Serena screamed as she plunged forward through the portal, lights flashing fiercely in her eyes. With a closer glance, she realized that she was literally traveling in time. Various events reenacted and whizzed before her eyes. Birthday parties. Fires. Rain. She gradually ceased to scream seeing that nothing would harm her here. It wasn't frightening at all. In fact, it was beautiful. Then another thought crossed her mind. Was she lost? "Maggie?" she called. No answer. Suddenly, the images disappeared around her and she went sailing out onto a hard cement ground. Wounds opened on her arms and knees as hard, jagged rock sliced through her clothing and into the skin.

"Ow", she moaned. Holding her forehead, she rose from the ground and took in her surroundings. She was standing at a quaint Spanish- style house, much like her new home in the past. The neighboring houses were modeled the same. She glanced about frantically for Maggie and Jimena. Where had they gone? She shrugged dismissively, concluding that they had simply vanished back to their time, something they were good at.

"Serena?" a familiar voice called her name. She watched as a young man came to the door, dressed in ripped jeans and a blue T- shirt.

"Collin?" She exclaimed. She hadn't recognized him at first. He seemed so much older now… "You live here?"

"Yeah", Collin eyed her, concerned. "Here to see Jimena?"

"I guess", she muttered. Maggie had told her to see Jimena. But why? She shook her head in frustration. What was making her lose her memories?

"Come on", Collin pulled her into the living room and motioned towards an armchair next to a sliding glass door leading to a pool area. She groaned as Inocencia rushed into the room.

"Who is it, daddy?" she bounced up and down, her green eyes bright with anticipation. She frowned at the sight of Serena. "Oh. It's only you".

The feeling was mutual. "Glad to see you too"

Inocencia tossed her long curly hair behind her. Her tiny swim suit was striped black and lavender, jean shorts covering her legs. She clutched a life ring and a tube to her chest.

"Going swimming? Serena asked, staring out at the pool.

"As if. I'm going to scope out the guys".

"Ino!" Collin scolded her. "We're going surfing!"

"Same thing", she smirked. "Is Stanton here too?"

Serena winced at the mention of Stanton. "No".

"Is he coming to my birthday party?"

"Your birthday is coming?"

"Why? You're not invited"

"That's enough, weasels", Collin smiled and took her by the shoulder. "Let's hit the waves before your mom finds out!"

"YEAH!" Inocencia squealed in delight and jetted out of the door and towards the car.

"Later!" Collin gave her some strange hand gesture and headed out of the door.

"Bye", Serena muttered as it slammed. She turned to the hallway. "Jimena?" She called. Standing from the chair, she strolled out of the living area and moved through the house. A kitchen. The bathroom. A shoe closet… She stopped at Inocencia's room to gaze over the hundreds of pictures pasted onto the wood. Jimena. Collin. Her friends. Serena groaned at a picture of her and Stanton. Only where her face should have been was a picture of Ino. The original part had been gauged out of the photo. Serena rolled her eyes. Was she this pathetic as a child? Sighing, she crossed her arms before noticing a round piece of paper on the carpet. Picking it up, she recognized it as the missing part of the picture. She must have done it recently. Holding the piece to the snapshot, she gasped. The couple in the photo was perfect. She sat in his lap, her eyes wild and feisty, and stuck her tongue out at the camera revealing a silver barbell. "Huh?" Serena cocked an eyebrow and pulling out a compact mirror, she searched for any sign of a tongue piercing. She finally found a small hole. Why hadn't she noticed that before? The nose ring had already surprised her enough. She looked back at the picture. The chemistry was undeniable. When was it taken? She turned the picture over. June 20, 2006. She would be sixteen then, only two years older than she was now. If she had remained in the past, how long would it have been before they crossed paths? A month? A few weeks? A day, maybe? She moaned in confusion and then out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glint of yellow light undistinguishable from the twinkle that often glowed in Stanton's eyes. She spun around to see streams of light shining from beneath a door at the very end of the hallway. Slowly, she started towards it, cautious and alert. She could have sworn that the light hadn't been there just a minute ago. Now only inches away, she ran her eyes over the door. It was tar black and dark paint chipped from its surface. She found this strange, considering that the entire house was fresh and newfangled. Every other door was either clear wood or stainless glass. Suddenly the door seemed ominous and menacing. She put her hand to the knob and flinched at its pulse. Wait a minute. Doors didn't have pulses. Or at least she didn't think they did. Then before she could untangle her thoughts, the door gradually creaked open as if to welcome her. Ignoring the overwhelming cloud of disembodied caution and death that hovered over the room, she crept inside. A small lamp illuminated the space, dimly, for there were no windows. On the ground were various books and scriptures. Some of them looked as ancient as time itself. She directed her attentions to the source of the light. In the most shadowy corner of the room sat the only piece of furniture, a dark oak cupboard. Taking tiny steps toward it, she peeked into the drawer to see an array of moon amulets. She gasped in recognition. She had one of those! She'd worn it the night that she went to sleep in the past. So this was where the light was coming from? No. The eerie, phosphorescent light was only reflected off of the amulets' surfaces. Rummaging deeper still into the pile, she found something chillingly cold. She drew it from the mass and the light immediately exploded in her face. Covering her blinded eyes, she let it fall to the carpet.

