The day came sooner than I had expected. I had no choice. I awoke in my quiet room three weeks after Ash told me who his brother was, hearing the soothing sounds of life on the other side of the wall. I stood looking out the window, the sun heating my sightless eyes. Suddenly, I felt a shadow cross in front of me. A heavy weight landed on my unprepared shoulder, knocking me to the ground, and knocking over a table in the process.

A trill sounded in my ear. "Janné?" I gasped out, trying to get my breath back. I heard the door open behind me as Janné lifted herself up from me. "Anna? You okay?" Ash asked me, sliding a hand under my back. He helped me to my feet, and I shook the dust off. "I'm fine."

I snapped my arm up, inviting Janné to perch. She opened her wings to fly to me, and Ash shoved me behind him, warding her away. He snapped over his shoulder at me. "Go. There's an old man two doors down on the left. Go get him now! This bird belongs to that X-Man, Mama Aqua, and if it's here, she can't be far behind!"

I froze, unable to stop the tears as I heard how much bitter hatred there was in his voice as he spoke my name. He turned to face me, annoyance written on his features. He slowly changed to an expression of confusion at my tears. "What's wrong?"

A thump echoed on the windowsill, and we looked up in unison to see Kurt. He cocked an eyebrow at me, caught Janné on one arm, and stood waiting expectantly. Ash launched himself at Kurt, hands outstretched. I tackled him, unable to let him hurt Kurt. Ash rolled to face me, his hands brushing the table, and I sat on his chest. "No! Please, no!"

I collapsed on top of him, crying. He wrapped his arms around me. I looked up to see that Kurt still stood there, and then he vanished out the window. I fought free of Ash, and ran to the window. There was no sound or sign that Kurt had been here.

Hands caught my shoulders, throwing me back across the room onto my bed. Ash stared at me as though I had just changed to my natural self. I couldn't make myself look in his direction. He sank onto the chair, staring at me. We sat in silence, broken only by my quiet tears.

Finally I stood. "Ash..." I couldn't go on. I turned to the table beside my bed. Opening the top drawer, I removed the letter I had written three weeks ago. I faced the man who had saved my life, and found myself unable to give him the one thing he deserved: the truth. I walked towards him, and something crunched under my feet.

Crouching, I felt wood. It was half of the table Ash's hands had brushed as he tried to attack Kurt. Running my hands across the carpet, I found the other half. Little bits of what I identified as iron, sulfur, and other basic elements were littered beneath my feet.

I raised my eyes to Ash, and he sighed. "Now you know who I am." All of a sudden, I did know. He was the top potential recruit on my uncle's list. Codename: Basic. He rose, pacing towards me.

"So, what do you think, Anna? Your savior is nothing more than a killer!" His voice became more and more angry as he neared me, and on the last word he lunged at me, grabbing my arms and shaking me. The letter flew from my grasp, and he picked it up. I tried to take it from him, but he refused me.

He stood and I folded my hands over his, preventing him from opening the letter. "Please, just read it, without passing judgement." Slowly, he nodded, and I drew in a deep breath. Here it comes, I thought. The end of everything that I love. Now I'll lose him forever.