##Here you are again! This chapter is without much action, but don't worry, the next few chapters should be a little more action-turned##

##I do not own the Alien, Predator, or AVP franchise##

06

Family

Kane POV

Opening the door, Kane found himself face-to-face with a girl a little younger than himself. Well, face-to-face wasn't really exact, it was more "face-to-hair", since his sister was smaller than him.

-Are you gonna let me in, or do you plan to let me stay here like an idiot?

-Always diplomatic, I see. Fine, come in.

As he stepped aside, she noticed his bandaged arms, and a look of panic showed on her face. Before he could do anything, she had grabbed his left arm, and the only thing he could do was withdraw it from her grip as fast as he could, hoping that she didn't feel the hard exoskeleton underneath.

-What happened to your arm?! To both your arms? Are you hurt, are you in pain? she started to shout louder and louder.

-I'm okay! They simply felt a little sore this morning, so I applied some cream. Don't freak out for something like this. Seriously, Kathryn.

-Are you sure you're okay? she asked, trying to see if he was lying. And why do you keep your eyes closed?

-Like I said, I'm okay, don't worry. As for my eyes, it doesn't really matter if I keep them closed, don't you think? It's not as if I could see anything anyway.

A pained look from his sister surprised Kane, but it disappeared before he could ask anything, and he couldn't ask about it, since he wasn't supposed to be able to see it.

-I know you're blind, but I like to see your eyes, even if they can't see anything.

-Well, it's easier for me that way, so can you go with it for today, at least? he asked, ruffling her hair.

A pleased moan came from his sister's lips, and she couldn't help but smile.

-Fine. But in exchange, you're gonna let me comb your hair today!

-Agreed. So come in. Like I said, my arms are feeling sore, so I'm getting tired of keeping the door open.

Having completely forgotten about his arms and eyes, she entered his room, humming peacefully. Well, that was easier than I thought it would be. I should be careful though, today's only the first day, but not the last were I'll have to fool her, Kane thought. He didn't like the idea of deceiving her, yet it wasn't as if he had a choice. He didn't want to involve his sister any further that he already had by bringing his friends home. What she didn't know couldn't her hurt her, and he did NOT want her to be worried, scared, or anything like that. Even if he was "blind", he was still her older brother, and his role was to protect her. She was his only family, their parents never being home meant to him that it their family was only his sister and himself.

He could see her coming back from the bathroom with his comb in her hand, and she dragged him to his bed, making him sit before her, as she combed his long, dark hair with experienced moves.

- Are you fine with this? he asked after a few minutes. I mean, you're sixteen now, you have friends, so why do you bother staying with me on Saturdays, while you could go out and have fun?

-What are you talking about?, she said, still combing his hair slowly and carefully. I'm here because I want to, so don't worry. Besides, I can hang out with them anytime I want after classes.

Kane sighed. It was the same as always. For some odd reason, she was always taking care of him instead of having fun, which bothered him. She was now of age to have an interest in the opposite sex, a boyfriend, yet she didn't even hang out with her classmates.

-Yes, you can, but you don't do it. When was the last time you went with them instead of coming home with me?

-You want me to stop coming home with you? she asked in a low voice, with a hint of sadness, combing his hair even more slowly.

He nervously rubbed his neck out of habit. He wasn't really fond of this kind of conversation, since she always looked depressed at some point, and he didn't want to pain her if he could avoid it. He tried his best to make it seem as if he didn't notice her sudden change of tone:

-Look, it's not that I don't like it, but you should start worrying more about yourself than me. I don't want you to miss the best moments of your life simply because you're taking care of me. I'm seventeen now, so I can take care of myself, even if I can't drive a car, you know? Besides, I'd really be an ass to keep the "Ice Queen" for myself, when she has so many boys dying to ask her out, don't you think?

His sister blushed when he used the nickname she was given in high school. She was pretty famous, Kane had been told, because even if she was one of the top-ranking girls in her grade, with both great looks and good grades, she always rejected flatly whoever asked her out, was it boys, or sometimes girls. When she did that, however, she always made sure to apologize properly to the person asking her out, and she always kept the private details about them secret, which earned her the respect of most students.

-Wh-wh-where di-did you learn that?! she asked, instantly starting to comb his hair stronger.

-Ow ow ow! My hair, my hair, it's coming off!

-S-s-sorry! I didn't mean to do it that strong! she apologized, slowing down.

