I stood staring at the shrine shaking with fear. If there's a shrine for me…then…then that means…I'm…I'm dead! My first instinct was to panic. My second instinct was screaming at me to run away. Yet, oddly enough, my third instinct took control and said stay where I was. Maybe it was just some sort of long-lost relative who happened to look just like me.

The sound of little feet running down the hall made me turn my head. Crap! I thought quickly looking for a place to hide. I stepped a few feet towards the shrine thinking I could hide behind it. Unfortunately I didn't make it in time. The door to the room I was in flew open and in rushed three little kids.

The youngest of the three, a boy, stopped and stared at me with wide gray eyes. Then a little girl came in after him. "What's wrong Rayden?" she asked.

The little boy, Rayden, pointed at me his little hand shaking.

The girls eyes followed and stared at me when the other kid, the oldest from the looks of it, walked through the door way and into the room staring at me like she'd just seen a ghost. Her pale grayish-purple eyes made me stare straight back at her. She reminds me of mom… I thought looking them closer and closer. He looks like my dad…the middle girl looks like Hibari-san… I tilted my head and chanced a step closer.

The two younger ones screamed daddy and ran out of the room. The oldest girl stayed and whispered quietly. "Mother…" I thought she'd said.

I froze and stepped back, bumping into the shrine. I could still hear the kids in the distance screaming for their daddy. Heavier footsteps followed the soft child-like footsteps. An older man stepped through the door, glancing around indifferently until his eye met mine. "Taomi…" he put his hand on the older girl's shoulder.

She looked up at him and tears started falling out of her eyes. "Whose idea of a sick joke is this?!" She yelled and buried her face in his kimono.

The man stepped forward towards me. I stepped back and knocked the shrine over. "I'm sorry! I-I-I'll fix it right away!" I said picking stuff up.

He placed his hand on my arm, his eyes slightly widening. "You're alive." He said. His eyes looked like they were glazed over with tears threatening to fall down his face. He stood up and pulled me up with him. "Come with me." He turned his head towards the kids. "Go play with Yamamoto." He ordered. The two younger kids obeyed and left without question.

The oldest stood there her eyes begging him to let her stay. "Daddy…please." she said seeming to have no words for the situation. "She's my mother; daddy…please…let me stay."

My eyes widened and darted between the picture of the women and the girl.

"Rika… she's clueless right now. She was probably hit by Lambo's ten year bazooka.

I blinked recalling the name Lambo somewhere… "I've heard that name before…" I muttered forcing myself to think back to the explosion that changed everything.

He turned his head towards me. "Taomi…come with me."

"How do you know me?" I asked stiffening slightly. "The girl who called herself Haru-chan was chasing a kid named Lambo who pulled some sort of gun thing out of his hair…then it exploded and now I'm here. How do I get home?" I started panicking and looking for an exit. "You're like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs." My mother had told me while we were on the plane to Japan. That's exactly what I felt like now, a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. "Who are you?"

He frowned lightly and trailed his fingers along the edge of my face. He looked sort of familiar. I wanted to hold him, to hug him and never let go. What am I saying?! I asked myself. I didn't even know this man yet my first thoughts about him were to hug him and never let go?! "I'm Kyoya…" his voice sounded hurt.

Rika's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She must've heard the way his voice sounded too. Unnatural for him… How do I know the way his voice sounds? Random thoughts kept crossing my mind.

"Come with me, Taomi, and I'll explain everything." He said continuing to trail his fingers down my cheek.

To my surprise my feet willingly started moving, following him. My mind seemed to know exactly where I was going. We reached a library and walked in. I giggled to myself remembering when I first met Kyoya I'd asked him to show me where the library was. "Taking me to the library, eh?" I grinned evilly.

He smirked and nodded looking back at Rika, who'd followed us. "I've told you how your mother and I met."

Rika smiled and nodded sitting on a chair at one of the three desks.

I stood in the center of the room, in awe at all the books and paintings by unfamiliar artists.

Kyoya put his hand on my shoulder and smiled softly. "Have a seat, Tao." He guided me to a chair and pulled it out for me.

I sat down and curled into a ball watching them carefully.

Kyoya pulled a chair towards where I was sitting and took a seat himself. He stared at me like he was trying to get the words together.

I squirmed in my seat, uncomfortable with his stare. "Please stop staring at me…"

Kyoya shifted his eyes away and cleared his throat. "I'm guessing…" he started. "Since you mentioned the name Lambo sounded familiar to you…You came across him and Ms. Miura. You somehow got hit by his 'Ten Year Bazooka' and got sent ten years into the future. From what I understand the bazooka must have malfunctioned or else you would've gone back after five minutes…" he cupped his chin and leaned back in the chair. "Now you're here and you're confused…"

I blinked listening carefully. "That woman in the picture…you said I was taken ten years into the future…was she…me?"

Kyoya's eyes drifted away. "Yes." He said under his breath.

I nodded and looked down. "What happened?"

"You were outside with the kids…Rayden had just turned one." He looked up and forced me to look him in the eye. "You protected your kids when Byakuran attacked."

I nodded understanding. "And…those two that you sent away…the boy was Rayden? She's Rika." I nodded towards the oldest girl sitting in the chair on the other side of the room. "What's the other girl's name, the one that looks like my mom?"

He grinned wide and leaned back. "You named her after your mother. Her name is Kanna."

I giggled and relaxed a bit. "Why would I give her an alteration of my mother's name? Why not give her the same name?"

