

### PURPOSE:

### Whisperer of Night by: Keya-Jay

Published by: Keya-Jay at Smashwords

Copyright 2013/14 Keya-Jay

### Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

I want to thank everyone who encouraged me to never give up and to those same people who were the first to read my books, your feedback was greatly appreciated! I also want to thank other authors for their inspiration which in its self granted me the inspiration to pursue my dream! Last but not least I want to thank my RPW friends and WN friends who've read every chapter as I was writing them and gave me amazing feedback in order to make it better. So THANK YOU!

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### Characters:

[My name is Skylar Royce]

I wasn't born, I was created. I'm not what I once was. Standing at my father's grave I can't help but think: Here lies my hopes and dreams...lame right? Imagine that on your tombstone; but no really he's my everything and everything I do I do for him. I love my mom with every fiber of my being but she doesn't love me back and it hurts. I want to be more for her; for me, but I'd be lying if I said I deserve it.

I'm a whisperer, wisp for short. _A whisperer?_ _What's a whisperer,_ you ask?

Well I am silly! I'm a whisperer, I am something you can't elucidate, I have no meaning yet others still try to define me, I'm a monster to some and a savior to others but no one knows what lies beneath the surface.

No one should dare claim what they have no business knowing about but sadly that doesn't stop most from thinking they know it all, every and anything there is to know about me when the truth is they know nothing about me, zilch, zip, nada; not a damn thing. But it can be quite entertaining the tales they tell. The rumors they conjure up and the gullible little humans ready with their beaks wide open to take what little someone decides to feed them; it's just priceless all of it!

***

[My name is Ryder Ferris]

I am legend! I'm to be treated with nothing but respect. I will not tolerate disobedience, I've worked too hard to get to where I am now and I'm not turning back.

But I know what I am truly and it's not a leader I deny myself the pleasure of happiness. I can't even visit my own mother, too afraid I'd get too close, too afraid I'd end up loving her. Though to some I seem ruthless and soulless, it's not true. I think I've helped more than I'm aware of. I don't like humans and it has everything to do with my parents and nothing to do with the worthless souls themselves.

The living worthless souls manipulate you; they think they can turn your own feelings against you. I surround myself with very few humans, and the ones I surround myself with tend to point out that whenever I talk or even acknowledge another I tend to speak down to them, and it's true no one deserves my respect anymore, I've given too much of it away and the renegade was like a slap in the face.

I hate the spineless living-souls that surround me constantly. They're all manipulators! Every. Single. Last. One! All of these worthless mortals should be rid of; they should not allow such pity to walk the earth. They are a waste of air!

I am a whisperer, I may not be a king but I do have status.

I search out those of the wisps who don't realize what they are, the brainless turds that need guidance like a baby learning to take its first steps; pitiful! Why I do it, you wonder? Simple it gives me power over my own kind and I live for power someone has to, if not then this excuse for a human race will diminish, cease to exist.

***

[I am Sidney Fields]

I am the daughter of the greatest wisps that ever lived. The daughter of the greatest wisps and yet I'm human, it makes no sense.

My father was the first wisp to ever stay King for more than 8 years. The last King, well no one knows what happened to him and quite frankly no one cares. How is his only daughter a human? This question haunts me daily; it makes no sense. I should be a wisp, but deep down I don't think it's what I ever wanted until now.

I want to be queen of the wisps but I'm human they'd never let me, but I know more than they do. I deserve to be Queen of the wisps, who better to carry on my father's wishes? It's my tittle to claim and so I will claim my rightful spot as Queen, I deserve it; I will prove my worth. I refuse to sit around feeling sorry for myself; I will fight to claim rightful ownership of my tittle. Come blue moon I will be the Queen of the Whisperers!

It feels good to say but truthfully the whisperers have never had a Queen, a female has never had a say in decisions like these, a human no less, but that will soon change.

***

[I am Brooke Fields-Laurence]

I am the secret no one wanted but the secret they were forced to keep. I am a burden to most and a welcoming fresh spring air to others but to me I'm nothing but a lie, everything about me is just that –a lie. This is a role I play, I'm just acting I tell myself. This is just a movie and I'm the star –but these are just more lies that I can't afford to keep. If I have to tell one more lie I'mma have to sacrifice an old lie, I have no room for more lies. For every lie I tell the truth steps closer and closer to the light instead of the dark I've kept it in all of these years.

***

[My Dearest Aaron,]

My Dearest Aaron I have promised you so much but haven't made good on any of them, but that will soon change. This coming blue moon everything will go the way it was meant, the way you intended. Your name is still as powerful as it was when you left and that shall not change. I will no longer stand to be a disappointment, you will be proud of me and you will regret leaving me that I promise you.

Sincerely: your one && only.

***

You have to be in a dark place to want to find the light and all of these characters are there in that dark place, some need the light and others won't let them-selves have it. They think they know what they need but they don't, they just know what they want. We don't always get what we want though. Everyone serves an important purpose; they're all here for a reason they just have to find out what the reason is. Soon, soon this world they live in won't be so barren, so without life, so...meaningless. Soon they'll find –PURPOSE.

### Prologue:

The Whisperer of Night

The wind wandered aimlessly,

Caressing my mind blatantly.

It whispered right before my eyes,

Revealing to me the storms of Life.

I hear sorrow laughing in your ear,

I can't visualize you but I know you're there.

The whisperer of Night calls to my fear,

It whispers against my skin and travels through air.

It carried me through wind, riding the waves of life,

***

"Keep your elbows tucked to your sides and fist in front of your face," Aaron told the wisp as he guided her into the position. "REMEMBER CLASS, THIS IS YOUR GO TO STANCE!" he yelled over the noise of the warehouse. Aaron walked around the room looking at all of the students as they practiced what he had just told them.

"Hey Aaron," Richard called from his place near the other side of the room.

"What is it Rich?" Aaron asked as he met him halfway.

"Are you sure they'll be ready?" he asked concerned.

"With me as their teacher they'll be ready," Aaron assured him.

"OK CLASS!" Aaron yelled. "PAIR UP! NOW THAT YOU'VE PRACTICED THE OFFENCE WE'RE GOING TO PRACTICE THE DEFENCE!" he instructed.

Aaron walked around looking at all of the pairs, seeing who decided to partner with whom.

"Aliyah and Maria split up, trade with Rachel and Amanda," he whispered to the girls. They're best friends and so when they're together it's nothing but play time for them. They act like a bunch of middle schoolers.

"Come on Mr. Fields we'll behave we promise," Maria wined.

"This is serious girls," he reminded them. "Now switch."

The girls huffed as they stalked off and told the other girls that they had to switch.

It's important to mix it up a little. If friends are constantly paired with friends then nothing will get done.

"WE NEED Y'ALL TO FOCUSE; YOU HAVE TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!"

Aaron heard a couple of groans and disagreements but it was just music to his ears, they'd thank him later.

The whisperers practiced their swings and kicks, he had a couple of badly injured students being tended to because of too hard of a kick or punch but like he said it'd be all worth it in the end.

"ALRIGHT CLASS! PACK IT UP," Aaron said motioning toward the mats they were practicing on. The girls weren't the easiest to coach like the boys were which is why he had separated the two so that they'd be evenly matched.

"Hey Mr. Fields," One of the girls called out to him. "When will we be able to compete?" she asked.

"It's not up to me it's up to yall," he told her simply. "Y'all have to show me you're ready, I will not send you all out there otherwise. This is a very important tournament and yall need to treat it as such and quite frankly you all aren't ready to do that yet."

"What about the boys? Are they ready?" she asked a bit disappointedly.

"The boys aren't your completion," he reminded her. "But yes they are working harder than you girls are. I have signed them up for their match tomorrow night. I figured I'd take you girls on a field trip to see how it's done," he said as he walked away and helped the other girls put away the mats.

***

"Hey Honey, how did the practice go?" Aaron's wife Ciana asked.

Aaron sank against the couch and huffed.

"That bad huh?" she asked as she sat next to him.

"They're just not ready," he said as he covered his face with his calloused hands.

"They'll get there you just have to be patient," she tried to encourage, but Aaron wasn't in the mood for it tonight.

"Hey Daddy," Aaron's daughter Sidney said as she bounded down the stairs.

"Hey baby girl," he said as he looked up at her through his hands.

"Where are you going?" Ciana asked as she took in their daughter's appearance.

"I'm going out to the lot with Nate and Ryder," she said as she slipped her arms through her jacket.

The lot was what they referred to as the drive in Movie Theater down on the beach. Seeing as though Sidney was only 14 and didn't have a car they took Ryder's. Though the boy has only been driving for 3 months Aaron trusted him to keep his daughter safe. Ryder attends Aaron's self-defense classes when he can but that's usually not often enough. The boy's had a rough child hood so he was kind of forced to grow up a little too quickly. He's only 16 and has a car, a job and is paying half rent at an apartment he shares with one of his friends.

"What time will you be back?" Ciana asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Mom the movie's over at 10, I'll be back the moment it's over," Sidney said as she headed for the door.

"How come I'm the only one who has a problem with this?" Ciana asked as she plopped on the couch beside him.

"Honey she's just going to the movies I don't see what the problem is," Aaron said knowing that pretty soon they'd be arguing about it until he gave in and let her get her way.

"I wouldn't have a problem with it if she were going with Caitlin or one of her other girlfriends but she's not she's going with two boys that are up to no good."

"Ciana that's not fair to judge the boys like that, you don't know the boys."

"And you do?" she fired back.

"Yes I know them both they attend my self-defense classes."

"Oh great," she said as she threw her hands into the air. "So they're whisperers? That's all the more reason to worry Aaron. She knows nothing about them and I'd like to keep it that way," she complained.

"Honey my name is word around Coconut Grove I'm pretty sure she knows, and if not it won't take her long in order to find out. We can't shelter her from the world Ciana she's just going to end up blaming us later when she gets older."

"And I'd gladly take the blame," she said defiantly. "You baby our daughter too much."

"And you don't baby her enough. You treat her like she's some kind of adult Ciana but she's a kid. She's not like you or me were; she doesn't have to worry about responsibilities like we had to."

"Yes but she's our daughter and she's human-ish which leaves her pretty much defenseless," Ciana mumbled.

"Would you like me to enroll her in one of my self—"

"No," she said cutting him off immediately. "I don't want her to have anything to do with whisperers."

"That's kind of inevitable dear," he said.

"She's going to have questions Aaron; she's going to wonder why she's different—"

"Yes and when that moment comes we'll sit down and talk to her but until then don't stress about it."

"I don't want to lose my baby girl," she said as she snuggled a little closer against his side.

"We won't lose her Ciana, she'll always be the little girl we raised," he said as he placed a kiss on top of her head.

"She'll hate us," she whispered. And she just might, but Aaron knew they were doing the right thing.

***

"Alright girls," Aaron said as he led them through the tunnels of the battle field. "I want all of you together don't leave one another. Sit as close as you can toward the top of the stadium bleachers," he instructed.

Whisperers are always mysteriously going missing during Whisperer of Night battles.

Whisperer of Night is a tittle bestowed to the rightful recipient. Every year there's a battle between Whisperers. It's like a boxing match where in the end a champion is declared but this has a bit of a supernatural aspect to it, whereas boxing does not. Being the leader of this band of whisperers Aaron has the right to pass his tittle onto someone with worth. It's kind of like a will of sorts but he doesn't necessarily have to die in order to pass on the responsibility. He has a few wisps in mind but this battle will decide the ultimate fate of his tittle, and the fate of the bestowed.

Once Aaron was sure his girls were seated and safe at the tippy top of the bleachers he walked back through the tunnels toward the room the guys were currently being held in.

"Hey couch?" Eric Masterson—Richard's son—called out to him.

"What is it Masterson," Aaron called as he did a count to make sure no one got cold feet and everyone was accounted for.

"We need to know the order," Eric reminded him.

"Right," Aaron said as he dug in the inside pocket of his blazer. Aaron handed the paper to Eric and he got everyone into order.

"Hey where are Ferris and Rodgers?" Aaron asked referring to Ryder and Nathaniel.

"Haven't seen them," one of the boys said.

Crap! This wasn't supposed to happen. Ryder was one of Aaron's best competitors and so Aaron needed him out on the field he didn't have half a mind for his family drama this time.

"Eric make sure you keep track of the score board, Coach Emery doesn't like to play fair you know that. I'll be back I need to talk to my daughter," Aaron announced as he left the room and exited the stadium through the tunnels.

Aaron pulled out his phone and immediately called his wife.

"Hello," she answered on the second ring.

"Ciana where's Sidney?"

"Uh she went out with the boys today, said Nathan's mother wanted to take them out to lunch," she explained. Aaron could tell she wasn't happy about it.

"Did she tell you where?" he asked.

"I think she said something about Rebecca wanting to do it over at her house," she said as she huffed her disapproval.

"Alright honey," he said getting ready to hang up.

"Aaron wait!" she said making him stop immediately.

"What is it Ciana?" he asked trying not to show his impatience. If she wanted to argue about this they would do it later.

"Rebecca just had a stroke Aaron the kids are hysterical I don't think he'll be able to take much more of this," she said in a broken whisper.

Ryder's mother Rebecca has a very bad heart disease, her heart doesn't function correctly; it's not entirely whole.

"I'm on my way over there as we speak," he said as he reached his car and started it up.

"Aaron," she said and he could hear the tears in her voice.

"She'll be ok Ciana," he said as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. She had to be ok.

"I know," she whispered. "But what about Ryder he won't be," she said.

It often surprised him how big that woman's heart was—which doesn't entirely seem right to say considering the state that poor woman is in but she's done her best by her son.

"He'll heal honey he's strong and he's been through this enough times to know she'll be ok," he assured as he pulled up in front of their house. "I have to go honey," he told her as he shut the car off.

"Be careful," she whispered before ending the call.

Ryder and his mother Rebecca have been living in this run down house for as long as Aaron could remember. There weren't many run down houses in Coconut Grove but you knew one when you came across one. The beach was miles away from here, this area was mostly covered in moss and old tree stumps but this is where his daughter and her friends spent most of their time. They liked it here it was different from the rest of Coconut Grove and so them being drawn to this area was a given. Aaron never truly understood it but then again he's grown up on the high road so to speak with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Aaron knocked slightly on the door afraid that if he knocked too hard the door would fall in on itself. He could hear muffled voices as he waited before someone opened the door.

"Daddy?" Sidney asked confused.

Sidney was always a daddy's girl and he'd be surprised the day she stops being one.

"Hey baby girl you think you can let me in?" he asked as he peered over her shoulder in the house.

"Umm sure but..."

"I know," he said silently. She met his eyes with a determined stare of her own.

"I'm not leaving him, or her. I know mom will be upset but I have to make sure he's ok before I leave." Aaron nodded his head fully understanding her reason.

"I know baby girl and I'm not here to ask you to leave," he said and she hesitantly stepped aside so that he could enter.

Rebecca Ferris was lying on her back on the couch with a wash cloth hanging haphazardly against her forehead. When Ryder saw Aaron's face a hundred questions plagued his features.

"Aaron?"

This boy never truly had any respect for him, or anyone for that matter. Aaron got tired of correcting him on the way he was to speak to him so he just let it go.

"What are you doing here?" he nearly growled.

Though his daughter was Ryder's best friend he didn't think the same of himself. Aaron was Ryder's couch and that was all, so he didn't like seeing him entangle himself in his family business and Aaron couldn't agree more but Ryder needed to stop trying to do all of this by himself.

"I'm here to help you boy."

"I don't need your help, I'm fine I told that to your daughter and now I'mma tell it to you I don't need help!" he said as he continued to kneel over his mother.

"You may not need help but she does," he said motioning toward his mother. "Robby stop being mean he's just trying to help," Rebecca said weakly.

Ryder cringed at the name but didn't correct his mother.

"You don't need help mom your fine," he insisted.

"If I'm so fine how come I can't feel my own heart beat," his mother joked but Ryder found none of it funny.

"I know why you came," he said ignoring his mother. "I'm not doing that competition I'm not leaving so I can go battle some nameless wisps and earn a worthless tittle," he said as he turned his full attention onto his mother as a way to shut Aaron out.

"Come on baby girl," Aaron said as he held his hand out toward Sidney.

"I'm staying Daddy," she said softly.

"No Sid. Go! I don't need you," Ryder yelled.

"Good, I'll just continue to sit here while you just continue to not need me," she said stubbornly.

Ryder could never truly tell Sidney no, there friendship was weird but Aaron knew Ryder was grateful for her. No matter how many times he pushed he never truly pushed too hard because he never truly wanted to lose her.

"Fine you just sit there like a couch potato but don't speak I don't want to hear you," he said and Aaron could tell if he left Ryder would indeed be fine as long as Sidney stayed by his side.

"I'll handle your mother," Aaron told her as he walked toward the door.

Nathaniel stood there in the darkened corner. He didn't talk, he just watched. He was another one of Sidney's weird friends. He was usually why Aaron took those extra trips to the hospital when it concerned his daughter, but his daughter's a tough girl and Aaron knows those trips to the emergency room were just as much her fault as they were his. Surprisingly enough Ryder was the one who usually kept the two of them out of trouble.

"Sorry couch," he said from that corner.

"It's fine just make sure you stay out of trouble," Aaron said as he left the house.

That was like telling a puppy not to pee on the carpet but Aaron knew it wouldn't feel right unless he said it though they both knew he wouldn't listen.

***

"Hey couch since Ferris aint here can I take over his position?" Eric asked.

"I don't know Eric you haven't even practiced at it," Aaron said. Not in no way was he in the mood to hear Eric wine.

"Come on Couch he can do it," this coming from Eric's father Richard. Sometimes Aaron wandered why Richard stuck around as long as he did and now he knew it was to push his son in Aaron's face—constantly.

"Richard trust me when I say he isn't," Aaron said as he watched one of his men go against their competitor. His moves were sharp and precise; he was light on his toes just like Aaron taught him. His component was a bit faster at his deliveries but Aaron's boy did everything Aaron taught him and he was proud.

"Aaron you never know what Eric could be good at because you never give him a chance you're always all about that Ferris kid. I know he's good but my boy is just as good if you'd take the time to notice," Richard argued.

Aaron just about had enough of this, if Richard wanted to see his kid hurt than oh well Aaron was done helping him.

"Fine Eric you're in," he said without even looking at the kid.

"Thanks Aaron, you won't regret it," Richard said as he slapped him on the back.

"I know because you will. I'm telling you right now he's not ready," he said before turning his attention to the other wisps that were ready to put their learning skills to work.

Eric squared off with Jordan Miller a boy that has competed against Ryder for as long as Aaron could remember. They were always evenly matched, but Aaron could see the amusement in Jordan's eyes as he looked down at Eric. Eric looked just as cocky as ever as they squared off. Aaron looked over at a very high strung Richard. Eric has attended his self-defense classes for as long as he could remember and Richard has always stayed in the back ground and just watched. He never egged his son on he just observed but he always seemed to want for Eric to compete that's one thing he encouraged.

Eric's stance left him open to Jordan and Jordan seemed to notice as he skirted around the field and jabbed Eric in the abdomen. Eric's face contorted in pain but he didn't go down he made a show about it in a way only Eric could do.

"That hurted bud, but next time don't go for such a pansy shot," and that comment earned him a kick to the face. Eric stumbled but didn't fall that was the only thing Aaron could be proud of him for. It seemed like all of his teaching went out the door.

"Alright I get it you don't want to talk just fight," Eric said as he wiped the blood that had gathered in the corner of his mouth. "I'm ok with that," he said as he cracked his neck and knuckles and ran toward Jordan head first. Aaron didn't know how many times he stressed the importance of not doing exactly what Eric just did for the same reason Jordan has Eric's head in the grip of his hand and for the same exact reason the ambulance are now on their way.

Everyone ran on to the field to hover around Eric's body. What caught Aaron by surprise though was the punch to the temple he just received. Aaron stumbled slightly but held his ground as he looked into the face of a very angry father.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT! YOU KNEW DAMN WELL THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN! YOU WERE ALWAYS PLAYING THE FAVORITE CARD WHEN IT CAME TO THAT FERRIS KID AND SO YOU MADE SURE MY BOY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STAND IN THE WAY OF FERRIS RECEIVING THAT TITTLE!" Richard yelled but all Aaron heard was "-------------------------------------------------------------------------," Uh-Oh this can't be good.

Aaron shook his head and stood to his full height before facing Richard.

"Your son wasn't ready and I told you that. It's not my fault he pushed and you let him," that almost earned him a punch to the jaw if his reflexes weren't so damn good.

Aaron grabbed Richard by the wrist preventing his next move.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned. "Don't be mad at me because even if I did encourage this, which I didn't, your son should have listened to my guidelines; if he did he wouldn't be laying on the ground with his neck twisted the wrong way."

"You're going to pay for that Aaron I promise you this, when my son wakes up—"

"He won't," Aaron cut in.

"I'm gonna hunt you down and make you pay for hurting him," he continued as though Aaron hadn't just spoken.

"I didn't hurt him first of all and second of all if you expect me to wait until he wakes up? Well I'mma tell you this now: don't hold your breath." Aaron walked away from Richard and toward the rest of the team as they looked as if they saw a ghost.

***

"ALRIGHT GIRLS, YOU'VE SEEN HOW THE BATTLE WENT DOWN YESTERDAY. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND YOUR JOBS ARE TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T," Aaron said as he looked at every girl individually.

"ONE OF OUR VERY OWN DIED YESTERDAY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY GUIDLEINES. I DON'T SAY THESE THINGS FOR MY HEALTH SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HEED MY WARNINGS. GOING HEAD FIRST INTO AN OPONENT LIKE THAT BOY-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED DID LAST NIGHT WAS A BIG FAT NO-NO! YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME I'VE BEEN AT THIS TOO DAMN LONG SO I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

Aaron walked around toward the front of the warehouse they were practicing in.

"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" he yelled.

YES SIR," was his collective response minus the one 'yes Aaron' coming from Ryder.

Aaron was glad to see the boy was back but he was just as stubborn and disrespectful as ever. He missed practice two days in a row and the big battle so he had to attend both the boys and the girl's practices.

Aaron gave Ryder a subtle nod to let him know that he had acknowledged his presence.

"NOW THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT, RYDER WILL PLACE THE MATTS DOWN AND WE'LL GET TO WORK," Aaron said as he looked at Ryder urging him with his eyes to do this one thing for him.

"Hey coach," Christine said as she came up to him. Her hey coach wasn't one of greeting it was one that bad news would soon follow.

"What is it Christine?"

She opened her mouth to answer but Ryder beat her to it.

"AARON ALL OF YOUR MATS HAVE BLOOD SMEARED ON THEM!" Ryder announced so that the whole class could freak out.

Thanks a lot for that like I didn't have enough trouble calming them down, he thought as he walked toward the back.

Aaron covered his face in his hands and let out a huge sigh. This was most likely Richards promise to him.

Let the stupid fuckin games begin, Aaron huffed.

"Just try and clean them the best you can could you?" he asked as he walked away not caring what Ryder's answer was going to be even though Aaron knew it would be something like I'm not your T.A Aaron why don't you get one of the girls to do it? If Aaron ever wanted to get on with practice getting a couple of girls to help was exactly what he was going to have to do.

By the time all of the mats were free of blood they only had 45 minutes left of 2 hours to practice and Aaron used every single last one of those minutes.

When he got home his wife was obviously upset but Aaron was not in no way shape or form ready for the argument her being angry would lead to. One look at his wife's face told him she knew exactly what happened too and no doubt Sidney did as well.

"What did you see?" he asked as he plopped onto the couch which he seemingly did a lot of after a hard day of training.

"I didn't see anything I felt it Aaron," she said though her face was calm her voice was angry.

"What did you feel Ciana, I'm not in the mood for guessing games?"

"I felt...chaos, destruction its coming Aaron and it's going to be hand delivered," she said as her voice shook. "When Sidney came home she said she felt dizzy and that she thinks she might be coming down with something, she felt it too Aaron!"

"Honey she's an Espy she's supposed to feel it, we might not have known it'd be this soon but we knew it was coming," he said trying to calm her to the best of his abilities.

"How do we tell her?" she said as she plopped on the couch heavily.

"It's not the birds and the bee's speech honey, don't be so stressed about it," he said as he rubbed her back.

"Don't be stressed? Aaron how can I not be stressed my daughter...she's...changing," she said as she held her head in her hands. "All her life she thought she was human she thought I was human," she said as she broke down.

"It is ok honey, I'll talk to her ok, but not tonight she's not the only one feeling a little dizzy," Aaron said as he placed a kiss on her head and went upstairs to his room.

***

None of the student's showed up for practice, not one which was odd, Aaron paced the warehouse over and over waiting for someone to show up but no one ever did. He walked down toward the stadium that the battle had taken place and the stands were full of people but none of them were his students.

"What's going on here Fred?" Aaron asked the man that refereed most of the fights that went on down here.

"Oh Aaron," he said acting surprised to see him. "I was told that you would be here but I never expected you to be here this early," he said as he whipped the sweat that threatened to take the plunge from his forehead.

"What do you mean I'm early?" Aaron asked as he stood there even more confused than he was the moment he walked in here.

"Hey Jeff take Mr. Fields here down to the lockers so he can change, he can't battle in this suit," Fred said to another ref.

"Battle?" Aaron questioned. He didn't think it was humanly possible to get even more confused than he already was so he followed Jeff down toward the lockers.

"You got 15 minutes," he said grumpily as he let the door close behind him.

"Who the heck am I battling?" he said to no one in particular as he eyed the clothes that sat nicely folded on one of the benches.

Aaron slipped on the shorts and t-shirt that was provided feeling slightly naked without one of his suits on. He was about to head out toward the battle field but he saw a water bottle sitting at the end of the bench that had held his clothes. It was sealed and looked as though it was put there for him so he uncapped it and began to drink. After the short water break he placed the cap back on the water bottle and headed out of the locker room.

"ALRIGHT HE'S HERE!" Aaron heard someone yell but the sun seemed way too bright today. Aaron's vision was filled with lots of pretty bright lights. He reached a hand out to touch them but they seemed to have run away from his touch. I won't hurt you, he wanted to say but he couldn't get his mouth to work.

"Aaron are you ready?" Aaron turned toward the direction of the voice. The light seems to be talking to me now, he thought as he smiled sloppily.

Aaron shook his head eagerly thinking this light was going to play with him. He held his hand out toward it again but it just continued to move.

"Stay still light," he mumbled in a voice that sounded gruff and unused.

Aaron blinked his eyes repeatedly because the light was now too bright. It looked as though it was angry he hadn't spoken to it so he tried to apologize but a hand came down around his mouth making it physically impossible.

"I always keep my promise Aaron," a gruff voice whispered.

Aaron turned toward the voice and it was a red man with horns and a red emblazed pitch fork. Oh-My-Word I'm in hell is all he could think over and over as he looked the devil in the eye.

"Didn't I tell you not to look a gift devil in the mouth boy, how many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Mamma," Aaron mumbled as he tried to see where she was hiding from him.

"It's a gift horse," the devil sneered.

"Same difference," she argued back. "Now let my boy go he doesn't belong with you," she demanded.

"Aaron!" he heard a female voice shrill. Aaron turned toward the voice.

Oh-My he thought as he watched the beautiful angel with golden wings make her way down to him. She got close so close that he could almost touch her and so he did.

"Hey!" she yelled but it was a man's voice Aaron was hearing coming out of her mouth.

"Aaron are you ready?" Aaron turned toward the orange toad that was asking him a stupid question.

"Why are you speaking, you'll make me look crazy if I talk to you, hop away!" he told the toad.

"Aaron!" the toad said more firmly. "Turn around your opponent is over here," he said as he placed his little webbed hands on Aaron's shoulders and turned him around.

"Alright Richard are you ready?" The toad asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," the devil said as he smiled at Aaron.

Aaron had to admit he never before thought he'd see the day the devil wore a smile on his face so proudly.

"Alright!" The toad yelled. "Shut up!" "This fight today is not only for the title of Whisperer of Night but this is for the greatest tittle of them all. Winner takes all!" The toad announced. "Aaron has willingly put his tittle in the air and has decided to battle Richard for it. This fight determines whom THE GREATEST WHISPERER tittle is bestowed upon!" The toad yelled to the crowd of fish sticks that seemed to shake with excitement only exceeding in making Aaron hungry. "This is declared a fair fight. WINNER TAKES ALL!" he announced once more.

Aaron had no clue what happened after that all he remembered was the devils termite infested twitch of a smile and then the lights were no longer too bright they were too dim as an aching pain echoed in the side of his skull. Something dripped from his nose into his hands, and though he couldn't see it well it looked like water. Aaron titled his head skyward to see if it were raining and that's when a skull crushing pain came over him making him fall flat to his back as his jaw tingled with pain.

"Drinking water before a fight isn't always a good thing now is it?" The devil asked as he loomed over him. Aaron wanted to keep his eyes open but they were too heavy and he couldn't do it, he wasn't strong enough.

***

Aaron groaned loudly as all the pain from that fight came rushing to him all at once.

What the hell happened? He asked himself as he fought to pry his eyes open.

The moment he opened his eyes to little beady slits he immediately wished he hadn't as a bunch of dirt came tumbling down over him. Aaron closed his eyes and willed his head to shake the dirt away but his head wouldn't move; his whole body was immobile. Aaron opened his eyes once again to see Richard Masterson standing over him with a shovel in hand.

"It's funny how you haven't even been dead a whole day yet and your family is already morning your death," he said before another pound of dirt fell over him; covering his face.

### Chapter one: Skylar Royce

"My name is Skylar Royce and I think I have a problem."

"You think?" Skylar's petite baby faced multi-colored hair best friend said.

"Fine I have a huge problem, now help me!" Skylar said snatching the pair of her Christian Louboutin style Rhinestone high heels Brooke was trynna slip her size 6 feet in.

"Ok so the first step of getting over your addiction is admitting that you have one."

"Ok check, now what's the next step?"

"I have no clue," she said reaching for Skylar's Almond Toe Ralph Lauren snakeskin high heel pumps.

"Brooke focus," Skylar said slapping Brookes' hands away. "Your mother's a therapist for goodness sake, she deals with this kind of stuff all of the time! How do you not know?" Skylar said out of frustration.

"She's not allowed to confide that kind of stuff to people outside of her office and I am a part of the outside of her office crew as well as you, therefore I wouldn't know."

"What should I do Brooke? How am I gonna get rid of all of these shoes?"

"Why'd you get them in the first place?"

"Well because once upon a time I needed them."

"Needed them!? Honey half of theses shoes haven't even been broken into, I guarantee you haven't worn 80% of the shoes in this pile," she said fingering a pair of Calvin Klein turquoise sandals.

"You're not helping," Skylar said running her hands through her long messy hair. All this constant pulling and raking is gonna leave her bald. She huffed and tried to finish sorting through the shoes.

"Oh-oh I have the perfect-est idea!" Brooke squealed as she jumped up and down in her excitement.

"Perfect-est is not a word Brooke."

"Are you gonna pick apart my speech or listen to my idea? Choose wisely Sky cause I might not be coming up with another as good as this."

"Fine what is it?"

"We could sell the shoes!" she said overly excited.

"Sell the shoes?" Skylar questioned.

"Yes! Like when we were little and we sold lemonade and iced tea except we'll sell overly expensive shoes!"

Skylar had to admit that was a pretty good idea "but who would we sell them to and where?"

"Easy your backyard is as big as a football field we can do it there and I can make fliers and we can pass them out to a couple of our friends and tell them to pass it along. Next thing you know costumers will be lining up right outside your door!"

"That's brilliant Brooke!" she said smiling for the first time since she started this spring cleaning thing. Her mother wanted her to spring clean like 3 springs ago but she was too lazy to do it. Now she'll do anything if it means her mother will be happy again. This would work, she knew it would. Living in Miami Florida she didn't have to wait on a good day they're usually all good days, maybe a little windy on some but that's nothing. The winds are never strong enough to create damage. Beside this was Coconut Groove, lots and lots of beaches and beach houses who wouldn't want to come?

"So when can you start?" Skylar asked.

"Well I have college classes to catch up on and then I'll have a ton of work but I'll try to start as soon as possible," she said in an apologetic voice.

"Brooke are you kidding me? You're always working; do you ever take a break? It's really not healthy," she said the conversation feeling all too familiar seeing as though they have it daily.

"I know Sky and I'm sorry but this is important to me but I'll have the fliers by the end of this week you just worry about rallying up all of the shoes you want to sell."

"Fine Brooke, but this weekend your time belongs to me."

"I get it, clear as day, now I'm sorry to rush but I gotta go."

"Of chorus you do," she said walking Brooke down to the front door. "Don't forget your mine this weekend," Skylar said holding open the door for Brooke.

"You got it babe," Brooke said disappearing into the foggy rainy air.

Skylar closed the door quietly behind her before turning toward the long corridor that awaited her.

Skylar hated being two different people! The angle other's believed her to be and the monster she truly was. The monster at the moment wasn't really happy at the thought of being tied up and quiet for so long but now—now she could breathe and let her monster free. Let her wreak havoc on whatever she so chooses, at the moment her soul belongs to her monster, her control is no more. She no longer drives she sit in the passenger seat awaiting what is to come, awaiting what is to be done.

