PLEASE READ! VERY IMPORTANT: I am thinking of making change on this story. It would still have the same plot and be the same story, but it would have a lot of other elements as well. Basically I would just be cutting through a lot of fat. And the title would change to: The Instinct. I would not change any previous chapters. Like I said, it's basically the same thing, just a slight change in direction. That means that the sneak peak most of you saw may change slightly. Really it would just give me more room to create things for this story. Tell me if you think that this would be a bad idea in your review.

And I'm so sorry for the long wait (famous author line)! But I really really am! I will try to update faster!

P.S. A little warning. This beginning scene thing here may seem kind of violent. It's not as bad as looks, though you may not understand that yet. I also have a new music video up on youtube. It's titled, Pokeshipping - I'll Be Missing You, and my penname is prettygirlstory. It's a bit jumpy at one point, because my movie maker did something to it (I'm not referring to the flashes at the beginning. That's purposeful), but it was a blast to create. So... yeah check it out. And please remember to review this chapter when you finish it.

Five years earlier:

Knock. Knock.

A woman with long blond hair and black clothing rose from her seat and walked to her door.

Situated before her was a man, quite a young one, covered completely in black. "You're requested ma'am."

She smiled slightly and tilted her head. "Yes. Thank you."

He gave her a short lived nod and quickly moved to the side so that she could pass. The woman continued down a hall up a short wing of stairs and into a conference room.

Three other people were within the conference room, and two stood upon her entrance. The one who stayed sitting was dressed all in orange, a Persian by his side and dark hair framing his equally dark eyes. The two who stood were a man and a woman. Both looked very professional, maybe a bit too professional for the place in which they were.

"So, what you got for me?" the male asked gruffly.

The blond ignored him and walked past the two to where the man still seated was. She proceeded to kneel (Which was not normal for her. But one had to keep appearances around certain parties).

He gave her a short nod and she rose to meet him as he said, "Domino, show our guests why they were requested."

Domino stood and turned around, brushing past the two and motioning lazily behind her for them to follow.

She led the two through several complex hallways (most filled with something undoubtedly illegal) until they finally arrived at their destination and she stopped and turned around, looking pointedly at both of them. "This is our sixth success. And you will be the first to see it. If all goes well, we may be able to come to some sort of arrangement."

The man snorted but she just ignored him and opened the door.

The woman gasped when they entered, looking quite disturbed with what they were being presented. The man didn't seem to even notice anything strange, and walked strait to the glass tubes flicking his finger against one. "That's pretty thick glass." He commented. The woman stayed frozen in spot.

Domino smirked at the other female's reaction and walked to where the male was. Beside him were two large tubes filled to the top in a bubbling red liquid. Each on held a small boy floating inside. Both with the same stature, but looked like complete opposites otherwise.

"What are they?" asked the male.

The girl smirked. "Protectors."

"You mean these are just kids with some sort of hero complex?"

"No. They're protectors."

"I don't think…"

"A demonstration then." She turned to the door where a grunt stood. "Bring in the boy." A few moments later two grunts came in dragging a small boy with them. He looked scared but hardly moved at all. She turned to the opposite side of the room then nodded and a girl about the same age as the boy was pulled in. The blond looked from the boy to the girl then pulled a gun seemingly out of thin air and pointed it at the girl.

Finally the woman watching lost it. "What are you doing?!"

Domino smirked again. "Giving you a demonstration." A click came from the gun and behind them the boy screamed at the top of his lungs.

"No!" All of the next steps seemed to go in one quick fluid motion. The boy "broke away" from the grunts leaving them both on their back on the floor, ran in front of the girl, then fell to the floor wheezing.

The little girl screamed and dropped to her knees beside him pulling his head to her lap. Tears came to her eyes and fell on his cheeks as she looked up at the people around them.

The gun was dropped. "Get him cleaned up." She ordered.

Grunts came out and separated the two children, then pulled them both out separately.

"Are you crazy?!" the woman asked the blond.

The man even seemed stunned by the turn of events. "So you tried to shoot the kid's best friend. What does that prove?"

"That would be an excellent item for discussion but unfortunately for you, you're wrong." She pocketed the gun. "They've never seen each other in their lives."

