Thanks for the reviews!

Ok I have done a little research and apparently Kai's father was called Susumu, If I'm wrong then I apologise, his mother had no name that I could find so she is Anna. Any complaints or corrections please review or pm me and I might make alterations.

Dedicated to Ari Dark Princess!!!

I do not own Beyblade

Lying back on her bed Hilary stared at the ceiling, she had been unusually bored these last few days. Normally settling back in at home was easy but she was anxious to get back to the human world where life was less predictable and she could actually wonder about the future of the people around her.

She had been caught and told off as she left Kai's office today by his secretary, the woman had obviously jumped to conclusions…she loved that! No one in this realm ever jumped to conclusions, they would wait patiently, gather all the facts and then decide how to react to a situation. She was glad she had been caught before she had a chance to disappear, Mariah was a lot of fun and was obviously jumping to conclusions herself. There was no way anything could happen between her and Kai, no genie had ever become human… well there was a myth that one had but most people just ignored it. Still she liked the unpredictability Kai represented, he seemed so cold and yet… he hated firing people unnecessarily.

Contrary to belief in storybooks Genie's have a relatively predictable and normal life. They have powers beyond imagination but were such peaceful people it was rare that they used it. Their power meant that they never felt pain, they rarely needed sleep and hard work was a joke. They live in a realm filled with peaceful tranquillity, no one bemoaned their lot in life or suffered with depression, arguments didn't exist.

Hilary knew her life would be easy, she was destined to meet her soul mate one day, they would marry and she like all other female genies would give up the work of a qualified genie and have children. She would cease to exist in any earthly when her body was tired, generally around the age of eighty and then they would travel to an afterlife of bliss. Personally Hilary didn't understand this situation, she would be pleased to just cease to exist if she was going to go from a life of perfection to an afterlife of complete perfection, it sounded dull.

All genies have a soul mate, and they know when they have found the One, it was a simple speaking of two souls. It could be a person you know for years and then one day you meet them and you both know you are meant to be together. This happy situation meant that there was no divorce, no jealous lovers, no awful first kisses with guys you regretted and no unfortunate bad dates. You simply meet your soul mate and marry him.

Hilary wondered what it was like to have a bad date, she wondered what it was like to have a kiss. She was twenty one and had never been kissed. Many people may think that it doesn't sound too bad to be twenty one and still un-kissed but there was something else about genies that made Hilary feel impatient. Time in the genie world is the same as the human world but their calendar is different, where they have a year the human world has one hundred. So actually Hilary was 21.5 centuries old.

Now that's a long time to go without having a kiss!

She wondered for a moment what it would be like to have Kai kiss her. She could imagine staring into his eyes, maybe running her fingers through his two toned hair, to have him lean in, holding her against him as their lips…

Hilary shot up into a sitting position blushing, this was not good!

--

Climbing out of his black BMW Kai stood in the large driveway and looked up at the considerable house that he had grown up in. It was a large three storey building, thirteen bedrooms, two kitchens, five reception rooms, eight bathrooms, one library and four dining rooms. In truth it was a bit much for a three person family but when the three of them had an argument they could each pick one of the dining rooms to eat in.

As he stood contemplating the ridiculously sized house his father owned the front door opened, two women walked out. Both were pale with dark hair, their hair was so black that it looked slightly unrealistic. Though they were very similar it was easy to tell them apart, Kai's mother gave the impression of being constantly tired while still looking younger than she was. Svetlana appeared a lot older than her actual age but had a confidence that her sister had lost during her marriage.

"Kai" Seeing her son Anna Hiwatari walked forward and wrapped her arms around her son, she smiled softly as they hugged and then stood apart from each other

"Hello Mother" He gave his mother an odd look, there was something different about her, she was smiling more than usual. He turned and bowed politely to the dark haired woman standing by the door "Aunt Sveltana"

"Hello Kai" his aunt smiled politely

Kai looked around and noticed that his fathers butler was standing in the doorway "Is father here yet?"

"No" Kai's mother shook her head "He'll be arriving tonight."

"I'm going to the opera with Tala and Mariah tonight" Kai told her glad that he wouldn't be present when his father arrived

"That's Ok, I need to speak to him about something private anyway. Take my sons cases inside please" Anna briefly addressed the butler, who bowed and walked over to Kai's car. "Let's go in."

