugh in disbelief. Then again, the book that was given to me had given information about this. Predators, in their infant, toddler and child stages, tend to grow a bit faster than humans. This and other various bodily functions/attributes is something similar to an evolutionary trait. This only means that Orion will be far more active than a human, and he might get himself into some serious mischief. I've got to be wary of this.

River's POV

God by damn, everything hurts like hell! My beautiful fair skin, always smooth to the touch, is now a damn burning itchy red! My whole body aches like a son-of-a-bitch, and the only places that weren't red and extremely painful were the places that were under the covering, a cough" around my private area and my feet. Damn, I look like a human lobster! However, my ass hurts the most, because a snake decided to bite me in the ass. It was the end of my "little trip" and I was ready to get back to the base and away from the damn heat. I never thought I would ever be happier to see an old run down town in my life. I barely walked into the town, and before I knew it, a snake bit my ass! Knowing my shitty luck, not to mention how many poisonous snakes are around here, there was no fucking doubt that the snake that bit me would be poisonous, and it was. SHIT! So I kill the damn thing and drag its miserable corpse with me; a higher chance for my survival hopefully.

I wasn't out of the woods yet; I barely managed to arrive to get treatment before my body just shut down. I was beyond dehydrated, half-starved, and had been bitten by a snake. I was having a really fun day fuck! Lucky for me, I was taken to the base where I got proper treatment and was brought back from the brink of death. Even then it wasn't over because I had to recover, which from my point of view, is one hell of a long road to travel. I've been stuck on bedrest for days now, bored out of my mind. Not to mention that every moment I make hurts like hell. Damn.

I haven't heard from the others, and I wonder if they are alright. I wonder if Ray and Jay know if I'm here. Most likely they do, but for them, they can't play favorites and show that they care, especially Jay. Everyone tries to find every weakness for her and use it against her. That really sucks. Weyland Ops took a great deal of pride in creating Jay, holding her up high to show off what they can do and what they are capable of, but now those jackasses think they are a bunch of goody-two-shoes especially Dr. Alice Joy. That woman gives me the creeps. She's insane with power. She never stops bragging about her creation, doesn't let anyone forget that she made Jay. They all make me sick! They hold Jay all high and mighty, but when it comes down to it, she is treated like some attack-dog. Just like those bad Pitbull dog owners, who show them off but use them however they see fit.

The door to the medical wing suddenly opens, and a few nurses came in pushing a stretcher. I hold back a whine of pain as I force myself to sit up to see who it is. I hope to catch a glimpse of either Zoey or Lulu. I have no doubt that any of us that went on our little field trip aren't going to come back all fine and dandy. I manage to get a glance of the person on the stretcher, and I sigh with relief when I see that it is Lulu. I didn't bother to ask the nurses anything since they were all dicks. The med staff is amazing, capable of nearly bringing someone back from death, but they are horrible when it comes to bedside manners.

So as soon they left, I struggle to get out of bed. I whine as my sunburn hurts badly whenever I move. I push through it though, ignoring the pain as I force myself out of bed and limp my way over to Lulu. When I reach her side, I settle down on the chair next to her. I breathe deeply as this is the first time since I got here that I was able to get out of bed. Damn, I feel out of shape. Plus, as I sat down my ass hurts like a son-of-a-bitch due to that fucking snake. Lulu though didn't look so good. She looked very thin, and I could see her bones beneath her skin. She held a very strong scent of sea water, her hair frizzy and salty. Her cheeks were very hollow underneath her dark eyes, and her lips were beyond dry. If I didn't know any better, I thought she was dead. I frown as I hate seeing her like this. The blankets look a bit low, and it's a bit cold in here. I grab the blankets to pull them up to her chin, but when I did, I took a peek under the cover and saw that Lulu's right arm is missing!

"River?" I snap out of my shock and look at Lulu. Her eyes were barely open, and she looks very dazed. She wore an oxygen mask to give her air. Inside the mask, it fogs with each breath she takes. I pull the blankets to cover her before I brush a stray lock of hair off of her face.

"It's ok, I'm here, and you're ok," I said softly. Lulu's eyes were droopy from whatever drugs they gave her, and she drifted back to sleep. I sigh as I rest my head on the bed, my hand gently gracing Lulu's forehead. We're both in this hell, but at least we are in it together. We have each other's back. I smile, and my eyes become really heavy. That push to get over her really made me exhausted, and I drift off to sleep as well.

