Kaori let out a gasp and dropped the diary. As it hit the floor, it banged against the door and the door slid open, leaving her in clear view. Ray and Miko both looked around, but Kaori didn't see them, she saw Raimundo and Kimiko. They both stood there, stunned for a moment.

"Kaori … honey …" Began Kimiko.

Kaori took a step back, treading on the edges of her too-long jeans. She was shaking her head, looking at them blankly.

"Kaori … just listen …" Began Raimundo.

He walked forward and picked up the dairy.

"Kaori …" He began.

She just closed her eyes for a moment, they kept saying her name, like it would help it make sense, as if they were reminding her of who she was. Who was she? She wasn't Kaori Pedrosa, that much she knew.

"You lied to me …" She said quietly.

"No, Kaori … please listen," Said Kimiko.

"No!" Shouted Kaori, "You've been lying to me my entire life! Almost sixteen years and never once did you mention that he's not my real dad!"

"We never meant for you to find out like this …" Said Raimundo.

"You never meant for me to find out at all!" Said Kaori.

"Kaori …" Said Kimiko.

"Stop it!" Shouted Kaori, "Stop saying my name like that."

"Kaori Pedrosa!" Snapped Kimiko, "Listen to us."

"I'm not Kaori Pedrosa though am I?" Said Kaori, "Apparently I'm Kaori Spicer but you were never going to tell me that!"

"We were going to tell you that when you were ready!" Said Raimundo.

"When was I ever going to be ready for that!" She asked.

She looked down at the floor where she had dropped the diary. The photographs had fallen out. She picked them up and then ran for the front door. She slammed the door shut and turned the lock. She slipped on her outdoor doors and grabbed her jacket. As she ran from the house, she didn't pay any attention to where she was going. She just kept running.

By the time she stopped, she was outside the park. She walked in and across the grass. There was kid's park on the other side. She opened the gate and sat on the swing. She sat in the dark, looking up at the stars. She remembered when she was younger and they first moved to this area, she had hated the journey and to keep her out of the way and to stop her from crying, Ray had brought her to this park and she had sat on this swing. She had kicked her feet out and laughed, trying to see how high she could go.

She sighed and looked down at her feet and then at her hand, the photographs were still clenched in her fist. She didn't know why she had grabbed them. Her eyes settled on the bangle that Hiroto had bought her earlier that day. She sighed, it seemed like a century ago.

She didn't know for how long she just sat on that swing, staring at her feet as they kicked the sand and it wasn't until someone called her name that she looked up.

"Kaori!"

She looked up and saw Hiroto running over to her.

"Hiroto, how did you find me?" She asked.

"I've been looking for ages!" He said, "Your mum called two hours ago saying that you ran off, she wanted to know if I'd seen you. My mum's round your house now, I came out to look for you."

Kaori looked back at her feet without saying anything.

Hiroto knelt down in front of her.

"Kaori … what's happened?" He asked.

Kaori closed her eyes for a moment and a tear fell down her cheek. He got up and sat on the bench next to her.

"You wanna talk?" he asked.

Kaori shook her head slightly.

A ring tone sounded from Hiroto's pocket and he pulled out a phone. Kaori could hear Yukie's voice on the other end.

"Nosaka? Where are you?" She asked.

"I'm in the park," Said Hiroto.

"Have you found her?" Asked Yukie.

Kaori looked sideway at him.

"No … I'll keep looking though." He said before hanging up.

Kaori was looking at each of the pictures in turn.

"Who are they of?" Hiroto asked.

"That's my mum," Said Kaori, "And that's my fake dad."

"Fake dad?" Asked Hiroto.

"He's not my real dad," said Kaori, "Some freak show is my real dad."

"Is that why you ran off?" He asked.

"More or less," Said Kaori, "I keep looking … but I can't find a picture of my real dad. I have no idea what he looks like or anything."

"Neither do I," Said Hiroto.

Kaori looked around at him.

"My dad died when I was a kid," Said Hiroto, "I don't even remember him and mum doesn't put any pictures of him up."

