Wild-Roze: Aaaaand chapter 4. Thanks for all the reviews so far guys, I know that most of the time sequels aint half as popular as the original fic, im just glad so many of u seem to still like this Enjoy!

Hael breathed deeply and tensed her body. She drew upon her energy and focused it on the task at hand. She heard the count down, and let her eye lids slide shut, not that it made a difference. Now! She wrenched back with her hand, part of her consciousness was fed into the palm sized blade that slammed into the dish and shot around the rim. Her brother's blade sat poised in the centre.

"Been practicing much Silver?" He asked her.

She shrugged.

"Now and then, it's the only thing that distracts me from all those damned TV cameras." She indicated in the direction of the camera crew that filmed even now.

The two blades came together, Hael felt them grind, sending off sparks. But there was a second reason for her blading which no one knew of. It was the thing that kept her slogging forward in her desperate attempt to see. For when she called forth her bitbeast something happened to her…. She was so in tune with the gigantic bat, that sometimes she could see through its eyes. Of course, there was still no colour, just grey fuzzy shapes that very rarely came into focus. But to her, who's life was lived in darkness, it was the most heart wrenchingly beautiful thing she could wish for…

Not only had blading helped her determination to remain constant, but it had also increased her skills. She had not battled her brother for almost a year now, he rarely had time any more, what with his wife Michelle and little Kim to take care of. But Hael had never had to worry about beyblading getting in the way of a relationship… well, until now.

She knew Tala was standing watching. At first she had been cold to him, she had always suspected that he was the one behind what had happened to her, but then, she had never really spoken to him, it had all been about Kai. She was surprised to discover that truly it had been him donating the money, not a prankster, but still her heart had remained sceptical. Then of course, he started acting….. kindly, he complimented her, he was gentle and kind to her. There didn't seem to be anything malicious in him.

It was wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time, knowing that Tala was willing to love her, and yet also knowing that if this was the case, the Kai really had meant what he had said, that it really was him, that he had never been willing to love her.

She was drawn back into the game when she felt how close her blade was to the edge. Now was the time.

"Ciegue…" She breathed, summoning forth her dear friend. The bronze bat erupted from the bit, and instantly Hael's eyes seemed to open to a new world; hazy greys and blacks, dull and boring, but to her, so… beautiful. Her gaze swept around, the bulk of her brother swam in and out of focus and warmed her heart, she could see his heart beating, forcing blood around his veins, beads of perspiration formed on his forehead at the extra effort of fighting a blade infused with such a powerful spirit.

A little behind him stood Michelle, Kimmy's tiny hand grasped gently in her's. Hael smiled fondly at her small niece… then from the corner of her eye she saw the rearing wall of the Biovault building, part of it, which shone brighter must be a window, and she narrowed her eyes as she saw figure standing there… but it was too blurry to see who it might be.

Then, one more figure came to her notice. Tall and slender…. Then it came into clear view, as she turned her full attention on discovering who this person could be. She gasped, the man was handsome, his eyes so sharp and clear, his face angled and hard. His arms were crossed across his narrow chest…. Tala.

Hael almost lost her focus entirely. The figure blurred as she felt a phenomenal force collide with her. Her brother's blade battled more and more furiously. She struggled to pick up her lined of concentration again… but the grey shaped flickered… then vanished.

She found herself on her knees breathing heavily, Ciegue on the ground beside her. She heard and recognised Tala's foot fall as he came to her side and slowly helped her up.

"Your getting better Silver." Dane she retrieving his own blade, "you just need to concentrate more."

She smiled to herself, she already knew that much, but during battles, somehow her mind seemed to always wander. What did it matter anyway?

Tala passed Ciegue to her, silently. It was incredible to watch her battle. When he fought it needed every once of concentration he had, he needed to watch his blade like a hawk, how she managed to do it going only by ear he did not know.

They had been here almost a week now, and as yet Kai had remained out of the way, not even Tala had spoken to him. However, the red head had noticed the man often watching, like he was even now from that high window. He smirked cruelly to himself, how gratifying it felt to hold in his arms the thing that Kai wanted more than anything.

He cast an icy glance at the window, but could see no one there. It didn't matter.

Kai glared at the empty bottle of scotch, normally a bottle like this would last him a couple of years seeing as he very rarely drank, but this week he had finished it in record time. He knew that Tala had no interest in Hael, none at all. Knowing that just made him even more furious, how could she be so… blind!

He glared at the empty glass in his hand, as if his hate filled eyes would somehow replenish its contents….. He did not hear the door to his office open quietly, and threw the glass across the room, watching it shatter on the wall. When he spun around his eyes meeting with those of Mrs. Kinyonova.

He paused, she looked from him, to the empty bottle, to the shattered glass.

Perfect!

"I have clearly come to see you at a bad time…" She muttered, turning to leave.

