Next chapter's up! I'm sorry it's a bit short, hope you like it!

Without speaking, Kai made his way to the sofa in the middle of the room and sat down heavily on it, glaring around the room. Everyone quickly averted his or her eyes. Casually, knowing that Kai hated anything he classed as being "soft", Ray sat up slightly in his chair. "Hey, Kai! Long time no see." Kai grunted in reply. Meanwhile, Hilary had noticed a nurse they knew from the hospital coming up the stairs outside the door. She went out to meet her, knowing Kai's opinion on hospitals. The nurse smiled, obviously realising why Hilary had come out, and put something in Hilary's hand. Hilary looked down. Painkillers. Strong ones. Only a couple of steps down from morphine. She looked at the nurse, confused.

"He gets…headaches." the nurse explained. "He hates taking them, but he will if he has to." Hilary nodded.

"Thanks."

"No problem!" the nurse smiled. "Say hi to the others for me!"

"Okay," Hilary said, watching her walk away. She turned and went back inside, to a scene of complete chaos.

Kai was standing over a cowering Tyson, violet eyes flashing dangerously as he gave him a furious tongue-lashing.

"Of all the stupid, irresponsible things to do! God, I don't know why I bother, it's not like you're actually going to remember any of this, not once I'm through with you…" Obviously, Tyson had just told Kai about Sarah. Hilary tiptoed over to where Max and Ray were splitting their sides with silent laughter. Ray raised a hand in greeting. Hillary smiled her acknowledgment, holding out the painkillers for both of the boys to see. Max recognised them even faster than Hilary had, and screwed up his face in disgust, remembering them only too well from his time with appendicitis.

"Poor Kai!" he whispered, stifling a giggle. "These taste awful!" Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Someone answer that." said Kai curtly, contemptuously brushing past Tyson and sitting back down on the sofa. Collecting himself, Tyson got up and pulled the door open.

"Hi Uncle Charlie!" he said, casting a nervous look at Kai.

"Hey, Tyson!" They slapped hands. Tyson's uncle looked behind him. "Sarah! Sarah? Oh there you are! Look Tyson, I gotta go. If you need me, you know the number, right?" Tyson nodded.

Inside, the rest of the team heard a child's voice calling loudly,

"Ty! Ty! Up! Up! UP!" They heard Tyson chuckling merrily.

"Okay, okay, Sarah! You win! I give up!" Tyson came through the door with his triumphant cousin settled high on his shoulders. He swung her down. "Sarah, meet my friends!" Max studied the little girl intently. She was pretty, he thought. The little girl was skinny, with thick, chin length black hair and startling green eyes. Sarah caught him looking at her, and toddled over, sitting down with a bump by his feet. Max slid down to the floor next to her and felt himself under scrutiny every bit as intense as his own had been. "This is Max," said Tyson. Sarah studied him for a few more moments, then smiled and clambered into Max's lap, poking interestedly at his blond hair.

"Mac!" she said blissfully. Everyone's jaw hit the floor. Tyson looked, amazed, at the sight.

"Well," he said, grinning. "I've never seen her do that before!" Max smiled. He'd always loved little kids. This was cool!

"Hey, Sarah? Do you want to go and see Tyson's other friends now?" Max said. Sarah looked up, pouted, then nodded. Max carefully lifted her out of his lap and, grinning mischievously, led her over to Kenny. "Kenny." he said, then sat back to enjoy the fun.

"Relax, Chief!" Tyson called. "Just let her size you up!"

"O-okay!" stammered Kenny, staring nervously at the little girl in front of him. "I'm not too good with little kids…" Ignoring all the talking, Sarah sat down in front of him and swept him from head to foot with a long gaze. It took her much longer than it had with Max, but eventually, she nodded in satisfaction and took a few unsteady steps away.

"Kenny." she pronounced, turning around to find her next new friend. Hilary, on purpose, stretched hugely, capturing Sarah's attention. Sarah wandered over. Instead of looking at each other, the two girls touched hands briefly, before Hillary lifted her up onto her lap. Both of them were smiling.

"Hilary." Hillary said. Sarah nodded happily.

"Hilly." She scrambled off Hillary's lap and went over to Ray. Ray got down on his hands and knees and they stared at each other.

"Hey, Sarah!" Tyson said from the other side of the room. "That's Ray." Sarah looked carefully at Ray, noticing his incredibly long hair, amber eyes, and longer than normal canine teeth. She frowned, screwing her face up in thought.

"No. He not Ray. He…Pussy!" she cried triumphantly. Pussy! Kai's mouth twitched slightly at the look on Ray's face. Alerted by the movement, Sarah toddled towards Kai, completely unaware of everyone behind her rising to their feet. Kai locked eyes with her. Still annoyed with Tyson, his gaze was fiercer than he or Sarah expected. The little girl's bottom lip trembled dangerously and she ran back to Tyson and buried her face in his leg. Tyson glared at Kai, who glared back and turned away, ashamed but determined not to show it.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang again.

"What is this, a game of "everyone come in"?" asked Ray, annoyed, pulling himself out of his chair.

"Max, Kenny," Kai said quickly.

"Yeah?" they replied in unison. Ray paused with his hand on the doorknob.

"Get the kid out of here." He pointed impatiently at Sarah.

"What?"

"Why?"

"I not kid!" the three of them spluttered. Kai didn't answer for a minute, eyes glued to the door.

"Just do it. Now!" Nodding, Max dragged the still protesting Kenny and Sarah out the room, shutting the door partway behind them. Kai's fingers tightened round his blade as Ray swung the door open.

Ooh, a cliffhanger! REVIEW, PLEASE!