Hey everyone! I am back with a new part. I just want to say a quick thank you to all you feedbackers. I love hearing all you guys have to say! You guys really encourage me to write faster. ;)

Special Thanks To:

Red-rumm: Thanks for the feedback and because you were the first feedbacker you get a hundred brownie points. :)

kt: Hey! I am glad that you like this story as much as my other one. It's really nice to have you. I don't think I'm going to put the dupes in this...but I haven't ruled it out as a possiblity.

cesca: I'm glad to have you reading this story too! It makes me feel loved. :) Don't worry Max is in this along with everyone else. I could not write a story without Max. :)

music nimf: Yeah, I'm sorry! I really love Alex too. This story was really spur of the moment for me and I was in a sort of dark and depressed mood and this prologue just came out. And I was really worried after I posted this that I had committed some cardinal sin by killing Alex and that no one would like it, let alone reply. So thanks for replying. :)


Chapter 1

Last Time: "No Maria. It…w-won't b-be ok-ay." I stutter out. She gives me a confused and worried look and I hate to tell her. I know it's going to break her heart and I want desperately to save her from the pain, but she needs to know…
"Liz, where's Alex?" Maria asks tears springing to her eyes. The look on her face breaks my heart and I hate to confirm her fears…
"Ria A-"
"NO!" She shouts out wretchedly.

"Ria, the reason Al-"
"NO! No no no!" Covering her ears she curls in on herself sobbing desolately. Needing to hear myself say it out loud, I continue.
"Maria," My voice cracks on the name, but I force myself to continue. "Alex is…is d-dead." As I finish she lets out an animalistic cry that pierces me through. Nothing will be okay ever again.

Liz POV

I watch in silence as Maria's world comes crashing down around her. She looks so small curled in on herself on the floor and I feel another piece of me break at the sight of her. A swallowing emptiness fills me and I slowly crawl my way towards her and lift her head into my lap and stroke her hair like she had done for me so many times before and just only minutes ago. I don't know if it's more for her benefit or mine.

Maria's whimpers grow softer but don't stop and it angers me that I can't stop her pain, or mine. Suddenly Maria lifts her head from my lap and sits up.

"Kyle's coming." She tells me staring at the door and sure enough, a minute later I hear the sound of feet pounding in the hall outside of our apartment and then Kyle bursts through the door. His breathing is heavy and I know that he ran here, know that he felt Maria's pain.

"What's wrong?" Kyle asks worriedly looking back and forth between Maria's haggard appearance and mine. He doesn't know. Another whimper escapes Maria's lips and he doesn't waste time rushing to hold her.

"K-Kyle." She cries as he wraps his arms around her, cradling her against him. Kyle looks up at me fearfully from over Maria's shoulder. There's only been one other time that Maria has ever looked this…broken. He shakes his head not wanting to believe it, but when I won't meet his eyes, he crushes Maria's thin frame against him almost as if he's afraid to lose her too. "K-Kyl-e. He's gone. He's gone." She whispers out against his shoulder.

"I know 'Ria, I know." Sniffling, she looks back up to his face for some sort of reassurance. "Kyle, what are we going to do?"

"I-I don't know."

Suddenly I feel like I'm intruding and I wrap my arms around myself and head for my room. I can't help but feel a little jealous. Was I ever this close with my brother and sister? Could I communicate with them like Kyle and Maria could? Without words? Would they comfort me through this? Do they even care that their cousin died? Do they even know we're alive? Do they even care that I'm hurting? I stare at the soft beige of the carpet in my room and how slowly it starts to blur. I know that's not a fair question. They probably don't know we even exist…I mean I didn't know I had a brother and sister till…

Flash

"Who are you, and what do you want!" I ask angry and scared as he advances on me. I prepare the energy in my arm so if I need to I can protect myself. Looking around, and not finding what he's looking for he turns back to face me.

"Where are the others?"

"What others?" I ask feigning ignorance.

"You know very well who I am talking about your majesty. Raising my arm at his tone I ask again.

"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE. WHAT DO YOU WANT? Answer my questions first, and then I will consider answering yours." Almost automatically he answers yet he doesn't appear happy about it.

"I am Colson, your…protector." He says finally finding the word he was looking for. I look him over from the bottom of his shoes to the top of his three piece suit. If he hadn't of been following me, I never would have picked him out of New York City's sea of people. I wait for him to answer my second question but when he doesn't I persist.

