Chapter Fourteen

(A/N:  Thank the gods, god is back!  Sheesh, I can't have one of the few people who actually read this story disappearing like that!  Shame on you!  *grin*  Oh my gods.  I just watched 'Donnie Darko'.  That is now my favorite movie!  The ending was awesome!  The question is, if the…never mind, it's too long to write here, but if anyone wants to talk about the movie with me, the lines are always open.  New rule - if you want me to answer some sort of question, email it to my privately or leave your email address!  (Yes, deathofalllife, I AM talking to you!)  I have no way to contact you people and answer any questions you ask.  Such as the one recently posed.  And, no, I didn't stop writing the story.  Hell, it's only been…Less than a week.  I had all the chapters up to thirteen already written, so it's gonna be slow-going from now on because I have to actually write the chapters again.  Oh, yeah, and don't forget, if you peoples see possible relationships springing up (or people who you want together), please tell me!  Give me some reader input!  Thanks!  R/R/E!)

Disclaimer: 'Broadway' belongs to the GooGoo Dolls.  'Jumper' belongs to Third Eye Blind.  'Truly Madly Deeply' belongs to Savage Garden.  'Kiss Me' belongs to Sixpence None The Richer.  My apologies for any anachronisms with the songs.  I tried to remember which ones would be out around that time period (early 1998, I think), but my memory has never been that good for that kind of stuff.  And you know who the rest of the characters belong to.

Quick Note: Words between asterisks (*like this *) signify conversation in a language that the person without the spell one them (that allows them to understand the language) wouldn't understand.  Such as, when Jander and Nire are talking, and Nire's mother is in the room, words *like this * are in Common, whereas words like this are in English.  Got it?  Good.

            Jander's eyes smiled as Nire talked.  He wasn't particularly listening to her, just hearing her voice.  Since Nire's last little meltdown/regression, it had been as though that had been one of the last few barriers to break down.  Now, only a few were left.  She stopped in mid-sentence, though, when someone outside of her room started singing.  The voice sucked - it was breathy, weak, and wavery.

            "Broadway's dark tonight

            "A little weaker than you used to be

            "Broadway's dark tonight

            "I see the wound man sitting in the old man's bar

            "Waiting for his turn to die."

            Nire got up and opened her door slightly, sticking out her head.  "The GooGoo Dolls, 'Broadway'.  Duh.  Try this one-"

            "He's the first to fight

            "A bit too loud

            "He's the first to lie

            "On the burial shroud."

            She shut the door again as Jander marveled at the difference in the two voices.  Nire could sing - she was actually pretty good.  She hummed a lot when she wasn't talking, but he had never heard her sing.  He actually wished that she would sing sometimes instead of hum.

            "What was that about?" he asked.

            "I bet her that I could name more songs than she could.  So far, I'm winning."  She grinned at him.  "Sorry 'bout that, but it's going to continue for a while."

            "You have a good voice, little one.  You should sing more often."  After hearing her once, he would love to hear her vocalize the songs that were constantly running through her head.

            "Anywho, what were we talking about?"  She rolled her eyes skyward, thinking.  Her cat wandered in at that point and stopped dead, hissing at Jander.  Before he could respond by making it leave, Nire snapped, "Shut up Spice.  And calm down."  Surprisingly enough, the cat did.

            "How did you do that?" Jander asked in amazement.

            "Do what?"  Nire was honestly puzzled.

            "Calm him down.  You shouldn't have been able to do that.  He should still be hissing at me right now, unless I calmed him."

            Nire shrugged.  "I'unno.  He listens to me."  She picked up the white-and-black cat, depositing him on her bed.  "Anyway, I don't remember what I was saying anymore.  Do you?"

            Jander shook his head.  "Sorry, little one.  I- never mind."

            "You weren't listening, were you?" Nire asked, feigning anger.

            The slightly embarrassed look in his eyes told her.  She put on her best angry face as she responded.

            "Well, that's just great.  Have you ever listened to me when I talk to you?  Do you care at all about what I'm saying?  Or do you just hang around for kicks?"

            Jander's went back to their stoic mask, but Nire could see the panic behind them.  She was rarely, if ever, mad at him.  "My apologies, little one.  I didn't mean… Usually I am listening to you, I just got lost in my own thoughts.  Forgive me?"  Her face was an uncompromising mask.  Behind it, she was laughing.  "Really, Nire.  I love talking with you.  You're probably my best friend…" He trailed off as a grin broke out on her face.

            "I'm just kidding, you oaf.  If I can't remember what I was talking about, then it's not important.  Damn, you're too easy!"  She sat down next to him on her bed.  "Way too easy.  You worry too much, man."

            A slow smile spread over his face as he looked at his young companion.  He was realizing that Nire was beginning to mean more to him that was safe for his sanity.  "I know I am, little one."

            "The Wallflowers - 'Jumper'," Nire's sister yelled.  Then her bad voice started singing.  "I wanna stand with you on the mountain

            "I wanna bathe with you in the sea

            "I wanna lie like this forever

            "Until the sky falls down on her knees."

            Nire grimaced and immediately went to her door.  "Number one, mine was by Third Eye Blind.  Number two, Savage Garden - 'Truly Madly Deeply'.  Try this on for size: Kiss me out in the bearded barley

            "Nightly along the green, green grass

            "Swing, swing, swing your silver hat

            "You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress.

