~REVEALING~

~Chapter 1~

It was the start of a new day. The dew was just settling. And the Quartermaines' morning battles were merely a whisper from Ned's house. Kristina held her hair up with nearby pencil, spinning around in her stool, waiting with anticipation for her poptarts to cool off. As she tilted her head to the side, she muttered, "This is going to be the highlight of my day."

After she finished her meal, she heard a slight knocking on her door. When her feet hit the living floor, she nearly hit her head rushing to put her slippers on. As the knocks got more insistent she opened the door violently. It was Skye... Before Kristina could utter a word, she walked right on in. "I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot."

"May?" Kristina slammed the door and gave Skye a dirty look. "From what I have seen (and heard), you don't make any attempts to be decent or civil--"

"I am trying to be civil right now!"

"Yeah, why are you? Let me guess. You want me to help you with some scheme, or talk Ned into helping you or maybe both!"

"Listen Christine, that's not why came. But you're just like the rest of the perfect Quartermaines."

"It's Kristina and I am a--my own person. And I don't think your feeble attempt at a truce is going to work so leave."

"I hate to break it to you, but this is Ned's place."

"And he wouldn't want you here either. Out!" Skye sneered at her and left. Suddenly there was another knock on the door. As she opened it, she shouted. "You are such a child!"

"I haven't heard that one before." AJ coyly said.

~Pine Valley~

Anna and Gabriel packed the last of their bags, thinking of all the goodbyes they made lastnight. It was sweet in sense. Bianca finally found love with Frankie, Edmund and Brooke wound up together again, Rosa declared her feelings for Gabriel (but it was too little, too late), and even David said a nice goodbye, even though she discovered that his mother was Proteus. "It was a good ride while it lasted." were his last words to her. And that's all it was. A good ride.

"Where exactly are we going, Anna?" Gabriel muttered.

"To meet some old friends." Anna smiled slightly, thinking of all the people she's missed.

"Is there any possibility that I can come too?" Alex said in the hallway, looking very distraught.

~Alexis' Penthouse~

"...and then he just left me for some blonde bimbo!" V wailed through the receiver.

"I--uh, I'm very sorry V." Objection! If you lighten your hair any more, you might as well be that blonde bimbo. You can't wait to see Sonny's marriage crumble even further...oh why do I even bother? When do you even listen to me about Sonny? Just go and talk to your client, er, brother. Alexis covered the phone and spoke. "Stefan, this will just be minute, are you all right?"

Stefan rubbed his wrists and almost smirked. "I'm fine. A minute's fine, I was tied up for days."

Alexis heard the doorbell and let Jax in. He wasn't glad to see Stefan there to say the least. "Venus, why don't you talk to Jax about this? He knew Simon better then I did." Alexis hands him the phone, but he backs away.

"He didn't."

"Evidently he did. Talk to her, Jax."

"What am I suppose to say? How many pieces Simon will be in? That'll only upset her."

"Stop thinking like a corporate raider and just be a friend--" Jax was about to cave in, but on his way he slipped on the rug and his head hit the arm of the couch.

Stefan took the phone out of a shocked Alexis' hand. "Ms. Ardanowski, I'm afraid we'll have to call you back. Jax is indisposed."