"What do you want?"

"Where are the rest of you?" He counters raising an eyebrow in defiance.

"What makes you think there are more?" Who is this guy? If he's our protector than where has he been? I am not telling him about Maria, Alex or Kyle until he proves he is who he says he is.

"Because you are the royal eight. Not, the royal one." Royal? What is he talking about? Wait. Eight?

"Wait, did you just say eight? Royal? Look whoever you are you have the wrong person."

"Do I?" He questions and raises his arm towards me and acting on instinct I throw up my shield, its blue light surrounding me. "No, it appears I do have the right person…the question is your majesty is where are the rest of the royal eight?" He questions lowering his hand.

"If you're really our protector, where have you been all this time? And how do I know you are who you say you are?" Looking at me, he lifts up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of five dots in what looks like a 'v' shape on his forearm.

"You recognize this?" He asks pointing to the small dot in the center. I feel my breath catch in my throat as one word fills my mind.

"Antar."

"Yes. Only a protector of the royal family has this mark."

"Why do you keep calling me 'your majesty'?" I ask confused.

"You are Aislinn, Queen of Antar and wife to King Zan, ruler of the five planets."

"Q-queen? Queen of Antar? Wife? What are you talking about? I'm not married."

"You have lived before." What is he talking about? Lived before? "You still do not believe me?" He asks taking in my skeptical expression.

"Lived before?"

"Where are the other seven? I'd really like to only tell this story once." He tells me getting impatient.

"Other seven?"

"Yes. Zan, Vilondra, Mairin, Teague, and Chaska; and where on earth are your brother and sister?"

"Brother and sister? I have a brother and sister?"

"Yes! Of course you do. Rath and Ava. Speaking of which, where are they? It's not like them to send their sister alone." He answers looking around expectantly.

Flash

No, I didn't know they existed at all. And somewhere out there they don't know we exist either. All I ever had was…was Alex. Alex was my family. Even before Colson told me he was my cousin, I knew. I feel a knot build up in my stomach at the thought of him and the tears fall hard and fast. Alex. And now he's gone and it's entirely my fault. If I had just listened to me when he told me not to go…Lying down on my bed, I use my powers to flip on the stereo; and as the soft strains of music fill my room, I feel the weight of the day hit me. Exhausted, the room spins and I fall into a restless sleep.

Flash

"Liz. I am telling you. Don't go." Alex tells me. His arms folded defiantly against his chest. I look up at his reflection in the mirror while gently fastening in my other earring.

"Alex, it's just a date. Calm down. Nothing bad is going to happen." I tell him trying to calm him down.

"I don't trust him. Liz, you've only known him for a few months-"

"That's why I am going out with him Alex, to get to know him better. It's what normal people do." I tell him lightly and smiling at his concern.

"But that's just it Liz, we're not normal." He says getting frustrated.

"Well, for just one night, I'd like to be." He glares at my reflection. "Look Alex, you're not in charge of me and I am going to go out with him whether you like it or not." Turning away from my reflection and walking to where he stands I put my arms around him. "I know that you're just worried about me…but don't be. If something bad was going to happen, I would've seen it." Tightening my hold around him I will him to do the same. Slowly he brings his arms around my back and squeezes me tightly.

"You can't depend on your powers all the time to let you know when something bad is going to happen, Liz. Sometimes you need to use common sense too." He whispers in my ear.

"I know. But I've never been wrong before." I say brightly smiling up at him.

"Liz, you're the only family I've got. You're my home. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you."

"I know."

"I love you."

"If this is a con to get me out of going on my date…" I mutter suspiciously raising an eyebrow. Laughing he pulls away to look at my face.

"Why? Is it working?"

"No." I answer smirking. "But I love you too cousin." Smiling he pulls me back to him and places a soft kiss on my head.

"Be careful." He tells me seriously as I pull away.

"Aren't I always?" I wink at him and grabbing my jacket I head for the door.

Flash

"Hey, sorry I'm late. So where are we going?" I say stepping out into the cold night where Ryan stands waiting for me.

"Well, first we have to go back to my apartment. I left my wallet there. It'll only take a few minutes; I live just down the block. Do you mind?"

"No, lead the way." I smile happily linking my arm through his.

Flash

"Where are we going Ryan? I thought you said you lived right down the block?" I ask confused, trying to ward off the cold by wrapping my arms around myself.

