Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblades.

(A/N I just realized that there hasn't been much romance going on in the story lately so I'm going to remedy that in this chapter considering that this is meant to be a romance fanfiction. There may even be some Tala Oc going on a little later as well, you'll just have to wait and see how things go.

Oh and I finally got my computer fixed! Took it one guy and he quoted the repairs to be like six/seven hundred dollars which I so total don't have so I took it to a mate of mine and all it needs is a ten dollar part! It is like a two minute job so I got it fixed for fifty dollars. That is totally awesome! I am sooooooo verryyyyyyyyyy happy! It means I get my MP3 files back! Wwwwaaaahhhhhh hhhhhhooooooowwwww! I have over five thousand songs on my computer and I miss them all sooooooo much. I also really want to beat the crap out of the computer wanker who thinks he can rip me off because I'm a girl. Gotta love great friends! Oh oh oh oh and all my lyrics too! Ahh heaven! Okay I think I'm done ranting for now. But I don't have a live journal so now everyone knows what has been happening in my life lately. You're all up to date. ;P)

Last time-

As if on que there was the sound of the front door opening and closing then Jess's voice filled the air.

"Tala, Kai we're back." A moment later Jess appeared in the doorway with Mai right on her heals. The look on Jess's face when she saw her aunty was something I had never seen before. A mixture of hurt, disbelief, love, anger and betrayal.

"Aunty Annie, what are you doing here?"

--------

Chapter 20.

Jess's POV

This has got to be a record. In one week my life has fallen apart. I got suspended from school, everyone knows about what happened to me and now to top it all off my aunt who I haven't seen in years decides to turn up out of the blue.

I walked over to Kai, I felt good being wrapped in his arms. It made me feel safe and that was what I needed right now. I walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and he obliged by wrapping his arms around my waist. He whispered something in my ear but I didn't catch it. I turned back to aunty Annie.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. I felt a lot calmer now that I felt less venerable.

Tala began to answer my question but I cut him off. "No Tala if she is here there has to be a reason and I want to hear it from her." I turned back to my aunt waiting for her to speak.

"Jessica I……. I left your uncle a-and I was hoping it would be alright if I stayed here until I find a place to stay?" She fiddled with the empty cup infront of her not looking at me whilst she waited for my answer.

That, I had not been expecting. I was kind of hoping she was here to tell us that the bastard was dead. That would really put a shiner on my week.

"And you just decided to turn up here?" I watched her wince under my tone and I felt a tincey wincey bit guilty but it would pass.

"K-Kai bought me here." She managed to stammer out. I was making her nervous and it made me feel bad.

I looked over my shoulder and he nodded in confirmation. Okay I think I get it, well not really but if Kai trusted her then I should too. I should shouldn't I? I mean after all she is my aunty.

"Okay, you can stay. Use the room at the end of the hall." A smile of relief broke out over her face and it made me feel even worse. It wasn't my place to judge people.

I got myself out of Kai's hold and headed off up to my room, I had some serious thinking to do.

End of Jess's POV

--------

Kai and Tala exchanged looks. Tala gave a shrug before continuing with preparing dinner whilst Mai patted Annie on the shoulder.

--------

Jess leaned against the inside of her closed bedroom door. A single tear ran down her cheek before she crossed to her CD player and blasted Green Day through out her room and the rest of the house.

Jess took a seat in the middle of her floor, she had managed to get that far but now the few metres to her bed seemed like miles so she just sat and stared up into the nothingness of her white ceiling.

Jess's POV

Okay deep breaths, she doesn't deserve my tears. I can't believe she is here after all these years. Didn't even try to find us and now she expects to live with us? Though if Kai did bring her here like she said he would have had a good reason and I trust Kai, I'd trust Kai with my life and I know he loves me so there is no reason he would do anything to hurt me but that isn't the problem. I'm the problem. I'm my own problem. I know it wasn't her fault what happened to me but she could have done something surly! There's the police, child welfare and a number of other things she could have done to help, but no she did nothing. That's what hurts, she just sat back and let it happen. Just before she tried to give me an explanation and I shot her down. I just didn't think I could handle another excuse. Not now, not after everything, maybe not ever….. well one day maybe but not today and defiantly not tomorrow.

