Hey everybody! Wow, chapter 20, glad there are some people who made it this far. Umm…let's see here…what I wouldn't give to be able to write more… I'd love to do more really, but I screwed myself when I started my 2nd story. I have to divide my writing time, ya know? I'm writing so much I'm probably gonna get carpal tunnel syndrome at a very young age. And if I also have soooooooo much schoolwork to do that I wish I could ignore but I can't…high school sucks big time.

            Hmm…since I need help with action stuff, could someone recommend some good action-y stories that I could read/study? Tkawaii said that's a good way to get better at it, but I can't think of any stories I've ready that are action-y.

            Any who, Kei and Tasuki…let's see…I honestly can't say how much longer until they say it… *shrugs* This story is already like a billion times longer than I originally though. I honestly didn't think it would go past 20 chapters or so, but I think it's obvious that it's gonna be way longer than that. I didn't think I'd get enough support to make it past like the 10th one. I want it to be soon, but with the way I write, it could be a long time…Whoops.

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Kei sat in her room looking through an old photo album while sitting sideways in her windowsill. It was about 7 years old. She flipped through old pictures of Jason, Lily, Taki and her. In most of them, Kei stood far away from Jason. It wasn't that she didn't like him, it was just that he tended to get on her nerves…

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Kei's POV

I sighed and put the album back. I don't feel like looking into the past anymore. I want this to be over with but it's just begun. This can only end up bad. Lily took it hard enough when Jason first dropped the bomb, but I think Chichiri's company calms her down. A couple of hours ago I walked into her room to check on her and I sorta interrupted Chichiri and her making out. I didn't mean to see that.

I guess if one good thing comes out of this it's that she told him how she feels. So now it's just Tasuki and me really. I mean there's the Jason/Nuriko thing too, but they don't really need to tell each other. They already know they like each other and that it's gonna go further.

So it's really just him or me that has to say something, but I'm too scared to say anything. I shouldn't really though, there's no reason to be! If I say I love him and he doesn't love me back, then that means it wasn't meant to be, right? Then I can move on, right? Wrong. If he doesn't love me I think I'd die…

So much stuff is bothering me right now. There's the stuff with Tasuki then there's Lily's family problems and finally my own. Someday I'll have to tell my mother the truth. I won't be around much longer and I have to do it soon.

A sudden knock on the door scared me so much I jumped and fell of the ledge and onto my head on the floor. "Come in…ow…"

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Tasuki's POV

When I knocked on her door, I heard a loud thud. When I opened the door, I saw her, upside down, on the floor. I closed the door and crossed the room. "You okay?" I offered a hand to her.

"Yeah fine, just deep in though. Not anymore though." She grabbed my hand and pulled herself up.

I snickered a little when I saw her hair. It had been in a ponytail, but had mostly come out when she fell, I guess.

"What?" I pointed to a mirror and she looked horrified at the sight of her hair. "Oh God!" She ran to her dresser to fix it.

She took out the hair tie and brushed it back. Girls can be so picky about their looks. It drives me nuts 'cause some girls spend so much time trying to look good and it really doesn't help. That's my opinion though. But with Kei, it doesn't matter whether she tried or not. I think she's beautiful either way. Wow, can I be a sap or what?

I guess I was staring at her for a while 'cause she looked at me, confused.

"What is it?"

"N…nothing. Sorry." As she reached for her hair tie again I grabbed her hand. "Don't. Leave it down. I like it better when it's down."

She blushed. "O…okay." She set down her brush and looked up at me. "You can let go now. I won't put it up."

"Oops." It was my turn to blush as I quickly yanked my hand back.

"Was there something you wanted?"

"I was just comin' to see how you were. You've been on edge since we got back from the tournament and that was hours ago now. If anyone were edgy I thought it woulda been Lily."

"Believe me, she's about as relaxed can be…" She looked out the window.

"What do ya mean?"

"I think she's very relaxed when in Chichiri's arms."

"In…Chichiri's…arms? What?"

"She told him that she loves him and he said he loved her and well I think you can guess how it went from there. A while ago, I stepped in on Make Out Central with those two."

I couldn't help but laugh. She was so embarrassed by things like that when she sees them. "Well it's good for both of them really, ya know?"

"Yeah…it is…" She looked up at me.

