A/N: Hey guys, Scottie here. This story is based on ideas from the H.I.V.E. forum, mainly ideas from Hunnybun. It turned out differently then I expected, a lot differently, but I guess I'm pretty happy with it. I'm struggling for a title as well, so this was the best I could come up with… Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this, and review and let me know what you think, and if I should keep writing this.
-Scottie
The young pair of children didn't even look as they ran across the road. London streets were second nature to them. The boy turned, and shot a quick look at the man from the orphanage that was chasing them. He smiled. The man had no chance of catching them, and yet, he was getting closer.
"Alina, run! He's catching up!" The girl turned to her brother and nodded, then picked up speed. The boy followed suit, and soon the man was just a blot in the distance. Alina turned back to her brother.
"Well, looks like we're safe again, Roman." He smiled.
"Maybe we should keep moving, just in case the police are called." Alina nodded.
"Let's go." They turned and continued running down the long alleyway they were standing in. Alina ran ahead, turning a corner. Roman suddenly heard a cry of fright, then what he immediately knew as Alina in pain. He sprinted around the corner, and jumped in shock when he saw a small, lean woman standing over Alina's still body. Roman took up a defensive stance, but was easily swatted to the ground. The woman spoke.
"I think that's the last time you two are running away from that orphanage."
"What did you do to my sister?" Roman croaked. The woman smiled, and brought a hand down to his head. He felt the moist trickle of blood, and then he blacked out.
"Mum?" There was no response. "Mum!"
"What is it, Alina?"
"Roman stole my pencil!"
"Roman, did you steal her pencil?" Roman smiled.
"No. She dropped it." Raven raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want me to call Daddy?" Roman's face dropped.
"No! I stole her pencil."
"Are you going to give it back?" He smiled again.
"No." Raven raised her eyebrow again.
"Roman, either you give Alina her pencil back or you can go without your trucks for a week. OK?" Roman's lip quivered.
"But, but-"
"No buts. It's your choice." He burst out in tears.
"Mummy, that's not fair!" Alina giggled quietly. Raven shot her a look.
"Roman, you choose or you can go to your room." His crying softened. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pencil.
"Take the stupid pencil. I don't want it, anyway." He stood up and waddled from the room. Alina had picked up the pencil while Roman was leaving and had quietly resumed her drawing.
"What are you drawing, sweetie?" She looked up.
"It's a tree!" Raven smiled.
"It's very good. Now, come on, it's lunch time." Alina put her pencil down and stood up. She reached up to Raven, and Raven bent over, and picked the young girl up. Alina giggled.
"I love you, Mummy!" Raven smiled.
"I love you too, sweetie." Alina began playing with loose strands of Ravens hair, and Raven smiled, walking towards the kitchen. She sat Alina down, placing a plate of sandwiches cut into quarters in front of her.
"I'm just going to go and get your brother, and then I'll be back. OK?" Alina nodded, and began eating her sandwich. Raven left, glancing briefly over her shoulder at the young girl, her attention fully occupied with the food in front of her.
"Roman, lunch is ready." Raven walked into the boy's room. "Roman?" She saw a slight movement underneath Roman's bed. She smiled, and began playing along.
"Hmm, I wonder where Roman has gone." She walked over to the wardrobe. "Did he get eaten by the wardrobe?" She swung the door open. "Not in here. Where else could he be?" Roman giggled from his hiding place. "Hmm, is he in his bed?" She pulled the blanket and sheets off his bed. "No, not here. Where could he be?" She dropped to her knees. "Here he is!" She reached under the bed and withdrew the small boy, rolling him onto his back.
"Aw, you found me, mummy!" Raven grinned. She gently began tickling the boy on his stomach. The boy curled up into a ball, laughing. Soon Raven began to tickle him all over, and he was in a fit of laughter, screaming with joy. After a minute or two, Raven stopped and rolled the boy onto his back again.
"It's lunch time, hunny." Roman smiled, and reached up towards Raven, exactly the same way as his twin sister had only minutes before. Raven smiled, and picked him up.
"What's for Lunch, Mummy?"
"Sandwiches." Roman smiled. Raven walked to the table, and sat him down, before placing the sandwiches on the table in front of him.
"Thank you Mummy." Roman smiled, and then turned to the food. The pair finished at nearly the same time, and as Roman climbed down from the table, he had crumbs all over his face. Raven called him over.
"But mum, I want to go and play trucks!" Raven smiled.
"You can in a minute," she answered patiently, "just let me wipe your face, first." Roman sighed, but obligingly stood still. A moment later, he was allowed to go. He ran back towards his room, his arms out wide, pretending to be an aeroplane. Alina was already walking to her room where her drawing awaited her. The phone rang. Raven sighed, and put the plates she was carrying down. She picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Natalya." Raven smiled. She would recognise that voice anywhere.
"Max. Pleasure to hear from you."
"Honey, it turns out G.L.O.V.E. has a mission for you." Raven smiled. She heard a cry of laughter from one of the twins' rooms, and she frowned."
"But Max, what about the kids?" On the other end of the phone, Nero smiled. He turned his ring over in his fingers a few times.
"Don't worry about the kids, honey, I've got as long off as we need until you finish." Raven frowned.
"I don't know. They're still young." Nero frowned.
"Natalya, it's apparently an important mission. They need you on this one. Besides, how long could it possibly take? A few weeks at the most?" Raven smiled. Nero always had a way of convincing her.
"OK. But you have to tell the kids when I'm suddenly gone." Nero smiled.
"Sure. They said they want you to start next week, so you'd better get organised." Raven smiled. She was back in the business.