Yay! I hope the wait wasn't too long! This is my first ever fight scene so I hope it doesn't suck too badly...

Jack clutched at Johns hands, trying to pry them off of him, but Johns just threw him to the side and stalked towards me. Jack landed in a heap on the sand and rubbed his throat, but otherwise looked fine. He was a little shook up, but at least he wasn't hurt. Meanwhile, I crammed the can of cherries into my back pocket and waved my hands in front of me.

"Hey, Johns! What's up?" I said, trying to sound normal, but my voice shook a little as I spoke. Of course there were moments when I dreamed of hurting Johns with my bare fists, but right now I wasn't so sure the odds were in my favor. Johns didn't look normal, he was sweating profusely, and not even this heat could make that much gross sweat normal. His hands were shaky and one of his eyes twitched, but worst of all was the crazy look in his eyes. "Is something wrong? You don't look so good."

"Oh, somethings wrong," he snarled, glaring at me. "Its you, you've been causin' trouble since ya showed up! But this-" He pulled an empty can from somewhere behind him and flung it at me. "-this is the last straw!" He face was red with anger, and his somewhat handsome features contorted with rage.

Johns ran at me, so I took my father's age old advice, and swung first. My fist hit nothing but air, and a sharp pain in my gut told me that Johns dodged and retaliated with an elbow to my abdomen. I whirled around and narrowly missed a fist meant for my face. I threw my leg up and tried to kick Johns in the side, but he grabbed my leg and threw me to the ground.

I scrambled quickly and tried to stand, digging my hands in the hot sand for leverage. I heard Jack call out for me, but it was too late. Johns hit me in the side with his boot, kicking me once, twice, and a third time until something stopped him. I looked up to see Jack trying desperately to hold Johns back, and my heart swelled at the act. I stood up shakily and gingerly touched my belly. It hurt like nothing before, but I've taken many hits in the past. Nothing of this magnitude or power, but I have a reasonably good tolerance for pain.

Johns broke free from Jack's grip and turned towards the boy. I ran over to them and placed my body between Jack and Johns, trying to shield Jack. "Run! Don't even look back, just go!" I shouted over my shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jack hesitate, and I was about to yell for him to go again, but Johns took my distraction as an opportunity.

Johns threw an uppercut that caught in my right cheek, and pain exploded from the contact. I stumbled backwards but quickly regained my footing. I put my hands up and bounced on the balls of my feet in anticipation. Johns was clearly more experienced than I am, so my best bet was going defensive until he tired out. I focused and readied myself as best as I could, and waited for Johns' next move.

He came at me with his fist raised, and I knocked his attack away and returned it with one of my own. I felt pide engulf me as I saw my knuckles make contact with his cheek. It was almost the exact same spot he hit me in, just slightly higher and closer to his eye. I smirked and watched as he took a step back.

He yelled a number of obscenities, mainly insulting me and my mother. I continued to bounce around like a giddy child, but I was careful not to let his one slip-up go to my head. Johns sent a flurry of punches and kicks, and I bobbed and weaved as best I could but I couldn't avoid them all. I took several to the face, and two or three to my gut. I could tell he was slowly tiring, but not as fast as I was. In a last ditch effort, I kneed him in the groin.

He groaned loudly, and clutched himself as he bent at the waist. "You're gonna get it now, whore!" he stood up, and with a slight limp in his step he ran at me. I threw up my defences and he fainted a punch, instead he kicked me in the knee, causing my legs to buckle. I fell to the ground and rolled away as Johns meant to stomp on me. He tried again, but this time I grabbed his leg and yanked him to the ground. We grappled for a moment until I reached around and got him in a chokehold. I squeezed tight and tried to cut off the blood flow to his tiny, insignificant brain. I held on a best I could as Johns tried to throw me off, but he jabbed me in my bruise with his elbow and I let go in surprise.