            "The lyrics aren't' exactly right, but you get the drift."  She closed her door again and sat next to Jander once more.

            "Why don't you ever sing?" he asked her.  "You always hum, but you never sing."

            Nire lay back on her bed the short way, so her feet her hanging off. "Because I suck at singing."

            Jander lay back next to her.  "No you don't.  You have a very good voice.  It sounds like spring rain."

            "And is that a good thing?" Nire turned her head to grin at him.

            "Yes, it is."  Jander, too, smiled, a real smile that reached his lips.  Usually, when he smiled, it only touched his eyes.  Seeing his lips quirked upwards was odd, to Nire.  It actually made him quite handsome.

            "You should smile with your mouth more often," Nire told him, watching the smile widen.  "Anyway, you shouldn't encourage me to sing.  Try to imagine the constant humming as constant singing."

            "I think it would be nice."

            "I think it would drive you insane."  Nire cast her eyes toward the door, as best she could.  "I do believe I have stumped her, and with an easy one."

            Nire and Jander talked long into the night.  Azrael was out doing something - the gods knew what - so Jander had come to visit Nire.  He had not been to her room in a while, and was shocked that it was clean.  Nire had won the song war with her sister, and at half-past midnight, she, her mother, and Jander were the only ones awake in the house.

            As they listened to her mother's movements, Nire said, "She's probably doing paperwork.  I am so glad I sound-proofed this room permanently."

            They listened as she walked toward them.  "She won't come in here, will she?" Jander asked, concerned.

            Nire shook her head.  "Nah.  She'll think I'm asleep.  She's probably going to the bathroom."  Nire forgot about the light that had to be shining from under her closed door.  "We're fine."

            "If you say so, little one.  Is school almost over for you?"

            Nire shook her head.  "Four more freakin' months.  Why?  It keeps me out of your hair for most of the night."

            "Ah, but little one, that is what I miss - having you traveling with me all night."

            "I'm sure you do," she said sarcastically.  "Anyway, there's this new girl in school - well, not really new, but I've really just met her.  Her name's Katie, like that matters.  She is awesome!  She is the first person - first kid - I've met who thinks on the same level as me!  It is so cool, I can't describe it.  The only downfall is that she hangs around with Jess Hughson, who I despise, but oh well."

            "So does this mean you won't be coming to…discuss your ideas with us as much, little one?" he asked her, concerned but trying to hide it.

            "Hell, no."  Nire picked up on his worrying.  "Talking to you guys is so much better.  But, frankly, you're not much use during the day.  And she's even more of a fountain of useless knowledge than I am!"

            Jander smiled; happy that Nire had found someone her own age that she was already showing signs of trusting.  But even as he smiled, a pang of jealousy shot through him.  He wondered if she had ever talked to others about him like that, praised him so highly as a friend.  He cocked his head as he heard Nire's mother walking down the hall again.

            "She's coming back again."  He couldn't stop being slightly nervous.

            "Don't worry.  My Gawd, you're pathetic.  She won't come in here."

            Nire ate her words, however, as her mother opened the door.  "Nire, it's- who the hell are you!  Get away from my daughter!"

            Nire and Jander both had deer-in-the-headlights looks.  But Jander jumped up, quickly switching to English.  He held up his hands in the universal peace gesture.  "Please, I mean no harm."

            "Nire come over here.  And you," Nire's mother stabbed an accusing finger at Jander, "stay right there.  I'm calling the police."

            Nire shook her head.  "Ma.  Calm down."

            "I'm very calm," her mother said.  "Get over here."  She moved forward and grabbed Nire's arm.

            Nire easily pulled away, twisting her arm out of her mother's grasp.  "No.  Knock it off, Ma.  My gawd, do you think I'd be stupid enough to put myself in danger?

            "Nire-" she tried to say warningly, but the girl interrupted.

            "Look, Ma.  Take a couple deep breaths and listen to me."

            "I'm calling the police."

            "No you're not."  Nire's door closed before her mother could get to it, and she chuckled a little.  "Good Lord, I feel like I'm in Carrie."

            Jander still had the deer-in-the-headlights look.  He had been watching Nire for cues on how to behave, but now he had to interrupt.  "*You are not helping, little one. *  Please, madam, listen to me.  On my word, I mean you and your family no harm."

            "That doesn't work in my world, Jander.  People's word means little, now."

            "That is a sad thing, little one."  What is it I can say, then?  Help me, little one.

            I don't know.  Hypnotize her, or something.

            I can't do that.

            Why not?

            Because I can't.

            "Madam…" He couldn't think of anything to say.  Perhaps he should just mindwipe her.

            "Get out of my house," Nire's mother growled.

            Nire looked at Jander.  "Come one, let's go then."

            Jander quickly fashioned a gate for her, against his better judgment.  "*Go ahead.  Let me talk to your mother alone. *" He could feel Nire quickly reaching her meltdown point.  It was crucial to get her out before she exploded and made everything worse.  She disappeared before her mother's eyes, which was disconcerting to saw the least.

            "What did you do to her?"

            "Please, calm down."  Using telepathy, Jander sent out calming vibes.  "I did not do anything to your daughter.  She is perfectly fine - she is merely waiting for me at the inn I'm staying at.  As a parent, you want what is best for your child, correct?  Please, I beg of you, believe me on this.  You don't truly know your own daughter.  You cannot, because she cannot talk to you, because you are her mother."  Even though it made him feel dirt and evil, he began to pressure her mind to believe him, using the powers he had because he was a vampire.  "She could not survive in this world, even though she was born here.  I do not know why this is, but it is."

