Author's Note – I do not own Outlaw Star or anything that has any affiliation with it

Author's Note – I do not own Outlaw Star or anything that has any affiliation with it. This is my first attempt at an Outlaw Star fic so be gentle. It's also only the second fic that I've written. Thanks again for all your comments, and please keep them coming. I'm trying to work through this thing as fast as I can, but I am a college student. Sorry about all the cliffhangers, but that's just how I write. Gotta keep you interested somehow. Oh, and as to the multiple question on my sanity…my psychiatrist says that I'm totally sane…as do the clowns in my glove compartment.

"Well, here it is Jim, you're brand new home." Michelle stopped the car outside of a rustic looking yellow farmhouse. "Its nice and quiet here, nothing like all the trouble of your old life. I dare say you'll get to learn to love the peace of living out in a place like this." Sullenly, Jim glared at the woman from beneath his blonde bangs.

"I still don't understand what's going on here. Why the hell couldn't I see anyone before you carted me off to the middle of nowhere? Where the hell is Aniki? Why haven't seen any of them since all this started?" Hurt crept into the boy's voice. However the gaze that he turned onto the woman was pure anger. "What did you do to them?"

"I didn't do anything to them James. I simply explained the situation to them. We came to the mutual conclusion that this would be the best possible course of action for you. This way you can actually grow up in a proper setting."

"I don't believe you!" Jim shouted. "Aniki wouldn't do that. He wouldn't leave me like that. He wouldn't. You must have done something to him. You must have." Slowly the boy's anger faded into sorrow. "You must have." He whispered brokenly. "Aniki wouldn't leave me like this." Finally the tears that had been threatening to come all afternoon began to spill out of Jim's eyes. "Aniki wouldn't." Broken the boy simply stood there and cried.

Just then the door to the house opened and a middle age couple stepped out. The man looked to be in his late thirties, and had dark brown hair and eyes. The woman seemed to be a bit younger, and had the lightest blond hair and blue eyes.

"Is this the young man Michelle?" Asked the man.

"Yes Daddy, this is James, James Hawking. He's a little upset right now I'm afraid. You know what a hard change this can be for young ones." The woman stepped forward as the two conversed, and gently encircled Jim with her arms.

"It's okay James, let it out. I understand how hard this is. Just cry, it'll make you feel better." Brokenly, Jim let the tears flow onto the woman's shoulder. After several minutes he finally seemed to exhaust himself. The woman gently tilted him back and wiped his eyes for him. "See, don't you feel better now? My name is Anna, and that man is my husband, Stephan. I know this is a big adjustment for you, but this will be your new home from now on. I hope that we can come to be just as important to you as the people you've been forced to leave behind."

"That's enough Anna. Let's take him inside and get him settled. I'm sure he's tired from his ordeal and would like some rest."

"Of course Stephan. Come with me James, I'll help you get situated." Having said thus, Anna took Jim by the hand and led him into the house. Jim slowly shuffled after her, walking as someone still suffering from a great shock. When the door had closed behind them, Stephan turned to address Michelle.

"Thank you again for this Michelle, I can't tell you how much it means to us."

"I know Daddy, you don't have to thank me. I was a little surprised at your sudden decision to want to raise a child again though."

"Your mother and I just happened to come across the files on this poor child. We couldn't help but feel sorry for someone in as bad of a situation as he was. I just seemed right to try and see if we couldn't help him."

"Well, I had to pull quite a few strings in order to get him for you. Things don't normally happen as easily as this one. I still have a lot of paperwork that I have to fill out to make sure that this goes through smoothly. Luckily I managed to talk some sense to his friends so that we won't have to worry about them putting up a legal battle and bringing all of this into light."

"I appreciate Michelle, I really do. I'm sorry that this has been an inconvience and I know you've had to step out of bounds a bit on this one. I apologize for that."

"It's okay Daddy, but speaking of which, there's a lot I still have to do so I need to be going. Please take good care of James, and give Mom my love."

"Bye dear. Have a safe trip back, and call us sometime. Don't forget that we love you."

Moments after Michelle's car disappeared down the drive the house door opened and Anna stepped out again.

"Is she gone?"

"Yep, she's gone. How's the boy?"

"Sleeping right now. I slipped a little sedative into the water I gave him, so he should be asleep for a bit. Do you think Michelle suspected anything?"

"I think she might have, but not strongly enough. She'll go along with this as long as everything appears to be okay. Hopefully she won't actually want to see the boy for a week or so. By that time we should have what we need out of him."

"Very well then. I'll be setting things up. He should be up in a few hours. We can begin then." Anna swiftly disappeared back into the house. Stephan watched the door shut behind her before turning his view to the second story window of the room in which Jim Hawking was currently resting. Slowly, an evil grin spread across his face.

"Soon boy, very soon you'll be telling us everything we need to know. Everything we need to know about…the Galactic Leyline."