Thanks for the reviews( it wouldn't let me log in for a while, so I couldn't post( now, onto the fic.



***

It took 3 1/2 seconds to get down the stairs, across the house, and into our parents bedroom. I don't know what took so long. Michael ran to my mom, and Isabel ran to my dad. I waited at the foot of their bed to see who needed to be healed first. Or if they could still be healed.

"Max, he's... I... I can't find it. The pulse." Isabel whispered. I blanched. "Where is it. He can't be gone!" She had started to get hysterical now. I reached over to her and pulled her into my arms. She buried her head in my chest. I looked over at Michael. He had gone sheet white and was slowly shaking his head. I took a wild guess as to the prognosis. I reached over the bed, took his arm, and pulled him over. He didn't seem to notice. Iz just pulled him into her arms and covered him with herself. It looked like she was trying to protect him like she had done when Nikolas was there. I just wrapped myself around them both. I had to be there for them now. My tears would come later. In private.

***

The sherriff had come an hour ago. He had brought with him that annoying deputy and Liz, Maria, and Alex. It saved us.

Liz had pulled me over to the couch and I had my head in her lap. She was rubbing my head at the temples, and I kept my mind on that. If I kept my mind on that, I would be fine. Isabel was with Alex, on the porch, and I imagine she was doing the same thing, and Michael was with Maria, over on the recliner. Maria was doing that back thing. Again. His eyes were all red-rimmed and glassy. I bet mine looked the same.

Valenti had said we would figure something out to tell everyone else. I didn't particularly care at the moment. Izzy had been rambling since we found them. I had to talk to Valenti, but Michael had been silent. It worried me.

"Max, do you all have somewhere to stay tonight?" Valenti was back. Couldn't he stay away?

"They can stay with me. Mom's at another convention. As you probably know." Maria looked sick.

"Thanks, but you don't have to. We can stay at the hotel on..." Maria cut me off.

"If you lot think you're staying at that rat-infested place, you're crazy as well as stupid. You'll stay with me, and Alex and Liz can too." She looked determined. I didn't feel like arguing. I just let her lead the way.

***

30 minutes later we were piled into the jeta headed to Maria's. Maria driving, Alex and Liz in front, and Isabel, Me, and Michael in the back. Michael had not even protested sitting in the middle. He hadn't even talked yet. He just stared ahead. We just needed to stay close right now. We pulled into her driveway. I climbed out one side, and Isabel climbed out the other. Michael made no move to get out, so I just lifted him into my arms and carried him inside. Alex, Liz, and Isabel got our bags, and Maria went to open the door. That's when we heard her scream.