Okay! I have risen from the land of the dead! Or have I? *Whacks the comp to see if my hand goes thro it* X________________T;; well I'm not a ghost to say the least……… *tends to my now throbbing hand*

Well since ya waited THAT long, I might as well start ehh?

Oh I totally dedicate this chapter ta Araceil, she is the coolest! (she did write half of the chappie XP)

Mwahahaha, she forced me to get outa my writers block, roflmbao

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            'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!'

Squealed Aya's alarm clock, signalling yet another glorious school day.……… Fuck that. Tumbling out of bed, she pulled herself up and glanced at her dogs, Thunder and Lightning.

A pair of sheep dogs, both trained since puppies by Aya in an attempt by one of her previous families to get her to open up to them.

She never did. Lightning grinned doggishly from the screwed up bed sheets with Thunder fast asleep, his head on Lightning's stomach. Lightning was expecting puppies anytime soon and Aya couldn't wait.

Sitting down at her desk she picked up a hairbrush and glared at the reflection, which glared back. Long black hair, green eyes, she looked nothing like her family. Maybe because she was adopted at the age of 12. The Orphanage where she had spent most of her life apart from the rare times someone adopted her, told the girl at the age of 4 that her parents had been murdered in a shooting.

Though only 4, Aya understood, but didn't cry for the parents she had never known. If they went and died leaving her alone in the world, they deserved no tears from her.

Getting up she dragged herself into the on suite bathroom, dragging off her blood encrusted Tee she winced in disgust, the scars had opened up again and stained another shirt with her blood.

No wonder Thunder and Lightning were on her bed, she must have been screaming in her sleep again. Aya swallowed the bitter hate and shame that rose in her chest. No she would not cry.

Slipping out of the bathroom fully washed she grabbed some clean clothes and got dressed, being very careful of the scars on her back.

Ever since she could remember she had these scars on her shoulder blades, and every now and then it would open while she was sleeping and blood would race out. She'd been to the doctor but he could find nothing wrong.

Aya growled under her breath. 'Moronic ass wipe! Probably couldn't tell the difference between a birthmark and a bruise!' She thought acidly.

As she skipped down the stairs and headed for the kitchen, a slight coo distracted her from her destination. Walking into the room, she smiled slightly at the sight of her baby brother Antoh.

Picking him up, she smiled as the little boy curled up a fist-full of hair and tugged curiously. She chuckled slightly as he grinned back to her, his only baby tooth visible from his open mouth.

Laughing slightly, she walked into the cramped kitchen. She placed Antoh into his high chair, leaving the baby, she opened the back door. Her house may have been small but the yard was massive.

Apple trees lined the sides and her mother, Gemma, had tried to plant some flowers, but Thunder had dug them up and put them on the patio during the night. So it was just a long lawn of grass and trees that Thunder and Lightning played in every morning.

Glancing at her watch she cursed. At this rate, Aya was going to be late even if it was only 7:30. But she did had to walk across city to get to school and she didn't have the money for bus. Popping in a slice of toast into the toaster, she waited for it to pop impatiently. Just then her oldest brother, Nathan, came into the room yawning. He ignored her as usual and sat down on the round table.

Nathan had never paid her much attention saying that a parentless brat deserved nothing from any body. Aya, in turn, had said nothing to him but had stood by the fact that if a stuck up, moronic, ass wipe who can't even take care of himself for a week is good enough, then what the hell was wrong with her?

Following him was her second eldest brother, Jason.

He had always thought of Aya as his real sister. He glanced at her thoughtfully; light brown hair scattered over his pale refined face, but brushed out of the way by his plain black square rimmed glasses. Most women would find him attractive and he was, but Jason had always downplayed it and hidden from sight most of the time by reading his books.

Unlike her burly, retarded, football player of an older brother, she liked Jason despite his annoying habit of being -too- concerned about her.

He ruffled her hair and sat down to read the paper. He had heard the anguished screaming the other night; he always heard- and always knew what was wrong even if Aya didn't herself. Not much could be hidden from a quiet boy with watchful eyes.

Nathan growled shoving Aya out of the way to extend a meaty fist for her recently popped toast. Aya lunged forward and rugby tackled him out of the way. Of course, in the small kitchen, Nathan landed hard while Aya hit her head against the table.

Aya scrambled up and grabbed her toast, there was a nasty gash on her forehead just above her eye.