"I was just going to park my car" Kai indicated the car but his aunt shook her head

"Let one of the servants do that" Svetlana made her way into the house assuming they'd just follow

Kai huffed in an annoyed fashion as he turned to the butler. "Can you look after it? I only just got it."

"Of course sir"

"Thanks" Kai was about to turn away when for some reason he felt bad for just leaving his cases with the older man. The guy was about fifty and he was expecting him to take in two extremely heavy cases. "I'll take these in" he picked up the cases, smiling at his mother told her "After you mum"

Anna smiled as she walked in holding the door open for him, Kai immediately carried his cases over to the stairs and walked up to his room. He had placed his cases on the bed then left the room deciding to leave them till later. He stood momentarily on the landing when he heard a door below him open and his aunt address his mother.

"Where'd Kai go?"

"He's taking his cases upstairs"

"He's taking his own cases to his room?"

"I'm sure he'll be down in a minute"

"That's not the point, he pays people to do that sort of thing for him"

"I think he realised that the butler might have trouble with them and there was no one else around to ask."

"The butlers paid for thing like that, if he can't do the job then he shouldn't have it, rich and powerful people…."

"Alright that's it." Anna interrupted her sister surprising Kai, normally his mother didn't stand up to people "Listen Kai is his own man and maybe he's finally realised that money aren't the most important thing, It took me almost forty to work it out and if he's managed it now then I'm proud of him. He's gonna have a rough enough time of it when Susumu gets here so don't you start on him"

"Anna he needs to remember that money and power are important"

"Money and Power are the reason Father wanted me to marry Susumu, look how that worked out."

"Have you people not heard of divorce? You'll get half of everything…"

"There you go again, telling me what to do, I'll handle my own business my own way."

Kai heard rushed footsteps and then a door slammed shut, he was pretty sure his mother had just entered the library. After hearing another door close signalling the coast was clear he walked softly down the stairs, creeping over to the library he slipped unobtrusively into the room. His mother stood staring out the window, he was about to clear his throat to get her attention when…

"I used to watch you from here."

"How did you know I was here?"

"You make more noise than a herd of elephants" Anna turned grinning, Kai frowned, he knew he had been quiet. Anna laughed at his expression and told him "I saw your reflection in the window."

"Oh right" Kai nodded and joined his mother at the window "when did you watch me from here?"

"When you were little, sometimes I'd be visiting and I knew that when I was here you became more formal so sometimes I'd just watch you for a little while. Your nanny was a good woman, I sometimes think that if she had been in charge you wouldn't be half as screwed up as you are"

"Hey!" Kai gave her an annoyed look but smiled, it wasn't often that he saw his mother and it was even rarer that she'd talk about his childhood. "Why were you always gone?"

Anna turned to stare out the window again "Your father had strict views, the women in his family never raised the children themselves. I found it tough leaving you with a nanny constantly so I went back to work, the more I worked the less I thought about you. Then I noticed that you liked the nanny better so I worked longer hours. Your aunt's right I should have left your father when you were a baby, but things would have been too tough."

"How so?" Kai gazed out the window as well remembering happy times with his nanny.

"Back then divorce was tough on women, it was still kind of frowned on and my father would never have allowed it. Your father might have got custody of you and then god knows what you'd have been like. I remember the first time he let you have a whisky"

"Me too" Kai chuckled at the memory, he had been only seven and it had been a horrible experience, his mother had been furious and it was the one time he had seen her stand up to his father. He turned to look at his mother again scrutinizing her face carefully. "You're going to leave him"

"What?" surprised she turned from the window and stared at her son "I don't know what…. How did you guess?" she smiled lightly moving away from her standing position to sit in one of the libraries overstuffed chairs.

"I don't know how I guessed, but I'm glad. You deserve better than him mother."

"There more to it than that Kai" she sighed unhappily "sit here" she indicated the chair next to hers. "Kai there's something else"

"You have a boyfriend?" he teased taking the seat lounging back lazily.

"I wish… Kai I'm not well"

"What?" Kai sat up straight staring at her, he reached forward instinctively taking her hand in his.

She patted his hand gently "It's nothing serious, a heart defect, I just need an operation to correct it properly."

Unsure of what more to say the two sat in silence, the bluenette stared at his mother stunned by her announcement. After a while he regained his higher brain functions "When did you find out?"

"A few weeks ago, that's why I really agreed to come here, I wanted to tell you in person."

"Who else knows?"

"No one."

