(Nah! Just kidding! Betcha thought I was serious huh? –Evil grin-)

Alice

A loud crack woke me from my slumber. I felt the warmth of the bullet as it grazed past my cheek and embedded itself in the wall just inches from my head. I looked up in confusion to see a gun barrel right in the line of my vision. It surprised me even more to see Matt behind the gun.

My stomach dropped, my heart stopped, I couldn't breathe. What was he doing? Did he just... No! Matt is not like that!

That's when I noticed the horrified look in his eye. His face twisted in emotional pain. He trembled, dropping the gun. He brought his quivering hands to his face looking at them as if they were covered in blood. He swallowed hard and fell to his hands and knees, watching the gun on the floor as if it were going to leap up and bite him at any given moment.

Just then the door burst open and I looked quickly to see Carlos standing at the door, a gun in his hand. Jill stepped past him and looked at us, "What happened?" She demanded.

"We heard the gun go off." Carlos glanced down at Matt.

"It's nothing!" I jumped up and made my way to them, ready to shove them out the door. I didn't want them to see Matt and the gun on the floor. They would probably take a guess at what happened... and guess right.

But I was too late. Their eyes turned to Matt and they quickly made the assumption I was afraid they'd make. "I told you! I warned you! But you didn't listen." Jill stepped around me and went to Matt.

I turned and watched her, frozen, wondering what she was doing. It wasn't until she slammed her foot into the side of Matt's head, knocking him down that I moved. "No!" I growled, my blood boiling at an unbearable level.

I jumped over with lightning speed and knocked her down, catching the gun as she tumbled to the floor in utter shock. I lost control then and there, glaring at her, hating her with the deepest part of my soul. A grin spread across my face as I watched her grasping her head in pain, choking for air. Funny thing was, I enjoyed every bit of seeing her crumpling up in pain.

"Alice! Alice stop!" Carlos stood in front of me, his hands on my shoulders giving them a light shake. How he'd known it was me who was inflicting pain on Jill, I don't know. "You're going to kill her!"

"Alice!" a little girl's voice called out from the door. "Alice! Stop! Please don't..." Angie?

I blinked and shook my head a bit. Glancing around Carlos' shoulder, I watched as Jill stood up, looking at me. She grasped her nose in one hand, blood running through her fingers from a spout in both nostrils. I stepped around to help her, but she pushed me away and stumbled a few feet backwards.

She no longer wanted anything to do with me. "You're just like him... A monster... A, a freak!" her voice shook from the fear of the near death experience. With Carlos at her side, helping her walk, she left the room.

"Alice?" Angie walked over to me. "Is everything going to be alright?" She asked as I knelt down by Matt who just curled up, holding his head in either confusion or pain... I was guessing a little of both. His body shook as he tried to regain his senses.

"Yeah." I said in a low, almost whispering voice. The truth was, I really didn't know. And I was scared.

Angie gave a smile and got down to sit beside me on the floor. "Anything I can do to help?" she asked looking at the trembling Matt worriedly.

With a half smile, I put an arm around her shoulders. "You've done enough. Get some rest."

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around me in a clinging hug. Was she... Was she crying? "I'm scared, Alice."

"Shh, its alright." I whispered, returning the hug. Poor girl, I thought, no father... We're the closest thing she's got to a family.

"I don't want to lose you again, Alice. You're the only one who really understands. Please don't leave, Alice, please?"

I didn't know what to say, so the first thing that came to mind, came from my mouth. "It's alright Angela, I wouldn't leave you. But things have become... complicated. Matt and I need some time, that's all. And I think we should give Jill her space for a while to cool off. I need you to be strong for a while, you're a big girl. You can take care of yourself. I'll be back with you guys soon enough. But be strong for me, deal?

She backed away and nodded, sniffling and whipping a few tears from her face. I gave her a smile and a pat on the head. I wondered if she'd ever really taken time to cry and let things out. She seemed so mature for her young age, almost as if she felt a duty to save the world like her father had saved her. But she seemed to feel comfortable around me, and I didn't mind at all. I liked Angie in fact, the thought of taking her with us crossed my mind, but she'd be safer with Carlos and Jill.

Slowly, she stood up and regained her mature atmosphere. "At least say good-bye before you leave?" When I gave her a nod and an 'I promise', she smiled and walked from the room, closing the door gently behind her.

I turned my attention back to Matt and watched him as he trembled, still clutching his head. But he was now looking up at me with the hint of a smile on his face.