Hello! I thought I had posted this chapter, that's why it took so long to actually post it. So after that last disaster, Serena has a chance to make things right again. Layla will have to be put on hold until Serena is through her journey, so bear with me on that. That will be in a few chapters, so I'll slowly be starting up Layla's stuff. Serena and Layla are pretty intertwined. But first, Serena, enjoy!


Serena woke up the next morning feeling content. There was no deep breath of fresh morning air or a glowing smile because moving had solved all of her problems.

Instead, she lifted the blanket up to her chin and stared at her white ceiling as morning light poured into the room from the window at the end of her bed. This room was much bigger than her old one, her stuff occupying only a small corner of it. The white walls had yet to be painted, and Serena wasn't sure what color to make them. Despite the warm welcome from her grandmother the day before, Serena wasn't sure she would be calling this place home for long.

She flipped over in her large bed and stared at the clock on her nightstand. Beside it sat a picture of her and her parents at a school picnic a few years ago. The three of them looked happy, and that in turn brought an unconscious smile to her lips. Her blue eyes flickered over to the clock as it read fifteen to noon. Sitting up, she stretched out her arms and slid out of bed, deciding it was best to get ready for the day.

A few boxes remained unopened from the day before, and now that she had time on her hands, Serena planned on mapping out her room. Anything to make it warmer rather than cold and cramped.

Unlike her room before, this one had a bathroom connected to it, and for that, Serena was grateful. She managed to get ready in half the time it took in their old home. Dressed in blue jeans and a sweatshirt, Serena made her way down the staircase. Towards the end, she pretended she was a long lost princess as it twisted into a half spiral, placing her in the foyer and living room.

She turned around at the smell of breakfast and followed her nose into the kitchen.

"Morning!" Rowan was quick to greet her daughter with a bright smile. Dressed in casual clothes, Rowan already looked well adjusted to their new home, and it intimidated Serena just a bit. "Come, sit down, I'll get you something to eat."

Serena skipped over to the fridge for some juice before doing as told and taking a seat next to her father.

He grinned and ruffled her hair. "You ready to make some friends today?"

She had forgotten. Her father was meeting with his 'old friend' today, and she had agreed to join him. Apparently, he was going to bring his kids, and they were supposed to become as good as friends as they were. That was more intimidation tossed onto her plate.

"I guess," she shifted in her seat, watching as her mother dumped some hashbrowns, eggs, and a few slices of meat onto a plate.

"It's going to be okay, sweetie," she reassured her daughter, sliding the plate in front of her. "If you're nervous, you don't have to go."

"I want to," Serena urged. "I'm just scared they'll be scared of me."

Aaron set down the newspaper he was reading and faced his daughter. "I promise that they won't fear you. These two are different than those kids at the last school. My friend is different, and someone you can trust."

Serena swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll try my best."

"It's okay," he tapped her chin. "You're safe here and with them. You're not gonna fail anything. Now eat up, we have fifteen minutes!"

OoOoOoO

Blackthorn was located in the northern region of Johto, making it much colder than it was in Celadon. Despite it being cold and near the mountains, it was still well developed with paved roads and tall buildings, the tallest being the clocktower located in the center of town. The outskirts of the town were marked by thick forests and rocky mountains. City laws did not allow kids without pokemon or under 17 from leaving after curfew.

The sun shone behind large fluffy clouds, providing little warmth on that chilly day. Serena pulled her sweater tighter against her skin and clung to her father's arm as they walked down the main path from their house to the sidewalk. The two headed down the street and took a right towards a park Serena had spotted from their flight yesterday. It was small but spacious enough for some equipment and a large fountain for pokemon.

Aaron walked his daughter along the path when he spotted Wesley standing across the way with two kids at his side. Serena saw who her father was waving at and pauses.

"Do you want to go home?" Aaron didn't miss a beat.

She glanced up at him and shook her head. "I'm just... nervous."

He chuckled and squeezed her arm wrapped around his. "It's okay."

She took a deep breath and followed her father across the way, her eyes glued to the tall man waving at them. He was built a lot like her own father, but with more noticeable muscle. His dark brown hair was closely cropped, but a bit on the shaggy side. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a black sweater.

On either side of him stood two kids, one girl with light blue hair pulled back into a braid with bright blue eyes and one boy with red hair and golden eyes. They reminded Serena of her mother, their features pretty in their rarity and intimidating as it was what separated her from them.

