And I don't want the world to see my face, cause I don't think they would understand. –Iris, googoo dolls

The first thing that hit him was the pain. Kid groaned and tried to flip over under the stiff covers, only to find that was not possible. Both his shoulder and arm were immobilized, and not for the first time did he wish that people could just leave him alone!

"Hey there, sleepy head. How are you feeling?" Kid turned his head slightly to get a better look at the speaker, although he already knew he would find Miss Adalia smiling at him. She was sitting in a small chair at the side of his bed, and though she tried not to look worried, the boy could see it clearly in her eyes.

"What happened?" Kid hated that other people knew what happened to him before he knew…It made him uneasy.

"Well, Hikari…there were some bad people around, and-" Then he remembered Roul…why he was in that hall in the first place…

"The bear!" Miss Adalia stopped suddenly, confused at the change in the subject, but she covered all of her feelings with a kind smile.

"Mr. Bear is just fine! I even sewed him up for you! Here, Hikari." And she handed him the brown animal. The extra weight and bulk of the explosives was a comfort, and a wave of relief washed over him. He would not be so careless next time! The dark haired boy closed his eyes and sighed.

"Now, Hikari…we have to talk about something…" His eyes snapped open again. Did they know? "Hikari…do you remember anything that happened before you passed out? You have cuts and bruises that weren't from the…ummm…accident. Were you in a fight?" No. Kid couldn't tell her about Roul. They would get mad and steal the bear again!

"No, I'm sorry Miss Adalia…I don't remember anything…" The young assassin scrunched up his face as if to look like he was trying hard to remember.

"That's ok, sweetie. You just sleep a little more, alright? Someone will be here when you wake up again, and we'll find you something to cheer you up. Now how does that sound?" He nodded his head tiredly, and was already falling into a deep sleep…

When he did wake next, the boy found that Miss Adalia was right, and there was another nurse waiting in the room for him.

"Good morning, honey. How are you feeling?" Why did they ALWAYS ask that? He sighed.

"Fine, thanks."

"Is there anything I can get you? A coloring book maybe? Food? Water? Just name it, and I can get it." She smiled warmly at him.

"Where's Miss Adalia?"

"Oh, she's coming, dear…in fact…" The nurse stuck her head through the door. "Adalia, dear! A certain little boy is waiting for some attention here!" The lady smiled and excused herself as Miss Adalia stepped in.

"Hey, Hikari! I brought someone here to see you…" She gently pulled another boy into the room.

"Hikari!" Quatre didn't seem his normal quiet self as he ran into the room and stopped next to Kid's bed, eyes shining with excitement. "Miss Adalia said that if you're REALLY careful you get to come with us to the circus tomorrow! Isn't that great?" Kid smiled and nodded, but he couldn't help remembering that the day he met Quatre was the last day he had seen Odin…he missed the older man. The boy hoped they would meet again soon.

It was still light out when Kid arrived at the circus, and the show wasn't scheduled for another hour. Miss Adalia said this was so he could have time to play with Quatre and buy fun things. Miss Adalia ALWAYS understood. She didn't even follow them when they wanted to walk different places…but she was watching them carefully next to one of the food stands. There were lots of games and food venders…more than Kid had ever seen, and he wanted to experience them all at once. The flashing lights made him slightly nervous, but what scared him most were the men dressed all in black, eyeing him and Quatre through darkened glasses. He didn't like the emotionless stares they directed at him, and how they stood straight backed and thin lipped. He shivered, knowing he would never wish to look like them.

"It's ok, Hikari…they go EVERYWHERE with me. I don't like them much either, but everyone tells me they're for my own protection. Come on! Let's try one of those games!" As the blond boy steered him toward some large machines filled with stuffed animals, Kid couldn't help but wonder if one of those stony men was one of the targets Odin wanted dead. It would be hard to plant anything here with those men watching!

"Look, Hikari! I won!" Kid was jerked out of his thoughts of the mission as the machine bleeped a couple of times and a light brown stuffed animal was dropped from a claw into a little box at the bottom next to the coin slot. Quatre picked up the medium sized toy, and handed it to Kid.

"Here! You can have it…I have plenty at home, anyway!" The brown haired boy didn't know what to do. He had never been given anything before that wasn't supposed to help with a mission. He couldn't understand why Quatre didn't just keep it for himself…he would have! But then again, he had never owned a real toy before. Only his laptop and the few articles of clothing that Odin had provided for him. Quatre was flowered with them daily.

"But…why?" He stood rooted on the spot, staring at the blond boy confused.

"Because…you're my friend." As if that explained it all.

"But…I don't have anything to give you!" Kid felt terrible. He would NEVER have anything to give anyone.