Time froze for that instant. Our eyes locked and time just stopped, plain and simple. The only thing I could think of was telling her how much I love her. I think I almost did though.

"Kei, I need to say something…"

"Tasuki, I have to tell…"

We spoke at the same time. It was strange.

"You go…"

"No, you go, Kei…"

"You started first…"

"Uh…ladies first always…"

"I…uh…Forget it. It's too awkward now…" She rubbed the back of her head and stared out the window.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" I felt like something else was bothering her. "Kei?"

"Huh?"

"Is there something else you want to talk about? Besides whatever you wanted to say before?"

"Nothing important really…"

"If it was nothing important, it wouldn't be a problem talking about it…" I moved closer to her.

"I guess…I was just thinking…" Her voice began to shake.

"About?" I wrapped my arms around her shoulders from behind.

"About what Lily has to do. She has to face everyone and everything that se thought she had gotten away from." She nestled deeper into my arms. "And I was just thinking about all my family problems."

I tightened my grip. "What about them?"

"I was thinking about when I could tell my mother the truth, that I know Shigeru's not my father and that he never treated me like a person. I need to tell her, but I don't know if I can…it's so hard to, ya know?"

"Sorta…" Kei thinks about too much. She has the burden of my whole world on her and so much from her own. I pushed her hair from one side to the other and gently nuzzled her at the base of her neck. "You don't have to think about it. It's too much…"

She purred softly. "Tasuki…" Then she began to cry. "I don't want to think about it, but I have to! It's always there! Every second of every day it's there! All of it! Always! Until the day I die, I will have to! I have to deal with it on my own!" She then totally broke down in my arms. She couldn't even stand on her own.

I carried her over to her bed and sat down with her. I brushed away the hair that fell in her face. "But you don't…"

"I don't what?"

"You don't have to deal with it on your own. You've got your friends and family with you." I took a deep breath. "And I'll always be with you."

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Kei's POV

I'll always be with you…His words rang in my head. I let out a few more choked sobs and flung myself into his arms. I think he was a bit surprised at first but then he held me close.

I want to believe I won't be alone, but in the end I will be. I alone will have to carry the burden that the Guardian has put on me.

Tasuki was gently cradling me. Normally I'd feel like a child and push him away, but I don't care right now. I want to be comforted. I don't want to think about it. He's right. I do think about it too much. Gods, I'm always contradicting myself. First, I can't stop thinking about it, now I want it out of my mind.

Tasuki brushed away the last of my tears. For a bandit who supposedly hates women, he really does care about me.

"Feelin' better?" He smoothed my hair.

"A little…" I glanced over at a clock. It was almost midnight. I was up thinking too long "It's late. We should go to sleep…"

"Yeah I guess…"

"Tasuki?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me tonight? I know it's kinda…"

"Sure, let me go change and I'll be back."

"Thanks." I smiled as he got up to change.

"Anytime."

A few minutes later, he came back dressed in red cotton pants and a matching short sleeve button down shirt. I got them for him when we went on our shopping spree. Damn he looks good!

I changed into a pair of shorts and an oversized nightshirt that always fell off my shoulder, definitely my most comfortable sleepwear. I think Tasuki likes it too. He smirked when he reentered my room and saw me. He climbed into bed with me and I curled up against him. I barely felt him wrap one arm around me and pull my comforter over us before I fell asleep.

Despite the fact that it's summer, I always turned up the AC so it was freezing in my room. I love being able to curl up in my blankets in the middle of summer. It's especially nice with Tasuki here with me too.

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Taki's POV

I'm not sure what happened in the house last night, but Tasuki was in Kei room all night and Chichiri was with Lily.

As I finished making breakfast for myself, Nuriko came bouncing down the stairs. She's way too happy in the morning. Oh well, at least someone is. I personally never am.

"Morning Taki!"

"Morning. Want breakfast?"

"Sure, if it's not too much trouble."

"None at all." I handed her a plate and began to think.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" Nuriko spoke with her mouth full, a bit rude in my opinion.

"I was just thinking about you and Jason together. I think it would be so cute."

She blushed, a lot, and swallowed hard. "What makes you think so?"

"Well, you both like each other and you know it." I twirled a fork in my fingers. "I've never seen him like any girl like he does you. And anyway, I think you two look absolutely adorable together."

