A/N: I want to thank the following people for reviewing the first chapter of my fic: Keia101, NCTeKkEn08, UP3NP4T3LROCK5, Niveus, and last but not least, xblacksugarx. Your reviews mean a lot to me, just knowing that my work is being appreciated swells my heart with joy. And knowing that people are actually taking the time to read it couldn't make me happier. But even with all this happiness, I'm slightly panicking. I really do not want to screw up on this fic again. It would kill me if that happened. I'm trying my hardest to stay true to the characters in the game so they don't come off as too OOC.

But with the events that I'm planning to put these characters through are bound to change them, to the point where they are likely to be unrecognizable. Please don't get discouraged and angry with this story. I'm writing it to make you see and feel things differently towards these characters. And if you do feel something, anything, I've done my job. So, here's the next installment. Enjoy!

Special note to NCTeKkEn08: Thank you so much for that thought out review, it's really helped. And while reading it, it seems that you've put so much faith in my storytelling abilities. I'm afraid to let you down. :)

Chapter 2:

Living Dead Girl and Mirror Me

It occurs to her that what she most appreciates about this City of the Angels

Is that which is missing, the voids, the unstitched borders, the empty corridors,

The not yet deciphered. She is grateful for the absence of history.

--Kate Braverman, Palm Latitudes, 1988

////

The morning sun peeked over the horizon of downtown Los Angeles; setting the cement landscape ablaze in bright hues of orange and pink, piercing the smog that seemed to permanently hang over the city like a dirty halo. Traffic on the 110 freeway was congested, horns honked at regular intervals. Jin Kazama turned away from the huge bay window of his second story motel room that over-looked the freeway and closed the drapes, blocking out the early morning sun.

With a sigh, Jin sunk down heavily onto the queen-sized bed centered in the middle of the room and reached for the remote control resting by his side. Turning the power on, Jin flipped through the channels with no real interest. Through his channel surfing, Jin came across the news, the current story grabbing his attention instantly.

"At 2 a.m. this morning, a young woman was found brutally murdered in her apartment, on Sunset Boulevard. Police arrived at the scene after a neighbor called in saying they heard gunshots coming from the apartment next door. Police say the woman was shot in the chest multiple times," the anchorman said into the camera relaying the latest breaking news, his eyes devoid of any emotion, "It seems that the cause of the murder was a break in and most of the woman's valuables have gone missing. More on this story as it becomes available," Suddenly the anchorman smiled, "Now back to Chip for your latest morning traffic update."

Jin snapped the television off and tossed the remote onto the armchair across the room. He groaned and rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes, as if to erase a horrific memory he didn't want to face. I don't understand. Why is she here? Why did she choose this city of all places to run away from her life, her problems? It seems like this place could only bring her more grief, more pain. She doesn't belong in this town; she's too good for this. Opening his eyes, Jin stood up from his perch on the bed and began to rifle through his strewn clothes on the bedroom floor. Once he found it, Jin flipped open his cell phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.

The phone rang five times before someone finally picked up.

"'Ello?" came a yawn over the other end of the line.

"'Rang."

"Jin?" the voice on the other end inquired.

"Yeah, it's me."

"It's about damn time you called me back. I was getting worried."

"I saw her last night, at the club. Just where you said I'd find her." Jin whispered.

"Hmm…How did she look?" The Korean asked.

"You should have seen her, 'Rang. She was so…different." Jin said; a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Where are you now?" Hwoarang asked after a beat.

"I'm staying at a Best Western next to the over-pass from the 110 to the 405 freeway." Jin replied.

"Sit tight, I'm on my way."

A blast of dead air hit Jin's ear, and he was left to sit in his dark room; alone.

////

"Good morning Downtown Los Angeles!" Screeched the clock radio on the nightstand next to the bed Julia was passed out on.

"Huh? Just five more minutes mom, please!" Julia mumbled from underneath the sheets.

But her pleas came unheeded, "The forecast today will be sunny, with highs in the 80's in-land and low 70's near the beach. Ditch the office and grab your beach towel folks, its going to be another—," Julia slowly opened one eye and then the other, rolling onto her back. Squinting, she gave her eyes a minute to get accustomed to the bright light of the morning sun that was streaming through her open bedroom window. Julia turned and glared at the radio with as much hatred as she could muster towards that little monstrosity. It seemed to shrink under her heated gaze. Her hand slipped out from under the sheets and slammed down on the OFF button. With a sigh, she pushed back the covers and swung her legs over the side of her double bed.

Julia's room was slightly smaller than the one she used to have at her mother's house. Three out of the four walls of the room were painted the same pale yellow, while the remaining wall, the one on the left side of her bed, nearest to the door, was a mural of the desert mountains in the Arizona planes. Rolling red hills and rock formations expanded across the smooth surface of the wall, green and brown cactuses sprouting here and there, far off in the distance. The sky was painted a deep violet, melting into shades of dark blue to represent the coming night; twilight. A silver slice of moon peeking out over the misty clouds, and a lone white coyote sat on a mountain top, baying at the moon.

The mural took two years in the making and yet it still remained unfinished. The central part of the painting remains bare, white plaster marring the beauty of the serene setting. Deep down Julia knew there was something missing, a void she couldn't seem to fill, and try as she might; Julia couldn't bring herself to finish her masterpiece. She hadn't touched her paintbrushes in four months. They lie undisturbed, under the kitchen sink.

