First to Yogibearxlover: I can't answer any of your questions so you'll have to read it to find out.

Now for Tasha-hater: Kylie has no immediate Moroi relatives but if you think about it from a really long distant way of thinking then maybe she does but I don't plan on making those kinds of family relations a major part of the story. The blood related family member that's going to matter is her aunt Jules Belikov. I hope that this helps ^.^ As for your other questions… well you'll have to wait and read more to find out!

Chapter 17

"Let's go to my office," she told me briskly and I followed her as she took long strides down the corridors. I noticed several pairs of eyes stare in surprise and curiosity as we passed them in the hallways. We arrived at her office not long after the small fight in the empty corridor and she fired her first question before I had even fully closed the door.

"How were you not out of breath?" she demanded with a slightly annoyed tone once I shut the door behind me. But it wasn't of anger; it was more like she was pouting due to frustration for not being able to punish me for worrying her so much all those years ago. Back then, her way of punishing me was kicking my ass during my training sessions but she couldn't do that so easily anymore and she had just discovered that hard fact.

"Well I barely moved, that's why." I smiled sweetly at her.

"Damn… this means I can't beat you for worrying me."

"Well you could, if I wanted to attend school with patches of blue and black all over me for the rest of the week. I'd rather not so I defended myself."

"You've improved."

"I've worked very hard for it."

"Why?"

"Huh?" Now that was a vague question. There were too many things that she could possibly want the reason for.

"Why did you have to leave? We would've taken care of you so why?" she whispered with a barely controlled voice.

"It was a foolish and selfish decision so that I could leave everything behind and start a new life where I didn't have to be wary of people wanting to befriend me because of my name." I told her in the simplest way that I could think of. "I didn't think of any consequences when I left, I just did it and by the time I fully registered what I had done, I couldn't come back anymore."

"Yes you could, we would've taken you back with open arms."

"It isn't as easy as that." I shook my head.

"And why not? Your family is here. You belong here Kai," she glared at me, finally letting her anger and frustration out.

"By the time I fully registered the fact that my disappearance would've worried a lot of people I loved, I had already built a life out there. A life that I didn't want to leave behind because it gave me a chance to flourish as who I wanted to be, not grow up as someone that everyone else wanted me to be."

"You could've done that here," she argued stubbornly.

"No I couldn't and you know it. People of the royal families will try to win my favour, others would try to take advantage of how weak I was back then and they would try to shape me into the kind of person that they wanted me to be. I would've been ruthlessly manipulated."

"We would've protected you from all of that."

"You all had duties that you couldn't neglect, I could see the kind of strain and awkward positions I would put you all in and so I took a leap and ran away. It somehow turned out a lot better than I could ever have thought it could be."

"Are you saying that you have no regrets for running away?"

"I have one and that's for worrying everyone who was and still is important to me, but that's all I'll be regretful for."

"How could you say that? You've missed so much, don't you regret that?"

"Yes, I understand that I have missed my fair share of experiences here, but I have also gained a lot that I probably wouldn't have gained if I had remained at this school. You will understand what I mean Aunty Jules."

"You have a lot of explaining to do, and I will now go and beat Martin up for keeping this quiet from me. Who does he think he is?"

"Um… the Headmaster?" I grinned cheekily and she smacked my head in a reprimanding gesture.

"Oh great, you've grown up to have an attitude, how typical," she grumbled.

"What can I say? I'm a teenager." I shrugged. "As for beating up Martin, please don't, I asked him not to tell anyone hence I'm going under this false name."

"Were you ever going to tell us you were back?" she eyed me prudently.

"Yes, I knew that it wouldn't have been fair for Martin and Joey to know about me. I just wasn't prepared yet so I was taking everything in stages. I don't think I can handle reuniting with all of you at the same time. I think the number of lectures and hits I would get for it might turn my brain into a vegetable."

"Don't be so dramatic," she rolled her eyes at me and promptly drew me in for a tight hug. "I have been worried for such a long time Kai, I am glad to see you because at least now my heart is at ease. At least… it's as at ease as it could be considering my rank as the head Guardian."

"I am glad to be able to lift a burden, however small it may be." I smiled brightly.

"You really are their child," she murmured and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "You were their greatest gift and treasure and you remain to be ours. Don't ever forget that," she told me soulfully.

"I know Aunty Jules. I know." I nodded with the smile maintaining my face.

"Now, as glad as I am to see you again Kai, what are doing over here in the elementary division? Is it because of Ali?"

"Well Ali is one of the reasons why I'm here but he's not the main one. I'm here to see Trace."

