Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade just the characters and plot I created.

WARNING: This chapter may contain content not recommended for children to read. It's not lemon like stuff. Its just stuff some parents may not approve of.

Chapter 9:

Ana twirled around in the kitchen dancing stupidly and singing off key with the radio on. Her son was giggling and bouncing trying to dance along with her. There was no reason for the excitement they were just having fun together. They laughed as she scrambled the eggs and poured them into the frying pan. She smiled looking down at Issac as she placed the plate of bacon on the table. Both of them were oblivious to the fact that they had an audience in the doorway. Tala was leaned against the doorframe with his thumbs jammed in his pockets. He couldn't help but enjoy watching the two of them together. It made him feel bad for the way he had behaved the first couple months of living there. At the same time he wondered if things would have been like this if Julia had kept his baby. Would the kid have looked like him? What if they'd had a girl that looked like him? She would've been really pretty and any boy that even looked at her would've had their head taken off.

It made him laugh to think he had thrown the whole idea of having kids aside all because of Julia. She had made him feel worthless and pathetic. Before he had met her the girls in high school had loved him and he had enjoyed the attention. He had been a jerk then too playing a lot of them for fools because he was addicted to wanting to be loved. Maybe that was his problem now?

Seeing Ana and Issac together made him miss his mom. He hadn't seen her in years since she had walked out on him and his father. Before his dad had become an abusive alcoholic things had been wonderful in the Ivanov household. His mom was a stay at home mother cooking and cleaning the house. When he got home from school she would smile warmly at him the same way Ana looked at Issac. Then when his father had been dismissed from the military he had become an angry drunk. Every day he sat in his recliner drinking away his sorrows and when Tala came home the beating would begin. After some time, his mother had left without a word in the middle of the night, and never came back. His father then took it upon himself to beat Tala more and more. They became poor and he had to scrounge around on the streets digging through trash cans and stealing from stores in order to survive. It was during this time he had met Bryan and they had instantly become friends by bonding through stealing from the baker. It wasn't long after that they had met Boris Balkov and their group was formed.

Once he had met the boys he felt as though he were a rich kid and together they had survived through thick and then. His father left behind. His mother forgotten. And a new family gained. Boris had put them through school to keep it under wraps that he was housing and raising a group of criminals. Once they had formed the idea and saved the money they had left and just in time, for not long after that Boris had been arrested and thrown into jail.

It was in high school he had met Julia and felt an instant connection the moment he had laid eyes on her. She had been a beautiful girl with Spanish heritage that did her skin justice to make her have that natural skin glow some mixed girls have at times. It was the only way he could describe it. Kind of like there are several shades of blue in a crayon box, but theres always that once particular blue that stands out the most and you like it for some reason that you can't explain. Julia was like that to him. She was like all the other girls, but there had just been something about her. As they had gotten to know one another her found other things he liked about her and eventually she had become the only girl he would talk to or show interest in. Of course now it had all been a waste, because he had learned how ugly she was on the inside. If only it hadn't been in such a hard way that he had found out. He wasn't proud of how he had behaved since their break-up. For awhile he had even had the idea he would take her back no matter what. Upon giving himself a lot of time alone and after his trip with Bryan to the apartment the month before last, he knew for sure he hated her deep down and never wanted to see or speak to her again. Being in this house now. He felt happier than he had in a long time. Thinking about Julia was easier, but her phone calls as of late were becoming a nuisance. The pain had dulled and she was digging up memories he didn't want to remember. Standing where he was and seeing the scene before him in the kitchen made all those bad memories not seem like the trouble worth remembering.

The phrase from the movie he had watched last night with Issac came to his mind

"The past is history. The future is a mystery. Today is a gift that's why its called the present."

Or something of that nature. He wasn't paying a lot of attention because of the little boy shoving a juice cup in his face during the scene, but it sounded something like that.

He blinked having realized he was staring to notice just in time as Ana did a little stripper like dip in the middle of her horrid dancing. Her back was to him so as she did this he could help but cock his head to the side and watch as she went all the way down and back up. A smack on the back of his skull and someone jerking him by the collar out of the doorway ruined the moment as he was forced out of the kitchen unnoticed.

"Ow." he complained rubbing his head as he looked to see Bryan glaring angrily at him.

"I'm only going to say this once." Bryan growled "NO!"

He spoke in a demanding whisper to make a point without Ana overhearing the two of them talk. Tala looked at him with confusion.

