Soft Light and Shadows

Chapter 4: Twilight

by: IMBSA

IMBSA: Sorry for the delay. See, it's all Frances's fault. Our Internet was down for a while so I couldn't get it up. Damn you Frances, damn you!!!

Disclaimer: "I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die."

IMBSA: And if you could see the twist coming a mile away, sorry to disappoint you.

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Visiting hours were close to being over as they pulled up to the hospital. Sakaki and Karasuma had to hurriedly leave the parking lot and get to Val's room to see her before the hospital barred them. But that was not without a struggle.

"I can't believe we're doing this. You know it's against the hospital rules to--"Karasuma began, but Sakaki cut her off.

"Look, d'you want this information or not? You want to carry the box, then go ahead, be my guest. But if you don't, remember whose arm is getting close to being clawed off."

"She barely even scratched you!" The two rushed to Val's room. As they entered the room, Valerie looked up from a book. Her face cracked into a smile.

"Ms. Karasuma! Mr. Sakaki! So glad to see you. How are you?" She asked, genuinely interested. Before they could answer, a shockingly familiar mew emanated from the closed box in Sakaki's arms. Slightly frozen in her jubilated astonishment, Valerie stared at the box. Smiling in spite of everything, Sakaki opened the box to reveal a slightly travel-worn Shini. As Valerie shakily reached out for her, Shini jumped from the box and into Val's waiting arms. Immediately, the cat began purring as Valerie lovingly stroked her companion. The look of contentment was evident on both the cat and her owner's faces.

After leaving the two in their blissful moment, Karasuma began gently, "I know this may be hard for you, but we need to know more about your tattoo." Val's hands stopped stroking Shini and slowly gathered her cat into themselves tighter. She sat still and her eyes took on a faraway look. Sakaki was nervous that the question would not be answered as he shot Karasuma an anxious look.

Finally, Valerie spoke. "It was about four years ago on my brother's birthday. I was looking for a last minute present at the store when I felt a sting on my neck. I touched the nape of my neck and pulled out a small dart. Everything went fuzzy and I felt myself fall into the arms of a stranger.

"When I woke up, I felt another needle piercing the skin on my arm. I dared not move, but I opened my eyes slightly....All I saw was a bright light, but I heard voices. One of them sounded familiar. Quite familiar, actually. But the pain of the needle was getting to me and I fell unconscious yet again. The last thing I remember was a cry of rage and betrayal that said, 'Not her, you know she should not be marked!'

"I awoke fully on the couch in my brother's house. Our parents were there as well and he said that he had found me on his doorstep. They were all so worried about me. My brother said he had quit his job to make sure I would be fine; to watch over me like good big brothers are supposed to do." Val looked up at the two agents. "That's the whole of it."

"What was your brother's name?" Karasuma asked, as kindly as she could.

"Jack." Val replied after a pause. "Jack Brooks."

"And, what do you know about Jack and The Fallen?"

Valerie was spared to reply as Shini suddenly arched her back, hissing as she faced the window. Val cried out as her claws dug in to her legs through the hospital gown.

"What the--"Sakaki asked, staring at Shini.

"I...don't know." Valerie grunted as she dislodged her cat's claws from her legs. "Stop it, you hear me?" Val asked, looking her cat in the eye. "Stop it." She repeated. However, Shini refused to heed her and continued her alarming actions. "Come on Shini! What's the matter with you? There's nothing outside that window." A nurse came in and Val hurriedly slipped Shini beneath the covers on her bed. Thankfully, the cat had stopped hissing, as though sensing that she needed to be quiet while the nurse was in the room.

"How are we doing, Ms. Brooks?" The nurse asked, bustling in with a tray of hospital food.

"Just fine, Mary." Valerie replied.

"Good, good," the woman responded. "It's time for dinner now." She turned to Karasuma and Sakaki. "I'm afraid visiting hours are about to be over."

"Oh, ok, then. We'll go." Karasuma said. "Bye, Val. We'll see you."

As the two of them went down the elevator, Karasuma got on the phone to Michael. "Hey, Michael, could you run a search on 'Jack Brooks'?"

"Sure." There was a pause and the sound of typing. "Nothing much here. A birth date and a death date, but nothing much more about that."

"That's not very helpful."

"No, it isn't. Hmm, a thought just occurred to me. Hold on a second." A pause. More typing. "Ok, get this. I ran Jack Brooks's birth date into the database and guess who shared his birth date."

"Surprise me."

"Damien Manson. And guess who shares a birthday with Julia Manson, his half-sister."

"Valerie?"

"Right in one."

"You know this could be just a coincidence, right?"

"Aha, but I found a record in the government's database. Julia Manson supposedly disappeared the night her brother died, but she didn't. The government changed her name. To--"

"Valerie Brooks?"

"Yep. And you'll never believe this. Miyagi's been trying to resurrect The Fallen. He's got about 50 recruits already."

"Oh my God. Are the others on the way?"

"They just left."

"He's my God too, Karasuma." Sakaki burst out as soon as she was off the phone. "What was that about?" Karasuma filled him in. When he heard that Julia Manson and Valerie Brooks were one and the same person, his eyes went wide and he exclaimed, "No way! That girl upstairs is the sister of one of the same guys who were trying to kill her?!"

"It's all beginning to fall into place." The elevator stopped at the first floor and Karasuma and Sakaki rushed out, only to turn and begin running up the stairs. Karasuma explained along the way. "Her brother thought she was safe because he was in the gang himself and thought that The Fallen would never choose one of their own flesh and blood. So when they kidnapped Julia, he felt betrayed and took her from them. Remember when Val said she heard a cry of rage and there was voice that sounded familiar? That was her brother."

"But Damien was a witch's descendent. How can Val not be?"

"Under neither of her aliases was Val a witch.... Damien...." She looked up. "They were half-siblings! Damien had a parent who was a witch and Julia didn't."

"That still doesn't explain how Miyagi died, though." By this time they had reached the third floor landing and were about to go into the corridor when they heard a shriek of terror.

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IMBSA: Dun dun dun. Has the Fallen gotten to Valerie, I mean, Julia? You'll just have to wait and see!

Animated Flowers: Sorry you had to wait so long, but here it is!

AnimeReviewer790: Because you're such a good friend, I'll give the rest to you free of charge. But if you want some more, they're gonna cost $466,666,000,000,000,000. Or your first-born child. Whichever is easiest to part with. Anyway, thanks for relieving me of the guilt I seem to be feeling about "Vacation Time, Please". Don't worry, we ARE writing it. It's just that Euterpe's flight got delayed due to Frances. It's all that hurricane's damned fault. Oh, and think nothing of the "pressuring". I need someone to light a fire under my ass or else nothing seems to get done. So in a way you're helping me.

AlyssC01: Ah yes, my favorite reviewer (don't worry guys, I'm not forgetting about you either). Well, I just wanted to acknowledge that my readers (pardon the possessive term. I know you're not just mine) might be a bit disappointed by the length. Failure to do so might result in flames for what might be seen as "rudeness". I try to please everyone as much as I can, unless they give me a reason to hate them.

So, thanks for reading. This story should be done in a couple of chapters or so.