Paul Galen stepped off the plane and glanced uncertainly around the terminal. He noticed a large group of people and realized it had to be his party. His mother had mentioned that Ren would most likely have her friends with her, and she'd been right. Paul easily identified the amber-eyed, auburn-haired (she hadn't bothered touching up her roots and let the blonde fade out.) girl as his sister. He walked slowly over to them. Kerensa met him a few steps from the group and hugged him. It was a touching scene. Paul knew his father had been right. They walked back to her friends and after the chatting had ceased, Ren started her introductions. The twins were identified as Ariana and Kariana, the short brunette was Tessia. The tall, black-haired boy was Akira, and his sister was Anemone Dayo. They would be his host family. The girls' host family was also present- Ryo and his parents. Everyone was smiling.

After Paul had settled in at home, everyone let him and Kerensa have time alone together. The first thing she asked was what their father had been like. Paul smiled at the memories.

"He was a great man. Never put himself first. Always helped everyone. I don't know why he and Mother ever split... No one ever told me, at any rate. He got very sick shortly after we moved to France. I cared for him for the past few years. He had his good days and his bad days... He would often talk about Mom, and he would mention someone who wasn't Mom, but I had no idea who, then I realized he meant you."

"He talked about me?" She was surprised.

"Yeah, I always thought he was delirious, I never knew I had a sister until..." Paul stopped here. Should he continue and tell Ren about the eerie last conversation he had with their father?

"You don't have to finish." Ren was wondering a lot of things, but didn't know how to express any of it. One thing was prominent in her mind... Should she tell her brother about the scouts? The cats had never told them anything about the secrecy policy. So far as she knew, there really wasn't one, but it would be stupid to just tell people who you were. But this was somehow different. Ren decided to wait until life was a little more "normal" for Paul.

When they got back to the Marcellin [A/N Nem and Akira's family name]'s for dinner (the twelve of them were all eating together), they found everyone already sitting down. Paul sat down next to Ryo, and Ren made a dash for the last empty chair between the twins. Soon everyone was eating and laughing and having a grand old time. When they had finished eating, they still sat around the long table talking. Kariana was the first to excuse herself. As she got up from the table, she collapsed. Her sister screamed. Paul and Mr. Takeshi, the two closest males, carried Kari to the living room and laid her on the couch. Mrs. Marcellin dialed for an ambulance. They waited. She came to after a few minutes. When Kari made a motion to get up, eleven people jumped at her not to move. She was taken to Tokyo Memorial Hospital.

"Please, Tess. Stop it. Kari isn't going to feel any better if you keep crying," Anemone tried her best to sooth her friend. Paul had gone with the parents and Ariana to see Kari and get everything in order. Akira and Ren were sitting next to each other, looking at Tess and Nem. Ryo was looking out the window of the waiting room. He offered Tess a tissue and then they sat down together on another couch. Anemone sighed and went over to Ren and Akira.

"What do you suppose is wrong?" Akira shrugged.

"I don't know. She never told anyone she wasn't feeling well. She's so stubborn like that!" Kerensa bit her lip. "I'm sure she'll be fine." She didn't sound confident, though. Just then, Paul and Ariana came into the room. Everyone looked up at him. "Well?"

"She's in a room. They're gave her something to make her sleep... They'll start conducting tests in the morning. The most we can do is wait and pray for her." Everyone relaxed. Tess had stopped crying. "That's all?" asked Ren, almost sharply, staring at her brother. Paul nodded and looked away. He didn't know why his sister reacted like that. It made him uncomfortable, as in she knew something that he didn't, but should know.

Ren sat down first. Akira joined her on the floor. Catching on, Ariana sat down next to him, and pulled Ryo and Tess down with her. Paul and Anemone completed the circle. They began to pray, oblivious to the people staring at them as they passed the room. When the Marcellins and Takeshis found them, they were beginning the third joyful mystery of the rosary. [A/N- I'm devout Roman Catholic, and it's going to be found throughout this story, in case you haven't already realized this.] The Takeshis rounded up Ryo and the three girls, while Paul, Nem, and Akira went with the Marcellins. There were a lot of hugs as they departed. Ariana couldn't help noticing that Akira and Kerensa somewhat avoided each other. She found it strange. She was also quick to notice that Tess and Ryo hugged, even though they were going home together!

