"Before All This"

Disclaimer: I don't own young wizards, it all belongs to the wonderful mind of Diane Duane!

Summary: Where had her power come from? Dairine had always looked up to her sister, no matter how it seemed. And when Nita had become a wizard....it was only right for Dairine to be one too. What she hadn't expected was to have so much power, and to be depended on so much.
But when her mother became ill, she had lost a lot of her power, and as much as everyone tried to make her feel better about it, she still wasn't needed as much as she was before. They all pitied her, because they knew her before she was a wizard, but she didn't want their pity. And she found, to her surprise, the only person she could turn to was someone she least expected.
A/N: Here's that R/D you guys asked for. (This ones for you Little Lisa and Wonder Jenny who reviewed my last story. This is going to be kind of like a sequel because there will be a little N/K in it!!)
Shima and Tempis: Thank you for reviewing every chapter of 'Know any better' it helped a lot and gave me a reason to continue! I hope you like this one too!

Marlex: ^-^. Thanks for reviewing. And I hope you like this one.

Little Lisa: I'm glad! Lol, I love N/ K too (obviously) and I really hope Diane Duane puts them together! I'll be very mad if they don't. Lol want to start a petition? (J/jk ^_~)

Wonder Jenny: LoL. Thank you for the review. (It so happened I read it when I was in a bad mood, and it made me feel better. It made me smile. Thanks!) And also, I agree with you. N/R I dunno...It was just right from the first book, I had a solid thing on N/K..lol..poor Ronan! Anyways, I hope you like this one!
A/N: I apologize to anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about. That was just shout outs to people who reviewed my last fic 'Know Any Better' If you're a N/K fan, please check it out!
This is the sequel. And if your not, don't sweat, because you don't need to read one to understand the other, because it focuses on two different couples. Anyways, enough babbling!
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"Bye, Dad! We're leaving!"

Dairine heard her sisters' call from her bedroom. She didn't bother to see where she was going.
She assumed she was going somewhere with Kit. When Nita's head appeared in the doorway, followed by her body, Dairine's heart sank. Her older sister was dressed warmly, a bag, undoubtedly full of wizardry supplies, hung over her shoulder. Her rowan wand was tucked in her pocket, and her Manuel in hand.

"Hey, Dairine. Kit and I are.."

"Going on a wizardry?," She asked darkly. "Yeah, I kinda figured."

"Dairi..."

"Just go Nita, okay?"

It had been going on for months, ever since their mothers' death. Dairine hadn't been on active status, and it was driving her crazy. As much as the others around her tried to convince her other wise, she was sure the Powers That Be, were keeping her off wizardry because she didn't have enough power.

"It doesn't work like that." Nita and Kit would tell her. But it didn't make a difference. They didn't understand.

"Come on Dairi...It'll wear off soon. Then you'll be able to.."

"Able to do what, Neets? Go with you? Why is this happening to me?"

"I've told you, Dairine. You had big power from the start, so your going to have a big shut down. But I'm telling you, it doesn't last forever. They have a reason for keeping you off active status."

"Yeah, because I can't do anything."

"Dairine! I'm tired of this! The Powers don't just shut people out because their having a shut down! If they did, we'd have no wizards left! It happens to every wizard!"

"It didn't happen to you and Kit!"

"Yes it did, you just didn't see it because you weren't a wizard yet. So why don't you just stop feeling sorry for yourself?"

They glared daggers at each other, the same coloured eyes filled with the same fire.

"Hey, What's this? I could hear you guys yelling from downstairs." Kit appeared, stepping in beside Nita and looking between the two.

"Oh nothing.." Nita sighed, frustrated.

He smiled at both of them, and slipped her arm around Nita's waist.

"Sure, I'm not coming between sibling rivalry. I've got my own to deal with. But you two take it to a whole new level." He shook his head, and tugged Nita's arm. "We have to go, Neets."

Nita sighed and allowed him to lead her away. When they reached the door of Dairine's bedroom, Kit turned and gave Dairine a smile.

"Hang tough, Squirt."

When they were gone, and she heard the sound of misplace air slapping together, she leaned back on her bed, closing her eyes and sighing. Her spider-like computer/manual came up and bent it's legs, lying down beside her head.

'See what you did? Now their teaming up on me.'

A masculine chuckle followed her statement. 'And they didn't before?'

'Oh sure. But now their joined at the hip.'

She felt Ronan smile, but it soon faded. 'You're upset..'

'You could tell?'

A feeling of amusement, then: 'I think you might just think louder than Nita.'

Then he flinched, as he felt what Dairine's fist wanted to do. 'Yeah, I could tell. Your coming to
Annie's for tea tomorrow right?'

'Yeah...'

'Well, if you need to talk, I'll be there.'

She smiled. 'Thanks, Ronan.'

She felt him smile, the mind connection of him lightly punching her arm, and then his presence of mind was gone.

She got up, and her manual followed, obediently and affectionately walking at her heels, and she walked into her kitchen smiling. The first smile she had given willingly since her mother's death.
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Sooo...how'd you like it? he ^_^, I never really thought about it before, but R/D is cute! Anyways, I hope you liked the first chapter. I'm going to update soon, but those who asked for it, and those who liked it, or didn't like it, I want to see what you guys think before I continue.
^_^ and I also, just absolutely love Dairine's manual! Lol, it's so adorable! Ehem...anyways, please review!