"Nuuu mine!" She yelled, running out of the kitchen in a frenzied rush.

"Thunder, Lightning!!" She yelled. Two shooting comets rocketed through the door and into the hall where Aya was stamping into a pair of boots.

She was about to call out when her other brother, younger than her, danced out of the living room wearing a fluffy pink to-too singing at the top of his voice.

Aya raised her eyebrows while Thunder howled piteously at the singing. Shrugging, she pulled her backpack on and took a bite of her toast.

"See you after school! And remember; its Nathan's turn to wash the dishes!" She yelled. There was a yell of denial as the said 20-year-old hurtled out of the kitchen right at her. Aya made a break for the door, Thunder and Lightning beside her, barking their encouragement and growling at Nathan.

"What's going on?" Asked her mother. Aya, Nathan, Thunder, and Lightning froze. All the noise must have woken her up!

"Nothing Gemma. Go back to bed." Aya whispered taking Gemma by the arm; Nathan shoved her against the wall.

"Leave -my- mother alone brat!" He snarled. Aya stood with her hand braced against the wall, her expression one of surprise. Suddenly it became cold and uncaring.

"Fine." She snapped, "I'll see you after school. Oh and Nathan's doing the dishes." She spat the words out like curses.

Jason came out of the kitchen with Antoh balanced on his hip. Lightning was growling hatefully at Nathan while Thunder was baring his teeth, his hackles raised in a threatening way. Gemma clutched her head.

"I wish you'd call me mom but I guess………" she couldn't finish the sentence. Gemma was ill; they said she might not live much longer. Aya nodded.

"Come by Thunder, walk up Lightning." She ordered. The two dogs suddenly became ordinary sheep dogs, licking their paws and grinning wolfishly at them.

"Bye." Aya had wasted enough time.

Leaving the house she paused.

'Damn!' she had forgotten she had to take that new girl to school, Cooper.

Heh, she kind of liked the blonde. Nothing at all like the other blondes at school.

Aya sighed, 'I guess she's lived in a different place. A better one.' She thought hefting her bag up higher. Nathan stormed out of the house straight at her.

"I'll only say this once –bitch-! -LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!!!-" He shouted raising a fist. Aya's eyes had widened considerably, Nathan had never hit her, and he never would.

Nathan did not hit girls.

Thunder leaped at him, mouth open, teeth bared, barking madly. Lightning not far behind her mate. Nathan was knocked down before his fist came more than 10 inches close to her face. Looking up, he saw that Thunder had a hold of Nathan's arm tightly, but there was no blood. Thunder just had a hold of his arm with his teeth bared a simple warning of: 'I will -kill- you if you try to hurt my mistress again.'

Aya was pale and trembling, her voice shaky.

"W-walk up Lightning, come by Thunder." She nearly whimpered. Nathan stared at her as the sheep dogs backed away from him, their lips curled in snarls. Aya whirled around and ran as fast as she could, the black and white streaks at her side.

From the living room window Jason, Antoh, and Gemma had watched silently. Gemma's expression pained, Antoh in disbelief, and Jason was staring blankly at the black haired

girl's retreating back.

People stared, leaping out of the way, as Aya hurtled through the streets, the dogs barking viciously at anyone who got too close. No one could see the silent tears coursing down her cheeks.

Her eyes screwed shut; she didn't even look in front of her, and just ran, straight into the middle of a side road. Aya froze, her eyes wide as the car skidded to a halt with a loud squeal of brakes.

The passenger jumped out. Aya swore. Great! just the person she wanted to see her crying in the middle of the street.

Kai Hiwatari, oh joy! She turned around, keeping the bangs hooding her eyes, but they couldn't hide the tears that were coursing down her cheeks.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." She monotoned, walking off calmly. Kai grabbed her wrist, his eyes furious.

"Just what do you mean by that huh?" He spat. Aya didn't even look at him, but he felt her muscles tighten under his grip.

"Look at me Zelandonii!" He snarled, jerking her fist up higher. Aya's face was briefly exposed to him, tears stained, red, and frightened with the gash streaking blood down her face.

Aya shoved him away and ran.

Around the corner, she stepped into what seemed to be a deserted alley. Taking a quick glance around to make sure no one was there; she leaned against the wall, sliding down onto the floor. She sighed as Thunder and Lighting sat down beside her, still keeping a close lookout for their master.

Reaching her left hand out, she let it tangle up in the mass fur covering Lightning's body comfortingly. With her right arm she hugged her knees closely to her chest, still panting heavily.