Luna's POV

Wow, I'm totally exhausted! A couple of weeks have gone quickly by since Orion began to walk. Since then there was absolutely no stopping the kid. With each passing day, he grew stronger and eventually became capable of running. He's really fast, with what seems like an endless supply of energy. He deeply enjoys being chased around the house and finds it all fun and games, especially when I'm kneeling over panting for air. I'm only 28, and geez I feel like I'm 80 trying to keep up with the kid. Thank God for Tiger; he has enough stamina to keep up with that endless little ball of energy. However, like all kids, (I guess it includes aliens too), Orion will be running around like a race car, but shortly after that lays down sleeping, out like a light. That's when I found truly great joy finding him asleep. I love the little kid to pieces, but damn he totally drains the energy out of me. He's just lucky that he's cute. Hehe.

At the same time during those past few weeks, especially once it was clear enough to go outside, I'd have visitors coming over to the house. I'd quickly hide Orion in his room whenever they arrived. I'm so glad that I'm able to hear them come because it gives me the chance to hide Orion so they don t discover him and go insane. However, the couple of times that I did this, Orion quickly understood what I was doing. I would bet that he doesn't know the reason, but knows that he needs to be hidden. So whenever I heard someone coming up the driveway, Orion quickly went to his room. Of course, that had surprised me, but I'm definitely not complaining. Then as soon they left, Orion came come down and resumed whatever he was doing as if nothing had happened. As for my visitors that came over, they would ask for stuff or ask for help. Normally I'll jump to help out, but sadly I had to turn them down. I would make up some convincing lie, explain to them why I can't help them, and I try to stick with the same story. I don't want to be caught in the lies, and it irks the crap out of me to have to do it, but I simply put that I'm taking care of the animals, which gracefully they believe. However, I know that I can't keep it up forever, and eventually, I will have to get back to my normal routine before any suspicion arises.

Sitting comfortably on the sofa, I did a bit of channel surfing. On the floor in front of me, Orion plays with his toys. I scowl as I sigh tiredly. I did all of my chores for the day, yet it left me bored. Hmm, I quickly come to realize why I don't watch a lot of TV anymore. There is just nothing interesting to watch. I glance outside to see that the snow had nearly melted away. There are patches of snow left scattered all over and clinging to the trees. There were a few animals that moved about, and the sky looked clear. It looks like a beautiful day, and I think it's a good idea to grab Tank and go out for a ride. Yeah, that sounds like a really good idea.

I nearly jump out of my skin when I hear a sudden loud roar. Sharply looking over at the TV, I see that what's on is a documentary about lions and it is currently showing two male lions fighting each other. They roar, snarl, and growl at each other as they swipe at one another leaving nasty marks on each other. I look over to Orion and see him staring at the TV in awe. We watch the big cats battle it out until finally, one gives up, the winner chasing the loser out. The winner stood roaring in victory as the loser runs for life. Orion giggles and claps his hands as the documentary goes to a commercial, something about a new over-the-counter medication for anxiety and depression. Hmmm, maybe I should look into that with everything that is going on lately.

I couldn't further think it over when I hear a truck coming up the driveway. As soon as Orion hears the noise, he quickly rushes to his room, Tiger hot on his heels, while I get my ass off the sofa and walk over to the window to peek outside to see who my soon-to-be-unannounced guest is. I freeze when I instantly realize who the owner of the truck is. It belongs to Jake. When did he come back? The truck comes to a gentle stop and a moment later after it was put into park, Jake steps outside. He looks around at his surrounding, taking in the sights and taking a deep breath before setting his sights on the house. He didn't take notice of me just yet since I kept hidden behind the curtains. It gives me a moment to examine Jake. This is a first time in a long time that I saw Jake out of uniform. Ever since he became a cop, I had always seen him in uniform. He looks different, but in a good way; but I take notice of a different issue. Jake has bags under his eyes, and he looks a bit pale. I can tell that he s not taking it well with the loss of his wife and kid. Jake looks similar to a zombie, and it's disturbing to see him like this.

Jake walks around the truck to open the back door, and he pulls out a car seat. He closes the door before walking over to the front door. I sigh as I pull away from the window as I wait for Jake to knock on the door. Why is he here? He should be at home, with his family, his parents, and his sister not here. Yes, I know that I'm his friend, but with how everyone views us it would be best that Jake and I didn't speak to each other. Especially until after this horrific event is not so painful and emotionally disturbing.

