So here we have the third chapter and I'm honestly getting really really excited about this story!!! And I took a few liberties with the story line that you'll be able to see for yourself. Let me know what you think!!!

and i'm sorry about the slow update, i had finals, then i had to move out, then people's graduations that are still going on this week. and I'm starting an internship next week and it'll run through July, so just don't expect chapters everyweek. I try to do that, but it may or may not work out that way.

Anyway, i'd like to give a shout out to all my readers and reviewers! You all are awsome for all your feedback and I look forward to more!

Disclaimer: I own nothing at all!

Chapter 3: The Sinker

"Time is swift, it races by; Opportunities are born and die... Still you wait and will not try - A bird with wings who dares not rise and fly." ~ A.A Milne

I couldn't find Emma! I crashed through the underbrush, dodging snapping branches, taking paths that only the deer took, leaping, nearly flying as I tried to find my baby sister. All the while, I could hear Mom's voice in my head: "Look after Em, Kay….she's your sister…keep an eye on Emma….Emma! Kayla!"

I tripped a few times but kept running. Can't stop, I told myself. Have to find Em. Have to keep promise. Have to….Have to….

In the distance I could see her bright blonde hair gleaming like a flashlight's glow through the murky darkness of the woods behind our house. In the daylight it would have been familiar and I would have known where I was but in the dark…it was impossible.

Suddenly there was a loud snap and Emma was no longer in front of me. Instead a butter-golden doe was running on four perfect spindly legs before me. She was always just out of my finger's reach. "Emma!" I finally screamed to my alarm going off.

I sat up, running a hand through my now tangled hair and looked down at my tangled flannel sheets. Everything is okay, I told myself, my rapidly pulsing heart. I picked up the Native American book of legends I got from the library. It seemed completely harmless yesterday but obviously it was worming its way into my subconscious.

"God…" I tossed it away, hopefully under the bed or furnace or something. Breathing out deeply, I leaned down and buried my face between my hands.

These were the moments I would have given anything for Mom, to be held in her arms and told that everything was going to be all right. For the billionth time since she left, I could see her sitting beside me.

She had Em's honey gold hair that women paid hundreds of dollars for, my oval face and the subtle freckles dusting the bridge of her nose and cheeks. She always wore those crazy gypsy skirts that had a thousand colors in it. And tons of jewelry; rings, bracelets, necklaces. She was a vision of loveliness, even at the end.

And I know what she would say if she were here. She would run her fingers through my hair and whisper; "Follow your heart, baby. It's the only thing that matters in the end. And look after your sister. She's all you have now."

I wished I could. I wished I could protect her the way I used to. But I couldn't, which was where Stryker stepped in. He told me that someone was going to try to take Em away, kill her, experiment on her, I don't know what, but he offered me the deal.

"I promise that no harm will come to her while she's away from you." Stryker held out his hand to me. "Not a single hair on her head will be touched by anyone. You have my promise."

"What's the catch?" I wondered, taking a step back.

Stryker smirked and nodded. "You're a smart girl, Kayla. Very smart."

"Obviously, you're not going to offer this for free."I tiptoed around him. "An American military officer is offering to help two Canadian mutant sisters for nothing? I don't think so."

Stryker shook his head and smirked again. "No, there is something that you can do for me though."

"What is that exactly?"

"Your mutation allows you to control people, doesn't it?" He wondered casually, as if he were wondering about the weather.

"Not exactly. I can influence people, not control."I really didn't want to know how he knew that.

"Well, I have a job for you."

I realized then, that it was oddly quiet. There were no animal noises. So, as I brushed my teeth, I pulled back the curtain to find that a foot and a half of snow had fallen overnight. For the most part it had stopped, but a few huge fluffy flakes were making their way down.

I grabbed the phone and dialed Em's number, just needing to hear her voice to calm me down. I waited through two rings and then Em answered.

"Hello?"

I practically jumped. "Emma?! Hi, honey, it's me."

"Hi, Kay. Don't you have to be at work soon?"

I checked the clock, which read 6:23 am. "I've got some time. I just wanted to tell you that you're missing the first snow of the season, babe."

"I don't miss it," Em sniffed. "It's a real pain in the ass."