"We're almost there, I promise." He answers grabbing hold of my hand.

Flash

"Ryan, what's this? You can't seriously tell me that you live in a warehouse." I say laughing and squeezing his hand tighter trying to scare off the foreboding feeling filling my gut.

"Liz, this was supposed to be a surprise." He chides jokingly. "I've planned a picnic for us."

"In a warehouse?"

"Come on, just give it a chance. I brought you your favorites. I even brought you some Tabasco too."

"Well, if you went through all that trouble…" I answer excitedly. He laughs and pulls me towards the door.

Flash

"I thought you said you had a picnic set up? I hope someone didn't take it."

"Oh, no one took it, Lizzie."

"Lizzie? Call me Liz. You know I hate it when people call me L-" Turning around I notice a strange glint to his eyes. "Ryan?"

"Move away from him Liz."

"Alex? Where you following us? I can't believe you-"

"Move away from him Liz." Alex repeats raising his arm towards Ryan.

Flash

Alex lying on the ground motionless as a thick red liquid pours out around his head and body.

"Oh God! Alex!"

Flash

The smile on Ryan's face as he lowers the gun.

"One down, three to go…"

Flash

The sound of his feet pounding as he chased me down the streets.

Flash

The feeling of his fist slamming into my face as he hit me.

Flash

"It's your fault he's dead…hadn't have come like he told you not to…you're cousin's dead and soon you will be too…it'll only hurt for a second Lizzie…you hear me Lizzie…LIZ…LIZ…"

Flash

"LIZ! LIZ! Wake up Liz!" I jerk awake as I feel something shaking my shoulder. Suddenly power rips from my body and I hear a heavy thud against the wall. "OW!" It was just a dream…Realizing where I am I look over to see what made the thud.

"Kyle! Oh my god! What happened?" I ask taking in the sight of him crumpled against the wall.

"Well, you were screaming and I tried to wake you up. You kind of threw me against the wall." He says standing and rubbing his back where he hit the wall. "Are you okay?" He asks looking at me concerned.

"I feel like I should be asking you that. You want me to heal that for you?"

"No, I got it." He says softly as a warm glow emits from his hand. "What about you? Do you want me to…?" He gestures to where deep purple and yellow bruises mar my face.

"It's not your fault Liz."

"What?"

"It's not your fault. You were screaming that it was your fault. It's not." He tells me seriously.

"It is my fault Kyle! How can it not be? He told me not to go, but I went anyways. He was…he was just trying to…to protect me."

"Liz, it's not-"

"Don't you tell me it's not my damn fault!" I scream out in frustration. Doesn't he understand? "Alex would still be alive if it weren't for me! He'd still be laughing! He'd still be joking around or playing that stupid guitar!" Kyle moves towards me. "Don't! Don't touch me." I plead, but it does nothing to deter Kyle from wrapping his arms around me. Trying to push him away, he just holds me tighter.

"It's okay Liz." He whispers softly.

"Why does everyone keep saying that! Don't you understand? It's NOT okay. It will NEVER be okay. God, why do I even have my powers if I couldn't save him! I didn't see it Kyle. I didn't see it." I feel the tears start again and I will them to stop. "NO." Pushing away from Kyle, I take a step back and wipe my eyes. "No, I've cried enough, now I need to be strong for Maria. I need to be strong. I'm not gonna let them get us too."

"Liz." Kyle begins.

"No. H-how's Maria holding up?" I ask not wanting to skip around the thing on both of our minds.

"She's asleep. Liz-"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You have to talk to someone about it."

"No. We have to come up with a plan. We need to get out of here. They know who we are now!" I say pacing back and forth. "We need to pack and…and…can you pack for Maria?" Rushing towards my closet I begin ripping clothes off of hangers and tossing them to the floor.

"Liz."

"Of course you're gonna need to go home and pack some stuff too…so maybe…"

"Liz." Kyle says grabbing my arm to get my attention. "Liz, you need to slow down."

"I can't." I whisper brokenly. "I need to keep busy or I am just going to fall apart. Do you understand that?" I ask looking into his eyes for understanding. His grip on my arm loosens and he moves his hands up to my face. I feel a small tingling and the burning feeling in my face disappears. "Thanks." I whisper softly and I move back to pulling clothes out of my closet.

"So, what are we going to do?" He asks handing me another shirt from my closet.

"We have to find the others."