Thanks for the reviews!

silverstaar18: Thank you so much! We are on the same page about original characters being 'in' character. Somehow OOC behaviour never really was to my liking! :p So, I try my best not to repeat it. I'm glad you liked the OC and her 'mystery past' too. I'd say read on to realize this is just not her mystery... there is much more to it. ;) Once again, thanks a lot for the review! :D

The phoenix sat at the bed side staring at the girl, restlessly shifting in the bed. But there was no sign of waking up. She finally calmed down as she turned to her side, her raven hair all over her face. She tried to brush it away and wasn't really successful at it.

A smile crept onto Kai's lips as he saw pout her in sleep. Kai couldn't stop himself from helping her, not after those really cute expressions she'd been giving for a while now.

The hair… arghh… why can't I remove it… she tried brushing away most part of it, while the remaining still irritated her. She decided to give up and just concentrate on sleeping. She suddenly felt a finger brush past her cheek, towards a strand of her hair and tuck it behind her ear. She found herself smiling, while the finger… no… fingers slowly moved towards her chin, closer to her lips. She couldn't feel any of her soft, raven curls there, only the electrifying touch of the fingers, now on her lower lip. What!?

She got up with a start to see an equally startled Kai take a step back from her bed.

"She's is so cute when she is asleep," Kai thought, "Looks like she speaks a lot more when she's asleep than when she's awake." He brushed the strand of hair away and tucked it behind her ear. Her skin was so pale, so soft. He couldn't put a stop to his fingers moving towards her chin, slowly towards her lips. They were soft, so full and… Shit! She's awake!

"What exactly were you trying to do Kai?" she pulled the bed covers to cover herself completely, only to realize that they didn't feel the same way they had felt the previous night, in her room, at the Dojo. Her eyes widened as the memory last night's events slowly came back to her. She had fainted in somebody's arms… Not "somebody's" arms. Kai! She had fainted in his arms and then what? She frantically looked around to find herself in an unfamiliar territory. She took a quick peek at herself inside the bed sheets; everything was fine. She was still in the same dress she had worn last night. "Where in the hell am I?" she literally yelled at him. She was actually angry, very angry.

"At my place…?" Kai said a little hesitant, not sure of her reaction.

"What!?" she tried get down the king size bed, wrapped around in bed sheets, struggling to move on her knees.

"Wait… you're going to…" Kai didn't have to complete his sentence, for she was already toppling down the bed.

"Whoa!" Kai caught her just in time to prevent her from hitting the carpeted floor.

"What the… let me go…!" she tried to wriggle herself free of the sheets and his grip, but the sheets seemed to have been wrapped around her in infinite loops, "I said let me go!"

A mischievous grin appeared on his lips and he decided to grant her wish, "If you say so."

She fell to the floor with a thump, "Shit! Ouch…" She finally managed to pull herself out of the covers and stood up. Kai stood there with an amused look, watching her straighten her hair out and then her clothes. She finally looked at him and said, "How did I end up here?"

"I figured I'd bring you here, nearer to the office, rather than carrying you all the way to Tyson's place," Kai said folding his hands.

"You carried me here!?" Akira exclaimed with a puzzled look on her face.

"I called my driver. I felt that would be easier."

Relieved, Akira sat down on the bed, her serious visage returning to her. A lot had happened the previous evening. Some of the darkest secrets of her past were thrown out into the open, exposed. She buried her head in her hands.

The slate haired blader standing in front of her knew all of it. Well, not all of it. Yet, she didn't like it. She didn't like it when…

"Akira, I'm sorry to know…" Kai said, his voice sounding sympathetic.

"I don't need your pity Hiwatari!" she glared at him, as her words conveyed the fact that she didn't like it when people pitied her, knowing her past.

Kai was taken aback by her reaction; however he knew he didn't pity her. He sympathized with her. He saw Akira get down the bed and walk past him, "Everybody has their story Kai, I bet you wouldn't like it if I said I pity you," she said pausing for a moment beside him before she went for the door. He balled his fists in anger, upon hearing the word "pity". He wasn't surprised that she knew his story for it wasn't a secret anymore. It was all over the papers when he decided to reform the Abbey and the Hiwatari Corp.

"Just so you know," Kai said, his voice devoid of any emotion, "The team is here, waiting for you downstairs," he paused and continued, "They know about the police interrogation but I didn't tell them anything about your past."

Akira for a moment began cursing Kai because she was sure he would have told them about her sad past. She stood rooted in her spot, when she realized that he hadn't.

"So, why exactly are they here for me?" Akira was unnecessarily rude.

"It is because unlike somebody here they actually care about the team," Kai was not exactly polite either. Akira didn't say a word in defense, only stared at him, a little startled by his sudden outburst.

Kai calmed himself, surprisingly fast for him, "It wasn't pity Akira," Kai continued, "And you know why."

He walked past her, out of the room.

And you know why… Yes, she knew why. I bet you wouldn't like it if I said I pitied you, she remembered her own words. He had been through a painful childhood too. He therefore sympathized with her.

