Serena panted breathlessly as she cut down the block through the morning air. The neighborhood was gorgeous and surprisingly, somewhat familiar. If only she could remember… She gasped as she passed a garden of lush green grass, various exotic flowers blooming from its roots. She looked up to view a large school campus, small children scrambling over each other in a race for the doors.

River Forest. She remembered now. This was her old elementary school. Her home should have only been a few miles away. She sprinted onto the grassy campus and seized a payphone. It was then that she noticed her absence of money. Turning to her right, she saw a group of children pointing and whispering at her.

"Who's she?"

"I think it's Heaven and Adonis's mom"

"She's pretty"

"Why is she wearing that?"

Serena tensed, suddenly aware that she had indeed just run out of the house half naked and bare foot. She moaned at the wet, prickling grass teasing her feet. "Er… does anyone have a quarter?"

The children all suddenly ceased and stared in awe, as the Goddess in lingerie had just spoken. She started to repeat her question when a tall, stern- looking man in a grey suit stepped up from behind the children causing many of them to disperse. He pulled four coins out of his pocket and placed them in her palm. She trembled at the chill of his fingers.

"Make your call and get the hell off my campus. I won't have you distracting the children".

She cocked an eyebrow. He seemed strangely familiar. Then her eyes widened. "Mr. Lane! Don't you remember me? I only graduated eighth grade this past June".

He narrowed his eyes in disdain. "Now look here, Mrs. Killingsworth. I'm tired of your children's shenanigans. I don't need to put up with yours. What are you up to?"

"But……", she trailed off. He remembered her, but not as the intelligent and theatrical girl that had just graduated, but as a mother of two, no doubt the girl and boy from which she had just escaped from.

She nodded. "I… just let me make this call".

He nodded in return and started to leave. "Make it quick", he called from over his shoulder. "And speaking of young Heaven and Adonis… they aren't in school today. They'd better have a good reason…"

Serena lost track of his low, monotone speech and started to dial her number. Holding the phone to her ear, she waited tolerantly.

"The number you have reached is currently disconnected. 4- 5- 5-" She gasped, hanging up the phone. Her mind raced with possibilities. Maybe they had finally gotten the line connected at their new home. She would try calling there. After slipping another quarter in and dialing the number, she waited impatiently for someone to pick up.

"Hello", croaked a soft, whispery voice.

"Dad?" she asked, alarmed. "You sound tired".

He gave a chuckle. "Not anymore tired than I normally am". His tone became more serious. "Serena, what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later. But you have to pick me up"

"Dear, you know I have temporary blindness".

Her eyebrows shifted. "When did this happen?"

"Ah…" The man seemed confused.

"Nevermind. Just send Collin to pick me up"

"Serena-"

"I'm in River Forest by my old school. Don't worry, dad. I'll be by as soon as I can to see you about this blindness thing. We have to get you to a hospital. Love you. Bye".

With that, she glanced around for Mr. Lane and when the coast was clear, she dove into a bush to veil herself from danger. Namely Heaven, Adonis, and their psycho father.

After about an hour, a silver Lexus pulled up. She narrowed her eyes. That wasn't Collin's car. It lingered there for a moment before the passenger door opened. Serena tensed, sinking deeper into the bushes. She winced as bristles and thorns tore at her arms and legs. A young woman finally stepped out, long raven locks flowing down her back. She wore black stilettos and a professional yet stylish suit. Tossing a wisp of black from her dark eyes, she made her way across the campus.

"Serena", she called, her eyes darting about. "Chica, where are you?"

Serena swallowed hard, staying as still as she possibly could. Then she saw the driver's door open and there stood an apprehensive Collin.

"Collin!" she cried. Jumping up from her spot in the bushes, she soared over the grass campus and into his arms, tears in her eyes.

"Serena", he gaped at her. "What happened?"

"Woke up", she heaved, unable to form a complete explanation of the chaotic state her mind was in. "Kidnapped".

"Kidnapped?" Collin's eyes grew angry. "By who?"

"I don't know", she sobbed into his shirt. "But we have to call the cops".

"The pigs?" The woman asked, walking up behind them. "What happened?"

"I think she was kidnapped", Collin muttered, rocking his sister back and forth.

"Kidnapped?" her eyes widened. "No posible. I just talked to her on the phone last night".

Serena looked up at her, eyes narrowed. "No, I didn't. I don't even know you".

Collin opened the car door. "She's delirious. Let's get her back home". He gently laid her across the back seat. Then climbing into the driver's seat and waiting for the woman to slide in, he sped off. Serena cocked an eyebrow as she watched two figures staring at her from outside by the school. One of them was dressed in completely white and somewhat resembled a retired school teacher. The other seemed more dangerous in a black hoodie two times her size and a deep, menacing glare. Assuming that Mr. Lane had sent them, she sighed and rested her head back upon the seat. Groaning, she turned to see her brother. "You look older", she mumbled.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Try to get some sleep?"

"Loco!" the woman whispered. "This is crazy. Who could get pass Stanton? With the Atrox gone-"

"Well, there is that criminal on the loose, Jimena…"

"But he only aims at teenage girls"

"Maybe he got tired of them…"

Serena held her throbbing head, trying to recollect the events of that morning. "He was blonde", she uttered. "Blue eyes. I think he had a tattoo… some kind of ring…. And there were two kids".