Skylar loves Brooke like a sister but she could never let Brooke see what has become of her. They've known each other all of their lives and Skylar knew Brooke's gracious heart wouldn't be able to accept it. Her monster doesn't like it when she chooses Brooke over her but it's something her monster is gonna have to live with—for now.

Skylar walked down the long corridor and headed toward the door she rarely used when others are present. Once inside the dark and gloomy room she sat in complete solitude. Skylar crave darkness now, darkness is everywhere she is, and everywhere she looked. She's surrounded by darkness, she is darkness.

There's no light switch in this room but there is a switch that activates the UV lights. The room was soon bathed in neon lights revealing the writing on the walls—literally. While others like her run toward dim lights and dead ends she's actually sat back planned and thought—so much thought went into this. Being a beginner when it comes to the D.E.A.N Incorporate, detectives and other people associated with the incorporate don't deem her worthy; They don't think she has anything to tribute when it comes to the cases they work on so she's forced to take matters into her own very capable hands.

Skylar has never met another whisperer and she prays to God that she never does. Her kind is being targeted, kept in cages like useless canaries, voiceless parrots, and flightless doves, but she refuse to be useless, she refuse to be voiceless, and she may hold in so much darkness it keeps her grounded but she'll never be without flight. Flight is the only reason she still owns her freedom. Her body, mind and actions may no longer be hers alone, they may have been overrided but she'll always have flight; that's something she owns completely.

This wall is littered with her thought, idea's, options, feelings, most of the things she couldn't seem to have at the moment. The part of her that's not already lost hurts inside, guilt overrides her every thought, she can't take back the things she's done. People look at her as if she's some kind of hero but they don't know. The kinds of things she does are wrong but she can't seem to stop, it's the monster in her it's drawn completely toward that dark side. She used what has been given to her for all of the wrong reasons and it'll always haunt her, it made her the monster she is today.

Skylar's past cannot and will not stay in the past it's fast becoming her future and already somehow her present and it's too late for her to do anything about it.

The moment Skylar learned the truth about what she was fast becoming was the same moment she learned the truth about what she no longer was and that's free. She may not have been physically captured but mentally...mentally she no longer exists. Her thoughts are no longer her own, her words and action's now stand on opposing sides. She's been caged in her very own body and that's the worst kind of punishment, the worst kind of encapture you can possibly imagine.

### Brooke Fields-Laurence

Brooke's mother wasn't home which was really no surprise; her mother's boss always has her undivided attention. Brooke accepted a long time ago that she came second to her mother's job, who's gonna pay the bills right? But she refused to come second to that man, any man, but especially that one. Her mother's boss Mr. Henderson... he doesn't even deserve Brooke's respect she'll refer to him as: the man shredder tearing her family apart.

Brooke's not stupid she knows he's interested in her mother, has been for quite some time now, but her father put a stop to that immediately. Her mother's heart took up residence on her fathers' sleeve. Her mother's heart no longer belonged to her, just like her father's no longer belonged to him; they now belong to each other. Brookes' father's no Indian giver, he took her mother's heart with him, attached to him; forever in his possession and her mother lived with his and she'll continue to live with his. Shall her mother never forget that it's hers' to protect, he would have wanted nothing more but for her to guard his heart with the remains of hers. He still owns a piece of her mothers' heart and she can't afford to give away yet another; her mother's not ready...Brooke's not ready and she doesn't think she ever will be. As far as Brooke's concerned Mr. Barrier-between-her-family probably has her mother in Europe, or Florida, or whatever exotic place he takes her in order to impress her.

Brooke hates what money does to people. Skylar had a walk in closet full of shoes she's never looked twice at once they were safely out of the stores and in her home, and for what? To prove to people she could afford it? Her mansion of a house proves as much. She claims that the money was invested that it was handed down to her after her father died and her mother got sick. Brooke knew there was a great deal of money headed Skylar's way once her mother dies and Skylar claims that she doesn't care about it, and why would she? She has all of her father's money what does she need her mother's money for?

Skylar's mom has cancer, she's deadly sick and Skylar keeps her locked up in her room. Brooke asked to go and see Skylar's mother countless times but Skylar always denies her access. She always says that her mother is sleeping or too sick for visitors, but how would she ever know if she never unlocks the door. Brooke checked on many occasions and that door stays locked never once opened, which is weird.

Brooke cried the last day she had seen Skylar's mother. Skylar and Brooke were outside near the lake with Skylar's mother. Her mother loved to be out there near all of the birds and other things that liked to wander into their backyard. Skylar's mother was sitting on one of the logs closest to the water wadding her feet back and forth, smiling lovingly at the tree where a nest lay full of a dozen new born birds.

"I want you to promise me something Brooke-e Bear," she said as she kicked her feet in the water, splash, splashing the water around.

"What is it Mrs. Royce?" Brooke asked as she stared in Mrs. Royce's focused yet rather vacant eyes.

"I want you to make sure my Sky-Blue barriers me right next to her father when I die."

"Don't talk like that Mrs. Royce," Brooke said shaking her head wildly denying the tears that wanted to travel down her face.

"Brooke-e Bear you know it's gonna happen ok honey I know you're not ready to accept it but it is gonna happen you can't keep telling yourself and me that it's not, I feel it honey I feel the end is near," she said wrapping her pale cold fingers around Brooke's. "You need not worry I'm not dying now I have time but I will just continue to get worse and worse and then eventually it will happen and when it does I want to be buried here in this back yard with Sky's father right next to that beautiful oak tree. I want you to take this here necklace of mine and hang it on the tree branch next to my mother's necklace and my husband's watch," she said her smile a bit sad. "And then I want you to take this wedding ring of mine and lay it on the same branch as my husband's ok? Can you do that for me Brooke-e Bear?"

Brooke couldn't speak, the pain squeezing her heart wouldn't let her open her mouth, she couldn't nod the tears that barely stayed behind her eye lashes would spill if she did so. All Brooke could do was just squeeze Mrs. Royce's hand and that seemed to be enough of an answer for her. Mrs. Royce turned away from Brooke and continued to watch the tree.

When Brooke told Skylar, Skylar brushed it away as if it was no big deal. Brooke grew up with Skylar's mother, times like the one she shared with Mrs. Royce in their backyard made Brooke feel like she had two mothers and she couldn't possibly stomach losing Mrs. Royce. All Skylar could do or has done was treat her very own mother like the ants they used to pick and stick on spider webs, like it was no big deal.

If it weren't for Skylar's mother or her own they wouldn't even be friends. But Brooke couldn't seem to shake the feeling that she was missing something, that there's more to Skylar than what she allows Brooke to see. She forces Brooke to get closer to her... yes that's the word force. Skylar pressures her into hanging out with her more and Brooke knows it's not because Skylar doesn't have any because she has plenty. So what purpose does Brooke serve for her?

### Chapter two: Sidney Fields

"Hey Sidney what about this?"

"You're a bridesmaid Caitlin not a widow, never wear black to a wedding. How about this?" Sidney said holding up a peach strapless dress with a sweetheart silver embroidery.

"But I'm pale I want something dark," she wined.

"You're not the only bridesmaid," Sidney said as she put the dress back. "Why do you care anyway I thought you didn't like your sister?" she said as she continued to roam the rack.

"I don't but I love any occasion that gives me the chance to dress up like a princess and as my best friend you have to want the same thing."

"Whatever, what about this it's the same dress but it's royal blue," Sidney said holding it up so she'd be able to see.

"Fine let's try it on," she said snatching it out of her hand. Sidney grabbed a size 4 and went back toward the dressing room to change.

"Oh this dress is beautiful," Sidney heard Caitlin say from her dressing room.

Once Sidney had the dress on she walked out and toward the floor length mirror. The dress was beautiful but it was a bit long you wouldn't be able to see the shoes.

"Aww you look beautiful Sid," Caitlin said as she stood beside her in the mirror.

"Thanks but what about the shoes?"

"We'll find some don't worry."

"My problem's not finding them my problems not being able to see them," Sidney said lifting the dress by the hem.

"So you find the perfect dress that I'm 100% happy with but you're upset about not being able to see the shoes! The shoes aren't important! And don't even think about suggesting you try on the other blue dress over there because I won't allow it, I want all of the bridesmaids to look the same."

"There's another one?" Sidney asked a bit overly excited as she looked into the direction that Caitlin had indicated.

"Yes but it is not for you," Caitlin said hooking her arm around hers and steering her in the direction of that dressing room she had exited.

"Now go in there and change back then we'll go searching for matching shoes."

"Fine," Sidney huffed as she went back into the dressing room.

Hmmm that's strange my clothes aren't here –maybe I was in the other dressing room, she thought to herself as she left to go into the other one. What the –my clothes weren't there either. Sidney walked out of the dressing room.

"What? Did you change your mind and decide that you like the dress anyway, so much so that you refuse to take it off?"

"No I would like more than anything to take the stupid dress off, the problem is I can't seem to find my clothes."

"Did you check the dressing rooms?"

"No, because why would I do something like that?" Sidney asked sarcastically. "Of course I checked the dressing rooms!"

"Ok so where could they be?"

"Ask another stupid question please; give me a reason to smack some sense into you. If I knew where they were do you think I'd still be wearing this dress?"

"Sheesh, well go and ask the boss lady over there."

I didn't want to fuckin come here anyways, I just wanted to stay home and cry in my pillow, but no Caitlin couldn't just let me grieve. She had to be a stupid friend and get me out of the house and for what –Bridesmaids dresses? Like I wanted to think about some perfect little couple about to tie the knot and forever become bound to one another, why couldn't she just let me nurse my broken heart?! Sidney huffed and dragged her feet across the floor toward the supervisor.

"How may I help you?" she said in that annoyingly polite voice.

"Did you see anyone go into one of those there dressing rooms?"

"Every day," she said with that never faltering smile. Stupid question of course she saw someone go into the dressing rooms, everyone goes into the dressing rooms.

"Well did you see someone take something out of the dressing rooms?"

"As a matter of fact I did," she said dropping the smile and scrounging her brows.

"Did they take a pair of clothes?"

"Yes," she said sitting a bit taller obviously realizing that this was a serious problem. "I asked him where he was going with them and he said he couldn't seem to find his daughter but that she had left her clothes behind, I didn't question him because that sort of thing happens all of the time –-"

"Someone leaving your store with one of your dresses and leaving their clothes behind, you're telling me that sort of stuff happens all of the time?"

"Well no but they do leave an article of clothing behind but I guess you're right it was a bit weird."

"Well did the man say anything else did he say where he was going?"

"Oh yes, he said if I saw his daughter to tell her to meet him in their favorite place do you know where that is?" Seeing as though Sidney wasn't the mystery man's daughter of course she didn't know where that was. "Oh and before I forget he also said that he asked you to do one simple thing and you couldn't, don't be mad at him when it was you who failed. I don't know if that made any sense to you or means anything at all but that's all he said."

"This is ridiculous," Sidney said threw teeth so clenched they over lapped each other. Sidney knew exactly who her supposed "father" was. She couldn't believe he'd do this to her. Now what was she supposed to do? She couldn't let the lady know she knew the crazy man.

"I have no clue who that man is, my father's dead," Sidney told the supervisor.

"I am so sorry ma'am if I would have known I wouldn't have let him leave the store with your clothes."

"So now what? I don't exactly have the money to pay for this dress and I don't have any other clothing."

"Maybe I can help, follow me."

Sidney followed the woman toward the back of the store and through a door. It was freezing in there and there were half open boxes littered everywhere. The woman stopped and began going through one of the boxes. When she was done she held a nice simple white sundress.

"This is the best I can do all of the rest of the dresses aren't really dresses you can just walk around in," she said holding it out toward her.

"I appreciate it," Sidney said taking the dress from the woman's out stretched hand.

"If you'd meet me at the front of the store I have a cute pair of silver gladiator sandals that would go perfect with that dress."

"I'm fine really I still have my shoes." Sidney said showing her the ankle boot's that were hidden underneath the ridiculously long blue gown.

"I let some stranger come into my store and steal your clothes getting you the shoes to match is the least I can do."

Sidney knew she was only worried that she'd say something bad about the store because of this little incident but the woman had nothing to worry about, besides this is Sidney's best friends favorite store, this is where they got their eight grade graduation dress, and their prom dresses if this store closed it would kill Caitlin.

Sidney followed the lady toward the front of the store and she handed her the pair of sandals.

"You don't need anything else do you? Matching earing? A necklace?"

"No really I'm fine thank you." She smiled before walking away.

This break up utterly destroyed her, she was so not fine. If she were herself right about now she would have taken everything the woman had offered and more, Sidney would have made sure to tell the woman that she would be telling everyone she knew (and she knew a lot of people who knew a lot of people) what happened unless the woman gave her the bridesmaid dress for free, but right about now she didn't have the energy.

"Hey, Oh cute dress and I'm loving the sandals. Did you find your clothes?" Caitlin said as she stood beside Sidney at the stores exit.

"Caitlin if I found my clothes do you think I'd be wearing this right now?" Dumb question, after dumb question, after dumb question, how in the hell did she deal with it all?

"Well I have to show all of the other bridesmaids the dress," she said wiggling the bag with the dress inside, "and then I have to leave for New York tonight in order to make it to my sister's fitting tomorrow, You are coming to the wedding rehearsal correct?"

"Yes," she needed to get as far away from this town as possible.

"Right so I'll see you in two days, love you bunches," Caitlin said with a dramatic wave before heading down the street.

Our place Sidney repeated the words the woman had said to her as she went in the opposite direction as Caitlin. Why does he want to meet with me? Hasn't he said enough?

When Sidney stood in front of the giant tree house that she, him and a couple of their friends used to play in when they were little she stopped. She wasn't ready to face him, not yet, it was too soon.

"Are you just gonna stare at the tree or go up, he's not coming to you if that's what you think."

Sidney didn't have to turn around to know who stood behind her. Nathaniel used to be her best friend but the more time she spent with Ryder the less time he spent with her.

"So what? You and Ryder are friends now, I thought you hated him?" Sidney said not bothering to turn around or climb the tree.

"People change you should know that Sidney, you changed the most."

"I'm not telling you who you can and cannot hang out with Nate it was just a question no need to get all defensive."

"Are you going up or not?"

"Nope I can't I'm in a dress," she said shyly.

"I remember when little 8 year old Sidney with her two little pony tails used to hate dresses, as a matter of fact 8,9,10,11,12,13,and14 year old Sidney hated them too. She used to rip them and hide them anything she could think of just so she wouldn't have to put one on."

"I'm 19 Nate you didn't expect me to stay 8 forever did you? Besides your friend snuck into my dressing room and stole my clothes which left me without a choice."

"Oh right you mean those pranks we use to pull on other people? Did you forget how they went? Have you changed that much?"

"We did those pranks to other people not each other; we never did them on our friends!" Sidney snapped.

"Say's a lot about what we think of you now doesn't it?" Sidney wanted to smack that satisfied grin right off of his face. "You wonder why we didn't do it to Caitlin because we could have."

"No I don't wonder I don't even care," she said turning around to walk away.

Sidney wasn't gonna just stand there if Ryder didn't bother coming down he knew she was there.

"But you do care Sidney," Nate said running to catch up to her. "Maybe if you were the old Sidney I'd believe you when you say you don't care because the old Sidney wouldn't be having this conversation with me, I wouldn't have to remind the old Sidney of what she once was. This Sidney here though, this Sidney thinks she's better than all of us. Money comes rollin in and the neither new nor old Sidney would have been able to resist it, but the old Sidney wouldn't have dumped her friends because of it because she was once like us, remember? But now she has a few bills to her name and now she's too good for us, can't be seen around the likes of us. You wonder why Ryder dumped you. Well there's your reason he sees exactly what the rest of us see. He liked the old Sidney, he thought he was dating the old Sidney and then you come along to replace her, you can't have it all. The best of both worlds doesn't exist."

"Are you going to follow me all the way to my house?" Sidney said not bothering to look behind her at him as she asked the question.

"No I wouldn't want to embarrass you."

"Thank God, I appreciate it," she said as she crossed the street and turned on her block. Sidney didn't have to turn around to know that he was still following her; she could feel him like a constant bee buzzing in her ear. She knew her last comment had him wandering if she actually meant it. She didn't by the way she's not that shallow she didn't care if her mom and her new boyfriend didn't accept the kind of people she surrounded herself with, yes she might give in a time or two and do what they say which involves dressing a certain way but she hasn't changed. She was the same old her.

Sidney walked on to her front porch and turned to face Nate. "Do you plan on coming in or would you rather just stand on my porch?"

"Will you invite me in?"

"Do you want to come in?" she asked rolling her eyes slightly; he always had to make things difficult.

"I would love to."

Sidney turned around and tried to open the door but it was locked, which meant Hank and her mother went out.

"You really shouldn't hide your key under a plant tree have you learned nothing from seeing so many others do the exact same thing?" he said as she retrieved her key and unlocked the door.

"Well when you think of a better hiding place let me know," she said as she opened the door wide for him to come in.

"You could always hide it in your pocket."

"I'll lose it, I'll take it out one time and I'll never see it again cause I'll forget to put it back in my pocket."

"Nice to see some things don't change, I remember you getting locked out of your house and you had to stay in the principal's office until she called your mother, than I came by and drove you to my house and your mother laid an egg looking for you —she couldn't find you anywhere. I still think that principles afraid of your mother, whatever she said or did had the principle not wanting to look in your direction, which was a good thing because you took the rap for almost everything we did that year and never got in trouble." She laughed at the memory. "I miss that laugh," he said causing her laugh to immediately stop.

"I haven't changed," she said soberly.

"You have Si –-"

"No I haven't" she said cutting him off. "My family, life style, and surroundings may have changed but I haven't. I still hate dresses no matter how many I wear I'll always hate them, and I hate family dinners every Saturday because we're not a family and I hate the fact that my friends don't want to be friends anymore because of my mother's boyfriend's money. I haven't changed yall just look at me differently." There was extremely tense silence after that.

"How come we don't meet up anymore?" he asked finally breaking the silence.

"Besides the fact that you dumbed me the moment I started dating Ryder?"

"I didn't dump you."

"Oh yea so what would you call it? Me and Ryder started dating and you started distancing yourself from me more and more until the point where I rarely ever see you anymore."

"I didn't want to be a third wheel."

"We've been a third wheel our whole lives!" she argued. A slow smile started to form and it only made her angrier. "Why are you smiling, I didn't say anything remotely funny!?"

"Your right you didn't. Do you remember when that boy next door the really annoying one made you pee your pants?"

"What does this have to do with anything?" she asked. Of course she remembered that was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.

"So that's a yes you do remember well do you remember what we did to that boy?"

"Yea I remember you un-screwed the back wheel on his tricycle and when he went to ride it it fell apart in the middle of the street. Then you let Mr. Wallace's mean pit bull loose and it chased the boy for nearly 5 blocks and we watched and rode alongside them silently in our tricycle the whole time," she said smiling at the memory, they had loads of fun back then. "I can see why you'd remember such a thing like that but that's not the point."

"Isn't it? Well think about it we were that tricycle once upon a time, sooner or later it would have ended the same way, there's no way you can throw a relationship in the mix of what we had."

"And what did we have?"

"We had a strong friendship and nothing could ever break that... but a relationship."

Sidney knew Ryder, there's no such thing as staying friends with the women he dumps, he says there too clingy, that they always try to get him back whether it's by making him jealous or by doing something stupider.

"I don't want him back I'm not like all of those other females I understand that what we had is over," and she meant every word.

"Good, but there's no way he'd believe that,"

"Because he's too self-absorbed," they said simultaneously.

"Yea I guess you're right," she said letting her front door close, seeing her mom's boyfriends' car role up toward the house.

"But that doesn't mean we can't be friends," she said hopefully. Sidney missed acting up with him; they used to get into so much trouble together; she missed that.

"Yea I guess you're right," he said throwing her last statement back at her.

"Hey Hank the Tank's home, and I brought your mother," Hank announced.

"Why do you call yourself that, and shouldn't it be the other way around? This isn't your house," Sidney said stepping aside so he wouldn't touch her.

"Still think boy's got the cooties huh?" Nate whispered.

"I wouldn't put it past him," she said never letting her eyes leave Hanks.

"Hey honey," her mom said stepping in-between her and Hank making it physically impossible for her to glare at him.

"Mom" she said barely giving her any recognition.

"And you are?"

"Mom you remember Nathaniel," Sidney said rolling her eyes, she couldn't have possibly forgotten about him she use to tell Sidney daily how much she never trusted him.

"Right," she said nodding her head slowly. "The last time I saw you you were like what 13?"

"Just about," Nate said as if her playing stupid didn't bother him at all. "And the last time I saw you, you were like –-" Sidney elbowed Nate in the side hard making him double over in pain before he could finish his sentence, knowing him it wouldn't have been anything nice. The feeling between them was mutual.

"I was just gonna say 20" he said resting his hands on his thighs as she looked down at him before walking into the house.

"Finish with him and then I want you to come in here and set the table for dinner," her mom answered before she disappeared inside.

"Times 100," he finished once she was out of ear shot. "Your elbows are just as pointy as I remembered," he said trying to stand to his full height.

"Well I've tried to put them in your side enough times that eventually when you thought about saying something stupid you'd think twice."

"She started it," and Sidney couldn't agree more she did but she's still her mother.

"I should go, you know what happened the last time we were out here alone." Sidney smiled she remembered exactly what happened her mom came out with her dice timer that she uses in the kitchen to tell her when something's done, she sat it on the porch and set it for 5 minutes and when the timer went off she cut off the porch lights and screamed for Sidney to come in the house and for Nate to go home. Nate came in the house with Sidney and Sidney's mothers' face was priceless.

"I think you might have cut off the porch lights, we couldn't see so we decided to finish our conversation in here," he explained and Sidney busted out laughing on the spot she couldn't hold it in.

"Yea I remember," she said finally after the memory died away.

"Alright I'll see you around kiddo," Sidney nodded in acknowledgement.

"You know we're going to have quite the stories to tell our children," Sidney yelled after him

. "Who's having children?!" Sidney's mom said flying out the door. Sidney could hear Nate's loud laughter.

"For your sake Sid I hope your children are nothing like us," he said driving the screw driver deeper into her mother's already ram rod straight posture.

"No one's having children mom, relax" Sidney said rolling her eyes but not being able to help the smile that lingered on her lips.

"Come on Kid time to set the table," Hank said.

Sidney couldn't get rid of a smile faster than Hank could, her smile immediately dropped and she walked right past Hank and straight into the kitchen.

"That a girl," he said the moment she started pulling out utensils, Sidney knew he was trynna get a reaction out of her but she wouldn't budge; he wasn't worth it.

### Chapter three: Ryder Ferris

Sidney was just a project to Ryder, he never really had true feelings for her, how could he, she's human for goodness sake? Her money had nothing to do with it; it was her father, her birth father. But now it's her mother's new toy he's worried about. Ryder knows Hank's a wisp; his involvement with Sidney's mother is a bit suspicious.

It's no secret wisps don't like humans so why date one? Ryder had his reasons but what's Hank's? Ryder needed to get closer to Hank but Sidney wasn't much help so he had to let her go. She hates Hank's guts but he couldn't convince her to play nice for him–she would never do it, so there for he had no use for her.

Ryder thought about coming down from the tree but what fun would that have been? He should be mad that Nathan took Sidney away but it was past time they mend their fences.

"Human's and there problems," Ryder grumbled, "always making things difficult."

Though Ryder seemed to hate humans as much as the average wisp, it wasn't like that for him. He was very hypocritical when it came to his hate toward humans. He was torn in two, not sure of his reasoning but only knowing that there was one.

Ryder's mother is only half wisps and because of that her immune system wasn't strong enough to fight off the virus running through her veins. That only succeeded in deepening Ryder's fears of ever getting close to his mother, he knew that any minute he could—would lose her.

Robby—which was what Ryder's mother would call him—has the same condition and that is also part of his—keeping emotional distance—reasoning. He can't afford to give a part of himself away knowing that he'll leave the other person devastated once he's forced to take it all back.

Ryder hopped down out of the tree before Nathan decided he wanted to come back; he had a lot to do and so little time to do it in.

He walked two blocks and turned on Auburn St. to the abandoned warehouse on 58th. He could see Ashley standing outside of the ware house half unnoticeable by the shadows in the alley way behind her.

Ashley used to be just a wisp Ryder had no intentions of paying little to no attention to, but then later down the road she became very useful, his very own personal maid of sorts [but word to the wise don't ever call her that, Ryder could get away with it because there's nothing she can say or do to him, but others she has no problem serving them hell on a pretty little platter].

"Oh Sir! Thank goodness you're here, we have a problem."

"Can't it wait until we get inside first Ash? I don't need others noses' in our business where it does not belong, does that need farther clarification?" Ryder said impatiently

"No sir, but once I tell you you're just going to walk right back out of here," she said as she turned on her heels and began walking down toward the basement of the old warehouse.

Ryder runs a tight business down there, everything is as it should be, especially location. Humans are too stupid to realize that if the police suspect anything they will look inside the old abandoned buildings but they'd never look underneath.

Once in the tunnels of the warehouse building Ryder began repeating the steps needing to be taken in his head.

One...Two...Three..., he counted off as he walked past two intersections and kept going straight then he stopped two to the left he reminded himself. One down and two to the right, then one down for the last time, he stopped in front of a door not a very noticeable door but a door none the less. He pushed on the door and light bathed the dark tunnels, he stepped in quickly with Ash right on his heels.

Ryder looked around and so far everything was to his liking... wait a minute...

"Where are Nico and Carter?" He turned to indicate that he wanted Ash to answer the question.

You couldn't possibly say one name without saying the other, they weren't just joined by the hip, they were joined by the brain, by the heart and...well they were just joined period. They were Bevis and Butthead, SpongeBob and Patrick, Stewie and Brian, Batman and Robyn, only trouble linked the two.

"Well that's what I was trying to tell you," Ash said.

"What exactly are you trynna tell me?" he asked making sure no emotion seeped into his words for her sake.

She looked around at all of the other eyes and ears on her and motioned toward the door. Once outside her pale blue eyes met his.

"They got bored they said and so they left...together."

"They wouldn't have it any other way now would they?" he growled.

"Well no sir," she said shaking her blonde curls around wildly, the anger clearly visible in his voice making her timid.

"Well I followed them and I told Elliot to watch the Wisps while I was gone," she said motioning toward the door they stood outside of. "And when I finally caught up to Nico and Carter they were harassing some blonde girl but she wasn't taking it, she was roughing them up quite a bit I was astound, but no doubt you or me would be able to take her," she added quickly.

"Get to the point Ashley."

The look in her eyes was like that of a wounded animal, Ryder didn't call her Ashley unless he was angry—which he was.

"My apologies sir," she said bowing her head slightly, a true act of worship. "I have no idea what led them to attach the poor woman."

"This is Nico and Carter we're talking about here, they don't need reason, reason is foreign to them."

"Right, well I did get close enough to hear them say something about wisps, and they wouldn't have said such a thing, they knew better. They wouldn't just casually talk about it—"

"Unless the woman they were attaching was one," he finished for her. "Are they still with the woman?"

"The last I saw," she said holding her chin a bit higher, realizing that she had delved some important information to him.

"Where exactly are they now?"

"They were at the corner of Reeding the last I saw of them."

"Thanks Ash, good work," he said patting her on the side of her arm [never one to show too much affection] before turning around and heading out of the tunnels.

Ryder didn't have to walk far to know where they were he has an eye for catching wisps, and by the looks of it she was most definitely a wisps.

Wisps move like air and when one strikes it's like a deadly whisper against the enemy's skin and they won't even know they've been attached until it's too late. A blue hue radiates from wisps' finger tips. A wisp tends to move with the wind and at times might appear to be invisible.

Eye sight is a wisps strongest point in day light and at night, the irises of a wisp is outlined in a glowing blue light and becomes more pronounced at night which is beneficial, and is like its own night vision.

A wisps weakness is an injury to the neck, if the head is severed from the neck then all of the wisps strong points go with it. You can close a wisps' wind pipe but that won't do any damage. Most of the power of a wisp is stored in its head and so without the neck to support it, its head is useless [to most]. A wisp is also very agile and light on its toes as well. But to an untrained eye, to someone who doesn't know what to look for a wisp may appear—dare anyone say it –-human.

Ryder stayed in the shadows as he watched the female wisp, by the looks of it she was rogue but she was probably the strongest he's ever seen yet. Her balance seemed to be better than most and her moves seemed to register faster than she could control but her reflexes were on point so it stopped her from falling. This is someone who's had a lot of practice.

By the looks of it Nico and Carter were double teaming her but she held her own against the two that is until they decided to lay her flat on her back, which was Ryder's cue to make himself seen.

"Nico and Carter!" he said walking up to the two of them.

"Why?" he said throwing his hands into the air and letting them fall right back down to his side.

Carter made a big show of dusting off his hands before facing hm. The girl still lay on her back, face red from exhaustion.

"Let me handle this," Nico said stepping in. "This feisty little snap here," he said motioning toward the girl, with the quickest of reflexes she swept her feet catching Nico's feet under her own and making him fall to the ground. He mumbled a few choice words before getting back to his feet with the help of his partner in crime.

"Jeez now you know what we're dealing with," he said dusting himself off once more.

Ryder looked down at the girl; she didn't even bother to hide her smile as she got to her feet and dusted herself off.

"You should watch your mouth next time," she said to Nico, and if Ryder didn't know any better he'd actually go as far as to say Nico looked scared.

"Any way's me and Carter here were just minding our business, you know messing around," which is code for messing around with someone else, "when this...girl," he said thinking twice before calling her anything else, "came up to us and ruined the fun."

"Only a sick psycho would think what yall were doing was fun," she commented, eyes downcast and shoulders slumped when she said it, as if she was ashamed of something.

"Well only a psycho," he said putting the emphasis on psycho, "would scream and yell at the victim—-"

"And don't forget threaten," Carter added.

"Yes thanks C-Man, and threaten the victim after she refused to do what you want. She told the woman if she did not calm down and listen to her then she would string her up on the highest street light by her hair and let the little vicious pit-bull down the street have his way with her."

The look on this woman's face was odd; she looked as if his accusations sickened her, as if she couldn't believe she had said such a thing.

"That still doesn't explain how yall came to be fighting in the middle of the street," Ryder said averting his eyes off of the woman.

"Well when we didn't leave like she told us to she got a bit feisty and began hitting us, I mean not no little baby bitch hits I mean she did damage," Carter said, his eyes wide displaying his disbelief. "She snapped after the woman she threatened left in tears, she morphed right before our eyes she was like a—-"

"lean-mean-killing-machine," Carter and Nico said at the same time, sharing a smile that Ryder wanted no parts of.

"Well anyway that's when we realized that she was a wisp and so we had no problem ruffing her up a bit," Nico concluded.

"Maybe you should take a second look at yourselves," she growled the atmosphere around here changing, electrically charged with tension and built up anger. Ryder looked down at the girl a bit suspiciously; her mood seemed to have come out of nowhere it was like she was a whole new person almost.

"What's your name?" Ryder asked the girl.

"That's none of your business," she said in a deadly calm voice, her storm cloud gray eyes meeting his.

"You don't need it, it's not like you'll be seeing me again, as for you two," she said turning to face Nico and Carter, "yall better hope and pray that you don't see me again." Those were obviously her parting words as she began to walk away.

"Warehouse, both of you!" Ryder ordered them as he chased after the rapidly disappearing girl.

"Chasing me's not smart mister, I gave you a chance to leave you should have taken it," she said her voice bone chilling as she didn't even turn around to look at him.

"Where are you going?" Ryder asked the girl, still having a hard time meeting her pace, never in his life has he ever come across a rogue so powerful.

"I'm going somewhere you're not," she said in that deadly calm voice that slowly started to unnerve him which in its self was a problem.

"Do you even know what you are?" He asked slowly getting a grip on himself.

"If I answer that question it's just going to open the door to about 100 more and I don't have time for questions," she said simply not bothering to turn around and have a real conversation with him.

Ryder had a tight grip on his anger and it was slowly dissipating, he hasn't had someone treat him with such disrespect since...never, it's never happened and he refused to have it start. She may be one of the strongest rogues he has ever come across but she was nothing compared to the real thing.

With a step as easy as breathing Ryder breezed right past her and stood right in her way. When she met his eyes she didn't look phased by his move and she didn't stop walking either.

"I guess you're the Don't-take-no-for-an-answer type," she said.

He kept the girl in his line of vision as he matched all of her forward steps with a backwards one.

"No I don't, I'm also the Refuse-to-be-talked-to-unless-you-show-some-respect type as well."

"Hmm I guess it's a good thing I don't want to talk to you."

She's good, but she will show him some respect if it's the last thing she does, she was now on his radar.

"Your name," he demanded.

"We've been through this mister," she said impatiently. "I'm the I-don't-like-to-repeat-myself type," she said.

"Good one thing we have in common," Ryder said through clenched teeth. "Your name," he demanded again. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

"If by chance you ever see me again just call me Bēlua."

"I'm under the impression that that's not your name," he said as a slow sinister smile framed his now highly amused face. Obviously the girl spoke a little Latin.

"No but it is what you will call me if you so choose to call me anything."

"What does that stand for?"

"Are you asking me?"

She's too smart, it seems she has him all figured out and he can't figure her out for the life of him.

"No I'm demanding you."

"If I tell you will you let me go home?"