~*~*~

Cooper frowned. She had been waiting for Aya to show up for a while, but she hadn't so Cooper had gone to school by herself.

The bell had gone half an hour ago and the teacher was enquiring after her; apparently Kai had nearly run her over on the way to school and she had disappeared.

From his place somewhere to the left of the room, Tala winked at her. Cooper returned it by sticking her middle finger up at him, not even giving him a second glance. She didn't like Tala much, but he wasn't really bad, just irritable. Very irritable indeed.

The door opened and Aya stalked in, everyone was staring at her.

Cooper's eyes widened. Aya's face was smeared with her own blood and she was limping; yet she still glared ahead of her without so much as blinking. Outside everyone could hear barking and piteous howls of a pair of dogs. Sitting down beside Cooper, Aya took her books out and started to work on the English literature questions written on the black board.

"What happened?" Cooper whispered. Aya scowled at her.

"Nothing that would concern you." She growled. Cooper frowned.

 Suddenly, Aya blinked. Oh no! She had almost forgot about Hiwitari!

"Did Kai say anything about me this morning?" She asked quietly, casting the two toned boy a look of pure venom.

"Nothing apart from almost running you over." She said curiously.

Aya nodded, going back to her English lit questions. Soon the teacher, Mrs. Yusuki, walked over to the girl's table once everyone had started on the homework. The room went silent almost instantly dying to hear what had happened.

"If you would be so kind as to explain why you arrive in my classroom late, bleeding, and limping this morning Ms. Zelandonii." Mrs. Yusuki asked coldly. Aya glared back just as bitter.

"That, Mrs. Yusuki, is none of you're business. I could take that comment as a breach of privacy. People who nose into my life normally don't come out of it without needing therapy." She explained so quietly, keeping her voice at such a degree that only Cooper and Mrs. Yusuki could hear.

Mrs. Yusuki scowled going back to her desk; Cooper was staring at her.

"Students if you will bring out your dream journals, we will begin our lesson." Mrs. Yusuki said with a nasty smile at Aya; it was obvious to Cooper that Aya and the teacher didn't get along very well together.

"What do you mean by needing therapy?" Cooper whispered, Aya sighed her eyes fluttering slightly.

"My parents were murdered, I've been adopted by 14 different families and every time I've been sent back. And now, I've found a family willing to keep me and my eldest brother Nathan is trying to kill me. I think that would be too much depression for anyone to handle." She explained in a hushed voice.

"Mr Volkov would you please read last nights dream." Mrs. Yusuki called, Tala got out of his seat and stood at the front of the class.

Mrs. Yusuki smirked. She was not unaware of the whispered conversation between Aya and Cooper.

Cooper couldn't say anything comforting, "I'm sorry Aya." She whispered. Aya shrugged carelessly.

"Like I care, if they died leaving me at that hell hole, they deserve no tears." She growled.

Tala sat down looking smug.

"Ms. Zelandonii will you please grace us with last night's dream please." The teacher mocked.

Aya threw her a scolding glare, before getting up holding a small black book with a black rose glued onto the front.

"Fine." She stated. A few conversations started up at the back. "I've had this dream before, many times." She began to read, this simple statement caught the teacher.

"My brother Jason tells me that I scream in my sleep, and every time I have this dream, I wake up in a pool of my own blood." She told them, never removing her eyes from the black book. Mrs. Yusuki scowled.

"This is not a story telling competition Mrs. Zelandonii." She snapped. Aya looked over at her.

"This is not a story." She whispered. Cooper frowned; the whole room had gone quiet. Aya had never told anyone about her dreams before, if she ever had them.

"It starts when I'm in a forest, smothered with ice and snow, there is a stream beside me and the whole forest is silent. Not a bird's song, no wind to rustle the leaves. I start walking heading east, where a red sun is rising. I turn to look at a tree and place a hand on it, feeling the rough bark beneath my fingers. When I take my hand away, the tree begins to bleed, and I hear an echoing eerie howling behind me. The stream at my feet shows a picture, of 3 wolves with eyes of fire and mouths of razor blades. I turn to look, and every nerve in my body screams at me to run but, my legs will not move.

