I'm sorry to bother those, who have already read the first chapters, but I've added a few minor things to the Kai's possessions, their age is different, and I tried to change the AA-meeting (ha ha ha...nice description Wah-Keetcha, thanks for the very useful description...though I already knew that part sucked, but I was too tired at the time to think straight) into a normal introducing, but I don't know if that worked...Anyway on with the fic...

Still keeping things that concern Kai in black, and probably will the entire story.

Sorry that I didn't mentioned it earlier, but inspiration (and permission) to this fic is from "Smile Empty Soul"...but it's different...Kai kicks ass...he he he.

Running out of days

Chapter two- First day

Tyson's jar made a close encounter with the floor and though the rest boys were a bit shocked too they did a better job of hiding than Tyson.

"Uhm...I'll show you to your room, Kai." Michael was the first to leave the trance like state they were in.

As Kai followed Michael through a door down the larger one of the to wings which had doors on either side of the hallway, he heard Tyson's disbelieving voice discussing the fact that Kai obviously didn't want to stay. Max was equally loud, stating that this 'was the best place in the world', so why didn't he like it.

"Okay, I'm just gonna show you which room belongs to whom, then you'll be free to settle in."

"Hn"

"First door on the left is the bathroom, it's rather large but with 5...now 6... people it can get kind of hectic in the morning." Michael smiled, his mind lingering a few seconds on a morning three days ago where they had locked Tyson and Max out of the bathroom to have more time and space for them selves.

"On the left we got Tyson, Max, me and then you down at the end. On the right Lee, Rei and then there's a spare guest room."

Kai looked at each door when he passed by it. Tyson and Max's doors each had a big sign in blue and purple with their name on, Tyson having the blue one, and the rest of the doors were totally covered in posters and cut-outs from cartoons. Next was Lee and Rei's on the right, both of them looking normal. Nothing was really on Lee's door except three black letters scattered around spelling his name. Rei's name on his door was actually made of white fur with greens stripes. Kai barely held back a shudder as he looked at the fury letters, but couldn't keep his face from scrunching. Since Michael was walking in front of Kai, he didn't notice this shortly change in Kai's otherwise stone like face. Michael's door looked the most normal next to Lee's. With his name written neatly on a poster and a baseball poster below it. That left only the guest room and...

"So this is your room, hope you like it. There's the basic things, but we couldn't get everything in time, so Judy an Bruce are going to take us a out shopping tomorrow seeing as it is Saturday, and then we'll get the stuff you need. What do you think?"

Quickly scanning the, by his experience, rather large room he took in all the details of it. Entering the room you would find yourself facing a large window with a black desk in front of it and a black chair matching it. To the right of the desk over in the corner was something between a single and a double bed with a pillow and a blanket, though there were no sheets or bed linen. To the right when you just entered the room was a closet in black matted steel and to the left the white wall was filled with shelves in the same black colour and material. Actually every piece of furniture was in the same matching black material. The floor was in a light coloured tree and so was the loft.

"If you think it's to dark, we can get some new furniture or something like that?" Michael didn't really sound like he believed in his own question, taking in Kai's dark clothes at the same times as he spoke.

"Or maybe we should paint the walls black to?" He smiled at Kai

"It's fine, I like it dark. I would prefer crimson for the walls instead of black though." Kai, picking up on the teasing tone in Michael's voice, smirked at him.

"I think Judy has some spare bed linen, you can use till tomorrow, so just drop your bag and we can got get some lunch."

Kai stepped over to his bed and dropped his bag onto to it. Then after another glance around the room, interpreting every little detail and mentally noting to do so with the entire house, so that he'd bee able to sneak around in the dark without bumping into something and waking someone up, he left he room, Michael following him back to the living room.

Back in the living room, the others had returned to watching the TV like they were when Kai had first gotten there. Michael joined Rei and Lee on the big couch and since Tyson and Max were sitting on the other one, and Kai didn't feel one bit like sitting too close to the two of them, he tossed himself on a huge and very soft leather chair. It was almost big enough to be a mini sofa. Sitting sideways in it with his legs dangling over the armrest, Kai made no effort to watch the TV. He found it more gaining to look at the other guys, trying to figure them out. Who was worth something and who wasn't, and who was going to rattle on him for staying out let and stuff like that.