The two kids exchanged glances and some words before approaching. Serena was tempted to peek into their minds to see what it was, but that wouldn't be fair. Maybe they were reassuring themselves?

"Aaron!" Wesley greeted in a bright voice. It made Serena pause for a moment, it was as if his emotions were infused with his tone. He was happy to see his friend and welcoming as he stepped forward to embrace him. "It's been too long."

"I agree," Aaron laughed, patting Wesley on the back before greeting the kids next to Wesley. He made sure to stay close to Serena as he stepped in front of her and patted on the boy's head first. Then he embraced the both of them. "Both of you have gotten so big! How old are you now? 7? 8?"

"I'm 10!" the boy answered with a pout.

"I'm 9," the girl spoke with the same motion.

"Jeez, I am getting old," Aaron chuckled before stepping aside to introduce his daughter. "This is Serena. Serena, this is Lance, Wesley's son, and his niece, Clair."

"H-hello," Serena greeted them with a small wave.

The two didn't move, which prompted Wesley to take charge. He reached forward and took her small hand in his larger one. She felt the calluses and scars on his hand and became intrigued. She knew her father had a few marks of his own, but this man was born into this clan. These were marks of a Dragon Tamer. Up close, she could see a large scar on his cheek, pink and jagged. She was amazed by it, but managed to stare into his golden brown eyes as he grinned.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Serena," he spoke in a soothing tone.

She couldn't help but smile and shake his hand. "You too, uh..."

"You can call me Wesley," he winked before standing up to his full height and patting the two beside him on the heads. "The adults need to talk, you three go play and be careful."

The two men scampered off for a park bench, leaving the kids to stand in the middle of the path. One gauged them as they gauged her while standing close together.

Serena put her hands behind her back and dropped her gaze to the ground. What was she supposed to say?

"Do you like to swing?" Lance spoke up and Serena looked up at him, wondering if he was really talking to her. He jerked his thumb behind him. "There's a few down this hill, and they're all free."

"Sure," Serena spoke after a pause and followed the two as they walked a few feet ahead of her. She stole a quick glance back at her father, he sent her a thumbs up and a smile, encouraging her to continue trying, before turning back at something Wesley said.

She heaved a quiet sigh and caught up to the two as they seemed to whisper more. They stopped once she got close, but it was obvious they were talking about her.

Clair stepped forward and, despite Lance trying to get her to stop, put her hands on her hips and asked, "So, did you, like, kill a kid or something?"

Lance smacked his face and groaned, looking apologetic at Serena but also curious. The two were caught off guard when Serena let out a few giggles. A warm feeling built in her stomach before she simmered down and coughed the last few giggles out. She wasn't sure why she laughed, her killing a kid could have happened. Bad timing would have allowed that as they were working with scissors an hour before her outburst...

But realizing that that's the reason why they were nervous about meeting her, she wondered what Wesley told them before they came out here to meet.

"Clair..."

"What? Might as well ask now," Clair defended herself to her cousin. She crossed her arms and gazed at Serena, her eyes looking cold, but the darker haired girl wasn't scared. She decided she liked Clair. Being up front to avoid any complications was something Serena could get used to.

"No, I didn't kill a kid," she answered.

"We were told something bad happened and, as long as it wasn't murder, I don't care. Just don't hurt me," Clair stated as if it were her life motto.

"Clair!" Lance glared at his cousin before sighing. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Serena chuckled and held out a hand to Clair, an action that took her by surprise. "I don't intend to hurt anyone, I promise."

Clair glanced at her hand before taking it in her own strong grip. "Good. Now, only two swings are left!"

Serena almost fell on her face as Clair dragged her over to the swings, leaving behind Lance who called after them, and tossed her onto one of the rubber seats. The two shared a laugh as Lance came up too late as a mother pushed her smaller child on the last of the three.

"That's unfair, I was at least nice to you," Lance crossed his arms and tried to pout at Serena, but he enjoyed the joke and thought it was nice of his cousin to reach out first to the new girl.

"Nice guys finish last," Serena chuckled.

This surprised Lance enough for him to let out a laugh and decide to push them both while they swung. Their laughter floated upwards towards the park bench where the two adults sat and muttered about darker things. This was business meeting for them, not a fun day in the park.