"Emma!" I started to pull on my jeans one handed and almost fell over. "Boy, have you lost the little girl in you! It's so pretty!"

"And cold and wet and it are hard to walk through…" Em was listing off.

"What? Are you going to get a green card and go to America to get away from all the snow?" I wondered. Oh, shit! This meant that I had a drink waiting for me. With Logan. God, I was never going to hear the end of it.

"No, I'm going to get one to get away from you!" She laughed. "Speaking of you, what's this I hear about your new boyfriend?" She knew me too well.

"Who've you been talking to?" I spat.

"Dee." I could hear her smirk over the phone.

"Em, will think about who you're getting your information from? It's Delia. She makes mountains out of mole-hills all the time."

"Well is he your boyfriend or not? What's his name, by the way?"

"Emma…" I growled.

"Wait, wait! Are you being safe?"

I stopped half-way between my bedroom and the kitchen, trailing a sweatshirt behind me. "Emma Renee Frost! I am the one who should be asking you that question!"

"Hey! It needed to be said by someone big sis!"

"I miss you, baby sister," I whispered, remembering the dream and Mom and the deal with Stryker. "I miss you so much."

"I know," she sighed. "I miss you too, Kay. But seriously, you need to turn your excess smothering onto someone else!" She laughed.

"A fine thank you to the woman who helped raise you!" I retorted.

"Kay, go out and have some fun, okay?"

"Yeah, all right. Fine, sis." I promised and then glanced at the clock. "Shit, hon, I have to go to work. I'll see you this weekend okay?"

"You better! Bye!"

We hung up at the same time and I set the phone off to the side and I pressed my forehead to the window, feeling the coolness from the snow whipping across the glass.

The snow was still drifting when I made it into school waving hello to everybody as I grabbed coffee. And right on schedule, Delia came in, a huge smile across her face. "What are you so happy about?" I asked, taking a huge sip of coffee.

"I'm just happy…" she hummed as she flitted about the main office, gathering up papers and files. And then I saw it. It sparkled on her finger in the weak snowy light.

I grabbed her hand and yanked her toward me. "Oh my God! OH MY GOD! When?!"

Delia giggled. "Last night."

"Do you know what this means?! You're engaged! You're getting married!" I cried, amazed.

"And you're going to be maid of honor!" She squealed. "Emma's going to be a bridesmaid too!"

"Oh my God!" I cried again because I couldn't say anything else to say.

"We're celebrating on Friday. Can you come?"

"As long as I don't stay out too late." I sat down. "I've gotta drive to Calgary on Saturday. I've got a plane to catch to Toronto to visit Emma."

Dee clapped. "Oh yeah, I forgot that it was parent's weekend this weekend…." Her face fell. "Oh, I see. Well, you did pretty much raise her after your mom died."

I shrugged. "And I miss her. A lot. I called her this morning. Told her about the snow."

Delia smiled and patted my shoulder. "I know, babe. Just make sure you get her measurements. I want to get a dress started for her."

The rest of the day passed in a blur, all smiles from Delia and the kids. It was how I measured my days, not in the movements of clock hands, but in smiles, Technicolor construction paper and markers.

"Miss Kayla," Ryan, a rather precautious five year old, was tugging at my sweater. "Miss Kayla!"

"What's wrong, honey?" I knelt down, checking to see if he was all right. "Need your zipper done?" But it was.

"No! Miss Dee wants you to come outside!" Ryan was insistent. "Right now!"

"Is she okay?" I asked as he pulled me out into the snow.

"Yeah!"

As we staggered out into the snow, I could see Delia up ahead talking to Paul and Paul's new best friend, Logan. I shooed Ryan off to go play while we waited for his parents. Waving to two of the other teachers, I came up behind Dee.

"Oh, hey, Kay!" Paul waved.

"Paul. Logan." I smiled at them both. "Dee told me your big news. Congrads."

"So, are you coming with us, Friday?" Paul wondered.

"I can for a little while. I'm going to visit Em for the three day weekend and I have to be in Calgary at seven."

"In the morning?" Paul was shocked.

"Yep." I nodded and then realized that Logan hadn't spoken. "Is Paul dragging you to this, too?"

"Seems to be that way. As it stands," he held out his hand to catch a few meandering flakes. "I owe you a drink."