"I don't make promises," he growled.

"Fair enough," she smiled. "It means the monster," she said softly her words full of confidence and depth. Ryder smiled he couldn't help it.

"And you?" she asked suddenly,

"And me what?"

"Your name" she demanded.

"You can call me Eres" Ryder said amusement apparent in his eyes.

"Which means...?"

"Which means Owner."

### Chapter four: Skylar Royce

"I think we should organize it by size what do you think? Skylar, are you even listening to me? Customer's will be here any second."

"Oh I'm sorry, yea, yea go with your idea," Skylar agreed not entirely sure what she was even agreeing to.

"What exactly was my idea?" Brooke asked knowing all too well that she wasn't listening to her.

"I'm sorry Brooke I've just been a bit distracted."

"You don't say," she said as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Did something happen last night?"

"No," Skylar said which wasn't a total lie because technically something happened 4 nights ago.

"So then what is it?"

"Nothing," Skylar said quickly walking over to a box of shoes and checking the sizes. "So you want me to organize these all by size?" she said changing the subject.

"Yea," Brooke said clearly not happy.

After Brooke left with a promise that she'd be here the second customers arrive to help Skylar out, Skylar immediately got out of the sun and pored her a glass of lemonade.

She's been nothing but stressed all week, between rallying up all of the shoes she wanted to sell and taking care of her mother—which reminds her she should probably check in on her again.

Skylar sat her glass of lemonade down and walked down the hall toward her mother's bed room. She pulled the key from around her neck and unlocked her door.

"Ewww mama, it smells worse and worse in here every time I come in to check on you," Skylar said walking over toward the window to crack it and let some of the stinky air out. She picked up the Febreze® bottle she kept on her mother's night stand for these purposes and gave the air a few sprays.

"I see you haven't drunk any of the milk I gave you," she said walking over toward where she sat the glass of milk a couple days ago, which was now chunky and obviously bad. She walked out of the room and threw the whole glass away before returning to her mother's side.

"I see your eyes are still close, can't stand the sight of me can you?" she said grapping her mothers' cold fingers in her own.

"Mama I think you should eat, your stomach's starting to concave. Are you hungry?" Skylar waited a beat or two and got no answer.

"Well that's just great the silent treatment huh? Come on mom at least let me get you some food, I'll sit it right here beside you and you can eat it when you're ready, but I wouldn't wait too long you look like you desperately need some food, I can see the outlines of your ribs threw your gown."

Skylar let go of her mothers' cold and brittle fingers and laid it back down at her mothers' side. She grabbed the brush from the coffee table on the side of her mothers' bed and began to brush her mothers' hair.

"I'm finally doing it mama, you wanted me to spring clean 3 springs ago and I'm finally doing it aren't you proud?" Skylar said as locks of her mothers' hair fell out as she continued to brush it.

"Mama, you're missing more teeth," she said as she took the one that sat on her mothers' gown and added it to the other ones she stuck behind her mothers' pillow.

"I guess the tooth fairy hasn't come yet to collect any of these, its ok she never came when my teeth fell out either. She doesn't do her job very well so try not to take it to heart," Skylar said as tears threatened to spill.

"I have to go mom I hate it when you ignore me it makes me sad and I'd hate for you to see me cry. I know I'm a monster but I'm still your daughter I'd hoped you'd still love me, but I guess not," she said as she sat her mothers' brush down.

Holding the tears back was starting to become a challenge.

"I have to go mama, I'll make you some soup when all the people leave," Skylar promised before closing her mothers' door and locking it behind her.

***

"What is this? Some kind of yard sale?"

"Did you not read the flier?" Brooke asked the customer.

"No actually I haven't."

"Well now whose fault is that?" Brooke asked.

"That's no way to talk to a customer." By the looks of it Brooke didn't look like she was gonna let this one go.

"I'm sorry ma'am, please ignore her, this is my yard sale as you so put it, please look around if anything catches your interest then let me know," Skylar said cutting in before Brooke made them lose yet another customer.

"Keep that one away from me," the customer said motioning toward Brooke.

"It'll be in your best interest if she did," Brook threatened as the customer walked away.

"What has gotten into you? I've never seen you this snappy before, we've already lost three customers because of you."

"Well yea but look around we can afford to lose customer's this back yard is packed, a little too packed if I do say so myself. Hey keep an eye on mascara lady over there she's looking around like she's about to steal something," she warned.

When Skylar turned toward the woman Brooke was talking about she could clearly see why Brooke had called her mascara lady, her eyes looked like that of a raccoon's.

"Alright I'll take care of it, please keep your snide remarks to yourself, I don't care how many customers we have I don't want to lose any of them," Skylar said as she turned to face Brooke, and instead at that very moment Skylar's eyes met with a pair of silver ones that she didn't think she'd see, not today of all days, or here of all places. Ok so maybe there's one customer I'd rather loose, she thought to herself.

"Watch her but don't scare her, I have to take care of something," Skylar said as she walked toward the oak tree in her back yard.

"Alright but if she happens to say something to me I'mma give her a permanent eye liner if you know what I mean," Brooke yelled after Skylar as she walked away.

"Put your claws away Brooke I mean it," Skylar yelled back.

"Yea, yea," Brooke said waving her away.

"What are you doing here? Trust me when I say there's nothing here for you."

"Well you're here Bēlua," he said leaning on the tree and crossing his arms. Skylar cringed at the name.

"Again I say there's nothing here for you."

"Why so hostile? I stayed away for 4 days; you can't tell me you're not just a little happy to see me."

"Yes I can," she said folding her arms.

"Ok well you can but you don't mean it."

"I'm pretty sure I do, how'd you find me anyways?"

"If I tell you you might kill the person I sent to follow you." Skylar visibly cringed at the accusation.

"Try me...wait why are you having me followed anyways? Didn't I tell you to leave me alone? You don't follow directions very well."

"No I don't take directions very well, no one tells me what to do Bēlua."

"Oh so it's a pride thing."

"It has nothing to do with my pride."

"Riiight," she said totally not buying his act.

"I do want to apologize on Nico and Carter's behalf—"

"No need, if I wanted an apology out of them I am very capable of getting it myself," she said cutting him off.

"I don't want to fight with you," he said uncrossing his arms.

"Well than you shouldn't have come," she said simply.

"Well I did so can you drop the act for just a second and talk to me?"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say we've been talking this whole time." Skylar could see he was getting angry with her, but that's what he gets he shouldn't have followed her.

When Skylar realized that he wouldn't be saying anything she sighed and uncrossed her arms to place them on her hips.

"Fine what do you want to talk about?"

"You," he said simply.

"Ok what about me?"

"Is there anywhere else we can have this conversation?"

"Can't you at least be grateful we're even having the conversation?" she countered.

"Fine I wanted to talk about you being a wisp," he said lowering his voice. Why she wasn't expecting this she didn't know she should have seen this coming.

Skylar rolled her eyes and turned around. "Follow me," she said over her shoulder.

Skylar led him no farther than her living room, and sat on one of four of the couches as he took the one across from her.

"Nice house," he said.

"You've only seen one room," she said impatiently.

"Is that an invitation to see more?" he asked, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"It most certainly is not." He laughed at her reaction and leaned back on the couch.

"Can we get this ball rolling on this conversation now?"

"First I couldn't get you to talk, but now you're all for it."

"No I'm just all for getting it over with," she corrected him.

"Fair enough," he said leaning back on her couch and propping his feet up on her mother's favorite coffee table.

Skylar's mother loved to drink her coffee with a good book in her free time, but she doesn't want to be limited to just one coffee table. Skylar tried to explain to her mother that just because it's called a coffee table doesn't mean she has to sit at it whenever she wants to drink her coffee, but that's the way she prefers it so there's a coffee table in every room, including Skylar's but this one just so happens to be her mother's favorite.

"Please don't put your feet there my mother would be upset," she said calmly.

He looked at her as if she had just spoken another language before saying, "My apologies," as he slowly lowered his feet.

"How long have you known?" he asked as he leaned forward to place his elbows on his now bent knees.

"Known what?" Skylar questioned.

"About you know...you," he said as if he were talking to a bomb and at any minute it would just blow up.

Skylar thought back to that night, that first night she'd known. She didn't exactly know what it was that she was she just knew what she wasn't and that was human. But the first night she noticed the change was when her father had died, she was 15 at the time – immature, and reckless with hers and other's lives'. She didn't know how to deal with it at the time.

"I've known for a while," she answered.

"And how long exactly is a while?"

"6 years" she said having no intentions to elaborate any farther than that.

"So you've been on your own for 6 years and you've never thought to tell anyone?"

"No."

"No? That's it, just No? Is there a reason why?"

"No" she answered again.

"Ok but have you ever met anyone else like you?"

"Of course not, there is anyone else like me, but I have seen other wisps if that's what you're asking."

"Seen ok, but have you ever interacted with one?"

"If fist count as interaction than yes, your friends and I interacted quite a bit 4 days ago."

"That's a form of interaction yes but I mean a civil conversation of sorts."

"Wisps aren't civil people so why would they have civil conversation?"

"You don't think we're civil?" he asked.

"No, no I don't. If I'm going by the ones that I have met then no y'all don't have a civil bone in your bodies."

"Am I included in this list of yours?" he asked curiously.

"It's not a list but yes, yes you are and so are your friends."

"Nico and Carter?"

"Those would be the ones." He looked as if he was actually pondering this.

"Ok so what about the things you can do?"

"What about them? I am aware of them if that's what you mean."

"I could see as much, you were pulling out all of the stops when fighting Nico and Carter."

"No I wouldn't do that I didn't want to possibly kill them."

"So you mean to tell me you were holding back?" he asked shocked.

"Like I said I didn't want to kill them," she repeated trying to stay calm.

"Who do you work for?" Skylar furrowed her brows in confusion at his sudden question.

"Who do I work for?" she repeated in disbelief. "I don't understand your question," she admitted. "I don't work for anyone, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not really a team player."

"Oh I've noticed, but I've also noticed that you do exceptionally well when it comes to fighting and for someone who wasn't even giving it her all, I can only imagine the damage you'd be able to do."

Skylar was a bit shocked silent by his praise but it was never her intention to excel at it she guessed it just sort of happened, survival you know?

"So what's your secret?" he asked suddenly.

"Se-secret?" she stammered "I don't have a secret," she said slowly trying to maintain her cool. If that wasn't some dead giveaway that she was hiding something than announcing it wouldn't have been any more obvious.

"What are you...?"

"Oh, hey there you are! We have a code-9 in your backyard," Brooke said all out of breath.

"Brooke what in the world is a code-9?" Skylar asked hopping off the couch. She was so happy Brooke stopped his next question.

"A code-9 meaning two crazy bats fighting over the same pair shoes," she said eyeing Skylar's guest as if he was a slab of meat and she hadn't eaten in years.

"Hello and what might your name be?" she said turning on her charm.

"The name's Ryder, Ryder Ferris," he said holding out his hand for her to shake.

Who would have known him capable of being so gentlemanly?

"My name is Brooke-Fields-Laurence and it's very nice to meet you Ryder," she said shaking his hand.

While there was complete and utter interest in Brooke's eyes there was nothing but curiosity in Ryder's and Skylar wasn't sure if Brooke noticed.

"Brooke?" Skylar said snapping her fingers in Brooke's face so she'd focus.

"Huh?" she asked.

"The code-9?"

"Oh yea, right," she said shaking her head as if she was in a daze. "There are two old bats ready to throw down over a pair of shoes. I'm all for some good entertainment but nothing good can come out of this. I mean there not fighter's you can tell but one of them looks like her bones are made of straw and it will not take much effort to snap one."

"Can you just lead me to them?" Skylar said rolling her eyes.

"Oh right. Ok follow me," she said walking out of the house and back toward the backyard.

Sure enough two women were fighting over a pair of shoes. Each woman had a shoe in their hands, swinging wildly with their purses in the other.

### Chapter five: Sidney Fields

"Hey Sid aint that Ryder?" Caitlin asked over the crowd of people. Sidney looked over toward where her friend was pointing and sure enough Ryder was here.

"What is he doing here at a shoe sale; did you see any shoes for men here?" Caitlin asked. Though she was getting on Sidney's nerves she did have a point.

"And who's he with?"

"Caitlin could you shut up!" Sydney said as she looked at Ryder with a short golden blonde haired girl and a very tall girl with multiple colored hair.

This is exactly what Nate was warning me about. I will not freak out, I will not freak out Sidney repeated in her head. She took a deep breath and slowly released it.

"Do you think we'd be able to find shoes for our dresses here?" Caitlin asked.

"Doubt it; you want all of the bridesmaids to match don't you? There's only one kind of each pair of shoes here," Sidney reminded her.

"Right, so I guess we can just look around," Caitlin suggested.

"Ok, I'll start over there I see a cute pair of gold pumps and they seem to be calling to me," Sidney said walking into the opposite direction that Ryder and the other girls were in.

"Hey Hank the Tank is here!"

"Can you stop with the stupid nick names? What are you even doing here?"

"Your mother asked me to pick you up, said she had some things to do," he said as he looked at the shoes on the table.

"They're not your size," Sidney said as she walked to the other table.

"Yea but they're your mothers," he said. Sidney sighed loudly and went to the other side of the yard as far away from him as possible.

"Hey what's Hank doing here?" Ryder asked.

"I don't know," Sidney said as she walked around him and toward the other table filled with shoes. Ryder grabbed her wrist before she could fully escape.

"Watch who you're talking to," he said in a warning voice. "I don't know what Hank said to you but be careful who you take it out on."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to," she said as he slowly let go of her arm.

"It'll be in your best interest if you find out why he's truly here," he said as he turned and walked back over to the blonde girl he was with. Sidney huffed and returned to Hank's side.

This is one of the reasons her and Ryder got along so well, as long as she didn't disrespect him. He promised that she could be "queen" of the wisps but first she had to help him, help him how you wonder? Sidney has to do whatever he says which means interrogating Hank. You'll never be Queen of the wisps honey, you're just human! And there's nothing daddy can do to help you—she could still here Ashley's words as fresh as day in her head. I'll show her, Sidney thought as she stalked off toward Hank.

"Hey kiddo did you find anything good?"

"As a matter of fact I think I did, see dad used to get these certain kind of things for mom all of the time," she said knowing she'd have his full attention the moment she mentioned her father.

"Oh yea and what's that?"

"Why, so you can hand them to her and take all of the credit? Why do you pretend to care about my mother?" she asked placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not pretending your mother means the world to me."

"Right ok and so what are you expecting out of all of this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said, you're doing this for a reason and I want to know what the reason is," she said glaring at him. "You want to replace my dad; you want her to forget about him but why?" she accused.

"You don't know what you're talking about and your mother would be angry if she heard you speaking to me like this," he growled.

"Right so you just got mad at me because I was wrong? Makes sense doesn't it Hank?" Sidney could see the anger coming off of Hank in waves. So he was trying to replace her dad, why?

***

"Whoa what's with the long face?" Nate asked as he joined Sidney on her porch steps.

"I think Hanks trying to make my mother forget about dad," she admitted.

"Well you know she might move on but she won't forget about him."

"I don't know Nate she might, she doesn't talk about him any more like she used to, she doesn't even talk to me anymore like she used to. If I want to hang out with her I have to go out of my way in order to do so."

"So what? Do you think Hanks trying to come between you and your mother too?"

"No, I don't think it I know it. I just want to know why."

"Ask him," he suggested.

"Ask him, are you crazy? If I ask him he's not just gonna spill his guts to me. No I have to be smart about this; I have to find out myself before he does any permanent damage to my family."

"This is the Sidney I know and love," he said pulling her into a hug.

"So I'mma take it your in?" she asked looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Oh yea baby I'm in."

Brooke-Fields-Laurence

"I think sales went ok, don't you?" Brooke asked Skylar as she began to clean up some of the discarded shoes boxes and things like that.

"Yea I guess so," Sky said obviously distracted.

"What's up Sky?" Brooke asked as she was throwing the trash away before walking over toward where Skylar was picking up trash. "Did you check on your mother today?" she asked.

Brooke missed Skylar's mother like crazy she hasn't seen her in 3 weeks.

"Yea but she was sleeping," Skylar said as she moved away from Brooke and toward another part of the yard.

"Well is she... healthy?"

"Oh yea," she said as she moved yet again farther and farther away from Brooke.

"Is her cancer getting worse?"

"Can't even notice it," she said hiking her now full garbage bag on her back.

"Are you finished with your bag?" she asked motioning toward the bag of trash that was now over-flowing with how full it was.

"Umm yea" Brooke said handing it over.

The moment Skylar went to the back of the house to throw away the trash Brooke slipped through the screen door and toward Skylar's mothers' room. She tried the knob but it was locked, always locked. Brooke walked into Skylar's kitchen and poured herself a glass of OJ. She saw the text her own mother sent her like 40 minutes ago but she wasn't going to just drop everything and run to her so she can tell Brooke how fun a time she had at wherever it was she went.

"Hey where's Bēlua?" Ryder asked as he walked into the house.

"Who?" Brooke asked confused.

"Short little blonde girl?" he said indicating with his hand how short he thought Skylar was.

"You mean Skylar?"

"That'd be the one," he said coolly.

"Oh well she was just out taking the trash you must have missed her, she'll be back though it's getting dark. She's gonna have to go back out soon," Brooke explained while sipping her juice.

"Go back out? But I thought you just said it's getting dark why would she be going back out?" Brooke sighed hating having to explain things to people.

"Skylar likes to walk around in the dark sometimes, it's a weird thing she does. She doesn't tell me why she does it though so don't ask."

"If I was going to ask which I wasn't I would have expected a better answer than that seeing as though you're her friend, and I know you don't know me very well but for future references always check your tone when talking to me," he growled.

Brooke gulped loudly before nodding her head, its official he scares her, darn it he was cute too, she thought as she took her juice and walked past him carefully before waking back out toward the yard. She checked behind the house toward the trash cans and Skylar wasn't there but the trash was. Well she must have taken that nightly stroll early, Brooke thought. Now how does she tell Skylar's new scary friend that without causing him to physically harm her?

Brooke walked back to the house and Skylar's new scary friend looked up at her expectantly as if he knew she had bad news.

"Ummm Bella or whatever you called her, yea she left," Brooke said hesitantly.

"Left where?" he asked with barely controlled anger.

"Umm I guess she left for her nightly stroll?" She didn't mean to phrase it as a question but she was trying to pick her words carefully.

He slapped his hands against the counter top and Brooke jumped.

"Uhh if it helps she usually doesn't venture far, I followed her one time and she was just over at the next door neighbor's house. But seeing as though the closest their neighbor lives is a block away I'd say she hasn't made it yet," Brooke said slightly shaking in her boots at the furry in his eyes.

"Who's her next door neighbor?"

"I don't know I just know the kids are afraid of his pit-bull but Skylar seems to like him. Only she'd be able to make friends with the most hated dog," Brooke said trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.

"What's the neighbor's name?"

"I only know him by Mr. Wallace." He nodded his head once and then stormed out of the house.

Brooke let out the breath she had been holding in for quiet sometime and walked back toward Skylar's' mother's door. She knocked loudly three times but got no answer.

"Ms. Royce are you in there?" Brooke called as she placed her ear near the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Brooke heard a female voice growl.

Brooke turned around slowly and all she could see of Skylar was her gray eye's that seemed to be glowing at the moment.

"I thought you left," Brooke said as her heart seemed to have jump into her throat. Skylar has never been this intimidating before.

"Get out of my house and leave my mother alone," she snapped, glaring at Brooke, her eyes looking like little silver slits.

I will gladly leave, Brooke thought to herself as she hurried past Skylar and out the front door.

"Where's your back-bone Brooke?" Brooke nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Casper's voice.

"He was gone for a month," She reminded him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm ready to get back to work," he said simply.

"No Casper it's too soon I understand if you need time..."

"No Brooke! I said I'm ready to get back to work, now that your back bone is here and ready to get his hands dirty you will not turn him away."

Now that was a warning voice Brooke liked to here.

"Alright," she said simply.

"Good, now the last time we met up we were working on a female wisp correct?" he asked

"Correct, but lower your voice I don't think Skylar knows" she said getting more determined by the minute.

God she missed this boy, now it's time to get this show on the road.

### Chapter six: Ryder Ferris

"Why'd you have to scare her away?" Ryder asked—though in all honesty he didn't really care—as he watched Skylar walk to her mother's door, but she didn't attempt to open it, she just stood there.

"She had no business disturbing my mother like that!" she growled. "Why the hell are you still here anyway?" she asked as she turned her menacing storm cloud gray eyes on him.

"Skylar," she immediately cringed at the name obviously not wanting to be called it. "Bēlua," he changed watching her visibly relax. Ryder smiled as he realized the connection. He remember calling her Bēlua this morning and she seemed to be mad and ashamed that he called her it, now he understood why.

"What did I tell you about your tone of voice?" Ryder asked.

"I don't know please waste my time and remind me?" she countered.

Ryder walked toward her, his steps heavy with anger, he gripped her by the jaws, "watch how you speak to me Bēlua," he growled.

She snaked her bonny fingers around his wrist and yanked it away from her face. "Or what? You'll hurt me? I dare you!"

"Never in my life have I had someone talk to me with so much disrespect," he said angrily while all the while he was highly aroused.

"Well let me be the first," she said with a sinister smile.

"I don't think you want to take up that position Bēlua," he warned as he paid more attention the features that made up her gorgeous face.

"I'm almost positive I do," she warned back. "Now if you'd excuse me I have somewhere I need to be at the moment," she said as she turned around and began walking down the hall.

"Bēlua!" Ryder called. She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Clear your schedule...tomorrow you're mine." She didn't say anything as she began walking again. Ryder didn't leave until he heard a door slam behind her.

The moment Ryder left Skylar's house he went back to the tunnels.

"Hey boss," Ash said as he stood in front of the door the wisps were currently being held in.

"Where's Elliot?" he asked her.

She pointed straight ahead at the short, chunky boy with red curly hair and a very pronounced hunched back.

"Elliot!" Ryder called.

The man wobbled his way toward Ryder once he heard his name being called.

"Yes sir?" he asked eyes down casted.

"I'm up here," Ryder snapped.

"Sorry Sir," he said as he lifted his eyes to meet Ryder's very unhappy gaze.

"Do you have anything to report?"

"No sir, no one has wandered around the perimeter and no one was in or out."

"Good, now what about the blonde I sent you to watch?"

"You were with her all day sir," he said confused.

"Just wanted to make sure you were still doing as I ordered."

"Of course sir," he said giving Ryder a subtle nod before leaving.

"So what's with the blonde? I'm guessing it's the same one from 4 nights ago," Ash asked.

Ryder sighed before greeting her with a fleeting glance.

"As much as it would thrill me to hurt you for making a comment such as that when you have no business questioning me about anything, I may hurt you to the point where you're no longer any use to me and sadly I need you to train her," he said in a rush of words.

"Tr-train her?" she stammered.

"Yes, train her to be obedient," he said impatiently.

"Couldn't you just hurt her?" she asked cautiously.

"I don't want to hurt her it would never work, she's different."

"Ok so what would you like me to do," she said holding her head a bit higher.

"I don't know, smack her around a bit if you have to," he suggested.

"It would be my pleasure," she said with a sinister smile.

Ash is an amazing fighter no doubt about that but Ryder's not entirely sure she's on Skylar's level.

"Don't get too happy Ash," Ryder said as he walked down the long corridor of the tunnel toward his room.

"She will hit back," he warned.

Ryder could see Ash's smile falter a bit, a cat fight never interested him as much as this one would.

***

"Wow boss you look dressed to impress," Ash whistled the next morning as she watched Ryder approach.

"I hope you didn't wear anything you care too much about because today is the day you meet my Bēlua," Ryder announced.

"Is that her name, what does that even mean?" Ash asked as she fell in step beside him.

"Bēlua means monster and no her name is Skylar."

"You call her a monster, why? Umm sir," she quickly corrected.

"I don't call her a monster she calls herself one, and the name seems quite fitting if I do say so myself," Ryder said as they exited the tunnels.

"Are you going to let her hurt me?" Ash asked her voice pinched with fear.

"It's not about what I let her do, she doesn't listen to me," Ryder said through clenched teeth. "But that will soon change," he promised as her house came into view.

"Whatever you do don't upset her," he warned before opening her front door and stepping into her living room.

"You know those things there," Skylar said motioning toward Ryder's hands with the hand she wasn't using to keep the towel on her head in place, "they're used for more than punching you know, you should try knocking sometime."

Ryder could hear Ashley's gasp from where he stood.

"What is that?" Skylar asked referring to Ashley.

"I'm a who honey," Ash corrected.

"Well I don't know if you've noticed but this isn't Whoville honey," Skylar mocked.

"Can you pull your claws back just a bit?" Ryder asked her.

"This is my house if you don't like it..."

"LOOK!" he hollered above her, "WE'RE NOT HERE TO BITE, CALM DOWN!" he barked.

"No need to yell, if my mother wakes she'll be upset," she said though her voice was calm her eyes screamed in warning.

"It's 3 in the evening what is your mother still doing sleep?"

"ASH SHUT UP!" he yelled knowing good and well that Bēlua was ready to chew her head off.

"Yes sir," Ash said bowing her head slightly. Skylar looked at Ash like she was crazy.

"Girl you better pick your head up aint nobody down there," she said to Ash, when Ash didn't listen Skylar looked over at Ryder.

"You must be out of your God forsaken mind if you think that's the kind of hold you'll have over me. I think you've got enough dogs on your leash and you will not be adding another so you best forget it," she said as she turned around and headed toward one of the doors down the hall.

"Now I see what you mean," Ashley whispered as she slowly lifted her head. "But I don't owe her my respect so I will not be biting my tongue around her...uh sir."

"It's your death wish," Ryder said as he walked over toward one of the couches.

"Take a seat," he told her without bothering to look in her direction.

"Ok so now to whom do I owe this visit?" Skylar asked as she came back into the living room, hair all done.

"I told you I was coming," Ryder reminded her.

"Yea but you never mentioned Cousin Itt," she said as she sat on the arm-rest of the couch they were sitting on. Ryder hated the fact that he had to literally look up at her in order to address her.

"Well I had to get someone to teach you obedience."

"I told you I'm not going to be prancing around like a bitch in heat around you, you must be crazier than I gave you credit for."

"Well at least let me properly introduce the two of you. Skylar," saying her real name seemed so foreign on his tongue but still he continued, "meet Ashley and Ashley meet my Bēlua Skylar."

"You're not my owner," she hissed.

"Not yet I'm not," he said with a devious smile.

"Non in perpetuum," [not ever] she jeered in a different language.

"Ita certe videmus," [yea, we'll see] he retorted.

"English? Can someone speak it please?" Ash asked.

"Your master is going to be soooo very disappointed," she said to Ashley. "And when I don't become the little lap bitch he wants me to be he's gonna take all of his anger out on you," she said as if Ryder wasn't still sitting there which infuriated him even more.

"Ash leave," Ryder demanded. Ryder could see Skylar's nervous smile as Ash got up off of the couch.

"Don't you want witnesses? I think it'd be in your best interest if she stayed," Skylar said with clear amusement.

"Now Ashley!" he barked. All he could see was red and it was more than just a color.

"You don't like your life do you?" he asked threw a tightly snapped shut jaw.

"Truthfully? No I don't if I could serve it to you on a pretty little platter I would," she said showing more interest in her hands rather than their conversation.

"So this is how it's going to constantly be between us?"

"Are you going to keep forcing me to be obedient cause if so then yes."

"I can't help it," he growled.

"Maybe you're just not trying."

Oh she didn't know just how hard he was trying; if he weren't trying there'd be pieces of her lying around everywhere.

Ryder ran his hands through his hair and sighed before getting to his feet.

"I'm taking you to dinner be ready by 7," he announced before heading to the door.

"That's not considered trying." Ryder stopped at the sound of her voice. He turned around slowly to face her and she was wearing a stupid grin on her face.

"What do you mean?" he asked while trying to keep his voice in check.

"Exactly what I said that is not trying, you can't just demand I come to dinner with you, you have to ask for my company...like you want it," she said her smile growing brighter, it somehow didn't belong on her face and he so desperately wanted to rip it off.

"Will...you...come to...dinner...with me?"

"You mean like on a date?" she asked teasingly.

"You're pushing it," he growled causing her to laugh. She slipped off of the couch and began walking away.

"I WANT AN ANSWER! "He roared at her retreating backside as she moved farther and farther away from him.

She looked at him over her shoulder with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"I'll think about it," she said before she disappeared.

She was pushing every single last one of his buttons.

Ryder swung her front door open so violently hard it came off of its hinges. He walked out of her house and tried to line the door up perfectly before walking away. He'd fix it later—maybe.

### Chapter seven: Brooke F-Laurence

Brooke's mother hasn't been home for over 20 days and the first thing her mother does the moment she got back was invite her boss over for dinner, like she hadn't just spent 3 weeks with the guy.

"Do you like this guy?" Brooke asked her mother as her mother chopped vegetables for dinner.

"He's my boss I have to like him."

"No you don't a lot of people don't like their bosses it's a fairly normal thing to feel actually, but they deal with it you seem to be doing a lot more than dealing."

"Look Brooke, be nice. I don't want you bad mouthing him I will not be held accountable for what he does if he takes offence to anything you have to say...or do."

"No worries I don't plan on sticking around let alone actually speak to him," Brooke said as she hopped down from the kitchen stool.

"You will so be here young lady!" her mother yelled.

"Why? He's not my boss."

"And you will be here on time at 7o'clock," she finished as if Brooke hadn't uttered a word.

That gave her 45 minutes to conjure up some other plans, she thought to herself as she left the house.

Brooke hasn't talked to Skylar sense she yelled at her yesterday. Skylar was upset that she had disturbed her mother, but Brooke found it hard to believe that all her mother does now is sleep.

"Hey Skinny Minnie," Casper said strolling along beside her.

"Casper," Brooke said in acknowledgement as she stared across the street at Skylar's house.

Brooke walked up Skylar's porch stairs and contemplated knocking.

"Are you going to go in?" Casper asked.

"No," Brooke said simply.

"Ok, so how'd it go, you know now that your mother's back and everything?" Casper asked as she descended the porch stairs.

"It'd be easier to answer if you asked how it didn't go," she said as she stood beside Casper and watched Ryder's car pull to a stop in front of Skylar's house.

"I don' trust him," Brooke said to Casper, motioning toward Ryder. "I want you to keep tabs on him, tell me everything there is to know about Skylar's new toy."

"We're not going to—"

"No of course not," Brooke said cutting him off immediately. "It'd be too risky but I'd love more than anything to see him powerless and without control," she added.

"I second that," he mumbled.

"Watch his every move," she instructed.

"And what will you be doing?"

"I will have to endure the torturous sight of my mother on a date with her boss."

"You know she can't be moving on."

"Yea I know," she said softly.

"So why don't you tell her?" he suggested.

"He doesn't want me to," she said sadly.

"Well good luck with that," he said realizing exactly where her problems lie.

"Yea, thanks," she said before walking back home.

"I was seconds away from ordering a search party," Brooke's mother said dramatically as Brooke entered the house and hung up her jacket.

"Mom it's only 7:11 I'm not that late geeze," she said walking toward the kitchen where a man with brown eyes and ear length black hair sat.

"Brooke this is my boss Mr. Henderson," Brooke's mother said as she motioned toward the man sitting at their kitchen table.

Brooke wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the sight of another man sitting in her father's chair.

"It's nice to meet you Brooke, and please call me Hank."

### Chapter eight: Skylar Royce

"Come in," Skylar said at the relentless knocking at her front door.

Skylar heard a big crash and she ran out of her room and down the stairs to see what it was. She wanted to drop her jaw in disbelief but she was holding a couple of bobby pins between her lips making it impossible to do so without dropping them.

Skylar's door was lying on her floor instead of where it should be which only meant one thing—Ryder. He wasn't satisfied with how their conversation went yesterday and so he took his frustration out on her door.

"Uh your door is um broke," Brooke said as she walked around it to pick it up.

"Leave it," Skylar told her. "Ryder will be fixing this mess."

"Ryder, as in controlling-anger-problems Ryder?"

"That'd be the one," Skylar said around the mouthful of bobby pins.

"And I'mma take a wild guess here and say he is who you're all dressed up to see?"

Skylar didn't bother answering Brooke as she turned and left, headed back to her room. She finished the finishing touches on her hair before turning to face Brooke.

"Is there a reason you're here?" she asked her.

Skylar still hasn't forgotten that little stunt Brooke tried to pull with her mother.

"Well yea...no," Brooke quickly corrected. "I just wanted to see you,"

—and she just wanted to laugh, Skylar thought to herself. How pathetic.

"Did you not see enough of me yesterday? We spent all day together?"

"Yea but that was yesterday, today's a new day right?" she said hopefully.

Skylar didn't even bother giving her a reply.

"That dress looks nice on you."

"What can I say? Red's my color," Skylar said without the smallest of emotion.

"Right you and Melissa always looked good in red."

Skylar knew what was coming next, Brooke was going to ask: Oh how is Melissa? And then Skylar would pretend she didn't know she'd ask.

This was Brooke's way of staying a little longer Skylar concluded, but Skylar wasn't in the mood for it.