Collin and Jimena gradually turned about to face her, strange expressions of their faces.

"Coincidence?" Collin asked.

The woman just shrugged before turning to smile at Serena. "Do you remember me now?"

Serena shook her head. "I've never seen you before in my life".

The woman pouted, worriedly.

"It's okay, Jimena", he patted her on the shoulder. "She's probably just in shock".

"She can remember you"

"I know", Collin winced. Serena laid her head back against the seat and listened to the serenading motor until she could finally feel the car coming to a stop.

"You're home", Collin told her. "Come on. I'll walk you in".

Serena nodded and climbed out of the back seat. Raising an eyebrow, she glanced about the neighborhood. Grassy land, a sand paved walk, play sets, and a Victorian style home…

"AGH!" she screamed in terror realizing that this is where she had just escaped from.

"Serena", Jimena grew alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"Yeah", Collin agreed.

She groaned. She had been getting a lot of that lately. What happened, Serena? What's wrong? Is being kidnapped and possibly sexually assaulted such a big deal? Wasn't it obvious that her entire life was crumbling right before her eyes?

"This is where I just came from! The guy lives here! The one that kidnapped me?"

"Serena, you live here", Collin begged before pulling at her arms.

"No!" she yelled, kicking at him.

"Serena!"

"Put me down, dammit! PUT ME DOWN!" She tussled and kicked at him, trying effortlessly to knee him in the groin. Then, using her powers, she ventured into his mind and stifled his thoughts.

"Huh?" he murmured, stumbling over the grass.

"Collin", Jimena roared. She turned to glare at Serena. "I knew this would happen. I saw it".

"You saw what?" Serena asked, alarmed. Was she aware of her powers? "What are you? Psychic?"

Jimena gave her a look as if to say "Duh". "I saw you fighting us like this. I'm not exactly sure what it means but… Serena, stop trying to throw my mind off guard. Don't you know who I am?"

Serena backed away, indecisive of what she should do.

"Who are you?" Jimena hissed. "And what have you done with my home girl?"

Serena shrugged. "I didn't do anything to your "home girl"" She quoted the last words with her fingers.

"Oh, it's on now, bitch"

"Pandia?" A voice came from the doorway.

Pandia? Serena thought.

"Jimena", the woman corrected him.

"What's going on here?"

"It's Serena", Collin groaned from the grass foundation. "I think she has amnesia or something".

The voice sighed. "You don't say…"

Serena gawked as the same dangerous blonde that she had encountered earlier, stepped out of the shadows to claim the voice.

"It's him!" Serena pointed before jetting down the block. Unfortunately, he was too quick for her and in a matter of seconds, he tackled her to the ground. Punching him in the stomach, she crawled away, but he only took her by the ankles and they both rolled into a sandbox. Kicking a well made castle in his face, she scrambled away towards the slide.

"Hey", he smirked sarcastically. "It took us forever to build that".

She gasped as her reached for her. Jumping forward, she took hold of the jungle gym and climbed as high as she could manage.

"Don't make me climb up there and get you"

Her eyes widened as he took hold of the bars and without thinking, she let go, falling into a huge puddle of mud.

He snickered. "That's a pretty good look for you"

She scowled.

"No really. It's natur-"

He cut off as she pulled him into the mud and with a sneer, she jetted off in the other direction back towards Collin and Jimena.

"Oh no, you don't"

"Ack!" she screamed as they both went tumbling downhill.

"Relax", he held her tightly. "And too bad about your hair"

"My hair?" she asked. "Why?"

SPLASH!

Her terrified screams and his excited howls made a marvelous impact as they both collided with a blue surface and plummeted into the deep end of a swimming pool. Now underwater, she desperately grasped for the surface. Sputtering, she ascended from the water, flailing wildly until a pair of strong arms pulled her to the poolside. She watched, aggravated as the man rolled onto his back, bursting with laughter. He looked up to stare at her, pulling a few drenched strands of blonde from his eyes. His white T and jeans were soaked as well. "That was fun…"

She didn't respond, too angry to speak, too shocked to make a run for it.

"Want to go again?" he teased.

No response.

"I take it you're upset". He moved forward to cup her chin in his hand,

"Quit it!" She brushed him away.

"I knew that would get your attention"

She gulped. Was that a smile forming? She veiled it with a revolted grimace. Looking up, she saw Jimena helping a still dazed Collin down the hill.

"Hey! If you two are done goofing off, we have to talk", she shot a dirty look at the guy who countered with an overly cheesy grin. Jimena rolled her eyes and took off back towards the house.

REVIEW CORNER: DA DA DA

Shadowings: Wai…. A baby's wail. COOLNESS! Yes, I did get the idea from Garner's movie. Isn't it obvious? Lol

Mini Sparky: Glad you love it and think it is funny:)

Demon Dea: Love your new name! And thank you SU much for the cool review. It makes me SO happy just to know that my author alerts have that effect on someone! THANX!

Seistresiete: You haven't read the book? Lol Then how did you come across my story? Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like it!

Xxspit-firexx: Cute and funny! Yes that is exactly what I was aiming for! Glad you think I wrote Stanton well! Just add wit and sexiness and TA DA: Stanton! (applause)

Rainchild: O.o Don't kill me! I will update! I am now. See? See?