Johns quickly got up and kicked me. 'I guess Johns likes to kick 'em when they're down,' I thought to myself as my beating continued. I couldn't get away, and I couldn't block him so I curled up and tried to protect my neck. I lost track of how many times he hit me, and I tried to stay focused when my mind went fuzzy. Black spots dotted my vision, and my muscles relaxed as I lost consciousness. I thought I saw Jack running towards me, but it was all so blurry I couldn't quite make him out. I even almost missed the large figure behind him, but as I tried to focus on them everything went black.

I shot up from my position on the ground and looked around me. I felt no pain, no fatigue, no sense that I was just in a fight. There was no Johns around me, nothing but rows upon rows of gravestones. The familiar jagged mountains, and the dead tree, even the crumbled wall in the distance. My shoulders slouched as the tension poured out of my body, I was in my dream.

I walked over to the same gravestone I touched last time, and yet again I ran my hand over its rough surface. The words were still not visible, and moss and dirt still covered it, but I couldn't help feeling like I was connected to it.

A hand on my shoulder caused all of my previous abuse to come rushing back. I spun around and swung wildly at whatever was behind me, but a hand had caught my fist. I followed the hand to an arm, and up until I saw the face of the strange woman who was always here. She patted my hand lightly before releasing it, and I let it fall to my side. "Relax, you are safe here," she whispered, she always whispered.

"That's nice, I guess," I shrugged and stood awkwardly, not sure what I was supposed to do. She didn't respond, just watched me and smiled lightly. My mind wandered back to the fight and I worried about not only myself, but Jack and Aria as well. I was probably in horrible condition and would wake soon feeling like I got hit by a semi, but I just hoped that I wasn't dead, this would be a sucky afterlife. And besides, who would make Aria watch movies instead of study or practice piano if I'm gone?

"Do not worry, he has taken care of you," the woman said, breaking through my thoughts. My face must have portrayed my puzzlement, for she laughed lightly. "He has rescued you and brought you to safety, so do not worry child."

"Who are you?" I questioned. My voice seemed too loud in this quiet place, and I heard the echo rebound off of the surrounding mountains. "You always leave before you answer my questions."

"I am Shira."

"Just Shira? Nothing else?"

"Yes, just Shira."

I wanted to yell in frustration, why is she so dodgy? At least I know her name now, instead of just referring to her as 'that one lady in my dreams'. Might as well try to get as many answers from her as possible now that she decided to talk to me. "Who is he?"

"You will figure that out soon, and on your own."

"Alright, where am I?"

"A place you should be glad not to know."

"Argh! Fine, at least answer this last question!" I yelled in anger. I knew what I wanted to ask, but I was afraid of the answer. I feared the truth, and I had no doubts she knew. In a quiet voice I asked the one question I only ever pondered in the dark recesses of my mind. "Who am I?"

Shira smiled kindly at me, touching my shoulder and staring deep into my eyes. "You are someone important. Your destiny will be revealed to you in time, and the mysteries of your past are something you must discover yourself. Just remember, you are more important than you could ever understand."

I watched her uncertainly, my inner self doubt rising above the surface of all my buried emotions. I don't care about all this destiny crap! I just want to know who my birth parents were, and why they left me on some stranger's porch. What was so horribly wrong with me? Was I unwanted, was I not what they had hoped for? Silent tears streamed down my face and landed in the dirt. They left hot trails on my face, and a cold feeling in my heart. Was I worthless to them?

"It is time to wake up," Shira said. I just remembered she was there. I rubbed at my eyes, trying to forget those nasty thoughts that would only make me depressed. I looked at Shira and she smiled before walking away again. Her cape fluttering in the non existent wind, her strides slow and graceful.

I watched her walk away, not wanting to run after her, not caring to hear more. She disappeared among the gravestones and all was silent. I sat down by the gravestone and leaned against it. The cool surface felt nice against my back, and I tried not to think of anything. I'm not sure I wanted to wake up, maybe this place wouldn't be so bad for an eternity. I could just stay here, and no longer worry about anything, because nothing would matter here if I never had to wake up.

An unusual breeze flowed from behind me, and my hair stirred around me. A soft whisper was spoken into my ear, the words not unclear or vague, just quiet. "Wake up!"

Alrighty then, it's short, but I thought that that would be a good place to stop. Please, please, PLEASE review! I love it when you do!