"Yea, Melissa's doing great she's a full time nurse now and her daughter just turned 2, 3 week ago. She just went through a very bad divorce and so she's dedicating all of her time to working instead of her daughter."

"Oh," Brooke said simply.

Melissa is Skylar's older sister but at times Melissa liked to act like Skylar's mother, but now that Melissa is a mother herself it's only going to get worse the next time she sees Skylar.

"So now if you'll excuse me I have to finish getting ready," Skylar said as she held her door open for Brooke to leave, and with hesitant steps Brooke did just that.

Skylar wasn't ready to see her, what Brooke tried to do behind her back was unforgiveable.

Skylar walked over toward her closet and slipped on her shoes. She hasn't been out since her mother had gotten sick and so she was nervous but at the same time she was looking forward to this.

Whenever anyone wanted to approach Skylar in any way they treated her with kiddy gloves, like her feelings need to be babied.

Ryder doesn't know anything about her so he doesn't know any better and she'd rather keep it that way. Besides even if he did know her—the real her—Skylar doesn't think he'd run but that was the problem she doesn't think Ryder knows how to run, it was that pride thing he has going on. Everyone else would be smart and leave her alone but not him he'd keep coming back until he got her to submit and that would never happen. She enjoys his careless banter too much, no one would dare talk to her like that too afraid of hurting her feelings or better yet too afraid of disappointing her mother. She hated the way people treated her, she's usually not like this, talking back to people and being disrespectful as Ryder would call it but she realized that that was the way she had to be in order to get under Ryder's skin. She doesn't understand his need for control over every little thing, but she doesn't care for it either way it goes, as long as he didn't change.

Skylar smoothed out her red dress which was very comfortable to move in considering the 4 inch black pumps that will give her feet hell by the end of the night.

Skylar almost fell down the stairs from pure shock when she saw Ryder already in her house fixing her door. When did he get here?

She quickly recovered from her near death experience and descended the rest of the stairs.

When he was finished with the door he took a step back to admire his work before turning to look at her. She should have been flattered by the approval in his gaze but he ruined it.

"Do you not make noise when you enter someone else's house? You know like rattle a pot? I would say slam a door but look what happened the last time you decided you wanted to do that."

"Let's go," he said in his commander voice. He didn't even acknowledge the fact that she had asked him a question.

Skylar placed her hands on her hips and raised her eye brow in question.

"What?" he asked.

"Aren't you going to apologize?"

"For what?" he asked confused.

"For breaking my door," she said as if it were obvious, which it was.

"It's fixed now, isn't that apology enough?"

"No," she said firmly.

"Then let me make it up to you," he said holding his hand out toward her.

"I don't want you to make it up to me unless it involves some kind of apology."

"Not gonna happen," he simply declined dropping his hand to his side.

"Then we're staying here," she said crossing her arms in a defiance pose.

"Ok. Do you know how to cook or should I?" he asked as he walked toward her kitchen.

"Ok let me rephrase that 'cause obviously you're not understanding," she said.

"What is there to understand?"

"I'm staying here, by myself."

"Bēlua," he said in a warning tone.

"It's your choice," she reminded him.

"So you're going to waste that gorgeous little ass dress by sitting on the couch and doing what, watching movies?"

"If it comes to that," she agreed. She held her smile behind the façade of her indifference as she watched him.

Every step he took was measured in equal parts anger and steps of a murderer before he stood completely in her line of vision.

He grabbed her tightly by her upper arms but she didn't care she knew he had to inflict some kind of pain before he caved and gave into her request so she let him.

"I am sorry for breaking your damn door, now can we go?"

Skylar couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips, and she didn't bother hide it.

"I'm ready when you are," she said stepping out of his hold to grab her purse from the coat rack.

She stood at the now closed door and looked back at him expectantly.

"Aren't you going to open the door for me?" she asked

"There's only so much I can take," he growled in warning as he opened her door.

"Thank you," she said as she disappeared through the now opened door. She continued to walk until she stood at the passenger side door. She didn't even get a chance to ask if he was going to open the door before he ripped it open and shoved her inside. She giggled as she fell over the seat, before righting herself and buckling up.

"Thank you, but next time how 'bout we try that a little less rough, and a little more soft," she said as he slid into the driver's side of the car.

"After this I'm not so sure there's going to be a next time," he mumbled as he pulled off.

As they rode off Skylar realized too late what time it was.

### Chapter nine: Ryder Ferris

Ryder was shocked that Skylar actually stayed quiet throughout the whole ride. When he looked over at her, her face was covered in frown lines. He wanted to ask what was wrong but he wasn't ready for a verbal fight with her just yet, but now that they were inside the club surrounded by people he decided he's take his chance.

Ryder led Skylar toward the back where the tables were set up and she didn't question him or yell at him as he pushed her.

"I've heard of this place," she said as she weaved through the throng of people.

"Oh, yea?" Ryder said through gritted teeth as he pushed people out of her way so she wouldn't have to constantly weave and crisscross through groups of people.

Ryder's ears met with a bunch of "hey's" and "ouch" and "hey man watch who you're pushin" but not once did he care as continued to push his way through people, parting the sea of drunks for her.

"Yea my friends went here to celebrate after graduation," she said as they finally made it to an empty table.

"And you didn't go?" he questioned as he sat down across from her.

"No my mother was si- she needed me," she quickly changed as she looked around. "They say there are always bar fights here so I was kinda glad I never came. They say the Neon Light's is famous for it."

"It is," he said as he sipped the water the waitress sat in front of them.

Skylar turned to look at him for the first time since she stepped foot into his car, her eyes were tinged red and she had tight frown lines around her mouth. When they left her house she looked perfectly fine, her eyes their normal gray, her mouth relaxed, she looked...perfect but now she looks crazy, almost tired looking.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he sat the water he was sipping down.

"I need some fresh air can you excuse me for a moment?" she asked but she didn't stay around long to hear his answer, she was already up and moving back through the crowd.

It didn't escape Ryder's notice that her movements seemed frantic almost jittery.

Ryder looked down at his watch and It was already eight and very dark outside and she didn't make it back to the Neon Light's until a quarter after. When she sat down and looked up at him she smiled, and in that moment she looked perfectly fine again, but her eyes weren't their normal pale gray they were the storm cloud gray he was beginning to see too much of lately.

"I'm sorry I took so long, I'm surprised you haven't ordered already," she said. "Knowing you I know it had to have killed you to wait," she smiled.

It more than killed him it demoralized him he was afraid she wouldn't come back.

Ryder shook his head to get rid of the thought if she didn't come back then oh well, it wouldn't have meant anything to him any ways, he thought to himself.

When the waitress came back around Ryder didn't hesitate to give her their orders.

"How long have you been coming here?" Skylar asked as she rested her elbows on the edge of the table and held her chin up on her folded hands as if what he was about to say was some kind of big juicy secret.

"Let's just say most of those bar fights might have or might not have involved me."

"That's no fair you have an advantage," she said sounding almost childlike.

Whatever she did when she went to get some "fresh air" had changed her somehow and Ryder noticed immediately.

"The only advantage I had was caused by their own doing. How was it my fault they were stone cold drunk?"

"That's not the only advantage," she said leaning back in her chair as the waitress came back with their food.

"Can I get you two anything else?" The waitress asked.

"Yes, I'd like something to drink," Skylar said.

"You already have something to drink," he reminded her.

"I don't want water," she argued.

Ryder looked over at the waitress, "bring her something light," he instructed her.

The waitress looked as if she wanted to question him but thought better of it and left to do as he asked.

"You're a buzz kill you know," she said as she stuffed some fries into her mouth.

"I don't do babysitting, so if you decided you want to get stupid drunk I'm leaving your little ass here."

"Buzz kill," she repeated.

"Here you go," the waitress said as she sat the tall glass down in front of Skylar.

"What is it?" Ryder asked the waitress referring to the contents in Skylar's glass.

"It's a lime margarita on rocks sir, the lightest thing we have," she said before leaving.

"What if I told you I was allergic to lime?" Skylar asked as she ran her red painted fingernail along the rim of the drink.

"Water's still an option," he reminded her.

"Would you like to dance with me?" One of the men from the sea of drunks asked as he dared approach their table.

"Can't you see we're still fuckin eating?!" Ryder snapped at the drunk.

"The food will be here," Skylar said as she took a sip of her drink before taking the drunken turds hand.

Ryder ate his food and watched as Skylar danced with one fucker after another.

A woman with too much paint on her face, the sluttiest dress probably ever created adorned her body, her breast were held so high she could rest her chin on them had begun to make her way toward Ryder.

"You wanna dance sugar?" she asked.

Ryder didn't even bother to look in her direction as he got to his feet.

"Not with you," he said as he stalked off toward Skylar.

Skylar's eyes widened in fear as she watched him approached and he didn't want her to be afraid of him... he didn't want her to be afraid of him? Since when and how come he's just now hearing about this? He ridiculed himself. You want her fear. You want her submission, he reminded himself as he grabbed her by the hand before the next drunk could ask and pulled her onto the dance floor and into his arms as Wanted by Hunter Hayes began to play.

"You could have asked," she said as she began moving.

"I've done enough asking when it comes to you."

"Hardly," she said as he spun her.

"Besides anyone who dares ask for this kind of punishment is either drunk or crazy," he said as he spun her back into his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you can't fuckin dance, the object of the game isn't to see how many times you can step on my foot in a minute."

"Well it's crowded," she wined.

"There's no one around us I made sure of it."

Skylar looked around and realized that there was indeed no one around them. She smiled shyly, "well in my defense I haven't gone dancing since-"she stopped abruptly and her smile faltered.

"Since when?" he pushed.

"Since my sister's wedding," she said as she stepped on his foot... again. If he didn't know any better he'd say that that one was on purpose.

"Why would that make you sad?" he pushed farther.

She looked up at him and her eyes seemed to be screaming at him in warning.

"It was a farther daughter dance," she explained.

"But I thought the farther dances with the bride during a father daughter dance?" Ryder said as he spun her so she wouldn't have access to his feet.

"My mother wanted to video tape me and my farther as well," she said as he spun her back into his arms.

Ryder could see the start of tears gleaming in her eyes and her eyes seemed to be screaming at him to apologize and stop asking fuckin questions.

"I'm sorry I asked," he mumbled as he spun her one last time before the song ended.

"I want to go again I think I'm doing better," she said obviously trying to put their conversation behind her.

"Trust me you're not," he said.

"Well practice makes perfect," she argued.

"Not if my toes have anything to say about it," he mumbled as he pulled her into his arms once again and danced to Someone like You by Adele.

"Hey if you—"he started.

"No talking," she cut him off as she snaked her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.

"You asked for this by the way. Remember it was you who approached me and forced me to dance with you so I don't want to hear any complaining," she said.

***

"I'm picking you up tomorrow, same time," Ryder said as he dropped her off at her door step.

"Are you asking?"

"Yes, consider that a question," he said reluctantly.

"Alright then," she said while unlocking her door. "I'll see you then," she said before slipping inside.

***

Ryder rode around for nearly an hour before turning around and heading toward Banquet St.

"Yes may I help you?" a voice said over the speaker near the gates.

Ryder thought about turning around knowing that she couldn't see him but he decided against it.

"It's me Loretta, can you open the gates?"

"Of course sir, hold on just one moment," she said as she clicked off the intercom address system and went to do as he asked.

Ryder started his car back up and proceeded to drive as the gates swung open slowly. He took several calming breaths before exiting his car and entering the house.

"It's nice to see you Ryder, she's been asking about you you know?" Loretta said as she exited the kitchen and met him in the living room.

Yea he knew which is why he has kept his distance.

"Is she awake?" he asked.

"No, she just had her medication and it seemed to have put her straight to sleep."

This must be his lucky day, Ryder thought as his chest began to untighten at the realization that he still had some time before he had to face her.

"I'll be in and out," he promised.

"Take your time I'm sure she'd be glad to see you," Loretta said as she went back into the kitchen.

Guilt made Ryder nervous, he had no doubt in his mind that she'd be glad to see him, he just wished he could say the same for her.

Ryder didn't like watching this woman die right in front of him. He knew it had to be hard for Loretta. He's well aware that Loretta is his mother's care taker, but she's also her friend and yet Loretta didn't turn her back on his mother like her own son and husband did.

Ryder took hesitant steps toward his mother's door and opened it slowly before slipping inside.

The smell was horrid but he learned long ago that it's better to breathe through your nose rather than your mouth; it'll feel almost as if you can taste it. He was glad he didn't eat much while out with Skylar he'd hate for it to make a quick return.

Ryder's mother looked so sickly lying against those white sheets. Her face was pale minus the circles around her eyes; her lips were chapped and dry. She had to be thirsty but he had no right waking her up in order for her to drink some water.

Ryder looked at the woman who suffered like this for years. None of the doctors thought she'd even make it this far, they said she should have died before her 25 birthday but yet his mother made it. She's alive and kicking—ok well maybe not kicking but she was breathing—Ryder felt bad for leaving her but there was no way he'd sit and watch as his very own mother died.

The doctors have no clue now how long she has; they say she can die at any moment. Ryder can't risk getting close to her if he'd just end up losing her.

Ryder walked back out of her room and headed down the hall toward Loretta's room.

"Are you ok sir?" she asked.

Ryder rarely comes into her room, though this was technically his house and all of these rooms belong to him, she deserved some privacy.

"I'm fine Loretta, I'm leaving," he announced.

"Here's my number," he said writing it down for her. Not sure why but knowing that someday it would come in handy, just hopefully no day soon.

"Would you like me to call you when she wakes?" she asked as she accepted the piece of paper.

"No," he said shaking his head slightly. "Only if you have to," he added in a whisper before turning toward the door and leaving his mother behind yet again.

He thought it hurt the first time, but it was even worse the second, he thought as he closed the door behind himself.

He made sure to warn Loretta to lock the gates and not to let anyone in unless he authorized it before getting back into his car and driving away.

### Chapter ten: Sidney Fields

"I need the wisps on my side Nate," Sidney complained.

"I know but there's no way they'll listen to a human."

He's right Wisps hate humans, but it makes no sense Sidney should be one of them!

"I don't get it how am I human?" she voiced out loud.

"Have you considered the possibility that Aaron isn't your biological father?"

Sidney sighed; she has entertained that thought more than she was proud of.

"Ok it's possible I agree but if it was even remotely true than not only do I no longer have his name to throw around at will but that's also more of a reason for the wisps not to trust me."

"You need someone powerful on your side."

"Like who? Ryder won't do it he already has his own powerful band of wisps," she complained.

"You're right and even if he didn't, he would never give you control, besides we need someone stronger than Ryder, someone the wisps don't know, first impressions are everything no one would willingly fall under Ryder's control."

Who is strong enough to gather and help her lead a band of wisps? Someone the wisps don't know? And they have to be a wisp themselves.

"What about Hank? Ryder said he's a wisp and he's most defiantly good at first impressions he's had a lot of practice with it."

"Ok, but can you trust Hank?"

"No but I can get him to trust me, besides we're only using him."

"Are you sure about this?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, but what other choice do I have?"

"You do know that there is someone out there targeting wisps and draining them of their power don't you?"

"Yes, I'm aware."

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

"Why do I have to do anything?" Sidney asked confused.

"With everything that's been going on the wisps won't be so trusting," Nate informed.

"Yea, but how am I supposed to know who's behind this?"

"Just...don't be so quick to rule anyone out," he warned.

Sidney sighed, "This is more than I bargained for," she huffed.

"It looks to be that way sometimes, but it'll all be worth it," Nate reminded her.

***

"Hey Kid," Hank said as he came into the house all sweaty from his morning run.

"My mother's not here," Sidney said as she picked through the fridge and tried to decide what to have for breakfast.

"What does your mother do?" he asked.

Sidney pulled out a packet of turkey bacon and a few eggs.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she sat the items down on the counter and heated the skillet.

"For a living," he explained.

"All of this time yall've spent together and that hasn't come up?" she asked curiously as she laid the bacon down at the bottom of the pan.

"No I just want to know what she told you."

"Who are you implying she lied to you or me?" she asked over the pop and sizzling of the bacon.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Hank said.

"Well then what makes you think she's lying at all?"

"She's—she doesn't need a job," he quickly changed.

Ok she knew what this was about.

"You think that just because my mother's a whisperer she shouldn't have to work so you want to know why she bothers. Well my mother's not a whisperer only my father is—"

"Was" he corrected.

"Was," she was reluctant to add.

"How do you know so much about whisperers seeing as though it seemed to have skipped a generation where you're concerned?"

"My father is the greatest of you all, word gets around."

"Was," he tried to correct again.

"No I meant is," she said simply.

"Why are you even with my mother? If I was able to tell that she wasn't a wisp then I'm pretty sure you already figured it out seeing as though you're a wisp and all?" she asked as she flipped the bacon.

"Why would I care if your mother's a wisp or not?" "Can you hand me a bottle of water?" he said as he sat at one of the kitchen stools.

"It's no secret that wisps don't like humans Hank and you know that," Sidney said as she handed him a bottle of water.

"Yea but your mother's different," he said as he uncapped the bottle.

"Why? Because she was able to snag the greatest wisp?" Sidney questioned as she plated the bacon.

"You're smart but that's not it."

"So then what is it? She's my mother you know if you just plan on hurting her I'd be stupid to let you."

"What could you possibly do?" he asked amused.

"What you should be asking is what is it I already did?" Sidney said as she cracked the eggs and added them to the skillet.

"What are you getting at?"

"I know more about wisps than the wisps themselves, you included," she said casually as she pushed the eggs around and began scrambling them.

"And what exactly do you know?"

"Again wrong question Hank stay with me here," she said as she turned toward the fridge and grabbed a few slices of cheese.

"Ok what should I ask instead?" he asked curiously.

"You should be asking how is it I came to know so much," Sidney said as she turned back to the stove.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"My father," she answered simply as she added the cheese to the eggs.

"What about him?" he asked.

Sidney could detect a bit of fear in his voice as he asked it.

"He has a book of rules for every good leader to follow, this book also contains every Whisperers secret out there" she said as she put the eggs on the plate with the bacon.

"And I have it," she finished.

"Bon appetit," Sidney said as she sat the plate down in front of him and walked away.

***

"Hey Sid the Kid's back," Nate announced.

"Hey," Sidney said as she climbed their tree and sat on the lowest branch.

"Ryder was supposed to be here," he said as she made herself as comfortable as one can be on a stubby little tree.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Well I told him about our plans."

"Why?" she asked again her voice laced in shock.

"He might be able to help," he explained.

"Help is one thing Ryder doesn't know how to do, well that among many other things. What happened to being on the lookout, not trusting anyone?"

"We can trust Ryder and you know it."

"Oh really? 'Cause just last week me and you both witnessed him possess a young wisp's body, drain him of his powers and leave him to die."

"Yea but there could have been a reason, you were just too scared to ask."

"I've never seen anything like that in my life!" she yelled.

"Come on Sid do you really think we can't trust him?" Nate asked.

"I don't know who to trust anymore," Sidney admitted.

"Why what happened?" he asked curiously.

"I heard my mom talking yesterday...and I don't know who it was she was talking to but I heard her say something about a location and then she mentioned dad's name."

"So what do you think it means? You don't think she meant he was still alive do you?"

"But why would he fake his death he was and still is the greatest wisp to ever live, who would just give that up?"

"How'd he die in the first place?" Nate asked cautiously.

"No one knows but rumor has it he was fighting to reclaim his tittle."

"Reclaim? Who tried to take it from him in the first place?"

"Well see that's the thing no one knows really who he was and then when people went in search for him he just disappeared."

"Why would he run off scared after winning the most respected title fair and square? He killed the greatest wisp and claimed the tittle why would he run from that?"

"What if it wasn't fair and square?"

"What do you mean?" Nate asked.

"I don't know, I'm just saying he could have tried a sneak attack in order to kill the greatest wisp."

"But it's really hard to kill him, everyone knows that."

"That's just it, what if he never died? My mother said something about a location what if it's where he's hiding?"

"Do you think it's possible?"

"If it is I can't risk it," Sidney said.

"Why not?" Nate asked confused.

"Because there are still other things to worry about like the wisps being kidnapped and killed, we need to know who's doing it and why. And then there's Hank, I wasn't suspicious before, I hated all of the wild chases Ryder sent me on concerning Hank but now I think Ryder was on to something. He suspected Hank for something and we need to find out what it was. This is no longer the fun little pranks we used to play on people when we were little Nate this is real."

"Yea I know Sid," he agreed.

### Chapter eleven: Skylar Royce

Skylar went into her mother's room with her daily's routine of freshening the air, brushing her mother's hair, and collecting the remainder of her mother's teeth.

"Mama sooner or later I won't have any more hair to brush," Skylar whispered as clumps of her mother's hair come out in the brush.

"And your fingers look like that of a witch's, they're all brown and rotten, I should paint them for you, would you like that mama?" she asked as she sat down the brush and sat at the end of her bed.

"I had a great time last night mama, I can't remember the last time I've been out," Skylar said in a broken whisper.

"I know if you were awake you'd be smiling. You used to tell me all the time that I should get out more and stop worrying about you, but I couldn't stop the guilt of knowing that while I was out having fun you were here alone. But I'm glad I went out I can't stomach being alone anymore. I need to get out of the house more often and not just at night. If I'm alone lord knows what could have happened to me, I can no longer stop at one mama the monster wants more and more and I can't stop it."

"Can you believe I left at the beginning of the date for this ridiculous craving? I can't," Skylar said answering herself.

"But I don't think I should see Ryder anymore after this, he's just going to get curious, you understand mama don't you?"

After Skylar didn't get an answer she picked up the bowl of soup she had sat on her mother's coffee table two days ago, and she looked down at the mess that surrounded her mother's body.

"Mama you're going to need a bath I can't let you sit in that mess," Skylar said in disgust.

"Your skin is starting to shrivel," she whispered, it was like her mother was growing older and older right before her eyes.

"I have to go mama this case isn't going to solve itself, and I don't want to let my father down," Skylar said as she put the untouched bowl of soup down.

Skylar kissed her mother's ashen forehead before quietly stepping out of the room and locking it behind herself.

Skylar walked into the kitchen and fixed herself a cup of coffee before heading toward the dark room down the hall.

The dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening. It was a bit foggy out, the clouds a murky grey but it was fairly light outside so the room wasn't as dark as Skylar would normally prefer it but she had to get a crack on this case she couldn't afford to wait until sundown.

The D.E.A.N Inc. had worked on a case similar to this one but the wisp kidnapper and killer could be anyone.

Skylar turned on the IV Lights and reviewed the notes she had taken so far.

• The W.K.K had to be someone in the area; all the bodies that had been found were around this area so it only made sense.

• The wisps that were captured and killed were also drained of power, which is the only way a wisp could truly die besides being beheaded.

• Once a wisp is drained of their power their bodies become vulnerable, their bodies don't heal as fast as it should and so it's liable for them to catch any diseases and die a human death because their immune systems are no longer strong enough to ward them off.

• I know for a fact the W.K.K isn't targeting kids, all of the victims ages ranges from 19 to 42.

• We haven't found a warehouse but we're almost positive there is one.

• We have no clue how the wisps are being drained but we're guessing it's something scientific, that's the only explanation that wouldn't leave a noticeable trace. But we do have evidence that the victims were indeed alive during the draining process.

• We found no drugs or any other foreign substances in the victims' bodies so whoever is luring them is very well known.

• No traces of struggle, the victims seem to be going willingly.

"What am I missing?" she asked as she took a sip of her coffee and reviewed every note she had ever taken.

"The victims aren't gender specific," she added to the list.

• There were equal amounts female and male bodies recovered.

Skylar had a man from the inside, a good friend of her father's looking into any similarities that she might have missed that links any of their victims.

This used to be Skylar's dad's case; he worked nonstop at it until he died a heroic death.

D.E.A.N Inc. which stands for: Damon, Ethan, Ava, and Naveen- solved a similar case just like this one 6 years ago, now they're dealing with a copycat.

Damon Skylar's father and his brother Ethan and sisters Ava, and Naveen were the greatest detectives there side of town has ever seen, with Skylar's father out of the picture the family grieved the loss of their dear brother and dearest companion but they've never stopped working but this side of her dad was kept secret his brothers and sisters wanted to live a normal life and Skylar had wanted the same but fate had other plans.

If Skylar told Ethan, Ava and especially Naveen about the case they'd blow up completely and turn her away.

Skylar has only been an investigator for D.E.A.N Inc. for a year and she in no shape or form had the power to tell the rest of the team what it was they were to work on, though everyone respected her because she was the daughter of Damon they would never put their full and complete trust in her and she completely understood that.

But sadly that just meant she had to tip toe around the team in order to solve this but she has always known that this is what her dad would have wanted whether he was proud to be a wisp or not a crime committed is a case unsolved and her dad doesn't like to leave cases unsolved.

Skylar's dad's case was solved 6 years ago and someone is bringing his case out of the grave it was buried in and Skylar's knows that her dad would like nothing more than for her to solve this case.

She may not be working on it professionally but she does have some inside help.

Skylar pulled out her phone and dialed her dad's friend's number.

"Hey Mr. Henderson," she said the moment he picked up the phone.

"Hey kiddo how's it going?" he asked.

"It going good, look listen I need your help," she said as she sipped her coffee and stared at all of the evidence on the walls.

"Alright what do you need?" he asked professionally.

"Do you still have the list of the victims I gave you?"

"Yes I do, it's here somewhere," he said. Skylar could hear him riffling through papers through the phone. "Alright what about it?" he asked obviously having found it now.

"I'm going to need you to send someone in to talk to the families. Something has to be connecting these victims I don't believe they're just random attacks."

Skylar looked out at all of the notes plastered on the walls about each individual victim. They all looked as different as could be, she thought confused.

"Alright I'll have someone on it as soon as possible, would you like anything else?"

"No, but thank you," she answered glumly.

"No problem kid, take care of yourself."

"I really appreciate it Hank."

"You know Hank the Tank always got your back," he said before hanging up.

### Chapter twelve: My Dearest Aaron

"What to do with him?" the man asked frantically.

"Leave him someone will find him," she instructed.

"Hurry before someone finds you, besides he won't be non-conscious for long so we have to get out of here," she added.

"Only you would say non-conscious instead of unconscious," he mumbled.

"Why not just take him with us and finish what we started?"

"Always so eager," she mumbled impatiently. "We can't do that we have to mix it up now drop him and let's go."

The man did as she instructed and disappeared in the shadows beside her.

"What if he tells people what happened?" he asked.

"He can't tell people about what he couldn't see; besides I took care of it pretty soon he won't be able to say anything at all. Now let's get out of here."

"Why do you think the man was following the short little blonde?" he asked.

"I don't know but nothing good could have possibly come out of it."

The duo walked farther into the shadows on the side of the abandoned warehouse when they saw the tall man that had accompanied the blonde yesterday.

"We're going to have to get in and out of there sooner or later; now that we know where he's hiding them it gives us easier access."

"What the fuck do you mean we? You know as well as I do that I'm going in there by myself, I know you."

The woman smiled shyly, "Fine but keep an eye on the place we need to know when it's the perfect-est time."

"You mean the perfect time right?" he asked rolling his eyes.

The woman gave him a warning glare.

"Ok, ok and what will you be doing while I'm here?"

"I will be keeping an eye on the other one, the boys no good for her you know. He's dangerous and there's a lot she doesn't know about him."

"You almost sound as if you care," the man scoffed.

"I do care," she argued.

"Mmhmm sure you do."

The woman went around back and snuck into the building behind the warehouse. She needed to stay close everything she needed was just in reach here.

The woman walked up the stairs toward the top floor—the only floor with completely untouched windows; all the others were either cracked or completely gone—the woman pulled down the ladder that would take her to the roof of the building.

She looked around at the fairly darkening sky and it wasn't even 8 yet.

She sat down pretzel style and grabbed the laptop and opened up her email.

To: 050972

From: Unknown Recipient

Subject: 20 days

Dearest Aaron,

I have done everything I can by you; everything I did was to please you, because you are my everything. I can't wait until I see you again. I will bear gifts this time and trust me when I say you will not be disappointed. The victim in question is nearly ready to meet you but first I have to take care of some things I hope you can understand that. Your safety and health mean the world to me without you none of this is worth it. I will not disappoint you I promise I'll be everything you need and more. Thank you for storing your trust in me.Until next time.

Sincerely: Your one && only

The woman closed the laptop. She knew he'd be suspicious if she didn't tell him why and what exactly she had to take time off to take care of but she needed a break from this after this little red head is takin care of he'll need a few days to rest until she goes out for the hunt again.

This gives her enough time to take care of the short little blonde and her dark haired friend.

Sidney Fields

"Hey mom," Sidney said as she hung up her jacket and walked toward where her mother sat on the couch...in the dark?

"Where have you been?" her mother asked.

"What do you mean I'm actually earlier than I've ever been its only 6 o' clock?"

"Just answer your mother's question," Hank said from beside her.

"I was down by the creek," Sidney answered slowly.

Something was wrong here. The lights were out and by the looks of it Hank and her mother were just watching a movie but that's not what felt wrong. What felt wrong was that her mother had been crying and if Sidney knew anything about her mother it was that she was not a crier and then what's weirder is that Hank....HANK! Had been the one to comfort her.

"I know you were with Nathaniel," she said softly.

"Yea I was—wait is that what this is about, me hanging with Nate?"

"You know I don't approve and yet you do it anyways. I barely approve of Caitlin but I let that go...Hank was right," she finished in a whisper.

Sidney's head had immediately snapped into Hanks direction.

"What is she talking about, what did you say to her?" she asked accusingly.

"You're using me," Sidney's mother continued in her softly whispered voice.

"Why Sidney, why are you doing this? That boy is nothing but trouble, do you realize the hell that boy put this family through? And don't let me even get started on that near death scare he had given your father."

"Oh gosh please tell me you're not fretting over the people I choose to hang out with. I'm 19 mom I can hang out with whoever the fuck I want to! The only reason I stuck around as long as I had was because dad had just died and I'd thought you'd need me. Now you're letting a complete stranger come between us," Sidney said motioning toward Hank.

"Watch how you talk to your mother, she does not deserve your anger," Hank spoke up.

"No she doesn't you're right because you do!"

"I think you need to calm down," he said.

"You told me if she found that book that she'd start acting out, I should have listened to you," her mother said to Hank.

"What book?" Sidney asked confused.

"I think you should give Hank the book honey," Sidney's mother said.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Sidney asked her mother.

"She's referring to Aaron's book of secrets," Hank said.

A slow sinister smile played along the thin lines of Sidney's lips, "So that is what all of this is about?" she asked as realization hit.

"You have to give it to him Sidney," her mother pleaded.

"Mom don't you realize that he's just using you?"

"Sidney, please just don't argue and go get the book and give it to him."

There was something wrong with her mother Sidney hadn't noticed it when she first walked into the house and she's surprised it took her this long to notice it but her mother's eyes were dry and red as she stared at nothing, her voice a bit robotic with no feeling and she has yet to move.

Sidney looked accusingly at Hank, "I know what you're doing and it's not going to work," she said as she stood up and headed toward her bed room.

"SIDNEY GIVE ME THE FUCKING BOOK!!" Hank yelled.

"YOU'LL NEVER GET THE BOOK HANK! BUT IT WAS SUCH A GOOD EFFORT YOU PUT IN!" she yelled back.

Once Sidney was in her room she noticed that her room was a mess of books and papers, shoes and clothes everywhere.

"I guess it didn't take him long to find out the book wasn't here," she whispered as she began cleaning up her room.

### Chapter thirteen: Ryder Ferris

"Going out again boss?" Ashley asked.

"Where's Elliot?" Ryder asked her not bothering to answer her ridiculous question.

"He wasn't feeling well sir so he sent Nico and Carter to watch the girl," she answered hesitantly.

"Whisperers don't get illnesses so what the fuck do you mean by he wasn't feeling well?" he roared.

"Well umm he said he was dizzy and that he had a hard time seeing when he came back the last time from his mission."

"Where's he now? I want to see him."

"Right this way sir," she said leading the way through the halls of the tunnels.

She opened one of the doors and Ryder could see Elliot lying on the bed that stood in the middle of the room.

There wasn't much furniture in there just a lamp that sat on a small night stand, the bed Elliot was currently lying in, one chair for visitors and a cabinet filled with medical supplies.

They get a lot of injured wisps but nothing like this.

Like most of the rooms there are no windows in the tunnels and so one of the wisps built a venetian blind in the walls of the tunnel, it stills baffles him that they were able to do something like that.

The aspic of Elliot's skin or the skin they could see was pale and there were several discolored marks all over his body.

They always kept the rooms cool they are in a tunnel so it's naturally cool already down there and yet Elliot sweats as if it was 90o degrees in there.

By the looks of it his tongue was too swollen to fit into his mouth correctly which also prevented him from speaking.

"When did this happen?" Ryder asked Ash who stood in the door way looking aghast.

"I don't know sir, he watched the girl like you instructed but around 8:00 he came back and sent Nico and Carter."

8:00 the same time Skylar had left the Neon Lights, could she have noticed Elliot following her?

"How was he able to talk to Nico and Carter and why the hell were those the first words out of his mouth?"

"Well his tongue wasn't like that when he came back and his reasoning for sending out Nico and Carter I presume had something to do with his not wanting to let you down by not following the girl like you had instructed," she explained.

