Chapter 8 is here! For you loyal readers, I have submitted art for this fanfic! There will be more coming up later this week, I promise you! Go to Deviant Art and search 'Kyohyama'. That's my deviant pen name. Now enjoy this new chapter! I own Kari, Hale, and Marie. No more, no less. Note: New OCs will appear later in this story.

Just like we planned, Hale and I woke up with an early start. He dressed up in a navy blue long-sleeve and wore khaki pants and his white Nike's. I showered and dressed up in a dark blue and white striped shirt and khaki shorts along with my knee high brown leather boots. I snapped on my bracelet that Nawt gave to me and went to go fetch Marie.

Waking up the tiny girl gently, she stirred and cooed when she saw me. I picked her up and got her out of her pajamas. I placed a violet long-sleeve with matching color pants on her and pink tennis shoes with white frilly socks. I tied her hair into a side ponytail and picked her up, heading out to the hallway.

Hale was standing next to the other guest room door, waiting for Nada to finish dressing up. He seemed a bit irritated, which was no surprise cause I knew why.

"You girls take forever to get ready! This isn't a beauty pageant, you know?" I scowled at him, holding Marie against my hip. "We like to look nice, Hale. Just relax; she'll be out in a minute. In the meantime, why don't you come downstairs with me and help me get some breakfast going? Marie needs to eat too, you know?"

He grunted but followed in tow as we walked down the long steps and headed straight into the kitchen. I placed Marie in her high chair while Hale opened the fridge to get some eggs, butter, milk and juice out.

Nada arrived downstairs about five minutes later, dressed in a yellow tunic and blue hipster jeans with orange sneaks. Her long black hair was left flowing loose past her shoulders.

"Sorry I'm a bit late! I had to charge my cell phone at the last minute. It was as good as dead, practically."

I gave her a welcoming smile. "It's okay. Just take a seat; breakfast will be served in a moment." I brought up her plate, which was filled with fried egg, a banana, and buttermilk waffles with some natural maple syrup. She helped herself to a glass of orange juice from our pitcher. "Thanks! I'm starved!" Nada began to chow down her food instantly.

I fed Marie her small plate of egg and some mashed up banana. She drank up her juice in a spill-proof cup, having her fill. "Uhp!", she belched. I giggled and wiped her tiny mouth gently with a napkin. Hale devoured his entire meal and went up to go wash his dishes. Nada finished soon after and got up with her china. "I'll wash it. Help Kari get whatever we need ready." Hale took her plate and glass.

Nada sauntered over to me as I helped Marie out of her high chair. "Need any help?" I motioned my head to the baby bag on the counter. "Just that. We got everything else." Nada picked up the bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Why do we have to leave this early? Is something the matter? It has to do with what happened yesterday, isn't it?"

Hale finished washing all the dishes and dried his hands on the kitchen towel. "It's just a matter of security. Kari and I are getting really concerned about what is going on, so we need to tell someone. The Tunes and the Monstars are the only ones that will listen."

We made our way back up to my bedroom, and gathered up in front of my body length mirror. Hale insisted on going last, since he is physically more stronger and for safety reasons. I went first, making my way towards the mirror. I held my right hand out while holding Marie in my left arm.

My hand starting going through the mirror, like it was made of liquid. Gathering the rest of my courage, I went entirely into the mirror with my baby cousin.

I looked around to view my current surroundings and found myself standing in a bedroom; a male's bedroom. There was a desk with a computer on it and some books in a shelf next to it. Glancing out the window, I could tell I was on the second story of the house. I was somewhat too entranced by my surroundings that I didn't pay attention to Marie's cooing and squealing.

Then I felt two big hands firmly gripping on to my waist and pull my down gently into a red and black checkered poster bed. At first I hesitated, but relaxed as I heard the familiar voice groan into my ear happily. "I could wake up to this. It's a nice wake up call." I smiled and turned carefully with Marie still in my arms. Nawt grinned sleepily, then yawned for he just woke up to me arriving in his room.

Marie suddenly became fascinated with a black throw pillow above her head and pulled it down to gaze at it in wonder. I laughed gently as she poked and patted the pillow contently.

I was slightly startled as Nawt ran a finger into my hair. "Oops. Sorry." He chuckled for making me jump slightly. Marie didn't seem to notice or care as she kept touching the warm pillow in her hands. I gazed up at Nawt, who was sitting up on his left arm, gazing back down at me. That's when I noticed that his chest was bare.

I started flushing up a storm at the sight. He must have noticed this as he let out a low growl.. almost like it was pleasured. "Like what you see?"

'Nooo.. really, Nawt? I will probably end up having a nosebleed just for looking at you shirtless!'

