Chapter 7:

Anastasia's POV:

October 23rd, 2011

Dear Diary,

Hey! It's me again. Sorry I haven't been able to write again lately. It's just that a lot of things had happened and I didn't have the time to account for all of the events, so I'll just tell you the more important things. My lunch time ends in about at least fifteen minutes from now, so I'll make it brief.

The new school has been fun, no doubt better than the previous one I've been to. Their food is even more delicious but healthy as well! My classmates and teachers are generally nice to me (well, except for Tom, our class' athlete. He's just being a jerk, but that's because I took what he had wanted ever since him coming to this school – respect as a leader.) I was appointed for a class monitor and that means I'll be leading the whole class, which isn't to my forte. Mr. Josephine, like anyone and everyone else in my life, has high hopes for me. So I promised that I wouldn't let them down.

The lab just had a new member two days ago. His name is Ryan Wolfe, and he was once a patrol officer in New York city. How he got to where he is now is a total mystery, but I don't really mind. It's just something about him that makes me cheerful for some reason, makes me want to open up to him about the things I'm currently going through. He has luscious raven hair, and a charming smile that helps me calm down, to tell me that everything is going to be all right. The first time we met, it's as if we've met countless times before.

Judging from the clothes that he wore, he seemed more like a casual, easy-going person, something that is the opposite of what the people working in the lab's personalities are. Just like Aunt Calleigh and Uncle Eric. I tried not to think about drooling over the toned muscles which are reflected on his shirt, as it's really tone and fit.

He even offered me to help process the cotton swabs, the ones I swabbed on the pool of blood on the floor next to my bed left by mother earlier in the morning. Something that no one, in this world, has ever done to me before, well, other than my family and Aunt Calleigh of course. I have helped a lot of people, and yet none of them wanted to help me when I'm the one in trouble. He must also have been as nervous as I am, judging from the fidgeting of his hands on each other and the table, the constant sweats pouring down his face, and the grip on my hand when he's shaking mine, probably not wanting to let it go.

However, what caught my attention the most was the embrace he's given me before I leave the lab. It's as if he knew how I felt deep down inside, the sorrow and the curiosity driving me nuts inside of me from the outside world, especially since I found out the substance was actually blood. It's as if he's trying all sorts of ways to get rid of it. It's because of him I'm starting to feel things I've never felt before; warmth, comfort, as if nothing in the world can ever harm me with him around. That I can be really sure.

Ugh oh, so this must be what 'falling in love' feels like, like what some of my friends described it to me. Now I'm thinking of him more than my studies, the way he is, 'cute', even when he is 25 years old, ten years older than me. But honestly:

How can I get rid of the thought that makes me feel so good?

I can hear the bell ring now. Mr. Josephine should be coming in anytime, along with a few papers with information about what we would like to do for our extra curriculum. There's a bazaar outside in the multi purpose hall waiting for us and a few other freshman classes.

I'll talk to you later. Tom's coming near me, and I don't want him to see my private things, most of all this entire diary.

Cheerios!

I closed the book as the figure came up to me, "Oh, what are you doing? Writing your complaints in life? You know you shouldn't be complaining too much about your job as a Class Monitor. You should have given it to me," a broad grin smeared on Tom's face. It makes me feel as if I wanted to punch him so badly, to wipe off the ugly smirk on his face.

Don't listen to him, Anne. You're right. He's a jerk. He doesn't deserve your attention, a familiar voice sounded in my head.

"Who are you? Why are you inside my head?" I forgotten, when I blurted it out, that I was in a classroom full of people, and that they were quiet, listening to Mr. Josephine.

The whole class turned to look at me, eyeing me, probably thinking I was weird or something. Tom made the atmosphere worse for me, "She's gone mad!" The whole class stared as he roared with laughter with a couple of his friends, only to stop awhile after because it seemed weird.

Mr. Josephine looked at me, "Are you all right, Anastasia?"

I nodded my head, "Yeah. I'm all right. Please do continue with your briefing on the co-curricular activities."

Mr. Josephine looked at me with worry, confirming that I was all right, before continuing his speech. I decided to send a thought back, Ryan, is that you? Please don't answer me unexpectedly. And you're also being like my mother.

I was only greeted with silence.

I decided to focus on the class, before helping out with the dividing of the class into teams. "All right, all of you can wonder around the booths if you'd like and you yourself can choose the activity which you or a couple of your friends and yourself would like, but you'll need each other so that no one gets lost or left behind. That's why I've split you up into teams. Got it everyone?"

"Yes Anne!" the whole class yelled back, full of anxiety.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's head out!" the class cheered as they got out of their seats, walking straight out of the class towards the multi purpose hall. Mr. Josephine patted my back as a way of saying 'good work', "So, what do you plan on doing?"

He ran his hand through his now white and balding hair, "Well, I'm not quite sure. Guess I'll be looking around and seeing. I don't really like making choices," I smiled as the both of us left the classroom, with me closing the door behind us.

The multi purpose hall was well decorated with banners and posters asking the freshmen to join whatever activities the school could possibly provide. It's much more interesting and detailed than in my previous school, much to my joy. I opened my eyes wide, trying to take in every single information printed in the posters and banners as I strolled around the hall, looking at each booth, hoping that one of them really catches my attention.

I looked over to how the others are doing. Lots of girls are signing up to be cheerleaders, much to my amusement. I've never really liked wearing short skirts and cheering in loud voices anyway. I don't mind about the cartwheels and the handstands though. Tom and a few of his boys decided to sign up for track and field, something that I wasn't surprised about. I continued walking through each booth. Every student behind each one of it began calling out for me to join them, but I didn't really bother.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a booth in which I was really interested in: Karate. I began to walk towards the booth, but the voice appeared in my thoughts once again, Don't try it, Anne. If I were you, I'll probably join the science club.