"You know him?"

"I met him today and he likes my hair so he wanted to see me again so I came back. Could I visit tomorrow as well? It'll be after my trip to the city."

"The city?"

"I'm shopping for things that I'll need like hair ties."

Aunty Jules took out a key and unlocked the bottom drawer. She took out a small safe and placed it on the table in front of me. "That belongs to you, Kai."

"What is it?"

"It's a digital code safe," she stated.

"I can see that."

"The code is your birthday. You can change it to anything you want later."

"What's in it? Why are you giving it to me?"

"You didn't stay for long enough six years ago so you weren't given what your parents left for you. We kept it for you here at the academy because it's your home."

"Isn't that risky? What if I'd been killed?"

"After your disappearance, the second person in charge of the will was me. Because of our dangerous lifestyles, there is a list of people who would take charge of the wills."

"This is something mum and dad left?" I whispered ad took the safe in my hands. I felt tears starting to gather in my eyes and I sniffed.

"We will work out a way to keep your return from the royals and the king. I'll talk it out with Martin about what to do about the will now that you're back."

"How did you know that I'd be back? Why didn't you split the will after couple of years after my disappearance?"

"Because we believed that you were still alive out there, and if you were alive, we hoped that we would find you some day."

"Thank you Aunty Jules. Thank you to all of you for believing in me." I smiled brightly.

"And since you obviously can't take any money out from your inheritance without alerting people of your return, take this much with you for now," she said as she handed me a hefty sum of cash.

I stared at her in shock and shook my head. "I've already said this to Martin. I'm not taking any of your money."

"You'll need it if you're going to go shopping Kai."

"First of all, I wouldn't need that much. Second of all, I have my own money otherwise how on earth do you think I've managed to survive all this time out there."

"You do have a point about that, how have you managed that?"

"I've had a job for the last two years"

"What job?"

"I'll let Martin tell you that when you see him." I shrugged. "I had better get going before the little kids go on another rampage."

"Alright, but we will be having another talk soon."

"I'll be expecting it." I grinned cheekily.

I gave her one last hug as she gave me directions to where Ali would probably be. She also told me that if I bumped into Leighton, I had to tell him that she was expecting him to report to her too for his unacceptable behaviour. I had to admit that I was hoping not to have to encounter him again anytime soon. I had no doubt that he would probably attempt to hit me at any chance he could get. I had only held back earlier because of having Trace in my arms, if I saw that Guardian again, I would gladly give him a thorough and humiliating defeat.

Ali glanced up when he heard someone walk into the large room filled with children on bean bags and he smiled widely when he saw me.

"Yo." I greeted them with a playful salute.

"AH! Big sister!" Pat and Jen beamed at the same time and turned around so that they could see me.

"Ah! It's the big sister that Al likes!" another kid pointed at me.

"You're the pretty sister who came today!"

"Kylie!" Trace jumped at me again and wrapped his small arms around my neck. "You were absolutely awesome just now when you beat the mean and scary Guardian."

"Well, I did say that I would do my best to protect you right? He wasn't very pleasant to meet."

"Guardian Leighton has been sent from school to school for the past few years. He hasn't been able to stay at one place for more than half a year apparently."

"I can see why." I scoffed.

"You seem to have beaten him good. Well done."

"Why was a guy like him assigned to the kiddie section? I mean seriously, bad decision there."

"It was a punishment for him. He doesn't like kids and he doesn't like me being his boss."

"Yeah, he seems to have it out for you… why is that?"

"I beat his ass on his second day here. He's had it out for me since then," he sighed.

"How long has that been?"

"About two months now I think."

"Two months of torture…" I hugged Trace protectively to me and he snuggled closer.

"Alright guys, it's time to go to bed." Ali clapped his hands together and starting rounding them up as some tried to run for it.

"Aw… but we don't want to." Jen complained.

"Yeah, big sis only got here." Pat added.

"I have permission from Guardian Belikov to come back earlier tomorrow." I told them with a grin.

"Belikov? You've see her?" Ali stared at me with concern clear in his eyes. "How are you not black and blue?"

"I dodged." I scoffed.

"You… I really have to see you in actions."

"Any time you're free Ali."

"Hey, I have an idea. If you guys agree to go to bed, big sister here will sing you all a song."

"Say what?" I squealed and shot him a glare.

"Yeah!" the kids chimed.

"You sing?" Trace asked sweetly with wonder in his eyes as he looked up at me.

"I'm not getting out of this am I?" I sighed and sat down with Trace sitting on my lap. "Just one song and then you'll all have to go off to bed alright?"