"Not even Svetlana?" he asked incredulously

"Not even Svetlana" she shook her head "I wanted you to know first. I'm not even sure I'll tell anyone else." she laughed and relaxed back in her chair "Knowing that I could have died if no one had noticed this has given me a strange confidence boost." She smiled and giggled as she remembered something "I surprised your grandfather the other day by telling him that I had decided to ignore his advice for my company and was changing markets. It's the only time I've ever stood up to him."

"I thought there was something different about you" he shook his head disbelievingly, as dismayed as he was by her news, he had to love her new confidence "I could tell the minute I saw you there was something new"

"I thought the same when I saw you… who is she?"

"Who is who?" Kai tried to keep his voice light

"Kai I haven't seen you in any of the magazines or tabloids recently. Usually you're in there somewhere. Now I know Tala has apparently settled down, and I would love to meet the girl sometime, but that doesn't mean you have to give up your social life. So I repeat, who is she?"

Sighing Kai stood and walked over to one of the bookshelves. He carefully opened it up revealing a hidden fridge he grabbed a bottle and poured himself a drink. "Want something?"

"Juice please"

He pulled out a carton and poured his mother a glassful of orange juice, then closing the fridge he headed back over. Handing his mother her drink he sat down.

"Her name's Hilary, she works for me… I think"

"You think?" his mother looked surprised

"Yeah… it's complicated, my secretary thinks she's one of the temps but when I ask Hilary about her job she changes the subject."

"Maybe she has plans for a better job and doesn't like temping in an office"

"You see that's one thing I don't get, she has an amazing head for business, she understands it all better than most of my staff. She also talks like she loves the work, when we talked about it she was saying that businesses are interesting."

"Well if you've spent enough time with her to actually have a conversation with her she must be something"

"Mum!" Kai raised an eyebrow at his smirking mother "I talk to girls"

"Yeah only because you're hoping it will lead somewhere else"

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with my mother!" he shook his head taking a sip from his glass "Look mum she's…. different. She's beautiful and I'm not gonna lie that's the first thing I noticed but she's got this aura about her, a confidence and happiness most people don't have."

"And….?"

"And what?"

"Are you seeing her? So far you have only mentioned seeing her at work."

"I haven't asked her out yet. It's like when I'm with her I'm too nervous and by the time I'm comfortable enough with her to ask she's usually out the door. I've only ever seen her at work."

Anna Hiwatari smiled as she watched her son, she had been married at a very young age to a man she didn't really know. She couldn't help but hope her son would be luckier than herself in love.

--

"So your mother is finally leaving him?" Tala was surprised by his friends news (not because he thought Kai's parents were happy but because she'd finally got the courage to do it).

"Yeah, I think she was going to tell him tonight so that she can draw up the papers while they're in the same house. I asked her to wait until I'm around"

"Sounds like it's going to get even more awkward" Mariah said as she sprinkled more parmesan onto her pasta. They were sitting around Mariah's table dressed to go out, Mariah wore a black and pink dress, it was knee length with straps. The two men wore dark suits with white shirts underneath, of course this meant they had to all be very careful as they ate the pasta. They usually ate just before leaving for the opera, it meant that when Kai and Tala hit the bar during intermission they had something to soak up the alcohol.

"I don't mind awkward but I don't want her telling him and it stressing her out, I read up on her condition on the internet and stress would be really bad for her right now." Kai ate some of his dinner and grinned "You know this is really not bad Tala, I haven't died yet"

"Well pasta's the only thing he can actually cook" Mariah teased

"I know, I remember once he was making rice and it basically stuck to the bottom of the pan. It tasted terrible"

"You ate it?"

"Only so I could tell him how bad it was, it was overcooked and undercooked at the same time."

"You two do realise I'm still here right?" Tala asked

"Oh hi Tala!" Mariah waved jokingly across the table, just then the doorbell rang and Mariah jumped up grinning "That's my friend. Try not to act like idiots with her OK?" She left the room and Kai and Tala heard the door open and muffled conversation.

"If she's invited Ming Ming I'm jumping out the nearest window" Kai turned to warn his friend

"And I'm right behind you" Tala nodded laughingly then the door opened and Mariah walked back in

"You guys know Hilary right?"

Kai turned to the doorway eyes wide, she looked stunning as usual wearing a dark blue dress edged with gold. Her hair fell wispily around her face making her look a little older than usual, she looked nervous.

