Hey peeps! :)

Soz for taking so long... got the plasterers in and getting the floor done too - and it's looking gorgeous if I may say so :) Excited :) Yes, I'm easily pleased.

Luna: Okay, I forgive you ;) Hey, maybe I should get a clone too! :) *everyone in the entire world screams NO!*

RSL: Thanks for the suggestion :)

number1stormhawksfan + ilovestormhawks: Thanks :D

StarKnight: Shame on you! ;) Gotta keep up!

Sooo... here we go - hold onto your hats :) or possibly wigs... Random. Yey!

Chapter... um... 10? 9? Whatever. It's the next one.

Oh, and if you haven't read 'Ember' yet (not sure if I've got any new readers for this) then I suggest you do; it may be a bit confusing otherwise. But if you can't be bothered, in short Jules is Ember's mum who left Ember at an orphanage and she has never been seen since.

Go read!

...

"Let go, right now, or I swear you won't be able to feel the lower half of your body for a month!" Said Ember venomously as she writhed in her father's grip.

"Ember, stop. I'm-" his tone became low and quiet, so that any passing talons wouldn't overhear. "I'm trying to save you, ok? So would you mind laying off on the threats?"

Her struggling seized, and so the grip on her arms was loosened.

"What?" her voice momentarily cracked with emotion, the surprise evident on her face, until she snapped back into her defensive frame of mind. "You honestly think you can save me? Sorry but you're already too late. I was made to do ... god knows what, but whatever it is, I know It'll be something I can never take back or be forgiven for. You're too late because the life I loved is already over and you did nothing to stop that." by now, tears had welled up in her eyes, and a slight shake distorted her words. "Don't bother. I'm just a waste of your time."

'How can she be so ungrateful? So stubborn? How can she hate me so much?' was what the Dark Ace thought as his daughter furiously stormed away from him towards a junction in the corridor while he stood, paralyzed by her hatred of him.

'Somehow, I don't think it's just teenage hormones...' He watched as she disappeared around the left-hand corner.
'She's right, I shouldn't bother. She's too much like her mother to listen... But then, I still love Jules...' He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, his thoughts conflicting each other. 'She's the only family I've got left... It was awful when I first thought I was alone. It's what drove me to finally go through with the plan, to become who I did. Who she despises.' He looked up, a mixture of realization and determination on his features. 'I've got to put this right.'

...

With Ember

'How can he just act like there's nothing wrong? Oh, yeah he's a guy. That'll explain it...' She sprinted down the hallways, desperately searching for the exit, until a noise came from around an upcoming corner. A door opening. It creaked itself shut. Footsteps.

A cleaner's cupboard was a sufficient hiding place to wait for the danger to pass. A small grill in the door allowed her to see the shadow emerge. It wasn't the shape of a human, and now she thought about it, the footsteps weren't human either; more of a quiet, repetitive padding. It couldn't possibly be a talon, so decided to come out of the cupboard, to see non-other than Radarr.

"Radarr!" she leaped out of the door as if she was spring-loaded, gathered him in her arms and spun him around in a tight hug.

After realizing it was Ember who'd ambushed him and catching his breath, he returned the greeting with a cheerful chirp.

"You wouldn't believe how glad I am to see you... where are the rest?"

His reply was a shrug, but then pointed to his eye, then to her.

"They're... they're looking for me?"

He nodded in return.

"EMBER!" Ace's voice rebounded through the passageways - he was close. So close in fact, only two seconds later, he appeared from where Ember had ran from. His eyes landed on the furry blue creature, and narrowed. 'If that's here, then Aerrow won't be far behind, which means the whole lot of them's here... Just what I need.'

...

I 3 Radarr :) So cute.

Sooo... I'm cutting it here for now - can't concentrate with all these power tools and hammers around...

Hope you like... please review as always :)

Ta-ta,

Kezzy xxx