Jake's knocks on the door as loud as ever, which always gets on my nerves. There's no sense of beating my door to death; what has it done to you? I breathe deeply to settle my nerves as I walk over to the door to answer. I open the door and act surprised when I saw Jake. "Jake? I wasn't expecting you?"

"Sorry about that, I just" he sighs tiredly. He looks like he went to hell and back. He rubs his eyes before looking at me with a hint of a plea. "I just want… can I come in?"

That seems like a bad idea at this time, but I couldn't turn down a friend, especially not in the state that he is in. Anything could go wrong, and I fear the worst. "Sure, come inside." I step to the side to let him in. He walks in and makes his way over to the sofa. When he passes me, I try to get a peek inside the car seat, but the shade was down, so I wasn't able to see the baby. I did, however, hear her shift and grumble. I closed the door and faced Jake, just as he sat down. He sat there, just lying back with his arm covering his eyes. I frown sadly as I really hate seeing him like this. "Can I offer you a drink a beer, maybe?"

"Beer sounds great," he answers. I walk over to the kitchen, grabbed two cold beers from the fridge. I pop the cap from both the beers off on the side of the fridge's door. I walked back into the living room and gave him the beer. He nods his thanks as he gracefully takes the beer and didn't waste a moment taking a swig of the drink. As for me, I sat on the rocking chair and took a small sip of my beer. For a moment, there is just this awkward silence filling the air. I hate awkward silences.

I clear my throat. "I didn't know you were back? When did you get back?"

"A few days ago," Jake answers simply. He shrugs his shoulders, "Not a lot of people know that I'm back yet, and I prefer that. I'm spending the time just trying to settle back in."

"That s good. Did you go and visit your family?" I asked.

"Yeah; Ma was extremely happy to see her granddaughter." Jake had a small smile on his face as he thought back to his little reunion. "I decided to move back in with my folks. They didn't mind. They fully understood the situation and welcomed me back with open arms."

That might be a pretty crowded house. Jake's sister Julie and her husband along with their three kids live with Julie's parents. They do have a large house, capable of housing that many of people. However, to have that many people under one roof, that might drive me insane. I wonder how Julie and her husband managed to find some alone time? I mentally shake it off, I'm going off topic. I look at Jake with questionable concern. "Does it mean that you'll be coming back to work?"

"Yeah," he answers. "I like my job, and I can't be kept away from what I like."

I give a small smile. I glance over at the car seat. "What about the baby?"

Jake looked over at the car seat. "Ma and Julie are more than happy to watch over her, so I don't have too much to worry about."

"That's good to hear. Can I see her?" I ask. He gives me a smile, but I saw a bit of smirk in his eyes as he leans over to open the shade of the car seat. My eyes widened as I saw him pull the baby out of her car seat. I look at Jake for confirmation to confirm that what I'm seeing is true. "She's albino?"

Jake chuckles with a nod. He smiles as he holds his baby with loving care. "Yeah; I was surprised when I saw her too, but I remembered what my dad had once told me. His grandmother was albino."

"That's interesting," I commented. She cute, her skin color is a very fair white and I could see a small tuft of white hair on her head. "What's her name?"

"Angela," Jake answered. I smiled when I saw her wake up, opening her eyes to reveal red eyes. I look at Jake when he chuckles. "Dad told me that his grandmother had red eyes too, and the folks all thought she was some demon."

I frown as I say "I'm not surprised, considering the way things were back then."

"Yeah, I know; but she was the sweetest woman that you could have ever met. She was a healer of some sort, basically a doctor."

"But guessing that everyone assumed that she was a demon, and no one trusted her at all for any help, correct?" I state. The one thing that I had learned from history is that when humans can't understand something, they fear it; and when the fear something, they stay clear of it.

"Bingo, but there was one point in time that she truly proved herself when there was a really bad storm," Jake said. He smirks, a knowing glimpse in his eyes. "But I think you know of her story as. The Winter Angel?"

My eyes widen in shock as I look at him. "Wait your great-grandmother was the Winter Angel?! Why didn't you tell me?"

