Chapter Four-Swallow the Knife

Noa was awakened by the sound of the shower going and she sat up, looking about her groggily. She remembered cutting her hair and went to look at it in the mirror. She decided that she wanted even shorter. So, taking the scissors, she cut it in shaggy layers, up to her neck. Kai chose that moment to come out of the bathroom and he just stared. She looked...good with short hair!

"Wow...it looks nice." Noa hid the blush that crept on to her cheeks by turning away quickly and rummaging for the clothes Jerry had sent her yesterday, murmuring a soft thanks.

-

"Hey Noa" Shaine yelled. Noa turned to find herself faced with a camera flash. God, she loathed cameras.

"Shaine, I will kill you, ok? I will kill you" She growled, punching his arm hard. Shaine gave her the irresistable baby-brother-I-love-you pout and Noa pursed her lips. She was in too much of a sour mood to give in. It was tempting though.

"No, I hate you, go away." Shaine was surprised that his pout didn't work and so he slunk away.

"Come on...it was just one picture and you look good." Kai pointed out, not knowing how much his compliement meant.

"Yeah well, I've hated pictures for 18 years why stop a healthy habit now" Kai's two toned eyes, one deep vibrant yellow and the other a pure silver, shone with ...what? Concern,sadness? Noa didn't know. Nor did she want to.

"It's good to try new things." Noa huffed and walked to the bar to get a drink of some sort. Kai followed. Sipping some concotion of the tropics, Noa glared at him over her cup.

"Why are you still here" Kai mentally screamed at her. 'Why CAN'T i just be with you! Why does there have to be a reason? If there does...I have one...'

"No reason." He muttered. 'I love you...' Noa turned so he didn't see the frown. He had nothing else to do. Thats why he was still there with her. This put her in even more of dismal mood then usual. Suddenly violet eyes appeared in her line of vision.

"What do you want Jade" The silver haired man pouted as he draped an arm around Alex's shoulders' unknowingly causing her to blush.

"I just wanted to see if you were gonna come with us to the dance tonight on the main deck..." Noa thought for a moment. She did need a break, if only from her team.

"Ok. Might give us a few leads anyhow." Jade punched the air.

"Yes! Cale owes me five bucks" Cale handed over the fiver but before Jade could grab it, Noa snatched it out of his hand as she walked away.

"Thanks." Shaine stood to walk with her to wherever she was going.

"You ok" Noa glared at him with azure eyes.

"Of course I'm ok."

"You know Kai's just trying to keep you safe..." Noa stopped and turned to her brother.

"I'm not some defenseless little girl" Shaine went wide-eyed.

"Noa, he's only trying to" Noa didn't let him finish.

"I don't need saving" Suddenly the raven image of fury was gone, leaving Shaine to fume by himself.

-

"Maybe we should go see if she's ok..." Alex suggested. Sam nodded, but Shaine gripped her arm to keep her from going after his sister.

"That's not a good idea."

"Not for you, but for us, yes. We don't ask, we just happen to be there in case she needs to vent." Clover said simply, as if any of that made sense to a boy.

-

"Noa? Noa are you in here" Alex called softly to find a figure huddled under a pile of blankets, headphones blaring with angry rock. Noa was dead asleep. Clover looked at Sam.

"Why do you think she's so touchy"

"I'm not sure...maybe something went wrong on one of their missions and she got hurt." Alex brushed short black locks from the sleeping girls face. So looked so...happy sleeping, but Alex could see the pain in her eyes. All the hurt.

"Come on Alex, let's go."

"I'mna stay here and wait...I'm feeling kinda tired." Sam and Clover shrugged and left. Alex layed beside Noa and closed her eyes, letting the pulsing beat of the music lull her to sleep.

-

Noa awoke to a warm body pressed against her. She opened her eyes to find Alex nestled to her and sleeping deeply. She smiled a bit and eased herself off the bed, careful so as not to wake the girl. But Alex woke anyway.

"Hey Noa"

"Hey yourself. When you come in"

"Around five...you know Noa...I'm always here...if you need me." Noa didn't look back at her but Alex saw her hang her head a bit move and how her shoulders slumped slightly.

"I don't want to talk...its...I...I just want to forget." Alex came up behind her and wrapped her arms around the slightly taller girl.

"You'll never forget if you don't let go..." A huge sigh was heaved and Noa looked back at Alex in the mirror.

"It was my first mission...about a year ago...I was kidnapped...and then I was raped..."

A.n: Ohhhhhhhhh suspense! I rule the cliff hangers!muwahahaa...Nam: wow, you like that much? Yay! muwah back:D...Frankie46: I'm glad its fun...see I continue! Yay for me!

Terraluver: See now you know part of what happened...Yay for updates! ok review! I'm sorry this chapter sucked...it'll get better I promise!

i Ultimate !