            "And what would you want with a little girl?" Nire's mother asked icily.

            "What kind of sick monster do you think I am!?" Jander exclaimed.

            He heard Nire laughing in his head.  Strong feelings on that subject, mmm?

            "I don't know.  I find you alone with my daughter in her room late at night.  I have no idea how you got in here.  What am I supposed to think?"

            "Maybe in body, Nire is still young, but in mind… She's brilliant and a joy to talk to.  My lifestyle demands that I am awake at night and sleep during the day."  He pressured her to accept what he was saying and keep it a secret.  By the slightly dazed look on her face, he could tell it was working.

            "But…but she has school tomorrow."

            Jander smiled reassuringly.  "Trust me.  Nire can be fully functional on three hours of sleep.  I really must go now.  Please do not worry about your daughter."  As Nire's mother nodded and Jander stepped through the gate, he tried to convince himself that as long as he used his vampiric talents for hood, it was okay.  He believed that Nire's well being truly depended on her being able to visit her other friends.  Not necessarily him, but definitely Raistlin.  Then why did he feel so unclean?

            Nire was sitting on his bed, her eyes fixed on nothing.  She was completely and totally spaced out.  He must have made some noise to alert her of his presence, however, because she turned to him.  He could see stress clearly written on her face for a brief instant before he mask dropped down.

            "Did you erase her memory?"

            Jander shook his head.  "No, little one.  But-"

            She interrupted him, bursting out with, "Why not?  Do you know what it's going to be like for me, now?  Who are you?  Where's I meet you?  How long ago?  How do I know you're not some child molester?  Have you ever touched me inappropriately?  And on and on and on.  I don't ask for much, do I?  Just this one little thing.  Is that too much to ask?"

            Jander waited a couple seconds to make sure she was done.  "May I continue, little one?  No, I did not erase her memory of me.  But I did implant the suggestion that I was a good person for you to be around, and that I wouldn't hurt you.  Is that not good enough for you, little one?  Have I not compromised my morals enough?"

            "If you're going to take a bite of the goddamned fruit, why not just eat the whole fucking thing?"

            Jander did not understand that phrase, but he let it slide.  "Why did you not do it?  Isn't that something that comes with your powers of telepathy?"

            "Why do you think?  Do you honestly believe I would ask you to do something like that if I could do it myself?  You know, give me some credit.  I have an inkling that Gar and Alea find it dangerous to give that knowledge to one so young."  Nire laughed bitterly.  "I think my rate of learning scares them, as it scares Caramon and Tanis."

            "That's never mattered to you before, little one."  Jander finally sat down next to her.

            She turned a pale, harried face to him, letting him see behind the mask for a brief instant.  "I can't turn it off anymore, Jander.  Whenever I'm around someone, I can feel their emotions, whether I want to or not.  I can feel how they feel about me when I talk to them."  She buried her face in her hands.  Now her voice was muffled when she spoke.  "Do you know how it feels to know that half the people - and almost all of the adult s- you're around every day dislike you?  Especially when you've done nothing to earn their animosity?  Most of the rest of them wouldn't notice if you fell off the face of the earth?  How about that, out of my on-world friends, only two would notice if I fell off the face of the earth?  Only two would actually miss me?  I don't know what I would do without Corry and Katie."

            Jander put an arm around Nire's shoulders and hugged her to him.  He could feel the deep pain in her as she talked.  "Then when I get home, I can feel how my mom and dad like my sister better than me.  And they wonder why I spend so much time locked alone in my room.  Can you imagine, not only being able to see it, but being able to feel it, too?"  She took a shuddering breath.  "I already knew Kerry didn't like me, as I don't like her.  But to be able to feel her animosity to me…"

            Noire was done talking, and Jander knew it.  He noticed that she did not speak of her off-world friends, but he did not press her on it.  Yet.  "Why don't you talk to Gar and Alea, little one?"

            "I can't.  They're on some freaking planet, starting another revolution.  You know I'm not allowed with them.  It's too dangerous," she said sarcastically.

            "I'm sure they'll make an exception.  You don't look well, little one."

            "Bullshit.  Why should they make any exceptions?  I'll survive.  And if I don't," Nire shrugged, lifting her head.  "Oh well, no one will miss me."

            "Don't talk like that!  I would?  Or am I nobody?  What about Corry and Katie?  Or Raistlin?"

            Nire sighed.  "Yeah, you're right.  I guess.  If it gets to be too bad, I'll go talk to Gar and Alea.  But do you understand why I asked you to mindwipe my mother?  I don't think I can handle the added disapproval…"

            "And what do you feel from us, little one?"  Jander asked quietly.  "What do you feel from your off-world friends?"

            Nire's voice choked with tears she was too strong to show.  "Friendship, love, a family."  AS her voice cracked, she added, "Goddamn it!  I'm too emotional."

            "There's no such thing as too emotional or too sensitive, little one."  He gently kissed the top of her head.

            "Let's move on to a happier subject before I have to go back and face the nightmare, okay?"

            Jander agreed, always happy to oblige his best friend.

*  *  *  *  *

            "Nire!"

            Nire flinched at her mother's call and left her room.  Nobody was home but she and her mother.  This would be The Talk.