For a few minutes, there was an awkward silence, before Kane spoke up again. He couldn't leave things as they were, after all, the only thing that mattered to him was that she was happy, even if it meant that she was apart from him.

-Listen, I'm not telling you to leave me alone and to never come close to me again, what I'm saying is that even if I'm blind, I can manage things even if you're not here, so please, at least try to enjoy some time with your friends.

Besides, it's not like I can stay here way longer in my current state, he added to himself. Sooner or later, I'll be discovered and I'll need to flee. Hopefully, it'll be the latter. He knew full well that one day, he would be found out, since he couldn't hope to hide his new physical features at all times, so he had to give his sister the push she needed to start a "normal" teenage life. The more she would stay close to him, the more hurt she would be when she'd find out the truth. So even if it was painful to him, he had to make sure she'd make good friends, who'd able to support her at all times.

His sister's satisfied voice brought him back to reality:

-Finished! Now, turn around, so that I can see how good you look.

Obediently turning around, Kane took his time observing his sister's figure. She was of average height, with a slender body, and she had a great physique. It was no wonder many boys and even girls wanted to go out with her. He didn't know her three sizes, and he didn't really care, since she was his sister, so he didn't see her that way. But he knew that anyone else would see her as for what she was: a kind beauty, caring for her blind brother. She had silky long hair falling down to her shoulders, as well as a beautiful face, her dark eyes giving a kind watch to her surroundings. She was just the embodiment of any teenager's dream: a beautiful, intelligent and caring girl. She wasn't one of those great-looking airheads called cheerleaders, rather the popular, yet calm and quiet type.

She was now looking at him, humming, and correcting what she had just done, combing his hair so that it would look good on him, even if he really didn't care. She was wearing her usual pajamas, with long sleeves and a floral design imprinted, yet he couldn't tell her how great she looked, since he wasn't even supposed to see. Instead, he choose to pat her head, which she responded to by letting out a pleased giggle. She then grabbed his left arm and pulled him down, resulting in Kane laying on his back with his sister laying on his left side and still holding onto his arm, much to his discomfort. He was well aware that if he was to pull his arm out of his sister's embrace, she would feel hurt, and he didn't want that. On the other hand, she would probably feel what was under his bandages, and he refused to tell her what he was now.

To avoid being found out and hurt his precious little sister, he chose the third option: freeing his arm, he then proceeded to tickle his sister, who was weak against such aggressions. She started to laugh uncontrollably, as he continued his tickling, an evil grin on his face.

- Sooo, this little girl doesn't want to let go of her brother, hmmm? She needs to be punished! Take this, and this! TICKLING FESTIVAL!

His sister laughter began to become even louder and high-pitched, as tears began to drip from her eyelids.

-HYAHYAHAAHAAA...STOP IT! HAHAHAHA!SERIOUSLY, STOP! HAAHAHAHAAA, I'M GOING TO DIE! CAN'T BREATHE...HEHAHEEE...

Finally releasing a panting sister from his tickling, Kane chuckled. He didn't know if all sisters were like his, but he was glad to have her. With their parents more and more absent over the years, he had come to consider that his family was made only of his sister and himself.

When they were young, one day Kathryn had accidently broken a vase their parents were really fond of. She was only five, Kane six, and they both knew their parents were going to be really mad. She had started crying, knowing she would be punished, but when their mother had come to see what happened and asked who broke the vase, already ready to deliver her punishment upon the responsible, Kane had looked at her:

-Sorry, Mom. Didn't see it. Sorry, didn't want to break it.

Kathryn had stopped crying to look at him dumbfounded, but he simply stared to his mother, his stick in his right hand. He only got a good lecture about how he should be careful, even at home, and then got back to his bedroom, to find Kathryn sitting on his bed. She had given him a strawberry cake, her favorite, and after hugging him, she had left his room.

Ever since that day, she had been way closer to him than before, and from time to time, when he accused himself of things she had done, she would only get closer to him. It wasn't really that he wanted to cover her, rather to be a good older brother, since in his state, he couldn't do much more to fulfill his role as the eldest.

Snapping back to reality, Kane looked at his sister, still laying on his bed, breathing heavily after all the tickling he had done. Her pajamas were half-open, letting him see her bare stomach, and the dark hue of her face was quite cute to Kane. Somewhere inside his mind, a little voice told him that many of her classmates would be able to die happily after such a view.