"I'm sorry," Said Kaori.

"I didn't really know him," Said Hiroto, shrugging.

Kaori sighed and put the pictures in her pocket.

"I want to find him," She said, "I want to find him and find out what happened. I can't ask my parents … my mum, she won't tell me."

"Well, I think it's a good idea to find him and then just put this entire thing to rest," Said Hiroto, "The problem is finding him."

"I'll manage." Said Kaori.

"I can help you … if you want, that is." Said Hiroto.

Kaori smiled. They sat side by side, holding hands until the first slithers of sun light rose over the park.

"We'd better got you home," Said Hiroto, "they're probably panicking like hell by now."

"I know," said Kaori, "Thank you … for not telling them where I was."

"I thought that you needed a break from them." He said, "Smothering parents are the last thing you need at a time like this."

Kaori hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Hiroto."

"Come on then," He said.

Kaori hung back as they walked up her street. Hiroto stopped and turned back.

"Come on Kaori," He said, "There's nothing to be afraid of."

He reached out and took her hand. They walked up the street together and as they turned up the garden path, the front door swung open and Kimiko came running out.

"Kaori!" she cried, grabbing her and hugging her tightly, "Don't you ever make me worry like that again!"

Kaori pulled away.

"God mum, it's only been a few hours." Said Kaori.

"Oh thank you, you found her!" Said Kimiko, turning to Hiroto; "We were going to call the police if she didn't turn up soon! Come on in, you must be freezing. Your mother's inside."

Kaori and Hiroto walked in and sat at the table. Hiroto's mother and Raimundo walked into the kitchen.

"Kaori!" Said Raimundo, "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Said Kaori, her face expressionless.

"Hiroto! Well done!" Said Mrs Nosaka.

"I'll get on the phone to Yukie and Mitsuko," Said Raimundo, "They went home a couple of hours ago."

Kimiko put two mugs of hot chocolate on the table in front of them.

"For god's sake Kaori," Said Kimiko, "What were you thinking? Staying outside all night. I don't suppose you've gotten any sleep; you'd better go to bed once you've finished your drink. Running off like that! Yukie and Mitsuko were worried sick! If this young man hadn't found you …"

"Will you quit it?" Said Kaori.

"Your mother has been very worried," Said Hiroto's mother.

"If she is my mother," muttered Kaori.

"That's not funny Kaori," Said Kimiko.

"Who's joking?" Said Kaori.

Raimundo walked back in and sat down opposite Hiroto.

"Thank you for finding her," He said.

"No problem," Said Hiroto.

"Thank you for your concern," Said Kaori to Hiroto's mother.

"Of course," She said, smiling weakly, "It was Hiroto who insisted that he went out and searched for you himself."

"Well it looks like I owe you for something else as well now," Said Kaori.

Hiroto laughed.

"Don't worry about it." He said, "You definitely make life more interesting."

When Hiroto and his mother had left, Kaori sat in the kitchen with her parents, trying to explain her decision.

"I was talking to Hiroto and he offered to help me," She began, "but I'm going to find Jack Spicer."

"Kaori … we don't have any idea where he is," Said Kimiko.

"I know, but there are other people who might." Said Kaori, "If you could at least help me find them, then I'll find Spicer on my own."

"I don't think this is a good idea, I think you're tired and upset and you need more time to think about this," Said Kimiko.

Kaori looked to Raimundo. His green eyes were filled with a peacefulness and understanding.

"Clay might know," He said.

"Ray!" Said Kimiko.

"You could save me the trouble and explain it all to me," Said Kaori.

"It's not my place, this was all Jack's decision." Said Kimiko, "And he's in hiding for a reason."

"Then I'm going to go and find him, on the first place to America." Said Kaori.

"A plane is not only too expensive, but too slow." Said Raimundo, "I've got a better idea, but first, go to bed, get some sleep and I'll have everything ready for you later."

Kaori nodded and stood up. She walked up the stairs and Kimiko turned to Raimundo.

"Ray … this is a bad idea!" Said Kimiko, "She's here for her own protection!"