"Good to know you don't forget a bet."

"I don't like to be in anyone's debt," he corrected with that half-smile that I began to look forward to.

The week also passed in a blur. I packed and went to work. Coffee was involved quite a bit; there were papers to grade, books to read and friends to be with. Before I knew it, Friday had come and it was time for me to go to Delia and Paul's.

Everyone from town was there. Even two of the bartenders from the local bar. As I walked through the house looking for Paul and Dee, I realized that the entire town must have pretty much shut down for the party to happen.

"You're here!" Dee suddenly shouted. "The maid of honor is here!" She announced to the room, who all cheered.

Laughing, I gave them a little curtsey.

"And now a preview of your speech!" Paul draped his arm over my shoulder.

"Excuse me?" I pulled away and then looked at Dee. "Wait, wait. Dee never said anything about previewing a speech that hasn't even been written yet!"

"Aw Kay!" Paul cried.

"Come on, Paul. She doesn't have a speech." Logan insisted, stepping up next to me. "Besides, I owe her a drink."

Dee grinned from the other side of Paul. "That's right…." Then smiling, mischievously, "Paul? Honey? Let's go get another beer, hmm?" and she steered him away.

"Are you going to thank me this time?" Logan asked with that cheeky smile.

I shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I could have handled it this time just like last time. And I could have handled it this time."

"It sure looked like it. This time and last time." He smiled.

"Well maybe if you let me handle it, you would see." I insisted.

He held out his hands in the universal sign of surrender but his smile was still there. "Fine, fine. The next one is all you."

"Good. ..." I placed my hand on his. "Now about that drink?"

For everyone's benefit that one drink remained only one. As it was nearly ten, I had to get up before six to be at the airport when I needed to be. And so I found myself sitting on Dee's back porch with Logan, the coffee steaming into the night.

Suddenly there was a tapping at the window and Delia's face appeared in the window. She gave a thumbs up and then disappeared.

"She's drunk…" I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "And I'm never going to hear the end of it. Ever."

"Hear the end of what?" Logan asked.

I supposed it was the alcohol that made me say this but: "Dee's a matchmaker. She's been doing it since I met her. She wants everyone else to be as happy as she is."

"And this," he gestured to the space between him and me. "This will?"

"She thinks so." I nodded.

He eyed me over the rim of the coffee cup. "And what do you think?"

I heard Emma's voice in my head, telling me that I needed something for me. I could hear Dee telling me that he was different than the others, thinking that maybe…

No. No. This was all fake. All of it. It was just pretend. I shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know-" I was about to explain something else but then we could hear Dee drunkenly screeching as she came out of the house: "LOGAN AND KAYLA SITTING IN A TREE!"

"Oh, I am going to murder her." I set down my mug and crept out into the snow covered yard at the same moment that Delia, Paul and a few others stumbled out too.

I reached down and piled the powdery snow into a ball. I hefted it, checking the weight, making sure it was the correct size and shape for the perfect impact.

"What are you doing?" Logan whispered as he followed my lead.

I smiled at him. "Handling it myself." And then I threw it. The snowball made a nice solid sound, the sound that an over-ripe peach might make if it were thrown at a tree.

Enraged, Delia turned, her eyes shifting from Logan to me. I laughed and pointed at Logan who still had a snowball in hand. He turned, realized I was trying to frame him, and then attempted to smash the snowball down on my head.

I skipped away and ran, all the while being pelted by snow balls. With the allies and enemies constantly shifting, it evolved into an all out war actually. We raced under the moon and across the snow, screaming and shouting enough to wake the dead.

Eventually, though, our troops left us stranded in the middle of the yard, just me and Logan, our cheeks flushed and hair dripping with snow, but it had been completely worth it.

I held out my gloved hand to him. "Truce?"

He took it. "Truce." And then he pulled me close and smashed a snowball into my hair. He laughed out loud as I scowled up at him.

"Not funny!" I started to walk away but he caught me by the wrist and pulled me back.

"It was a little funny. Admit it," he smiled that half smile. "Just a little."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, it was a little funny."

He reached over and plucked a fairly big piece of ice out of my hair and I couldn't do anything but smile.

uh-oh! I think Kayla got a little crush!!!!!!!

so what did you guys think???