Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. If I did, I'd have to suffer with Tyson's stupidity x.X

Claimer: I own (from this chapter): Gen, Neblina, and Haine so HANDS OFF!

MidnightBallad: This is the re-written version for 'Family Ties', and I changed the title also, because I saw it used a few times for chapter headings and such. Don't forget to review when you're finished, thanks! The original Family Ties will be deleted eventually, but not until the new version's off the ground.

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Hold my Hand

Chapter One: One Stormy Night

Snow fell gently through the night air, spinning wildly whenever a sharp breeze kicked up. It dotted the cold stone streets and the roofs of houses, but blanketed the countryside in a sea of white. The stars were blocked out by thick, grey clouds, and buildings were hidden behind a thin layer of mist. The scenery was like something out of a ghost story; the pale glow of the streetlights did not penetrate the mist.

A shadow moved eerily in the streets of Moscow. The city seemed to tense itself up, waiting for whatever it was so reveal itself. And then the whole city seemed to sigh when a ginger cat sprung out of the darkness, scurrying away through the snow, between the iron bars of a gate. A gate that barred the entrance to a children's home.

Quite noisily, a car pulled up just in front of the home, and trundled up the short driveway to the gate. One of the tinted windows of the car wound itself down, and someone pressed a small button on an intercom, attached to a pair of pillars that held up the gate. A static voice broke over the intercom.

'Welcome to 'The Saint's Orphanage.' How may we help you?'

The passenger in the car – a man with a very dry voice – spoke back to the intercom. 'Yes. I desire to speak to the head of this home. Open the gates.'

'Yes, sir.'

Slowly, as if an unseen person was dragging them open, the iron gates opened to The Saint's Orphanage. The car came to a crunching stop outside of the doors of the orphanage, and the passenger door flew open. A black-dressed man stepped out of the car, slammed the door closed behind him, and stepped silently onto the landing by the front door. He clenched a gloved hand and beat against the wood loudly.

With a great creak, the doors opened. A very tall woman, with wavy brown hair and great green eyes, stood in the doorway. She clasped the hand of a small child, who had to be less than six years old. She nodded to the man in black.

'Welcome. How may I help you?'

The man said, 'I found this little girl. I do not know her name, but I think she belongs here.' He turned around and waved to the driver of his car. Another passenger door opened: another man stepped from the car, holding a one-year-old girl in his arms. She was dressed in a black and white dress, and her short blonde hair was glistening with snow.

The woman stepped forward, holding out her free arm. She managed to take the blonde child from the two men. Then she looked into the child's eyes, and stroked her hair. 'I assume you wish to leave her in my presence?'

'That would be good,' the first man said. 'I hope that you can arrange that. Your home is not too crowded?'

'No. Where did you find this girl again?'

'On the streets. I fear that she is unwell.'

The woman wiped a small snowflake from the child's cheek. 'We shall have a doctor come to her tomorrow morn –'

Suddenly, the final passenger door of the car burst open. A small, blue/silver-haired boy rushed toward the woman, arms outstretched, his cheeks pink with distress. 'Wait! No, sister!'

The first man seized the boy by the shoulders and pushed him back toward the car. 'Get back inside, now!'

The woman holding the little girl looked bewildered. 'This girl is his sister?'

'No!' the man snapped. 'My grandson likes to make up fantasies. No doubt he thought I had adopted –'

'Gen!' the little boy screamed. 'Don't go! I love you!'

It was in that instant when the man in black smacked his grandson across the face. It became even pinker, and the woman of the children's home stepped back. Without another word, the two men and the little boy left. And the woman watched as the car drove away, the boy's face streaked with tears, looking out the window.

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'Gen!' Kai shouted as he awoke, his bed sheets nearly ripping. His heart pounded in his chest, and tears welled in his crimson eyes. Kai dropped his head onto his knees, squeezing his ankles tightly. He fought back the tears; they stained his sheets, and Kai bit his lip until it bled.

'Kai?' someone asked in the darkness of the dojo. 'Was that you?' It was Max. Kai did not want to answer him.

'He's just dreaming...' Rei said sleepily, though his neko-like eyes were wide open. A storm was lashing overhead, and lightning lit his eyes like burning flames. Kai saw Rei close them again and fall back to sleep. Max crawled out of his makeshift bed and over to Kai.

'What's up? Are you...crying?'

'WOAH!' Tyson shouted, suddenly wide-awake. 'Kai's crying. I have to see this!'

Kai winced as the lights flashed on and thunder rolled across the sky. He was soon looking into the eyes of all the Bladebreakers, as well as Hilary and Kenny. Tyson was on his hands and knees straight in Kai's face, a huge grin plastered across his face.

'What's wrong, Kai? What were you dreaming about?' Tyson said loudly, as if wanting the rest of the world to hear him. Kai just sat and stared at him much in the way a wolf stares at its opponent in a fight. Cringing, Tyson backed away.

'It's none of your business!' Kai hissed, climbing out of his bed. 'Go back to sleep.' He made for the door out of the dojo.

'Wait!' Max called after him. 'Where are you going?'

Kai wrenched the sliding door open. 'For a walk – why, do you want to come?'