            "What, Ma?" Nire hooked a chair from the kitchen table and straddled it as a guy would.

            "Who was that man?"  Upon reflection, Nire's mother realized she must have been insane to allow her daughter to go off with him.  And how had they disappeared right in front of her?  That was impossible!

            "Jander.  My friend."

            "And where did you meet him?"

            "I saved his life."

            Nire's mother didn't believe her.  "How?"

            "People were trying to kill him.  I scared them off."

            Nire's mother raised an eyebrow.  "How?"

            "Believe me if you want or don't.  It's the truth.  There is so much you don't know about me.  You don't know your daughter anymore.  Trust me on this."

            "And how do you know he's safe to be around?  How do you know he's not some child molester?"

            "How do you know he is?  What happened to the good old American ideal of innocent until proven guilty? Two years, and he had never done anything to me."

            "You've known him for two years!!"

            "Which is how I know he's not a pervert."

            "But what would a man his age want with a preteen?" Nire's mother asked hotly.

            Anger flashed in Nire.  "What did Emily want with us?  Perhaps he's telling the truth, and he enjoys talking to me.  But no," Nire continued sarcastically, "that couldn't be.  No adult could ever find me smart enough or interesting enough to talk to."  Nire turned on her heels and stormed back to her room.  She had planned on having a nice conversation, to try and make her mother see the truth and accept her.  She should have known that would be impossible.  She had felt Jander arrive a few minutes into the conversation, so she wasn't surprised to see him lounging on her bed.  He jumped when she slammed her door.

            "*What's the matter, little one? *"

            She didn't answer, but jerked her off-world clothes out of her closet and tossed them at him.  "*Hold these? *"

            He caught them and draped them over one arm.  "*What are you doing, little one? *"

            She dropped to the floor beside her bed and started pulling things out.  "*I'm going to get in a ripshit fight with Caramon, Flint, and Tanis. *"

            Her door began to open, but a simple look from Nire sent it slamming shut.  "Nire!  Let me in!" her mother called.

            Jander could see when Nire dropped the soundproofing.  It was permanent, but she could turn it on and off at will.  She just didn't need to concentrate to keep it either way.  "*Little one… *"

            "No!  Hold these."  She began handing him weapons.

            "Nire!  What are you doing!" There was more pounding on the door.

            Jander caught Nire's eye.  "*Let her in, Nire. *"

            "*No. *" Her voice broked no argument.

            Jander argued anyway.  "*Nire, open the door. *"

            "*No.  Fuck off. *"

            "*Let her in or don't bother coming to visit me any longer. *" He said it in a serious tone, although he would never truly go through with such an action.

            Hurt flashed in Nire's eyes.  Her door flew open and her mother stumbled in.  "What are you doing?" she exclaimed.

            "Going out for a couple hours."

            Jander was struck by a though.  Nire, it's nighttime.  Will they be willing to fight you so late?

            "You can't do that!"

            "Watch me."  The sun just set.  And Caramon's been telling me I need to begin learning to fight at night.  Now's as good a time as any.

            "I will not allow you to leave this house."

            "Watch me," Nire sneered once more.

            She took out her under-pants belt and slung it over her shoulder.  Then she moved to her closet.  Jander already held her two swords and wrist sheathes.

            "What are all of those things?"

            "My weapons."

            "Where did you get them?"

            "My friends."  Nire was apparently going to limit her answers to her mother to a few words.

            "What are you going to do with them?"

            "Fight."

            "Who?"

            "My friends."

            Jander tried not to laugh at the look on Nire's mother's face.  While he felt Nire should listen to her mother and respect her elders, the look was priceless.  It was one of complete stupefaction, amazement, and denial.

            "You can't do that!"

            "Haven't you already said that?  I am, I need to, I want to, I will."  She had to get rid of the pent up aggression she had been storing, the stress and frustration from the empathy she could no longer control.  Now was the perfect time to do it, so she would go see Caramon whether her mother wanted her to or not, whether her mother knew or not.

            "Would it make you feel better if you came along to watch?"  Jander spoke up for the first time.

            Nire glared at him and he almost winced from her mental voice.  What the fuck are you doing?

            "Yes, actually, it would."  Nire's mother had resigned herself to the fact that she could no longer control her daughter.  In fact, she had done it extremely quickly for her.  She was now determined to make the best of the uncontrollable situation.

            Have you talked to Caramon yet, little one?

            I'll do that right now.   Nire switched froms ending to Jander to sending to Caramon.  Caramon.  Remember how you said I had to learn how to fight at night?

            Hi Nire.  And I sure do!

            How about right now?

            Sure thing!  Come on over!   His tone was enthusiastic.  The boyish enthusiasm caused Nire to take pity on the gullible man and warn him of her mood.

            I'm really coming to work off some anger - I need a fight.  Can Flint and Tanis be there?  Three on one?

            I'll ask them, Nire.  But come on over anyway.

            Sure.   She switched back to Jander.  He said yes.

            "Well, little one?  Ready?"

            "A'most."  She pulled out a wrapped bundle.  Her mother watched in slight amazement.  "Mmkay, that's it.  Your room first, my friend.  I'll change there, and see if Az wants to come and watch."

            "Who's Az?" was Nire's mother's immediate response.

            "A person," Nire snapped.  "Let's go, Jander.  If you're coming, mum, come."

            Jander fashioned a gate, and the two went through.  Nire's mother appeared a few seconds later, looking slightly dizzy.