I felt him moved around a bit and snapped out of my dazing stupor, only to find him a few inches now away from my face. I could feel his warm breath ghosting over my face, not helping with the now clearly visible blush on my features.

His eyes were inducing me in a trance almost, as I couldn't look away from them as they bore into mine. He smiled pleasantly. "You know, you're always welcome to stop by to wake me up. It works better than Pound's incessant shouting." I giggled lightly at the last part, imagining Pound roaring like a raging gorilla.

"You look beautiful, Kari." I gazed up at him with wide eyes at his comment. He called me beautiful. That is the very first time that anyone has ever said that to me. Even my own parents and brother didn't call me that!

We looked deeply into each others eyes for a long moment until he started to move again, lowering himself down closer to me. Then he stopped, his lips only a couple centimeters away from mine. My heart was beating at an insanely fast rate. I tried not to hurt Marie, but she was nodding off, still hugging the throw pillow. Nawt was also still lingering up above me, his eyes analyzing my face from top to bottom and taking in every detail, it seemed.

Then we both jumped as his bedroom door swung wide open, Hale, Nada, and the rest of the Monstars poking their heads through the doorway.

Poor Marie also jumped when we did, and almost started to cry until she caught sight of Bupkus. "Kitty!" She squealed delightedly. Bupkus quickly shuffled in and picked up the two year old child, then gave a a disapproving look.

"If you guys are gonna do it, don't drag the poor kid in! You little nasties.." I sat up and stammered. "W-what? No! We weren't- it's just- he- I-" Nawt looked just as flustered, scrambling out of his bed sheets. "Now hold up! We didn't- we weren't even- Why the hell would we-"

I looked over at Hale and jumped back a bit with a squeak. He had a flaming look in his eyes, frowning deeply at the sight that they saw. Nada was behind him next to Blanko, her hands covering her mouth and also flushing up a storm. "Oh, my.", was all she could say.

Blanko had his eyes wide at the scene, then shook his head as if saying 'oh brother'. Bang had his jaw hanging wide open, shocked at the sight. He looked over at Nawt. "I think you should put a shirt on man."

Nawt gave an annoyed look at Bang. "Yeah, yeah. Keep your shorts on." I think I grew another shade of red as I heard Bang mutter "Shouldn't you be doing that instead?"

Pound squeezed his eyes irritably, grumbling to himself. "This is gonna be a long day, for sure."

After Nawt got his stuff together and Hale giving me a long speech about not being alone with a guy at any given time, we all got down to the Monstars' living room while Pound called Bugs and asked him and some of the Tunes to come over as quickly as they could.

Bupkus was busy playing with Marie, throwing her up gently in the air and catching her every time she came back down.

Bang came into the living room with some lemonade in glasses on a tray. I found the sight to be funny and giggled lightly to myself. Hale tried not to crack up and bit his lip.

After a couple moments we heard knocking at the front door. Pound went and opened it up. "Glad you could make it, Bugs."

Bugs stepped inside the domain, munching on his carrot as usual. "Eh, no problem, doc." The rest of the Tunes that came with him followed right behind: Lola, Daffy, Witch Hazel, Tweety, Sylvester, Foghorn, Yosemite, Elmer, Porky, Pepe, and Wile.

As everyone entered the living room, we got up and gave them all warm greetings. Once we all got accommodated and settled down, Bugs finished the last of his carrot and looked over at me and Hale.

"Alright, you two. What's the big story?" He sat down, his attention along with everyone else directly aimed at us.

Hale took in a deep breath and exhaled. "We got a couple messages yesterday when we got back home. I dunno about you guys, but we find it really bizarre."

Daffy raised a brow. "What kind of messages?" I glanced over at him, unable to shake the numbing feeling now enveloping my body. "First, our parents: they're having some kind of business trip going on, but now the time of them being gone is extended even further due to some odd complications."

Hale picked up from there. "Then Nada's parents. For a really strange reason, her grandmother got sick and it's apparently got so bad to the point that her parents had to leave as well. The amount of time that they have to be there is uncertain, although they estimated about a month or so, which is about the same for our parents."

Nada decided to speak up the last bit of information herself. "Not only that, but now all the schools in our county are canceling classes completely due to sudden bomb threats that have been heard around the local areas. Bugs, we don't think that this is just coincidental anymore. This is now a serious issue!"

The Tunes muttered among themselves in utter shock at the news. The Monstars, too, gave each other odd looks and even looked terrified at the sudden turn of events that have occurred as of late.

Bugs sat back, his brow arching in deep concern. "Well, you're absolutely right. Now it's become something serious; this isn't just some mere prank, huh?"

Hale, Nada, and I shook our heads no. "This is as serious as it gets, Bugs. There's someone who's definitely out there trying to get us." Hale eyed the rabbit with a grave glance.

