Disclaimer: I don't own any of it… sadly…

Author's Note: (7/27/05) My writing style has changed quite a bit in the four years since I first wrote this story – I'd like to think that I've improved a little as well, but the jury's still out on that one. Either way, when I read it again a couple months ago, I spent more time hiding behind the hands covering my face than I did actually reading it. Despite the good reviews I received four years ago, it just wasn't up to my standards anymore. So yesterday I sat down and started re-writing it from the beginning. Now that it's finished, the sequel to this story (The 13th Floor) is next on the chopping block. There weren't any major plot changes – I mainly focused on the words themselves. I hope this one reads a little better than it used to! As always, please read & review… it's what keeps me going!

P.S. Since there was no way to post multiple chapters when this was first submitted (yep, I've been around that long. Scary, isn't it?) the chapters were all rather short and read together on a single page. Thanks to modern technology, the chapters have now been split up. I do apologize for the shortness, though… ;-)

Prologue

The wind rustled loudly through the trees as the cool autumn air traveled down from the mountains above. Fiona Phillips inhaled deeply, catching the faint aroma of smoke from a nearby fire. She scuffed her shoe in the dirt and a pebble tumbled forward.

With a sigh, Fi pushed her hands further into the pockets of her black leather jacket, searching for the elusive warmth which had long since escaped her fingers.

At the sound of movement behind her she stiffened, standing quiet and motionless. For a moment, the only noise to be heard was the wind as it rolled past, tousling her long brown hair.

A sense of déjà vu washed over her and for an instant she could remember every other time she'd dreamed this same setting. For an instant, she remembered the evil that was about to threaten her...

And then it was gone. The time for it to happen was past, and this was an entirely different dream.

"I see you made it," a male voice called from behind her.

A smile crept across her features as she turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Daddy!" Fi threw her arms around him. "Is that really you? Or am I dreaming?"

"Yes, on both counts," Rick Phillips returned her embrace. "Listen sweetie, I don't have much time left. I can only stay another moment or so before they become suspicious."

"Before who becomes suspicious?" Fi loosened her grip and took a step back.

He ignored the question. "I came here to warn you, sweetie. I wanted to let you know that soon something will happen that will forever change your life."

"What are you talking about Daddy?" Fi gave him a confused look. She wondered what could possibly happen that would change her life so drastically.

"It's something of a long story and I'm really not the best person to explain it all to you now," he said. "But understand that although it might seem like a change for the worse at first, this will only help you later on."

"I don't understand…"

"And I don't expect you to right now. But you have to believe me when I tell you that this is for the best."

Rick tore his gaze from his daughter and turned it skyward. His carefree expression swiftly changed to one of concern. "I have to go," he hugged her again quickly. "Give your brother and your mother my love!"

"Daddy, no! Wait!" Fi reached out towards his hurriedly retreating figure. "Daddy!"

Carey stumbled tiredly towards Fi's bed. She had been calling out to her father in her sleep, the sound reverberating throughout the bus until it finally woke him. The 'rents were staying in a Bed and Breakfast tonight, leaving only the boys and Fiona to camp out on the bus.

When they arrived earlier that day the four rooms they were supposed to have booked turned out to be a meager two, leaving the kids with bus duty.

Jack and Clu, being heavy sleepers had continued to snore their way through Fiona's shouts, leaving only him to go and check on her.

'Must be another nightmare', he thought. This was certainly not the first time Carey had been forced to rescue her from the perils of sleep. Matter of fact, it was becoming a frequent occurrence. This was the third time this week and it was only Wednesday.

He opened the door slowly, not bothering to knock. She wouldn't have heard it anyway.

As his gaze fell upon Fiona, a dull light caught his eye. In the dark he could see something glowing blue on her hand. As he walked closer to her bed, he realized that the source of the light was her thumb ring.

"That's strange," he mumbled, looking around for anything blue that might have been just reflecting off the metal. Nothing.

"Daddy…" she whimpered.

Ignoring the light for a moment, he knelt quietly by the side of her bed and looked down upon her tear streaked face. He felt a surge of pity well up within him. 'Poor girl,' he thought, It must have been horrible growing up without ever really knowing her father.

"Fi...Fi wake up," Carey shook her gently, "You're dreaming..."

Fi's eyes slowly fluttered open and looked around, her brown eyes eventually landing on Carey. She sat up quickly and threw her arms around him, bursting into tears.

"Shh...It's okay Fi, it was only a dream," Carey hugged her tightly and rocked her back and forth, trying to calm her.

"I – I saw," Fi forced the words out between sobs.

"What? What did you see?" Carey asked quietly as he pulled back from the embrace.

This was certainly a change. Every other time, Fi hadn't been able to remember anything from her dreams.

"I saw.. my father," Fi managed, slowly gaining control over her emotions. "He told me that... that something was going to happen that would change my life forever... then he was gone."

She wiped the tears from her eyes, suddenly feeling foolish about the waterworks.

"It was only a dream Fi, nothing to worry about," Carey sent her a reassuring smile.

"No, it wasn't just a dream!" at Carey's strange look, she fought to explain. "I know it sounds crazy, but I could smell smoke! I felt the wind and the cold."

At the thought of the cold, she instinctively wrung her hands to bring back the warmth. An idea made it's way through her sleep muddled mind and she reached out to grab Carey's bare forearm.

Carey inhaled sharply and pulled back his arm from her freezing hands, "Woah, man, you weren't kidding about feeling the cold were you?"

He looked down at her bed. A sheet, a heavy quilt and another blanket on top of that.

It was the middle of November and almost thirty degrees outside, so the heater was on high. And with that heater even low was enough to sweat you out of the bus, so if anything she should have been hot, not cold.

Fiona's yawn dragged him back to reality.

"It's only two-thirty and we have a long day ahead of us," Carey pulled the blankets up as Fi laid back down, tucking her in. "Might as well try to get some sleep."

Fi watched as Carey turned to go, "Um...Carey?"

"Yeah Fi?"

"Would you mind...uh...staying with me a little while?" Fi asked quietly, not managing to look him in the eye.

Carey looked back at her and smiled to himself.

"Just until I fall asleep," she finished quickly. She glanced back up at him and Carey hid his smile.

"Sure, no problem," he sat on the edge of her bed and leaned against the wall.

"Oh, and Carey?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't tell Jack or my Mom about the dream... It was probably nothing and I really don't want to upset them," Fi asked.

"Consider it our little secret," he said.

Fiona closed her eyes and smiled, slowly drifting off to sleep.