After they had gotten ready for bed, Tess told Ren to come over to her and Ana's room for a slumber party. She thought it would lift Ren's mood. Ana and Tess agreed to mention the obvious crush Akira had on Ren to her, but not bring up that they noticed they seemed to be avoiding each other. Ana made a secret resolution to bring up Ryo to Tess.

"Ren! Welcome to our humble room," grinned Ariana. Ren threw her pillow at her.

"It was way too quiet in my room, thanks for letting me camp out."

"So. Ren." Ariana started. Tess giggled as Ren looked at them. "What's up with, uh, you and Akira?" Ren turned redder than her "hooker-red" nail polish.

"Absolutely nothing!... Why?" Ana shrugged as Tess said, "Well, it just seems that you're showing a particular, er, interest in him." Ren groaned and tossed pillows at the both of them. "So what if I think he's hot? He is! C'mon, admit it!" They didn't waste time in agreeing. "Well there's a difference between thinking someone's hot and actually liking them..." mused Ana, with a twinkle in her eye. "Ren. You know it. We know it. Stop pretending you don't like him!" Tess took the direct route.

Ren threw her hands in the air. "Fine! I give up! I admit it! He's hot AND I like him!" Tess and Ana laughed in triumph. "We knew it. We SO knew it." Then, as an afterthought, Tess said, "Wait till we tell Nem you have a crush on her brother! She'll DIE!" "TESS!!!!" Ren dived for her and missed. She sighed resignedly. "I knew it would come out sooner or later. What difference does it make? We're here on... business. I don't have time for boys." Ren said this more to herself than her friends. Tessia and Ariana looked at each other. So this was why they seemed to be avoiding each other. They hoped their friend hadn't said anything to Akira to screw things up. Tess decided she would ever-so-timidly ask.

"Ren, you did't, uh, say anything like that TO Akira, did you?" Ren eye's grew big. "Are you crazy? Why would I tell him that if I didn' t like him? He doesn't know, he's not about to find out, either. Why would you ask that?" Ariana replied, "It just seems like you're avoiding him or something." "Well maybe I am, a little..." Tess coughed. "Nem has an interesting theory," she said significantly. Ariana's smile grew. "But I don't think you'd be interested in it." Ren raised an eyebrow delicately. "I probably wouldn't." Ariana's face fell.

"REN! You KNOW that's not the answer! Sometimes I could just whack you! Please please PLEASE just play along?" Ren sighed. "Oh fine. What's this theory Nem concocted?" Ariana smiled again as Tess burst out laughing. "Maybe we shouldn't tell you..." Ren could've screamed. "What is it??"

"Nem thinks Akira likes YOU! And she doesn't even know that you like him. Yet." Ren's jaw dropped. "Now why in the world would she think that?" Now it was her friends' turn to roll their eyes. "Oh come ON Ren. It is so obvious!" If Ren's jaw wasn't already scraping the floor, it would've been now. "Then how come I didn't notice? I mean, really."

"Ren. Do you really think he would let you know? Especially when you're trying to keep yourself from liking him in the first place. Stupid." Ariana had her own way of makig a point. "I still don't believe you." Tess was getting exasperated. "Fine, don't. It's your own loss when the two of you sit around liking each other and don't do anything about it!" Tess's eyes grew big when she finished. She was never so assertive. Ren and Ariana looked at each other and grinned. Ana had filled Ren in on the plot to get Tess with Ryo.

"Hmm. Tess, dear, are you maybe giving me advice to make yourself feel better?" asked Ren soothingly. Tess looked confused. Ariana put her arm around her friend as if in confidence, and said one word: Ryo. Tess's eyes grew big and Ren laughed. "Now, now. If you can dish it, you gotta take it as well! He's got a thing for you..." Ana nudged her in the side. The girls were merciless in their teasing of each other. It was all good-natured.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, at the Marcellins:

"Thank you for letting me, uh, live here," Paul smiled. "Hey, no problem, a friend of Ren's is a friend of ours," answered Anemone. Akira was silent. It was really bothering his sister.

