A/N: Let's see…I began this the same day as the verrryy exciting Chapter 3, so if it's sloppy, I deeply apologize. Thanks to BPHaru for making me think through the plot before making this story, and Alavon {sorry for the username mess up last chapter} for the great reviews—sorry if you were offended by my pronoun use, I didn't even REALIZE! XD Sorry…Just figured, you know.

Originally, Precia was going to be stopped by the police and arrested, but I wanted to continue the story, so yeah…(laughing) I'm sorry, but…I'll explain the whole story at the end of the chapter! ^^

Fate leaned against Alicia and closed her eyes, trying to keep her sister from shooting to her feet with rage. "It's ok, Alicia…It's fine…" she murmured.

"Like hell it is," Alicia growled. "How could that evil hag get off spot-clean? And how could you lie to defend her?" she rolled her eyes.

"You lied too," Fate argued.

"Well, that's only 'cause you begged me until I relented and offered me candy," Alicia defended herself. "Plus, well…you're kind of a good arguer,"

"Yep," agreed Fate. "Well, you get to go back and live with Mother, but I have to go to a foster home since Mother proved her innocence with you.

"I'll miss you," sniffed Alicia sadly.

"Aww…is Alicia getting soft in her old age?" teased Fate. "Just kidding, I'll miss you too,"
Alicia wrapped her arms around her sister. "Man, this sucks," she muttered.

"No, it doesn't. It's great—you get to stay with Mother and I don't get punished anymore,"

"Whipped, you mean,"

"That was just the one time," protested Fate.

"Suuuure, Fate,"

"Fate Testarossa?" came a voice. "Your foster mother is waiting,"

"Bye. I'll just be across the park," said Fate, hugging her sister one last time. She danced off toward the boy who was waving toward her impatiently, and waved to Alicia one last time before heading out the door, into the sunny day.

"Hello, Testarossa-san," the blue-haired boy said formally. "I am Chrono Harlown,"

"I'm Fate Testarossa," Fate introduced herself.

"Yes, I know," Chrono answered, walking towards a large white car. "Were you informed of the information about your new family?" he asked.

"No," she said. "It was all kind of sudden, 'cause…"

"I understand. Mom, we're getting in," he called, opening the door.

"Hey, Chrono! Hi, Fate-chan," the woman in the front seat called. "I'm Lindy Harlown," she added as Fate settled herself next to a girl with red hair who was grinning brightly. "That's Arf-chan, and this is my adopted son, Chrono," she introduced each person carefully.

"Hi, Fate-san," the girl with red hair said with a wave.

"Hi, Arf-san," answered Fate shyly as she buckled herself in and Lindy stepped on the gas. Arf moved closer to Fate.

"What are you here for?" she asked.

"Um…"

"She means why you were taken away from your family," Chrono explained from the front seat. "My mom and dad died," he explained.

"My father was crazy," announced Arf proudly. "And my mom died,"

"I was abused," Fate said quietly. "By my mother,"

The car quieted instantly, before Arf asked solemnly, "How? Mentally…or?"

"Sort of both," sighed Fate heavily. "I was whipped, if that's what you mean, but she also said I wasn't human," her shoulders slumped slightly as she wondered why she was opening up to these people. Maybe it was because she had been lying for so long.

"Arf-chan," said Lindy in a quiet rebuke. "That's not a nice thing to ask,"

"It's fine," Fate assured her.

"Eh…You're awfully easygoing," Arf said suspiciously. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" protested Fate.

"Hmm…You sure you're not a druggie or something?"

"Yes,"

"I don't think she's a druggie, Arf," Chrono piped up, leaning his head so he was looking at them upside-down. "I mean, look at Amy, she's nuts,"

"She's not nuts—she's funny," protested Arf. She turned to Fate to explain. "Amy is another girl who's in our family, only she doesn't like to go out much, 'cause people think she's crazy, although she's really not, she's just…normal, really,"

"She's nuts," Chrono added.

"Chrono's in love," Arf confided in Fate secretively.

"Yeah, right!" Chrono yelled, but Lindy interrupted.

"We're here,"

Everyone clambered out of the car and headed into the house. A brunette with short hair opened the door as soon as Lindy touched the handle.