The Winter Angel is a local legend here at Little Engle. Hell, there is a small statue of her in front of the town hall. She was outcast among her townsfolk. She was pushed to the side because she was different. She was a healer and did everything possible to help others, but people only feared her. However, she didn't give up. Even if her own town didn't trust her, she was a healer, and she wouldn't let anyone be sick without giving treatment. When people were badly hurt or gravely ill, she would leave medicine on their doorsteps with instructions on what to do. She never stopped helping people, and it didn't stop her when a nasty storm struck. She went out of her way to help everyone, putting herself at risk. She proved herself when she saved a lot of people from that storm. When it came about that she needed help in return, the town folk that had once despised and feared her stepped in and helped her. She was finally welcomed and accepted. The point of the story is that nothing can truly stop you. Even if you're different, you can still make a change.

"Where is uh Orion?" Jake suddenly asked. I know that he isn't comfortable being around Orion, but he always checks that Orion didn't escape and went on a rampage. It brought a cold chill throughout my body as the images of what Predators are capable of raced through my head. Yep, I'll have nightmares for the rest of my life.

I suddenly smirk, since I know that Jake would just love this. "He's upstairs." I clear my voice and speak loudly. "Orion, please come down sweetie. There someone I want you to meet!"

I smirk as I hear the all too familiar sounds of the pitter-patter of little feet and the clicking of Tiger's nails on the wooden floor. Not long afterward, Orion made his appearance and crawled down the stairs. He made it to the bottom, but when he saw Jake, he ran to hide in the kitchen. As for Jake, the color of his face seems to have washed away. "It's walking!?"

I gave him an annoyed glare. Jake always addresses Orion as a thing, and it deeply annoys me. "Yes, he can walk. Isn't it amazing? He's only about a couple of months old, and he is already running."

"Isn't it too soon? That is a little early to start walking?" Jake said. Orion stays hidden in the kitchen, unsure what to do as he peeks behind the wall. He stares at Jake, his mandibles twitching which only made Jake very uncomfortable. I roll my eyes at Jake.

"Come here, Orion," I said softly. Orion came over, slowly, unsure as he kept his focus on Jake. When he got close, I pick him up and place him comfortably on my lap. I hug him lovingly and gently massage his neck. Orion instantly calms down and purrs happily. I smile warmly as I look at Orion. I look over at Jake and saw him just staring at us, unsure of the situation. To answer his question, I knew the book that was given provided lots of answers, but I can't let him know that. So instead, I just settled with "I don't know, Jake. Orion isn't a human, so there will most likely be lots of unexpected surprises."

"Aren't you scared of what could happen?" Jake asked. My first reaction was to glare at him sharply and hold Orion protectively. However, in all honesty, I do have my fears; especially after reading that damn book, but I'm not going to tell him about that.

"He is my son," I said firmly. "He is mine to love and protect. I'll gladly accept whatever the hell that could bring."

Jake sighed tiredly. "Then there is no way of changing your mind, is there?"

"Nope," I answered simply. Orion suddenly slipped off of my lap and slowly made his way closer to Jake to see Angela. He managed to get a glimpse of Angela and the little baby cood as she saw Orion. The two didn't get a chance to fully interact before Jake suddenly stood up, increasing the distance between them, and cutting off Orion's view. I scowled at Jake for doing that, especially the way Jake looked down at Orion. However before anything could be said, Jake's phone rang loudly. He fumbled to answer the phone with Angela in his arms, but he managed.

"Hello?...I'm driving, Julie," Jake answered with a lie. My eyebrows shot up in question. Jake doesn't look at me. "I'm about to head back, I'll see you soon." He hangs up before looking at me again. "I have to get back; please be careful."

I didn't answer him; I only watched him leave. I just don't know what to say about this. The way that Jake answered his sister didn't settle well with me. I had this awful feeling deep in my gut. I could understand why, but why would Jake do it anyway. Damn it, Jake; why do you make me feel this way? I look down to Orion when I suddenly hear him whine. He grips my pants leg, tugging to get my attention. I pick him up and walk over to the window, just in time to watch Jake leave. I sigh as I look down at Orion. I hug him, needing the comfort he provides me with. "It ok, Orion, everything will be ok. I hope."