Then there is that voice at the back of my mind, the one telling me that she is family and for us they are a dieing species. Families stick together right? Well even if they don't they should right? I mean even if they do something really bad family should still be there for them and to pick up the pieces right? But she didn't DO anything wrong par say, she just let bad things happen. Bad things that would have been easily prevented.

"Stooooop!………….please it hurst…… I don't want to……..get off……. Please……..Pleasssssssee……"

Crying…. Coughing….. Bleeding…..Screaming……Begging…….Pain… Sobbing.

In my mind I relive the first time over and over in my head. I don't remember all of the first time, only flashes, just flashes. Like a series of snap shots that my mind pieces together and fills in the blanks with bits from other times until I have what I think was the first time but is really only spliced together bits of ongoing torture.

--------

3rd person's POV

Jess sat in the middle of her floor sobbing like a little child who just received a mild injury. Rocking backwards and forwards sobs racked through her making her lungs hurt and her throat as well. Fat, hot tears ran down her soft cheeks to her chin then finally falling onto her shirt. Memories flashed through her mind and even though she tried so very hard they wouldn't go, wouldn't leave her alone. She couldn't block them out.

Not anymore……..

And all the time the music played.

Kai sat downstairs in the living room listening go Green Day blast from Jess's sound system. Two more songs and then he would go and see how she was.

Mai, Tala and Annie sat around drinking coffee. The dinner that Tala had planned to cheer Jess up was well and truly ruined.

Mai cast a nervous look towards Tala's aunt before she voiced her concern.

"Tala maybe you should do something about Jess, I mean she doesn't seem to be handling things too well at the moment does she? And I'm starting to see an unhealthy pattern in her behavior. She is getting reckless Tala."

Tala just stared for a moment then lowered his head so that the two women at the table couldn't read his facial expression. He took a deep breath in and then out, he didn't know why but when Mai criticized Jess he saw red. It was more that his protective brotherly instinct that made him mad Mai was supposed to be Jess's best friend but after a moment he realized that that wasn't it either. She was judging Jessica and as far as he was concerned friends don't judge. Neither do family but here she was both friend and family and she was judging. Tala took in another deep breath.

"Maybe your right." Tala stood from the table and headed to the living where Kai sat waiting for the song to finish.

"I'll take this one Kai, I think you and Mai should go home." Kai looked up at Tala with mild shock, he had never been asked to leave before and he didn't like it one bit. It made him feel shut out.

"But… I was going to…." Tala cut him off.

"Not tonight Kai she can't handle it right now." Kai nodded and stood before going towards the kitchen. "I'll call you tomorrow then." There was no questioning what Kai was going to do. Defeated Kai fingered the ring in his pocket as he headed to kitchen to get Mai.

"Okay, I'll talk to you then." Tala called to his retreating back.

Tala waited until Kai had left the room before he headed to the stairs and up to Jess's room.

--------

Jess sat in the middle of her floor rocking backwards and forwards, she didn't hear the door open and jumped when she found herself in somebody's arms. Looking around, wide eyed Jess looked into Tala's eyes and felt better as the warmth from his body invaded her and calmed her soul. Nothing could hurt her now he was here. Everything was going to be okay.

Tala sat on the floor rocking backwards and forwards with Jess. Just holding her, whispering comforting words in her ear.

Later that night Kai walked through his house to say goodnight to Mai. He had just had a shower and was dressed for bed, he padded bare foot down the carpeted hall to Mai's room. The door was ajar so he pushed it open and stepped inside. Mai was sitting by her computer, no other lights were on she couldn't see Kai standing behind her and she hadn't heard him come in ether.

Kai took a glance at the screen as he was about to put his hand on Mai's shoulder but something peeked his interest. Mai was on MSN Messenger. He recognized the user ID but he still didn't say anything.

:Hillary is the hottest hottie in the history of hotness- says- how is our little war waging going? Has she cracked yet?

:Mai maiden of mayhem- says- No but she is close, she had a bit of a fit earlier and ran off to her room. Kai the stupid fool helped too. He brought her Aunt to her house this afternoon, it was great you could actually feel her panic it was so hard not to laugh.

