(Disclaimer: This story, plot, and its characters are all copyright and owned by me unless otherwise stated.)

Remember: Only you can prevent art and writing theft. Please don't be a jerk and steal. Or I'll hunt you down. And my machete hungers for the blood of evil thieves.


Chapter 7

A ball bounced softly down the apartment building stairwell. Not far behind it was a small girl, giggling loudly as she gave chase down the steps. It bounced on the stairs, skipping some as it went. The sound echoed off the rich red and cream colored paneling.

The girl ran just behind it, her hand balancing on the wall or the steps as she followed quick as she could.

At the base of the stairs the ball seemed to pause, as if waiting for her to catch up, and as she neared the last few steps, it again bounced off. Hitting the banister then rolled to the floor, going off out the open door.

"Hey!" She laughed in childish frustration and took off after it again, running out into the courtyard of the building. There was a small garden here, and a playground for kids, but there were no children today, just her. The rain was pouring down in gentle sheets from the soft grey sky. The ball sat in a puddle near the swings. She went out into the ran after it without a thought.

When she reached for it, her eyes went to her reflection and the little girl saw a nightmarish flash. She saw machines and wires and a girl. An older girl who was attached to those machines and wires. Her body limp, suspended in some sort of glowing blue fluid.

The little girl gasped loudly, crystal blue eyes going wide. She snatched her ball from the puddle. Only herself stared back at her now as the water softly rippled with the rain that started to come down harder.

She whimpered and hugged the ball to her chest, trying to shake off the image from her mind and her eyes went to the puddle once more. This time, the vision was different. She saw someone standing alone, a dark shadow stranded in the grey pool. The shadow slowly began to walk away, the rain cutting up the image as the figure vanished.

She hugged the ball tighter, shutting her eyes, and sat down on her knees in the rain, body slumping around the ball as she gripped to it. Her cheeks started to streak with tears.

As she sat like that, as shadow fell over her small form and she opened her eyes slightly as she felt the new presence. Her brother stood before her, an umbrella in his hand.

She stood slowly, gazing up at him as a dark blush of embarrassment filled her cheeks. Her sleeve rubbed the tears from her eyes and she paused as she saw her brothers eyes were red, swollen. he'd been crying too?

"I miss mama too, Lydon..." She whispered, and her brother knelt on one knee, dropping the umbrella. The ball fell from her hands and he instantly scooped her up into his strong hold. He was shaking with sobs.

"Lydon?" She asked curiously. Her brother raised the face of a young teen to her, swallowing back the tears. She knew he missed their mother. Softly she touched his cheek, smiling brightly. "I thought you said we should be strong and not cry?" Her head tilted curiously then she leaned up to hug him tightly around the neck. " It's okay, Lydon. I can be strong for both of us."

He shook his head and picked the small girl up under the knees as he stood, cradling her damp form to his chest and scooped up the umbrella. "Shh. You'll get sick out here Ana Maria..."

"But...But, Lydon..." She squirmed in protest.

He forced and smile, but his eyes were so sad that she stopped trying to squirm away. "Shush now. Something bad has happened, Ana..." He muttered and took her inside.

"Lydon..." Ana awoke muttering her elder brother's name against her comforter, which was bundled against her cheek like a stuffed animal. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she blinked at the face before her.

Face?

Ana screamed, thrashing in her blankets in an attempt to cover herself.

Haydren merely stood from where he'd crouched next to her bed as he watched her sleeping.

"What in the hell are you doing in here?" Ana backed up against her head board as she pulled her pillow up to conceal her panties and tank top. She hadn't slept last night for the sake of trying to keep one eye opened. All she could really think about was that there was a strange man lurking about her house. Hadn't she locked that bedroom door twice?

Haydren furrowed his brow at her antics. "I heard you making strange noises so I came to investigate." He stepped around the room, looking at things here and there, pausing to pick up a bra from the dresser curiously. "Well, that's a tiny bra." He noted out loud

She rolled off the bed and snatched the bra from him, her cheeks burning crimson as she pointed toward the bedroom door. "Get out!" Her voice raised as she screamed it, her hand hugging the pillow over her scantily clad figure.

He shook his head, but did as told, leaving her to herself. Women were so touchy.

Ana let out a heavy sigh, shutting the door firmly behind him. She needed to get ready for school. Her expulsion had ended yesterday.

Should she leave him in the house alone while she was gone? He'd be fine, she supposed. She ran a hand up into her hair. What time was it anyway?

Haydren jumped up from his seat on the couch, hand on his gun as he heard Ana screaming in terror. Before he could do much else to react she came barreling out the door and into the hallway, tugging on the vest to her uniform, her socks and tie in her mouth.

"What is it?" He yelled, drawing his weapon as he gazed down the hall. "Is it an attack?"

"No! It's worse!" She wailed, grabbing her book bag as she pulled on her socks.

"A bomb?" Haydren narrowed his gaze, preparing. Surely they had not tracked this place down yet? "Ana, what it is?" He looked to her to see her shoving her feet in her shoes as she ran for the door.

"It's not a bomb! I'm late for school!" Ana yelled as she flung open the front door and disappeared out at the amazing speed of a teenage girl.

Haydren was left staring after her, gun steal held poised as if he were going into a stealth stance. She was...late? All that for...that?

Janus walked up beside him, giving a wide yawn and stretched his legs.

Haydren looked down at the dog and met his eyes. They stared for a long moment in the silence of the apartment then Haydren finally shrugged and put away his gun.

"Civilian life..." He shook his head. And Headquarters was making him learn how to be just like these people? Him, a first class military officer and fighter, someone with training in more things espionage than James Bond? He groaned. This was going to really take some getting used to.

