I don't own House of Anubis or any of the characters.

Awake

I woke up, screaming at the top of my lungs. The sight before me made me stop. A bright light was shining, blinding me. Where was I? I looked around, squinting my eyes. It seems to be my room, my old room. To my side was my alarm clock, beeping loudy. I turned it off. I stood up quickly. The room went spinning. Headrush. I paused until it stopped. I head over to the window, and gazed at the familiar picture. It was my old neighborhood. I turned around and studied my room again. I sought out every detail. Accurate. It was my room.

Was I dead?

I walked out of my room, quietly. I realized I was at my house. I paused beside the kitchen door when I heard someone inside. I peeked in and almost gasped upon seeing my mom. I shifted and the floor creaked. She turned my direction. "Oh, hey, honey." She said to me smiling, then returned to her cooking.

"Mom!" I ran to her and hugged her tightly.

She laughed. "Well, good morning to you, too." She said. She turned to look at me again and saw me crying. "Is everything alright?" She asked me, worried.

"I'm just so happy to see you again." I answered. I was still crying, overwhelmed. I was glad to be dead, now I was with my parents.

"I'm always happy to see you, darling." She said as she wiped away my tears. "Now, go get dressed. You don't want to be late for school now, do you?" School? In heaven? She saw the confused look on my face. "It's your first day." She explained. I just smiled and nodded, and left for my room.

I sat on my bed, contemplating what just happened. I tried to remember how I got here. I remembered Victor, Joy, the raven. Nothing else. I didn't take a cab, a train, or a plane to get here, back to America. I just woke up.

I saw the calendar. September 1, 2010. How could that be? It could only mean everything that happened in England never actually happened. Did I dream everything? That's impossible. Why are my parents alive, then? Did I dream their deaths as well? What a nightmare that would be. If I died, why am I here, living and breathing? I took a deep breath to test it. Working perfectly. I checked my pulse. Beating. Why am I going to school if I'm in heaven? If everything was a dream, why couldn't I remember anything of reality? All my memories are 'dreams.' What if I'm dreaming right now? Maybe. The 'dreams' felt real, and this doesn't. I pinched my leg. I blinked my eyes to see if I've woken up. Nothing happened. I wasn't dreaming, then. My head was hurting.

I sat there, and couldn't think of an explaination that would make sense. I settled for the best one I could come up with. This was the afterlife. Everything that happened really happened. From Victor, to Joy, to the Black Bird, to the elixir of life, everything. My parents died, and now they're with me. I died, too, but now I'm here. In the aferlife.

I smiled. It sounded crazy and impossible, but after everything I went through, I don't believe there is such a thing a impossible anymore. Still, I couldn't help but think something is wrong. I brushed it off and dressed for school.

While eating breakfast, I couldn't stop thinking of the 'life I left.' I wondered if there was any possible way of knowing what happened after I died. What happened to Fabian and the others? Did Victor get Joy and succeed in his plans? I hoped not. I hoped he spared the rest of them... I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard mom and dad whispering at the corner and staring at me.

"... She may be suspicious-" They paused upon noticing me looking at them. They smiled at me and asked, "How are the waffles?"

"They're great! It reminded my of Trudy's back in England." I said, smiling at the thought. They looked at me, confused.

"Is that a movie your talking about?" My mom guessed.

I tried to think quickly. "Uh... Yeah! That- That's what I meant." Maybe my 'afterlife parents' didn't know about my past...

They laughed. I tried to laugh with them. "Want me to drive you to school?" Dad offered.

"No, thanks. I'll walk." I told him.

A few moments later, they accompanied me to the door. "Here you are, honey. Be safe." Mom said as she kissed my cheek. I looked down as I nodded. I wasn't used to this. At the corner of my eye, I saw them share a look. I didn't know what it meant, so I turned and left. I gave them one last wave, then they were out of sight.

As I walked to school, I kept thinking of reasons. Trying to place what was wrong. I noticed a few 'Missing Person' posters every few feet, but I didn't mind it much. People always went missing in America. I kept walking. I was near the school when the prickling feeling at the back of my head finally bothered me. It was like someone was watching. I turned around quickly. No one. I sped up.

At school, things were... normal. Just how it should be. I didn't recognize anybody. I was expecting to see my old friends, but they weren't there. I walked in my History class. The last class for the day. I sat down. The teacher was nowhere to be seen. I waited. A girl behind me said hello to the boy next to me. They talked about their summer. I didn't look at them, so they wouldn't think I was evesdropping. I didn't know why, but their voices seemed oddly familiar.

After a while, they stopped talking. "Hey. You're Nina, right?" The boy next to me spoke, in a voice I would recognize anywhere. I didn't want to turn around, and see who he was. I was too afraid. He waited, but I didn't say anything. "Did I say it wrong or something?" He asked, worried.

"Uh.. No! Of course not." I said. I took a deep breath, braced myself and turned to face him. I almost cried upon seeing his face. I did know him. Fabian.