"Okay," the agreed instantly.

I began to sing a tune I knew well. It was a lullaby from an cartoon show called 07 Ghost and it was one of the sweetest lullabies I knew. Slowly the kids seemed to relax and Trace sagged against me as I sang the tune. Although none of them could understand it because it was in Japanese, the tune itself seemed to do the job.

"Wow… nice job Kai. How'd you get so good?" Ali whispered as he picked up a couple of the kids who had already fallen asleep.

"With a lot of practice and the petite fact that my life pretty much depended on it."

"I don't understand."

"I'll tell you later when we have our DMC." I smiled at him.

"DMC?"

"Deep Meaningful Conversation." I grinned and gently lifted Trace up in my arms again. "Where's his room?"

"I'll take you, these three are his roommates." Ali gestured for me to follow him with his head so follow I did. "Trace's bed is the one by the window," he told me once we'd gotten into the room.

I looked around for a moment and smiled at the stars that were stuck onto the walls and ceiling of the room and they all glowed in the dark. Trace's bed was all midnight blue and on his duvet cover was a large image of the moon and various star signs.

I gently put Trace down and tucked him in. "Kylie? Are you leaving?"

"I'll be back to spend more time tomorrow." I whispered to him.

"Please don't go…" he pleaded and I faltered for a moment when I saw the desperation in his eyes.

"I will be back Trace, I promise."

"But -"

"I'll stay for a little longer but you have to sleep." I told him and sat on the floor beside his bed and held his hand.

"Through the spring and the snow, I have come home

They have showed me guidance and kindness.

Memories, drift through my, hazardous mind

They will rest in peace forever.

With dreams that will never come true,

I will live on to tomorrow.

Striving with hopes that keeps my soul

Blazing with a life that remains.

Through the spring and the snow, I will come home

They have showed me guidance and kindness

Memories, drift through my hazardous mind

They will rest in peace forever.

Voices of angels that comfort us

When we've lost a treasure we cannot find.

When we feel lost and a little afraid

We will find the answer within us.

With wings that soar, into the sky

We will live on to tomorrow.

Growing with hopes that keeps our souls

Blazing with a fire that's eternal.

Through the dreams, and the stars and with our hearts

We have gained a treasure we'll never lose.

In our hearts and our souls we've found the strength

To be free and live through the trials.

In our hearts, we'll never surrender.

You will have eternal love…"

It was a quick thing that I came up with at the top of my head. It still had the same tune as the Japanese version but instead I made our lives reflect within the song. There were several things within the song that were true. It's true that a lot of us have lost something precious, but even so, it wasn't the end. It wasn't the end because we still stood and continued to find things that are important to us.

It was true for a lot of us and certainly for me too. Although I had lost my parents, I still had my family here at this Academy. I had people who cared for me and even before the first week has gone, I'd already made friends that I felt I could really trust. Not to mention, I also had my friends outside of this vampire community that I knew I could trust and believe in.

When I looked down, I saw that Trace had remnants of tears on his cheeks and I gently wiped his cheeks so that I wouldn't wake him up. I softly kissed his forehead and tucked him in snuggly before standing up and sneaking out of the room with Ali.

"That was how you really felt wasn't it?" he asked quietly with a slightly hoarse voice.

"It was something that I just made up on the spot, well the lyrics were anyway. But yeah, it was how I felt." I nodded with a grim smile.

"That ring, it seems that you still have it," he smiled softly.

"Well of course I do, it was a present from you Ali, you worked so hard to earn the money to buy it, I wasn't going to ditch it after it wouldn't fit anymore." I shook my head vigorously.

"I meant that I was surprised you carried it around with you."

"It's one of my good luck charms."

"One of them?"

"Yeah, like my bracelet is a good luck charm."

"Kai, I wouldn't call that a good luck charm, more like a safety ensuring device that will primarily keep you safe."

"And as a result keep others around me safe too." I rolled my eyes.

"This argument could go on forever," he sighed and shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks for helping me out with the kids tonight."

"Don't worry about it, I'll be back to do the same tomorrow as well."

"You are a lifesaver," he beamed at me and ruffled my hair.

"I like these kids, they're pretty cute."

"Aren't they just? They're sometimes overly energetic, but amazing at the same time," he laughed softly.

"But that energy that they have is what makes them kids." I grinned. "Where's the kitchen? I want to make a hot chocolate before going back to the dorms."

"You're heading back already?"

"Yeah, some of the girls want to rope me into their fashion show." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair in exasperation. "I don't get it, but then again, I rarely ever do."