:Hillary is the hottest hottie in the history of hotness- says- Good it's all coming together. With any luck she'll end up in a loony bin.

Kai tore his eyes away from the screen before he turned walk out of the room pulling the door behind him. He would have to tell Tala about this but not before he got to the bottom of it there was no point jumping the gun and having to apologize for false accusations.

Tala still sat on the floor holding Jess, some time ago she had fallen asleep in his arms but to the moment he hadn't wanted to move her for fear of disturbing her sleep. That had been over an hour ago and Tala considered her sleep deep enough to warrant moving her. Leaning backwards Tala pulled Jess towards his chest then rocking forwards he climbed onto his knees before getting to his feet and carrying Jess across to her bed. Shifting her weight Tala pulled down she sheets and placed Jess on the bed. She still hadn't stirred as Tala drew the sheets up to her chin and placed a goodnight kiss on her forehead. Taking a step back Tala looked down at Jessica, she looked so innocent and childlike laying there in the bed that it caused him pain at the thought of leaving her in such a state so instead of going to his bed in his own room Tala crossed his baby sisters room to where a two seater couch rested against the wall and dragged it across the room to the side of Jess's bed. He rested his head against the arm rest and watched the soft flare of her nostrils as she slept.

Annie looked around the room Jess said she could have. It was a beautiful room as well, Jess had always had a knack for making things nice and this room screamed of her touched right down to the flowers in the vase that matched the highlights in the old antique furniture that gave the room a classy touch. In a strange way it made her angry, the girl had managed to become everything she wasn't meant to be. She had confidence and a loving boyfriend that would go to any length to help her and then there was Tala but he was different, he always had been. Setting a small sigh slip out of her exhausted lips she recalled one afternoon when Tala had screamed at her to do something, anything to help Jessica but she hadn't. To be honest she hated Jessica. Hated her for the fact that the man she loved had more interest in that scrawny little girl than in her. Every time she made advances on her husband she had been turned down after the first time he had had her. It had taken a while for her to figure out what was going on but once she knew the feelings of defeat piled in on her until she gave up on even trying to get her husband to show any sign of interest in her. She wasn't stupid or daft and after many efforts that extended to loosing weight, cutting and dyeing her hair and even going as far as having plastic surgery to reduce the signs of ageing that time had bestowed upon her but there was still no interest shown in her. All she wanted was to be wanted but that stupid snotty little girl held all his attention but after Tala had taken her away she did get some attention, though it wasn't the kind she wanted. Annie had thought that Jessica was a one off but after a new family moved in next door to her house with a young girl and his interest sparked again Annie began to realize that he was sick. So very, very sick.

The next morning Kai was up bright and early. Gathering all the car keys from the garage wall he got into his Jeep wrangler and headed over to Tala's place. He had said he would call but his new information needed to be delivered in person. He had decided that keeping this from Tala was not a good idea even if he took offence to the news.

Kai put on a pot of coffee in Tala's kitchen and sat to wait for him to come down for breakfast though there was a better chance of Jess coming down first considering she always awoke before Tala anyway.

It was ten to seven.

--------

At seven thirty Annie came into the kitchen looking for the substance the caused the welcoming scent that filled the rest of the house.

Kai was taken aback when she walked into the kitchen with all that he had been thinking regarding Mai and Hillary he completely forgotten about bringing her here yesterday. Then something else struck him, if Hillary was involved there was no doubt that Kate would have her sharp claws in whole thing as well. Kate hated Jess, maybe even more than Hillary did.

"Good morning." Kai greeted the older lady.

"Oh, Kai good morning you're here very early." Annie hadn't seen Kai sitting at the table out of her direct line of sight.

"I'm an early riser." Kai smiled across at her. "Would you like me to get you a cup of coffee?" Kai offered.

"Oh no thank you, I can get my own." She smiled across at him.

"Do you know where the cups are?" Kai asked warmly, he was starting to feel bad for the grilling he had given her the day before over Jess.

"It's that cabinet isn't it?" Annie pointed to one of the over head cabinets.

"No," Kai got up from what was considered his seat and crossed the kitchen to get her a cup. "This one." Kai had just finished pouring her a cup of coffee when Tala walked into the kitchen still wearing his clothes from yesterday.