"Well, it'd be nice and all, Jason is absolutely gorgeous, but there's two problems." She suddenly looked really depressed. It got me worried.

"And those would be?"

"Well, he's not exactly staying here long, so once he leaves it's over. And if by some miracle he actually stayed, I'd have to go back to Konan eventually and I'm really a guy when I am there, remember? What would he think of that? It's not like I can tell him."

"Hmm…I guess that does make things difficult." That was the first time that I thought about the fact that Nuriko is a guy since we'd been back. It seemed so natural for him to be a her, ya know? "But you can live it up while you can, right?"

She looked up at me funny. "Live it up while I can?"

"Yeah. I mean you might as well make the best of it. Better to be happy at least once in your life, right? I know you're in love with him, guy or girl, so I suggest you do what you can, while you can." Certainly not the best advice I've ever given anyone, possibly the worst, but it kinda sounded good…in a way.

"I guess I can. Since he doesn't know, he'll never ask and I'll never have to say anything. Then things can be alright for a little while anyway, right?"

"…For a while, yes…" I didn't feel right about what I just said, I probably made it worse. I gave her false hopes really. Though that was what I lived with for a long time until I met Hotohori, now it's okay. But I don't think it could be okay for Nuriko. I don't think Jason would be comfortable know that the girl he likes is a guy, though technically only when he/she is in his/her own world. Then that whole other world thing it there too. What would Jason think of that?

My train of thought was broken when Chichiri and Lily came downstairs. Tasuki and Kei were just coming into the kitchen from the den. Hotohori was standing somewhere near me. Lily suddenly cleared her throat and we all turned to her.

"Everyone, I was doing a lot of thinking last night and I came to a decision."

"About your family stuff?"

"Yeah Kei. I have to go back to Texas, where everything is being taken care of. I have to stop running and do what I have to." We were all a little shocked, except for Chichiri. I guess he knew, she probably talked to him about it. "I need to talk to Jason again though."

"If you're really sure, then here." Kei handed Lily the paper with him number on it. "This is the number you can use to reach him."

"Thanks." I'm not usually a good judge of emotions, but it didn't take a genius to see how nervous she was. Her whole body looked numb to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chichiri squeeze her hand encouragingly. She took the paper and went into the other room to call him. Chichiri went with her. I wonder if Jason's even up…

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Lily's POV

I was a little shocked when Kei gave me the number. I didn't know that I would have a way to reach him. I felt numb as I walked into the other room. Chichiri was nearby, which made me feel a little better.

I slowly dialed the number and turned on the speakerphone. I don't think could hold the phone for long right now.

It rang a lot. I was about to hang up when someone picked up.

~Who the fuck is this? What the hell do you want this early? It better be important!~ I raised an eyebrow as did Chichiri.

"Do you always answer your phone like that or am I just special, Jas?"

~Oh, Lily…it's you. Sorry. It's too early. The phone woke me up, what do you want?~

"I uh… wanted to talk about the uh…the thing you told me yesterday."

~Oh, that…~ Silence. ~What do you want to know? I'll do my best to answer.~

"Yeah…okay. I made a decision about it first though. I'm going to go back."

~You are?~ To say he sounded confused would be the understatement of the century.

"Yeah. I have to do this…I can't ignore it."

Once again, he said nothing for a long time. His silence bothered me. ~One question."

"What?"

~Are you mad at me?~

"Mad? Why do you ask?"

~Isn't it obvious? I know you were happy here, away from all of us and I was the one who brought this on you.~

Away from all of us…I didn't think of it that way. "Jas, it's not you I'm mad at. I'm mad at myself. I shouldn't have gone in the first place…" I felt Chichiri's hand on mine. It was a little comforting.

~You did what you though was best for you.~  Chichiri nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, what should I do now? Who are you here with?"

~I'm with Stacy, David, Sherri, Jim, your uncle and Ma. You could go come and see them later today. We were all going to go to the concert in the park this afternoon. Ma decided we should take a break from looking for you.~

Ma…That was always what Jason called my aunt. Not Mom or Mother, just Ma, though he always called my uncle Mr. Reddinbaour or 'your uncle', never Dad. They never got along all that well. "I'll be there then."

~Should I tell them you're coming?~

"No, it will be a bizarre surprise." I smirked.

~Lily?~

"Yeah?"

