A/N: Thanks to Meghan for reviewing. More Reviews please!
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"So, what's your story, kid ?"
Cassandra had been so lost in her own thoughts that she was momentarily startled when Rick spoke.
"Excuse me ?"
"What's your story ? What's happened in your life before this ?"
She shrugged, trying to cover up the terror that gripped her stomach.
"Nothing really."
"So, how'd you come to live with him ?" The disgust in Rick's voice told her exactly who he meant.
"My parents died when I was ten and I spent two years in foster homes, before he tracked me down."
"So, how are you related ?"
"I think he's my father's brother, but I'm not really sure. What about you ?"
"What do you want to know ?"
She shrugged. " I don't know. Where were you born ?"
"Don't know, actually. Lived with foster families for most of my childhood, until I got into to serious shit when I was twelve and got thrown out of the house I was living in. Spent a while running away from what I had done, until I realized that I shouldn't be afraid of it. I should embrace it."
Cassandra nodded, but he noticed the ghost of a smile playing on her lips.
"What's so funny ?"
She shook her head. "Nothing."
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There's something he's not telling me. I can see it. He's not exactly who he says he is. But, then I haven't been telling the complete truth either, so I can't blame him for not telling me his real life story.
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"So how long have your eyes been like that ?"
She smiled mischievously. "Why are you so interested in knowing my life story ?"
He leaned in close to her and she suddenly found it hard to breath.
"You intrigue me. So very mysterious."
She laughed softly. "It's a genetic disorder. Not shine, like you thought it was."
Raising a hand to adjust her goggles, she started walking again, leaving a very startled Rick behind her.
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He was so confused. How did she know what he had been thinking ?
Running to catch up with her, he grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him.
"How did you know that ?"
She laughed again and it brought up startling memories that he thought he'd long since dealt with.
"I'm not just a precog, Rick. I'm also a telepath. Means I can go into peoples minds."
"I know what it means."
Her smile grew a little bit. "Sorry. Wasn't sure if you did."
He shook his head, trying to suppress the grin that was threatening to take over his face.
"You always this damned sarcastic ?"
"Oh, yeah. It's the only way to live."
They were so caught up in their playful banter, they didn't notice that they had already reached the pit. Cassandra took one step too far and would have slipped over the edge, if it weren't for Rick pulling her back.
"Watch your step there."
"Ha ha."
The caustic laughter died on her lips, as she surveyed the deep crevice in the planet's surface.
It was filled nearly all the way to the top with bleached bones. All human, but none of them a full skeleton.
Most were scattered, skulls here, spines there, legs elsewhere.
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"Holy shit."
Rick had seen plenty of bad stuff in his life, but this looked like a mass genocide.
The bones were scattered all over the place, like the people they had belonged to had been ripped to shreds.
Judging from the extreme whiteness of the bones, he figured that they had been there for a long time.
He had spent a long time just standing there, studying the bones when he felt a light touch on his arm.
Cassandra was standing next to him and when he at her, she pointed into the pit.
"There's something down there."
He peered into the shadows and saw a small figure moving. Withdrawing his pistol he aimed at the shape, but Cassandra pulled his arm back.
"Don't !"
"Why not ?"
She let go of his arm and sighed softly.
"I don't really know. But I'm pretty sure it's a human down there."
"Stay here. I'll go check."
"No. I'm going with you. Knowing you, you'll probably shoot first and ask questions later.:
He thought to protest, but caught the look that she gave him and figured it would be better to let her come with him than to make her stay behind.
Rick jumped into the semi-darkness first, half sliding, half falling down the steep slope.
He caught Cassandra as she jumped and set her on the ground.
"So, where'd they go ?"
She scanned the area around them and pointed down to one end of the pit.
"Over there."
Rick nodded and pressed a bit closer to the wall of the pit. Motioning for Cassandra to follow him, he moved down, towards the dark shape.
The person moved slightly, flattening themselves against the opposite wall of the pit. Rick lowered his gun at it, but once again Cassandra pulled his arm away.
"Are you stupid ? It's just a kid."
His eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he withdrew his gun. "How do you know ?"
"It's part of the defect. I can see unnaturally well in the dark."
Stepping in front of him, she moved towards the person, her voice soft and comforting.
"It's okay. We don't want to hurt you. We're friends."
The person moved into the light a little bit and Rick could see it was a kid, a boy, probably no older than nine or ten.
He was really skinny, looked like he hadn't had enough to eat in a long time and wore ragged clothes, that hung off his thin frame.
He had dark brown hair, that hung into his eyes and was tied in a low, messy ponytail at the back of his head.
His eyes were wide and frantic and he moved to run away from them, but Cassandra reached out and placed a comforting hand on one of his thin shoulders.
"We don't mean you any harm. We want to help."
The kid nodded, but he still seemed pretty shaky. Cassandra smiled softly at him and Rick noticed for the first time, that she could be quite beautiful when she smiled.
"What's your name ?"
"M-my name i-is Jones........."
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