I don't need your sympathy, Kai! I don't need anybody's sympathy, she told herself, very firm on that.

A few minutes later, Akira found herself staring at the mirror in the bathroom. She splashed water on her face for the third time. You've got to find that woman… find her, no matter can't afford any distractions, you just can't! She told herself, All I have to do is make sure the team goes all the way to Russia. That's the only way I'll ever be able to return to Russia. Isabel would never ever let me return otherwise. Akira remembered how much convincing and how many 'hunger strikes' it took for her to obtain permission from Isabel to participate in the championships. There must be a strong reason she doesn't want me to return to Russia, Akira thought, and I'll find out what that is!

A few minutes later…

"Here she comes," Hillary whispered to Kenny, as Akira climbed down the stairs.

"So, how are you feeling now?" Kenny was the first to speak.

"Better. Thanks," Akira said, gave him a dry smile, seating herself beside Max who was busy with his iPhone, his eyebrows knit together in a frown.

"Damn it, Mariam!" Max swore.

"Mariam? Who's she?" Akira asked a troubled Max, wondering whether he was referring to her or was it somebody else.

"No one you know," Max gave her a curt reply, which startled Akira. He got up, quickly dialed a number and darted off to the sit-out.

"Did I say something to piss him off?" Akira asked a little miffed, unaware of the fact that it was a certain girl named Mariam who pissed him off.

"No, you didn't," Hillary jumped in to do any damage control, "Mariam is an old friend of ours."

"And I think I know why he is pissed off. Look at this," saying so Kenny turned the laptop towards the rest of them. Everybody except Akira and Kai huddled in front of the laptop to find out the reason.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Rei said, unable to believe his eyes.

"What's going on with these teams?" Hillary exclaimed, "First Julia and Raul… and now Mariam?"

Hillary and Rei were quite surprised at what they saw, however the Champion had other thoughts bugging him.

"Guys, do you think this has something to do with the shit that happened in New York?" Tyson voiced his thoughts.

"Are we thinking about the same thing Tyson?" Kenny intervened and Tyson nodded.

The brunette looked from Tyson to Kenny, "What?" with a quizzical look. She gasped suddenly, "She ran? She ran from her people, didn't she?"

"Possibly," Rei said, considering the option.

"But why did she go all the way to America, rather than just coming to us?" Tyson asked an intelligent question.

"That's the smartest thing I've ever heard from you genius. Exactly, why did she go there?" Hillary echoed his question, ignored Tyson's "Hey! How dare you…!" and continued, "That is what I wanna know."

Though Akira was trying to ignore the continuous rambling in front of her, it seemed very interesting.

Kai couldn't understand either, but he did know about the 'shit' Tyson was talking about. Putting two and two together, he was now sure that Mariam ran from her people and joined the All Stars in America for the Championship! Quite daring, he thought with a smirk, smart girl. She knows what's good for her.

He turned around to see if Max was done talking to Mariam, which was quite the possibility. He was busy pacing up and down, listening and then trying to explain something.

"It was Mom's idea?" Max exclaimed, "Why?"

"Well, with the sacred rock still here in the facility and all, she is worried that our Chief would now demand it back…" Mariam was trying to explain, but Max wasn't listening, "Still… what's the point?"

"Will you just stop for a moment and listen to me?" Mariam snapped.

Max stopped in his tracks and said, "Fine."

"The chief, Ozuma and the tribesmen are still angry about what happened in New York and our…"

"Relationship?" Max completed her sentence.

"Yes," Mariam continued, "Ozuma hates you Max; you hurt his ego back then. Now he is bent on retrieving the rock from Judy's research facility and is at the same time trying to ruin my life! He is trying to convince the tribe from sending me anywhere. I don't have the slightest idea what's gotten into him and the Chief! So I ran…"

"I get it. But, that still doesn't explain why you're in America and not here, with me," Max was becoming impatient by the minute.

"I had reached Osaka, when I called Judy and informed her about the rock. She asked me where I was heading to. When I said I would be meeting you in Tokyo, she invited me to join the All Stars since they needed a fifth member and she thought I would be a great addition to the team. It is simple Max, this way I can participate in the tournament and also be near you. Just a week Max, just a week… Be careful until then," Mariam pleaded him.

"I'll be fine Mariam. It is you that I'm worried about. Are you alright?" Max asked, his voice becoming soft, filled with concern.

"I will be. When I'd see you next week…" she paused for a moment and sniffed back tears, which was so unlike her, "I love you."

"I love you too…" Max said sitting down on the steps leading to the back yard, he stared at the phone for a moment and cut the call.

Is everything really that simple? Max wondered as he rubbed his forehead, I wish it was. Or is there anything beyond what was just told me? Max did not know why, but his mind kept telling him that there was something beyond what he was just told.

Another chapter! Not much... Sorry for that! I've been travelling a lot these days and hence can't keep up the pace! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! :)

Please do leave your review! :)