k2: With part three comes the complications.

MK: We put in more parental interaction, which we had found quite lacking before.

k2: Very, very irresponsible of me. They are also important to the story, ya know?

k2: Though it will be more apparent once the parents actually show up. I mean, after all that is where and when everything falls together and/or apart regarding such.

MK: Well, read on!

111break111

What Now

Meanwhile pt3

PG-13

111break111

Coffee for two was poured as the sun continued to rise, the kitchen lightening with the growing dawn as the sky shown through the open drapes of the window. Nancy lifted her cup to her lips, smelling the fresh aroma of the strong liquid. She muchly proffered tea but no tea was equal to that of the pungent bean that originated in Africa so many generations ago.

The two of them sat for quite some time. Neither said a word. Steve got up to make another pot coffee and they continued to sit, continued to remain in silence. They didn't eat; neither could stomach food with visions still fresh in their heads. They couldn't' speak, the horror still to fresh, their voices would crack.

It was maybe ten o'clock by the time one of them did speak. Steve had been watching Nancy. He felt it better if she talked about it instead of remaining in silence. So, taking a deep breath, he asked, "You okay?" "No." She replied. "Something horrible is happening Steve, I just know it."

"Nancy."

"Steve, no." She set her cup down and stared him in the eyes. "We have to face facts. Something big is going on and…and…for some reason we've both been sent some strange dream that involves everyone dying! Even us! What can it possibly mean?"

"I don't know." Steve growled, "But one thing I do know. Matt would never let anything, anything, ever happen to TK and allow the creep who hurt him go free. Believe me when I say that everything will be fine, okay?"

Nancy stared into the cup of coffee before her. She couldn't' help but think that he wasn't entirely right.

"What about the chant?"

Steve said nothing. She looked up at him and saw that his face finally reflected what his eyes hid, the pain and fear that those dreams had truly brought upon him. IT was one thing to ignore a nightmare involving your children during circumstances like this. It's acceptable when you and your ex/wife happen to share it, considering the relationship and or love of their children. But to have a chant repeatedly beaten into your head by a practically formless child, one that insisted that dreams were….

"Dreams are premonitions. Of a future that might be true. A future that will not last. A future that will not end." Nancy repeated the chant word for word, tone for tone, and locked eyes with Steve. "The same words you heard?"

Steve gave a barley perceptible nod. He swallowed, trying to find his voice, and took a drink of his coffee only to wind up gulping it down, the hot liquid burning his throat as it went.

It was then that the phone rang. It rang and rang and rang. No one made a move to get it. And it rang and rang and rang. Still no one moved. IT kept ringing until the final number of rings allotted stopped and then a second or two more it began to ring again. And ring, and ring, and ring.

Nancy pushed her chair back, but Steve placed his hand on hers gently.

"I'll get it." HE stated. He made it to the phone on its fifteenth ring and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Tank goodness your still there!" Susamu's voice came back in a rush, "I didn't' know what to think when I got no answer! I was about ready to rush over there myself!"

"Susumu?" Steve asked, startled, "What makes you so frantic as to call like this?"

"I know this is going to sound nuts but…did you happen to have a nightmare?" Steve's blood ran cold. "About the kids, I mean. A really bad one?"

"You too?" Steve asked in a hushed undertone, quickly moving his hand over the receiver and glancing back towards the kitchen door.

"Err…yeah…. So does that mean you did?"

"With a bizarre chant?"

"About dreams being premonitions?"

"That's it alright."

"That's it. I'm calling a meeting, it's about time us parents got together to talk."

Steve was silent for a moment, then gave a quick nod out of habit. "Right. You're absolutely right. If this is something all the parents are going to be experiencing then I believe it is time to arrange that."

"You get Cody and Yolie's parents, have them wait at Nancy's. I'll get a hold of others and tell them to meet over there."

Steve sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I…I guess. I was hoping to have it somewhere else though-."

"Steve, listen to me." Susumu stated, "You cant' protect her from this. She's as much apart of it as the rest of us. Besides, she'd probably kill you if you left her out of this."

"Hm." Steve grinned, "I suppose your right. Very well then. I'll get the others."

When Steve hung the phone up he rubbed the back of his head. HE knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he also knew that things would only get more complicated. The parents had only ever gotten together once or twice all at the same time. Maybe they should start making regular meetings or something?

With a grim grin on his face he turned towards the kitchen door, only to get a knock on the living room door. HE glanced at it over his shoulder for a moment, debating, and then heard Chizuru's voice.

"Mr. Ishida! Mrs. Takaishi! Please, it's Yolie's sister, Chizuru! I have to talk to you; I mean my parents have to talk to you! Cody's mother is with us also, please open up."

Shaking his head at ironical coincidences Steve walked over to the door with the same grim expression, only his grin was gone.

"I was just about to go see all of you myself." HE stated, "I take it you had the dreams as well?"