Disclaimer: Syl and Krit belong to James Cameron, and Crazy/Beauitful and the basic plotline of this fic belong to the company that made the movie. I own the four friends.

AN: Sorry guys, I left a small part off the beginning of Chapter 2, so I've added it. It makes a bit more sense now (

*~*~*~*~*~*

After school. Detention had involved an hour of picking up trash under Mr Dune's watchful eye. While Jem and Syl were high as kites, the other three were as quiet as mice.

"Shit," Krit muttered, as he watched a bus pull away from the curb. The next bus wasn't until 8, he wouldn't get home till midnight.

"Problems?" Syl appeared next to him, smiling, giving him an eye full down her top.

"Missed my bus. The next one doesn't get home for hours," Krit explained, straightening.

"Me and Jem'll give you a ride," Syl smiled at him. "After you come party with us, okay?"

Krit gazed at her. For a moment.

"Yeah, okay, as long as I get home before midnight."

"Done," Syl said, racing away, garbage bag in hand. "Jem!"

*~*~*~*~* Flashing lights. Blaring salsa music. Jem and Syl walked along, arms around each others waist.

Krit gazed around wide eyed.

Jem turned to look back at him. "Sylvie, I think lover boy has cowered. Don't think he knows how to party."

Syl span backwards and walked towards him, motioning for Jem to go away.

"Dance with me?" She pressed against him, gazing coyly up at him.

He nodded, slightly on edge. The loud noises and bright lights seemed to crowd him.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands settled on her hips. She looked up at him, grinning, running her hands through his hair and rubbing her body against his.

Krit wanted to lean over and ask her about '701'. If she was 701, if she remembered Manticore, if she even knew who he was to her.

But this wasn't his sister; this was someone he'd never met and never known; the girl she'd have been if there was no Manticore.

She leant closer, whispering, "What are you thinking about?" Her breathe fluttering against his cheek.

He looked into her eyes and made a spontaneous decision. "About Manticore."

Syl looked up and met his eyes. She didn't say anything, but Krit got the message. She knew what he was talking about and didn't want to talk about it.

Syl rested her head against his shoulder. Manticore. A word she hadn't heard since before she'd been fostered; since she saw Zack laughed. And if this was her big brother Krit.talking about it would bring uneasiness and he'd leave her alone again. And after finding him - someone she automatically felt safe with - she didn't know what would happen if he went away again. This was her first contact with another X5 in four years.

Krit watched her carefully, as she leant against him, as she looked down, away from him.

"Come on, let's get something to drink," he said, pulling her towards the fast food vans.

She smiled and nodded and started to say something that was lost in the blaring music.

Pheonix and Jem were sitting at a picnic table, laughing. "We need food," Pheonix said as Krit and Syl approached them. "You guys sit and we'll get food and drinks."

Krit dropped to the seat and watched Syl carefully. "You always come out here after school?"

Syl shook her head, turning to face him. "Nah. Maybe once or twice a week. Tania's mom has this sixth sense about where she's been. Pheonix and Harley spend most of their waking hours here. Jem and I just hang wherever," she smiled slightly. "Why?"

Krit shrugged. "You don't look like you enjoy it too much."

"Course I do, it's much better than being at home," Syl grinned, as Pheonix and Jem returned with food. "Pizza again?"

Pheonix shrugged. "Yes, well, nothing else over there is edible."

Jem handed them all cans of beer. "Yeah, but you're used to the finer things in life, Pheonix. As long as it's dead, Syl and I'll eat it, isn't that right, mah sistah?" Jem leaned over and gave Syl a high five.

"Right on," Syl laughed. The other two girls burst out laughing and clinked beer cans.

"Cheers."

Krit had never met people like these girls. Sue had a traditional big Italian/Greek family with huge parties for the most minor good event. After six years with Sue and her family, Krit didn't know what he'd do without people around him.

But these three girls were virtually isolated; they were united in the bitterness they held for the outside world in general.

The rest of the evening - well, the next two hours were filled with dancing and drinking. And during those two hours, Krit was vaguely aware that Jem and Pheonix slipped away somewhere. But Syl didn't seem to know or really care, so he didn't question it.

Then Jem came and found them.

"Syl, we need to go. Pheonix is sick."

Syl nodded, pulling away from Krit. "Where is she?"

"She said she was going to be sick, I left her in a back street," Jem said, as they weaved their way through the crowd.

"A back street in Los Angeles, in the middle of the night?" Syl asked incredulously. "Duh, think Jem. Watch the News once in awhile." Not that there was any point saying this now or ever. Not only was Jem completely smashed, she and Pheonix had been off popping some sort of pills. Syl didn't agree with it, but she just let it go.

They found Pheonix, gagging into a garbage bin in a back alley. Jem went over and offered her a bottle of water, and began cleaning her up.

"Does it always end like this?" Krit asked softly, as they waited at the corner of the building.

"How? With Pheonix and Jem throwing up in a random back alley, completely drunk, while I drive them home and take the blame for screwing them up? Usually," Syl nodded, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Doesn't sound like much fun," Krit said softly.

"We could always make it fun," Syl looked up at him, smiling.

Krit leant closer to her, gently kissing her.

"You two mind giving me a hand," Jem yelled, completely ruining the moment. "I got better things to do than wait round for you two in a dark alley at midnight."

Syl rolled her eyes and moved towards her friends.

*~*~*~*~*~* They dropped Pheonix off first. Luckily, only Pheonix's brother was home and he didn't cause a fuss at her disheveled appearance.

The drive to the bay area seemed almost double as long as it usually was, due to the silence in the car and the late hour. Krit had to get up in around four hours to catch the bus. These outings probably wouldn't be a nightly occurrence; Krit was one of the few X5s who needed sleep.

"This is my place," he said to Syl. She nodded, pulling the brakes.

"Sorry for such a crazy night and for getting you detention," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears.

"No, it was fun," Krit smiled at her, tempted to lean over and kiss her again.

"Krit!" Sue came out onto the porch, motioning to her watch. "It's 1:30 in the morning! Where have you been? Who is that with you?"

Syl slipped out of the car, pulling her sweatshirt over her head.

"I'm sorry I'm so late. Sylvie and her friends invited me out. We lost track of time," Krit apologized.

"And your friend is." Sue asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sylvie Amos," Syl said.

"Nice to meet you. Well, it is getting late. Good night Sylvie," Sue said pointedly, giving Krit a Look.

"Night Syl. I'll see you tomorrow," Krit said, moving up onto the verandah.

"Night," she smiled and turned back to the jeep, to drop Jem home.



Feedback cherished ;)