"They looked pretty close to me." The woman said pointedly.

"And they are. She's a child and the boy just risked his life for her. Of course she's going to feel guilt. But the boy was bound by the injection inside of this." She pointed to the two tubes. "All he's doing is protecting himself, by protecting her."

The woman didn't seem convinced. "Forgive me for doubting this theory, but I don't see how jumping in front of a bullet is protecting himself."

"I didn't say that he was protecting his body." Domino turned and walked to what looked like a large metal box jutting out of the wall with a door attached to the side.

They all entered to find a few grunts all situated at various computers and some monitors. The blond walked to the row of monitors. "Camera fourteen. Play the last three and half minutes and slow it down."

"Yes ma'am." The grunt at this particular area did as told and they watched the proceedings from when she fired the gun to when he was laying on the floor.

"Amazing." The male breathed. Now that it had been slowed down they could see just what had happened. It was relatively the same, but the surprising part was watching a boy that could be no more than seven years old send the two grunts to the floor.

"Pause it." She ordered. She turned to face her guests. "These are level four grunts. Very near to the best we have. He disabled them as if they were still in training."

The other woman bit her lip. "So explain this to us."

Domino smirked and began to speak. Five minutes later the male said, "So what was your offer?"

She flipped blond tresses over her shoulder and plucked a walkie-talkie from her belt. "We've got them."

"Mommy! I can't find my shoes!"

Misty sighed in exasperation and dropped the carrot she had been peeling, running up the stairs to where her daughter was. "Makaila, what are you…" she trailed off and her eyes widened as she looked at her daughter, sitting on top of their extremely step roof. "Makaila! Get back in here! What are you doing? I thought you were looking for your shoes!"

Makaila turned and started crawling back. Misty reached out and helped her in as soon as she could.

"Sweetie, you're going to miss the bus."

Makaila looked up at her. "But I can't find my shoes."

"C'mon, I'll help you."

After they had found Makaila's shoes and sent her off to the bus, Ash and Misty got in the car and started to Skye's house.

Taylor's birthday had never been set in stone because they weren't sure when she born or if she had even been technically born. When they had finally began real lives Taylor had realized that she didn't have a birthday and had chosen one for herself (with Skye's help).

Now Taylor's "birthday" was coming up, thought she didn't actually realize it.

Skye wasn't a very sociable person but each year he still organized a birthday party for her.

Misty and Ash pulled into the driveway and knocked on the door. Michael was the one to answer it and smiled inviting them in. Skye never did a lot of decorating, considering the fact that she couldn't see them anyway, but he did just enough for it to be considered a birthday party.

Michael was helping decorate and staying a little ways away from Skye. Their relationship had become a little bit shaky as of late, considering the fact that Michael and Taylor had been spending more and more time together….

Misty entered the kitchen and looked at the pan, atop which sat… something… something that looked as though it was supposed to be edible. "What is this?" Misty asked poking it."

"It's Skye's failed attempt at making a cake." Michael said with a little smirk.

Skye scowled and picked up a balloon, filling it with air.

Misty sighed. "I'll do it."

Without thought three voices yelled out simultaneously. "No!"

Misty froze and clenched her hands then spun around to lay a glare on all three males. "And why not?"

Skye turned back the balloons, Michael rubbed the back of his neck, and Ash ran past her so that he could occupy himself helping Skye.

Misty turned back to the stove just as the doorbell rang. Michael jumped up and answered it. "It's Alexi and Keagan and they have a cake!"

There were a few sighs of relief and a shrug from Misty as Alexi and Keagan entered.

"Where's Taylor?" asked Keagan.

"In her room." Skye answered.

There was a moment of silence as everyone wondered why they were doing it when she was so close.

"In her room?" Alexi asked for clarification.

Skye nodded.

"Aren't you worried about her coming down here?" Ash asked.

Skye promptly popped the balloon by mistake and turned around to see everyone's gaze on him.

