Wind drifted into the room and chilled the air, causing the young blonde to snuggle deeper into his dark blue sheets. The clock on his bedside table flashed 12:00 repetitively as it soundlessly sat and waited to be set once again. Nothing else in the room stirred except for the boy who was trying to fall back into a deep sleep once more. He was having a hard time with all the noise that was coming from below his room. Pans were being clattered on surfaces and heavy paces of several people trailed loudly below.

Alfred groaned and pushed his face deeper into his pillow to cancel out the noises that kept him from peace on a Sunday morning. Why was it that every time he was first one up, he did his best to keep silent for his parents yet when they woke up, they decided to renovate the whole house? And you'd think with one parent gone it would be a lot quieter.

At this point there was no chance he'd be able to go back to bed so the American thought it best to get up already and see what his mother was cooking for breakfast. He reached for the glasses on the side table and lazily placed them on his face before sitting up and stretching out his arms. His back cracked and his shoulders popped when he turned to stretch. The sounds and minor pain made him curtly stop and wait out as the soreness died down in his limbs.

"Well that was odd…" he mumbled while wiggling in place to see if he could crack anything else. Usually that sort of thing would happen to him if he had a hard day at swim practice or roughhoused with his brother, but never on a normal occasion. What exactly did he do yesterday again? He stared at the wall trying to remember all the events that took place to come up with an answer to his body aches and pain but nothing came to mind.

"What in the world did I do late yesterday?" he literally couldn't remember a thing of what happened. Matthew went to hockey practice and then possibly Kiku came over but he couldn't be for sure. Did they go anywhere? A faint memory of his mom appeared telling him to drop off something to someone. But whom was he supposed to go see?

The air turned cold and blue eyes opened wider as the recollection hit him hard in the gut, literally leaving an odd sting lingering within him. "Mr. Kirkland…" the name came out in one breath as it died down in his voice.

Alfred placed a hand over his stomach and held it there, cautiously waiting for an intense pain to suddenly knock him out. He closed his eyes and shivered when it all came roaring back. Breaking the plate, going into Mr. Kirkland's house, feeling incredibly vulnerable and no self-control over his own body…

He sluggishly opened his eyes again and glared at the wall across from him. "Those god damn apples-JESUS!" he shrieked when the open window to his right let a large gust of wind in a struck him defectively. The blonde was hyperventilating and lifted his hand to clench the part of his chest where his heart was beating rapidly from the scare.

When his breathing returned to a normal pace again he muttered and cursed at Mother Nature for giving him a heart attack. Now that he was wide awake, he supposed it was better if he just got out of bed already and go find his friend and brother and ask them exactly how he ended up in his bed last night. That was the one thing he didn't fully understand.

Alfred was in a rush to get to downstairs so he skipped several steps rapidly without hesitation. When he got to the final four though, he deiced to just jump over them and land effortlessly but he lost his footing from the hustle and went brawling down the remaining few, smacking the wooden surface at the ground level.

Going that fast and landing that hard should have him groaning in pain and clutching his bruised body but something was different. He breathed out a heavy breath and sat up slowly in case the pain would suddenly strict him late.

Turning over his arms and wiggling his toes, he realized he felt fine. No. He felt just as decent as he did before he even fell. But how was that possible?

"Alfred-San?" a voice with curiosity spoke up from behind him.

Alfred turned and saw Kiku standing in the hallway with a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other, staring at him for a moment then dropping the bowl and rushing to his side. He reached out to touch him but hesitated with his hands over him as if he didn't know where it hurt.

"Are you ok!? Did you just fall down the steps a moment ago!?" he rushed the words out as he continued to hover his hands awkwardly above him. Apparently his distraught cries were loud enough to bring both his mother and brother into the cramped hall as well.

Alfred was somewhat speechless at moment from the shock of having no pain from his fall and to why suddenly everyone was concerned he just fell down the steps. HE did it all the time yet never did anyone care this much.

