Disclaimer: Alrighty, who even reads these notes? I do sometimes to know a few things about the stories, but anyway. I do NOT own the WB network, if I did, you'd be seeing these shows on the TV instead of reading them here, don't ya think? But anyhoo...on with the story!

Author's note: Sorry for the long wait for the update and please forgive me for not updating when I said I would. I blame my school work for it..But anyway...at least this is an update, eh?

Chapter 11

(Please read the author's note at the bottom of the story when you are finished with the chapter)

POV-EPHRAM

"Karin, wake up," I whispered to her.

She stirred slightly as I called her name softly. I grinned and lightly shook her. I called her name again softly. Karin's eyes fluttered open slowly. I looked down at her ad grinned as I said, "Good morning."

She grinned back and mumbled, "Good morning."

"You hungry?" I asked her.

"Not really," she replied, sitting up.

It had been two weeks since the accident with John and Delilah. Karin and Todd had been staying at their uncle's house, but Karin had stayed over at my house with me for the last two nights.

Today was a grim day since today was a Monday, and Delilah's funeral. Karin and Todd had permission to stay home from school, and my dad called for permission for Delia and myself to stay home from our classes as well-- today and tomorrow. Tomorrow, we would use our day to go see John and how well he was recovering.

"I'm gonna go get dressed," Karin said and picked out some clothes from her duffel bag by the door by the hall.

I nodded and left the living room to change as well. I pulled a pair of black slacks and a black, long-sleeved shirt out and slipped them on quickly. When I left my room, Karin was sitting on the couch in a black skirt and a crimson camisole. She was listening to her CD player and humming the song she was listening to. She was writing something at a fast pace in a little leather notebook. I came up behind the cough and placed my left hand on her shoulder softly. She jumped, and immediately closed her notebook and turned off her CD player.

"What were you writing?" I asked her.

"A letter," she said slowly. She looked up at me with a small smile on her face. I leaned in and kissed her quickly just as the door opened and four people came in. Delia, Todd, and my parents. Delia and Todd were talking about baseball and my parents were talking about something softly to where I couldn't here it.

"Dad, where are we going?" Delia asked.

"A funeral," my dad answered, rubbing his stubby chin.

"I told you," Todd whispered to her. I grinned as Karin came and stood beside me. I looked down at her. I noticed two things different about her. She seemed colder, like a part of her iced over and an uncertain new inner beauty seemed to glow around her. My dad cleared his throat noticeably, and one second later, that glow around Karin had disappeared.

"When are we going?" she asked quickly.

"Once Delia changes," my mom answered and gave Delia a shove towards her room. She followed her quickly, holding a small black dress.

Todd looked up at Karin with a strange look on his face that quickly changed to a different one. I looked at Karin. She seemed to be concentrating hard on something.

Before I knew it, Karin was tugging my hand saying it was time to go. I looked at Delia and saw her in a black dress, complaining about it and how it felt on her.

"Delia, you have to wear the dress. I have an extra pair of clothes for you so you can change after the funeral," my mom told her.

Once I shut the door and locked it, I looked down at Karin. She seemed much more distant than usual.

POV CHANGE-KARIN

I sighed as we drove on the interstate towards the church where they would be holding Delilah's funeral. Today would be an odd day, I thought. It was the Catholic church that we'd grown up in. We had been Christened together, been to our Confirmation together, been class teachers together and played instruments in the choir together. That church held so many memories that would be hard to let go of.

My hand inched up to my head when a throbbing feeling began near my temple. Is sighed again as Ephram took a hold of my free hand and squeezed it softly. I smiled weakly at him and began to prod a spot on my purse that had become suddenly interesting. I wanted all of this to go away as quickly as possible, to wake up from this bad dream, to go home.

POV CHANGE-DOC BROWN

I looked in my rear view mirror and saw Karin poking her purse. Delia and Todd were talking about baseball teams quietly. Ephram looked deep in though about one thing or another; probably something I would not want to know about.

"How about some music?" I asked, hoping to liven everyone's spirits a bit.

"Andy," Julia said from beside me. I nodded and continued driving towards the church when a rain drop fell on the windshield.

"Great," I mumbled. I Looked in my mirror again and saw Karin lying her head on Ephram's shoulder

POV CHANGE-KARIN

It was still storming when we got back to Ephram's house. It was nearly midnight now. Lightning was still popping here and there outside. I'd never been too terribly fond of thunderstorms. I looked over at a clock and saw it was almost midnight. Everyone else was asleep, or at least I thought so.

I counted down the minutes until midnight silently in my head.

It was thirty seconds until Tuesday...twenty seconds...five seconds...four...three...two...then BANG!

A loud crash sounded and I nearly fell over. I looked up at the front window by an instinct and thought I saw a dark figure moving by my car, but when I turned my head to get a better look, it was gone.

"Karin," a voice whispered.

"Y-yeah?" I stuttered, a little shaken from the last bolt.

"You're still up," Ephram said, more than a statement than a question, then walked over to the couch and sat beside me.

"Yeah. I couldn't sleep. I was thinking about earlier," I mumbled. I gently lay my head on his shoulder as he slipped an arm around my waist.

"You're a real sweet boy, Ephram; don't ever lose that. OK?"

"What?"

"OK?" I repeated, a little firmer than the first time.

"OK," he said, resigned.

"Now; what did you need?" I asked, closing my eyes.

"I was actually getting some water, but I decided to come see you and see if you were awake, which you are," he mumbled, yawning.

"If you're tired, go to sleep," I told him, patting his hand.

"I'm not really tired. It's just that feeling when you wake up in the morning and you can't get back to sleep," he explained, standing up and walking to the window towards the cars.

"Ahh."

"Do you want to go into the kitchen?" Ephram asked.

"Sure." We slowly and quietly made our way into the kitchen, trying not to wake his parents as we walked past their door. "So, what do you need to talk about?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I've known you long enough that when you need to talk about something, you want to talk alone, away from other people," I murmured, sitting down at the counter.

Ephram sighed audibly; "My dad. He's just-"

"Distant?"

"Yeah. Ever since I was six and he started his stupid practice as a doctor, it's been like that."

"I'm sorry."

Ephram sat down at the bar with me and took my hand in his. I looked at him and smiled weakly.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I hardly knew my father as well and he was taken from me," I soothed, patting his hand again.

"Yeah," he sighed. "What happened to them? You parents, that is."

"They were killed in front of my eyes. I swore to myself that day that I would bring their murderer to justice," I said, clenching my fist of my free hand.

"That's a big job, isn't it? Finding someone in New York that you haven't seen in a few years?"

"But I know who killed them. He used to be one of my teachers. I made him quit teaching by saying I would shine light on the matter to the administrator if he didn't leave."

"Did you?"

"No." I pulled my hand from his and chewed my nails again.

"Why not?"

"Because I was young. Because he swore to me that if I told anyone he would find and kill me. He said he would give me an excruciating death that people would mourn for years and pray would never happen to them." I drew in a deep breath. "And that scared the wits out of me, so I didn't tell anyone."

"He needs to be put to death, Karin. We can't let him run around looking for people to kill," Ephram said.

"He's tried to kill me before, Ephram," I said quietly. "Remember that story about me and my friends dying a few months ago?"

He nodded.

"That was him."

SOOO SORRY EVERYONE FOR NOT UPDATING!!! I've been really busy with writing stories and work and everything that I got caught up in it all and lost my time!! Please forgive me, and enjoy the new chapters since I have conquered writer's block!! HOO-YAH!!!