What almost everyone in the room besides Skye didn't know, was that there was no chance of her waking up. Taylor was a clone, as they all knew. What they didn't know was that lately Taylor had been having problems. Mostly with the way she was growing. Because she was a copy of a person, certain parts of her body didn't grow as fast as others. There were other factors as well. When Sarah had died, Skye had learned everything he could about the cloning process. Therefore, he knew exactly what to do about the problem, and gave her a special selection of chemicals every night before she went to sleep. Because of this she stayed asleep for much of the morning. Skye had yet to tell this to his friends.

"She's asleep." Skye said quietly. "She won't wake up. Don't worry." And he turned back to the balloons. He heard a rip and turned to his right to see that Michael's shaking hands had ripped the decoration that he was holding.

He frowned and caught Michael's nervous gaze before turning away stiffly.

Everyone sensed that this was not something to press, but Taylor was just as much their friend as his.

"Skye, what's wrong with Taylor?" Alexi asked.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked quietly.

Alexi's eyes widened then softened as she turned away. His phrase didn't need to be answered. He was trying to get a point across.

Taylor woke up a couple hours later. She pushed herself up and let the blankets slide down her shoulders. She could hear noises coming from down the stairs and stood, starting to make her way down.

Just as she was leaving the room she felt a sharp sting in her wrist. She grabbed it with her other hand and felt two small pricks in her skin. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she ran her fingers over it but a sound from down the stairs was enough to snap her out of it.

"Ow!"

A bright smile split over her face as she raced down the stairs. "Michael!" she called when she reached the bottom.

Michael jumped up and dropped what he had been doing, quickly running in her path before she could hurt herself.

Taylor ran forward, ending up in Michael's arms. Michael blushed and looked at the floor as best he could, drawing giggles out of a couple of the girls. Taylor didn't notice a thing but the giggling made her head snap up. "May? Alexi?"

"Yeah."

She let go of Michael and moved forward. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Don't you remember?" Misty asked. "It's your birthday."

Taylor's sightless eyes narrowed and then after a moment she shut them tightly. When she opened her eyes they were lined with tears. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." May said happily.

Ash leaned over to look at the watch on Misty's wrist and stood. "I gotta go pick up Makaila."

"You'll be back right?" Taylor asked quickly.

"Of course." Ash stated. "You think Makaila would miss this?"

In a few minutes Ash had reached the school and parked the car outside. Ash started to get out of the car but stopped suddenly and frowned.

Makaila was sitting on the front steps, but that wasn't what made him frown. Sitting beside her was a boy that looked about her age. He was nudging her and talking to her and she kept pushing him away. He had a smirk and just moved back when pushed.

Ash got out of the car and started towards the steps, seeing as his daughter was getting more and more bothered and tears were beginning to cover her eyes.

Just as he was about to do something Makaila stood up, glared furiously at the boy while clenching her tiny fists, yelled, stomped hard on his foot, and ran to where Ash was standing.

Ash's eyes widened in surprise and he stopped walking, waiting for Makaila to near him. The boy seemed surprised too and clenched his teeth when her foot collided rather violently with his, before watching her run away.

"Hi daddy." She said quietly when she reached him.

"Hi…."

"Can we go now? Please?" she asked quickly.

"Don't you think-"

"Please?" she asked again, a breath of anxiety in her voice. Ash looked down at her and only nodded slowly before leading her to the car.

"So Makaila, what was that about?" Ash asked a few minutes later. He adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see her face.

Makaila clenched her hands in her lap. "He's just a jerk."

Ash was surprised. Makaila rarely used even moderately offensive words. Either that boy had said or done something really bad, or his daughter was changing right in front of him.

It didn't even occur to him that both could be happening.

"Taylor!" Makaila yelled out when she entered the house. She ran through the front door, dropping her back-pack on the floor on the way, then into the living room where she wrapped her arms around her. "Happy birthday!"

Taylor laughed. "Thank you Makaila."

"Taylor I got you a present!" Makaila announced jumping up and down. "Can you open it now? Please?"

Skye rose from the table and neared them. "I suppose we could start that now."

"Yes!" Makaila ran back to Ash and pulled on the bag he was holding. "Can I give it to her?"

Ash pulled the bag off of his shoulder and brought out a small package. He handed it to her and watched her run off to Taylor. "This one's mine." She announced again.