Free me, something croaked frailly through out the room.

"Maggie?" she whispered, her voice trembling. She stared down at the amulet. It was now flipped over, its rays burning into the ground. "Hello-", she started again when suddenly a hand wrenched her by the shoulder. "AGH!" She wailed, spinning around to face her confronter. What she had expected to be a specter or worse, turned out to be fierce angry eyes.

"Are you loca, Serena?" Jimena scolded. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"I… I", she panted breathlessly. "The light". She pointed to the amulet, still singing the floor. The area was dark now as were her fingers where the stone had touched her. Jimena took it by the string and hoisted it back into the cupboard. She slammed it shut and, drawing a key from her pocket, she locked it. Her dark eyes turned on Serena. "What happened?"

"The light. I saw it and-"

"Serena, you could have freed the Atrox!"

Free me. The whispery words floated across Serena's mind. "The Atrox? Is that what's in the amulet?"

Jimena cocked an eyebrow. "You helped to bond it"

Serena stared, in a daze, after the amulet. So she was some sort of witch.

A Goddess. A daughter of the moon.

She was a Goddess. Cool. But was she a force of good or…

"Do you think I'm evil?"

Jimena gave her a wild look. "Of course not, chica. You defeated an ancient evil".

"Oh…" Serena muttered taking it all in.

"Sorry I can't say the same for your esposo".

Serena's head snapped up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jimena laughed. "Just teasing, Serena".

Serena sighed and walked out into the sunbathed hall, relieved to feel natural light again. Stopping at Inocencia's room, she looked at the picture and pieced it back together. "We seem happy", she murmured.

"I guess", Jimena locked the door and started towards her. She glanced over her shoulder and groaned. "Not again! I told her to stop that! I don't give her those old pictures so she can destroy them!"

"It's okay", Serena smiled. Her expression became somber. "There's something I really need to tell you".

"Eh?"

Her forehead creased. Maggie had told her something. She wanted her to tell Jimena. Or… maybe she didn't want her to tell Jimena. Well, of course she did, or else she wouldn't have brought her there. She put a hand to her head. Think. Think. Think.

Ding Dong

Jimena groaned. "Collin probably forgot his keys. He better not have that girl out surfing again. It's too dangerous at her age-" Jimena's voice became merely a buzz as she vanished into the other room. Serena crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. I went to the bathroom. Maggie was there. Stanton came in. They started arguing. He did something to Jimena. I slapped him. A pang of guilt swelled through her chest. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he wasn't evil. After all, Jimena was being a bitch…

"Jimena!" a familiar voice sobbed from the living area. Alarmed, Serena rushed back through the hallway and into the other room where Jimena stood rocking a whimpering Vanessa back and forth in her arms. "It's Michael", she sobbed. "I came home and I couldn't find him anywhere".

"Thanks", Jimena muttered into the phone and slammed it down on its hook. She turned to Vanessa who was now cradled in Serena's arms. "They're looking for him".

Vanessa grimaced. "I can't imagine where he could have gone. I only left for a min-"

"The bottom line is you can't leave kids at home alone. I remember when Inocencia was his age and ran off to Serena's house while I was at the store".

Serena sighed, sarcastically. "I wonder why…"

"I didn't mean to", Vanessa sobbed harder.

"No one's blaming you", Serena whispered softly. "It happens. Don't worry. We'll find him".

Vanessa nodded, obviously trying to convince herself. "I don't think I can take this anymore. First dad. Then Catty".

Serena caught a flash of sorrow in Jimena's eyes at the mention of the last name. "Catty?"