Tala walked into the room ignoring the other people in the kitchen rubbing his eyes and yarning. His neck was killing him from the night spent on the couch in Jess's room.

"Coffee—" Tala mumbled as he moved further into the kitchen and over to the over head cabinet where the coffee cups were stashed.

Kai was once again sitting in his seat at the kitchen table watching Tala with amusement. "Oi." Kai spoke loudly to Tala. Tala jumped and spun around to see who the hell was in his kitchen.

"Where's Mai?" Tala asked once he established that only Kai and his aunt Annie were in the room with him.

"Ah, I need to talk to you about that." Kai told him as he sent a look at Annie.

"I'll just go and have a shower shall I?" Annie made her exit from the room leaving the two alone.

Kai looked across at Tala wondering how he was going to breach the subject that his girlfriend had been sabotaging his beloved little sister. Deciding that there was no better way then straight up so he got to the point.

"Mai is at home, I took all the keys so she couldn't leave." Kai looked across at Tala to see how he reacted to this information. Tala gave him a questioning look but waited for him to continue.

"Last night Mai was on Messenger and she was talking to Hillary." "WHAT?" Tala's voice was raised to just below a yell.

"Shhhh!" Kai hissed, he didn't want Annie and least of all Jess to hear what he was going to say.

"Where's Jess?" Kai asked before he continued with his story.

"In bed still asleep, the pore thing was all tuckered out from last night. When I went up there she was sitting in the middle of the floor crying her eyes out."

Kai felt his heart cringe at the thought of it. It was all his fault that all this bad stuff had happened to her. He let Mai stay with him and let her into their lives. He had realized that everything had probably already been put into play before she came to live with him. She knew Hillary and Amanda Ashleigh and probably Kate as well, it was all his fault and if he couldn't make it better he felt that he would kill himself.

"They were talking about Jess and about yesterday and about telling everyone about what happened to her." Kai took a brake by sipping his coffee.

Tala let out a sigh. "I knew she had to be too good to be true. Going by my past history with women I'm surprised something hasn't happened before."

"Well what are we going to do about this? We can't tell Jess well not yet anyway." Kai said surprised at how well Tala was taking the news that his girlfriend what well to put it bluntly a bitch.

"How does this sound." Tala was thinking on his feet, they had to do something. "I'll Take Jess away for a while, god she was a real mess last night and I don't think it will be fixed over night. She's been under a lot a stress the last week or so. While I do that how about you dig around here and see what you can come up with. If Mai has done what we think she has done She's going to be in a lot of trouble."

Kai didn't like the idea of Tala taking Jess away from him but she did need to get away and it would be easier for him to dig around without having to worry about Jess finding out what was going on and if she went somewhere with Tala he wouldn't have to worry about Enrique. He knew that Jess had no love for him apart from the brotherly kind but that didn't mean that Enrique felt the same way. "When will you leave?"

Tala thought it over for a moment. "Tomorrow I think. That way you can spend some time with her today before we go and then you can start digging. I'll call the school in the morning and tell them that we're going away for awhile. I'll get our work sent out to us so we don't miss anything. I can't afford to miss out on school right now and it will give Jess's mind a break."

"Alright." Kai agreed it did seem like a sound plan but not having them around would be hard. They had become very close over the years and not seeing them everyday would be weird.

"Where are you going to go? I might come and visit on the weekends and give you a progress report."

"I was thinking the Chalet in France. It will be spring over there and Jess loves it there at this time of year." Kai was a little shocked, France was quite a way away but it was a good idea.

A silence filled the room as they both thought about what was going to happen in the next passing days. The more Tala thought about it the more he liked the idea of taking Jess away from everything for awhile. Their relationship though still close wasn't what it used to be. There was still the love, respect and protectiveness but they didn't spend very much time together anymore, not like they used to anyway.

There you all go. I'm so sorry it took so long for me to update, I've been a bit slack lately and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I really do! I hope you all enjoyed it and that you think it was worth the wait. I'll try and get the next chappi up sooner than it took to get this one posted. And I'm sorry than nothing romantic happened in this chappi but please be patient.

Please review.

Infinite x's and o's

The Perfect Oasis.