He headed for the kitchen and to rummage through the fridge for something to eat. Idly musing the fact that Ana had not grabbed anything on the way out. Silly, he thought to himself, then blink after opening the fridge. He was greeted with an nearly empty space, save for a jug of juice and a dish of cold apples and bananas.

His brow perked and he straightened to look in the ice box. Nothing but a couple frozen bags of vegetables and some hotdogs that were well past being freezer burnt.

"What the hell does this girl eat?" He shook his head and shut the doors. He'd have to do some shopping. Clearly she didn't seem to grasp the concept of needing to eat. She wasn't like some of those girls was she? That never ate and turned to skeletons with skin stretched on them? He cringed to think about it as he went to the cabinet, wondering if he just imagined a cloud of dust puff out as he opened it, or it one really had. The cabinet, as well as most the cupboards were bare.

"Jesus H. Christ." He muttered under his breath and turned to go get his coat, but stopped when he heard a mew behind him. Turning the counter he found a large, white Persian cat watching him. The cat was fat, looking as if he probably ate more than Ana dead.

The cat meowed again and Haydren curled a lip back, letting out a little growl at it. It seemed unfazed and only yawned.

He reached a hand down and picked it up by the scruff of the neck, looking at its tag. "Azrael." Haydren walked to the door, the cat still held in one hand as he pondered if he could get away with pushing it out the window, but decided better of it and tossed the fat cat on the couch next to where Janus now sat. The cat shook itself and laid down comfortably.

"Animals." Haydren muttered in distaste and started for the door again, grabbing his coat and cell phone on the way. This place needed groceries. Stat.

He had just barely made it to the stairs when a flamboyant boy with white and pink hair darted around him, dragging with him two small children. The boy went instantly to Ana's apartment and began pounding on the door like a mad man.

"ANAAA!"

Haydren raised a brow at this behavior, stopping to lean on the banister at the top of the landing, watching the boy.

"Ana! It's Jason! Please say you slept in today! C'mon!" He kicked the door once impatiently.

"Can I help you?" Haydren finally asked, looking the three over. The boy was wearing the same color uniform as Ana had been this morning. Someone from school perhaps? A friend?

The boy, Jason, turned to Haydren with big eyes then seemed to forget what exactly he was here for. "Well, hello there."

Haydren raised a brow at the flirtatious tone. "Ana left for school, can I help you?"

"And who might you be?" Jason looked him over untrustingly, but somehow he also made it quite clear he was pleased with what he saw.

"Haydren. I'm her new roommate."

"SAY WHAT?" The boy nearly leapt out of his shows as he walked to Haydren. "You mean you're actually living with Ana? My Ana? My little sweet, innocent thing is shacking up with someone like you?" Haydren could have sworn he saw tears brimming the boys eyes. "Thank the stars there is a God up there. You two snogging yet?"

"...Snogging?" Haydren looked at Jason curiously.

"You know." Jason puckered his lips. "The tongue tango."

Haydren blinked several times as if he had no idea what Jason meant then he looked to the two little girls who were standing back from them watching. The older was maybe four years old, the younger around 2. "Why did you want to see Ana?"

Jason tilted his head at this change of subject, then seemed to remember why he'd come here, looking back to the girls. "I needed Ana to watch the girls for me for the day. I was sort hoping she was still suspended or something." He sighed. "I've got to have someone look after them while I'm with mum in the hospital."

Haydren looked at his watch. "She won't be home for awhile."

"I know...Hey!" Jason perked up, flashing Haydren a grin that made him uneasy. "You could watch the girls for a bit for me until Ana comes home!"

Haydren stared at him. "Absolutely not."

"Ah! I've got no where else to put them up! Please, Haydren? Ana always does this for me." Jason pouted his lips pleadingly.

"Is Auntie Ana not here?" The oldest of the little girls asked sadly, tugging on Haydren pants leg. He looked down at her and she gave him a small smile, blushing. "Does that make you Uncle Haydren, since you live with Auntie Ana?"

"No--"

Jason cut him off, waving his finger in Haydren's face as if to shush him. "Of course it does. And Uncle Haydren is going to watch you for a couple hours till Auntie comes back. Isn't that right, Haydren?" His tone became increasingly more stern as he spoke until he was biting his words off. As if to let Haydren know he would break his legs if he said no.

Haydren narrowed his eyes, but barely got a chance to respond before the youngest had clamped to his leg and Jason was bidding them farewell.

"Thanks a lot, Haydren! I really appreciate you doing this. I won't forget it! Jaylyn, Roxanne, be good!" With that he went flying down the stairs with that same speed Ana had used earlier.

Haydren watched him go, still slightly in shock over what just happened. He looked down to the two girls attached to his hand and leg. Great. "Well...c'mon. I've still got shopping to do, so lets get that over with." He shook them off and headed down the stairs, but paused with the youngest child started crying and screaming.

He turned to see her sitting on the floor, her sister watching her throw a fit. "What's wrong with her?" Haydren asked, squatting down near them as the baby pounded on the floor.

"Jay wants you to carry her."

Well, he knew who was who now at least. The eldest had to be Roxanne. He sighed and picked up the baby, slinging it up to set on his shoulders piggy back style. The little girl meshed her hands in his hair, giggling madly.

"Heidi!" She squealed loudly and Haydren got the impression that had now become his new name with the child. Heidi. He cringed. Oh well. At least she had stopped crying, Haydren reasoned and headed down the stairs again. Pausing to look at Roxanne as she ran to catch up to him and took his hand as they walked.

He sighed heavily, imagining what he must look like right now. So much for being a government operative.