            Nire immediately said, "Both of you out, so I can change."

            Jander shut the gate and led Nire's mother out.  They stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment.  Jander sent out his mind, searching for Azrael.  With a single touch, he could tell that the lad was bored out of his mind.

            Hi Jander!  Did you bring Nire back with you?  Ya know, you guys really have to teach me how to make a gate.  I am bored silly, right now.

            Yes, she's with me, but not for long.  She's angry, she needs to cool off, she's going to have a fight with some of her other friends.  I'm going to watch.  Are you coming?

            Be right up!

            "She's serious, isn't she," Nire's mother suddenly asked.  "She's really going to go…swordfight with…"

            "Her friends," Jander supplied.  "Don't worry, I've watched her before.  She's extremely skillful.  I would never wish to be an enemy of Nire's."

            One of them would have said something more, but they were interrupted by a string of loud curses from Nire.

            "Jander!" she whined, without opening the door.  "I left my hair-ties at home.  Do you have any?"

            "Check my bag, little one," he called back.

            Five seconds later, "They're not there!"

            "Are you decent?"

            "No," she said sarcastically.  "I'm running around in my underwear, looking for a hair-tie.  *Stupid elf. *"

            Jander laughed and opened the door.  "Okay, little one.  Toss me my bag."

            He began to rummage through it.  Nire's mother walked in and gasped.  Jander glanced up to see what it was, and followed her gaze to Nire.  Jander's eyes smiled.  Nire was bedecked in her finest.  There was her tunic and trousers, which were probably enough to shock her mother.  But, she also had a sword on either side of her waist.  He could see a knife tucked in each boot, and eh was sure there were more hidden on her person.  She was a changed girl, her left hand resting easily on the hilt of her sword, relaxed and self-assured.  His fingers touched what he was looking for.

            "Found it, little one."

            She took it, and stared at it for a moment.  Then she held it back out to him.  "You gotta do it for me.  I need it French-braided.  You know the drill.  I still can't do it myself."  She turned around and he began the job, with hands made deft from practice.

            "Why do you need it braided?" Nire's mother asked.  She had resigned herself to what Nire was doing, for now, and gave in to her curiosity.

            "Loose hair is easier to grab."

            Jander added to that, "If you can get someone's hair, you can jerk their head back and slit their throat."  He realized after that was out that it was probably not a good thing to say to a mother.  "Hold this."  He set Nire's hand on the end of the braid, and wrapped the bit of leather around it.  "All set, little one."

            Azrael burst in at that moment.  "*Ready to go, guys?  Hey!  Who's that? *"

            "*My mum. *  Next gate, Jander.  *If you're going to come with us, Az, I'll have to cast a spell on you so you can understand my native tongue and the Common of Krynn. *"

            Azrael nodded warily.  He didn't particularly trust magic being cast on him, but since it was Nire, he allowed himself to be put through it.  Nire's mother watched in interest as she quickly cast the spell.

            "This is weird, Nire," he said.

            "Yeah, it is.  Let's go."

            Jander fashioned the gate.  Nire always assumed it didn't affect him.  He didn't get tired, but it did take energy.  Which made him hungry.  After five or six gates, he was starving and could barely control himself until he got some blood into him.  He knew to make the gate to the alley behind Otik's Tavern.  Caramon always met them there, at the tavern.  Nire strode around to the front and in, with Azrael following closely behind.

            "After you, ma'am."  Jander ushered Nire's mother in before him.

            Nire was already seated at a table with her friends.  "*Where are we going? *"
            Jander offered to translate for Nire's mother, which she gratefully - if slightly mistrustfully - agreed to.

            "The back of Flint's house, where he taught me 'n' Sturm to fight," Caramon told her.  "Who's she?"

            "My mother."  Greetings quickly went around.  "Let's go."

            They walked to their destination, Nire up front with Caramon and Flint, Jander walked with Nire's mother in the back.  The rest were in a clump in the middle.  They quickly reached Flint's house.

            "Ma.  This is Caramon, Flint, Tanis, Tas, and Tika.  Tas, if I find anything in them bags o' yours that's not your own, I'll cut off all your fingers and your topknot.  That includes things that 'fall' in.  Understand?"

            Tas nodded.  "But Nire-"

            "Uh-uh.  No buts.  Let's go, guys."

            The ones who weren't fighting moved back, far out of the way.  Watching Nire battle was always fun for her friends, because she was so good at it.  When Nire's mother realized that it was going to be a three on one fight, she opened her mouth to protest.

            Jander touched her shoulder, and her mouth snapped closed.  "Please," he said quietly, "I can see what you're thinking.  Do not worry.  Caramon, for all his size, is like a big kitten, and Flint is like a gruff teddy bear.  Tanis is Tanis.  They won't hurt her.  But the four of them need their concentration to be able to stop their blades in time.  Please keep relatively quiet, I beg of you."

            Nire surveyed the spectators.  She guessed that all they could see were dark outlines.  "Think Raist will want to watch this?"

            "Ask him, Nire," Caramon told her.

            Raist.  We're behind Flint's.  Me and the guys are having a kickass session.  Coming?

            Okay, Nire. This would give Raistlin a chance to see his favorite teenager somewhere other than his depressing tower.