Jimena shot her a death glare. "Moving on-"

"I miss her so much", Vanessa cried harder into Serena's blouse. "It's not logical for people to just disappear like that".

Jimena massaged her hand, but she went on.

"And on her seventeenth birthday too? She was so young!"

Catty. Was she connected to their circle somehow? Then, grabbing her by the shoulder, Jimena practically dragged her into the kitchen. Once there, she shoved her onto a stool. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing? I can't believe you encouraged her to go on about Catty like that!"

"I-"

"You know that confuses her more than she already is".

"I know". She didn't. "It's just that…" She scrambled for an excuse. "I miss Catty too".

"But you know about the choice. You know what happened to her. Vanessa doesn't or have you forgotten?"

"I remember". Again, she didn't have the slightest clue.

Jimena sat down at the counter and twiddled her thumbs. "It always makes me feel guilty that we had well… another choice". She frowned. "They only had two".

Choices? Serena frowned as well, but for a different reason. She was puzzled. Jimena's frown reversed and she looked up at Serena. "But you're right. I miss Catty too".

Serena nodded and Jimena took her hand.

"Let's not cry over it. She wouldn't want us to remember her like this. Promise?"

Serena smiled and shook her hand, but Jimena pulled her into a hug. "Home girls forever".

"Right", Serena choked wanting desperately to be released. Her prayers were answered when the phone began to ring. Jimena answered.

"Buenos Dias", she greeted the caller, but after a few seconds, her expression dropped. "It's for you". She handed the wireless phone to Serena.

"Hello?" Serena spoke into the receiver.

"Serena", a breathless voice returned her greeting.

"Stop stalking me!"

"I'm not stalking you! We're married, dammit!"

"Why can't you take a hint?"

"Why'd you run away from me today?"

"You did something to J-" She caught Jimena's strange look. "that girl".

"She'll be fine"

"Oh, I really believe you"

"Don't be a smart- ass"

"Too late!" she yelled, growing angry.

"Come on, Serena. I miss you! Your bizarre clothes. Your snoring. The annoying way you keep shrieking every time I come near you". Cynicism. "Your touch", he added in attempt to further annoy her. He succeeded.

"Then I hope you enjoyed that bitch slap I gave you before I left, because that's the last "touch" you'll get from me". She slammed the phone down onto the table, huffing and puffing. Yeah. She showed him. Jimena raised an amused eyebrow.

"You two are getting along well"

Serena groaned, but Jimena only laughed.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Yeah", she sneered. "Good news for your daughter, huh?"

"What did you just say?"

"I said-"

The phone started to ring again. Serena reached for it. She knew she was being a bitch but there was only so much of this that she could take before she exploded.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO FUCK OFF!"

"J- Jimena?" a completely different voice stammered. Scarlet red flooded through out her cheeks.

"I- I'm sorry. Who is this?"

"It's Michael. I need to speak to Vanessa. Is she around?"

She furrowed her eyebrows in bewilderment. The only Michael she knew was a toddler with a fifty word vocabulary.

"Er… Michael who?"

"Saratoga?" he snapped impatiently.

"Oooohhhhhhhh", she went on slowly. "You're Michael Senior!"

"Um… yeah… I thought it was obvious. Anyway I have Michael at the park and I need to talk to Vanessa".

"Oh", she muttered sheepishly. "Vanessa! Michael's okay!"

Vanessa walked in, her puffy, red eyes wide. She took the phone. "You found him?" Her eyes narrowed. "MICHAEL?" She stomped back into the living room and after a few minutes, angry cries were heard from that direction. Serena's eyes widened. She had no idea that many curse words could logically fit into one sentence. Finally, Vanessa stormed back into the kitchen, her breathing labored.

"Damn, chica!" Jimena exclaimed. "Even I haven't heard some of those before".

Vanessa turned to Serena. "Can you take me to Hollywood where Michael is staying?"

"I didn't drive"

Vanessa desperately turned to Jimena and the raven haired woman nodded and headed for the front door. "So what happened?"

