"Oh, so...wow. I'm a transgenic, huh?" I mutter, staring into the setting sun that's sinking into the ground just as slowly as this new information is sinking into my brain. "Well, this is an interesting development."

"Sorry to lay it all on you at one, but...well, the bad guys don't like the good guys much." Alec says, smirking. I shrug, not really caring.

"Eh, not much to worry about. A nice change from the normal mind-numbing boredom of my life, that's for sure." I say, jumping as he pulls down my collar. "Um, hello! Personal space much?" I ask, annoyed. "Four foot radius, buddy!" He ignores my ranting, motioning for Max to take a look. "Look, if you like my shirt, I'll tell you where I got it. You don't have to go diving in to find the tag." I mumble, knowing they're not listening.

"Holy shit." Max says, "You don't have a barcode."

I roll my eyes, unimpressed at their amazing detective skills. "Who are you, Jessica Simpson? Don't you think that I would have noticed if I had a built-in tattoo on me?" I ask, and the reference is lost on them. Alec shrugs.

"Guess I didn't really think about it."

"So, um...what do I do now?" I ask, kinda confused why they came here to drop the bomb if I'm not influential in some sort of plan. In which case, said plan was created by crackheads.

"Well, we were hoping that you'd come to Seattle with us. We need you on our side if we fight the Familiars." Max says, apparently not one to beat around the bush. And so it is, that I find out that the world's greatest plans are created by crackheads.

Wait a godamn minute!! My siblings! What'll they do without me? Who will keep them safe, or make them lunch(even if it's only marginally edible), or force them to go to school, or..But I have to. People are depending on me, and no matter how scary that is, I need to do it, even if it means I'll leave behind the only family I've ever known. "I'll do it." I say, fighting back the painful thoughts of leaving my siblings. "I'll meet with my sibs tonight, and we can go before morning."

"I'm sorry." Max says, but I shake my head.

"It's not your fault. Fate just happens to hate me. I'm gonna go pack." I tell them, turning and walking away. "I'll be here at midnight."

it's funny how fast time goes when you know that you only have a little of it. Every moment, every movement kept track of, counting down the seconds until your world comes crashing down. I remember feeling the same way when my sister left me.

I packed early in the afternoon, wanting to get it over with quickly. Needing to get my bags out of my room before anyone notices, I head back to the High Place, hoping desperately that Alec and Max are gone. I mean, they're nice and all, but I need headspace.

I reach the High Place quicker than usual, but I go under the bridge, to where I hide my secret. It all started a couple of years ago, when Justin started to graffiti. Needing to stop him before he got out of hand or in trouble, I let him come down to the High Place and paint the underside of the bridge. Back then, it wasn't my High Place yet, so I was telling Max and Alec the truth when I said they were the first to see it. Technically, Justin just saw a bridge.

Justin left a few weeks after that, and when he left, he gave me a can of spray paint. Said that I had too much bottled up emotion, or something like that. That was the night that I first came to my High Place...the first night that I needed it. After I was done making big with the whole brooding thing, I took the can down and started a work...one that I've kinda never finished.

I stare at my work, the buildup of paint layers coloring the cloudy afternoon. First it was just to remember Justin. Then I started painting when I was mad, or sad. Names scrawled haphazardly and pictures scattered throughout remind me of the sibling I have lost, and the ones I'm leaving behind.

I shake up the can, closing my eyes to the world. Nothing's as sweet as a new can of paint, but nothing's as bad as using it to tag your place one last time.

I know it's going to be hard for her- she really seems to love the kids in the orphanage. In a way, it kind of reminds me of our escape- only it's just he rleaving. In a way, that's almost worse than all of us leaving. She still has to worry about how that woman is taking care of them, and if they're staing out of trouble, and... she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Max thinks, staring into the sky. Her and Alec pulled into the woods beside the bridge to rest for a bit, and to wait and see if Lana came early. Alec glances to her, watching her carefully, musing silently about the girl who captured his heart the moment she kicked him into a solid metal cell door.

It's amazing how much she can handle. It's like she wants to singlehandedly save the world- and knowing Max, she probably could. But she doesn't act like the hero- she just does what needs to be done..,

She changes everyone she meets, and most definitely for the better. She's changed me...

"Alec, what's she doing under the bridge?" Max asks, drawing him away from his thoughts. He glances to the bridge, his eyes falling on Lana. She glances around, then pulls out a can of spray paint, smirking as she shakes it. He rolls his eyes, smiling.

"Oh, come on, Max, haven't you ever seen anyone tag before?" he asks, and she shakes her head, moving to get a better view. Meaning she moves very, very close to Alec.

"Holy shit. That's amazing." she whispers as Lana moves, standing precariously on a rock, and the entire underside of the bridge is in sight. Alec just nods, staring at the sight before him, at a loss with words (something that doesn't happen very frequently with Alec). Words overlap pictures, names painted against harsh backgrounds, memories put to life by a single can of paint. A burning car decorates the bottom, along with a little girl waving goodbye. In the background, the word "Family" is written in large letters, and beside it are pictures of 22 children- orphans who have left, Alec guesses.

Max watches the girl work, occasionally sniffing or discreetly wiping her eye as she lets it all out in one last goodbye. She sprays a black design in a nearly-empty corner, repeatedly checking her hip, nodding with certainty and continuing. "Guess she does have a barcode." Alec says, and Mas nods.

"Wonder what else she's hiding?" Max muses, watching Lana cap the paint and stare at what turns out to be the opposite of Max's most recent rune.

A/N: hey, y'all! I know, I know- short chapter, but I'm super swamped, with school and the hell adults refer to as Driver's Ed. Help me, Blue Lady!!!!

Review!! Makes my day,and you get a cookie!! Mmm....cookies....mmmm....Alec....

Ok, back on subject, sorry about that- I know it's short and all, but I'll try to update on Friday, okay?

I luv ya'll so much! Thanks for reading!

XOXO

mj mwa!