"Well, that's not how things work. It's ok." He offered another one of his large and careless smiles to Kid, who had no choice but to accept it.

"I have to use the restroom…will you wait for me please, Quatre?" This was the perfect chance.

"Sure! Would you like me to walk with you?" Of course. He was always so kind! Kid didn't know WHY the sweet blond boy didn't make lots of friends that way.

"No thanks! I'll be back soon!" As soon as he was sure Quatre could no longer see him, Kid pulled out the stuffed bear that he had brought along with him, and yanked at the threads holding the neck on. Digging through pieces of fluff, his fingers finally connected with two of the small packets. Regardless of their size, there was an extreme amount of explosive power in them. Pretending to be checking the coin slots in the payphones for any loose money, he slipped a packet each into a couple randomly spaced slots, then ran to meet up with Quatre.

"Hikari…that boy…doesn't he look so…alone?" Quatre pointed towards a boy behind the tents, who was bringing in food for the animals of the upcoming show. Kid followed his finger until he saw a tall boy, their age, maybe a year older. His dark brown hair was combed perfectly to one side of his face, obscuring one emerald green eye. Probably just for entertaining looks during the show.

"Some people are born to be alone in the world…" He knew the blond boy would have said something to that…had the sight in front of them not been so entrancing. The tall boy opened one of the cages, and a large shaggy cat with an untamed mane bounded out from it. Without touching the collar, the green eyed youth led the cat into the center of the opening, and without warning, pounced on the cat's wild mane. Falling to the ground, both rolled in the dirt, neither seeming at all threatening to the other…it seemed almost as if they were…playing…

At last, the cat stretched out, and the boy lay content on his belly, slowly rubbing circles on the reddish brown coat.

"Hey! You, there!" Kid almost jumped, expecting the person to be yelling at him. It wouldn't be the first time that somebody had called him that…but he found the source of the voice was not looking at him…had not even NOTICED him. A short fat man holding a bullwhip stuck his head out the tent flap to glare angrily at the silent boy.

"Hey! I don't pay you to be playing with these animals! I want them WORKED! Now, hurry up and get them food from the other camp! We have a show in half an hour!" And with that the man stormed back into the tent, snapping the whip as he moved. The boy, although slightly moodier, ruffled the lion's thick mane and led him out of sight. The other camp was a good distance away, and he had to hurry to make it back in the thirty minutes offered.

"How could…how could people be so…mean?" Quatre was nearly in tears, staring sadly after the boy, but Kid wasn't listening. Now. He had to do it now. Before the show. Before people would leave. He would have just enough time to run…before everything around him would be blown to pieces…

Kid fingered the detonation device that would individually trigger each of the packets that he had placed or "accidentally" dropped…but he couldn't do it. Assassins can not afford to have friends. He looked at Quatre.

"Because…You're my friend"

"That's what friends are for…"

"We're friends, right?"

"I hate you." It was no more then a whisper, but enough to turn the head of the boy beside him.

"W…what?"

"I HATE YOU! You're a stupid, useless test tube baby, and nobody likes you! You are pathetic, and weak, and we would all be better off if you just DIED!" He hated it. No matter that he was saving the boy's life. He had still lost the only person who had ever TRIED to be a friend…

"Hikari…w…why?" Tears were spilling down the blonde's cheeks.

"I. Hate. You." Because he didn't…COULDN'T… say anymore without crying himself, the young assassin threw the little brown toy hard at the ground between Quatre's feet in a final statement. Kid hardened himself for the extra tears, and as expected, the emotional boy turned and fled blindly in the direction of the forest. Kid knew. He knew what it was like to want to be alone, and the trees were the only place that could offer that kind of comfort. He ran as fast as he could towards a different section of the woods, and Miss Adalia, who had been silently watching the two boys, screamed at them to stop, and began chasing after the blond. As the guards began to take up the chase, Kid closed his eyes…and pressed the button. Even through his closed eyes, he could see bright colors lighting up the area in front of him. He had calculated the range of the explosives, and knew it would not quite reach the trees…Quatre was safe… Kid hung his head and slunk to the far corner of the car lot, almost invisible in the growing shadows. He waited for nearly twenty minutes, until the sound of sobbing grew louder in his ears. Through the darkening lot, he could just make out the figures of Miss Adalia and Quatre, who was huddled in her arms…and both were crying. He wanted nothing more then to approach them…tell Quatre he didn't mean it…ANYTHING to make them stop crying.

"It was MY fault. He…he…If he hadn't made me sad, I wouldn't have run…I should have stayed…now he's…he's…" The boy began sobbing again, and Kid had enough. Through the deepening shadows, he wound his way back to the trees, trying to block out Miss Adalia's attempts to comfort the boy.