I fidgeted my fingers against one another. The thought of what happened outside last night when I went to take out the garbage unnerved me. Daffy must have caught that, as he asked me aloud.

"You okay, kid? You look disturbed about something."

I glanced up and met everyone's gaze. Turning to Hale, who furrowed his brows in worry, I sighed.

"Well, I can't say for sure, but.. Last night, when I went to run the garbage out, I felt like someone was watching me."

Hale hitched his breath in surprise. "Hold on! Someone was out there with you?" I shook my head. "I don't know. But I heard some strange rustling noises near the bushes and.. heavy breathing. Now that I think about it..." I recalled the smell in the air last night was heavier than usual, like it was smothered with another powerful smell. Then it hit me. "No.. He's definitely back!"

Nawt almost jumped out of his seat. "Wait.. Swackhammer? But he can't be!" I got up from the chair. "It's definitely him! The air last night. Why didn't I notice it before?" Pound grounded his teeth nervously. "What do you mean, the air?"

"It reeked! It smelled of smoke; cigar smoke! No one smokes within blocks from us, and in case you forgot, he smokes cigars!"

An eery silence fell among all of us. Nada grabbed on to Blanko's hand, gently squeezing it. The Tunes exchanged nervous and frightened glances with one another. Bugs cleared his throat and got up, walking up to me. He gave me a look, one mixed with seriousness and worry.

"I think it's best if you guys stuck around here for a couple days. Go back home and get whatever belongings you may need and then come back straight here. You're not safe being alone in your house by yourselves at this time. On second thought, just stay here while Daffy, Lola and I go to your world and get your stuff."

Hale nearly fell out of his chair. "Wait! Are you sure? What if our parents call?" Daffy gave him a dumbfounded look. "Don't you have a cell phone? We'll just go get your clothes and phone chargers and be back shortly!"

"Hold up! Let us write down what we need." I took a sheet of paper that was on the desk behind Pound and a pen. I started to scribble down a list of things we may possibly need, with each of our names above each short list. I handed the list over to Lola, who took it carefully.

Bugs grinned reassuringly. "Alright, we won't try to take long. You sure you wrote down everything?" I nodded. Daffy turned around and faced a mirror that Witch Hazel and Foghorn brought in with them when they arrived. "Well then, let's skedaddle!" The three of them jumped into the mirror, dissolving into the glass.

Nada brought her knees up to her chest, felling slightly anxious. Blanko rubbed her back, trying to soothe her the best he could. Bupkus was holding on to a now sleeping Marie, her breathing slow and easy.

Hale was pacing around in the living room, some of the Tunes watching him with worried expressions. Nawt made his way over to the loveseat I was sitting on and sat next to me. He took a hold of my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be okay. You guys can stay here for the time being, if you'd like. We got spare rooms." I nodded in appreciation. "Thanks, Nawt. I hope it isn't a bother."

Pound chuckled from the far corner near the desk. "It ain't a bother, hun. You guys are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. Just don't let me catch you two lovebirds again like this morning."

I flushed mildly at the memory of this morning's situation. Nawt grew a shade darker of red at the mention of it, too. Minutes passed as we all waited for Bugs, Lola, and Daffy to return. I grew slightly tired with having nothing to do. I leaned against Nawt, with my head propped on his shoulder. He gently rested his head on mine, wrapping an arm protectively around me.

'I hope those guys are okay..' That was my last thought as I nodded off to sleep against my lovable red alien.

Third Person POV:

Lola was gathering the rest of the girl's items and putting them into their separate duffel bags. She packed a couple of shirts and tops for Kari, including a pair of sneakers and sandals and some socks, jeans, and undergarments. She did the same for Nada and closed both bags. "Ready!" She called out to her comrades from the guest bedroom where Nada was staying in.

Daffy grabbed a teddy bear that was inside the crib and put it inside the baby bag, along with some pairs of underwear, dresses, shorts and shirts and two pairs of pajamas. "Does this kid need this much stuff? Oh, boy.." He grabbed the baby blanket and stuffed it into the bag then zipped it shut. "I'm done here too!"

Bugs packed the last of Hale's clothes and shoes, as well as his cell phone charger. He closed his duffel bag and picked it up securely. "All right, let's head back!" Before he could take another step, a loud crashing sound was heard from the room across. Startled, Bugs gripped Hale's duffel and rushed out, Daffy and Lola mimicking the same reaction.

As the three of them made their way back to Kari's room, the stopped dead in their tracks at the sight before them. Daffy glimpsed at Lola and Bugs with a similar terrified expression as his comrades. "Well, this can't be good.."

In front of them, Kari's mirror was smashed into itty bitty pieces, the shards of glass on the floor forming the words 'I'M BACK!'