"Hi, Lindy-san, Chrono-kun, Arf-chan, Fate-chan," Amy said with a grin. She was a few years older than Fate, Chrono and Arf, and was wearing a skirt with a blouse, looking very neat. "I'm Amy,"

"Hi," Fate said quietly.

Amy grabbed Chrono and wrapped an arm around his neck, giving him a knuckle sandwich. "Did you scare off Fate-chan? You were all like 'Moeee, a new sister!' when Lindy told you about it. I hope you don't…"

"Stop it, Amy!" Chrono yelled, his face bright red as she struggled against his foster-sister's hold.

"Ehhh? No honorifics? No, no, you must call me, 'Amy-sama', okay, Chrono-kun?" Amy teased.

"Whaaa—no way!" Chrono said loudly, and Lindy laughed.

"Okay, okay, everyone inside, let's get Fate-san settled…Do you mind sharing a room with Arf?" she asked kindly.

"No, ma'm," Fate said politely.

"You can call me Lindy-san," said Lindy smiling at her.

"Hai, Lindy-san," Fate answered. "I don't mind at all,"

"Good. Do you have…?"

"Alicia will bring over my stuff," Fate answered the unfinished question. "I don't have much, but…"

"Ehhh? Why not?" asked Amy, but Chrono and Arf shushed her quickly, before she could ask more questions, but her wide eyes remained curious.

"Mother wouldn't let me have many things…" Fate explained.

"Oh," Amy said, quieting down. "Ooh, Lindy-san, can I show Fate-chan her room?" she asked, brightening again.

"Sure," answered Lindy with an approving nod.

"Whaaa? But it's MY room!" protested Arf.

"Yeah, but you don't know your way through a paper bag," Amy reminded a fuming Arf, who stuck out her tongue and flounced off. "Come on, Fate-chan,"

"Okay,"

They walked through the large living room and up the stairs. Four bedrooms faced each other, two on each side. One of them had a sign in bubble letters, obviously handmade, that said "LINDY". The second door had a typed sign that declared, "Chrono's Room: DO NOT ENTER!", and the door opposite Lindy's said AMY in big letters.

The room Amy led Fate to had a drawing with Arf on it, only with fox ears and a tail. From the person a bubble was drawn, that read, "ARF's ROOM!"

Amy swung open the door to reveal a small room with twin beds. There were two closets, and a bathroom that lead to Amy's room. Arf's bed was salmon pink with hearts all over it, and a matching pillow set. The second bed was plain, a grayish white, and had stripes on it.

"We're going shopping tomorrow," Amy announced, seeing Fate's slight disappointment at her new bed. "It's tradition—every time a new kid comes, we get new stuff,"

"Um…I don't have any money," Fate said shame-facedly.

Amy rolled her eyes. "You think I have money? Lindy gets tons from every kid she supports, which is why we go shopping. Plus, Arf, Chrono and I all have jobs, but that's really just for our own stuff," she explained. "It's way cool, but Lindy doesn't really give allowances; she just gives us money when we need it,"

"Chores?" asked Fate.

"Um, we have to keep our rooms neat and our beds made and our clothes have to go in the laundry basket. Otherwise, Lindy does all the rest,"

"Oh," Fate said. That was pretty much the same rule as Precia's—but her rules had applied only to Fate. Plus, Fate had had to make dinner and clean the kitchen, but otherwise, Precia didn't care about her house appearance.

"Fate-chan? You okay?" asked Amy, looking at Fate oddly. Fate snapped out of her daze and looked up with a nod.

"Yeah, sorry—daydreaming," she explained.

"Oh…well…uh…"

Lindy called from downstairs. "Fate-chan! You have a call!" she yelled. Fate ran down the staircase and bounded into the room where Lindy held out a wireless phone. "It's a girl named Takamachi Nanoha-san. Do you know her?"

"Yes," answered Fate. "She's my best friend,"

Lindy handed her the phone and Fate put it greedily to her ear. "Hello?"

"Ah, Fate-chan, how are you?" asked Nanoha.

"Good—fine. They stitched me up, so I'm all good," Fate pointedly ignored the confused looks of her new family. "I'm living with a new family now—ah, Arf-san, Chrono-kun, and Amy-san,"

"Oh, I know Chrono-kun…he goes to our school—so does Arf-chan," Nanoha said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Chrono-kun was in my class last year, and he's on student council. Arf-san, she was in my club activity for Math Help," Nanoha replied. "Haven't you seen them around?"

