Summary: This story takes place ten years into the future. The girls have grown up and married, hoping to live happily ever after. But sadly, as reality tells us, there is never a happily ever after. Now the girls must live without a husband and an unborn child. Can they deal with this and still find true happiness? Or is their world forever lost in darkness?

PS: This is for my good friends, Cassidy the Water Sage, Cassidy Herrera, DREAMCOLE, and mizunderstood247.

Disclaimer: I do not own W.I.T.C.H., nor do I own the children to be born or the boys Cole or Edward. Cole belongs to DREAMCOLE. W.I.T.C.H. and party belong to Disney. The rest belong to Cassidy the Water Sage.

Chapter 9: The Mysterious Men

Cassidy sighed as she leaned against the metal post. It had been over ten minutes and the bus still hadn't showed. This was beginning to feel frustrating.

Sighing again, Cassidy straightened herself up again and began to walk back to the dorms.

Well, she could use the exercise. Especially after what happened today.

She had gone to Panera's (the only college related restaurant I know) with Rebecca for lunch. She had hoped it would just be her and her best friend working on their project together. Sadly, that wasn't the case.

Conner, her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, was there.

He was sitting three tables away from her, laughing with some prissy cheerleader.

Cassidy had clenched her fists together and forced herself to look away from the scene.

He had just dumped her after he did 'it' with her.

That just sent boiling rage through Cassidy. She had been used, and nothing made her feel more angry and furious than someone using her.

Rebecca had realized this fact and ate quickly so they could depart.

But even as Cassidy lay in bed, that boiling rage was still there.

I know I have to forgive him, Cassidy thought bitterly. But right now I can't. I need to find some way of shaking it off. And shake it off for good.

The next morning however, changed her whole life.

Forever.

She had been minding her own business, walking down the street like she did every day, that is until she bumped into a handsome stranger.

"Oh, sorry," she said, before looking at him.

"It's okay," the stranger answered coolly. Cassidy looked up and gasped as she stared at a black haired man with milky white skin and blue eyes. His smile was pure genuine, and his eyes sparkled with life and joy. "My name's Edward by the way. What's yours?"

Cassidy looked away, trying to catch herself from making her looking like a fool. "M-my name is C-Cassidy."

Edward smiled in return and glanced across the road where the campus lied. "Hey, do you go to that college over there?" he asked.

Cassidy nodded. Edward beamed brightly, flashing his pure white teeth at her. "Great! I'm going there too. So I guess I'll see you around?"

He began to walk away, Cassidy staring at him with stunned eyes. Then she smiled and waved, "Yeah, see you around!"

Her heart pounded against her chest as she watched Edward disappear in the thong of people.

She would see him around. That she would make sure of.

Somewhere else:

"Are you kidding me?" Irma asked her brother as they stood in front of the large building before them.

Chris smiled widely and replied, "Nope, not kidding. After you and Martin high tailed it out of here, Uriah and the Grumpers founded Lair 15.7 FM in your honor. It's the biggest thing next to VMJ, which speaking of him, he's coming here tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Irma repeated. When Irma had been younger (and thinner), she had had a huge crush on Vance Michael Justin. She had even danced next to him on stage. But would he remember her? Irma doubted it.

"Yup," Chris answered with a proud smile. "And I'm the radio host. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your radio name, Lair on the air."

Irma shook her head and smiled sadly. "No, I don't mind. It's not like I'm ever going to be a radio host."

"But that's the thing," Chris continued, spreading out his arms. "I asked you to come here so you could be a part of the team!"

Irma shook her head again, her brown curls bouncing back and forth. "Chris, I can't."

"But why not?!" Chris demanded to know.

"Yeah, Lair, why not? Think you're better than us?" asked an all too familiar voice.

Chris and Irma turned around to see Uriah, and behind him was Bess and Courtney Grumper, all three all grown up.

Irma sighed. She really wasn't in the mood for this. But, seeing the expressions on their faces, she answered, "My husband is dead. He was a part of the school radio. I just . . . I just don't think I can go into this field without Martin."

Everyone except Chris gaped.

