WOAH. You guys are SO AWESOME! In ONE DAY I had more than the reviews I asked for!! For that, I will bring Ari in now. And also because this is the tenth chapter, and those are always special :)

"It is better to be told a hurtful truth than to be told a comforting lie."

-- Unknown

*MAX POV*

As it turns out, it wasn't the doctors that were worried about me and hooked up all the extra machines, it was Mom that forced them to hook me up to the machines. Despite their reassurances that I was okay.

She is such a worry-wart.

I mean- really?- five machines? Just for choking on spit? The machines could have been used for somebody that really needed them…

Ugh. And I had to have a needle in my arm for nothing.

She is so lucky that her chocolate chip cookies are delicious, or else I would be opening my mouth to yell at her instead of eating another cookie.

But the cookies were too good, and I keep shoving them in my mouth.

"Max, you're like a bulldozer! Slow down! I want a cookie too!" Ella yelled from across the kitchen when she saw what was left of the cookies.

"No! Mom made them for me, so- HA!" I said while grabbing the leftover cookies and dashing to my room.

"MAAAX!!!" Ella screeched, eventually running into my locked door.

"Ow." she groaned and fell to the floor.

I opened the door after I finished off the cookies (which took about three seconds) and tsked. "Ella, Ella, Ella. You know that walking into doors is bad for your health! Or at least your nose's health… Anyway, shame on you!" With that, I tried to close the door again, but she grabbed my ankle and brought me to the floor.

"Girls!" Mom yelled up the stairs. "Stop fooling around and get to bed! NOW!"

"Okay Mom! Don't get your panties in a bunch!" I yelled back.

Mom just chuckled and went to the kitchen.

"Okay, El. I guess we better go to sleep. See you tomorrow. Oh, and you'll be seeing Iggy tomorrow too. Emphasis on Iggy!" I teased, closing my door. But I still heard her reply.

"Yeah, I'll be seeing Iggy, and you'll be seeing Fang!"

That night, I fell asleep wondering what the heck she meant.

*VALENTIA POV* (Oh, aren't you guys so lucky!)

It was 12:00 pm, so all the kids were in bed. I was leaning against the kitchen countertop, thinking about what happened today while sipping my hot chocolate.

I couldn't believe that Max had choked on her spit! I was so worried that I had the doctors hook her up to all the machines that they weren't using on anyone else. They kept saying 'She doesn't need it' or 'She's fine, miss'. I just scoffed and to 'get those fancy doctor machine-thingies in here now!'. After about thirty minutes, Max woke up. She must have been exhausted to sleep that long. I was so glad that she was okay, thou-

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang, scattering all my previous thoughts.

When I answered it, a little boy that looked familiar was standing outside, soaking wet and shivering. I didn't know it was raining… Poor little boy!

"Hi sweetie. Come on in. Don't want you catching a cold! I'll fix you up a cup of hot cocoa. What's your name?" He came in and I got a better look at him. He looked about Angel's age, maybe a little older. He had green eyes and blond hair, kind-of like Max's hair.

"I'm Ari." He uncomfortably replied.

I went into the kitchen to make another hot chocolate for our mystery visitor and asked, "You know, you remind me of someone, Ari… hm… Anyway, what were you doing out so late, honey? Where are your parents?" I'll admit it; I was deathly curious (Max gets that from me, I just happen to be more patient). What was a little kid about seven years old doing outside in the pouring rain at 12 A.M.?!

"I'm looking for Daddy. Where's Daddy?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I don't know. Who's Daddy? I might be able to help…" I would have said more, but- right then- Jeb came into the room.

"Hi J-" I started, but Jeb couldn't hear me because the little kid interrupted.

"DADDY!" mysterious child yelled- waking up the rest of the house- and ran to Jeb, hugging him around the knees.

No. It couldn't be. The kid only looked seven, and Jeb and I have been married for about seventeen years. Jeb wouldn't cheat on me, would he?

My suspicions were confirmed when Jeb bent down to look him in the eye and said, "What's up, squirt?"

I hadn't noticed that Ella and Max were coming downstairs and towards the kitchen until a heard an angry scream come from the staircase. I turned around and saw Max running into the kitchen with an angry, determined face on. She also had tears flowing freely from her eyes, falling down her cheeks, and eventually onto the floor. Ella was trying to hold her back from beating the poop out of Jeb, tears streaming down her face also.

But, we all know that Max is a lot stronger than Ella. So, eventually, Max ran head-on at Jeb, pounding on his chest while yelling, "How could you?! How could you do that to us? To Mom?!"

Tears were starting to well up in my eyes. I held them in and looked for the not-so-mysterious-anymore stranger. That little tyke, Ari, looked scared out of his mind. He may be someone else's child, but I always help a kid in need.

So, I ushered him out of the room and into the living room while Jeb took his well-deserved beating from Max. I knew I had to explain what happened to Ari later, but- for now- I just sat on the sofa with him in my lap, crying my heart out while he gave me as much-needed hug.

DUN DUN DAA!!! So, do you like how I introduced Ari? I like it.

Okay, so... I am not going to be able to update until Monday since we have vistors.

Yeah. I'll talk to you guys Monday! I hope you like this chapter and I hope it makes sense!

~Mo~