            "He's coming, so let's wait for him."  Nire finally noticed Azrael, standing slightly behind Jander.  "Oh, hey guys, that's Azrael.  Damn, man, you've been quiet."  Raistlin appeared.  "Hi Raist!  That's my mum and that's Azrael.  This is Raistlin.  Move outta the way so we can start."

            "Hello, Nire."  He obediently went to stand with Jander, ignoring the two he was introduced to.  Nire's mother did not like the mage, and it was obvious.  Then again, she didn't like any of them.

            "Well, my friends, how are you going to begin this?"

            "Sneak attack," Tanis immediately said.  "Jander?"

            The elven vampire came forward and covered Nire's eyes as she joked, "What?  You don't trust me to keep my eyes closed?"

            "No!" was the chorused response from everyone, save her mother.

            Nire grinned.  The only one out of the three of them who was any good at this particular game were her and Tanis.  And she wouldn't be hiding.  She heard where Caramon stopped, and the same for Flint - he didn't even hide.  She only had to watch for Tanis.  Standard rules for this game were no telepathy to fins the other's positions, but beyond that, everything goes.  Her grin grew.  This would be fun!

            Jander dropped his hand.  "Good luck, my little friend."  He moved back out of the way, leaving her to stand around in the middle of the cleared space.

            Nire's eyes immediately sought the place where Flint was standing.  He coolly met her steely gaze.  She stood up straighter and her arms crossed, each hand resting easily on a sword hilt.  She could feel the comfortable weight of the knives hanging under her pants, and the slight press of the knives in her boot.  The leather of her wrist-sheathes chafed slightly, and she made a mental note to check them later, adjust them when the fighting was done.  Flint already had his battle-axe in hand, and swung it experimentally.

            "So," she said conversationally, "where's Tanis?"

            Unfortunately for her, his eyes never wavered from hers.  "I don't know.  Where's Caramon?"  He knew that she had to know where the mercenary was.

            Nire fought the urge to glance to the side she knew Caramon was on, and won.  Flint swung his axe once more, and began to advance.  Nire easily drew her sword, smiling slightly at the hiss of the metal against leather.  She twirled the sword in her hand, and ended with the tip pointing straight at the advancing dwarf.

            She silently cursed the full moon and the weak moonlight that bathed them.  It was just enough for her to be able to see by.  The night-fight wouldn't be giving her any true experience.

            Flint charged suddenly with a roar.  Nire heard her mother gasp.  As she swung her sword up to block the down arc of his axe, she blocked out the world, save for any threats to her safety.  To her, only her sword and his axe existed at the moment.  As she drew her other sword, hoping to 'kill' Flint before anyone else intervened, but she heard Caramon moving.  She barely got her sword out in time to block the swing of his sword.  She caught it wrong, and the force jarred her arm.  She couldn't properly deflect anything on that side for a few moments.

            Beset by Flint on one side and Caramon on the other, Nire feverishly warded off their blows.  She wouldn't have to worry about Tanis, yet.  She knew that he would wait until she was tired, and then attack.

            As Caramon's sword was coming in from the side for another blow, a cloud passed over the moon, plunging them into complete darkness.  A moment of panic gripped Nire as she tried to picture where his sword was and bring hers up to block it.  She instinctively let her instincts take over and brought her sword up - and was rewarded by a clash of steel.  She heard a whoosh and struck out with her other sword, and was delighted to feel Flint's axe go flying out of his hands.  He hadn't expected her to block it, and had planned on getting her good with the flat of the head.  Quickly reversing the swing of her right hand sword as the cloud passed, the left still warding off blows from Caramon, she darted in for the 'kill', her sword stopping a hairsbreadth from the tough dwarf's throat.  He nodded in acknowledgment and backed off.  Nire knew that had been pure luck, but she was pleased nonetheless.  The Caramon-Tanis duo had always been her downfall, since she had become good enough to beat Flint and Caramon.  But, so far, he luck was holding good.  Perhaps…

            She put her body on autopilot as her ears quested for Tanis.  As her ears trained futilely, she automatically differentiated from the noise of the spectators and foreign noises.  Unfortunately, her autopilot was not enough.  Caramon's sword slammed into hers, numbing her grip.  Her sword dropped out of her nerveless hands.  She threw herself backwards, rolling away from him.  She came up in a crouch, listening for movement.  There was another cloud, throwing her in darkness.  She could hear her own panting breath and pounding heart, distracting her.  She fought to tune her own body out, and slowly became aware of creeping footsteps and Caramon breathing.  If her giant friend wasn't the one moving, it must be Tanis.  She waited, praying that the moon would return.  She heard the quiet footsteps stop, and threw herself to the side.  The whoosh of his blade and the flat of it slapping her boot told her she had been just in time, and then she was away.

            The cloud passed and once more she could see the shadowy figures.  Tanis' flame-colored hair looked black in the moonlight.  He tugged his sword out of the dirt and circled her warily.  She backed away, the sword that was left in her hand in guard position.  Her other sword was behind Caramon.  She would have gone through him to get it, but decided it wasn't worth it, and she switched her blade to her right hand - her strong hand.  She watched the two advancing males closely, trying to determine who would strike first.  IN the daylight, it was easy.  She could watch their eyes, their facial expressions, every little nuance of their bodies, to see what they were planning and signaling to each other.  But in the dark…everything was in shadow.