"Dead?" Courtney repeated.

Irma nodded. Subconsciously, she placed a hand over her slightly budging belly.

The other three noticed the movement, and Uriah, being the idiot he is best known to be, blurted out, "Hey Lair, are you pregnant?"

Bess rolled her eyes and snorted sarcastically, "No, Uriah, she's just fat. Of course she's pregnant! Why do you even ask?!"

Uriah shrugged.

Irma smiled partly at their foolish behavior. Sometimes she missed the sense of light hearted humor.

A sense she probably would never receive.

Again.

At the Silver Dragon:

Hay Lin wiped the table clean, carefully gathering the left-overs from the last customer.

Life's like that, she thought, finishing her job and throwing away the garbage. When a person's life is totally destroyed, you have to go back and pick the pieces up and start over.

She walked over to where a young customer waited to be seated. "There's a table by the window, if that's alright," she said politely.

"Oh, that's quite alright," the man said in a soft voice. Hay Lin glanced at the customer and then froze in her place.

The man was undoubtedly handsome, with black blue hair and almond shaped eyes. His tall, lean structure stood at least an inch above her own, with a gentle smile on his thin lips. His background was Asian, maybe Japanese, but defiantly Asian.

Hay Lin felt her heart accelerated as she showed him to his table and handed him his menu.

When that was taken care of, Hay Lin trotted, or more like glided, back to the kitchen.

Yan Lin noticed the light-hearted atmosphere around her granddaughter and asked, "You seem rather cheerful today. May I ask why?"

Hay Lin smiled at her grandmother and answered, "Nothing."

Yan Lin smiled back that her. "Nice try. But I know you're still grieving about Eric. Something must have happened before you came in."

Hay Lin sighed and leaned against the oven. "I saw this guy . . ."

"A guy?" Yan Lin repeated with an arched eyebrow.

"He's just a guy," Hay Lin reasoned. "And I've never seen him before."

Yan Lin smirked a bit and went back to work. Maybe her granddaughter would spill the beans after work.

With Irma:

"And why are you forcing me to drive you to the bookstore?" Irma asked as she drove down the street.

Chris smiled. "You need some time to get out and do something. Ever since our meeting with Uriah and the Grumpers, you just aren't as outgoing anymore." He glanced over to her, slightly blushing. "And I'm going to meet my girlfriend there."

Irma gaped and stared at him, bewildered. "Girlfriend? Since when did you become a lady's man?"

Chris glared at his sister and harrumphed. "Well, gee. Since when did you suddenly judge me?"

Irma smiled gently and nudged her little brother. "I'm just joking, but really. Who's the lucky girl?"

Chris blushed again and murmured, "Someone you know . . ."

Irma arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

She pulled up in front of the bookstore and exited the car.

Chris hopped out and jogged into the store, an eager look on his face.

The two separated, one heading towards the café and the other to the maganizes.

Leaning over, Irma scanned the shelf.

Then, she heard a friendly voice ask, "Can I help you with anything?"

Irma straightened up, turning to the owner of the voice. "No, thank y—"

She stopped in mid sentence, blinking at the person in front of her.

It was a man, about her age, with shoulder length light brown hair and sparkling green eyes.

But it was none of those features that caught her attention.

The man was also incredibly handsome, with a shunning smile and gentle facial features.

Irma's heart pounded hard against her chest, then leaped into her throat.

"Well, if you need anything," the man said with a smile, "I'm always open for questions."

He walked away, but not without flashing a flirtish grin in her direction.

She sighed.

What a hunk.

After a few moments, Chris returned, ready to left. The two then went back to the car.

"Girlfriend had to get ready for a test," he explained as he hopped into the car.

Irma didn't say anything, her mind still on that man.

A disturbing thought entered her head.

She was in love with Martin, so how could she fall in love with some total stranger?

Chris waved his hand in front of her face, saying, "Hello? Earth to Irma, earth to Irma. Do you copy?"

Irma blinked out of her trace and shook her head. "Sorry, just thinking." She started the car, and drove off.

Chris arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. After all, he had secrets of his own. Why bother to demand to know someone else's?