~Quit smirking. I know you are.~

I laughed. Jason knew me too well. We didn't even have to be close to know each other's feelings and stuff like that. "I'll see you later then. Should I bring Nuriko?"

At that moment I knew he was blushing. ~What the hell are you talking about?~

"What the hell do you think I'm talking about?" I loved to mock some of his questions. I always did.

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Jason's POV

She's mocking me. I hate it when she does that. Sometime though, I do deserve it. It's painfully obvious how much I like Nuriko and Lily's gonna milk it for all it's worth. I groaned. "Whatever…" I muttered.

~Aww…are you blushing, Jas?~  Jas. I wish she would use my whole name for once in her life. It ain't even that long…

"Should I give you the satisfaction of an answer period?" I dragged myself out of bed to attempt to get ready for the day.

~Only if you think I don't know already.~

I groaned again. I did blush. And she knew. Damn. "Whatever…" I turned to my mirror and saw my camera sitting there. I thought about the video on it. "Lily?"

~What?~

"Has anything strange happened to you in the last few days?" I doubted she'd admit to it, but hey I'd try at least.

~Well if you don't count seeing you, there's really nothing.~

"Nothing in the park on Sunday?"

I heard her swallow hard. ~T…the park? S…Sunday? N…no, not at all. Why?~

"My camera seems to say something different…"

~Why? What does your camera have to do with it?~

"On Sunday, I left it on a bench on accident and when I got it back it had the most interesting video on it." I slowly played the video again for myself. "And that guy I've seen you kissing is there too. For a few minutes there's nothing there, then a sudden flash of red light. When it disappeared there's you, Taki, Kei, Nuriko, and those guys. What have you been doing here?"

~That's a long story, no da.~  I heard another voice. It's not familiar though. What kinda person says 'no da' after a sentence?

"Who's there with you? Is that one of those guys? Has he been there the whole time?" I sounded a little angrier than I was.

~Chichiri, yes and yes.~ I was more than a little shocked. ~He's the guy you saw me kissing.~ Now I was at the peak of my shocked state. I was totally speechless. ~Jas?~

It took me a few seconds to respond. "What?"

~Come to the park like an hour before the concert and I'll try to explain it. It's really complicated though…~

Complicated? How complicated could it be? What the hell is going on with her? "Okay then…I'll see you later then."

~Ja ne.~ She hung up. I held the phone in my hand for a long time, not knowing what to do. Eventually the phone started making that weird noise when you leave it off the hook for too long. As soon as I hung it up, it rang again.

"Hello?" Who else could call me this early"

~Jason? Who were you talking to? I've been trying to call you and it was busy…~

"Sorry, Ma. I was…talking to a girl I met a couple days ago…"

~Oh, I suppose that's fine then. Don't forget to meet us in the park this afternoon.~

"I won't. Don't worry." Lily's aunt is so protective of me. She acts like I'm going to disappear if she doesn't know where I am at all times. I don't really know why, it's not like I'm her biological kid or something…

~Jason, you don't talk to me as much as you used to. What's a mother supposed to do besides worry?~

What's a mother supposed to do besides worry? I don't know. My real mother abandoned me. "Ma, I'm 25. It's natural for kids and parents to drift a little. Especially when the kids become adults."

~Well, don't let it happen too much. I don't want you to drift like Alana.~

I felt a lump in the back of my throat. "What's that supposed to mean? She didn't drift, she had no one to drift from. She just grew up is all."

~She could have at least told someone where she went. We're only guessing she's here, remember?~

"I remember…but Ma, please don't talk about her like she an ex-con on the run or something. I don't think any of us will ever understand what she did and why."

~Jason, you haven't seen her in over two years and you're still so protective of her. I find it amazing.~

"We were close, there's nothing amazing about that…" We were quiet for a bit. "I'll see you this afternoon, Ma."

~Alright Jason.~

I hung up before she did. I walked into the bathroom and tossed my nightshirt onto a chair. I let the cold water fill the sink and started to get ready. I already knew it was going to be a shitty day. There's no avoiding it…

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Narrator's POV

Lily rested her head on Chichiri's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "He saw it…I can't believe he saw us come back from Konan."

Chichiri stared at her. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I have to. He knows when I'm lying. I couldn't make up something if I tried." She sighed.

"We should tell the others, no da."