            Caramon feinted to her left with his sword.  Although every instinct screamed for her to protect her open side, she didn't fall for the faked attack.  Her attention swung to Tanis, ands he blocked his lunge, returning it with a blow of her own.  She saw Caramon coming out of the corner of her eye and threw herself backwards again, coming up with a knife in her left hand.  A knife in a swordfight wasn't very effective, but with two people against her and only one sword, it was better than nothing.

            She decided to take the offensive - defensive wouldn't win her the fight.  Her forward movement surprised her adversaries, ands he managed to hit Tanis on the shoulder with the flat of her blade.  Caramon easily blocked her knife and knocked it away from her person, but she managed to retain her grip on the sharp blade.  He struck out at her, and instead of backing away, she moved in closer to him and caught the hilt of his sword with the hilt of her knife.  Tanis could not strike now for fear of hitting Caramon.  The bulky mercenary began to force Nire's blade back towards her own body.  She knew that she could never win a strength contest with him, so she quickly came up with a plan.

            She suddenly let go of her own knife, stepping around him the opposite way form his sword.  As he stumbled slightly forward, that out her directly behind him.  She flicked back her wrist, sending the knife in her wrist-sheathe into her hand.  She swore as it sliced through the pad of her thumb - she hadn't put them on properly, which was why they were chafing, so it came out wrong.  As she warded off Tanis, she pressed the flat of the blade against Caramon's throat.  He dropped his sword and backed away, acknowledging his 'death'.

            She turned her full attention to Tanis, her last challenge.  They circled each other warily, like warring wolves.  A cloud passed in front of the moon again, and it started to rain.  No, not rain.  The skies opened and a deluge of water poured down on them, creating instant mud on the dry ground.  Nire took a chance and shoved her sword into its scabbard as she dived for where she thought Tanis was.  The result of her pathetic attempt was a face full of mud.  She shrieked in anger - her mouth was full of mud, her thumb was still bleeding, and it was raining on her.

            "Are you okay, Nire?" Tanis asked, suddenly concerned.

            Fatal mistake, Nire thought to herself as she tried the same trick in the new direction.  Contact was achieved!  In a timely happenstance, the moon briefly shone as they fell, and she managed to pin his sword arm.  A quick flick of her other wrist, and her other knife flicked out (the first being lost in the mud), slicing the palm of her hand.  She grasped the hilt anyway, blood running down her arm, and pressed the flat of the blade to his throat.  That was her favorite method - slitting the throat.  Thunder crashed nearby at that moment, leaving everyone's ears ringing and their eyes blind from the lightning.  As the afterimage faded from in front of Nire's eyes and during the dead silence that followed, she was painfully aware of her wheezing breath - goddamned asthma - pounding heart, rushing blood, and Tanis' wrist under her knee.  The silence was loud in her ears, and she jumped when Tanis spoke.

            "You won, lass.  You finally did it."

            As the rain continued to pour down and soak everyone, Nire got up, slightly shocked, and gave her friend a hand up.  That was suspiciously easy to her.  Did they let her win, would they do that?  No, they wouldn't, she decided as elation began to fill her and she wiped the mud off her face with her sleeve.  She began to grin.

            "She won!" Tanis yelled to the spectators.  "Far and square!  The lass did it!"

            A general, "Way to go Nire!" was sounded, and she was suddenly enveloped in a group hug, sans Jander and Azrael.

            The elven vampire and the teen stood off to the side with Nire's mother.  Jander could smell the blood flowing from Nire's cuts, and he was hungry.  He could control himself, yes, but he did not feel comfortable in the group.  Azrael was definitely not comfortable around the people, so he stayed near the person he felt safe near.

            "Hey, guys, can you find my sword and my two knives for me?" Nire asked as the rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun.  They fell to the task, knowing that if they were left in the mud… Even Raistlin helped a little.  Nire was hurt by the fact that Jander didn't seem to care about her victory, and tried to hold her pain in check as she walked toward him.  Suddenly, she realized that both of her cuts were still drizzling blood.  Perhaps that was why…

            With his enhanced night vision, Jander could see the emotional pain on her face that she quickly masked, even though it was dark.  He didn't know what caused it, but swept her up in a big hug when she reached them.

            "*Good job, little one.  I'm proud of you. *"

            "Thanks, Jander."  She smiled at him - not a grin, not an eye-smile, not a smirk, but a smile - and he was shocked by how radiant it made her look.  He decided to try to make her smile like that more often.

            "Number one, dinner's on me at the tavern for everyone.  Number two, what happened to your hands?"

            Nire automatically tried to hide them, but Jander grabbed her wrists so he could see.  Nire's mother gasped at the blood, but Jander merely nodded.  They weren't that bad - superficial wounds.  But, superficial wounds in a fight that was supposed to have no wounded.

            "It's the damned wrist-sheathes.  I put them on wrong, so the knives came out wrong.  They're shallow.  I'll survive."

            He dropped her wrists and she finally noticed Azrael staring at her in open amazement.  "You're good," he said.

            "Obviously," she shrugged.  The others came up, carrying her lost weapons and handing them back to her.

            "*Dinner's on me, tonight. *" Jander repeated.

            "*Hey Flint, can I use your house to clean up? *" Nire asked the dwarf, to which he nodded.

            "*We'll meet you at Otik's, *" Jander told the group.  They set off in good spirits while he waited for Nire with Azrael and her mother.

            "Where did she go?" Nire's mother demanded.  "And where are they going?"

            "Nire's getting cleaned up in Flint's house, and they're all going to Otik's Tavern to wait for us, since Nire finally managed to beat them."