"Hi"

"Hey there" Tala grinned welcomingly "would you like a drink?"

"Just water please"

"Sure thing, I'll get it" Tala stood to get her the drink and as he left he nudged Kai hissing "Close your mouth idiot." he then walked into the kitchen.

"I'll go help Tala" Mariah grinned and slipped out the room.

Left alone Hilary and Kai stared at each other, he smirked when he realised that she was blushing rosily. "You know Tala used to be able to get people drinks of water on his own"

"It's a tough thing to do" Hilary muttered sarcastically "you need to get a glass turn a tap"

"Yeah. They couldn't have made this a more obvious set up" Kai joked

"I dunno" Hilary shrugged "they could have locked us in a closet together or arranged to meet us at a restaurant and not shown up."

"I gotta admit I like the sound of the closet thing" Kai told her slyly

"You know I'd hit you for that but I promised Mariah I'd be nice" Hilary told him remembering what Mariah had said as she arrived.

"Hey Hilary" Mariah greeted the brunette at the door "you look great!"

"So do you" Hilary complimented back

"We're just finishing dinner so take off your jacket and come through"

"Who's we?" Hilary asked slightly suspiciously ass she shrugged off her jacket

"Tala"

"Oh alright"

Mariah took the other girls coat and hung it up "…and Kai"

"Right" Hilary raised one eyebrow and glared at Mariah "you could have told me that before"

"Would you have come?"

"Maybe" Mariah gave her a look "…no. Look I told you Kai and I can't be a couple"

"And I'm not expecting that, just be nice to Kai ok? He's having a rough time of it."

Hilary was curious but she didn't ask questions she merely nodded handing Mariah her coat "How do you define nice?"

"Just talking to him"

"Fine I'll be nice."

"Why did Mariah make you promise to be nice?" Kai asked curiously

"Because I could tell it was a set up" Hilary shrugged sitting down across from him.

"Oh" Kai picked at his food, he was nervous again. How was it that he could chat up supermodels no problem but this temp from his office seemed to turn him into a jittery mess?

The silence was a little uncomfortable so Hilary decided to break it asking "So how did that meeting go?"

"You mean the one where I suggested the big bosses, myself included, take a pay cut in order to tide us over until this recession ends?"

"That's the one"

"Just peachy! They were furious but they couldn't exactly say anything cos I'm the boss. My father might have something to say about it though."

"Why? You're doing the right thing, surely he should be proud of that?"

"My dad and 'the right thing' are total strangers." Kai shrugged as carelessly as possible "fingers crossed he'll get distracted by other things that are gonna come up and he won't cause a fuss. My father thinks he knows better than me when it comes to what I do with my life."

"Yeah I got parents like that" Hilary nodded "My mother wants me to settle down, my sister got married when she was younger than me and my paretns think I ought to do the same."

"You're lucky to have a sister, I used to wish I had siblings"

"It's not that much fun, she borrows my stuff all the time. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal but I hate it."

The two of them talked together comfortably for a few minutes, they were left alone so long that Kai inwardly wondered if Mariah and Tala had gone out the window to leave them unaccompanied. His theory was soon disproved as the other couple rejoined them, Tala handing Hilary a glass of water and Mariah suggesting they get going.

It was obvious from the look Tala gave Kai that he was finding the whole situation very funny so Kai 'accidentally' trod on Tala's foot as they left. He smirked and then noticed that Hilary had been watching him, she grinned at him biting her lip so she wouldn't giggle before allowing Kai to help her put her jacket back on.

Hilary was enjoying herself, she liked the way Tala and Kai interacted, it was obviously a strong friendship that allowed for each others annoying habits. She wondered how long they had been friends, maybe she could ask him next time she was visiting…

No!

She wasn't supposed to get close to him.

She wasn't allowed to get too attached to her owner.

She was a consummate professional and she was determined to keep it that way.

Or at least… she was going to try!

Ok I know this chapter is a little odd but I wanted to get Kai's family in a bit more. I am trying to decide who will figure out what Hilary is first but it won't be Kai.

As for the other stuff about Hilary's home, I didn't want being a genie to be a horrible occupation but I wanted to explain why she enjoyed being with humans so much. Having Genies be slaves, it's easy to write that a genie would want to become human but having a perfect life it means that choosing to change will cause problems.

Please R&R and remember if you hate it you just gotta tell me!

(I might not change it but I will respect your opinion)