Ryder went to the medical cabinet and pulled out a tongue presser.

"I don't want anyone following her anymore," he announced.

"Yes, sir I'll make sure to spread the word along."

Ryder separated Elliot's lips and slid the tongue presser between his teeth and tongue.

"How long has he been knocked out?" Ryder asked as he reached for a pair of latex gloves.

"Well I had one of the female wisps check on him every hour, she was a doctor so I figured she'd know more than the rest of us."

"Call her in here," he said as he pressed Elliot's tongue to see if he could tell whether or not he had swallowed anything in the last 24 hours, it's possible that it could have just be an allergic reaction.

"Good evening sir," the female doctor said.

"What do you know so far, what conclusion have you come to?" Ryder asked her having no such time to exchange pleasantries.

"Well," she said walking over toward the other side of the bed.

"I thought it was just an allergic reaction of sorts."

"Well that's what I thought," Ryder agreed.

"But," she was quick to add, "There were injuries on him when he came in and his tongue didn't swell until later, so it could have been something else entirely. He wakes up disoriented at odds times in the night but doesn't say anything, he doesn't even try. He sweats as you can see a lot though it's fairly cool in this room which makes me believe that there's some inner fight going on with in his body, making it act out. A couple of times when he had woken up he was panic-stricken."

Ryder discarded his gloves after throwing away the tongue presser.

"Keep tabs on him and report back to me if anything out of the ordinary happens."

"Yes sir."

"Ash are Nico and Carter back?"

"Yes, they got back late last night."

"Alright I have some other matter's to attend to so in the meantime hold down the fort no one comes in and no one leaves, got it?"

"Yes, sir," Ash said.

Ryder left the tunnels and hopped into his car.

He need answers, no more tip toeing around this, he thought as he headed toward Terri St.

5 minutes later Ryder parked his car and waited outside of Skylar's house for a minute or two before exiting the car and walking up toward her door.

He actually contemplated knocking but then immediately discarded the ridiculous thought and walked right in.

When she had finally descended the stairs she was on the phone, Ryder sat on the couch as he listened quietly to her side of the conversation.

"Nothing, you couldn't find anything? No I understand, it's just odd...There's gotta be something..."

She grabbed her blazer off the back of her kitchen stool and put it on. She looked like she was dressed for work not dinner.

"That would be so helpful...yea I think you should look into it...Ok call me if you come across anything else...Thanks Hank I really appreciate it...Ok bye," she hung up.

Hank? That can't be some kind of coincidence. What is her involvement with Hank?

"I'm sorry about that," she said motioning toward the phone.

"What was that exactly?" Ryder questioned.

"Oh nothing it was just work."

"Just work?"

"Just work," she said moving toward the door.

***

"So speaking of just work," Ryder said as he sat down across from her at the table just as the waiter arrived to bring them the menus.

"Speaking of? I thought we were done talking about it once we had left the house," she said as she lifted the menu to view.

"I'm just curious what exactly is it you do?"

"I'm an investigator," she answered quickly before putting down her menu and putting in her order as the waiter came back around.

"What exactly are you investigating?" Ryder asked the moment the waiter left.

"I can't possibly divulge that kind of information I'd lose my job," she said.

Fine, he'd let that one go, he thought.

"Who's Hank, is he your boss?"

"No he's a friend of my fathers."

"And so am I safe to assume your father was an investigator too?"

"No my father was a detective," she said just as the waiter arrived with their food.

"Isn't that the same thing?" Ryder asked the moment the waiter left.

"I don't want to talk about my dad."

"One of my friends was attached last night," Ryder said quickly changing the subject.

"Oh really?" she asked as she cut her stake in bite sized pieces before popping one in to her mouth.

"Yea really," he said watching her curiously.

"So what happened?"

"I don't know," he admitted.

"I've honestly never seen anything like it."

"And your friend he's a wisp correct?" she asked curiously.

"Correct."

"Tell me about the attach," she said.

"It's not really a dinner appropriate topic beside I wasn't there so I don't know what happened."

"Alright well then let's not talk about it," she said as she resumed her eating.

"If you wanna talk about it another time—"

"Yea another time," he said cutting her off.

"Alright," she said nodding her head once.

"Let's talk about you," Ryder offered.

"I don't want to talk about me." "

I didn't ask you that now did I?"

"You didn't have to I'm telling you," she said in a calm voice.

"So what do you want to do?"

She looked around for a bit and then her blanket soft gray eyes met his.

"I wanna dance," she said finally.

"Are you serious!? There's no dance floor here and might I add for good reason."

"Why not dance? There's already music playing, besides we don't need a dance floor any ol' floor will do," she said getting to her feet and holding her hand out toward him.

"Come on; if you don't take it someone else will gladly do so." Ryder couldn't believe that he was actually about to give into her.

He grabbed her hand and led her toward the middle aisle in between the tables.

"Don't be shy now, loosen up," she laughed.

"Try not to step on my feet," he said as he held her close and began moving to the music.

Sooner or later more and more couples had joined them; Ryder didn't know how many songs had passed before Skylar announced she was ready to go home.

"That was fun," she said giggling all the way to the car.

"Maybe for you but I don't think the waiters and waitresses that had to walk around us thought the same," he said sliding into the car.

"Well maybe if you weren't too busy watching my feet then you would have noticed one of the waiters pull the waitress out on the dance floor."

"It wasn't a dance floor," he argued.

"Do you have to kill my mood? Will it kill you to agree with me just this once? Call it what you want but everyone else seemed to think it was."

"Well I'm not everyone else," Ryder said stopping the car.

"Now I have put up with a lot from you, more than I've had to with anyone else. You're rude and disrespectful and that has got to stop. You calling me controlling is like the pot calling the kettle black."

"It's called an opinion Ryder everyone has one you just don't want to listen to them unless they having something to do with you," she mumbled.

"I've been asking you questions all night about your life but you keep shutting me out!"

"Cause I can't seem to figure out why you're so interested! You are so dominant, and authoritative, controlling and so, so ruling there's no way in hell I'd be ok with you knowing anything about me. I've only known you for a week and yet I couldn't tell you the first thing about yourself, I know nothing about you."

Ryder gripped the steering wheel hard and counted to 10 as he breathed in and out slowly. He hasn't had to do that since he was a child and it immediately brought up bad memories for him that he was quick to brush away.

"If you're not busy tomorrow...I know it's a week day and you probably have work...but by any chance if you have free time or..."

"Sure you can come over," she said putting him out of his misery.

Thank God, though he doesn't think that he would have been able to get that out.

"And I appreciate the gesture," she added her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

Ryder could see the storm clouds rolling in and her focus always wavered from one thing to another, something was wrong this is exactly how she acted in the club before she bolted.

"Can you start the car I'd really like to go home," she said in a rush of words.

"Bēlua," Ryder said as he grabbed her by her jaw and made her look at him.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing please, drive. Please!"

"I'm not starting this car until you talk to me and tell me what the fuck's going on Bēlua."

"Ryder don't fuckin do this, you don't understand I need to get home," she said frantically as she began to fidget in her seat.

"Why won't you talk to me?"

"I don't owe you shit. I don't have to explain myself to you! All I need you to do is start the fuckin car!" she screamed as she scrambled out of the car nearly falling to her knees on the pavement.

Ryder got out of the car after her. Just when he was starting to... he sighed loudly and chased after her.

"Bēlua STOP!" he hollered as he picked up speed.

He wasn't expecting it but she did it, she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him and then she began to run again, this time she ran toward him not away from him.

When she threw her arms around him and shook uncontrollably he had no clue what was going on. It looked like her body was having a panic attach.

Ryder held her tighter as she sobbed and drenched his shirt with her tears.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked as every sobbing noise she made broke his heart.

He's never felt this damn lost when it came to helping people in his whole miserable fucking existence. There was no doubt in his mind that he cared about her and that it was wrong to but how deep did those feelings travel? Never in his fuckin life has he ever been the shoulder to cry on type. Never in his life has anyone looked toward him for damn comfort, him and comfort don't even belonging in the same fuckin sentence unless he's making you comfortable in a damn hospital bed.

She was royally destroying him the closer he got to her.

When Skylar had stopped shaking Ryder had thought she was just done crying but no it turns out she passes out.

"Just my luck," he mumbled.

Ryder sat her back into the car and the moment he slammed the door after hopping in she was awake and staring right at him and she was...angry? Why the hell is she angry?

"You don't listen," she growled.

"Are you surprised?" She couldn't be.

"Now sit back and enjoy the ride and don't talk unless I ask you to. I don't want to hear you right now."

"Well I guess that's just too bad," she countered.

Oh so they were back to playing these games, it's like the last 20 minutes never happened. Even though Ryder wished to God they never had.

Ryder gripped the steering wheel harder, his knuckles white as snow.

"Bēlua," he growled, "Will it kill you to listen to me? All I ask is that you show me some got damn respect, I don't want to have to hurt you but you're forcing my hand," he said as he relaxed and untightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"What the hell is with you and this respect you crave? You're not God and sorry to tell you this but you're not even remotely important! You ask for respect like its some fuckin piece of candy! You want respect? Well I only give respect to those who deserve it,"

Ryder wanted to ask her to repeat herself but that...there was no way he wanted to hear it twice.

"And that comment there, that was the last straw. GET OUT!"

"You're seriously going to make me walk the rest of the way home?" she asked shocked.

"Get out!" he said again and she immediately got out of the car and he rode off.

He expected to feel better after kicking her out, but he didn't.

### Chapter fourteen: Skylar Royce

Skylar couldn't believe he left her, she fumed.

_It's your fault he was actually trying to be nice to you, trying to get to know you and you pushed him away. You knew just what to say to tick him off. Don't act surprised you knew he'd do something drastic after that comment I'm just surprised it didn't involve his fist_.

Skylar hates the monster in her she hates it with every fiber of her being.

This enhanced eye sight of hers teases her, she could already see her house from here yet she was about 4 blocks away. The more she thought about it the angrier she got.

By the time she reached her neighbor Mr. Wallace's house she stopped to pet the pit-bull.

"Hey get away from my gate!" Mr. Wallace said as he stepped outside in the frigid air in nothing but a robe for coverage.

Skylar didn't look at the old man as she continued to pet his dog.

This dog was always out here she never seen him inside the house and its cold out here, she bet he'd love more than anything to be inside.

"Hey girl! Did you hear me? I said get away from my gate," he said daring to take a step forward.

"You don't deserve an owner like him, you deserve more. He doesn't care about you," Skylar whispered to the dog.

"And no one else will either until the day I die," the old man grumbled.

"You hear that?" she asked the dog. "He's willing to sacrifice his life for your care!" she said as she scratched the dog beyond the ear.

"That's not what I said little girl now get away from my gate now! Get away from my gate or I'll get my dog on you," he warned.

"Here let me give you better access," she said as she rip Mr. Wallace's gate from the place it was being held in the ground.

The energy revving through her was a sudden relief. She needed this, she knew she did and now she couldn't possibly stop it, not if she wanted to.

"Hey you put my gate down! What the heck are you?"

The sound of the fear in his voice does something to her, it makes her feel...wrong. Like something not of this world...but she's not, of this world she means. But when people talk to her with so much fear like Mr. Wallace is doing now it truly makes her feel like a monster but the power's too much she can't stop it!

"It's the only way," she surprised not only him but herself by the sudden tears that jumped to her eyes.

"It started with you; you know?" she said in a broken whisper as she backed the man into the porch table.

The more she talked the angrier she got at the realization.

"It started with you," she repeated.

"I remember it like it was yesterday, you are the reason I'm a monster. You probably don't remember but I do. It started with you and now it'll end with you," she promised sinisterly.

"Devil get her!" the old man said.

"That's no name for a dog," she scolded.

Skylar wrapped her fingers tightly around his neck and squeezed until her fingertips touched. She could literally feel the blue around her iris's swirl as she soon became consumed in power.

Her body glowed, her finger's tingled, her body wanted to possess his but she wouldn't let it.

"It started with you," she repeated as she watched life drain from his eyes as he became nothing but limp in her hold.

Skylar dropped his body and starred down at it.

Her fingertips itched with need, they glowed a fire-y blue. There was nothing stopping her from setting his body ablaze but yet at the same time everything was stopping her.

She looked over at the dog and he seemed to be encouraging her to finish what she started and it made her stop and think about what that dog had been put through.

Skylar touched the pointer of her finger to the dog's owners' body and it withered as it was slowly encased in the blue flames.

"Come here," Skylar called to the dog.

"You're a free dog now," she said as she unhooked his collar and threw it into the pile of ashes that was once his owner.

Skylar rubbed the dog's head and couldn't help but feel as though she saved him, she set him free.

Skylar put out the fire and cleaned up the front yard before placing the gate back in place.

"I'll leave this gate unlocked so that you can come and go as you please, just promise you won't go around chasing people down streets," she said to the dog.

"I'll see you around Angelo."

She thought it only fair to change the dog's name before turning and jogging the rest of the distance between her house and Mr. Wallace's. She needed to burn off all of this pint up energy.

When Skylar arrived home she said good night to her mother, went upstairs to take a shower and got ready for bed.

Before she could fully make it to bed she heard a clawing noise at her front door.

Skylar went down stairs and opened her front door to the little pit-bull sitting there.

"Hey buddy," she said as he padded into her living room.

"Hey now you listen to me you can't just trolley on in here," she said as she closed and locked her front door.

"Now you can stay the night if you want but tomorrow you're going to have to go back."

The look he gave her was priceless it spoke volumes.

"Ok so maybe you won't but you're going to have to go somewhere I can't have people thinking I dognapped Mr. Wallace's dog, besides they'll never come around once they see you're here, you scare them you know," she reminded him.

***

The next morning Skylar ran down stairs after her shower and saw the dog lying against her mother's door.

"Hey Angelo," she said as she walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee.

Skylar managed a sip of her coffee before she heard a car door slam; it was 10:00 in the morning who in the world decided to stop by this early? Angelo seemed to be asking her the same question as his ears spiked up on full alert.

"Come on Angelo I can't let anyone see you," she said as she unlocked her mother's door and led him inside.

"Watch my mother for me," she instructed.

Skylar almost cried at the sight of the dog jumping onto her mother's bed and curling up near her mothers' toes. She was reluctant to close the door.

Skylar walked back over toward her coffee and picked it back up, there were a few taps at her door and she knew it couldn't have been Ryder.

"Come in," she called.

"Hey sorry to show up unannounced kiddo," Hank said as he entered her house.

Hank rarely visited her so this had to be good.

"Oh it's ok, have a seat. Would you like some coffee?" she offered.

"Uh no, thank you," he said as he took seat on her couch.

"So what is it Hank?" she asked as she made her way toward the armrest of the couch.

"It's about the case," he announced.

"What about it?" Skylar asked as she sat more alert.

"I think I might have found the connection you were looking for. You know Aaron Field's don't you?"

Skylar rolled the name around a few times in her head but came up empty.

"No I don't," she answered hesitantly.

"Well Aaron's the connection I don't know if you've heard but he has a daughter her name is Sidney Fields."

Skylar shook her head slightly, that name didn't ring any bells either.

"Ok well maybe you've heard of his other daughter?" he asked.

Skylar shook her head again.

"I'm not following how's this Aaron man the connection?" she asked confused.

"Well he has another daughter and I think you may know her, her name is—"

Before Hank could finish his sentence Skylar's front door swung open and Ryder stood in the door frame looking from Hank to her and back again.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

Skylar was actually shocked that he had asked, he already done threw the damn door open he mines well come in.

"Uh yea come in," she stammered.

Something tells her she should have said no though, but it was too late. He slowly closed the door behind him as he ventured farther into the room. He stood directly behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder. Skylar wanted to look up at him and ask him if he were sick or what? This was un-Ryder like behavior.

"Uh Hank this is Ryder," Skylar said touching the hand that seemed to have encased her shoulder in a tighter grip.

"And Ryder," she said against the pain he was causing in her shoulder.

"That is Hank," she said looking up at him with pleading eyes as she pointed toward Hank with a shaky hand before quickly dropping it to her side after realizing that it visibly shook.

"Am I hurting you Bēlua?" Ryder said in a hushed voice so that only she could hear.

"Yes," she said through clenched teeth. How dare he do this in front of her guest?

"Well now you know exactly how I felt," he said slowly and menacing as he slowly removed the pressure from her shoulder.

Was he talking about last night? Did my words actually hurt him?

"I'm sorry," she said a little louder than she meant to.

"For what kid?" Hank asked.

"She's sorry but you have to leave," Ryder said.

"Can we finish this another time Hank? You've given me a lot to consider," she said.

Hank looked as if he wanted to say something but he thought better of it and got up to leave. "I'll call you," he promised. "And I'm sorry again for showing up unannounced."

"Unannounced?" Ryder questioned the moment Hank left.

"Well yea," she said as she got off of her couch and finished her coffee.

"Who the hell shows up unannounced at 10 o'clock?"

"Well you showed up at 10:15 that's no better," she said on her way to the kitchen.

"Yea but I told you last night that I was coming so you were expecting me."

"Not after what happened last night," she admitted as she turned around slowly to face him.

"I'm so—"

"You already apologized," he said cutting her off.

"Just make sure that you never push me like that again," he warned.

My comments must have really bothered him, she thought as she sat her coffee cup in the sink.

"Sit down," he said motioning toward the couch.

Skylar walked over to the armrest of the couch and he pushed her before she could even take a seat.

"Not there," he said as her face met the seat of the couch cushion.

Skylar got up and she wanted to be so angry that he had just done that but the stupid satisfied grin on his face made her smile against her will.

"I'm sorry I've just always wanted to do that. I hate having to look up at you like that," he admitted.

"You're starting to get better with this sorry thing," she mumbled catching on to the fact that he said it this time without flinching or feeling uncomfortable, he seemed to have noticed it to if his stone cold emotionless face was anything to go by.

"Well now that you have gotten it out of your system don't let it happen again," she warned as she righted herself.

"Yes ma'am," he said playfully.

"I like the sound of that," she said smiling.

"Don't get used to it," he warned.

"Of course not," she said not being able to withhold the stupid grin on her face.

"So what are we going to do today?" he asked.

"I thought we could just stay here but I have a few errands to run. My mother's birthday is tomorrow and I want to throw her a party."

"Ok," he said simply as he got off of the couch.

"Ok?" she asked confused.

"Yes as in ok let's go," he said slowly.

"G-go?" she stuttered. Skylar hadn't realized that that was some kind of invitation.

"The errands aren't going to run themselves darling," he teased.

"Uh-ok," she said as she slipped off of the couch.

### Chapter fifteen: My Dearest Aaron

To: 050972

From: Unknown Recipient

Subject: 18 days

Dearest Aaron,

Only 18 more days, I know you're excited. Your next sacrifice was scared at first, I guess after we beat him to submission and then the blood vessel that had popped making his tongue swell [well that was just pure luck] I guess he had nothing to fight for anymore.

A lot of people will make the sacrifice, didn't I tell you that? No one gave up hope just like you shouldn't. Your rebirth will be something the world has never seen. Soon, soon you'll be as strong as ever. You just wait, that's all there is left to do now.

Sincerely: your one && only

"Tonight there's to be a party and we will attend," the woman explained to him.

"How are we to be invited?"

"We don't need an invite the owner knows me," she said with a devious smile.

"And you are my guest so you'll be permitted entrance."

"Why are we attending this party?" he asked curiously.

"Because I have something that needs taken care of," she said not intending to say anymore.

Skylar Royce

"You look nervous," Ryder said as Skylar descended the stairs.

"I am nervous," she admitted.

"There are so many fuckin people here and none of them even know my damn mother. I want to just kick them all the hell out," she explained.

"So why the hell don't you?" he asked.

"Because I know my mother and she'd be upset if I did."

"Hey Skylar!" Brooke said as she entered the house with her friend Casper.

"Hey," Skylar said not nearly as happy as she usually would be.

"Where's the birthday girl?" Brooke asked.

"She's in her room," Skylar said as she walked away.

"Don't push her she's not in the mood," Skylar could hear Ryder warn before he walked away as well.

"Hey," Ryder said softly as Skylar sagged against the kitchen sink and fell to the floor.

"What's the matter?" he asked as he sat down beside her.

Skylar shook her head because she didn't know what the matter was. Her heart hurt, she's sad, angry, annoyed, and tired; a lots the matter.

"Don't shut me out Skylar," he warned.

Her name on his mouth was weird she was so used to him calling her Bēlua.

"I don't want to be here," she whispered.

"You want to leave?" he asked confused.

Skylar shook her head, she did want to leave but what kind of daughter would she be if she left her mother on her own birthday?

"We could always celebrate when no one's here," Ryder said answering the question she never asked out loud.

Skylar looked at him hopefully.

"You wanna?" she whispered not feeling as bad anymore.

"Yea," he said as he got to his feet and held out his hand toward her.

Skylar grabbed his hand and he hauled her to her feet.

"Let's blow this fuckin party," he whispered, as he led her to the door his grip tightening as they came face to face with Hank and a woman Skylar didn't know.

"Oh hello kiddo," Hank said.

"I thought I'd stop by and wish your mother a happy birthday," he explained.

"My mother's asleep in her room, she's not up for a party but you're welcome to stay," she said as she eyed his guests.

"Oh and this is also a friend of your fathers," he said motioning toward the fairly tall woman with blonde hair beside him.

"Tammie Wellington this is the woman I've been telling you about."

"It's nice to meet you Skylar," Tammie said as she held out a tanned hand toward Skylar.

Skylar took her hand rather hesitantly as Ryder's hand gripped her other one tighter.

Skylar could tell that Ryder didn't trust the man or the woman, but with Ryder standing right beside her she knew the little duo wouldn't hurt her.

"It's nice to meet you too Tammie," Skylar said politely.

"Please come in," she said motioning toward the inside of her house.

The moment the duos were safely inside of the house Skylar dragged Ryder out of it.

"You're going to leave those people—and by people he meant Hank and Tammie—in your house by themselves?" Ryder asked confused.

"There are about 25 other people inside besides they can take whatever the fuck they want I don't care."

My mom is safely locked into her room with a very eager guard dog, she thought to herself. So she knew her mother was safe and therefore nothing else mattered.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she walked toward his car and hoped into the passenger side.

"I haven't thought of it yet," he said as he entered the driver's side.

"Well I want to go back to Mrs. Delarosa's Diner," she said as she seat belted up.

"Are you sure it's smart to go back there so soon," he said with a worried expression on his face.

"Why not?" Skylar asked confused.

"Well the last time we were there you turned Mrs. Delarosa's Diner into Mrs. Delarosa's Dance club."

Skylar wanted to laugh at his exaggeration.

"It wasn't all bad we had a lot of fun and so did a lot of other couples."

"Alright," he said on a sigh as he drove off.

When they walked into the Diner all eyes were on them.

Maybe Ryder was right and people were mad, she thought as she followed Ryder to their seats.

"Hey," a lady said as she made her way toward them.

"Aren't you the two who had started the whole dancing thing Sunday?"

"Yea," Ryder answered, Skylar expected him to point his finger at her and tell the lady that it was all her fault.

"Well I just wanna thank you," the lady said as she smiled from ear to ear.

"Thank us for what?" Skylar asked.

"Well thanks to you we are going to close for a week—"

"Is this some kind of joke," Ryder said cutting the lady off.

"Let her finish," Skylar said to Ryder.

"No sir it is not a joke. We will be closing for a week so that we may have a dance floor built in. Thanks to you two we've had more customers than ever," just as she said it a man had brought a woman out to the floor and started to dance with her and Skylar couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"We will be having a grand opening this 15th of April and we want you two to be the first ones here," she said as she beamed her smile at the two of them.

"It was all her idea I was against the whole thing if I'm being honest, so you should really be thanking her," Ryder said.

"Well your girlfriend didn't dance all by herself now did she?"

"Uh I'm not—"

"No you're right she didn't," Ryder said cutting Skylar off.

"Anyways I want you two to be here, the grand opening starts at 5."

"I usually don't take her out until 7."

"Well then we'll wait till then," she said with a grateful smile.

"Oh no you don't have to wait," Skylar said shaking her head wildly.

"You're right Mrs. Delarosa doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to but trust me she wants to. So it's settled," she said turning on her heels and walking away.

"Ryder tell her she doesn't have to wait!" Skylar argued.

"You heard her Mrs. Delarosa doesn't do anything she doesn't want to," he said with a smug smile.

"Yea, but you can make her listen," Skylar wined.

"I can't make you listen now can I?" he said rising a brow.

Skylar huffed and sank deeper into her seat.

"Why don't we take your mother out with us, it can be a late birthday celebration," Ryder suggested.

Skylar's heart stopped immediately at the mere mention of her mother and tears jumped to her eyes.

"She can't she rarely gets out of bed or even opens her eyes. She's not really talking to me either so there's no way she'd listen to me," Skylar found herself confessing.

Ryder grabbed her hand from across the table and kissed it lightly.

"It's ok, I understand," he whispered as he cleared a few of her run away tears.

"Let's dance," he suggested as he got to his feet.

***

The ride home was silent. By the time they got into the house very few people remained.

"Hey Sky I've been looking all over for you," Brooke said as her and her friend Casper saw them appear in the door way.

"Well I'm here what do you want?" she asked not bothering to look at Brooke as her eyes continued to roam over the house to make sure that everything was as it should be.

"Well...Uh...,"

"Spit it out!" Ryder growled from beside Skylar.

"Someone heard some scratching on your mother's door and then..."

Skylar didn't even bother to let her finish as she pushed past her with Ryder hot on her heels.

"Kick them all out please," she begged him.

"EVERYONE OUT!" Ryder screamed without giving it a second thought.

"WAIT!" he screamed suddenly, "WHO THE HELL BROUGHT BEER INTO HER MOTHER'S HOUSE?!!" he yelled with barely controlled anger. That statement alone seemed to clear the house faster.

"I'm so sorry," Brooke said as she approached them.

"It's ok Brooke it's not your fault," Skylar said as she walked away from her.

"Ryder!" a woman called out as she entered the house.

"You're a little late to the party Sidney," Ryder said as he approached the female.

"I'm sorry I didn't even know this was a party, Nate just told me you were here."

"Who's this?" Skylar asked looking up at Ryder.

"Skylar this is Sidney, Sidney, Skylar," he said gesturing at the two of them.

"It's nice to meet you Skylar," Sidney said politely but she didn't look like she was happy to meet her, but Skylar didn't comment.

"Yea, you too," Skylar said half-heartedly.

"What's up Sidney?" Ryder asked.

"We need to talk," she said looking around, "but not here," she said as her eyes rested on Skylar.

Ryder looked down at Skylar as If she had somehow done something wrong.

"What?" Skylar asked confused.

"Are you going to be ok here by yourself?" he asked.

"Yea, I mean all I have to do is clean the house, but yea go ahead; you can go," she said in a rush of words not knowing why he needed her permission. He looked at her even more confused and then looked away.

"You think you can stick around until we're done here," he said surprising Skylar with his remark toward the tall female.

"Uh sure, I'll help," Sidney said as she pasted a smile on her face.

Skylar was pretty sure that's not what Sidney wanted to say or what Sidney thought Ryder would say.

***

"Hey Birthday girl," Skylar said pocking her head into her mother's room.

"All of the people are almost gone, just a few stuck around to clean up—"

"Skylar?" Brooke called.

Skylar hurried and closed her mother's door and turned to face Brooke.

"What!" she asked as her heart pounded against her rib cage.

"Is she awake now?"

"No she's not," Skylar said swiping some of her hair out of her face.

"Then who are you talking to and how come every time I ask to see your mother you say she's either sleep or too sick for visitors? What's going on Sky? She's like a mother to me too you can't keep keeping me away from her."

Skylar rolled her eyes. This was the Brooke Skylar don't like, the nosy one who thinks she's privileged to every aspect of her mother's life.

"Last time I checked Brooke your mother is on a trip with her boss, not behind this door I'm leaning on—"

"Hey what's going on?" Ryder asked.

"Nothing!" Skylar yelled.

By the looks of it Ryder looked like he wanted to wring her neck for yelling at him, he doesn't do well with people who don't show him the "respect" he deserves, but Skylar didn't have time to baby his needs.

"I think you'd better lower your voice Bēlua or you'll wake your mother," he said in a warning tone.

"Oh she fed you that shit too," Brooke said as she glared at Skylar.

"Can yall just get out? Even if she was woke Brooke I wouldn't want your face to be the first one she sees, so please both of you just get out!" Skylar yelled as she slipped into her mother's room and locked it behind herself.

"Skylar listen to me," Brooke said from behind the closed door.

"I know what you're doing; I know that she's—"

"SHUT UP!" Skylar screamed covering her mother's ears so her mother wouldn't have to hear Brooke's bull shit.

"Skylar it's her birthday, you can't keep her hauled up in her room."

"Shhhh, there, there, you don't have to listen to this," Skylar said as she whipped the strands of her mother's hair away from her face.

Skylar looked over toward the dog who didn't look very happy, she couldn't blame him.

"Don't listen to them your as healthy as can be mama," Skylar whispered.

"She has cancer Skylar she shouldn't be in that room all by herself."

"She had cancer Brooke not anymore," Skylar yelled back as she stained her mother's gown with her tears.

"Look what she's done, she made me cry mama I promised you I wouldn't cry and she made me cry," Skylar said as she grabbed her mothers' hands and kissed her mothers' knuckles.

"I can't come see you for a while, I have to go and let you be on your own, but promise me you'll eat the soup...Oh crap I forgot your soup. I'll be back but I won't see you for about a couple more days ok?" Skylar said tracing the darkened circles around her mothers' eyes. "I'mma dress you up so you look nice, and I'mma put some makeup on you so you look pretty mama I promise," she said kissing her mothers' forehead before stepping away from her mother's bed.

When Skylar stepped out of her mother's room Brooke was no longer there but Ryder and that girl Sidney were.

They paid Skylar no attention as they talked on her couch so she had no intentions to make her presence known. But something told her there was no way Ryder didn't know that she was standing there.

***

"Ryder this is important you have to tell me, he's tearing my family apart! But you knew that..."

"Sidney don't make it seem as though I knew what his plans were when it came to your family."

"But you warned me," she wined.

"You had to have known something Ryder!"

"Lower your voice Sidney," he said slowly.

"I'm sorry," she said placing her head in her hands.

Skylar wanted to laugh at Sidney why is it that everyone reacts that way toward him?

"I just don't know what to do Ryder," Sidney said as she removed her hands.

"You have Nathan use him, he's more than willing to help," he said.

She sighed but didn't say anything. Finally she spoke, "Who is she?" she asked.

Ryder looked back at Skylar; it didn't surprise Skylar, she knew he knew she was there.

"I don't know yet," he said not taking his eyes off of her.

"Well you seem...different around her," she said softly.

"Sidney," he said in a warning tone as he looked away from Skylar then and stared down at her.

"No Ryder I mean it. I know what we had hadn't been real I found that out a long time ago but that doesn't mean it still didn't hurt."

What they had? I hope she means for breakfast, Skylar thought knowing good and well what she meant.

"Sidney," he said again before she cut him off.

"Ryder I'm human and I know you," she said simply.

"Stop cutting me off," he growled but she just smiled.

"Just...don't lose sight of what's important here," she whispered.

"And what's that?"

"Your happiness, you deserve more than anyone—"

"Sidney," he warned for the third time now.

Obviously his warnings meant nothing to her, Skylar thought.

"Ryder you know what I'm talking about so I'm not going to say it but you're punishing yourself," she said as she stood.

"If you feel as though you are remotely happy you'll cut yourself off completely. You're nothing like him so stop comparing yourself to him," she said as she walked toward the door.

She didn't even look in Skylar's direction when she said, "I wish your mother a happy birthday; I hope she cherishes it," and for some reason Skylar knew there was more to what she was saying.

"Though she doesn't know you I'm sure she'll still appreciate it," Skylar said as Sidney slipped through the door.

Skylar wanted to walk over and sit next to Ryder but he had his head in his hands and he looked like he needed to be alone so she just walked away.

### Chapter sixteen: Sidney Fields

"Hey," Sidney said to her mother hesitantly. Her mother didn't look at her at first she just continued with her back to Sidney.

"Sidney Honey," her mother said but then let out a huge sigh before turning toward Sidney.

Sidney's heart broke as she watched the tears travel down her mothers' face, the tears she hasn't seen her mother cry since her dad died.

"Mom what's wrong?" Sidney asked as her mother stepped toward her but then backed up and shook her head wildly.

"You have to listen to me sweetie; I'll be ok; just go with it ok? Can you do that?"

Go with it? Go with what?

"Mom what are you talking about?" Sidney asked confused having a strange feeling that her mother was talking about Hank.

"Sidney there's something I need to tell—"

"Hey Sid the Kid about time you got out of your room, I thought I would have had to surgically remove you," Hank said as he entered the house.

"Don't give me one of your stupid nick names," Sidney said not bothering to look over her shoulder at him.

"But isn't that what your little bad boy calls you?" he taunted.

Sidney knew he was talking about Nate he hates him just as much as her mother does maybe more but he has no reason to.

"So now you're some kind of surgeon? How many persona's do you have Hank?" Sidney said looking at him over her shoulder, she meant it as a joke but the look on his face suggest that she hit a never.

"Hahaha, honey," her mother said as she playfully pushed Sidney. "That was a good one."