"No, no you haven't come at a bad time." He cut in, striding over to her and closing the door before she could leave. "You want to see me about something?" He asked.

"Well, it wasn't anything important." She said, "Just really to thank you properly for doing this, and also… well, as you are aware of today is Friday, and my daughter will go under the knife tomorrow. We were hoping on throwing her a sort of.. good luck party, I came to ask if that would be ok. We wanted to invite all her old friends, and I was also wanting to know if you would like to come too…." She trailed off not meeting his eyes, he had looked up at her sharply.

"I thought that we agreed, Mrs. Kinyonova, that she would not even know that I am here…" He said.

"Well," She began, raising her hands as if in defence. "I never actually said that, but I won't lie by saying this is easy for me…. I have seen you, you know, I have seen you, you have watched her since she arrived. I don't know why, and I don't know exactly what it was that happened on that night… but…" Here she drew a deep breath, and sighed before she continued. "I do know that she… she loved you, and that, she has not stopped thinking of you."

Kai blinked. Now that couldn't be true…

"I…" he started, but then realised he had no words to follow.

Mrs. Kinyonova was inspecting his face closely, trying to discern his emotions… he instantly allowed his mask to slide into place, hiding all his feelings.

"You may have this party for her." He muttered, opening the door for her. She did not move.

"And you will come?" She asked.

Kai merely grunted in response, and ushered her out.

"Hael!"

She would know that voice anywhere.

"Mariah!" Yelled the bronze haired Russian, flinging her arms around the pink haired woman.

"Don't you forget about us!" Emily's shrill voice reminded, joining the hug.

The two were accompanied by Max, and Ray who each took their turn to embrace Hael. Max held her a little longer, lifting her off the ground slightly.

"I can't believe you guys are here!" She gasped at last.

"Your mum called us! You must have realised we wouldn't miss out on the chance to wish you good luck, your life changes tomorrow!" Ray said, feigning hurt.

Hael led them in. A large ball room in the complex had been set up with a few round tables. Here and there members of Hael's family, along with a few other friends she had made sat here and there. Whoever owned this place was generous to allow them to hold this kind of function. But, she guessed as it was all being filmed by the camera crews it was all good publicity.

Her and the other four sat down at a table where she settled beside Tala. He smiled disarmingly at the people who he had once bullied at school, however his eyes remained narrowed. None of them returned the smile, and Mariah scowled out right. Out of a choice between Kai and Tala, they had all been far happier when she had been involved with Kai, even if that did turn out to be a scam. They had always thought that Tala had been the far more vicious, and spiteful one out of the pair. None of them liked what her friend had gotten into here, but what could they say? He was the one who had made the operation possible. It must be hard for her being here too, everyone knew that Kai owned this place.

"Hael, its been so long since we have had a girl's chat." Mariah said, "how bout you me and Emily go find a quiet corner to gossip in?" She said.

To her relief the two of them agreed and they were able to wander off to a small table. Mariah got straight to the point.

"Hael, are you sure your ok? You know, with Tala, I mean…."

"Well why wouldn't I be?" She asked.

"Oh no reason, apart from that fact that he is the biggest jerk in the world. I even heard that he once raped a girl who used to go to our school…" she said, waving her hands elaborately, despite Hael could not see this.

"Oh you know that for a fact huh?" Emily cut in. "That was only a rumour, but Mariah is just worried about you, we all are. I mean, Tala… He might not have raped someone.. but he does have a kid you know, a little while after you left our school he got a girl pregnant, and refused to pay for an abortion, and then he just left her to it, doesn't give child support or anything." She informed, sliding her glasses up her nose.

Hael knew that Emily would never tell her this unless it was fact, she was never the type to go in for gossip and rumours.

"A.. a kid?" She asked. He had never mentioned it… why would he contribute to her fund, and not pay for his own child? And what kind of a man has a child so young anyway? Not to mention leaving the caring to the mother….

She sighed. But he was different now, wasn't he? He had been nothing but charm to her.

"And I imagine it must be difficult being in the Biovault Abbey too…. I mean, your around the two worst possible men for you, Tala and…" Mariah trailed off, not even wanting to say his name in case it upset her.

"Mariah.. look!" Hissed Emily, pointing at the door.

Kai had just slid, like a shadow, into the room. He spied a deserted table, and ordered for a scotch to be brought to him, then sat and glared moodily around.

"Who? Who is it?" Hael asked.

"Ugh… speak of the devil… its him!" Mariah said, disgust in her voice.

Kai's eyes flickered over to them, they widened seeing the two women glaring at him, with Hael. He quickly looked away and sipped his drink which had arrived.

"Whois it?" Hael hissed.

"Oh like you don't know who we're talking about. Hael, Kai just came in."

WR: Ohhhhhhhh

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