"I saw the way you were looking at her just now. Leave her alone. She is not going to be a rebound for you. If you want a piece of ass go out to a bar or club and find it there."

"What?! I wasn't checking her out!" he whispered back angrily. "Have you not seen her horrible dancing? I find that rather hilarious not attractive."

"You can't lie to me." Bryan snapped poking him in the chest. "I won't let just anyone date my little sister."

"She's not your sister." Ian deadpanned as he approached overhearing the two of them. "They're both adults that's a decision for them to make not you. However."

Ian turned his head and glared angrily before flashing a handgun at Tala by opening one side of his jacket. The threat not needed to be said. Just a 'you hurt her I kill you' type of gesture.

Tala sighed annoyed, "I do not like her like that. Spencer tell them!"

The tall blonde walked by ignoring all of them and refusing to look at Tala.

"What's his problem? He's been avoiding looking at me for a week now. Its weird." the red head asked.

The other two shrugged their shoulders before glaring at Tala and walking into the kitchen. He listened to them all being greeted and their tones changing as if nothing happened. It was then he truly saw as he walked into the kitchen how the guys really had accepted her as family. The same way they had all accepted one another so long ago.

"So." Ian said between bites of his toast. "I was thinking we could go to the beach this weekend."

All the guys responded with nods and yeas.

"What do you think?" Bryan asked Ana who had kept quiet.

"Umm.." she looked at Issac and then looked down with a light blush. "I think we'll stay home."

"Hey"

She looked up at Tala who was sitting across from her. He was pointing his fork at her and his eyes were narrowed with suspicion.

"If I'm going out in public. You can go out in public."

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The guys were all smiles in the warm sunshine wearing nothing but swim trunks and surrounded by bikini clad women. Ian most of all looked as though he was in heaven. They laughed as he tried speaking to girls and almost got into two fist fights with a couple boyfriends for it.

Spencer surveyed the beach looking for an empty spot for them to put their stuff down. He found the perfect spot that was completely void of people, which is what he wanted, and started to sit their stuff down. As usual he was the most responsible out of the four guys who remembered and kept track of everything.

"So where's Ana and Issac at?" Tala asked approaching him.

He hadn't taken off his t-shirt yet like the way Ian and Bryan had. It was obvious of course to him that Tala still wasn't showing any interest in women. Occasionally he would catch the red head looking at their female room mate a particular way, but it never lasted long. His ex must have done a lot of damage to him. He wasn't the same man that Spencer had grown up with. The red head had always been a leader who spoke up for himself and had no fear. They had all looked up to him at one point now it seemed the tables had turned and Tala was the one looking up to everyone in the group. It had taken a few days, but Spencer could finally look his friend in the eye again after the whole naked incident.

"She went to get herself and Issac changed." the blonde man smirked. "You worried?"

"No. Just making sure she knows where to find us." he replied scratching the back of his neck. "Jeez you make it seem like a bad thing for me asking."

Spencer looked past him and chuckled a little bit and went back to organizing their things. He could feel the red head looking at him suspiciously, but ignored it. Around them they both heard a couple of guys talking about a chick which made him look up as Tala turned around to see Ana approaching them with Issac on her hip. She wore a pair of short shorts to cover her bikini bottoms and a bikini top. The body she carried was something even Spencer himself found attractive. To him she had curves in all the right places he liked. He had never thought he would find a woman with another man's child to be attractive, but she was different. His light brown eyes looked up to see Tala watching her a slight smile gracing itself across his face. As she approached them the look on his face disappeared quickly as did the comments men around them were saying when she was closer and the similarities between him and Issac were noticed. The blonde man shook his head at the silliness of his friend.

"Look at you all organized and stuff." Ana spoke up "It's nice to not be the only one doing everything."

The way she smiled at him it made him feel something he hadn't in a long time. A sense of motherly love and devotion. Never would he admit these emotions to his room mates for he wasn't an emotional man anyways. He admired Ana for her strength and the way she carried herself despite the past she had endured. Little Issac was an intelligent child and the choice she had made to protect the little boy had been brave. Well it was slightly dumb and not thought through accurately as well, but still his mom had given him away to make her life easier so she could party. Ana took responsibility for her actions and walked proudly with no regrets.