Sidney knew what her mother was doing; she was playing along like she had asked Sidney less than two minutes ago to do.

"Yea Hank it was a joke wipe the scowl off your face," Sidney said as she flipped him a smile that was so fake it hurt.

"So what's for dinner Karen?" he asked as he walks farther into the room.

"Umm I don't know I guess we could order pizza. Will you be here for dinner Sidney?" her mother asked as she turned her equally fake smile Sidney's way.

"Yes, Sidney will eat dinner with us right?" Hank asked as he looked down at Sidney.

Fat fuckin chance of that happening, she thought.

"I—actually me and a couple of friends are going to hang out today and watch a movie but you can save me a slice," Sidney said as she walked away.

"Why don't you stay here with your mother and me, you can cancel," Hank suggested.

"No thanks, besides this way you and mom can have some alone time," the moment it came out of her mouth she wanted to puke on instinct and quickly swallow the words back up. Sidney wanted to hit herself for suggesting something so fuckin suicidal to her mother's well-being.

No way in hell am I ok with him being alone with my mother, especially sense she's so obviously scared and upset, she thought.

Sidney looked over at her mother and though you wouldn't be able to tell because her mothers' eyes were rimmed red from crying Sidney could tell that her mother was scared.

"Or how about I bring my friends here?" She suggested to her mother and she could literally see the relief on her mothers' face.

What is going on? She thought to herself, feeling scared for her mother.

"Yes honey bring them here I'd like to meet them," even to Sidney's ears that sounded desperate.

Hank looked at her mother like she was sick or crazy.

"Are you sure Karen; you know the people your daughter likes to surround herself with?"

"Well I always meet them first before passing judgment Hank not all of them are always a little on the wild side," her mother said though she hadn't looked at him while she said it.

"Well I'd hate to leave," and she truly really did, "but my friends aren't going to go get themselves," she said as she walk toward the door and grab a light jacket. Living in Coconut Grove there's rarely any cold weather but Hank just gave her the chills.

Sidney wasn't sure if Ryder would still be here but the first place she went was Terri Street.

Sidney knocked on the door and was immediately greeted with barking and a woman telling her dog to hush up. Sidney hadn't noticed a dog the last time she was here but in hindsight she never truly looked around so it's a given not to notice things like that.

The woman from the party yesterday opened the door and looked at Sidney in confusion.

"Uh..."

"Sidney," she said knowing that the blond was trying to figure out her name.

. "Right," she said nodding her head slightly. "Would you like to come in?"

"No but is Ryder here?"

"Uh no he went home," she answered as she leaned against the door jam.

"Oh, do you know where he lives?" The woman looks at Sidney for a while as if she was dissecting her and then her squint turned into something entirely different and Sidney just wonder if the woman was going to answer her question or continue to waste her time.

"You know I never bothered to ask so no I haven't any clue where he lives," she confessed.

Well thanks for nothing, Sidney thought as she began to turn around but she immediately turned back toward the woman.

Any ol' person will do I guess. I can't just walk home empty handed can I? She thought.

"Hey umm my mom is having a movie night tonight and I told her I would bring a friend," Sidney said leaving the invite at that. Though she knew it wasn't really an invite, she was hoping the woman would take it as one.

"Ummm ok..."

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," Sidney was quick to add.

"No, its ok let me just take care of a few things and then I'll be right out," she said as she closed her door.

5 minutes later they were out the door and headed toward Sidney's house.

Sidney's mother was still sitting at the kitchen table as if she hadn't moved a muscle but Hank was gone.

"Hey mom."

Sidney's mother jumped at the sound of Sidney's voice but quickly recovered when she realized that they had a guest. Sidney could see her mother running her fingers under her eyes in order to stop the tears.

"Hey honey who's your friend?" she asked as she got up and moved toward them.

"Umm mom this is..." Crap! I forgot her name, she thought frantically.

"I'm Skylar," the woman said as she moved closer to Sidney's mother.

"Oh Skylar that's such a pretty name it's nice to meet you," Sidney's mother said as she shook Skylar's hand.

"Mom where's Hank?" Sidney asked.

"Oh um he said he had to go but to tell you to enjoy your movie night," she said her words sounding just as confused as Sidney's face clearly showed.

"Ok well Um I'm going to take Skylar to my room, we'll be done in a minute," Sidney said as she turned toward her bedroom stairs with Skylar close behind.

The moment Sidney closed her bed room door she turned on Skylar.

"Do you think you could call Ryder for me?" she asked Skylar as she sat on the edge of her bed.

"Umm I don't have his number," she said hesitantly.

"Aren't yall dating?" Sidney asked confused.

"Not really," Skylar said as she stepped forward to stand in front of Sidney to ask a question of her own.

"Umm who's Hank?" she asked suspiciously.

"The douche that's tearing my mom to shreds," Sidney mumbled.

"No, really," she asked as she sat down on Sidney's bed beside her.

Sidney sighed before looking in her direction.

"He's the man currently dating my mom I really don't know any other way to explain it."

"Do you have a lap top?" she asked as her eyes wonder around Sidney's room.

"Yea, it's over there," she said pointing to the only other desk in the room.

When Skylar got up and walked toward it Sidney don't bother asking why, she just needed to speak to Ryder. How can this girl know nothing about him? Well knowing Ryder it was probably purpose.

"Hey come here," she says as she sits at Sidney's desk and motions toward the computer monitor. "Is this him?" she asks pointing at a picture of Hank shaking hands with some other man.

"Yea, that's him," Sidney said pointing straight at him.

"Mauris!" Skylar blurts. "Quod infernum est ipse usque ad?" [What the hell is he up to?]

"I don't understand a word you just uttered," Sidney said as she stared down at Skylar.

"How long has Hank been here?" Skylar asked in English.

"I don't know sense the beginning of September, I think" Sidney says as she shrugs, not entirely sure of the answer.

"Ille in quo jacebat ut me," Skylar whispers angrily in that other language. [He's been lying to me].

"Again me no comprehend," Sidney says, getting annoyed.

Skylar jumps up from the chair and heads toward the door and over her shoulder she say's "I'll help you find Ryder," as she hops down the stairs.

"It was very nice meeting you Mrs. Fields," Skylar says in a voice that leaves Sidney questioning her stability.

"It was nice meeting you too Skylar. You're not leaving me are you Sidney?" Sidney hated the fear clearly evident in her mother's voice and the fact that Hank had put it there.

"Mom I'll be right back ok, lock the doors and got to bed," Sidney instruct. Her mother looked at Sidney indecisively but she does what she's told anyways like Sidney knew she would.

"Where are we going?" Sidney asked Skylar.

"Didn't I just say that I'd help you find Ryder? Where do you think I'm going?" she asks.

Sidney would take offence to her tone if she had no clue that Skylar was obviously on to something important here.

"How long have you known Ryder?" Skylar asks as they arrive back at her house.

"Umm I've known him since we were five." Skylar looks at her a bit shocked before unlocking her door and ushering Sidney in.

"Five? You've known him for like... a lot of years and he hasn't managed to...Oh I don't know kill you yet? I mean no offence but he's not the most temper mental guy," she says as she walks down a long hall way.

"I guess I've known him for so long I get away with something's. I know what he's been through and what he's still going through so...I just get it," Sidney says as she walks right behind her in a pitch dark room.

Skylar turns toward Sidney but doesn't hit the lights.

"Now I wouldn't be showing you this if I didn't think it was somehow significant," she explains. "But there's been a few killings and seeing as though you know Ryder so well I'm assuming you know about wisps as well," she says. It wasn't really a question but Sidney answered her anyway.

"Yea I do, strangely enough I know more about whisperers than actual wisps do themselves," she explains.

"Yea, great anyways; I've been working on this for a month and a half now and I've been having Hank help me. Somehow I think he may have been withholding evidence or information. I don't know why he would but..." she stops for a minute. "You wouldn't happen to know a man named Aaron would you?"

"Yea, that's my father," Sidney admitted.

"That's what I was afraid of," Skylar says as she walks away.

Though it was pretty dark in the room they were currently in Sidney could still see the outline of Skylar's body as she moved away and she could—without shame—admit this with a straight face—it's a pretty nice body, she can clearly see what Ryder see's in the petite woman—appearance wise.

"Hank said that all of the victims are connected to Aaron somehow. That Aaron knew these wisps because they were a part of his followers. Seeing as though I looked it up myself and it is indeed true something tells me that Hank knows more than he's telling me if he finds it important to hang out at Aaron's daughter and wives house," she explains as a blue-ish glow fills the small space from the letters on the wall inside the room.

"These are some notes I've taken about the victims and anyone associated with them but now I'm certain there's something I'm missing."

"This is impressive," Sidney said though it was not really the time to gawk. "Why would Hank be helping you?" she asked instead hoping that it was a good question, 'cause she was curious of the answer to that specific question.

"He was a friend of my father's. My father was a detective and things like that and so he deals with all sorts of kind of cases similar to this one. In fact just 6 years ago he solved a case just like this but seeing as though I wasn't working on this professionally I had to get some inside help. I thought nothing of it; I know it was stupid," she whispered the last part.

"Ok and so Hank is some kind of detective, councilor, a Honda car dealership man or whatever you call them—how many jobs does he have?" Sidney asked herself out loud.

"Well don't forget doctor and retailer," she added.

"What? Why would he be working so many jobs at once? And I've been to his house and trust me there's nothing fancy about it.—unlike your house your house is very nice I've always wanted a beach house but it was never what my dad wanted so—"

"Sidney you're missing the point here," she said cutting her off.

"Sorry," Sidney mumble.

"You came here looking for Ryder correct?"

Sidney nodded her head though Skylar wasn't even looking at her.

"I wanted to tell him that Hank is up to something, I don't know if you've noticed but my mother is uncharacteristically scared and it has nothing to do with my choice of friends and everything to do with Hank I'm positive of that now."

"What makes you so sure?" she asks as she study's the wall.

"Well I mentioned having Aaron's book of secrets and he's manage to somehow turn my mother against me to the point where she demand I hand Hank the book. He even tore apart my room looking for it, then my mother warns me to just go with it, I had no clue what she was talking about but I'm almost certain it had something to do with Hank," Sidney said in a rush of words.

"Tell me, have you ever known Ryder to hang with his parents?"

Sidney almost laughed out loud at Skylar's ridiculous question.

"No never," Sidney answer without a doubt in her mind. "He's always been a lone wolf," she explained.

"What about friends, does he hang with them a lot?"

"What friends? Me and Nate and possibly you are all he's ever had."

"This isn't helping Sidney, you have no clue where Ryder could be staying?" she asks looking at Sidney for the first time sense they've stepped into the dark room. Her eyes radiated a brighter blue than the walls did and she was getting rather fidgety.

"Are you ok?" Sidney asked.

"No time for that, where would Ryder go?" she asked again.

"I have no clue," Sidney answered honestly. "I could always talk to Nate he might know, but I doubt it," she said remembering how just 3 weeks ago she had just found out about their being friends again.

"What about this book; what's so special about it?" she asked so fast it was like if the words stayed on her tongue another minute they would ignite.

"Umm well Aaron was King of the Wisps so every secret imaginable is in that book."

"And you have the book?"

"Well no I might have lied about that but I've heard of it. Rumor has it if you do find the book though that's some kind of step up in the whisperers favor." Sidney felt bad for lying but she wasn't sure about Skylar's sudden interest.

All of a sudden Skylar is tipped over and breathing heavily.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Sidney asked as she hesitantly placed her hand on Skylar's back.

"Yea, I'm fine," she groaned out.

Sidney looked down at her flustered skin, sweaty palms, her discolored eyes, and her heavy breathing, something was most defiantly not right. She wondered if—

"I think I might know a way to get Ryder to come to us," she said to Skylar as her breathing became more and more labored.

"How?" she asked after releasing a panting breath that a dog might make.

"I have to get you outside," Sidney said as Skylar looked at her like she had just lost her got damned mind.

"You're kidding me right," she growled in a gravelly voice that sounded like it hadn't been used in weeks.

"No. Not at all," Sidney said as she lifted Skylar's surprisingly light body so that she could support some of her weight or lack thereof.

"I'mma a wisp honey I may weigh 119 lbs. but I'm as light as a feather," she says as though she heard Sidney's thoughts.

"Well how about you hold your light as a feather weight so we can get out of here," Sidney said as she struggle to get her to stand on her own.

"Why are we going outside?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

Gosh what is wrong with this woman?

"I told you I'mma need to get Ryder to come to you and this is the only way to do that...I hope," Sidney said as she half dragged Skylar down the street toward Reeding.

### Chapter seventeen: Ryder Ferris

"Umm sir that woman from before...uh," Ash said as she tried to remember her name.

"The name's not important Ash, why the hell are you telling me this?" Ryder sneered having no time to play rescue the damsel in distress.

Elliot's been missing for 24 hours and no one hadn't a clue how it happened. How do you lose a wisp without seeing a single thing? He's been under Ryder's care all day yesterday and then all of a sudden his room is empty today and no one knows what happened.

Nico and Carter claim that no one's been in or out which—to sum it up in only a few words—is fuckin impossible! Either Elliot walked out—which Ryder highly doubts or someone fuckin took him—which was starting to seem a whole helluva lot more reasonable.

"Ash," Ryder warned as he could tell she was still trying to figure out a got damn name.

"Well sir the one with the bad mouth and the no manners," she explained and in that moment Ryder's heart stopped immediately; Elliot already forgotten.

"What about her?" he asked trying in vain to control his voice.

"Well Nico says that she is lying on the pavement and Sidney is with her," she says as she averts her eyes so that Ryder wouldn't be able to see them. Somehow though he already knew there wasn't an ounce of pity in them.

"Why is she on the pavement?" Ryder asked confused, thinking that somehow this was all some kind of sick fuckin joke.

"Well Carter thinks the girl may be passed out, he says he nudged her with his foot and she hadn't moved but Sidney seems to think she needs you."

Ryder wanted to curse a blue streak as he ran his fingers through his hair and pulled at the ends as he exited the tunnels.

From where Ryder stood maybe just about a block away Skylar was indeed lying on the floor and Nico, Carter and Sidney surrounded her.

"Ryder!" Sidney exclaims, "We need your help."

"Well what do you know I hadn't fuckin noticed," Ryder said sarcastically as he made his way toward the group of people and without paying them an ounce of attention lifted Skylar off of the ground and into his arms.

"Nico and Carter watch the front and back exits make sure no one's in or out. I mean it; watch as though your lives depend on which if another wisp goes missing it just might," Ryder warned as he walked toward Terri St. with Sidney close behind.

"How the hell did this happen Sidney?" Ryder asked as they continue their walk.

"Well truthfully I have no clue why she started acting all jittery and short of breath I just knew we had to find you so I brought her here hoping one of your many minions would see us, recognize her and get you—which they did might I add, but I hadn't a clue she'd pass out."

"Of course you didn't."

This is the third fuckin time she acted like this, something is wrong and she won't tell me what the hell it is, he fumed to himself.

"Why were you looking for me?" Ryder asked Sidney.

"Well I was looking for you because of Hank but gave up once I realized you weren't still at her house, but then she suggested that we should find you now. I have no clue why it was so urgent and why she insisted we do it but long story short here we are," she explained.

It had to have been of some importance, Skylar would never willingly seek me out, Ryder thought.

"Where is Hank?" Ryder asked Sidney.

"I don't know when we got back down stairs my mom said that Hank had left."

"Skylar was at your house?" he asked her.

"Yea, well I invited her but I was looking for you," she explained.

"So who's watching your damn mother?" Ryder asked as they reached the landing of Skylar's house.

"No one I told her to lock the doors and to go to bed."

Now why would she do a stupid thing like that?

"Go to her, don't leave her alone. Hank specializes in home improvement it won't take him long to break in if need be," Ryder explained.

"Yet another damn job, how many does that make now?" Sidney asked confused.

"What do you mean?" Ryder asked just as confused.

"She'll explain it to you," she said motioning toward Skylar, "I have to go check on my mother now," she said turning to leave.

"Sid be careful," Ryder said as she walked away.

"You too," she said and Ryder knew somehow that it served as a double meaning.

"I will," he said as he opened the door to Skylar's house and laid her down on the couch before closing and locking the door.

"Ego vertiginem," she mumbles as she turns on her side. [I am so dizzy].Ryder chuckled lightly as he went to her kitchen and filled a glass with water. "Here drink this," Ryder said as he handed her the cup, he waited for her to sit up completely before questioning her. "Do you have some type of stress disorder or something?" he asked as he took a seat beside her.

She looked at him as if she wanted to fight him but instead she shook her head and sipped from the cup.

"I don't have a disorder," she says as she sits the cup on the coffee table and grabs the blanket that sat against the couch.

Does she sleep down here often? He thought to himself.

"So what's the issue? This is the third time now that you've acted..." What's the word I'm looking for? He thought.

"Crazy?" she offered, but that wasn't it.

"No, you've acted unhinged I think that's the word I'm looking for," he says as he rubs his hand across the slight stubble on his jaw.

"Like I said I don't have a disorder," she argued.

"I don't believe you do but something's up I know it. How long has it been happening?" he asked even though a part of him didn't think she'd answer.

"As long as I can remember, I know... I guess when I was around 14," she answered surprisingly.

"For 6 years? What triggered it?"

"I don't want to talk about this Ryder that's not why I called you over here."

"You didn't call me over here," he reminded her.

"Well I would have but I didn't have a number and I didn't know where you lived, so no I didn't call you over here because I couldn't," she said a bit on edge. "

What is it?" he asked having no intentions to comment on the not being able to contact him theory, though it was true he didn't give her any kind of information on himself.

"It's Hank."

Those two words immediately captured his attention, that's all she needed to say.

"He's...up to something, I don't know what It is but I'm almost certain it's not anything good. He works like 6 jobs but according to Sidney spends all of his time with her and her mother."

Ryder looks down at her and wonders if this is what she was investigating and if so why is she telling him now? Before she immediately shot him down when he asked about it before.

"Why are you so curious?" he asked vigilantly.

"Hank was my father's friend, how dare he treat his friend's daughter like some kind of game?! He lied to me!" she said defensively.

"What did he lie about?"

"I don't have all night to recite it," she huffed agitatedly.

"So what the hell did you need me for?!" he asked no longer wanting to do this at her pace.

"I didn't need you, Sidney did," she said defensively.

"Well that's not what Sidney said," he said knowing that she did need him but for some reason she was just changing her mind about it.

"Well then I'm telling you now that I don't need you," she huffed as she sank against the couch and tucked her legs beneath her.

"Bēlua you're being stubborn," Ryder sulked as he sagged against the couch beside her.

"Surprise, surprise," she said as she grabbed the blanket and draped it across her legs.

"Are you allergic to being nice?" she asked out of nowhere.

"Allergic?" Ryder questioned. "No I wouldn't say I'm allergic to it," he said with clear amusement.

"So why aren't you?" she asked seriously.

"Who says that I'm not?" he asked as he looked over at her serious expression.

"I say that you're not, because you're not; or at least you don't want to be," she said as she looked away from him.

Where was this coming from? He questioned himself.

"You don't think I'm nice to you?" he asked.

"No you are nice to me occasionally, but..."

"But what?" he asked.

"But Hank says that people don't fall under you willingly."

Ryder didn't get what she meant by that but if Hank said it then he didn't care either.

"And I believe him," she added and he'd hate to admit it but it was like a punch to the gut. He didn't say anything because what could he say? She's going to believe what she's going to believe.

"But not for the reasons Hank seems to," she continued. "I believe it because you haven't given me a choice to believe otherwise," she finished. "My mom always says "Keep smiling because life's such a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about," but you don't smile," she said sadly. Ryder knew that this had to be of some importance to her because she never talks about her mother.

"Sentio maligne vos," she mumbled. [I feel bad for you]

"Ne mala sentiunt, ad me, Promerear omnis qui venit ad me," he mumbled back in perfect Latin. [Do not feel bad for me; I deserve all that comes to me].

Ryder could feel the couch rumble from her laughter.

"What so funny?" he asked as he looked over at her.

"That's the second time you done answered me, I didn't know you spoke Latin if I had known I wouldn't talk in it around you," she said as a smile lingered on her mouth.

"So you only talk in Latin when you don't want someone to understand or hear what you have to say?"

"Me and mom used to do it all of the time and dad used to get so upset," she laughed.

"Mom took me to Vatican City to meet some of her relatives. You'd be surprised that there are still people familiar with the language. Latin's not as common as Spanish or French is so you can only imagine my shock; I couldn't help but learn," she said as she smiled at the memory.

"So Mr. Bilingual how did you come across Latin?" she asked.

"Well one of my college professors was Latina, she was gorgeous so I thought if I learned the language that I would impress her, but it never occurred to me that she didn't speak Latin until I actually learned enough of it to speak in full sentences," he said also smiling at his memory.

"She told me that she had no clue what I had just said but that if I was this determined with my classes like I was with the language that I would actually learn something and hopefully pass."

"You smiled," she whispered and Ryder couldn't help but do it again.

"Well your mother's a smart woman," he said as he looked down at her.

"She is," she agreed sadly. She looked at him as if he had just spoken a language that she didn't understand.

"What?" he asked.

"You went to college?" she asked.

"I was there for about 3 days but I dropped out."

"3 days? That's it?" she asked shocked.

"I...couldn't stay; there were other things that were more important at the time," he said not planning to go into any farther detail and she seemed to have detected it as she soon changed the subject.

"It's raining," she said as she looked back at her mother's door.

As if the dog knew she was looking, it began to wine and scratch at the door.

"You have a dog?" Ryder questioned, not remembering seeing one the last times he were here.

"Yea, it's a stray but I didn't want to just leave it outside with nowhere to go," she said as she walked to the door and opened it to let the dog out. It immediately pounded its way toward the couch and began to sniff Ryder.

"Hey Angelo this is Ryder," she said as she sat down on the couch beside him again.

"Angelo?" He asked her as he looked between her and the pit-bull.

"Who names a pit-bull Angelo? I've come to know a lot of pit-bulls in my time and never have I ever heard of one by the name of Angelo; devil maybe," he mused. She immediately stiffened.

"Those are just stereotypes," she said defensively. "He's an angle, if he weren't you wouldn't have a hand to pet him with," she said as she looked at his hand as it rubbed the dog, Ryder was unaware that he had even began petting the dog that he immediately stopped.

"Don't stop he liked it," she said as she began to get comfortable on the couch. Ryder continued to pet the dog as she suggested.

"He hasn't been loved you can tell, or at least you could but he seems to like staying in my mother's room with her. I guess all of that staying outside through the worst of weathers he was just glad to be inside for a change," she said as if she knew exactly what the dog had been through.

"I had one dog before," Ryder said as he watched the dog and how it seemed to be studying her.

"What was its name?" she asked.

"I named him Kibbles, I was 10 so don't tease," he warned. Even though he warned her, she still laughed.

"Kibbles, that's cute," she said between laughs. "So what happened to it?" she asked as soon as she sobered up.

"My dad killed it because my mother wouldn't listen to him. He got angry and the dog was the first thing he could reach, I was glad that I had stood as far away from him as possible. I wasn't expecting him to come back..." Ryder surprised himself by admitting.

"Oh-my-gosh," she said as she covered her mouth in shock.

At that moment the dog hopped on the couch between them and laid his head in Ryder's lap so he'd continue to pet him.

"I'd hate to imagine the pain that poor puppy suffered," she said as she leaned over to pet the dog as well. Ryder was actually glad she hadn't apologized; he hates it when you tell someone something sad and the first thing out of their mouths is I'm sorry. She seemed more concerned for the dog than him and what he went through and he was grateful for it, but it does make him question why she hadn't asked him about it, why she hadn't questioned him farther about what happened.

"Are you staying here? I don't mind I know it's getting dark and it's still raining and I don't want to have to send you out there like that," she said as she continued to pet the dog.

Ryder hadn't noticed that it had gotten so late; he hadn't even noticed that it was raining until she pointed it out.

"I can go now—"

"No you'll stay here and you'll leave in the morning," she demanded.

Did she not want to be alone tonight? He questioned as he looked at her and she continued to avoid his eyes.

"Alright I'll take the couch—"

"No you won't. You can have the guest room, it used to be my father's but... well you don't need me to tell you why it no longer is," she said as she got up off of the couch and called the dog to her.

"Alright come on Angelo let's go to bed," she said as the dog followed her back to her mother's room.

"You can head up Ryder it's the door at the end of the hall, first floor," she instructed.

First floor? How many floors does she have in this house? And if she has other guest rooms why stick me in her fathers? He questioned something he seemed to do a lot of when around her.

When Ryder got to the door she indicated it was maybe the biggest room in the house, the bathroom was in the room so he didn't have to go down the hall and go.

The room was royal blue and gold, it looked expensive and rather elegant for it to have been a man's room. The bed was maybe the biggest thing in the room and next to it was one floor length window with sheer gold curtains pulled tight so no light seeped through.

The rugs begged you to take your shoes off and just stand there for hours; it was so soft. Ryder was afraid to even look at the other door in the room but he did it anyways.

It was a walk in closet filled with suits.

I guess they never truly cleaned this room out, he thought to himself as he fingered the suits.

"There are other clothes just in case you'd wish to change," her voice echoed from behind him almost making him jump.

Ryder looked over his shoulder toward her and she was pointing at the closet light, he flipped the switch and the closet was soon filled with bright lights. He looked through a couple of drawers which were filled with shorts and random t-shirts.

"They're all clean," she said closer this time.

Ryder didn't doubt her statement for one minute.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

Ryder has never in his poor excuse for a life been surrounded by such nice things. He laid in the king sized bed and almost purred like a cat in how soft and subtle it felt against his naked back. Ryder knew—though nightmares haunt him often—he would have no problem falling asleep tonight.

### Chapter eighteen: Skylar Royce

Skylar couldn't believe that she was actually scared that Hank would come and hurt her. That thought was just CRAZY! If Hank wanted to hurt her he would have done so already. NOW because of her overreaction Ryder's sleeping in the room across form hers. She mines well have BEGGED him to stay, she basically FORCED him! She thought as she smashed the pillow on her face. Now she was avoiding getting out of bed so she wouldn't have to see him, this was just GREAT!

Skylar rolled out of bed and took a shower while still stalling. By the time she was finished she dragged her legs down the stairs and into the kitchen to make her a morning cup of Joe to find out it was already made and Ryder was at her kitchen table.

"Morning," he said as he blew on his cup of...whatever it was he was drinking.

"Morning?" she didn't mean to phrase it as a question but she was truly taken by surprise.

"Yes, it's when the sun comes up, you know the start of a new day," he said sarcastically.

"The sun doesn't always come up," she said recovering from her momentarily shocked manner as she took her cup of coffee and joined him at the table.

"So what's on the agenda today," he asked as he sat his cup of what now looked like tea down.

"Work," she answered simply.

"Riiight," he said as if he wanted to say something more but decided against it.

"What?" she asked urging him to just say it.

"What about Hank?" he asked.

"I hadn't really thought about it, but I can't not go to work because he'll be there. I don't want him to be suspicious, besides he has no reason to be it's not like he committed some kind of crime."

"Riiight," he said this time as though he didn't believe her.

"Well I have to go," he announced as he got up.

"Do you have to leave so soon? I was just about to poison the tea!" she joked as she got to her feet as well.

"You can't poison me princess but nice try," he said as he walked out the front door.

***

Skylar walked into the D.E.A.N Investigation Inc. main office where Ethan, Ava and Naveen sat at a big office desk.

She sat in the chair in front of them and waited for one of them to speak. Ethan spoke first which didn't surprise her none, he was always the one who called the shots, even when her dad was here he was always in charge; she didn't think it'd change now that he was gone.

"Ms. Royce," he said as he folded his hands in front of him. Though Ethan was her uncle respect was everything to him, they were still partners and so he treated her like he would anyone else.

"We hadn't had a case in over a week," he continued. "Now it has come to my attention though that you've been hard at work lately."

Skylar didn't like where this was going, not one bit but she decided to say nothing until directly asked a question.

"What is it you've been working on?" he asked trying for casual conversation but there was nothing casual about him.

"What makes you think I've been working on anything?" she asked in return. Better safe than sorry right? If she talked first she could possibly be inserting a foot in her mouth, it's better to let him do all the talking. She didn't want to possibly reveal something that he knew nothing about.

"Well Ms. Royce, Mr. Henderson has been working on something, he tells us it is of no importance but it doesn't seem to be that way. So I ask again what are you working on?"

"What makes you think it has to automatically be me?" she asked a bit hurt that he'd immediately single her out, though it was true...but that was beside the point.

"Skylar honey you can tell us."

Now this was Ava speaking, the soft spoken one, the one that acted more like a friend rather than an Aunt or business partner.

Skylar huffed knowing she wouldn't be able to keep it secret for long anyhow.

"There's a man...or woman," she was quick to fix.

Number one rule in investigating is to never single anyone out, never pay attention to gender or age 'cause anyone can be capable of committing a crime.

"Targeting Whisperers," she said softly so as not to freak them out, "and kidnapping and killing them. I can't just ignore it I am one and so if I'm not careful I could be kidnapped or someone I love could be," she said defensively before anyone had a chance to argue with her.

"Calm down," Naveen said, speaking for the first time sense Skylar had come in.

Naveen has a kid and is married to a wonderful man; she was one of the ones against the whisperers—though she is one. She wanted to leave it behind for her son and husband because they're not one. She just wanted to live a normal life. Skylar never got that though, if you're not normal then why pretend for someone else?

"I don't think this is our concern," she continued.

"No it's not your concern because you're so hella bent on being "normal" I'm not normal and I'm not pretending to be. Whisperers are being kidnapped and killed and quite frankly it is my concern and it should be all of yours as well," Skylar said looking at all of them as she spoke.

"So Ms. Royce what have you done up until now?" Ethan asked.

"Well I have been keeping an eye out, looking into the victims past to see if any of them happened to cross paths. I've also looked into Aaron Fields as well on a false belief," she added to see if she'd get any reactions, and if the shocked-white expression on Ethan's face was anything to go by she'd be safe to assume he knew Aaron.

"Umm..." Ethan stumbled dropping the casualty for a moment before getting himself together.

"Aaron Fields? Why him and who gave you this so called false belief?" he asked.

"Well you and I both now I can't give you the name of the source but yes Aaron Fields is correct. For some odd reason he seemed to have known all of our victims."

"Ok well it's a start," Ava said.

"Wait a minute we aren't actually considering looking into this are we?" Naveen asked.

"Naveen I know how important your normalcy is to you, but a case is a case and from what Mr. Henderson has already told me this is a case that has been brought from the grave and it's only right to correct the wrong are we at some kind of understanding here?" Ethan asked as he got to his feet.

"Wait, you've talked to Hank?" Skylar asked hoping he didn't see the immediate jump in her pulse from fear.

"Yes we've discussed the case briefly I just wanted to know if you had anything to add. He left a bit quickly and so I wasn't sure if he was finished or not with his forlorn tale."

"Forlorn tale? Ethan you have got to be fuckin kidding me, there whisperers! I'm pretty damn sure if they wanted to be free they could achieve as such; they're not normal remember? So why the hell do you continue to treat them as such!" Naveen argued.

"Naveen you act as though you're not one of them, I know how much you wish you weren't and all of the times you've invested in making sure you're not seen as such but you have to realize you'll always truly be one. You need to come to terms with that," Ethan said as he rounded his desk.

"Now it has been brought to my attention as well that this case is a copycat. Damon, Skylar's father and our beloved brother would like nothing more than for us to solve this case not for us but for him. Skylar did the right thing by feeling so strongly about it but I don't agree with the fact that she has kept it from us and I will talk to her about that," he said as he looked pointedly at her. "But now that we know what is going on we can contribute...all of us," he added as he looked at Naveen. "We're a team and we will work as such. Now if you all will excuse me I have other matters to attend to. Shall we start bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow morning," he said as he exited the conference room.

"Thanks a lot Skylar, you can't help but to open up your big fuckin mouth when your words aren't needed. If you were so damn sure about the case then you should have had it solved by now," Naveen threw over her shoulder at Skylar as she walked out.

"Don't listen to her Sky, I actually think it's a good thing you wanted to do this for your dad she may not see it that way but we all know," Ava said as she took the seat beside her.

"I actually feel bad for Naveen; she's changing for someone she might not spend the rest of her life with. She shouldn't have to change for anyone but herself."

"Yea but you have to understand Naveen never liked being a whisperer she was always weaker than the rest of us, but as a human she feels stronger than everyone else."

Skylar wanted to laugh at the idiotic reason but this was Naveen they were talking about she was never truly capable of thinking for herself.

"And about that not spending the rest of her life with her now husband Jeff, I don't want to spread rumors but she's been seen spending quiet a lot of time with Mr. Henderson and I don't think that's someone she wants to get caught up in."

Hank? Aw hell what was he doing now?

"Umm Ethan said Mr. Henderson had to go right?"

"Yea, he was in some kind of rush," Ava said as she shook her head as though she couldn't understand why.

"Ok well umm if you need me I'mma be in his office I just need to—"

"No need to explain I got you covered if he comes back early you'll be the first to know," she winked as she left the conference room.

Skylar grabbed the set of keys from off of the key rack and walked down the hall toward Hanks office. She looked around her to make sure she hadn't been followed before slipping inside and locking the door behind herself. She knew though that it wouldn't really matter whether the door was locked or not because Hank had a spare key; they all do so if someone wanted to get in they could, but she liked the sense of protection locking the door gave her.