Taylor took it and ran her fingers over it briefly before pulling the paper off. "It's a CD right?"

Makaila nodded, still not seeming to realize that she couldn't see it. "I don't know how to pranunce it. But you like it."

"Thank you Makaila." Taylor gave Makaila a hug and decided to ask what it was later.

And so it began. The others all gave her something that would be expected for a teen age girl to like. Though Michael had managed to make a couple of the girls giggle again when he gave her a necklace, and then helped her put it on.

Finally Taylor started opening up Skye's. Everyone was surprised with the gift. It was a small piece of material. Small but obviously home-made and intricate. Messy in some places. But the way it was made, Taylor was able to run her fingers over it and feel all of the changes. "Wow…." She whispered, "Thank you."

Skye nodded briskly. Being with Taylor for so long had managed to humble him in ways he couldn't really explain.

She ran her fingers over a series of dots and smiled. "Taylor." She muttered.

"Cake then." Skye said quickly, standing.

Ash followed Skye into the kitchen, but not for the most common food related reason, but because he wanted to talk to him. "What is that?" he asked him.

Skye scowled. "She asked me to make her something."

"But what is it?"

Skye stuck his hand into his pocket and fingered something clothe-like sticking out of it. "Just what it looks like."

"What's it for?"

Skye looked at Ash sharply. "Why do you insist on asking questions?"

Ash sighed. "All right. Do you need any help with the cake?"

Skye turned to the counter and shook his head. "Obviously not. It's a cake. All I have to do is carry it." Ash sighed and walked back to others as Skye grabbed the cake.

Later On

"Bye Taylor!"

"See ya Makaila." Taylor called back.

Ash, Misty, and Makaila left and were soon followed by Keagan and Alexi.

Once Keagan was a short distance away, Alexi turned back to Skye and glanced in at Taylor who was massaging her wrist. "Skye-"

"Don't say it." He warned.

Alexi shook her head, and then took a breath to steady herself. "She needs to know."

"No."

"Skye, I can help her. If you would just let me talk to her-"

"No."

"But she needs-"

"No!"

"Just listen. Please."

Skye shook his head but didn't say anything so she continued.

"I was there. She needs something."

"I'm giving her something."

"Skye!"

"Sh."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her outside, shutting the door behind himself. "What do you want me to do?" he asked sharply.

"Just… let me talk to her."

"Why?!"

"Skye, did you completely forget?"

"So what if you're like her. The two of you can die together. That's a great idea, Alexi." he muttered with sarcasism dripping from every word.

Alexi's mouth fell open. "Wh-What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Ash closed her eyes for a moment then opened them and looked strait at him. "I can help her."

"No." he said firmly.

"Why? Skye, she needs help."

"You didn't help Sarah."

"Neither did you."

Skye ground his teeth, his hands shaking at his sides. "Just go."

"Skye I'm s-"

"Go!"

Alexi sighed, and left.

Makaila sighed happily in the back of her parent's car. "That was so fun!"

"Yeah it was." Misty agreed.

Makaila tilted her head to the side and looked out of the window. Her brow furrowed for a moment as she tried to understand the scene passing by the window. There were a few boys gathered around something. Whatever it was she couldn't see it. Then they started hitting. Her eyes widened. "Stop the car!"

"What?" Ash instinctively stepped on the brake when hearing the loud voice out of the blue. Makaila unbuckled her seatbelt and was out of the car before her parents could stop her.

"Makaila!" Misty called out. She and Ash both unbuckled their seatbelts and opened the door, but Makaila was already half way to her destination.

She ran up to the group of boys. Needless to say they were surprised when a girl suddenly burst through their group to see what she already knew was happening. A boy was kneeling and holding onto his stomach. And she instantly fell beside him. "Are you ok?"

"What are you doing?" one of the boys asked.

She rounded on him, jumping who she was an inch from his face. "What are you doing?! What gives you the right to do this?!"

The boy blinked at her, quite startled that she could be so bold after just seeing what they had done to the boy.

"Stop it Makaila."

Makaila turned to her right to see the boy who had been teasing her when she waiting for her father to pick her up. "You! This was your idea! Wasn't it?"

