Disclaimer: Yet again I do not own Outlaw Star in any way…..cries

A/N Ok so it's been how many years since I've started this story. Well one thing led to another and I just completely stopped. But I had actually written the next to chapters already and just never put them up! Wow. Ok so bare with me I'm getting this story up and running again. Well here's chapter 3.

Her Secret

Ms. Whitley greeted everyone as they came down for breakfast. "Good morning everyone."

"Mornin Mom," Gene said yawning. "What's for breakfast?"

"Oh you know eggs, pancakes, bacon, the works," she replied happily flipping a pancake.

"Good I'm starving!" cried Ashia

Only minutes later Alicia came down stairs and immediately eyed Gene. "Well there goes my morning," she said brushing past him.

"Geese," Gene mumbled, "You'd think she'd give it up by now."

"I heard that!" Alicia yelled from across the table.

"What? Do you want an award?" was Gene's response.

Jim sighed. "Here we go," and applied his ear plugs.

Miraculously they were at it again. This time Melfina broke it up. "Gene, don't you have something to do," she said pulling him upstairs.

"You're pathetic Gene! You have to get your GIRLFRIEND to save you!"

"Gene," Melfina said quietly. "You really should stop fighting with her, I mean, she's your sister."

"Relax Mel, brothers and sister's fight all the time," he said coolly.

Melfina sighed. "I guess. But it seems…..well like you spend more time fighting with her….than you do with…." She trailed off in mid sentence.

"Than I do with what?"

"Never mind. It's not that important." Melfina joined the others downstairs leaving a confused yet concerned Gene.

At about early evening Jim started rebalancing the debt they were in. "Gene, we're gonna have to get back in touch with Fred about that job. We'd be lucky if we found a couple coins on the ground!"

Gene didn't answer, he just stared out the window.

"HELLO!" Jim yelled. "Earth ta Gene!"

"Wha? Oh….a yeah, sure, job," he stuttered.

"Gene!" Ms. Whitley called from the kitchen, "You said you would go to the store today."

"Oh I forgot," he said unenthusiastically. He looked over at Melfina who was quietly reading in a corner. "Hey Mel, why don't you come with me?"

She looked up and smiled lightly. "Sure."

Jim groaned. "Gosh Gene, don't start."

"Whatever Jim," Gene said taking Melfina's hand and leading her out the door.

Jim turned away, "Do I have to do everything myself?" Suddenly he heard a loud crash and turned to see Alicia falling down the stairs.

"Jim! Where's Gene?" she said gasping for air.

"Out. Why?"

"Good. I need to borrow his caster."

Jim got up from his chair. "What! No way!"

"Look, it's for a good reason." Alicia explained.

Jim took and deep breath and calmed himself. "I'm listening."

Alicia paused a moment, then began. "You see, there's this guy. Derek Lou…"

"Wait, Lou?" Jim interrupted.

"Yes." She continued. "We met a while ago. We became friends but lately he's been acting really strange and vengeful. If someone says even the slightest rude remark to me he wants to beat them into small pieces! He never used to act that way. I…I told him that I didn't want to hang around someone like that anymore and he got really angry and left a note in my room saying he's going to kill me!"

"What!" Jim was stunned. "What kind of twisted mind does this guy have? Alicia, you know if you just tell Gene I'm sure….."

"Jim I beg you," Alicia said. "Please, don't tell Gene."

Jim paused for a moment, "Alright, I won't say anything."

"I owe you Jim."

Gene and Melfina had finished shopping and decided to take a short walk. "Gene," Melfina said. "You know we haven't been out together in a while."

Gene looked at the ground. "I know." An uneasy silence grew between them. "Melfina, I know I haven't really been myself lately. Especially since we got here. I know that that's really unfair to you but the truth is I don't want to do anything to hurt you."

"Gene," Melfina whispered. 'He's still not telling me something.' "Gene, what is it?"

"Nothing," he said firmly. "….just this place holds some painful memories….that's all." He gently caressed her face with the backs of his fingers. "But having you here with me makes me feel a lot better about being here. So as long as I know you are alright I know I will be too."

Melfina decided to leave it at that. If all she could do was just be near him to make him feel better then she would do just that.

A/N So that's chapter3! Tell me what ya think.