"The park!" Vanessa rambled on. "He took him to the park! He didn't even consult with me!" She went on and on. When they reached the entrance, Jimena turned to Serena. "Back in thirty", she mouthed while Vanessa complained. Serena nodded. Once the door was closed, she remembered the food in her purse. Removing the crumpled bag, she reached in and stuffed her face with fries. Then, grabbing a People Magazine off of a stand, she traveled to a sofa where she fell over the cushions and read. 60 Cent to do an album with Hilary Duff? Who the hell was 60? Barney Drops it like its Hot? Pootie Tang 10 in theaters this August? Serena slammed the book shut, afraid to read anymore. What was the world coming to? She started to doze off when she heard a crash in the other room. Jolting up, she jumped from the couch and knocked her food down.

"Collin?" she called. "Inocencia?" There was no response.

"Hello?" This time she did get a response. A girl's shriek reverberated through out the hallway. Serena tensed. Did she dare venture any further? Moving carefully, she slipped into the kitchen. Taking a broom in hand, she turned into the hall where the sound was coming from. It was now that she noticed the door that Jimena locked earlier was wide open. She swallowed hard, terror clawing at her chest. "Hello?"

A hand clutched her ankle. "Right here!"

"AHH!" Serena shrieked.

"Shut the hell up!" the voice seethed. She looked down to see Jimena holding her.

"I thought you were dead"

"He can't kill a home girl from El Nueve".

Serena stared at her in awe. This was to be her best friend? "What happened? Where's Maggie?"

"She's not here. I took the wand and came on my own".

"Why?"

"To take care of that white boy"

"His power is dangerous"

"His ass is mine", she threatened before pointing to the dark room. "But I made a mistake"
"What kind of mistake?" Serena turned to her, ready to panic.

"Well, I'm no bruja. I didn't close the portal in time".

"So?"

Jimena wrenched her towards the door and they both peeked in to see two guys and a girl.

"So I'm not the only one from my time who came here", she winced.

Serena mirrored her expression. "Are they on our side?"

"Look at those diablos. Do they look like they're on our side?"

She turned to stare at them. The girl was tall and beautiful, blue and maroon streaks running through her dark hair. She wore a black corset with a thigh high mini and boots. She whooped in excitement. The guys clothing was less skimpy. The dark haired one wore a black T and jeans. The white- blonde wore half a sweat suit, the top missing to reveal a white T shirt.

"Oh, Goddess", the girl crooned, brushing her fingers over her chest suggestively.

"Where are you?" The blonde snarled.

Jimena clutched Serena's arm tighter.

"Don't make us come looking for you".

Serena snapped around. "Who are they?"

"Followers", Jimena said it as if she were uttering a much reviled curse word. "You know. Like Lover Boy"

"Stanton?" Serena asked.

"Bingo" She pulled her from the spot on the ground and they raced through the halls.

"You brought some evil force here to the future?"

"At least I'm not dating it"

Serena caught the teasing in her voice and scowled. "What the hell?" She cried as she noticed something dark scaling the walls beside them. Jimena stopped. "Show yourself"

Serena stared in astonishment as the dark haired guy materialized in front of them, much like Stanton had the night before. Then he was one of them.

"Karyl… I'll take him", Jimena whispered, determination in her eyes. "Now get out!"

"But-"

"Get! Out!"

"Okay", Serena slowly backed away and then dodged through the hall. She could hear Jimena cursing from behind. Had he hurt her? Sprinting into the kitchen, she reached the living room, swung open the door, and ran… right into Stanton.

"YOU?" she snapped. "I'm trying to escape here!"

He said nothing.

"Well?" she asked, waiting for a smart-alecky remark. It was then that she caught his eyes, phosphorescent and hungry.

"St- Stanton?" she stammered. "What-"

He put a finger over her lips. "Shhh".

She flinched at the icy chill of his touch. It hadn't felt that way before… And his aura was so dark and foreboding… Perhaps even evil. She tried to give what could pass as a nervous laugh, but it was clearly a whimper. "Is this another one of your sick jokes? Because I'm not laugh-"

"Shh", he hushed her yet again. Then, putting the other hand to her face, he cupped her chin and hissed ever so softly, "Goddess"

REVIEW CORNER:

Demon Dea: Glad you think it was the funniest! Sorry it was confusing! Have fun with ice cream!

Mini Sparky: Stanton isn't still evil and now she has TWO Stantons to argue with YAAAAY! … I think.

Moonlightchild4: Glad you like it! This chapter discusses Catty as you… just read.

Shadowings: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (opens eyes to see if everything is okay) …… I wasn't scared…

Elephantsrocmysox: It could be Lambert. Its between him and someone else. Im not really sure to be honest. I have an outline, but never follow them Lol