"Nope, never met them,"

"Weird…" Nanoha mused. "Anyway, are you hurt or anything? I was out calling the police, so I didn't see…Anything. But I heard you…" her voice hardened at the end, and Fate hurried to explain.

"No, nothing happened," she lied.

"Liar," Nanoha said, sounding annoyed. "What really happened? You know I saw you get carried out, and you know I saw the belt,"

"So you already know—why do I have to tell you?" Fate shot back. "Anyway…"

"Alicia's a mess," Nanoha reported. "She's seriously scared now, and she won't even look at Precia at all,"
"Crap—I should have stayed home," Fate sighed.

"Yeah, right—you would get arrested if you tried, I swear—Alicia's gonna be fine, honest," Nanoha answered quickly. "Alicia and I wanna stop by later, can we?" she added, changing the subject.

"Um…hold on," Fate said, and held the phone to her shoulder. "Eh…Lindy-san, can my sister and my friend come over later?" she asked.

Lindy smiled. "Sure, Fate-chan. I'm sure Chrono-kun and Arf-chan would love to meet your friends,"

Fate put the phone back to her ear. "Sure, you can come over," she said.

"Great—we'll be over in a half an hour, okay?"

"A half-an-hour? Isn't that…"

"Oops, gotta go, bye!" Nanoha interrupted, and the line went dead. Fate handed the phone back to Lindy, slightly confused, but Arf distracted her with a question.

"Why'd you need stitches?" she asked.

"Arf-chan!"

"Really, why?"

"Cuts," answered Fate, holding out her arm to reveal healing cuts all the way up her arm.

"Oh…" Arf looked down. "Sorry,"

"No problem,"

"Hey, your movie is on, Arf-san! The one about Magical Girls or something!" called Amy from the back room—the one with the TV.

Arf grinned. "Raging Heart?" she called back.

"Isn't that a movie?" asked Fate, recalling Nanoha's begging to see it a few days ago.

"Yeah, it's out now. It's the best show ever! Come on!" Arf cried, grabbing Fate's hand and dragging her to the TV, where a brunette girl with pigtails was dancing around on the screen with a golden wand with a red jewel.

Fate sat down on the floor next to Arf, to spend the next half-an-hour watching anime.

***

"Hayate-chan? Yeah…Yeah…Can you come? Please?" Nanoha was on the phone with Hayate Yagami, who was at her house with Vita, Signum, and Shamal.

"Sure," Hayate answered. "But…what happened?"

Nanoha sighed. "It's sort of private—Fate can tell you if she wants," she explained.

"Okay…" Hayate said warily. "I'll be over in a few,"

"Thanks, Hayate-chan,"

"No problem, Nanoha-chan,"

Nanoha closed her cell phone, feeling satisfied. So, that was Hayate, Signum, Shamal, Vita, Alicia and her all going to visit Fate—that was probably all Fate wanted. Shaking her head, she went to sit next to Alicia who was wrapped in a blanket and watching a TV show. "Hayate's coming," she told the blond girl.

"Great," said Alicia dully.

"Come on, buck up, Alicia-chan! Everything's going to be okay," Nanoha said comfortingly.

"Yeah—I get to live with a monster, away from my twin sister, and basically alone," muttered Alicia. "It's going to be 'okay', all right,"

Nanoha was about to reply, but the doorbell rang, revealing Hayate Yagami, Vita, Signum and Shamal, all looking solemn.

"Hi, Nanoha-chan. Are we going now?" asked Hayate.

"Yes—come on, Alicia-chan, let's go," Nanoha grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her to her feet.

Alicia groaned, but willingly slipped into her shoes and headed out the door. Nanoha locked the door behind her, and they walked, a silent group, across the park and toward the Harlown residence.

Hayate fell in to step beside Alicia. "What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"Nothing—I just miss Fate," Alicia answered honestly.

"Oh…are you sure?" asked Hayate pryingly.

'Yes, Hayate-chan, I'm sure,"

Hayate moved on to tease Nanoha. "Are you missing your female action?" she asked suggestively, and Nanoha rolled her eyes. "Well? Sad that Fate-chan can't 'sleep over' anymore?"