You look like you're having fun. a familiar voice noted, causing him to stand still. Obviously, K'tyss was quietly looking at him, and she wasn't really pleased, yet he didn't know if it was because he was spending time with his sister, or because she was uncomfortable in his cupboard.

Well, I guess you can say that. Want me to tell her to go back?

Wouldn't it be strange to do it? She's your sister.

Yeah, I know, but...Well, don't you feel uncomfortable in my cupboard? I know it's quite big, but still...

Kane heard a loud purr in his head.

We've been in far worse places, so don't worry. Spend some time with your family.

Thanks.

After chatting with Kathryn for a few hours, only stopping to take a quick meal (Kane made sure to keep some meat for his guests when his sister wasn't around), they eventually parted, Kathryn going back to her bedroom to read, while Kane went to get the meat for the sisters. He mentally noticed he would have to find a way to get them food without taking it from the fridge, since it would be hard to keep it secret from his family.

He watched the sisters quickly eat their meal, noticing he felt the same way when he watched his sister. He felt disturbed by the thought: was he already considering them a part of his family, or was he considering himself a part of theirs?

K'tyss sensed his unease, and turned to him, still licking her lips and fingers of the blood left on them, since she ate her meat raw. It would have been quite lewd for any other boy, but knowing that the girl was able to rip you apart on a whim was enough to make you forget it.

Is there a problem?

Well, can you promise me you won't be mad?

K'tyss frowned.

Of course not. So, can you answer me?

Oh, whatever. Well, I was thinking about how I felt like you and K'tyss were a part of my family...or how I thought of myself as a part of yours, I don't really know which way I should put it.

The two aliens looked at him in disbelief (well, K'tyss did, for Stryss, it was more that she turned to him with her mouth half-open).

Errr, ok...I guess that was...wrong to think that way...

His guests were still staring, and Kane was starting to feel uncomfortable.

Forget it! Forget that, erase everything I just said from your mind!

They were still staring...

K'tyss POV

When Kane opened his door to his sister, K'tyss felt her scent rush inside the room like a storm. She was expecting it to resemble Kane's scent, something not too far from her kind scent, but she never would have expected it to be so...appetizing. To her, and to her sister, it was almost as if they were right before the most delicious meal they could ever possibly have, and they had to remember that they had promised Kane to stay put for the time being, or else they would have stormed inside the room and killed her.

To forget about this scent, K'tyss turned to her sister:

How can she smell so different from Kane? Aren't they supposed to be siblings?

I don't know, but I'm happy to see I'm not the only one thinking about how good she smells...Stryss said, her drool falling from her mouth.

While we're at it, why do you think Kane's scent resemble ours? I mean, now it's obvious, he's starting to become something like me. But he had that kind of familiar smell from the start, don't you remember?

Stryss tried to remember, and after a few seconds:

True. It was faint, but it was unmistakably our kind's scent. The question, as you say, is to know how a human could smell like us, even so little.

A loud sound made them both turn back to see Kane doing something to his sister, who was screaming louder and louder, yet not in a scared way, rather a pleased started to scream even louder, much to the sisters' displeasure. They were used to hear humans screaming, but fortunately, they had always stopped rather brutally, when they had their chest pierced by a sharp tail, or their head properly separated from their body.

You look like you're having fun, K'tyss said, causing Kane to stand as still as a statue.

Well, I guess you can say that. Want me to tell her to go back? Kane asked, obviously a little sad to send his sister back.

Wouldn't it be strange to do it? She's your sister, K'tyss answered. She knew that familial bonds were important, so she chose to let him have fun with his sister.

Yeah, I know, but...Well, don't you feel uncomfortable in my cupboard? I know it's quite big, but still...

K'tyss couldn't help but laugh. Her sister and herself had been in far worse places, for example a certain lab...Kane's cupboard was paradise compared to that.

We've been in far worse places, so don't worry. Spend some time with your family.

Thanks.

She could sense Kane relief. Obviously, he was very close to his sister. That made her wonder: how many humans were like him? Caring, even if the person was some alien-human hybrid who had tried to kill them?

She spent the next following hours in the cupboard, observing the two siblings behavior, and sometimes speaking with her sister when they were doing something boring.

Finally, Kane came back alone, with some delicious meat for her sister and herself. She quickly ate her part, wolfishly gulping it down with purrs of pleasure. She was starting to love this new life, doing nothing but speaking, learning, and having someone to take care of her, giving her delicious meals. She was licking her fingers clean, when she noticed that Kane was looking at them rather intently.