Jay's POV

Throughout my entire life, I can handle a lot of things and put up with most things other people can't. That is what I was created to be. But then again, I had to put up with Ray all the time. Yet the only thing that truly gets under my skin is having to do this damn paperwork. I don't show it, I don't show a lot of emotion, to begin with anyway, but I hate paperwork with a burning passion. Why should I have to deal with endless stacks of paperwork; one stupid report after another of things that I have to look over, review, and sign when necessary. Damn it; I'm not a damn pencil-neck! I'm Weyland Ops' attack dog! I don't have a say in anything; all I do is follow orders like a good little bitch! Most of the time, I'm just treated as a mindless killing machine that doesn't have any intelligence. If I don't have any intelligence, then why do I have to do all of this fucking paperwork?! I swear that the only reason they do this is to just get on my nerves. Half of the paperwork shouldn't matter to me, it the kind of work that someone else could easily handle. Definitely, I know for a damn fact that they are just testing my will, just waiting for that moment when I finally snap. Give them a fucking reason to beat me senseless and put a muzzle on me. Fuck.

However, I do have the report containing the results of my recruits having completed their final assignments; their so-called Final Report. I wasn't surprised that not all of them survived, but I am surprised at how many managed to survive. Ray praised me, stating that I'm a good teacher. Whatever anyway, the main reason why these recruits have to go through hell by going to remote areas around the world is to demonstrate that they can survive through the harshest of conditions. Most importantly, to enable them to adapt to the elements and use them to their advantage in case a Predator was hunting them as a trophy. They can then use their surroundings to their advantage to enable them to bring down the Predator.

I read over the reports given to me, and in all honesty, I just glance over them as I really didn't care. These recruits, they don't care about me. They were only under orders to follow my commands just like I was under orders to train them. I was given 20 recruits to train. They were around 6-8 years of age. The other adults taught them other things; one being to be wary around me, others being fear me, hate me, etc. to which I don't give a damn about. I don t give a rat s ass what they think of me. However, there were some that fell through the cracks in these matters. River, Zoey, and Lulu weren't the only ones. There was also Kelly, Bobby, and Jeanie. My training and my lessons are not easy, and I'm not easy. My orders were to train these kids to one day survive a possible fight against Predators. Not all of them would probably survive. They might have if the technology we have today existed back then. Before the recruits left on their final assignment, there were 15 who were ready, but after the final assignment was completed only 11 returned. Out of the original 20 that I was given, 11 managed to survive. However, during the final assignment, I was given more recruits to train.

I train them to survive, but I know that these recruits will only take what they want. Judging by a few of them, they will climb the chain of command and one day outrank me, especially the one named Jason Storm, a real asshole. He follows orders and rules to the letter and is extremely brutal and mindless. Weyland Ops sees great promise in him going as far as reaching the rank of General. Wonderful just fucking wonderful. I absolutely hate that brat, and he hates me just as much. I could clearly see it when I give him orders to follow. At times I hear him talk with his fellow recruits, or mumble under his breath, "Mutant alien freak." I'm really going to hate the day when that little fucker outranks me and has authority over me.

Looking over some of the next reports, I didn't read them very thoroughly, since they are mostly the same things. Medical reports of what the recruits suffered through, what they show promise in later on in their careers. However, I did stop to look over Lulu, River and Zoey's reports. Luckily the three survived. Both Lulu and River suffered the most with starvation, dehydration and a few 2nd and 3rd-degree burns. River, however, nearly had organ failures and was lucky to have received necessary treatment in time. Damn snakes. Lulu, however, has to get some robotic arm to replace what that shark took from her. Damn sharks. As for Zoey, she suffered some frostbite, (no limbs had to be chopped off) and she was attacked by a mountain lion. The three of them are alive, and that's what matters, I know that the three of them will pull through.

As for the situation with Luna and Orion, which Zoey had reported in a different report, I'm happy to say that I don't have to take Orion and risk a whole lot. I have time to plan this little operation in complete detail, with no risk to anyone. With Weyland Ops, things need to be handled with care, or otherwise, things will go to hell. Luna seems to be doing a decent job of caring for the infant, for now at least. Later on, I'll make some excuse to go to Alaska to check on them or have Ray to check them. None the less, Orion is safe where he is for now. I just have to make sure that it stays that way. In the meantime, I need a plan.

Dragon: Pew! That the end of chapter four and damn things are starting to get intense.

Barricade: *smirk* the next chapter going get even more intense.

Bumblebee: I think it will be a good idea to change the rating with the way how things are going, Dragon.

Dragon: You are right Bee, I'll change the rating as soon I deem it though. Maybe in a few chapters. Anyway, that it for now, sadly I don't know when I'll update again. Sorry but I hope everything is well for all of you and I'll see you all in the New Year! Yay! 2018!

Barricade: *smirk* You'll be another year older

Dragon: *glare* shut up Barricade.

Bumblebee: *laugh* See ya later and take care!