"You didn't want them to get confused. And before you ask, yes your mother is fine. She's alive and living in America. She moved there after you, or rather the future you, died."

I nodded relieved that she was alright. "Anything else I need to know?"

Kyoya shook his head. "I have one rule; you can't go outside without me with you."

I nodded and leaned back in the chair watching him carefully. "Can I get something to eat?"

He chuckled and stood up walking towards the door. Rika jumped up and sat in his chair smiling wide.

I sat there slightly uncomfortable. "You're Rika…"

She nodded and curled up into a ball.

I grinned and leaned forward. "How old are you?"

"I'm eleven." She said softly. "Kanna is eight and Rayden is seven."

I nodded and looked at her closely. "You have my eyes…mixed with Kyoya's…" I frowned slightly. "And the same eyes as my father…"

"I've never met your father…I've met daddy's father." She said softly.

"He's rough when he needs to be."

Rika got quiet and watched me with curiosity. "Six years…it's like a miracle."

I got quiet and played with a lock of my hair.

"Is that a nervous habit you have?" Rika asked watching me curiously.

"Huh? Oh…yeah it is I suppose." I dropped the hair and smiled softly. "I've always done it when I was nervous or scared. My dad's wife used to yell at me all the time for it. She always said I was going to go bald." I chuckled and rolled my eyes remembering how she used to yell at me constantly yet never yell at my half-sister and step-sibling. I remembered one time when we were sitting on the bed playing her gaming counsel. Her mother came in yelling because the dishes weren't done. 'Why didn't you do them Taomi? I told you before I left that I wanted you to do the dishes.' She'd yelled. 'It wasn't my turn.' I'd said annoyed. She'd gone on and on about how I live here under her roof and I had to obey her rules. I let her ramble on. Dad yelled at her later saying I'm not the only one here who can do dishes.

Rika giggled and stood up pulling her black hair over her shoulder.

I sighed and stood up with her. "Why don't we fo-" I looked at the door as Kyoya walked through the door with the two little kids that ran screaming earlier.

The younger girl, Kanna I think he called her, walked towards me shyly holding up a little pink lily. I grinned and leaned down taking it from her. She smiled wide and looked me in the eye. "Daddy told me to give this to you."

I smiled and took it and smelt it. "Thank you. These happen to be my favorite."

Kyoya walked over with Rayden and motioned for me to follow. I grabbed Kanna's hand and walked towards him. He shook his head and pointed towards Rika. "Rika, take the kids and go home."

Rika nodded and walked towards the door with the two kids in tow.

I watched curiously. "I need you to stay by me at all times, understand?" He opened a door and walked through it, coming back out in a black tux with a purple vest.

I nodded and blushed lightly. He tossed me a bag and motioned towards the room. "Get changed." I walked in a put on a black and tan uniform. The emblem caught my attention.

"How do you know about Varia?" I asked. My curiosity was getting more and more spiked by the second. I don't think I ever told anyone I had anything to do with Varia. I swore I never would've used Varia as a name for anything.

"Your brother is part of the mafia." He said fixing his jacket.

"I know." I said quickly. "How do you know about them?"

"They are a part of the family I'm in." he turned towards me. "Looks like the older you and the current you don't have that much difference."

I frowned and looked down at my chest. "Nothing changed?" I asked sadly.

"Nothing noticeable, but you did grow up and get more mature then what you were." He grinned seeming to know things I didn't.

I put my hands on my hip and narrow my eyes.

"We don't have time to explain right now. Remind me later." He walked out the door.

I followed instinctively. He put his hand on the door and it opened up exposing a corridor. I followed him down it and into a room filled with other people. A boy that looked familiar.

They looked up as we walked in.

"Vooooooooi! What the hell is this?!" a familiar voice rang. My hands flew to my ears even though I've heard the tone a million times.

"Lower your voice Squalo. I don't think America heard you." I rubbed my ears.

"Whose idea of a joke is this? Flan?!" Squalo picked up the green haired boy by his jacket and shook him.

"It's not what you think." Kyoya said. "A malfunction sixteen years ago somehow sent her here." He glared at Lambo.

Lambo ignored him and ran a hand through his hair.

The man at the head of the table cleared his throat. Everyone stopped arguing and looked at him. "I don't know what she's doing here, if it was an accident or not. But…her being here is going to be put on the back burner." He said flipping through a few pieces of paper. "We've got more important things to take care of."

Everyone was quiet and listened carefully. I spaced out to his voice, sweet yet demanding at the same time. By the time I realized the meeting was done, everyone had gotten up and left the room. Kyoya was standing next to me waiting patiently. The leader still sat in his chair watching. "Kyoya…" He started.

"Hm?" Kyoya asked turning his attention to him.

"You know my plans…this is only getting started. She wasn't a part of the plan. But if she's here…your past you might be as protective as your present you. I know you want to keep her safe but…she'll have to stay with Kyoko and Haru." He leaned on the table. "She's got strength. Squalo's said so himself, which is why she's a registered member of Varia."

Kyoya nodded his head and listened.

"If she's forced to fight, I won't stop her."

I blinked and looked between them. I know next to nothing about fighting… I thought staring at the man closely. He stood up and walked towards me. "Don't worry." He put his hand on my shoulder. "I'll do what I can to keep you out of the fight."

I sat silent as he walked out the door.

"You didn't catch any of that did you?" Kyoya asked watching me.

I shook my head no and stood. "To be frank, I wasn't listening."

He grinned and walked out the door, with me following quick on his heels. "We'll find a way to get you back Tao. Don't worry."