"And alas, that seems to be another thing that hasn't changed, although your confidence and your general appearance sure as hell have. You definitely don't seem constantly nervous anymore."

"You can't survive in the real world while living in constant fear and show it at the same time." I stated bluntly. "It'd have had me killed within a week. I had to grow a back bone and I had to do it fast and so I managed it somehow and became who I am now."

"Well, I can't say that I don't like how you've turned out. You are definitely your parents' kid," he gave me a few more glance overs which caused me to blush again.

"Eyes up Ali. Gee, I can't believe I'm being hit on by you." I grumbled.

"Well I am a knight in shining armour Kai, they are all well known for their flirtatious personalities," he winked.

"Just great." I commented sarcastically. "So how about you show me the way to the kitchen?" I urged him and gave him a light push in the back.

"You're not going to raid the kitchen and eat everything are you?" he teased.

"No actually, I'm going to make something for Guardian Wilson who's on guard duty." I pouted defensively.

"You're going to make him something? That's not fair."

"Is there something you'd like me to get for you tomorrow?"

"Hm… some chocolate and cake would be nice."

"Chocolate and cake it is then." I laughed. When I got to the kitchen, I took out various ingredients and immediately started to make some cookies. When that was nearly done, I made some hot chocolate.

"You cook?"

"As you can see, yes I can cook. Can you get me a thermal flask please?"

"If you feed me a cookie then yes."

I stared at him incredulously to find him returning my stare with a playful one. I gave a defeated sigh and held one to his lips for him to taste. "How is it?"

"Delicious."

"I have an idea, I think I'll bring some scones tomorrow as well for everyone."

"Scones?"

"Yeah, they're amazing, especially with hot chocolate!" I beamed in excitement. "You'll find out tomorrow. They're also really good with jam."

"I can't believe that you can cook without causing a disaster."

"It comes with living solo for such a long time."

"And you shouldn't have had to," he said grimly.

"I made the choice Ali, it was my decision." I whispered with a firm tone. He had to understand that there was probably nothing that he could've done to keep me at the school back then. "Don't kick yourself about something that's already happened. It's happened and I don't regret it other than the fact that I worried you guys. It was because of that opportunity that I've grown so much."

"But you've lost so much of your childhood."

"Hey, I beg to differ!" I protested. "I had a good childhood, even out there in the human world."

"You fought Strigoi."

"So? I got to play sport and do things like a normal kid. It was awesome Ali, I can't explain to you how much that aspect of human life has affected me. I wish you could've seen it."

"Now I really can't wait to have that talk," he sighed. "I guess that I'm just jealous because you seemed to have such a good time even though you were away from us."

"Hey, you all had your shares of fun too even with me gone. I might've caused worries but I have no doubt that there have been times when you've all had fun in your lives without me being there." I glared at him. "Anyway, I'd better get going before my friends kill me for being late."

"Your parents would be so proud to see you getting along with people so quickly and so well."

"You mean to say, they'll be proud that I'm no longer a shy and anti-social kid with communication issues." I scoffed. "I'll see you around Ali."

"Be safe Kai."

"Oh I will." I grinned and gave him a hug before taking a small tray with two plates of cookies, a mug of hot chocolate and a flask of hot chocolate on it. I headed to Aunty Jules office and politely knocked on the door. I shifted from foot to foot as I waited for her admittance.

"Yes?" she called and I strolled in.

"Here, don't worry you won't get food poisoning from the cookies or the hot chocolate." I told her with a grin as I placed the plate and much on her desk.

"Did you just make these?" she marvelled as she leaned down to smell the freshly baked cinnamon cookies.

"Yep. Enjoy and I'll see you tomorrow." I smiled at her before leaving the office and down the hall towards the exit of the elementary division. "Ah! Guardian Wilson." I smiled sweetly at him as I approached the small gate.

"You're Valentine right?" he smiled back at me as he saw me walk over.

"I thought that you could probably do with something nice to keep you going until the end of your shift so I hope you like these. The cookies are cinnamon and inside the flask is hot chocolate with a hint of coffee."

"You made this?"

"Yep."

"That's very kind of you Valentine," he smiled gratefully as he took the objects from my hands. "Really, that's very kind."

"Don't worry about it, if you're on guard duty again tomorrow, I'll be bringing scones and hot chocolate and jams."

"If I'm not on guard duty then I will be stationed within the building," he told me before taking a bite of the cookie. "This is good."

"Thank you." I smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow Guardian Wilson."

"I look forward to it Valentine," he chuckled and gave me a wave as I half ran back to the dorms.