He shook his head, not phased in the least.

"Then who's was it?" She glared around the group, daring them to keep quiet. But the boys weren't about to take orders from a girl.

One raised his hand and she flinched on instinct. But nothing came. She opened her eyes to see that he had dropped his hand. As terrible as they had just been to the boy, at least this one had the common sense not to hit a girl.

The boy on the ground gasped and pushed himself to his feet. Makaila turned around and stared at him warily. "Are you ok?"

He nodded mutely and that was when she realized that this was the same boy she had seen on the way to school the day before. But that wasn't important at the moment.

"No he 'aint. Look." One of the boys in the group kicked him lightly. It was hardly enough to hurt, but just enough to prove that he was definitely not fine as he fell, landing in a messy heap.

Makaila knelt beside him again, tears filling her eyes. "How could you do this? I knew you were mean, but not this mean…." She muttered. The boy opened his eyes and smiled lightly, another way to pointlessly tell her that he was fine. She turned and yelled at them. "You jerks! You're terrible! You're just a bunch of bullies!"

They didn't exactly know how to respond. There were only six, seven, and eight year olds in their roup after all." One of them however, knew exactly how to react and raised his fist above her head. She heard a growl beneath her and the boy on the ground jumped to his feet. He gave the boy a hard punch and watched the boy stumble and then fall back. Then he stumbled and fell to the ground landing safely in Makaila's arms. His sudden surge of strength was strange but seemed to have wiped out the rest of the energy in him.

"Makaila!"

"Mommy." Makaila stated in surprise (though she really shouldn't have been surprised).

"Makaila, what are you doing?"

"I was just…" She looked down at her arms but found them empty. Her eyes narrowed in confusion and she looked around but didn't see the boy, and the boys were now looking at her as if she was crazy.

Misty and Ash had obviously not seen what had happened, because Misty was leaning down to the level of the boy who had been hit by the boy they had been beating up. He had a bloody nose and was holding it, trying desperately not to let anyone see the tears in his eyes. "Sweetie, what happened? Who hit you?"

Despite the fact that it was a major embarrassment to him to be hit by a girl, he pointed to Makaila. Her eyes went wide. "Wh-What I didn't hit you!"

"Yes you did." One of the other boys chimed in.

"No I didn't!" she cried starting to get frustrated. It wasn't fair! She had done the right thing. She shouldn't be punished for it. Where was that boy?

"Yeah. She did." Another boy added.

"No I didn't!! It was that boy you were beating up!" It wasn't so much about the punch that had been thrown, but more about the fact that her parents might trust these bullies more than her.

Ash kneeled down to her level. "What boy Makaila?"

"He was just here!" she yelled. "They were hitting him! They were!"

"Nuh-uh! You hit him!" yelled one of the boys, pointing at the boy with blood leaking from his nose.

She turned and glared daggers at him. "I might hit you if you don't stop saying that!"

"Makaila." Misty chided gently.

It wasn't so much about the punch that had been thrown, but more about the fact that her parents might trust these bullies more than her.

Makaila looked at all of the boys. They were all looking at her like they though that she was truly insane. They really looked like they really thought it too.

"Makaila, come here." Ash coaxed.

Makaila came and he picked her up and carried her back to the car while Misty got things worked out with the boys.

He set her in Misty's seat while they waited and crawled into the other side. "Makaila-"

"I didn't do it!" she screamed and tears ran up to her eyes, proceeding to fall down her cheeks. "I promise daddy. I didn't do it."

Daddy. That word again. It didn't sound amazing to a lot of people, but to Ash it was. Ash never thought that he would have a relationship with anyone. Makaila and Misty were literally his whole world.

And now seeing his daughter with tears running down her cheeks, begging him to believe her, how could he not?

"Daddy, you believe me, don't you?" she asked quietly and she turned her face up to his.

Ash stared at her briefly, and then pulled her protectively into his arms. "Of course I do. I trust you Makaila. If you say that you didn't do it, you didn't do it."

Makaila let out a shaky breath and curled her small fists around the fabric on Ash's shirt. She hoped it would always be like this. He trusted her, and she trusted him. Of course she did. She had no reason not to.