I close my eyes. And opened them again, and I'm stood in the middle of a train, my par- a couple are hugging each other. The woman has long black hair and the father flaming red dread locks and bright green eyes. There is a baby in the woman's arms, but it is fast asleep. They are talking and smiling at each other as they speak, and suddenly the train sways and stops and the lights fizzle out. People scream and children cry; but oddly, I can see everything clearly, even without the lights. A man dressed in black stands in front of the couple, he holds his arm out seeming to want something, a wallet or purse, but the red haired man stands up, his face almost as red as his hair. He refuses the man what he wants, and the man pulls out a double barrel shot gun. I know what is going to happen, the train robber is going to shoot them and take the child away.

There is a scuffle, and the man with the gun shoves it into the red headed man's mouth and squeezes the trigger. He stands up, wipes the blood off his face and turns to the woman, aiming the gun at her head. And pulls the trigger." She told them, her eyes squeezing shut.

Snapping the book shut, she went back to her seat. Flinging the book down, she almost collapsed into her seat, but corrected it into a slumping motion.

The room was silent and then the bell went, break time.

     ******

The rest of the day went by pretty uneventful and by lunchtime, seemingly the entire school knew about Aya's dreams, even the teachers.

Aya and Cooper were walking to the cafeteria; to maybe consider eating the mysterious 'Tuesday Special'. During the relatively long walk, Cooper noticed the stares and finger pointing their way, even with the distracting blare of her headphones.

She continued walking forward besides Aya with her eyes clamped shut tightly, and her fist stuffed into the pockets of her hoodie. The stares were like ice being dropped down her back, and she tried her hardest to ignore it, until she snapped.

Shooting her eyes open, she began glaring at every person who even remotely glanced their way, after shooting a side-glance to Aya and seeing her calm, normal expression.

She glared to the left, where she felt she was being watched the most and saw Kai and Tala leaning on what was probably their lockers.

Her eyes locked with Kai's hard crimson orbs, then with Tala's mocking turquoise ones and glared.

Tala smirked, blowing a kiss her way smugly.

She rolled her eyes and mouthed out the words, 'fuck you', then mockingly smiled politely. By that point Tala had left his post of the locker and waltzed over.

She slid the headphones off her ears just in time to hear Aya acidly ask what Tala wanted.

He smirked, ignoring the black haired girl and kept his eyes locked with Cooper's.

"Oh I'd love to, but not over here." He said eyeing her out. "Why don't you stop by over my house sometime?" He smirked conceitedly.

Aya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What the hell was he talking about?

Cooper opened and closed her mouth resembling a fish, unable to think of a proper comeback. She then settled for replacing her headphones, and after shooting Tala the worst, most bitter glare she could muster at the time and walked ahead sourly. And of course she kept her middle finger extended out of her fist the entire way until she entered the cafeteria followed by Aya.

Kai stood there blinking silently with a look that rivalled Aya's.

"Dude what was that about?" He asked the redheaded teen.

Tala sighed in contentment.

"Nothing that holds importance, my friend. C'mon we wouldn't want to miss that yummy dinner that our lunch ladies have prepared for us with love and food substitutes." He answered sarcastically.

Kai chuckled a bit, before walking ahead with him.

        ******

After what could have been the most uncomfortable and longest day of Cooper's life, the school bell finally rang signalling the end of the torturous day.

Cooper sighed in relief, the rest of the day had crept by slowly, and being in a tart mood hadn't really made the rest of school any more bearable.

She sulked a little ways behind Aya, then suddenly perked up and trotted ahead to Aya whom was now exiting the school doors.

"Hey Aya! Can you show me where the library is? I have to pick out a few books for the History project."

Aya thought for a second. "Sure, why not………"

'Anything to avoid seeing Nathan.' She added silently. "But first I have to go home and tell Gemma that."

Suddenly two snarling black and white dogs lunged for Cooper. She shrieked in surprise as fell backwards.

Aya's eyes widened as she called out for the dogs. "Down Thunder! Down Lightning!"

Obediently the two Sheepdogs returned to Aya's side, still keeping their black eyes on the stranger.


"Thunder, Lightning, she's friendly, she's only here to help." She consulted the four-legged creatures. They visibly relaxed, even tho it was easy to see they were still tensed and didn't completely trust the new girl.

Cooper cautiously got onto her own two feet, and slowly attempted to move a little closer to the dogs without making any sudden movements. She kept her hands up in the air to show them that she meant know harm, and even then Thunder growled when she got a little to close.

"Bad Thunder!" Aya commanded, "She's a friend, just like you and Lightning. Now no more growling!"