            "What was that all about, anyway?"

            Jander could clearly see that the woman was out of her element and slightly scared.  "The three of them have been teaching Nire how to fight, which she is scarily good at, I must admit.  Her ultimate goal has been to beat the three of them in a fair fight.  Tonight, she accomplished that.  So, we're celebrating."

            Nire came back out, most of the mud off her.  "Let's go, my friends.  I'm hungry."  Her face was still red - almost purple with exertion, and Jander could hear her heart working overtime, but she had managed to slow her breathing and take out the wheeze.  Her pulse jumped enticingly in her neck, and Jander had to tear his eyes from it.  Both of her hands were nicely bandaged and her weapons were cleaned off.

            When they sat down with their friends, Jander waited to see if Nire would take over the job of translator.  Of course, she didn't - she had been ignoring her mother and would continue to do so.  Jander began to softly translate everything that was said for the woman.

            "Do you want the usual, Nire?" Tika asked.

            "Not today."  She let her eyes flick to her mother to explain why she wasn't going to have her favorite wine with the meal.  "I'll have the usual cheeseburger, but bring a…pitcher of water."

            "Have more than a cheeseburger, little one," Jander told her.

            "Nah.  I'm not that hungry."  She grinned at him.  "This just means you'll owe me, no?"

            "I guess so, little one."

            The meal was a happy one.  Nobody questioned Jander on why he wasn't eating or drinking anything.  He got to know Nire's mother better, ands aw that her protective response to all of them was wearing off.  He thought that odd - she had known him for less than a day, and she already seemed to trust her daughter with him.  Hell, she seemed to trust everyone.  Maybe he was just paranoid - after all, he had no children, so he didn't know…

            As the men - Azrael included - slowly and surely got more and more shit-faced, Nire and Jander shared a Look.

            "Satisfied, Ma?  I'm safe here?  The guys'll protect me, and I can protect myself?"

            "I suppose you can," she said slightly dubiously.

            "Then I'll have Jander take you home, and I'll be home later.  Okay?"

            "All right."

            A look of hurt flashed over Nire's face as Jander made the gate.  Once her mother was gone, she looked disdainfully at her friends - even Tanis was drunk, and Raistlin had already left.

            "I don't want to stay here, Jander.  Can we go somewhere?  Anywhere?"  What should have been a triumphant day for Nire had been ruined by her mother.  A mother who was overprotective when she didn't need to be and under protective when it was needed.

            "I'll take you to  a place I know of, beautiful and quiet, if you make a gate for Azrael to get back tot eh inn.  Or, the three of us can just go there."

            "I'll make Az a gate."  She went over and grabbed the teen's shoulder.  "Let's go, Az.  Unless you want to stay here all night, but we're leaving."

            Az stumbled up.  Jander and Nire got him to the inn, and out him to bed.  Nire grinned at the thought that he was going to feel like a truck ran over him tomorrow.  She knew from experience that his head would be pounding.  From Azrael's room, Jander gated to his 'secret place'.  He had always wished he could go back to the place again, and Nire had given him a way.  The place was second in beauty on to the grove where his curse had been temporarily annulled by the goddess.

            They were in the middle of a green glen.  Next to them was a river, which Jander quickly moved away from.  It sparkled over the side of a cliff, and Nire would bet that there was a small pool below perfect for swimming.  Willow trees lined the edge of the river.  She wished she could see it in sunlight - she wished Jander could see it in sunlight.

            "I come here a lot, now, to thing," he commented quietly.

            "I can see why," she murmured.  Then she turned to him, her eyes haunted.  "Did you see how easy it was for her just to leave me here?  She didn't have enough time to figure out if you guys were a danger or not.  If that had been Kerry, she never would have left her alone.  I swear, nobody cares about me.  I'm going to end up dead in a ditch somewhere, because no one cared enough to make sure the people I was with were safe."  She turned away, as she tended to do after revealing something like that, and stared out at the valley below.

            Jander came up behind her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.  "No you wouldn't, because I would be there.  I may not be much, but at least it wouldn't come to that."

            Nire sighed heavily.  "Yeah, I suppose so."

            She was about to say something more, but a teenage boy, with marble features and ethereal beauty made more so by the fact that he was dressed completely in black, materialized on the other side of the river.

(A/N: Da da dun.  Is that a good cliffhanger?  Yes?  No?  Guess what guess what guess what!  In exactly…okay, it's too late for me to do math (1:45am).  But on December 15, it is my birthday!!!!!  Yay!!!!  And guess how old I'm turning!!!  16!!!!  And guess what else!!!  My asshole parents won't let me get a learner's permit!!!!  Boo!!!!!!!  Anywho, I hope you liked this.  The next chapter won't be up tomorrow, cuz it's barely even started yet.  Hey, know what signifies that you have no life?  When you've written a fourteen chapter story in Verdana font, size eight, and it's 79 pages.  Especially when you're nowhere near done with the story.  *sigh*  Okay, I'm done.  I'm glad you read, I beg you to review, and I hope you enjoyed!  Fare thee well!  I must now go call Katie to invite her to my party.  Have I mentioned that we're going to see the new James Bond movie (isn't that a sweet-deal video for theme song?  I love that song!) and then going out to eat!  Lotsa fun!  Okay, I'm seriously done now.  See what late hours do to people?  Gods-damned insomnia…)