He looked up and as soon as his eyes made contact with his brother he felt fear. The look in his eyes were of deep concern and it was something he never saw in them unless something truly bad has happened. The last time he saw that kind of expression was when they were children and people were picking on him for being a little over weight.

One day Matthew found them all surrounding Alfred during recess and he lost it. Two of the kids had broken noises and the other transferred schools. Alfred would always ask what he did to those kids but all Matthew would say was that "They deserved it." Later Matthew was signed up for hockey and had a real act at playing, as did fighting. Alfred joined the swim team and lost so much weight that his parents actually made him eat more at dinner. Now they give him a limit on how much he eats because apparently he didn't leave enough for everyone else.

"I think you should take Al to the doctor. He doesn't seem like he is getting any better." Matthew said lowly to his mom who nodded her head in agreement.

That's when Alfred's speech started to kick in. "Getting any better? When was I bad?" he asked then stood to everyone's surprise and patted off his black Nike sweat pants.

"You don't remember?" Kiku chimed in as he grabbed his arm in case he fell again like he was some elderly person. Alfred just shook the hand away and turned to his mom again.

"Remember what? Can somebody tell me what's going on?" he demanded. They all looked at one another before Mrs. Edelstein sighed and reached out to grab her boy's hand.

"Honey, you fainted last night just before dinner." Alfred sputtered and shook his head. "Kiku and your brother said you just collapsed to the ground after clutching your stomach." She glanced down at it and was tempted to lift her son's shirt to see if it were ok. "All night long they said they could hear you moaning in pain and oh-" she paused as she started to tear up.

"It's ok mom." Matthew touched her shoulder before she left to go get some tissues from the other room.

"Did I really just pass out?" Alfred said in bewilderment.

Matthew didn't say anything but just nodded along with Kiku who was keeping silent.

"So I face planted the floor and everything?" Alfred asked again.

"Yeah. It sounded like it hurt too-"

Matthew didn't get to finish as his twin punched him in the stomach with his fist. Kiku's eyes went wide but he didn't say anything and just took a step back in case of side swiped from one of the two.

"That's for not catching me, jerk!" Alfred hissed at him as his brother coughed from the sudden loss of air in his offended lungs.

Matthew was tempted to say something but he was having too much of a hard time trying to catch his breath. "y…ou…a-ass…"

Alfred raised an eyebrow and was about to strike again till a pair of small hands rested on his chest. He looked down into a pair of deep auburn eyes glaring up at him with distress. Kiku had placed himself in between the twin teens to stop the small spat from getting any worse or from their kind mother seeing.

"Alfred-san, that is enough. You do not need to be angry with your brother for this. I was the one closer, it should have been my duty to catch you but I was caught off guard. I apologize for that now." The Japanese boy said with a mixture of grief and stringency.

Seriously how could any one stay mad at him? Alfred sighed in defeat and nodded. He'd guessed that it really should have been his fault if anyone's. He was the one who just passed out randomly. "No dude you're fine. I guess nobody was really prepared for that cause I sure as hell wasn't."

He looked over his friend's shoulder at his brother who was leaning up against the wall. "Sorry about that bro."

Matthew rolled his eyes and muttered something that he didn't catch.

"So Alfred-san." Alfred looked back to his friend. "Is your stomach feeling better from last night? Do you think that was the reason you passed out like you did?"

"I guess, maybe? I just don't know what could have caused it though. But I'm feeling a whole lot better than last night, trust me." He said with a smile because he was actually feeling better than usual that morning.

"Oh?" Kiku was honestly not expecting that kind of response from him in such a relaxed tone. From the moans of pain he fell asleep to last night, he'd thought Alfred would be bed stricken for the rest of the day. "When did the pain end?"

The faint memory of someone singing came to mind but that was probably just something from one of his dreams. "I guess just sometime during the night."

"So you don't feel any pain now?" he asked again skeptical, crossing his arms.

"Nada."

"Then why did you fall down the stairs moments ago?"

"Because he's clumsy as fuck." Both boys turned to Matthew who was grinning smuggling behind them. "That's for the punch."