Skylar went straight for the big desk that sat against the far wall. She sat behind the desk and looked down at the four drawers that inconveniently had pad locks on them.

She huffed not knowing what to do; his desk was clean nothing sat on top, not an ounce of littered paper or anything of the sort. She ran her hand underneath the desk and her hand hit a piece of index card that seemed to have been taped to the underside of the desk.

Skylar carefully removed the card and peered down at the words or better yet numbers that were sprawled there. : 05A09L72F

"What does this even mean?" she asked herself as she tried to study every individual letter and number on the card. She looked around the room and then right in front of her, at the only thing that sat on top of the desk.

Skylar clicked on the computer monitor and sure enough it was password protected. She entered the code and wasn't surprised that it had turned out to be the password. She placed the card underneath the desk where she had found it after taking a picture of it to save in her phone, never knowing when she'll need it.

Skylar clicked through Hanks History and hadn't found anything remotely interesting. She opened every document she came across and still found nothing of importance.

"What am I missing?" she asked herself as she leaned back in his computer chair and stared at the monitor. The fact that Hank has 6 jobs popped into her head. Skylar sat back up and went through the recorded files until she found Hanks.

It says here that Hank has been working here for 6 weeks.

Skylar scratched her head; there was something not right about this information. If Hank has only been working here for a month and a couple days then how did he know so much about her father? According to this documentation Hank didn't even work for her father nor was it possible for Hank to know him as well as he claimed he had.

Skylar went through Hanks child birth History, they usually didn't keep those kinds of files around so that anyone can just stumble upon them but seeing as though her father was good at what he did he taught her everything she needed to know which included developing personal information.

According to the document Hank's family lived right here in Coconut Grove, a beach house not far from where she lived.

Skylar wrote down the address and the names of his parents—for safety measures of course—and scrolled down and almost chocked on the air she was trying to force down her wind pipes.

Apparently Hank has an obituary.

***

Obituary for Hank Paul Henderson

September 29, 1969 – May 9, 1996

Miami, Florida | Age 27

Hank Paul Henderson was your quintessential tough guy—strong, hardworking, and self-contained; he was your average Joe. His wife and friends describe Hank as being a dyed- in-the-wool conservative. He's very opinionated but that has never been his problem.

On Thursday May 9th, 1996 Hank Paul Henderson's life was cut shockingly—and so far mysteriously—short. Hank Henderson was killed without the slightest of remorse. The victim was found in his home surrounded by a two year old girl and a twenty-six year old woman who were both covered in blood and bound with twine at the hands and feet and a layer of duct tape covered their mouths. The perpetrator was without any sign of compunction as he fled the scene. Investigators are still looking into this devastating, yet mysterious murder.

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Skylar hovered over Hank's name knowing that the pictured they showed would not be the Hank who had implanted himself here and stuck a limb in everyone's lives.

She didn't think it was remotely possible but she was at a loss for words.

"Who the hell is this man?" she whispered as she looked at the picture of the supposed Hank Paul Henderson.

"A better question would be who the hell is the man pretending to be him?"

Skylar was just about to dig a little deeper when she heard Ava's frantic voice from down the hall.

"Hank! Hank listen to me! Can you just slow down for one moment?" she pleaded.

"Just my fuckin luck," Skylar whispered as she closed the tabs she had opened and cleared the History of all her doings.

Skylar could hear keys indicating that Ava's attempts of slowing down Hank had been futile.

Skylar looked around her in a sweep to make sure that she wasn't leaving anything behind or leaving anything out of place before she turned toward the window of Hanks office.

"Oh gosh, if I don't die by the hands of Hank then I'mma die of a phobia of heights," Skylar said as she tried to pry Hanks window open. She made it on the roof just as the office door swung open, which meant she had no time to close the window.

"Oh shit," she said as she made the fatal mistake of looking down.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh," she sang as she slid farther down the wall of the building on the little ledge of the office roof.

"I'mma die, I'mma die, I'mma die," she said as she attempted to turn the very slight corner that would place her outside of Naveen's office.

Just as she had gotten her footing right where she had wanted it she was able to see Hanks head looking out of his window before he slammed it close. No doubt he knew someone was in his office Skylar just hoped he didn't know that it was her.

Skylar swung her leg over the bar that stood in her way and cracked Naveen's window but Naveen's voice stopped Skylar before she could slide in.

"Ok calm down I'll do it," she said frantically sounding close to tears.

"Please don't hurt them, I didn't know I swear," she said and know Skylar was pretty sure she was crying.

"Ok, ok, ok, ok, "she said.

Skylar peeked her head into Naveen's now opened window and she could see Naveen sitting behind her desk frantically clicking away at her computer.

"I don't know," she cried again. "It's not here," she said as she slapped her tears away so she could see better. "Ok I'll do it but...just please don't hurt them," she whispered before she hung up.

If Skylar had to ask herself one more time what the heck is going on she might not be able to use any other words beside those.

Naveen placed her head on top of her desk and just cried. Not a silent cry a body shaking heart cramping cry.

Skylar snuck past the slight opening of the window she had created and snuck past Naveen and out the door before she could lift her head and see that Skylar was there.

Part of Skylar—a really microscopic part—wanted to stop and see if Naveen was ok but there was no way she'd be happy with Skylar seeing her that way—yup that was Skylar's reason—.

"Oh snicker-doodles you scared the fudge out of me," Ava said as Skylar walked into her office.

"Did you make it out ok?" she asked as worry pinched her brows.

"Yea," Skylar said as she slumped down into the chair across from Ava's desk.

"Did you find anything?" she asked hesitantly.

"NO, I don't think I found just anything I do believe I found everything I just wish I knew what to do with it," Skylar huffed.

"Aw sweetie you're smart you'll figure it out," Ava said as she collected some manila folders from her desk and stuck them into the crook of her arm.

"Now I'm off to see the wizard," she joked. "If you need anything from me... which I can already tell you don't...I'mma just go," she said walking around Skylar and to the door.

"Skylar!"

Skylar jumped the moment he said her name. If she wondered why Ava was acting so weird before she left well she no longer wonder that because the reason was now standing right in her door frame.

"Come in Mr. Henderson," Skylar said without looking back to see him come forward.

"I was told you were out," she said as he took the seat Ava had just vacated.

"I was," he said simply.

"Ok well you missed the meeting this morning," she informed him trying to stay as relaxed as her frantically beating heart would allow her. Her rib cage is going to break with the impact of her heart slamming against it the way that it is.

"I wasn't aware that there was a meeting," he said looking at her as though he could see threw her, Skylar wasn't worried though she knew she had the best poker face in the game.

"So what was so important about the meeting?"

"It was about the W.K.K the team decided that they'd take on the case all thanks to you," she said with the fakest of smiles she could muster.

"Oh really and why is that?" he asked curiously.

"Because you're not a good liar," she surprised herself and him as well by saying.

Hank's eyes narrowed as he inspected her.

"Is that so?" he asked as he leaned back in the chair and folded his hands over his slightly pudgy stomach.

"It's so," she said as she inspected every aspect of his round face without once moving her eyes to explore.

"You seem to think something my dear why don't we stop skirting around the issue and you tell me what you're thinking?"

"You first," she said as she cocked her head to let him know she was every bit interested in what he had to say.

"I don't like games Ms. Royce," he said impatiently.

"It's a pretty damn good thing I'm not in the mood to play any," she countered. "But," she said clapping her hands dramatically, "Seeing as though that's all you plan to do I'd say this meeting is adjourned," she said as she pushed to her feet and walked toward the door.

"Skylar!" Hank called from behind her causing her to stop at the door before crossing the thresh hold.

"Yes," she said over her shoulder.

"Someone broke into my office today, do you have any idea who it might have been?" he asked.

"No, but I'm pretty sure it's not classified as B and E if they had a key," she said with a slight smile that was shielded from his shocked eyes as she walked away.

### Chapter nineteen: Sidney Fields

After checking on her mother and making sure that she was indeed OK, Sidney walked up to her room and locked the door.

If Hank had looked a little less desperately he would have maybe been able to find the book, she thought as she walked over toward her bed and lifted the mattress and pulled out Aaron's book of Secrets.

Sidney sat down on her bed and turned toward the doggy eared page before settling in to continue reading.

May 21st

The girls aren't getting any better and I don't think they'll be ready for the Whisperer of Night competition. The boys on the other hand are nearly ready I just hope Alias #5 makes it to the practices; the team's going to need him.

Alias #5

Alias #5 has been going off the deep end, the depression stages of Plight #15 aren't helping it cope with the new powers of becoming a wisp had brought. Alias #5 isn't as focused as he should be family troubles tend to distract him. His triggers are getting stronger and sooner or later he won't be able to overcome the over whelming Plight #15.

Sidney had already come to the conclusion that Alias #5 is Ryder but she couldn't seem to determine what Plight #15 was. She knew that there are no more than 15 plights because fifteen was just added specifically for Ryder. She has discovered 3 of 15 of those Plights.

#3 being Traumatic disease better known as PTSD and this belonged to an Alias #7 but she has yet to uncover who that is.

Plight # 11 is RMD's (repetitive motion disorder) and #2 is Abandonment.

Sidney's been making little notes in this notebook in order to uncover the truth behind those journal entries but they've proven to be harder than she anticipated. The last journal entry that was created was on June 14th 2009 that was 5 years ago and she had this strange feeling that she herself was the Alias #1 he talked about.

June 14th

Alias #13 says she feels danger and destruction coming our way and that it will be hand dealt—that can't be good. She's a bit on edge because Alias #1 has also felt it. I have no clue what this immediate danger is to come from or why but both Alias's felt it so it is true.

My boys competed in the Whisperer of Night competition and my girls watched from the crowd. Needless to say we ended up losing one of our own that night because of a ridiculous mistake. Alias #6.5 wasn't able to use my redundant lessons and it only resulted in the loss of his life. Alias #6 blamed me for Alias #6.5's death but what Alias #6 and a lot of other whisperers and Espies don't realize is that there souls are immortal, their bodies are nothing but a shell to protect their souls. Alias #6.5 isn't dead.

Alias #13 is scared Alias #1 will find out the truth about her true identity. I promised Alias #13 that I would talk to Alias #1 It's about time she knew the truth. After I get rid of this head splitting head ache enough to be able to speak to my Trainees and prepare them for battle Alias #1 and I will talk.

It's pretty obvious that talk is no longer coming; she thought as she fanned threw the empty pages that followed his last entry.

Sidney's phone lit up indicating a phone call. She placed the note book back under her mattress and picked up her phone and answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" she said.

"Sidney?"

Sidney let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding when she realized that it was Nate on the phone.

"Yea, what's up?" she asked.

"It's our boy he's going off the deep end," he said in a snit.

"Alright I'm on my way," she said as she grabbed her jacket from off her bed and ran down the stairs.

"Hurry," he said before hanging up.

"Hey what's going on?" Sidney's mother asked from her spot on the couch.

"It's Ryder," she said in a rush as she ran through the house to grab the keys that she always seems to misplace and ran out the door.

***

Sidney could see Nate with Ryder down at the station. She hated seeing Ryder like this.

"Hey," she said silently to Nate so as not to disturb Ryder.

"Hey," he said as he got to his feet and followed her to a bench so that they could talk.

"So what happened?" she asked as she looked at the back of Ryder's head.

Ryder comes down to the station whenever he contemplates leaving Coconut Grove; he pulled the stunt many, many times.

"His dad came today."

Sidney sucked in a lungful of air at the news. Robert was one man Ryder could not stand up to; he was the only man who was able to tell Ryder what to do, and the only man who could physically just as well as emotionally hurt Ryder.

Sidney looked over at Ryder and then back at Nate.

"What did he tell you?" she asked hesitantly.

"He said that he wasn't doing anything drastic he just wanted to get away...he asked to use my car."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I didn't tell him anything I called you," he said gratefully.

Sidney sighed and hunched her shoulders knowing Nate wouldn't like what she had to say next.

"Give him the car," she told him while still looking at the back of Ryder's head.

"Are you fuckin crazy?!" Nate whispered hollered.

"No, there's only one thing other than running away that Ryder might have use for that car," she explained.

"And what's the hell would that be?" he asked.

"His mother."

Sidney could feel the tension rolling off of Nate at the mere mention.

"You're crazy you know Ryder wouldn't want to see her."

"Maybe it's time he does," she said as she picked up Nate's keys and made a bee line toward Ryder.

"Sid!" Nate hollered.

"Nate I know what I'm doing and if I just so happen to be wrong we will get him ok?" she asked not yet rising to the occasion to yell.

Sidney could see his posture slacken and she knew this was his way of giving in.

My Dearest Aaron

"What are you doing?" the woman asked as she caught him in the corner of the room huddled around a note book.

"I'm weak and you know it, there is no saving me so just give up," the man slurred as he hovered around the notebook more protectively.

"You know I'm just trying to help," the woman said softening her voice hoping he would succumb to the sound of her forgiving tone.

"You're not helping!" he screamed. Though it was hard at times to hear some of his words because of the speech impediment he knew that she learned long ago to decipher enough of his words so that she could figure out the rest.

"You'll see Aaron I have your best interest at heart."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked accusingly.

"Doing what? Saving your life? BRINGING YOU BACK FROM THE DRUNKEN STUPOR YOU WERE ONCE IN! HELPING YOU ACHIEVE AND RECLAIM WHAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN TAKEN FROM YOU! MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF WHY YOU'RE SO RELUNCT TO ACCEPT MY HELP!" the woman screamed in anger.

"I don't want your help," he said sliding farther against the wall for protection.

"Well I'll remember that the next time I GO OUT OF MY WAY TO MAKE A SACRAFICE FOR YOU—FOR US!"

"You're not doing this for me, I would never encourage this," he said back.

"Well guess what? You'll have a week to think about it and I will not be providing any distractions," she sneered.

And by distractions she meant distractions as in food and water, it wouldn't be the first time she's stripped him of his right to eat.

"How do you expect me to get better if I don't have the proper nourishment?" he asked not entirely caring whether or not she fed him or not.

"Maybe on an empty stomach you'll be able to function better. Maybe you'll see just how SERIOUS your situation IS, because if it WASN'T FOR ME you wouldn't have food AT ALL!"

Aaron wanted to roll his eyes though it was a very child-like move.

"If you hadn't "found me" my life would be a whole hell of a lot better; trust me."

There was no doubt in his mind that she knew where he was this whole time. No one can just stumble into a 'cemetery' as she claimed and immediately come to the conclusion that someone is buried alive in there. Either Richard told her or there's something more going on here.

The woman slowly shook her head as she clucked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, making a sound of disappointment.

"It hurts, you know?"

He didn't respond he was way to use to her shows and outburst, they're no longer entertaining.

"After everything I did for you..." she made a dramatic sweep of her hand to clear the tears she had managed to squeeze out.

"You still don't understand. This is your rebirth Aaron I'm giving you a chance to live again."

He never took the energy to ask her questions, he never really wanted the answers to them but now he thought he'd risk it; just this once.

"Who are you?"

The woman looked at him as if she was surprised he asked the question and as if she was disappointed he didn't know the answer.

"I think that hurt a lot more than I thought it would," she said in a broken whisper showing real emotion for once and just like that it was gone.

"Well Aaron if you play your cards right I'm the one who's gonna show you redemption," she said holding her head high.

Would it kill her to seem even remotely human? He thought as he watched her walk away.

Her voice echoed down the halls, it was the same stupid shit the woman had begun to recite every night. It stuck in his head and he doesn't want it there so he covered his ears with his tightly bound hands and squeezed his eyes shut trying to shut her voice out completely but it only seemed to have gotten louder.

"You tried to overcome the whip, thrash, switch of all the bestowed lashes

You died inside yet I was what you needed in order for you to rise above your ashes

I gave you hope to take with you, nothing remains as it once was

Where once you were no more below as you were once above...

I have to get out of here Aaron repeated like a chorus in his head. He looked around the room or whatever it was he was in.

There were no windows, it was nothing but a fairly small room; white enough to drive someone crazy. Whenever she couldn't make it back she'd leave him a laptop so that she could send him messages about how everything she does she does for him it seemed to be her got to line whenever they spoke.

Aaron had already managed to set his feet free and she hadn't even noticed. He's been working to get to the metal he knew was in the twine used to bind his hands once he unravels all of the yarn. Those things pinch into his skin and leaves burn marks with every twist of the wrist and he wanted it off.

That stupid poem the woman would repeat again and again began to play—once again—and he could do nothing but sit there and listen to the insanity of it all.

...Where before there was dark, I introduced you to light

Where once you were grounded, I introduced you to flight

Where before there was fortune, I introduced you to fame

Once you had pride but now there's just shame...

Over and over again the moment the poem stopped Aaron frantically tried to work the twine from around his wrist. With every hesitation the poem would continue.

...I've brought you back from the colorless world of despair

I introduced you to life, your rebirth I've repaired

How will you thank me for all that I have done?

You can give me no more than I've already won."

### Chapter twenty: Ryder Ferris

Ryder's hands tightened around the steering wheel as he sped down the road toward Banquet St. He didn't hesitate and sit in the confines of the car like he normally did. He couldn't take that risk; not with Robert in town. Ryder didn't want him anywhere near his mother, and he wanted him to know nothing of her location she was safer that way—they all were.

"Loretta buzz me in," Ryder instructed as he stopped at the gated area.

The gates opened slowly a little too slowly and it took every ounce of patience Ryder still owned—which is little to none at this point in time—to not ram right through the gates and open them forcefully.

"She's woke Ryder," Loretta warned.

Ryder stopped at the door of his mother's room and looked over his shoulder at Loretta who seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. "

You came here for a reason child; you look like you're on a mission, don't throw all of that away because you're afraid to see her," she forewarned. Besides Ryder's little Bēlua, Loretta was the only woman he let get away with talking to him the way she does.

Ryder nodded his head slightly knowing she was painfully right and continued the four steps that stood between him and his mother's door.

Ryder wanted to knock but he couldn't, he didn't want permission to see what he knew he was about to. No one should have to ask to see that kind of punishment.

Ryder slowly cracked the door and the heavenly sent of a mixture of Lilac which belonged to his mother and Cinnamon and apple's which came from the Febreze® bottle on her nightstand filled the room.

Ryder slipped through the little crack he had created in the door and closed the door behind himself. The moment the door closed he wanted to open it back up—wide; the thought of being alone with her scared him more than the claustrophobic-ness of the small room.

"Robby?" his mother croaked. Ryder wanted to correct her and tell her not to call him that but he knew she'd just tell him what she always does.

"You're being ridiculous, just because you have the same nickname as that man doesn't mean you'll become him. You're your own man Robby."

Little does she know I'm already fast becoming him.

Ryder didn't answer her nor did he even look her in the face as he walked slowly toward the chair that sat next to her bed.

"Loretta tells me you came by once before," she said leaving a lot unsaid.

Ryder knew what she was thinking how come I didn't wake her or wait for her to wake? Ryder couldn't and he knew she wouldn't understand. If it wasn't so important he wouldn't be here now.

"How are you feeling?" he forced himself to ask bracing himself for the truth he knew she'd give me.

She huffed before turning slightly away from him.

"Why are you here?" she asked shocking him into looking at her.

Ryder so wished he hadn't though. She looked so fragile and broken lying in that bed.

"Robby why are you here?" she asked again as he continued to stare at her. Ryder was shocked silent but what she said next shocked some sense into me.

"Loretta can you escort Robby out for me please?"

Ryder could see the tears shining in her eyes as she said it and it broke him to pieces but he refused his own to fall.

"You don't owe me anything you don't have to visit me I'm not forcing you nor am I asking you. I know this is hard for you so just go," she said as she tried to turn her back on him but the pain it caused made a silent breath of air escape her mouth as she lay there shocked waiting for the pain to subside.

What kind of son can just sit here and watch his mother in pain like this? What kind of son was he to not realize how much she needed him...how much he needed her?

You can't get too close you'll just lose her and end up hurting all over again, he reminded himself.

"I want so much for you to be happy, for this to have never happened to you," Ryder said to her.

"Life happens Robby and eventually we'll lose it, that's just the way it goes."

It hurt to hear her talk like that. "I came here for a reason," he said as it donned on him that Loretta wasn't coming to escort him out.

"Roberts back in town—"

"I know," she said cutting him off.

"You know?" he almost jumped out of his chair by the strong beat of his heart her words had caused. Panic had stricken him bare to the bone.

"What the hell do you mean you know?"

"Robby," she reprimanded.

Ryder sat back down in his chair and willed his heart to stop the stupid erratic beat it had going on.

"He called me...twice. I made the mistake of picking up the first time but I didn't the second," she said seeming so vulnerable as she lay against her white in-need-of-changing sheets.

Ryder knew how much Robert meant to her so he couldn't fault her for answering but his heart swelled with pride at the thought of her ignoring the second call. Ryder truthfully didn't think she had it in her.

"Now you should get out of here I'm fine," she said as she slightly turned away from him. That's the third time she did that. Ryder got the feeling that her ignoring Roberts calls was more because she was upset with him and the way she's treating Ryder...it just made him bubble up inside. She's treating him like she's treating her douche of a husband; she thinks they failed her—but Ryder's nothing like him!

"Fine I'll let you rest," he said as he got to his feet.

"But first I want to make sure you do it comfortably."

Ryder walked over toward where his mother lay against her bed immobile with the start of shock taking over her features as Ryder knelt down and picked her up and cradled her in his arms. He walked over toward the wheel chair that sat near the window trying to get himself to not think about how strangely light she felt in his arms; too light for a 40 year old woman.

Ryder sat his mother down carefully and turned back toward the bed. He then stripped off her bedding and walked out of the room to discard of them in the laundry room.

"Oh let me take those, I was going to do it in the morning you know," Loretta said as she took the soiled bedding from his arms.

"Yea well I saw them and thought that—"

"No need to explain. Thank you," she said as she turned to leave and deal with the comforters. Her thanks seemed as though it held double meaning, Ryder thought as he returned to his mother's room.

Ryder watched his mother as she sagged against the wheel chair and looked out of the window at the bleak and barren gray-ish sky. Gray-ish Sky? Just the thought of it made him think of Skylar and her murky gray eyes.

Ryder hadn't realized that his mother had turned around and was staring at him until she spoke.

"What's there to smile about?" she asked lightly as a smile lingered on her face as well. It's always been like that with them; she smiled, he smiled, he smiled, she smiled; he just wished it wasn't the same for all of the other emotions as well.

"Nothing," Ryder said as he turned toward the closet in the hall way where they kept extra pillows and bedding.

"That smile wasn't nothing," she said as he returned. "Especially since you do less of it nowadays," she added.

Ryder wanted to look at her as he fixed her bed but he refused he knew she'd just see right through him.

"It was nothing I...was just...thinking of something," he said as he grabbed the pillows from where he sat them in the chair and piled them on top of the bed.

"Not so many," she said referring to the pillows.

"You were thinking of what?" she asked obviously not wanting to let it go.

"It was nothing mom," he repeated as he turned toward her and lifted her from the wheel chair and back onto the bed.

"You know I know when you're lying to me," she pointed out as he tucked her into bed.

"Not so tight," she protested. "I do want to be able to move just a little," she said as she wiggled weakly.

"So I'll ask only one more time: who made my boy smile like that?"

"Who?" Ryder said as he sat back down in the visitor's chair.

"Yes who?" she said. "I may be weak but I'm not old and I know what those kinds of smiles mean so who is she?" she asked as a smile crept on to her face a complete and utter contrast to the firmness of her voice.

"She's nobody mom," he said having this sudden strong urge to roll his eyes and push her playfully.

Ryder missed how they used to be before she got so sick, or at least before her sickness was so noticeable.

"I want my boy to be happy if anyone deserves it it's you," she said austerely.

Ryder wanted to poke fun at her reasoning but he hated the fact that he caused that beautiful smile that seemed to bring her dead and ashen face alive, to disappear.

"She's a friend mom," he said vaguely giving in.

"Does this friend have a name? It's not Sidney is it?" she asked as her brows furrowed.

"No it's not Sidney," he said shaking his head slightly.

The last time Sidney had ever seen his mother was before her father had died and she had never seen his mother so sick before; not like this and he didn't want anyone to.

"So what's her name?" his mother pressed.

"Her name is...Skylar," he answered with clear reluctance.

Ryder's mother's face immediately softened.

"Her name is beautiful, your grandmother thought about calling my younger sister the same thing," she said as happy tears shone in her eyes. Ryder had to look away because he hated to see his reflection in them he didn't deserve to be a part of the smile that bloomed on her face and the tears that seemed to radiate and bring her pale blue eyes alive.

"I want to meet her," she whispered.

The word No danced on his tongue and he immediately swallowed the words as he watched the tears she didn't bother to hold back take a joy ride down her pale face.

"Mom you're not—"

"I want to see her," she demanded more forcefully. "Please," she added once she saw the defiance in his eyes.

At this moment his mother no longer looked so sickly just sad and Ryder wanted to beat himself up for making her look that way.

"I'll ask her," he whispered as he gave in.

"I'll be waiting for your answer," she said assuming that he'd be back and that's when it hit him—he couldn't stay away even if he tried.

"Get some sleep," Ryder said as he got to his feet.

Ryder held his breath against the rancid smell of her and kissed the top of her head before moving toward the door.

"Thank you for coming Robby it meant the word to me and I can't wait to see the woman who caused that smile I haven't seen for years," she said as her face seemed to disappear behind the river of tears that seemed to take over her face. Ryder's heart broke for her, he wanted to avoid this, he didn't want to get this close just so that she can be ripped away from him.

I must not have suffered enough, he thought as he closed her door slowly.

When Ryder turned he almost smacked right into Loretta but she stabilized him with her shacking hands.

Ryder looked down at Loretta's face and into her glimmering eyes they were too streaming with tears, he could see every emotion that played across her face they were all open and there for the viewing.

Not you too, he thought.

Loretta lifted her shacking fingers to his check and swiped at the wetness there. Ryder looked down at the tear she held on her finger that he hadn't known he had even cried. Though it was just one tear it was something he hasn't done sense he was 10.

I have to get out of here, he thought as he removed Loretta lightly but very forcefully away from his path and headed straight for the door.

This woman is going to royally destroy me, he thought as he pulled out of the gated area and back onto the road. Ryder knew exactly where he was going before he even got there.

### Chapter twenty-one: Skylar Royce

Skylar was not in the mood for visitors but the knocking would not let up. She dragged herself from her mother's room and shut and locked the door. She cleared her face of all evidence of tears before going to the front door.

"I'm sorry for showing up like this...I just wanted to talk," Sidney said as she stood on Skylar's door step clutching a book to her chest.

Skylar moved out of the way so that Sidney had enough space to enter her home before she changed her mind. Sidney had a death grip on that tattered notebook and it made Skylar slightly suspicious as she closed her door and followed her over toward one of the couches.

"I hope this isn't a bad time," she said apologetically.

It was always going to be a bad time, Skylar thought glumly. What was she doing here at 9 at night anyways, she wondered but didn't trust her voice enough to try and voice the words.

Skylar didn't know how long exactly she had been crying but she could tell by the dry and scratchiness of her throat and the occasional lift of her shoulders to take in deep breaths, it had been a while.

Skylar wanted to ask what it was that Sidney wanted but Sidney didn't give her the chance as she immediately began talking, Skylar was slightly grateful for it.

"Ryder say's you know Hank and I want to warn you right now not to trust him."

Ok my attention is completely hers at the moment, Skylar thought as she got a little more comfortable on the couch.

"He wants this book in my hand here," she said motioning toward it with her eyes but not lifting it enough for Skylar to see exactly what it was.

"Ok," Skylar croaked.

"I didn't understand why...until now," she said slowly again not letting her grip loosen on the note book.

"There are...secrets in here, secrets that only Aaron knows...and now me but I don't know them completely they're in code but I figured some of it out already."

"What would Hank want with that?" Skylar asked weakly.

"Well I don't know but it's obvious whatever is in here is highly important." Skylar nodded her head to indicate that Sidney could continue. "The only reason I'm showing you this is because you are close to Hank." Skylar wanted to deny it but Sidney kept talking making no room for interruptions. "So if anyone can get the truth out of him it's you."

"How'd you come up with that ridiculous conclusion?" Skylar said, her voice sounding better with every word.

"He's...afraid of you or something."

Skylar wanted to laugh at her wrong accusation but again Sidney just kept going as if she just needed Skylar's ears and not her mouth.

"There's something about you, Ryder said it himself; you're different and Hank knows it. If you weren't so useful to him then he would have never imprinted himself in your path."

Sidney had a point a point Skylar constantly thought of herself. Ever since that B and E in Hank's office things just weren't adding up. No one questioned the fact that Hank wasn't Hank at all and for those to know that he did indeed die...it just didn't make sense. Someone had to have known that this wasn't the real Hank. But the question she struggled to find an answer to is: Who is this man pretending to be Hank and what truly happened to the real Hank?

"Skylar?" Sidney called.

Skylar snapped out of the safety of her own thoughts and looked over toward her worried face.

"I'm almost positive that you're Alias #7," she said making not a lick of sense to Skylar.

"Alias #7?" Skylar questioned.

"Yes, Aaron wrote this book in codes so that no one knew the true identities but him but I was able to uncover a few," she said, and for the first time since Sidney walked into Skylar's house she removed the book from her chest and held it out toward Skylar.

Skylar peered down at the book and the cover read: Aaron's book of Secrets. With a hesitant hand she reached out and took the book from Sidney's hands.

"Page 5, date May 6th and it's titled Alias #7?" she said as she scooted closer and looked over Skylar's shoulder.

"Why was that formed as some kind of question?" Skylar asked as she looked down at the page Sidney had indicated.

"Read it and find out," she said as she encroached into Skylar's personal space.

May 6th

Alias #6 and I have been wondering around discretely, looking for whisperer's to recruit. Our females were a little down on number and we needed more so that they'd be able to compete in the Whisperer of Night competition. While Alias #6 scored the lower parts of Coconut Grove I decided I'd go on to score the upper parts. There were surprisingly a lot of people out around this time and so I knew more than half of them had to be wisps. I watched a few of them go on about their businesses as though they were as normal as the ones that surround them and I knew those weren't the ones I wanted to recruit. I walked a little farther until a woman had caught my attention.

Alias #7

Alias #7 isn't oblivious to the things she can do and she embraces them as if it's second skin. The only thing stopping me from approaching her is the fights I've witnessed happen. She evoked a lot of them, some were done out of complete and utter justice but then others were just because. Something about her was different she was...powerful very much so. She moved a bit unskilled like but she held her own.

I decided to test Alias #7 before I made my presence known. I've been watching her now for a week and there was something off balanced with her reactions and movements. I sent out one of my best Wisps Alias #4 to see just how skilled or unskilled she was.

Alias #4 was to approach Alias #7 but not to egg her on to do anything harmful to him or herself. I watched as she watched Alias #4 reach a bystander that Alias #4 had mind controlled to be oblivious to what was happening around him. Bystander #1 just so happened to be Alias #7's focus of the day. She watched Bystander #1 as if he were a school project and that was Alias #4's cue to go in.

Alias #4 approached Bystander #1 and made it seem as though he were harassing the Bystander #1 and because of the look of bewilderment on Alias # 7's face I thought it was time for Alias #4 to make his move and attach Alias #7 needless to say it didn't turn out nearly how I expected it to.

Another Bystander saw what was going on and decided to make a move as well. We hadn't planned there being another Bystander so we had no time to control him. Alias #7 used the distraction Bystander #2 created and attached Alias #4. Bystander #1 was still under control and hadn't made a move because he wasn't instructed to and then the weirdest thing happened Alias #7 controlled the body of Alias #4, lifted the mind spell on Bystander #1 and assured Bystander #2 that everything was all good. I had never seen anything like it.

For the next couple of Days Alias #7 spent most of her time in the house taking care of her mother. Only at night did she step outside of her house again.

Skylar had no clue how to feel about a grown man watching and recording her every movement, she though as she skimmed over all of the pages that didn't involve Alias #7.

"There's only one more page that mentions you," Sidney said. Skylar had totally forgotten that she was still sitting there.

"What makes you think this is about me?" Skylar asked her curiously.

"I've only seen you for three days and yet it seems as though that entry describes you to the T. Minus the fighting and things like that I only knew that was also you because of the way Ryder talks about how much your different. I can literally feel power radiate from you, he also told me about what happened between you and the twins," she answered.

"The twins?" Skylar questioned

"Nico and Carter," Sidney answered.

"I had no clue they were twins."

"They're not but they act like it, that's just how some of us categorize them."

"How can you feel power radiating off of me, you're human?" Skylar asked trying not to pass judgment but finding it hard to not do so.

"Well I'm not so sure about that anymore. I've always been able to see, hear and feel what others can't. I don't even have to lay my hands on it I could just feel it in my bones you know?"

No Skylar didn't know but maybe the book did. Skylar flipped through some of the pages and skimmed over the words. Anything titled under battle wouldn't have Sidney mentioned in any of those so she was looking for something that didn't entirely fit.

"I think I know which one is about me," she said as she flipped through the pages and stopped at one titled June 14th. Skylar read the entry over and over again trying to figure out what any of it meant.