Who are you? How did you know my name? Why are you protruding my head? furious, I send the thoughts back.

It's because I do know almost everything, my lovely Anne, with that, the voices, disappear. I groaned in frustration. When is this all going to stop?

I approached the booth, and was greeted by the excited members of the Karate Club, "Hello there! Are you here to join the karate club?"

"Yeah sure. So where do I sign up?" I smiled at them as they handed me the sign up form. Anne, I've warned you. You are sooooo going to be in trouble.

Well, you didn't show up, tell me who you are or anything, I might as well join them without you telling me what to do, I grinned to myself mischievously, shutting him up, before writing my information on the clip board and giving it back to them. They took it willingly and gave me a slip of paper, "Tomorrow's the trials for the club. It's just to see whether you would like to take part in this or not. I hope you do though!"

"Right, I'll think about it. Thank you," I smiled at them as I walked away from the booth, looking for other booths as I'd looked for my backup activity.

There's a sign that says on one of the booths, "Crime Solvers: Become one of the 'Sherlock Holmes' today!".

Intrigued, I went over to them. I was greeted by a couple of schoolmates dressed up with detective hats and moustaches. There were things a detective could possibly have on them littered on the table, amongst them a magnifying glass and a fingerprint extracting kit. "Hello there, young detective! Would you like to join our club?"

"I ugh…" I tried not to laugh out loud at them, telling them that I have a father and mother who are both serving the people by solving crimes. "Sure."

"All right then," they handed me a list in which I filled the details in again. As I continued down the row, one of the students whispered to the others, "it's a Caine. She really is a Caine!"

I looked up, startling all of their faces, "Yes, I'm a Caine, which means I'm Horatio Caine's daughter. Is there anything wrong with that?"

The clan screamed in joy as one of them, probably their leader, walked up to me and we shook hands abruptly, squealing in excitement. "Oh man! It's an honor to meet you! Your dad is the most awesome person in the world! Can we please meet him someday? That would totally make our day!"

I bet he is. I gave out a brief 'huff' at the thought, "Well, thank you for that. He really likes it when he knows there are people who care for what he does. Maybe he could come and visit us someday," I finished filling in my information, "but that doesn't mean he's happy when he sees you lingering around our house. He'll have you straight into jail for that."

Smiling more brightly than ever, they handed me a slip of paper for the trials, and I waved them goodbye as the principal called us to go back into the class before being dismissed from school. Deep within me, I've always wanted to do what my father does, collecting evidence and catching the culprit in a cool manner.

But more importantly, I wished I could get into that karate club so bad.

Ryan's POV:

I've been getting new supernatural powers lately, all thanks to the werewolf genes beginning to work, and Horatio helped me with the controlling of it, making sure I didn't misuse it and hurt other people in the end. One of them is actually the sending and receiving of thoughts, which helped greatly when locating Anastasia and feeling how she is feeling right now.

I roared with laughter, almost destroying the evidence by accident for putting too much glycerin solution, when I heard that Anne decided to ditch my orders and actually sign up for the karate club. To think that she would have the resistance of the tiger, even a werewolf like me would get scared of her.

But more importantly, she could hear and reply to me. To my thoughts inside of her, even though she didn't realize it's me. And her feelings for me felt genuine as she began writing her diary. She had felt the same way I was, and more importantly:

She's falling in love for me the same way I was.

I smiled to myself, entering the castle built in the sky, when the glass door opened, shaking me out of it. Horatio came inside the room, hands fidgeting his pair of sunglasses, his trademark object. "What do we have, Mr. Wolfe?"

I went back to my work, explaining to him what I've been doing, "and well, it's a stamp that one of the possible victims has on his desk. It's funny to say this, but I think our possible victim could actually be our possible killer," I held out one of the letters the culprit has send to the victims, and one of the stamps on the table.

"Well, Mr. Wolfe. Maybe you are right. Would you like to accompany me in finding our culprit?" he smiled as he puts on his sunglasses. I find that action a little weird, since the two of us are indoors in a lab, but I nodded with genuine excitement, "Sure, H."

With that, the both of us walked out of the lab, with me hanging my brand new lab coat with the words 'Ryan Wolfe' embodied on one of the chest pockets, on the coat hanger.

Now, it's time to catch my very first bad guy.

Unknown Victim No. 1's POV:

I was walking home late after school. It's been a long day, but we've received enough members for our club to continue. I feel good just thinking about the things we've done so far, to be able to share others our interest in solving mysteries. That made me feel excited coming into the first day of meeting, which will happen tomorrow.

The sky is getting dark, and I knew it's going to pour, so I turned right into a dark alley. Hey, I do know it's not safe to go in dark alleys, all thanks to watching movies and reading books about sudden disappearances, but with the rain coming and it's the only shortcut I have, what choice do I have?

Little do I know someone is following behind me, watching my every move. I turned to look behind, yelling, "Is anyone there? Come out if you dare!" There was no response, no one behind me, so I kept on walking, brushing the thought away and hopefully be able to reach home in time and in one piece.

Suddenly, a figure came right in front of me and pushed me down on the floor. In a state of shock, I couldn't help but look into the culprit's eyes. To my horror, his eyes are shining bright red, and that fangs are protruding out of his mouth. I knew instantly that he must not be human.

I tried to scream, tried to yell something into the outside world, begging for help. No one heard me, no one came. I tried to move, but I was no match to his superhuman strength. I looked back at the monster, crying tears of sadness as he sank his teeth into my neck and began drinking blood from me. I sank down into darkness, pulling me further away from the world, towards a place where it is dark and cold, without any feelings. I wept for my mother, my family and all the people who made my life wonderful as my heart slows down it's pace with every gulp.

I'm sorry for what I've done. Please forgive me.