White lace curtains hung onto the two windows on either side of her bed, filtering the sun's harsh rays. The down comforter covering the bed; was a soft baby blue, and white pillows sat against the wrought iron headboard. Her bureau was made out of cherry oak wood; sitting atop it was a small Samsung television, with a DVD player and a VCR all in one. The nightstand placed next to the right side of her bed had iron legs and a glass top. Resting on top of the mini table was her morning enemy: the clock radio; and the other objects were two pictures residing in picture frames. One of them was a picture of her and Michelle at a local fair in Arizona two summers ago. They were both smiling at the camera, eyes hidden behind the shades of their Aviators. Their mouths open showing off sets of pearly whites.

The other was a snapshot of Jin and Julia at one of the many beaches in Japan. They were staying at a hotel in Okinawa, taking a reprieve from the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3, even if it was just for the weekend. Jin was smiling for the camera, wearing only swimming trunks, his arms wrapped around Julia's waist, holding her close. Julia, wearing a black bikini, was also smiling. She had her head resting against his shoulder, the afternoon sun shining in the background. The glare of the sun caused the sand to sparkle; making it seem as if the happy couple was standing in a sea of diamonds.

Julia picked up the frame and began to run the pads of her thumbs over the image of Jin.

"Say cheese!" Xiaoyu squealed.

"Cheese!" Jin and Julia yelled in unison.

Xiaoyu pressed the button on the Polaroid camera in her hands. She caught the picture just as it was about to land on the sandy ground beneath her feet. Jin and Julia stood next to her waiting for the images to take focus. "Aww!" Xiaoyu sighed, "You guys look so cute together."

Jin took the picture from her hands and studied it.

"Yeah," he said, smiling down at Julia, "we do."

Julia reached out and wrapped her slender hand around his larger one, and squeezed it gently. He pulled her to him and placed a tender kiss on the crown of her head.

Julia snapped back to reality. The memory vanished along with the small smile that had formed on her lips. No point in living in the past, Julia thought bitterly. It doesn't change the present. Julia slowly stood up from the bed after placing the frame back on her nightstand, and made her way to the small bathroom across the hallway. She trailed her fingertips along her painting as she passed by and out the door.

Without looking at herself in the mirror, Julia opened the medicine cabinet and took out her toothbrush. Squeezing a dime size amount of Crest toothpaste on the bristles, and shoving it into her mouth, She began to vigorously work at the plaque on her teeth. After working up enough paste suds, she spat it out. Not in the least surprised to see blood mixed in with the white froth. Julia rinsed her mouth from the tap, and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. She left the toothbrush on the edge of the sink and walked out of the bathroom to the linen closet at the end of the hall.

Returning to the bathroom, Julia placed a towel on the toilet and reached her hand inside the shower, turning the knobs. She tested the water temperature to make sure it was steaming hot. She enjoyed scorching hot showers. How the water made her skin burn, it made her feel something other than dead. Julia took off the black T-shirt she was wearing along with the short shorts she used for pajamas, and stepped into the burning waterfall. As she was lathering shampoo into her hair, Julia replayed the events of last night over in her mind.

She vaguely recalled dancing with a handsome man, the confrontation with the man's girlfriend, and a massive bar fight. Julia also remembered the sensation of eyes on her, but she immediately dismissed it. There were a ton of people in that club last night, it could have been anyone. Julia turned off the shower and stepped out. She grabbed the towel off the toilet lid, wrapping it around her and stood in front of the vanity mirror. She placed a hand on the warm glass and began to wipe away the condensation. A little gasp escaped Julia's lips as she looked at her reflection. Her eyes were slightly sunken in, with bags under them. Her face was pale, as were her lips, seeming to have lost some of their natural pink color.

Julia opened the towel to look at her body. It was red from the shower and she noticed that several ribs were showing. She quickly brought the towel up around her body, shielding it from view and turned back to the mirror. Gazing into the eyes of the girl she hardly knew, Julia began to cry. Tears blurred her vision as they silently slid down her hollow cheeks.

"Oh God! Enough with the waterworks already!" Julia's reflection sneered at her.

"W-What?" Julia blinked.

MirrorJulia let out an exasperated sigh, "Stop crying. It's really pathetic."

"But I'm—," Julia began.

"I know, I know," MirrorJulia rolled her eyes, "'You're lost without your Jin' yadda, yadda, yadda."

"I'm deteriorating!" Julia cried.

MirrorJulia narrowed her eyes at her live counterpart, "Like you care," she taunted, her words dripping with venom, "you stopped caring about yourself the minute you found out he was murdered."

Julia flinched at the word.

"What? That word too harsh for you?" MirrorJulia asked scathingly, "Were you not there last night when you completely beat to a pulp that guy and his girl?"

"Shut up." Julia whispered; her head lowered in shame.

But MirrorJulia continued, "You're no better than him. You're no better than the man who killed Jin."

Sucking in a ragged breath, Julia screamed, "SHUT UP!" In her fury, she launched a fist at herself, smashing the glass. Spider web fractures spread from the center of her face, reaching up to the corners of the mirror. Looking her distorted reflection in the eye, Julia whispered severely, "I am nothing like him."

The door to the bathroom pushed open and Moby, Julia's Siberian husky, bounded into the room. He ran to her and jumped up, placing his little white paws on her bare thighs, mouth open, tongue lolling, tail wagging.

"Morning Moby," Julia gave the dog a small smile, still shaken by what just happened. "You hungry?"

The puppy yelped a happy bark in response, his tail whipping from side to side. Julia laughed a little, "Ok. Let me get dressed and then I'll get us some breakfast." She rubbed his head and behind his ears affectionately. Moby jumped down, and scrambled out of the bathroom, his nails loosing traction slightly on the linoleum, on his way to the kitchen.

Julia sighed and pushed her damp hair behind her ear, "Just the beginning of another day in the life of me."

A/N: What'd you think? Good? Bad? Or just plain terrible? Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thank you in advance.