Kid knew, without seeing, that Odin was waiting for him there. The traces he had left were obvious to follow, even in the setting dusk. Any other time he would have been delighted to see him…but today…he felt nothing.

"Hey, Kid." Odin whispered softly. When the boy said nothing and continued to stare out into the burning camp, the man rested a hand on his shoulder, mindful of the bandages wrapped under his clothing.

"You did well…We're going to go…and we have just one more mission together…" Kid finally looked up, question in his eyes.

"Yeah, that's right, Kid… we're gunna finish one last mission, and then I'll be one happily retired assassin!" For the first time since the explosion…Kid smiled. He was about to ask about himself…Odin had said nothing about what would happen to him once he was no longer useful…but a low wail echoed from the fires.

Immediately, both assassin and boy looked to see what had caused the noise…only to find the form of the circus boy, bent over a still figure. He must have just returned with the food he would have given the animals…but he was too late… Odin looked understandingly at Kid…knowing that this child was a survivor by his boy's will; not by mistake. They watched as he hugged the cat he had once played with and gave his fallen friend a final pat, before he silently stood and disappeared into the shadows once more.

"Common, Kid…let's go."

A/N-And it gets darker…Expect to see Duo within a couple chapters…and expect the unexpected next chapter. :-)

REVIEW RESPONSE

ZaKai-hmmm…why not be a translator? That sounds like fun to me! I dunno…that's just me though, and since I know about as much Japanese as a horse (I love horses!) I wouldn't be much use, would I? You know, you also don't have to review if you don't want to. What you say in the emails is fine with me. :-) save some time, and use it for yourself. Mhmmm…that homemade Pizza sure sounds good about now! I haven't had anything to eat today…any left overs? (even if they ARE about, what? A week and a half old?) Well, I hope that I didn't make everything too much like your own words here…if I did, tell me, and I'll change them! Anyway, never worry about taking your time on these…I can wait! .:sigh:. Uhh oh! What do you think you're sick with? Grrr…I should go and beat up those evil people who are making you work too hard! .:grabs baseball bat:. Grrrr…stupid people! Goodness…they should give you a couple days off!

krage- Ick! The dreaded PARENTS… Hey, just a couple more years, and I'm out of the house with them! Hahaha…I wish. Naw. I have the same treatment. Now I have to resort to sneaking on when they aren't around…All I do is check my email What can I say? I like to stay in contact with people. And then my parents did the "Clean your room or we disconnect the computer" thing…so now my room is almost spotless. Kinda hard since I still have boxes from moving. :-/
heeros n legends-oh wow! I feel SOO proud! Counting that I suck at cliffys, that feels good to know! Lol Also, in the chapter after this, it should have a part I wrote out thinking of you. :-) haha. Can't wait to have you read it.
Shinigami Akumu-hmmm…you think that I can use THAT as a quote? About laughing and crying? I have no clue what brought that up in your review, but I like it! So, tell me, since you have (hopefully, and with your consent) provided me with a quote…do you even read the quotes at the top, or should I just kick them off? Well, thanks for emailing me! It's nice hearing from you so often. :-)

drake-Ohhh! .:frames review:. PERFECT! I know…not everyone likes writing long and meaningful reviews, but I like it when people do although all reviews make me REALLY happy…it gives me hope in the future of my story. What can I say? I'm addicted to reviews. :-) I missed hearing form you…I thought you abandoned me! Well, I could make a review on your review, or I could just answer your questions! Lol Well, I guess the thing about "Who works for who, and their political positions" can be important…who's side are they on, and you have to know who to blame if anything goes wrong, (such as the highest in power) I dunno! I put this in without much thought, so I couldn't go really deep into it. Actually, as you probably found out in the chapter, I didn't want Kid to really MEET Trowa…That would make an interesting conversation of nothing. I wrote this chapter before you reviewed, (I'm Sorry!) but I added the part where the manager of the show doesn't call him by a name. He doesn't have a name yet…he's like Kid. I have an idea that will tie in all the other pilot's pasts, but that will be in the future. Don't worry. This story has just started. :-) lol I'm glad you liked the humor in this. I really hoped some people would notice the things I put in here. I don't want it to sound TOO sad and violent. More shall come with the arrival of Duo. In the last chapter, Odin and J were watching Kid's progress in getting the Teddy back, and Roul was about to pull the head off and expose what was inside, so J shot him to cause a commotion. Well, I better end this. It could be a story in itself! Ack! Thanks bunches! I LOVE questions! You can never ask enough!

MissionWingZero-Yeah, you will be sure to find J in the phone book…in the yellow pages under PSYCHO. Lol I loved your review! Ha! I got a couple good laughs out of that one! It made my day. Thanks!