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Tala's icy blue eyes gazed quickly over her form as the auburn haired woman approached him. She walked tall and proud like while holding onto her son. For a woman who was just under five two in height she looked tough. It was getting warmer outside causing beads of sweat to form on her body and roll down into her cleavage. Quickly, he blinked to stop himself from looking at her.

"Look at you all organized and stuff." Ana spoke up "It's nice to not be the only one doing everything."

She didn't acknowledge him at first. It looked as though she was avoiding eye contact with him, but maybe it was all in his head. Issac was put down on the blanket and he immediately crawled to the edge to grab at the sand. His expression of curiosity and wonder was adorable. Tala groaned and face palmed himself after thinking this.

"You ok?" she asked.

He looked at her through the space between his fingers. Unfortunately, when he did this he wound up looking straight down at her boobs. Removing his hand from his face he picked the little boy up and smiled.

"Yep. Is this his first time at the beach?"

"Yea. I don't like coming to these places because they're usually crowded. Kinda like restaurants." she suddenly found a broken shell near her and picked it up to admire it.

Swiveling his head away so as not to be tempted to look at her from behind he started walking to the water holding Issac.

"I'm gonna take him to the water."

"Be careful please!" he heard her call out.

"You know your mom worries too much. Good thing she doesn't know about you breaking that glass the other day or when you fell down one of the steps. She probably would've killed me."

Issac smiled and giggled at him like he was an accomplice. His little hands covered his mouth after he smiled. As they reached the water he put the kid down to stand at the edge of it. He looked down at his feet and and backed away as the water came rushing onto the shore at him. His little hand grabbed at Tala's trunks and pulled them down slightly. The bottom lip on his face poked out as if he was about to cry.

"Aww that's so cute!" a blonde said as she and her brunette friend walked by.

They stopped to crouch down and admire how cute the little boy was. He hid his face into Tala's leg away from them.

"Ohmigosh." the brunette smiled. "How old is he? He's so cute!"

"He's almost two. He doesn't talk much yet."

"Hi." Issac smiled opening and closing his hand in a waving like manner.

"Awww." both girls cooed.

"Your son is so adorable!" the blonde smiled at him in a flirting manner.

"Oh he's no."

"Well thanks. I tell him he needs to take my nephew out more often, but he worries the little guy is gonna get lost or something." Ian replied practically appearing out of nowhere.

The two women stood there talking to them and eating everything up that was spoken by Ian which was ninety percent lies. Apparently the guy needed to get out of the office more often. He was behaving like a horny dog.

"Tata." Issac cut in.

The redhead turned his head to see him standing in the water. He stomped his feet in it and giggled happily. A somewhat rough wave rolled up from behind him and knocked him over. Water rolled over his head and he spluttered as is rushed past him. Tala ran forward and snatched him up out of the ocean water, but not fast enough to stop him from crying in fear. He screamed loudly making everyone nearby look.

"Shit. Shit. shit. Shit." he replied panicking.

Ian was also in a fret. Encouraging Tala to get the child to calm down quickly. Both of the girls laughed at them in their moment of upset. They glared at them just in time to see Ana running to them. The two men stared as the wind rushed past her long auburn hair. Seeing her without a ponytail was rare so it was a somewhat amazing site. Being they were men, watching her run reminded them of those cameo scenes from the movies. You know the one where the woman's boobs bounce in rhythm with her steps. She had a serious and sensual look on her face. However as she got closer the daydream cameo disappeared and the anger was clearly visible on her facial features. Both of the young men swallowed to try and get rid of the lump that had formed in their throat.

"What happened?" she demanded snatching Issac from Tala.

The two girls who they'd been speaking to stopped laughing and left without another word. Ian almost followed them, but couldn't move due to Ana grabbing a clump of his hair to stop him. She closed her eyes in annoyance and the shorter man was sure he saw a vein throbbing on the side of her head like in some of the cartoons he occasionally watched with Issac.

"Well.." Tala began.

"You were supposed to be watching him." she snapped smashing her heel down into his foot forcefully.

The redhead yelped in pain and did everything in his power not to hop her one foot to show weakness. The fact that they were being scolded in public with a public audience was bad enough.

"But there were girls.." Ian collapsed onto the sand as Ana kneed him in the groin.

Without acknowledging them further she spun and walked away. The two men were left to groan in pain while being laughed at.

"Thanks a lot you jackass." Tala gritted through his teeth.

Ana spun around with flames in her eyes.

"Jack wagon. You jack wagon Ian you." Tala corrected.