Thunder and Lightning whimpered; they fell a little behind step as Cooper caught up to Aya.

"So those we're the dogs howling and barking when you entered." Aya nodded.

"This is Thunder," She said motioning to the black one, "And this is Lightning. Thunder's the big bad Alpha dog of the family." Aya teased a bit.

"Wow cool! I've never had a pet. For some reason mum kept insisting that it would either run away or die………doesn't she know that the sea monkeys were supposed to die? It was part of the experiment!" She scowled, referring to an experiment performed in the third grade by her and Amy.

"What?"

"Nothing. Forget it." She said bending down to attempt to pet Lightning. Lightning sniffed her hand slowly, and then allowed Cooper to touch her silky white fur.

Aya smiled slightly.

"You know, Lightnings expecting puppies soon."

"Awe you're so lucky!" Cooper exclaimed. "Puppies rock!"

Cooper stood up, and began walking once more along with Aya.

"Yeah, and Gemma pretty much made it clear that she didn't want to many puppies running about the house. So maybe if you want you can have one." She shrugged.

"Awesome! Oh I'll have to ask mom, hopefully she'll let me, and if she doesn't I'll just have to remind her how 'lonely' I am in this state so far away from my friends!" Cooper plotted, cackling evilly.

They walked the rest of the short way too Aya's house, sometimes chatting about things, and other times walking in silence.

As they rounded the corner to her street, Aya noticed a certain brown haired, typical collage football-playing boy. Nathan stared evenly at the two girls as they approached him.

Aya tensed up as she walked briskly pass him; hearing Thunder and Lightning's threatening barks reassured her and she was able to make it through.

Cooper on the other hand was completely oblivious to her friend's turmoil. And paid no attention whatsoever to the brunette.

That was until she felt the familiar unnerving feeling of being watched shiver down her spine.

She spun around to face the collage-boy, glaring at him with burning light blue/grey eyes.

Now of course, being from the east coast and all, she didn't have those sparkling sky blue eyes that most Californian girls had. But her eyes had a captivating sense of danger that lured most people in.

And of course, it was a hook, line, and sinker with Nathan.

"So Aya………who's this? Someone this beautiful couldn't possibly be a friend of yours. Oh I know, she's here to tutor you ehh?" He said arrogantly.

Cooper scowled; what was it? Torture Cooper Day? Well it might as well been 'cause everyone seemed to be doing a damned good job at it.

She was getting more attention from boys than she had in her entire bloody life!

Of course that might have been because she had quite a reputation, and Seth and Tom would maim any boy who hurt her, emotionally or physically. So most people were far too afraid to do anything about it.

But that wasn't the point!

Aya heard the disturbance and quickly made her way to Cooper's side, glaring at her brother.

"Drop dead Nathan! This happens to be my friend Cooper, now if you'll excuse us we'll remove ourselves from your disgraceful presence!"

Nathan grunted.

"Who's more disgraceful? A popular collage star football player like me? Or a home-stealing little, parentless bitch like you?"

Aya's eyes flared open. She stepped forward in between Nathan and Cooper and glared icily, all her former fear forgotten.

"Take that back you overgrown, moronic, impudent little dike." She hissed in a low menacing voice.

This time it was Cooper's turn to stand disorientated.

'What the hell are they talking about?' She mused. 'Home stealing? What the fuck?'

By the time she came back into reality it looked as tho three people had gone out and stopped the fight.

"Nathan! How dare you! The next time you say that to Aya or any other girl I'm kicking you out of the house and making sure you're expelled from school too!" The woman said angrily.

Aya looked over to the people whom she just noticed arriving. "Gemma………" she said with a hint of thankfulness in her voice, but then she turned back to Nathan.

"Gemma, you shouldn't be out here, you're sick. Go home, I can take care of myself." She said indifferently. Gemma didn't respond but looked to her son in distaste.

Nathan grunted and began striding over to what seemed to be his house and Aya glared at him the entire step of the way, and then looked to Gemma.

"Gemma, I'm taking Cooper here to the library." She used her thumb to point to the blonde. "And Jason, can you take my backpack? Thunder, Lightning! Go with Jason okay? Well bye."

And with all that said and done, she turned around and began walking up the street once more.

'Better just keep quiet and not bother asking what the hell went on there………' Cooper thought wisely.

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 Tiz finished XD!

YAY! *Parades* I feel so accomplished mwaha!

Heh……...or not………