"I'll do it again if you keep talking." Alfred shot back but laughed when his twin put up his hands in a boxing position before chuckling himself.

"Yeah, I was in a little of a rush to get down here for breakfast and lost my balance." The blonde confessed smiling as he did so.

"Told you." The other twin snickered before walking off down the hall into the kitchen.

Alfred quickly rushed after him and slung his arm over his brother's shoulder as they continued to fool around with one another. Kiku continued to stand in the hallway and watched his blonde friend with concern. Something about him was off. He didn't know what happened to him after he fainted but something inside him had changed.

The Japanese boy walked over the front window and gazed to the house across the street. It was no coincidence that Alfred fell ill after their visit to that mans house. He too got very sick from whatever dark curse was casted within the vile home. Just whatever happened to Alfred was something that was daunting and had something else in mind for him that worried Kiku greatly. Mr. Kirkland was up to something and yesterday they just fell right into his trap and now Alfred was paying the price.

Mrs. Edelstein, Matthew, and Kiku, all sat speechless in complete bewilderment at the sight before them at the breakfast able. Alfred had his head supported up with his hand as he lazily twiddled his fork around in his fingers; stirring the syrupy pool he had drowned his pancakes in.

Matthew glanced to Kiku who happened to look up at him at the same time, eyes filled with the same appearance of unease. They didn't express what they were all thinking but it was easy to tell that they all had the same unsettling question to ask the blonde at the end of the table, who continued to pay no mind except for his drenched morning meal.

Finally Matthew grew tired of the sound of metal scraping the glass plate and the awkward sensation in the air. He purposely let his fork fall onto the table to draw his brother's attention elsewhere from his untouched food. Alfred looked up at his twin, confused, then to the sliver wear that fell onto the table's surface noisily.

"You dropped your fork there, pal." Alfred pointed to it with his own still in hand, not noticing the little droplets of syrup slowly drip from the tips.

Matthew just stared at him and bit the inside of his cheek, temped to say something sarcastic back. He was about to till his mother suddenly cut in, as if knowing the banter was coming.

"Alfred, dear," she smiled and set her fork down next to the knife on the folded napkin. "Is something the matter? You're not eating your breakfast. Kiku and I worked on it together." She grinned at Kiku who smiled back politely to her. "I know pancakes are your favorite breakfast time meal, so why don't you eat?"

Alfred glanced around at all of the eyes that were peculiarly on him before he leaned back in his chair with a huff. He glanced at the two pancakes on his plate and felt his tongue go dry like when he first saw the food and thought about eating it. It was definitely odd for him to be like this, and he knew it too. Never did he not want to help himself with something to eat every morning, either weekday or weekend. Going to school on an empty stomach was literally hell until the bell would save him and he'd be first in line for lunch at the cafeteria. It's just this morning he wasn't practically hungry, not just for pancakes, but for anything really. His stomach turned in knots with the though of swallowing down whatever was on his plate. Apparently his stomach wasn't all that ready for taking in food like it'd been yesterday. Why was he so desperately hungry then and not now?

He looked back up to his mother's tired eyes and felt guilty. She must have been up late worrying about him after he passed out.

"Sorry mom, but I'm just not that hungry. My stomach doesn't really feel all that great." He confessed, and watched his mother's face fill more with worry.

"Oh honey…"

"See mom. I told you that we should take Al to the doctor and have him checked out." Matthew turned to his mother who looked at him and nodded in agreement.

no

Something inside Alfred snapped and he abruptly stood from the table, his eyes strained on his family members who stared blankly back up at him. Kiku quickly sat up in his chair, preparing himself in case his friend were about to make a mad dash out the house and he'd have to give chase to him.

"I-I don't need to go to the doctors! It's just uh a little stomach bug probably." He saw his twin give him and suspicious look and his mom put her hand on her other sons hand. "I'm sure its nothing."

"Listen dear, I know you don't like the doctor's office, but I agree with you brother that you should be checked out. What if its something serious?"