Vita laughed, and Signum and Shamal both hid smiles.

"She likes her too much and now she's in trou~ble," caroled Vita mischievously. [1]

Nanoha rolled her eyes again. "She's just my best friend," she insisted.

"Okay, if that's the way you think of her, Nanoha-chan," Hayate said condescendingly, and Shamal burst into laughter.

Nanoha was about to put Hayate in her place, but they had reached the door to the Harlown residence. Nanoha knocked three times, and a woman with green hair in a large, messy ponytail, answered with a smile.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Eh…I'm Nanoha, and we're here to see Fate," Nanoha explained shyly.

"Oh, yes, she's expecting—"

"OUCH, THAT'S MY HEAD, AMY!" came a boy's voice from inside.

There was a loud bout of laughter from inside, and Fate stumbled into the front room, a girl with red hair attached to her arm, another brown-haired girl following dragging a boy in a headlock.

"Hi, everyone," Fate said, her cheeks pink with laughter. "Wow, you all came, huh? Hi, Nanoha-chan, Alicia-chan, Hayate-chan, everyone,"

"Hi, Fate-chan. You're having fun," said Nanoha cautiously.

Fate nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, Arf-chan is tons of fun—and Chrono-kun is funny and Amy –chan…"

"Nuts," piped up the blue-haired boy, Chrono.

"Oh? And who was it trying to climb in the bath with Fate-chan?" asked Amy threateningly.

"What?!" yelped Chrono. "She's only been here for a few hours!"
"Oh, so that's your excuse!"
Fate and Arf burst into giggles. "Sorry," Fate said to her friends. "Anyway, we can go upstairs, if you like, or…" her dark maple eyes focused on Alicia, and they narrowed. "Alicia? Are you okay?"

Alicia shrugged, avoiding her twin's gaze. "Sure,"

Fate grabbed her arm and dragged her upstairs, taking Nanoha with her. "Come on, let's hang out in my room—Arf-chan could you show Hayate-chan around?"

"Yeah, yeah, dump me for your REAL friends, whatever," Arf said grumpily. Fate didn't take her seriously, and continued up the stairs and threw open the door to her room.

"Sit," she patted the floor around her, and Nanoha and Fate sat on either side of her. "Now, what's the matter, Alicia?" she asked.

"I…don't like living with Precia. I feel awkward around her, after I've seen…and it's horrible being in that house all alone, basically," Alicia admitted, looking at the floor.

Fate put her arms around her. "Sorry,"

"No, it's better this way," Alicia insisted.

"Not for you,"

"But you're safe and happy here," Alicia protested.

"But you're not,"

"That doesn't matter,"

"Fate-chan..." Nanoha said quietly. "Alicia-chan…"

"Yes?"

Two identical heads turned to stare at Nanoha with questioning gazes.

"Alicia-chan, is that really all that's wrong?"

Alicia closed her eyes. "Mother has been trying to convince me of her point of view," she sighed sadly. "She already gave me a talk today,"

Fate blinked sympathetically. "That sucks,"

"But the thing is…" Alicia said shakily. "I feel like I'm starting to believe her. It's crazy. I know she's evil and horrible, but…"

"It's fine," Fate whispered.

"Stop saying that. This is NOT fine,"

"Okay, Alicia,"

Arf appeared in the doorway. "Hate to break up the love fest, but let's watch the Raging Heart next episode, 'kay, Fate? It's the season 1 finale where Lyrical Girl fights Dark Lightning,"

"That's awesome, come on, you two," Fate called over her shoulder, dancing after Arf. Nanoha got up and followed her, but Alicia stayed in the room.

Alicia felt so wrong, she almost wanted to cry. It was as if Fate was slipping away from her…she had a new family now, and she was so much happier…

Putting her head in her hands, Alicia wondered if she really was going crazy.

A/N: God, I hate this chapter sooo much! It took forever to write and NOTHING HAPPENED! Although the teasing part was very, very enjoyable (for me). The next chapter will be much more exciting, I promise, pinky-swear. Now, I gotta go get some French fries! *smacks lips* See you later!

-Ema

[1] Yes, I got this little rhyme from xxxHolic, but I changed it a little, to fit the scene. Hehe…