"Yeah…then they'll all have to come with me."

They stood up and went into the kitchen. Kei was the only one in there.

"How's it go?"

"Better than I thought. We have to go to the park today."

"What for?"

"My family is going to be there this afternoon. And I have to talk to Jason about Konan."

Kei almost cut off her finger when she dropped the knife she was holding. "WHAT!?!?!? What for?!?!?!"

"He…he found out. He was hanging out in the park the day we came back I guess and he left his camera on and it caught us coming back."

"Oh my God…he's gonna this we're nuts! That or he'll think we're lying!" Kei leaned against the counter.

"It really doesn't matter what he thinks. We know it's true and if he doesn't believe me, fine. He really doesn't have to."

"I guess…" Kei ran her hands through her hair. "Wow, could our lives be any weirder?"

"Doubtful, no da." Chichiri shrugged.

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            Later that day, Jason went to the park an hour earlier than Lily had told him. When Lily and the others came, Lily was the first one to see him.

            "Jas! Over here!" She waved and hurried over to him 'Hmm…why's he here already? We must be late…' "Hey Jason, sorry we're…" She looked at her watch. It was 10:30. They weren't supposed to be there until 11. "early…How long have you been here?"

"About half an hour or so." He quickly scanned over everyone. Nuriko was standing near Kei and Taki.

Lily sweat dropped. "Why? We're half an hour early. You didn't have to come so early."

"Well, two reasons really: One, I have bad nerves and you know that, two, I had to get out of the apartment I'm in. Ma's been driving me nuts."

"What wrong?"

"She won't stop calling to make sure I'm around. I don't know what she thinks I'm gonna do."

"She's just being a mom, Jas…" She sighed. "It's not like this is easy for her…"

"You seem surprisingly calm about this."

Lily laughed a little bitterly. "If I looked how I feel right now, I don't think you'd recognize me. I feel like I'm gonna break down any second..

"…" Jason was quiet for a while. "Anyway, can we get down to business?" He handed Lily his camera.

She played the video and the others watched. "Well…uh…I guess it goes something like this…"

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            (Lily retells the whole story up till now, with the others put in their own little comments and details and things like that. Jason was quiet the whole time. He looked at all of them in sheer disbelief.)

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"You are all fuckin' nuts if you think I'm gonna believe that." Jason crossed his arms and sighed.

"Well it's the fuckin' truth, okay?" Tasuki muttered. "If you don't wanna believe it you don't have to."

"And why would we lie? If it's a lie, it's awfully creative isn't it?" Taki sat down on a bench.

Jason rubbed his temples. "Yeah…I guess it is…" 'Now what am I supposed do? They've never lied to me before and it would take an awful long time for all 7 of them to agree on one story.'  "I…uh…I'm not really sure what to say…"

Nuriko looked up at him. "Say whether or not you believe us."

He couldn't help but stare back. "You guys have never lied to me before and I guess it's just too strange to be a lie. I believe it. To say I don't like it would be an understatement, but I will believe it." He sighed. "Anyway it's almost noon. Lily, your family's probably around somewhere. Wanna go look for them?"

"In a bit. I'm fine about seeing everyone except for Uncle Jeff. I really don't want to see him."

"Well, I can't really help you there."

"I know…" Lily sighed. "But I can hope right?"

"I guess." Jason caught Chichiri take Lily's hand out of the corner of his eye.

They waited around, talking, until noon when they went around to the concert area. Jason immediately was able to find the others and went to join them.

Lily looked at her friends then at Chichiri, who solemnly nodded. It was time. She took one deep breath and began to head down to see them. The others followed her. They found seats behind Lily's family.

Lily tentatively reached out and tapped her aunt on the shoulder. "Aunt Carol?"

Carol whipped her head around and came face to face with Lily. "ALANA?!?!" The others all turned around in a hurry as well.

"…Hi…guys…long time no see, huh?" She gave them a nervous smile, waiting to see how they would react. Oh, this won't be pretty…'

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Well, that's the end of this chapter. That was a long one. And once again, I'm being evil. I love the power of an authoress.

Hmm…how will this confrontation go? Will it be happy? What's gonna happen to Jason when Lily's friends and family find out he knew more than he let on? How long till these questions are answered? Hopefully not long.

~*~Shadow Hawk~*~