Chapter One.

Chronicles of Life and Death - Good Charlotte.

"Caroline?"

I pulled the phone away from my ear for a second and stared at it. Was that really Mr. Faulkner calling me?

"I know this is unexpected but-", he took a shuddering breath. My heart immediately began racing; why was he crying?

"What's wrong Mr. Faulkner? Is Alex alright?" I clutched the rusty phone handle tighter as if that would make me hear him any better.

"No… I mean, He say's he's alright but…" He took another shuddering breath and continued "… It's Annabel."

Mrs. Faulkner? Comprehension came crashing down on me like an avalanche.

Mrs. Faulkner. Alex's Mum. The Tumor.

Of Course.

"Oh God… I'm so sorry Mr. Faulkner. I… I don't know what to say…"

I felt the tears prickling in my eyes and took a deep breath to control myself. I understood now why he had called me. Alex wouldn't. He wouldn't want to "disturb" me – He would think he was strong enough to tough out on his own and that he didn't need me.

"Caroline?"

I braced myself.

"Yes?"

There was silence on the line for a moment. I jumped when there was movement behind me realizing too late that my grandmother had come downstairs with me.

"Mr. Faulkner?" I prompted.

"Will you come home?"

Even though I was prepared to hear it, I felt the breath whoosh out of me. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath.

"He needs you. He won't admit it but he does. You're the only one who can help him right now."

So it was that bad.

"Will you come home Carrie?" Mr. Faulkner asked again.

My voice caught in my throat. How could I just go back? I wasn't meant to go back. I had come here with the prime intention of never going back.

But no one knew that. They all thought I was on an extended vacation.

"I'll be home in a few hours."

I hung up the phone and turned around to find my grandmother scrutinizing me. I leaned against the window and held my head in my hands for a minute. I felt my grandmother's grip on my shoulder.

"It's not supposed to be this hard Gram…"

"You'll fall right back in Ma Cherie… Just go back for now. No body has to know anything."

I looked up. Gram placed both her hands on either side of my face and looked me straight in the eyes.

"Go back. Come back after two weeks for a few days and deal with things here. Don't worry. You'll be protected."

I sighed and got up.

"I can stay away for as long as I want?"

"Yes. I promise."

"They - "

Just then, the doorbell rang. Instinct took over and I didn't need to see Gram's eyes widened with fear, to know what was happening. Gram took a deep breath and moved to answered the door while I pulled on a jacket over my tank top.

It was the La Fouex's care taker Anderson, looking inside past the doorway at us as if he expected us in a less than perfect condition.

"Please Madam Danvers, forgive me. We thought something may have happened to you and your granddaughter when you didn't respond to the commotion. It was so close to your home."

"What commotion? We didn't see or hear anything." Even though she didn't realize it Gram's carefully controlled superior temperament was beginning to show, what with the added stress that had come in the form of her granddaughter.

Anderson said nothing but instead stepped out of our way and pointed towards the lush green clearing that was adjacent to Gram's three story penthouse. Gram pulled on her robe and began to walk towards the seemingly peaceful clearing; I hesitated for two seconds before following her. I could see now that the whole neighborhood was awake, all of them bleary eyed and scattered around our house whispering to each other.

Gram had stopped dead in her tracks and she was looking back at me as I walked towards her slowly; the emotions she had worked so hard to hide were now evident on her face, literally on display for everyone to see. I felt my face crumple in confusion and I absentmindedly took the last few quick steps ahead of Gram, forgetting all about the respect that even the neighbors had brain enough to show.

There was a hole. A kind of crater, not so deep, not so large in size either but eerie enough that anyone who saw it was slowly backing away wanting to create as much as distance as they could between themselves and this strangely unsettling phenomenon. Red smoke ensued from it's edges and my eyes saw what none of the others except Gram could see.

Anderson's voice reverberated through the hushed atmosphere.

"It appeared with a tremendous bang just over a minute ago. We weren't sure…"

His voice trailed off and I turned around, my eyes raking over every one standing there before they finally landed on Gram. She kept her eyes locked on me as she spoke.

"Well, we didn't hear it. I think it's best we all dismiss the matter and go back inside our homes."

I was grateful that my grandmother had taken control of the situation. One by one people mumbled 'good night' and made their way back home.

I gazed at the hole for thirty more seconds before I finally jogged back to the penthouse where Gram stood with the front door open. She patted me on the back and said "I think it's best if you leave as soon as possible. You can take my car if you want."

I shook my head and gulped.

"Um…No. It's alright, I'll take my own car. I'll call as soon as I'm there."

It was like nothing had even happened. We had gone back to pretending, talking as if our conversations were merely about the weather.

However, I knew. It didn't take a genius to figure it out.

They were here. And they weren't going to let me leave that easily.

Nobody - let's the Reflector leave once they've found them.