Tyson and Max were quickly forgotten about, their age and being son of either Bruce and Judy were the main reasons. Michael looked like the kind of guy who would be able to make it on the streets and his humour somewhat resembled Kai's in a way. Rei and Lee were a bit difficult to place. They both looked like they would know how to have their fun, but they also held a air of I-don't-break-the-rules´ to them. Kai figured that he needed more time to get those to straight, but hey he had great time, being forced to live here. Oh well, it couldn't be all that much worse then some of the homes he'd been to in his time.

"So Kai! How long have you been an orphan? If you don't mind me asking" Max was looking innocently at Kai.

"Actually I do"

"Lunch time guys, and don't worry Max, Kai will tell us about himself at lunch, right?" Bruce had emerged from the kitchen.

"Sure, whatever" came the sarcastic answer as they rose and went into the kitchen.

In the kitchen they all sat down at the table, the adults at the ends and the boys along the sides, three on each side. Kai ended up between Michael and Bruce. Quickly scanning the table, he grabbed a sandwich with chicken and salad and a coke. Tyson was practically throwing himself at the food, so the other hurried to grab two sandwiches each just to be sure of actually getting something to eat. The first five minutes or so passed by as everyone got settled and started to eat.

" So Kai. If you could tell a little about yourself and your life, then we'll discuss the rules afterwards." Bruce asked and Kai turned his attention from his food to the smiling man, looking like he wasn't planning to answer, then realising that he didn't have much of a choice. Unless he wanted them to keep asking and bugging him all the time about it, he had to tell them at lest the most necessary things about his life, so they'd get of his case and leave him alone

"My parents died in a plane crash when I was 4, so I was sent to live with my Grandfather in Russia till I was 8. Then I got back here and into the system. Been to 12 adopted homes and 3 foster homes since then, with visits to the orphanage in between."

The speech was quickly delivered without any trace of emotion at all. Kai took a sip of his soda, letting them know that he'd finished telling by a hard glare.

"But why were you sent to the orphanage when you were 8? Did your Grandfather die?" Max was back in his innocent and extremely curious mode again.

"Nope. He's in jail, on the charge of child abuse."

"Child abuse?" for the second time that day, their jaws almost had a meeting with the floor, or in this case the table.

Kai didn't make eye contact and Judy, seeing this, tried to help the teen out.

"It's okay Kai, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"It's okay. I don't really have any feelings left for him and what he did. And since you three", he motions to the adults, "already know, I know you've read the files on me, I might as well tell the whole story, though there's not much to tell. He beat me, on a regular basis, meaning that whenever he wouldn't be away on one of his business trip, I'd get the crap beaten out of me. One day the finally noticed at school. It was good practice though, as 5 of my adopted homes were abusive as well."

During Kai's little speech, they had finished eating and where just sitting there, listening to him.

"Are we done with the whole story-telling?" Kai said and drank the last of his coke.

"Yeah, guess we are. I'll just explain the most general rules then we can lay out to the details in the afternoon. All of you must be home at 9.00 at the latest on a school night and in bed by 10.00. In the weekends curfew is at 10.30 and there isn't really a rule saying when you are to be in bed. Everyone is helping out with something at the house, like setting the table and so on. My father used to teach material arts, and you'll learn Kai that he still does. Two times a week you are having an hour and a half of training out in the old training building. I think we'll leave it at that for now. All you guys are of the hook today, cleaning up the kitchen." Bruce spoke with a huge smile on his face and didn't notice Kai's small smirks at the mention of the, by his standard, way early curfew. Actually no one around the table were able to see the changes in his stone-like face, because they were so small.

Not saying anything, Kai got up and left for his room, the other teens, yelling a bit out in joy, for not having to clean up, soon followed and went to their rooms. Judy cleaned up the kitchen and the Grangers headed to the training building to practice a little bit.

Kai immediately noticed that someone had been in the room and left some bed linen, probably when he was in the living room before lunch. After a few moments of thought he decided to put it on, then after puling out his discman with 3 Doors Down, flicking to the song "Life of my own", he lay on his back on the newly made bed and cranked up the volume as much as it was physically possible.

Wehooo a whole chapter more (with all my homework, this close to being a miracle, nut I couldn't help myself) and now I seriously need some sleep. Spend most of last night and tonight doing chemistry and a English paper...and my story of course.

Spoiler: Tala and Bryan are goind to be in the story as well, but not just yet..and they know Kai from the streets...somehow ;)...and I know Kai is acting somewaht out of character in this chapter (willingly telling about himself)....maybe later on too, but I needed to tell his story.

Make me happy (and thereby convinced this should be continued...although I like it to much to stop right now...it's still nice to know that people like it)...

and REVIEW (you press the little button in the left corner down there...)