Is there a problem?

Kane looked surprised, and a feared look showed for a few seconds on his face, before vanishing. Now, K'tyss had noticed it, and she was starting to be curious.

Well, can you promise me you won't be mad?

K'tyss frowned. How could she promise something she wasn't even sure she would do?

Of course not. So, can you answer me?

Kane looked panicked, but eventually he gave in. She could still feel his fear, though.

Oh, whatever. Well, I was thinking about how I felt like you and K'tyss were a part of my family...or how I thought of myself as a part of yours.

Hearing that, K'tyss looked at him in complete disbelief. A foreign part of her brain noticed that Stryss was apparently doing the same thing.

Errr, ok...I guess that was...wrong to think that way...

K'tyss was still trying to process what he had just told them. He had just said something akin to a verbal nuke, and he looked as if he didn't even realize it!

Forget it! Forget that, erase everything I just said from your mind!

Forget? He just said to FORGET the kindest thing anyone had ever told her? He wanted her to damn FORGET that he said something that made her so damn happy? She wasn't going to let him think that way, no way in hell! He had told her something, and she was going to make him take full responsibility for that, oh yes sir!

She leapt on Kane with such speed that he was knocked down, and when he tried to get up, he found her pinning him down. Even if he now had a strength far greater than most humans, she was still way stronger than him, which may have been hard to believe, seeing how small she looked.

Staring into his eyes, his dark eyes, she saw that he was terrified by the idea of having offended her, yet in fact it was quite the contrary. He couldn't know, but K'tyss was actually in pure bliss, since he considered both his sister and herself as a part of his family, and that was something she would never ever have dreamed of. She was starting to feel quite interested in him, as a mate that is. Not that she would tell him anyway. She had her pride, and he still had to show her more of his good sides.

She could see that Kane was doing his best not to turn crimson red, and at the same time not to yell in fear, and it made her chuckle.

Are you sure you want me to forget what you said? It made me quite happy, so if you want me to forget, I'm afraid I can't.

She stared to Kane with a hungry look, making him swallow a few times in fear.

If you're happy, may I ask you to let me up now? You look like you're about to eat me, and it's disturbing. It's even frightening, I have to say.

Only frightening? You look more than only frightened...

Well, you're scaring me, and I have your chest in front of my eyes, so I'm feeling quite the emotion mix right now! So can you please let me up, before I end up doing something stupid, like most boys my age would !?

K'tyss looked at him with a devilish grin. She wasn't about to let him go. There was something she learnt from him earlier that she wanted to try.

Fine, but I want you to do one thing for me if you want me let you free.

Anything! So let me go! He was going crazy, and she found it funny.

You'll do anything? Fine.

She smirked.

If you want to get up, you'll have to h-u-g m-e. I want to know how it feels, since you said it was enjoyable.

Kane made a strangled sound.

What!? Are you joking!? It's not funny!

I'm not joking! Do you want to stay like this for the whole day?

He sighed, and she smirked again. He couldn't win against her.

Fine. But first, I'd like you to release my arms.

N-o w-a-y! I told you that you'd have to hug me if you wanted to get free.

This time, it was Kane's turn to smirk.

Then, may I ask how you expect me to hug you when I can't even move my arms?

His comment made K'tyss jump. She hadn't thought about that. Kane took that opportunity to push her back, and in a blink, she felt his arms around her. He was holding her tight, resting his head on her shoulder.

You have a nice smell, he whispered in her mind, half-serious and half-teasing. That simple comment shook her more than a thousand words. He was really starting to interest her, that was for sure.

For a little while, none of them spoke, simply indulging in the happiness of having someone they didn't have to hide anything from, someone with whom they were able to be themselves. Then, they felt something rubbing against them, and found Stryss rubbing her chin against their sides. A little flustered, Kane rubbed her bean-shaped head, scratching her chin carefully, which earned him a loud purr of satisfaction.

Somehow, it really felt as if they were family, since both his guests seemed to care for him, at least to some point, and he cared for them, even if they had met only the day before. So much things had happened, it seemed as if he had known them for way longer. Well, it was no use to think about who they were to each other too much, it would only give him a headache, and anyway, the circumstances between them were way too complicated to be understood that easily.

Once again, I thank every reader (anonymous or not) of this story! And I would also like to thank the people who took the time to review (especially Xenomorpher, thanks for your support).

Next chapter should be out around next week-end.