"Akira! WHAT is wrong with you? You were fine this morning. Now you're, like, all... despondent! Snap out of it or something. It's really starting to tick me off." Paul was almost amused at his host's outburst. Akira was not.

"Look, Nem, for once, could you please just let it go? Now is really NOT a good time to be on my case. You wouldn't understand anyway." And with that, Akira strode off to his room. ~This is hell.~ He had immediately regretted yelling at his sister, but he didn't know what else to do. She hadn't left him alone all evening, since they'd gotten home from the hospital. Akira wondered how Kari was doing, and what was wrong with her. Paul was wondering the same thing as he knocked on Akira's door. After hearing a muffled, "come in!" Paul entered.

"Hey, since I'm new here and all, I was wondering if we could talk?" Paul asked hopefully.

"Sure, no problem. Sorry you had to witness that, er, argument between Nem and me. We usually get along. Today's just been one of those days," Akira grinned. "What do you want to know?"

"Well I'd like to hear all about Juuban, and everything, but first, what do you know about my sister? And her friends?" Akira was thoughtful for a few minutes. He had no idea how to answer him. ~I think I'm in love with your sister. Oh, by the way, she's a defender of the universe. As is my sister, and their friends. Anything else you'd like to know?~ He knew he couldn't say THAT.

"They only arrived in Juuban a few weeks ago. Part of an exhange program, you know. Nem was their tour guide around school the first day, that's how we all became friends. We all hang out together, the five girls, Ryo, and myself."

"Ok... What about their personalities? Due to tonight's, er, unfortunate circumstances, I didn't really get to think about it. I want to know who I can joke with and whose stuffy," Paul grinned. "Vital information, basically." Akira laughed. "Oh. Let's see, where can I start?"

"Tess. She's the dirty blonde. She's so nice. You can joke with her, but be careful. She's the most sensitive out of all of them. You can tell her anything, she'll never break a promise, and she keeps secrets." Paul nodded. Judging from how much she cried at the hospital, that much was obvious. "Oh, our pal Ryo likes her, so ya know." "Well I'll steer clear." They laughed.

"Moving right along. Kariana, she's the one in the hospital. She's nice, too. Daring, adventurous. You can joke with her, as long as you don't mind having her say something right back. A bit of a smartass. Her sister, Ariana, is outgoing too. Only she is just plain fun-loving. I mean, really. Life's one big party for Ana." Paul raised an eyebrow. Akira shrugged. "These are only the generalizations. They're all very confusing!" He laughed. "My sister is the psycho. Not even joking. She's got a good heart, but she can be, well, blonde." Paul laughed, "I know a LOT of people like that from back in France! Now, what about my sister?" Akira sobered.

"Uh... What about your sister? She's... Well, she's very nice. Supernice. But not as sweet as Tess. Talks a whole lot. But in a good way. Has a natural sense of... independence, I guess, is the best word for it. And leadership. She hates being bossed around." Akira shifted uncomfortably.

"Anything else about her? At all?" Paul looked at him expectantly. Akira wouldn't look at him. Paul got the distinct feeling he knew why. "Ohhh you got a thing for HER, don't you?!" Then he immediately regretted it, "hey sorry, shouldn't overstepped my boundaries." Akira laughed now. Paul was aptly named, he was certainly humble and unassuming. "No, it's ok. Hey, we're friends. I can stand some ribbing."

"You didn't answer me though." Paul said, a twinkle in his eye. "You have the hots for my sister. This is great. I've only been here a day and already there's all this stuff going on behind the scenes."

"Ok, maybe I like her a little." Akira shrugged. "Don't say anything, ok?" Paul agreed. The boys had no way of knowing Anemone was listening to their whole conversation, trying extremely hard to hide her glee. She loved playing matchmaker. Ryo and Tess, Ren and her brother, it was too good. She wondered which twin she could get Paul to go for. Oh, this was going to be way too much fun.