He then looked at Kiku for help but his Japanese friend just shook his head. "I too think you should see a specialist and get some information on what is happening with you, Alfred-san." And by that, he meant some genuine rationalization on all the sudden and seemingly impossible alterations that he'd been going through recently after Mr. Kirkland moved to town. It was no doubt that it was that Englishman's entire fault for his friend's recent predicaments. Who really knows what's going on in Alfred's body? Seeing a doctor to make sure something dreadful wasn't happening to him was only sensible in their current predicament.

Alfred scrambled for an excuse in his head, as the eyes on him grew heavier.

The schools infirmary

His eyes lit up at the thought and he mentally patted himself on the back for the genius idea.

"Doctors these days are wayyy too expensive, am I right?" he heard Matthew grunt but he continued. "Why not just see the school nurse and talk to them about it? They have their doctor-medic certificate thingy too! That way I can be examined and whatever and its all for free!" he beamed and clapped his hands together. "It's a win, win!"

Matthew mockingly laughed once and stood up as well. "Do you honestly think you're going to get off the hook that eas-"

"Now hold on Matthew, honey. Alfred has a good point." Mrs. Edelstein had her petite hand up to her lips as she continued to think it over.

"Seriously!?" both twins said at the same time. One was gleeful and the other in disbelief.

Kiku shook his head and continued to watch in the comfort of his seat. He wasn't surprised that Alfred managed to get himself out of this one. The blonde had an act for that.

She stood from her chair and brushed down her skirt neatly before collecting plates in her hands. Kiku quickly stood up and started to assist her with the chore. "With your father away in Europe buying all those old and lovely art pieces, we have to think about the price of it all. Buying art is never cheap and we all agreed that we would cut our spending before he left, remember?" she paused and looked to see her sons agree then turned purposely to Alfred with a unyielding stare.

"Now don't you think you're getting yourself out of this completely, young man. If your schools nurse calls and tells me that something really is wrong then I'm taking you to the doctor anyhow."

"But what about dad and the art?" he whined, slumping his shoulders down.

"I'll just have to send him an email and explain the situation, but only if its serious. He may want to return home early if something is really wrong with you, dearie."

She and Kiku carried the dishes to the sink and began running warm water on them to get all the sticky syrup off. When Alfred's friend started to roll up his sleeves she giggled and shooed him away. "I'll do the dishes, sweetie. You're a guest here after all."

Kiku did a little head bow to his friend's mother then left to return to Alfred's side at the table. The blonde hadn't left his spot and continued to stare blankly out one of the rooms windows, seemingly deep in thought about something.

He was about to ask till Matthew showed up right next to them both suddenly. "Our room. Now." He hissed under his breath then quickly grabbed his twin's wrist and dragged him along with him down the hall. Kiku didn't know if he was supposed to follow but he did so anyways.

As soon as they reached the end of the hall, Matthew shoved his brother in first and waited till Kiku shuffled inside before he slammed the door shut.

"What the hell was that all about!?" Matthew roared, throwing his hands up in the air.

Alfred bit his lip and shrugged, though he was already obviously aware of what he did wrong.

"Jesus, Alfred! You had the chance of getting some serious medical help and you just fuckin' squeezed your way out of it! What the hell is going on in that head of yours!? Does the fact that your hands magically heal themselves not scare you? Or that just passing out from intense stomach pains out of nowhere are natural?" he was breathing heavily and rested his hands behind his head, in frustration.

"I-I don't know! I panicked!" Alfred stammered out and shrugged again, earning him a sharp glare from his brother.

"You panic about getting actual help!?" he repeated in disbelief. "Are you crazy?"

"Uh maybe?" wrong answer. This time Kiku too shot him a severe glare. "Ok, well, how about you put yourself into my shoes for a minute, okay?" he strutted over to his bed and collapsed onto it, letting out a heavy sigh.

Matthew crossed his arms over his white and blue Toronto maple leaf jersey and crossed the room to sit on his own bed across from Alfred's. Kiku pulled out a chair from the desk and sat himself down as well.