"She's going to go with or without our consent," Said Raimundo, "The least we can do if offer her the protection she needs."

Kimiko hesitated.

"Miko … Kim … she's stronger than even she knows! She's the daughter of the dragon of fire!" Said Raimundo, "She's got powers that most people can't understand! The least we can do is help her realise those powers."

When Kaori woke up and looked at her clock, she saw that she had only been asleep a couple of hours, but things were spinning in her head and she would never dose off again now she was awake. She got up and got in the shower. When she got downstairs, Hiroto was waiting for her.

"Your dad called and said that if I wanted to help you, now was the time." He said.

"Did you get any sleep?" She asked.

"A few hours, more than you probably," Said Hiroto.

"Kaori!" Called Raimundo from the next room.

On the coffee table were a few strange objects.

"What the …" Began Hiroto.

"These are Shen-Gong-Wu, Kaori." Said Raimundo, "And this one is the one that's going to get you where you need to go."

He held up a set of claws made of gold.

"A quick demonstration." He said, "Golden Tiger Claws!"

He slashed the claws down and jumped into the gash it made. When he reappeared, he was on the opposite side of the room.

"Hold crap!" Said Hiroto.

"Magical items!" Said Kaori, "Wow!"

"These can take you anywhere on earth … maybe in the universe, we never tested." Said Raimundo, "Your mother won them in a showdown. These are for self defence."

He pointed to the other items on the table.

"This is the eye of daschi and tangle web comb. The eye shoots lightening and the comb sends out ropes … but really concentrate when you're using it!" Said Raimundo, "these are the only Shen-gong-wu we've got."

"Thanks dad," said Kaori, hugging him, "no matter what happens, you'll always be my dad really."

"And you'll always be my daughter." Said Raimundo, "Your mother's still asleep so you might want to go now before she tries to stop you."

They pulled apart and Kaori handed Hiroto the eye of daschi.

"You sure about this?" He asked.

"No," Said Kaori.

"Great," Said Hiroto.

"Clay and Omi are expecting you," Said Raimundo.

"Thank you," Said Kaori.

She took Hiroto's hand and held her breath for a moment.

"Golden-Tiger-Claws!" She shouted and jumped into the gash.

They fell out of the other end and landed in the dirt outside a farm. It was dusty and isolated.

"Where are we?" Asked Hiroto.

"Texas," Said a voice from a house.

The person who walked out was a tall man with blonde hair falling out from beneath his cowboy hat.

"Uncle Clay!" Said Kaori, taking his hand as he offered it.

"Kaori, it's been a while," He said, "You were shorter last time I saw you."

Hiroto got up shakily.

"Urgh … I think I'm gonna hurl." He said.

"That's the tiger claws for ya," Said Clay, "Kinda bumpy."

"Clay!" Called a voice, "Are they here?"

Out of the house, limped someone a bit shorter than Clay. He was completely bald and in good shape, despite leaning heavily on a wooden stick.

"Omi, they're over here." Said Clay.

Omi limped over.

"Kaori Pedrosa!" Said Omi, "Daughter of Kimiko!"

"Kaori Spicer more like," She sighed.

"Hey, Raimundo went through a lot, taking you on." Said Clay, "He's a good guy … mostly."

"Are they not here?" Asked Omi.

"No, just us," Said Kaori.

"Who is that?" Asked Omi.

"This Hiroto Nosaka, my friend." Said Kaori.

"Right, about Jack Spicer," said Clay, "We don't know exactly where he is, but we know someone who should."

"Great," Sighed Kaori.

"I wouldn't complain," Said Clay, "We only just lost track of him and we at least know he's alive!"

"Where do we go?" Asked Hiroto.

"Back to where Kimiko, Raimundo, Omi and I all grew up," Said Clay, "Back to the temple."

(A/N) We're closing in on Spicer! There's not much left of this story now. Once it's finished I'm just gonna focus on All's Fair 2 and Warning About a smile.

Tell me what you think.

Lots of luv, Becky.