"Bastard, how could he do that to his own niece?" Wesley grimaced at the details Aaron had left out in emails and phone conversations. He glanced down the way at Clair, the thought of putting her through that makes him sick. "I'm glad she survived."

"Me too," Aaron replied. "He's crossed a line, and now I have to get him back. I don't know what he's doing or what he has planned. We moved back here to protect her because that can't happen again."

"It won't," Wesley promised him. "But getting him back is going to be difficult, he's got eyes and ears everywhere, and we can't out any of them without some serious repercussions. Getting evidence on these guys is going to be tough."

"I know, my brother always knew how to bribe those around him into doing anything he wanted," Aaron spoke in a gruff tone. His eyes grew darker as he regarded Wesley. "I'm serious about this, that's why I moved back. I needed to ensure Serena's safety so that I can focus on getting rid of dirty cops. Our children don't need to grow up in this kind of world."

Wesley nodded, but sighed in disappointment as their gazes carried them to their children playing on the swings. "I don't think it'll be gone that fast. They got their headstart from Boss, and she was intelligent. Ruthless, but intelligent."

"I agree," Aaron stated in a flat tone. None of the memories he owned with his mother were good ones. He'd rather forget them all, but they're what forged him into the man he is today. "I'm not proud of it, but my family has its roots in hard and thorough work. Team Rocket won't go down without a fight."

"So it's a good thing you're on our side," Wesley grinned. "We're an even match."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Aaron cracked a smile. "My brother was always one step ahead of me when we were kids."

"That's why you have me," his friend winked. "We've been doing good so far, and it'll get better. We just have to keep our circle small and keep changing our codes. We won't allow anyone to break in and see what info we've gathered."

"Right," Aaron sighed and watched his daughter smile at Clair. "Thanks for bringing them. Serena's been lonely, aside from the pokemon I got her."

"Of course, that's what friends are for," Wesley leaned back and glanced at the kids. "Lance and Clair are close, but I asked them to give Serena a chance. She'll be safe with them, and here in Blackthorn. The other families have been whispering, and there have been some arguments at the meetings, but the Elders agreed that it's best you guys are here and so the others have quieted down. It'll be tough for her to get through school, but, again, Lance and Clair will keep an eye on her."

"I owe you for this. I understand the risk you're taking associating with us after what Rowan and I did."

"Love never hurt anybody."

The two shared a small laugh and enjoyed the innocence of youth as their kids ran around the swings playing tag. It seemed the two had accepted Serena into their circle as they called her name, encouraging her to chase the other one. The smile on her face was as big as the day she got Cyndaquil, or the first night she had dinner with her parents when she got home. It was enough to remind Aaron that the only reason he was going to deal with the shit the clan will give him, the name calling, the glares, and the backhanded comments, was because of her. If Serena could survive his brother's torment, he could survive the ridicule of the Blackthorn Clan until she was older.

Aaron and Wesley discussed a few more things for work, the investigations for recent crimes, and the 'mysterious' disappearance of fund raising money. The list was long and they were getting tired of it, but it was only the start of a long war. Near the end, the kids come running back, tired and hungry.

"Okay, we're done," Wesley grinned at the three as they huffed and puffed. Lance and Clair looked to be covered in dirt while Serena's eyes shone with excitement. "Were you two wrestling again?"

"She started it," Lance blurted out first.

Clair shrugged, expecting him to tattle. "He made Serena feel bad for taking the swing, so I wrestled him to make her feel better."

"Oh, I see," Wesley nodded in understanding. "How about some lunch after rough housing?"

"Is Serena coming?" Lance questioned, Clair nodded her head at Wesley, trying to bribe him into doing the same.

"We have unpacking to do," Aaron answered as Serena neither nodded nor shook her head, meaning she was indifferent to the outcome. "Once we're completely settled in, we'll have a dinner to celebrate."

The two nodded eagerly before saying their goodbyes to Serena. Aaron and Wesley waved before heading in opposite directions. Beside Aaron, Serena had a little bounce to her steps as she grinned at their surroundings. The tight knot in his stomach from worry and nerves melted away, and he pulled his daughter close.

"Did you have fun today?"

"Yes, I did."

"Did you read any minds today?"

"Nope."

"Good girl," he kissed the top of her head. "Are you excited to see them again?"

Serena paused to consider as they turned on the street for their house. She took a deep breath and smiled up at her father. "Yes."

And for the first time in a while, she didn't feel pressured to say it for anyone besides herself.