Max wriggled back into his bed, as if he'd been hurt. 'No... It's just that it's storming out there. You'll get blown off your feet!'

Kai spun around to face Max. His crimson eyes seemed to blaze with an inner fire. 'Well, then you can come and pull me out of a tree in the morning.' He stepped out onto the small veranda that circled the dojo, and slid the door shut hard.

Instantly, he was lashed at by rain. Kai walked slowly, gazing over his shoulder at the door. In a few moments, the lights went off. Shoving his hands in his pocket, Kai went out into the rain without a second glance back.

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The streets were dark and wet, but at least it was quiet here. Not even a dog barked. For this, Kai was grateful, and he was able to think straight for a moment.

The dream that Kai had experienced was not the first – he had dreamt it many times, ever since he had come back to Japan for a reunion with the Bladebreakers. And each time, the dream was clearer, therefore made Kai shake with anger...or maybe it was fear?

Fear? Kai thought to himself. It's a stupid dream! What's so scary about that?

He stopped in the middle of a puddle. Kai felt that he was being watched – closely. By who or what, he had no idea, but he quickly picked up the pace and paused beneath a streetlight. He watched the rain fall, the moths fluttering around by the globe of the light, almost in a dance.

Chunk. The lamp went out. As did every other lamp in the street. Kai was standing in darkness. Complete darkness. He felt his heart begin to race again, faster then when he had seen his dream. Swallowing deeply, he made for the only light in the street, coming from the front of a small midnight café, which was just closing down for the night.

Kai began to walk faster. And faster, until he was running. The rain whipped at his face, drenched his hair, and made his shoes slip on the pavement. Whatever – whoever – was watching him, Kai knew that they were right behind him.

Unthinkingly, Kai seized a garbage bin from outside of the café. It was light, and had only just been emptied. So it had no trouble flying out of Kai's hand and crashing (with a loud bang) straight into Kai's stalker.

Panting, Kai stepped forward, the rain silent in his ears. All he cared about was the person who had been –

'Ozuma?' Kai asked, shocking himself. The short boy with the duo-coloured hair lay motionless on the ground. Forgetting his fear, Kai bent down and shook Ozuma lightly.

'Hey. Are you okay?'

Ozuma suddenly jerked, his eyes snapped open, his gloved hands reached out and seized Kai around the neck. He slammed Kai into the pavement, his grip tightening by the second...

'Ozuma?' Kai choked, trying to pry the boy's grip from him. 'What the hell are you doing!?'

Ozuma's not here, said a voice in Kai's mind. For tonight, he is my puppet.

Kai gasped, 'Who are you?'

The creature inhabiting Ozuma said, You may call me Haine...a creature of nightmares, of fear, of sorrows.

'And what do you want?' Kai gagged, on his last breath. He was so dizzy now, that he felt he could barely move.

Why, I am from your dream, Kai. And now my sorrow will take hold of you, and I will send your soul away to the place of no return! Haine laughed in his mind, continuing to use Ozuma's hands to squeeze the life out of Kai. The boy began to drift away...

'Haine!' came a very loud, female voice. 'Release him!'

'Neblina!' Haine gasped, using Ozuma's voice. 'What are you doing here?'

Kai couldn't see the girl, but he could hear her. The thud of something hard hitting Ozuma/Haine, the cry of something unhuman, before Ozuma's grasp was gone and Kai was left lying, gasping for air, on the ground.

'Despierto...'

Kai felt a cold palm over his forehead, and warmth spread through his body. It almost made Kai smile stupidly, and he opened his eyes. Above him was a woman, with the whitest skin he'd ever seen, long silver hair, and eyes the colour of the midday sky. Her entire body glowed with white light, and her smile made Kai's strength come back.

'Who are you?' Kai asked in a coarse whisper. The woman that Haine had called Neblina took her palm from Kai's forehead.

'I shall tell you, in time.' Neblina said. 'All you need to know now is that my name is Neblina. I will come back to see you, Kai. Until then, I advise you to go back home.' She gazed at Ozuma's still body. 'I cannot force Haine to leave your friend yet, so you are still in danger.'

Neblina pulled Kai to his feet. He saw that she had wings, comprised from pure light, but still in the shape of feathers. The wings were so large that, even though they were closed, they were each at least thrice the width of Neblina.

'Go home now,' Neblina said. 'I will answer all of your questions, including those of your dream.'

Closing her eyes, Neblina vanished in a flash of light. Kai stared, transfixed, at the place where she once stood. He lowered his gaze to the ground, where the angel had left a single, white feather. Cautiously, Kai picked it up, and then turned to Ozuma. He felt guilty leaving him, but if Ozuma was really possessed, then Kai had no choice.

'Sayonara...' Kai muttered, heading back to the dojo at a run.

End Chapter One

MidnightBallad: Did you like that? Please say you liked that! It's a big change from the original Family Ties, and I personally think it's a better change. Please review, and I apologize if it's long!

Look at the list below, it helps with the words that aren't in English, seeing as Neblina will speak Spanish sometimes.

Haine: Means 'hatred' in French.

Neblina: Means 'mist' in Spanish.

Despierto: Means 'awake' in Spanish.