Alfred just stared up at the ceiling fan and watched the fan even though it sat still. "I can't tell anyone about what's happening to me, guys."

"And why not?"

He rolled his eyes and sat up to face his irritated brother. "Uh, maybe because I'll look like some insane lone! I mean, seriously dude! Do you think they would even believe me if I told them all that I went through and how I'm changing like some goddamn real life Peter Parker!? No! If they did happen to believe me then they might take me away and do experiments on me like Wolverine!" he let his head fall into his hands and groaned. "Nobody can know about this…"

Matthew stood up and walked over to his brother and leaned down to his level, removing his hands from his face so he'd look at him. "We can't just do nothing, Al We need to get you help."

Alfred yanked his hands away and looked off to the corner of the room where his friend was watching silently. He exhaled and turned his head to the right and stared out the open window, feeling the breeze move the little strands of hair away from his face. He then looked back to his brother who was watching him with a face mixed of concern and determination; he couldn't help but to smile at his brother for caring so much.

"Even if we did find someone who wanted to help me, do you think they really could?" Alfred now stared down at his hands that were in his lap, hands that were once sliced from glass and covered in his own blood.

"There's got to be a way. I'm sure we can find one." Mathew smiled and made his brother look back at home. "Right?"

"No…" both boys turned to the voice and saw their Japanese friend slowly stand, keeping his auburn eyes glued to the floor. Slowly he looked up at the Americans and shook his head. "I don't think there is anyone who can help us, someone who's human, that is." Kiku looked up over the boys, staring out the window and onto the dark Victorian style house across the street.

Matthew just looked at him baffled. "What do you mean by that?" with slight irritation in his voice that he didn't try to hide.

Kiku walked passed them and stopped at the open window, scanning his eyes on the frame and chipped wood where the window would lock. His eyes locked on dirt at the bottom and the distinctive shape and marking it exhibited. He let his pale fingers skim over the dirt before he rubbed the substance in between his two fingers.

He turned around and let his eyes follow the loose trail of dirt markings on the light wooden floor, halting his gaze when the trail came to an end.

"What are you doing Kiku?" Alfred asked, standing and leaving his brothers comfort. He backed up and tried to follow his friend's gaze at whatever he was staring at so distinctively on his bedrooms floor.

Kiku kept his eyes on the trail of dried dirt on the floor but responded to his best friend. "There's a trail of dirt leading from the window to the edge of your bed, Alfred-San. Now how do you think that came to be?"

"Blew in the open window from the storm last night?" he shrugged.

"Matthew walked over to them to see the scene for himself. "You know, I don't remember leaving the window open before we went to bed last night…" he looked to Kiku who nodded in agreement.

"Hai. And it would have been impossible for the winds to open it…" he paused and got down on a knee to examine the dirt markings more evidently.

"What do you see?" Alfred questioned, watching anxiously.

"These are not markings… they're shoe prints." Kiku mumbled then looked up at the blondes who looked skepticism.

Matthew sputtered and looked around the room. "They could have been from any of us. Al walks inside with muddy shoes all the time."

"It's true, I do."

"I don't doubt that, but do you by chance always enter your house through the window on the second floor?" Kiku pointed to rest of the footprints leading away from the window and up to where he was leaning by Alfred's bedside.

Alfred gulped and shook his head.

"Didn't think so…" the dark-haired boy stood and looked out the window, as both Americans did the same. "Whatever we are up against I believe has been far more closer without us even knowing."

Matthew took a step closer to the brown-haired boy and placed a hand on his shoulder to get him to face him. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

"What I am saying is that I don't think we are always so alone as we may think we are and last night is proof of that." He turned to finally face Matthew and Alfred but the younger had his arms over his stomach and looked down at his bed with a look of horror over his features.

"You don't think that?"

"Hai. I believe that last night we had an uninvited visitor enter the room and visit for quite some time without anyone of us knowing."

"That's impossible-"

DING-DONG

All three boys turned towards the sound of the doorbell being rung.

AN: Uh..Happy New Years! I'm a little late aren't I...opps!