I MISSED YOU GUYS! I'm so sorry this has taken as long as it has, I've been working on my own novel, helping a friend, and posting a new story. Check that one out would you? It's called Enchanted and even though there's not much yet I think it's pretty descriptive :) Oh, and look at Fallen Star to, that one is great and written by a very good friend of mine.

As always, I love getting reviews so here is a shout out to you lovely reviewers. THANK YOU'S TO: randomGUEST, Katie1302, FrostoftheNight, born2danceforeve, Loki's-Marauder, MyFallenAngle13, alwaysreading25, bluefire321, jenaca, XX-Fire-Girl-XX, Evangeline the Gothic Angle, Lily, Jayfire, Jessibarrios, horsecrazy12, alibella, D, EiramEnnaAizirtap, AND Zombie Thorn.

I'll respond to your reviews next time, cross-my-heart-and-hope-for-a-painless-death. But I reckon you've waited for too long as is :( sorry

Now, on with the show!

From the moment I woke up I knew three things.

One: I was hungry.

Two: The reason I was so hungry was probably going to kill me if they ever let me out of the insane asylum.

And three: I was in a hospital. Good, the men in white wouldn't have to cart me far then.

I knew where I was before I even opened my eyes, that musky sterile smell was unmistakable. And so was the voice telling me my lazy teenage butt better get up before it had a good reason to be in a coma.

"What happened?" I asked my Uncle Lloyd with a scratchy voice, peeling my eyes open.

"We're not sure yet, still waiting for the tests to come back from the lab." Uncle Lloyd said in an efficient sort of voice.

Everything about my Uncle was efficient, his cloths and med jacket, his blond hair-cut, his calculating expression and eyes , even the scratch-scratch-scratch of his writing as he jotted down something on a clip board. You would think that might make him intimidating, but really he was one of the few people who I didn't stutter endlessly at when I talked. Which is just as well, I don't think he would have the time for it.

"What time is it?" I only asked because the room I was in didn't have windows.

He pulled out his cell. "Quarter to nine." Then frowned at me over his reading glasses. "And that was my line by the way."

"'What time is it'?" I asked again with a look of my own.

"No, 'What happened?'"

"Oh," I said stupidly, I wondered if the nurses slipped me something. I felt foggy. "Honestly, I don't really know."

Uncle Lloyd continued to frown at me, like he was waiting for me to tell him about some magic mushrooms I'd picked up and decided might taste good in my cereal that morning.

"Calvin, I need you to answer my next question with complete truthfulness, okay?" I nodded. Yup, he definitely thought I was hitting the happy grass. "Have you been having nightmares recently?"

I jumped, that wasn't what I'd expected. How did he know? Apparently looking started was a good way of giving myself away (who would have guessed?) because he nodded for me.

"That's what I thought." He sighed, and sat down heavily on a chair near the bed I was in.

"Uh, if I may, how did you know?" I asked after a moment.

"Your father had episodes like this when he was your age." Was the sad reply. I sobered even further. Seven years after his death and it was still painful to think about him. "I had hoped you wouldn't inherit it but you're so much like him, I guess it was a fools wish."

"Is it a... disease?" I asked nervously.

"NO!" I jumped again, startled while my Uncle looked shocked with himself. "I- I mean no, no it's not that. Uh..." I could count on one hand how many times I'd seen Uncle Lloyd appear unsure of himself, this was one of those times. the seconds of silence stretched out.

"I have something for you." he said suddenly.

He reached into his white med jacket and pulled out a small, old, lumpy envelope and passed it to me.

I turned it over in my hands but it was unmarked, "It was left to me after Henry passed away. But now that your old enough to take care of it responsibly, it's better you have it than me."

I flicked my eyes up to meet his gaze for a moment, understanding passing between us, before slowly peeling the seal off and tipping the contents onto my lap.

It was a old golden pocket watch and chain, engraved with symbols I didn't recognize at all.

"It's been in the family for generations, I give to you under the strictest confidence." He said seriously.

But I hardly heard him, as I held it in my hand I swear I could feel it beating slowly, like a heart.

If there was one thing Dalia couldn't stand it was loud high pitched noises. They made her ears ring, her head feel like it would explode, and gave her the strong urge to howl. Something she didn't appreciate.

Still, when the paramedics asked if she wanted to come to the hospital with them (they probably though he was her boyfriend or something) in the back of the ambulance, she had had a crazy moment of actually considering it. She couldn't help it! He just looked so weak and pale and vulnerable. But in the end she had said no. Now she was with Selena, regretting it for one reason above all others.

Sel had taken her shopping.

At first it had been mandatory, she needed new shoes (ugh...) and a swim suit for school. It was a Rockwell High requirement to pass at least a semester of swimming classes. But soon it had turned to winter wear (It will be snowing before you know it, Dal. Let's get while the getting's good), then to the clearance sell (Why not get a good bargain?), and then... well, you get the picture. And as Dalia collapsed into her bed she made a silent promise to herself that if it ever came between earsplitting sirens or spending the afternoon in the mall again, she would make a wiser decision.