"Well I guess it's pretty obvious that there's a secret you were supposed to know but—"

"He died," Sidney cut in.

"Well yea, that."

"So how am I supposed to find out now?" she asked in a winy voice.

"You should ask your mother maybe she'll tell you."

"She hasn't told me yet so I don't think she's going to anytime soon. Besides I'm pretty sure she's alias #13 and she didn't seem too happy with my dad after he announced that he was going to final tell me the truth, a truth I should have known a long time ago might I add."

"You never know maybe now is different."

"What do you feel when you are around Hank?" Skylar asked curiously.

"I don't know I feel...anger...vengeance. His aura is a dim gray-ish red so—"

"You see Auras?" Skylar asked cutting her off.

"Yes," she answered simply.

Skylar got up from the couch and walked up stairs to her room. When she came back she sat the laptop down on the coffee table.

"What are you doing?" Sidney asked but Skylar could barely hear her as she came across the document she was looking for. Skylar clicked on it and the truth smacked her in the face. She looked behind her at Sidney and then the little girl on her screen. Skylar only remember seeing Sidney's mother once but she was almost certain the woman in the picture was her.

Now this just got interesting, Skylar thought to herself as she sat back on the couch so that Sidney could have a look at the laptop herself.

"What is this?" she asked looking back at Skylar and then the computer.

"It's the truth or at least part of it" Skylar said simply.

"This say's Hanks obituary," she said in a shaky voice.

"Yes I know it does just read it," she said as she watched Sidney's hands shake on the mouse pad.

Sidney cleared her throat to get ready to read and yet her voice was still shaky as she began.

Obituary for Hank Paul Henderson

September 29, 1969 – May 9, 1996

Miami, Florida | Age 27

Hank Paul Henderson was your quintessential tough guy—strong, hardworking, and self-contained; he was your average Joe. His wife and friends described Hank as being a dyed- in-the-wool conservative. He's very opinionated but that has never been his problem.

On Thursday May 9th, 1996 Hank Paul Henderson's life was cut shockingly—and so far mysteriously—short. Hank Henderson was killed without the slightest of remorse. The victim was found in his home surrounded by a two year old girl and a twenty-six year old woman who were both covered in blood and bind with twine at the hands and feet and a layer of duct tape covered their mouths. The perpetrator was without any sign of compunction as he fled the scene. Investigators are still looking into this devastating, yet mysterious murder.

Continue on next page 

3 years later

Hank Paul Henderson's family at funeral see picture here.

Hank's wife and kid stand amongst others concealed in black and doused in tears as they hover over where Hank Henderson's body lay in open casket. In the middle of the sermon the little four year old girl declares that she can feel her dad. Mother cries more but doesn't deny her daughter's claims. Little girl falls to her knees when told that it was time for her to leave. She claimed that she didn't want to leave her father. Men had to physically remove the two year old and at that tender age she was diagnosed with PTSD.

Girl and mother go missing:

Doctors claim that the little girl had gone missing while under their care. They say that they do not allow the doors or windows to be unlocked and the girls are not to be allowed to leave the sanctuary of the building without an adult present; so how did that little girl escape? When detective Nolan Royce was put on the case to find the girl the mother was hysterical and claimed she had no clue where she could have gone. 48 hours later and Detective Nolan found the girl in the cemetery.

"Aaron's not my father," was the first thing Sidney said.

"No he's not," Skylar said hoping that that wasn't the only conclusion she had gotten to.

"Hank's my father, but not the man running around pretending to be Hank," she said to herself seeming to be trying to put this all together. "Hank the fake one killed my father and is pretending to be him," she said matching Skylar's conclusion exactly. "But why?"

"That's what I wanted to know so I did a bit of digging into the real Hank's life and found out that he is a very well respected Espy."

"What's that?" she asked while still staring at the computer monitor.

"I have no clue but apparently it has something to do with the things you said you were able to see, feel, hear and do," Skylar explained.

"So why was Aaron pretending to be my father for all of these years? I don't even remember any of those things happening," she said confused.

"Well that's something only your mother would have the answers to."

"Aaron's still alive," she blurted with wide eyes. "I heard my mother talking about a location and then she said Aaron's name. In one of his journal entries he mentioned a boy who had apparently died during battle but he said the boy's soul is immortal only the shell of his human body had died. What if that's what I was trying to say in the cemetery maybe I was able to see my father's soul though his human body was dead."

"It's possible but if Aaron was just a soul why would your mother be talking about a location only Espies apparently can see them so he shouldn't have to hide."

"No I'm almost certain Aaron's still alive but my real father's soul is wondering around somewhere."

"Don't get any ideas," Skylar warned, "You are not about to go wandering around to find his soul."

"What are we going to do about Hank?" Sidney asked as she turned to face Skylar completely.

"I don't know," Skylar answered honestly. "But there are still so many other things needing my attention."

"Yea I know," she said softly. "We're going to need help," she announced.

"We?" Skylar questioned.

### Chapter twenty-two: Sidney Fields

Sidney was shocked once she had gotten home after telling Nate everything that she and Skylar had discovered to find her mother still up and at the kitchen table with Hank on her left side with a calloused hand on her mother's shoulder.

"Mom what are you still doing up?" Sidney asked determined to ignore Hank.

"Honey we need to talk," her mother said on a sob.

Sidney took a few deep breaths not wanting to let her emotions get out of hand but she couldn't have said it any better herself, they did need to talk but without the presence of Hank.

"Mom I'm really, really tired can this wait?" she asked.

"No Sidney I think you should listen to what your mother has to say," Hank cut in.

"Hank why the hell are you here in my house?" she asked as she continued to watch her mother not wanting to look at him as she addressed him.

"Sidney bite your tongue real quick, I'm in no mood for your bitchiness."

"Well you're in my house so deal otherwise choice A is still an option—get the hell out!"

"Sidney I really need to talk to you," her mother pleaded.

"And I'm all for that mother but I rather we do it alone instead of with a constant audience," she said shooting Hank a mean glare.

"You know what Ciana I think that was the smartest idea your daughter has ever had, I'll be upstairs while yall talk find me when you're done," he said before moving away from her mother going up the stairs to her mother's room.

"You're fuckin kidding me right?" Sidney asked to Hank's retreating back. "Why stay? WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE!" she said as he continued to walk and ignore her.

"Sidney please come over here so we can talk," her mother pleaded.

"Not until you kick him out, I want him out!"

"Please," her mother pleaded in a broken whisper.

Sidney huffed and walked over to where her mother sat at the kitchen island and let her mother grab her hands in her cold ones.

"There is something that I should have told you a long time ago," her mother said as tears ran down her peach stained cheeks.

Sidney didn't think now was the time to let her know that Aaron wasn't really her father or that her real father was dead but her mother seemed hella bent on telling her this so Sidney listened patiently.

"Honey, you have a sister," was not the words Sidney expected to hear out of her mother's mouth but those were indeed the words she heard.

"What?" Sidney asked confused.

"I'm sorry I should have told you but your father had just—he didn't think that it was the right time."

"And now was?" and by father did she mean Hank Paul Henderson or Aaron Lynn Fields? She questioned to herself.

"I'm sorry but Hank thought that you should know," her mother whispered.

"Why would I care?" Sidney asked confused not knowing why Hank would insist her mother tell her anything pertaining the truth.

"Honey don't be that way she is your sister and we didn't want you to go through life without knowing that."

"I've gone so far without knowing what difference would knowing now make, did you expect me to just hop up and look for her and then welcome her with open arms?!"

"Mom—"Sidney just shook her head without continuing. "Good night," she said as she hopped down from the stool to head to her room.

"Wait!" her mother called trying to grab at her hands before she pulled them away. "Sidney wait!" her mother said more urgently.

"What?" Sidney asked with the top of her foot on the first stair.

"Th-there's more?" her mother said as if she weren't even sure.

"No thank you, maybe later though," Sidney said as she continue to mount the rest of the stairs.

"Wait, please don't go I'm scared," her mother said.

"Well maybe it has something to do with the Neanderthal in our house mother," Sidney said as she turned the corner and headed into her room. Sidney was shocked to see Hank rushing out of her room once she had opened the door. At that moment everything began to click into place. Hank used her mother to distract Sidney while he tore her room apart in another failed attempt to look for Aaron's Book of Secrets. She wandered if what her mother said was even the truth, if she really did have a sister.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she said as she entered her room. "That was low, using my mother. You are one sick bastard you know that?" she said as she dared take a step forward toward him. "Tell me Hank why is this book so damn important to you?"

She wanted to let slip that she knew everything there was to know about him but usually once you reveal that you lose the element of surprised and that's all Sidney had to defend herself against Hank.

"Sidney you have no clue what you're getting yourself into," he said as he stared her down.

"Educate me Hank, what is it exactly that I am getting myself into?"

Hank just smiled slyly but said nothing on the matter.

"I have something to get rid of so if you'll excuse me I'll just be going," he said as he slid past her and down the stairs.

Sidney had no idea what his comment meant she knew he didn't have the book of secrets because she hid it between Skylar's living room couch so what did he mean by things to get rid of?

Sidney began putting her things back in place the way she had had them and in the process kicked her phone underneath her bed. Se knelt down to retrieve it, reaching as far as her arms would go until she had it in her hands. She sat back and looked at her screen to see that Nate had texted her 15 minutes ago. She was just with him but still she read the txt anyways.

Sidney I know who Hank is, meet me in our place.

Oh shit, was all Sidney could think after reading the text.

### Chapter twenty-three: Ryder Ferris

Ryder sat in his car outside of Skylar's house not yet wanting to go in. He was sure he looked a mess and she would immediately be able to tell that something was wrong. He sat there until sitting there just caused him to think more about his mother and what he knew would be his next move concerning her.

Instead Ryder parked his car outside of Skylar's house, got out of the car and took his steps cautiously as if he was trying not to step on a crack before mounting Skylar's porch stairs, then proceeded inside to see Skylar sitting at her kitchen table with a bowl of cereal. He walked right past her living room to join her in the kitchen. He sat down but she didn't bother to speak or acknowledge his presence. His eyes roamed all over her as she continued to ignore him.

"Are you hungry, because you look like you want to eat me," she said as she continued to not look at him while she ate her cereal and he continued to watch her silently.

"Only if you're offering," he said as he watched every spoonful of cereal disappear behind her full lips.

"Sorry I'm not open," she said causing Ryder to smile. Only she would dare say something like that and Ryder didn't fully know how much he relied on their straight-forward conversations.

"So when exactly do I get to take a trip or two to the treasure you hide between your legs?"

Ryder watched amused as Skylar chocked on her cereal, holding her hands on her stomach and one on her throat as she tried to cough up the cereal that she had unknowingly swallowed whole.

"Excuse me? I'm not entirely sure I heard you correctly. Care to repeat?" she said once she was done with her coughing fit.

"I said when will you let me fu—"

"What makes you think I'd let you?" she said cutting him off.

"Well that is the next step right? I take you out a few times, butter you up and then we fu—"

"You forgot the part where I cut off all access with you and then you fuck off," she interrupted.

"No, that comes after my dear, and I was indeed getting there."

"Sorry to disappoint," she said as she got up to put her bowl in the sink. "If that was your reason for coming here than what a waste it was but I don't have time for you right now," she said as she disappeared down the hall.

"I get this strange feeling, and I may be wrong here but you seem angry," Ryder said as he followed behind her.

"You never told me you were psychic," she said sarcastically as she stopped in front of a dark room but made no attempts to go inside as she turned to face him. "I said it once before but maybe if I repeat myself you'll listen, I don't have time for you right now."

"I'm sorry," he said as he looked around himself, "but are you trying to kick me out?" he asked as if he didn't believe it and needed some confirming.

Skylar rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine," Ryder said not all happy. "No more games," he said as if it were his final offer.

"But you won't leave," she said saying what he had left unsaid.

"Maybe you're the psychic one," he said with a wink.

Skylar sighed before turning around and entering the dark room without turning on any lights. Ryder followed her inside not knowing what exactly she planned to do here in the dark but before he could ask the room was soon bathed in blue light that seemed to have been coming from the words that were written on the walls. Ryder could not suppress his smile.

Only you, were all he could think as he stared at the wall in awe.

"Please close your mouth," she said as she turned toward the wall. "And try not to be a distraction."

Ryder smiled at the back of her head but said nothing as he leaned against the only wall that had yet to be filled with any writing. He watched as she paced around the small room and mumbled things he couldn't hear.

"You look confused sweetheart would you like some assistance?" he asked no longer being able to withhold his words.

In response Skylar ran her fingers through her hair and looked skyward seeming at a loss of sorts. Ryder walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Obviously you need some help so what is it you're trying to figure out?" he whispered. Skylar dropped her hands to her side in a huff.

"I don't get it," she said looking back at the wall.

"What don't you get?"

She walked away from him making his arms fall limp at his side as she ran her hands down her face and around her neck.

"Sidney came by last night," she said before turning around to face him, her face engulfed in blue light.

"Ok and?" he asked not seeing the importance in her admission. Skylar rolled her eyes and turned away from him to face the wall again not willing to say anything else.

"Ok, ok I'm sorry continue," he said as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her once again. He felt her sigh against his chest before continuing.

"She has this book, it used to belong to her father—Aaron," she quickly changed instead. "It was some book of secrets and it had a lot of information about a lot of people, but anyways that's not the point, the point is Hank—or whoever he is wants it—for what we're not sure of yet."

"Why'd you say or whoever he is when referring to Hank, is he not who he says he is?"

"I broke into Hanks office yesterday and found out that the real Hank Paul Henderson died May 9th of last year, therefore whoever this man is pretending to be Hank must have deeper motives than just wanting to...whatever it is he's trying to do. Which is just more confusing because we don't know what that is, we have no clue what he's up to!" she said as she laid her head back against Ryder who was now trying to support her instead of comfort her.

"And now Sidney's upset because we just realized that Aaron isn't her father and the man Hank Paul Henderson, who no doubt died at the hands of fake Hank, was her real father," she said on a whispered breath.

Ryder was just as shocked as Skylar was and probably more so because growing up Aaron was always there for Sidney and there was never once a doubt about whether or not he was her real father.

"Is that all?" he asked bracing himself for any more bad news.

"We also found out that Sidney isn't at all human but she's an Espy, whatever the hell that is."

Now that wasn't at all surprising, Ryder had already knew this but promised Aaron that he wouldn't say anything to her until Aaron gave him the go ahead.

"Yea, I know," he said to Skylar. "Aaron and Ciana weren't at all sure if she would be but now that they were sure they wanted to start her training as soon as possible which obviously didn't happen because of Aaron's passing."

"So now what?" she asked.

"I don't know, but I promised Aaron that I wouldn't get involved unless he asked me to."

"Well seeing as though he can't ask you to what are you going to do?" she asked.

"I still don't know," was his response.

"Well I know what I'm gonna do," she said standing on her own two feet and moving away from Ryder.

"Oh yea, and what's that?" he asked crossing his arms against his chest.

"Ethan offered to help me and I feel as though that's the only way I'm gonna get somewhere, I can't do it by myself," she said as if her mind was set.

"You always have me," Ryder reminded her.

"Always is a long time Ryder," she said leaving the room.

"Who is Ethan?" Ryder asked deciding against commenting on her last statement.

"Ethan is an investigator, he also happens to be my boss and on top of that he's my Uncle," she said as she turned toward the stairs and took them two at a time. "So there for he'll help and we'll get this done a whole lot faster."

"Ok and what do you suppose I do?" he asked as he followed her up the stairs.

"I don't know, whatever it is you do best I guess," she said as she entered a room.

"Funny, but I'm serious," he said as he realized that it was her room that they had stopped at.

"And so was I," she said as she collected a few items from her drawer and disappeared behind a door.

Ryder wanted to solve this as much as she did; besides it was his wisps that were going missing and being killed.

Ryder walked farther into her room after he heard the bath water running.

Her walls were covered in orange and red paint which was unusual for a girl Ryder thought, he was so used to seeing blue or pink walls, even green but not orange. Her room was also clean, like OCD clean not a thing out of place, not a spec of dirt on the floors it was just clean. Her bed was covered with all various sized and shaped pillows; they weren't stuffed animals like you see in most girls' rooms they were just pillows with different shapes and sizes that sat on top of a tangerine bed spread.

There was a poster sized photo of what Ryder was guessing was a 5 year old Skylar with her mother and Father that hung above her bed and smaller pictures of the three through various ages that decorated the tops of her desk and dressers. One picture in particular caught Ryder's eye though. It was a picture of Skylar in a baggy outfit of sweat pants and an off the shoulder top paired with sneakers standing next to a geeked out version of Brooke with pig tails and glasses and beside that picture was another picture of Skylar in her baggy outfit next to a boy wearing football gear with his arms around Skylar but strangely enough his face was scratched out.

"I'd appreciate it if you put that down," Skylar said as she walked farther into the room hair still wet from her shower.

"Who was this, an unlucky ex?" Ryder asked referring to the jock in the picture.

"It would appear so," she said as she sat down at her vanity chair, blow dryer in hand.

"Let me guess this picture was taken on Halloween," he said as he moved behind her chair as she began to blow dry her hair.

"Why do you suggest that?" she asked meeting his eyes in the mirror.

"Well for one Brooke looks all geeky and though it wouldn't seem all that much out of place if I hadn't met her, the problem is I did meet her and she looks nothing like this it would seem to me as nothing more than a costume. And the boy with his arm around you looks like a limp noddle who only wished to be a jock. And quite frankly I've never seen you in anything remotely this figure unfaltering."

"For your information I was a dancer and I wasn't about to wear pants that I could possibly rip. And to answer your question—that really wasn't a question at all—no this picture was not taken on Halloween, Brooke was really a dork, and that guy was really a jock."

"So let me guess—"

"Maybe you should stop guessing," she cut in.

"You were the girl that everyone liked, you were nice to everyone including the outcast and everyone was nice to you in turn," he continued as if she hadn't said anything.

"That assumption would be correct," she said as she laid down her blow dryer. "And let me guess," she said leaning back in her chair as if she were done. Another thing about Skylar that isn't at all like most girls is that she doesn't own an ounce of makeup, Ryder thought as he ran his fingers through her hair waiting for her to continue.

"You were the guy that though everyone liked you, you only got far on fear. You didn't have true friends at all just people who feared you or avoided you like the plague," she concluded. Ryder smiled at her assumption though it wasn't at all true.

"Sorry sweetheart but you are far from right."

"Ok so enlighten me."

"Well," he said as he raked his fingers through her hair and met her cloudy grey eyes in the mirror. "I was that one guy in the front of the classroom who answered the teacher's question's once he realized no one else would, I was the guy who got excited when he got home just so he could tell his mother all about his day leaving out the parts that he knew would make her angry not at him but at herself for not being there for her son when he was being bullied, and I was the guy who in the end rebelled when things stopped looking up for him," he finished as he watched Skylar's reactions through the glass.

"Who would have known that Ryder Ferris wasn't always a hard ass," she commented.

"Well my dear there's a lot you don't know about Ryder Ferris."

"What's with the endearments?" she asked as she pulled away from him making his hands fall out of her hair.

"I'm sorry love I didn't know they bothered you."

"Ryder you're too much sometimes," she said rolling her eyes and getting up from her seat to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" he asked as he watched her grab a set of keys and head for the door.

"To work," she answered without giving him a backwards glance.

"So you're just going to leave me in your house all by myself."

"You'll leave once you realize that there's nothing here to entertain you," she said as she left.

### Chapter twenty-four: Skylar Royce

Skylar sat at her office desk, knowing that at any given moment Ethan would be calling for her. She hasn't seen Hank enter the building yet but that meant nothing he was usually always late but she used to pay it little to no attention unfortunately now was different which caused her to get a bit antsy.

"You look as if you're about to bolt any second now," Ava said as she entered Skylar's office, which was really not much of an office compared to the others but it was an office none the less.

Skylar gave Ava a short, mirthless laugh, "I guess I am a bit on edge today," she answered.

"It's not because of Naveen calling in sick is it?" Ava asked. Skylar's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. She had no clue that Naveen had even called in sick. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal but if you knew Naveen then you knew it was. Naveen never called in sick even when she was so patently sick she never admitted it, never took a day off. No one ever understand her need to come into work every day but no one bothered to question her reasoning. It goes without saying that if Naveen called in sick there's a HUGE problem. And why is it that Hank's named popped into Skylar's head for excuse? Something was so not right here. First Skylar witnesses Naveen crying and begging—which never happens—and now she's calling in sick all of a sudden.

"I'mma take that as a yes?" Ava said by way of Skylar's blank stare.

"I had no idea," Skylar whispered.

"Oh," Ava said a bit confused herself. "Well Ethan said that she had called last minute and said she wasn't going to be able to come into work, she gave no explanation and she didn't sound sick but she does have a family so we guessed that that was the reason."

"Mmm hmm," Skylar said not at all paying attention to Ava anymore, now she was stuck in her own head. Naveen's didn't come into work and so far Hank's nowhere to be seen.

"Skylar can I see you for a minute?" Ethan called out. Now was so not the time but Skylar didn't bother voicing it because then she'd have to give a reason why said time was not the right one and she couldn't do that now could she? Skylar got up from her office chair and moved past Ava toward her office door where Ethan stood to guide her down to his office—as if she didn't know the way by now.

"Have a seat," he said once they entered.

Skylar sat on the seat opposite of his and folder her hands so as not to draw attention to the way they slightly shook—ok so maybe she was more than antsy.

"I don't have to stress the importance of always coming to me when there's a problem do I?"

Skylar shook her head slightly and made sure that she made eye contact—she's known for wandering around with her eyes when she has no particular interest in a conversation she was about to engage in.

"Good so then we can skip that part and get straight down to the problem at hand. I need to know everything you do if we're going to take on this case," he said as he folded his hands on top of his desk as if he was extremely interested—knowing him he just might have been.

"Well like I told you before when you asked me," she said making sure he heard that he had already asked her this once before.

"I'm just making sure that I have everything right, continue."

"Well someone is targeting whisperer's, kidnapping them and killing them—"

"Where are the whisperers being kidnapped at, do you know?"

"No I don't I just know that they are being kidnapped but if your wandering if they were all kidnapped from the same place well I asked myself the same question and had Hank look into but I have yet to get an answer on the matter."

"Ok but do you know where there being killed at, any evidence of where the crime might have gone down?"

"No."

"What about the burial ground? Where are the wisps bodies being dumped after the killing?"

"I've made a map indicating all of the bodies that were find thus far—"

"Thus far?"

"Well we're not completely sure if we've found all of the bodies, it's hard to tell."

"Continue. What other information did you gather on the matter?"

"There seems to be no MO. so far I mean, until we find out where the wisps are being taken from and where the crime is taken place. No specific gender is targeted, no limits on age range, no specifics in appearance, the only similarities would have to be where they are being dumped which isn't all that telling seeing as though Coconut grove isn't all that big of hiding place unless you hide bodies under beach sand which would be too telling, or in water which is checked and cleaned daily since people swim in it, bottom line being the bodies haven't been hidden once dumped, not all that well I suppose but we find them behind restaurant trash bins, an owner or whoever is left at the restaurant has contacted me but wasn't able to tell me when the bodies were place there or who placed them there, whether it was male or female, no one knows anything."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that, I'm sure someone knows something you're just not asking all of the right people."

Skylar expected that kind of response from him so she didn't comment.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Pretty much unless you want to know the names of the victims and the restaurant trash bins they were dumped behind."

"No, that won't at all be necessary, but what I do want to know is if there are any suspects, have you questioned anyone? Took anyone into custody?"

"No for two reasons."

"Ok name them," he said waving her on.

"One being no one saw anything so there was no one to question besides the owners of the restaurants, and two being that I wasn't actually permitted access to work on the case so if things got out of hand I wouldn't have been able to do much else but report it to someone who could do something."

"So what do you think would have happened if you've witnessed first-hand a crime going down? Your working on this case behind our backs no matter the reason was not smart considering the many possibilities."

"I completely understand that but I knew that you—"

"No. Matter. The reason," he spoke over her. "You should have come to us anyways."

Skylar just simply nodded her head once to indicate that she heard him but still didn't agree.

"Now, everything that you have told me helps us none, it just proves that there is a lot of work still needing to be done if we plan on solving this anytime soon. What I need you to find out is where the wisps are being taken from, I don't care what you have to do to find out I just need an answer—soon. Make sure to provide judicial inquiry for your allegations." Skylar wanted to object, she couldn't possibly find out, she's been trying all of this time to find the answer but every time she just ended up coming up empty. What would make now any different? But instead of voicing any of this she simply nodded her head once and got up to leave his office.

"Oh and Ms. Royce?" he called before she could cross that thresh hold.

"Yes?" she called over her shoulder.

"Be careful who you let develop information for you."

Skylar wasn't sure if he meant Hank or not but it sure seemed like it because he was the only person helping her. What did Ethan know pertaining to Hank and if he knew as much as Skylar did then why was he letting Hank work here?

"I will," she said simply as she exited his office.

"We all seem to question the wrong people don't we Ms. Royce?" Hank said from his position outside of Ethan's office door. Skylar retained her cool as not to let Hank know that he had succeeded in scaring her half to death. Hoping he didn't notice the discoloration of her face she turned to face him.

"And what exactly are you getting at Sir?" she said purposely not calling him Hank, for reasons she was sure he was well aware of by now.

"Exactly what I said, even your closest friends are guilty my dear."

"Mr. Henderson you may enter," Ethan called.

"If you'll excuse me," he said stepping around her. Skylar watched Hank's retreating form until it was nearly impossible to do so anymore.

Skylar walked back to her office to see that Ava was no longer present inside. She sat behind her office desk and looked at her blank computer monitor, while absent-mindedly taping her fingers on the keys—not hard enough to push any actual keys though. It seemed to her like Hank was trying to tell her not to trust her friends, but she wasn't sure why or even if she should listen to him. She hasn't talked to Brooke sense she had stepped over that boundary concerning her mother and her mother's privacy, she wouldn't classify Sidney as a friend seeing as though she didn't know her well enough and Ryder...well Ryder was just a confusing subject for her right now. She wasn't even sure why she was even contemplating this right now, Hank was the one she should be focusing on and then on top of that she needs to find out where the whisperers are being taken from to please her overbearing Uncle/Boss.

Skylar sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before looking over at the clock it was only a quarter after five and she had to be at the Grand opening of Mrs. Delarosa's Diner with Ryder.

Skylar got up from her office and prepared to leave the building. She took the long way just so she'd be able to walk past Ethan's office hoping to hear a little of Ethan and Hank's discussion, but she had no such luck with the door being closed, she'd have to press her ear up to the door and that was too risky so she just kept walking.

***

When Skylar got home she took another shower and dressed in a little black dress with lacy sleeves. The back of the dress was all covered in lace to give some semblance of coverage. She paired the ensemble with a pair of black pumps and little to no makeup.

Skylar was surprised to hear someone lightly knocking on the door, knowing it had to only be Ryder shocked her. He was actually knocking on her door, something he has never done before. He's never needed permission to walk into someone's house he just did and they had made no qualms about it. She could just picture him waiting there patiently until she decided to finally open the door—patiently was a stretch but she was surprised none the less that he had knocked in the first place so that was a step in the right direction for him. Skylar walked toward the door and opened it slowly to see what she had already known. Ryder was on her door step with his hands behind his back and a weird unreadable expression on his face as he looked off toward the side of her house.

"Is there something behind my house that I should know about?" she asked as she watched him turn toward her at the sound of her voice.

"Oh my fuckin God."

"Oh Gosh, there really is something behind my house?!" she asked a bit on edge as she looked toward the direction that Ryder had been looking.

"No, but damn you look good," he said looking her up and down from the top of her neatly curled and pulled back blond hair to the tips of her black heels.

"Damn Ryder, you scared the hell out of me," she said smacking him with the back of her hand against his chest, which made her look at what Ryder actually had on. He was dressed in a black fitted suit, white button down shirt with a silver tie, which was different from his normal plain 'ol shirts and jeans that he has worn the last times they went out.

"You did a lot more than that to me," he said with a sly smirk making her stop her short-lived gaze of approval.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes, but first let me present you with these," he said holding out a bouquet of yellow and orange roses. Skylar took them from his hand tentatively, a bit taken back and totally unexpecting.

"What's the occasion?" she said not wanting to take her eyes off of them.

"Well every rose has its own meaning does it not?"

"Yes," she said slowly.

"Do you know what those meanings are?" he asked causing her to finally look away from the bundle of flowers and at him.

"Yellow roses are a symbol of friendship but I don't know what the orange stand for."

"Well orange isn't anything specific it's just whatever you're feeling at the moment and then some. It's something new that most people haven't yet discovered, it's a mix between the yellow rose which you already know stand for friendship and the true-love implications of the red rose but it doesn't have to necessarily mean love and friendship it could be for whatever you're feeling at the moment."

"Oook," she said slowly, "and what exactly are you feeling?" she asked skeptically.

"To be honest, horny."

"Wow, that was almost sweet—almost," she said walking past him and toward the car.

"Sorry I was only being honest," he said as he leaned over to open her door.

"Ok well that's the last time I ask you to be honest," she said as she slid into the car and buckled up.

"It's your fault," he said as he slid into the car and buckled up before starting it up.

"Of course it was," she said looking down at the bundle of orange and yellow flowers.

When they arrived at Mrs. Delarosa's Diner there was a giant crowd outside.

"Either we're late or they're enthusiastic," Skylar said as Ryder slowed down the car.

"Mrs. Delarosa said that she wasn't going to start until we arrived this is her keeping her promise," Ryder said as he hoped out of the car and walked around the side to open Skylar's side of the door. Skylar sat her roses on the dash board and grabbed his offered hand before sliding out of the car. She stood up straight and smoothed out her dress before walking along side Ryder toward the entrance of the Diner.

"Name, first and last please," A man in a security uniform asked as Ryder and Skylar approached.

"Ryder Ferris and Skylar Royce," Ryder said to the buff man. The man looked up from his clip board at the two of them and motioned for someone to come here. Another man in a security uniform hustled over and security man numbed one whispered something to security man number two who then ran off and disappeared on the side of the building. Skylar and Ryder looked at each other but said nothing as they waited there. Five minutes later Mrs. Delarosa with the security guard numbed two in tow came walking toward them.

"Thank you Skylar and Ryder for gracing us with your presence," Mrs. Delarosa said once she stood mere inches away from the two. Skylar and Ryder looked at each other as if to say is she serious before turning to face her once more.

"Uh you're welcome, I guess," Skylar said.

"Which one of you two will be cutting the ribbon?" Mrs. Delarosa asked.

"She will," Ryder said placing his hand on the small of her back while lightly pushing her forward.

"Ok then follow me," Mrs. Delarosa said turning toward the front entrance of the Diner where the front door was sealed off by one very large red ribbon with an even larger red bow attached. Instead of handing Skylar the scissors to cut the bow Mrs. Delarosa turned Skylar so that she could face the gathering crowd. Skylar's eyes widened at the amount of people that stared back at them expectantly, she scanned the sea of various faces and latched on to the only one that mattered. Ryder stared back at her with a knowing look of his own. Aw damn she was going to have to give a fuckin speech.

"Ok most of you are probably wondering why I closed my diner down for weeks with little to no explanation. Well this young lady here and her boyfriend did something unknowingly brave by getting up and dancing not caring if anyone followed suit or not. Because of their brave actions lots more people stood to join the two including some of our employees. That following day I have had more customers than ever all wanting to dance with their loved one at my diner because of this I have decided to shut down my diner in order to have a proper dance floor built in." There was a collective rave of approval and applause after Ms. Delarosa's pause before she continued. "I am not the one you should be thanking though it is this young lady here," she said holding her hand over Skylar's head while Skylar just stood there awkwardly, suddenly Mrs. Delarosa was passing the mic to Skylar who looked at it like it was possessed. Skylar took the mic rather hesitantly and brought it to her mouth but knew nothing of what to say.

"Uh...you're welcome?" she said as she looked at everyone who continued to clap their enthusiasm.

"Can you tell everyone why you did it?" Mrs. Delarosa asked.

"Um...I wanted to dance and I heard music so...I danced," she explained.

"Let's give it up for Skylar Royce and that gentleman over there," Mrs. Delarosa said motioning toward Ryder, "If it weren't for the two of them none of this would have been possible. So I personally thank you both. Now without farther ado may you Ms. Royce bare the honors of cutting this ribbon?" Mrs. Delarosa said handing her the larger than life scissors that she expected to be heavy but that were surprisingly not. Skylar turned toward the huge ribbon and with one snip of the scissors the ribbon fell away and fell gracefully toward the floor like a dance of its own. After the ribbon was cut away there was another rave of applause before everyone started to line up for their turn to enter the newly improved diner.

"Mr. Ferris may you come stand next to Ms. Royce please, I would like you to enter together," Mrs. Delarosa said over the mic before passing it to the security man that stood guard.

### Chapter twenty-five: Ryder Ferris

The dance floor was not the only thing different about Mrs. Delarosa's Diner. Everything in the Diner was gold and bright. The Diner itself looked as though it was elongated to fit in the dance floor but also more tables. The dance floor looked like it was made up off glowing gold tiles and there was a ginormous fairy light canopy that hung just above it—which probably gave the dance floor its rich gold look. It looked more like a place where one would go after a wedding. All of the tables were draped in white table cloths with a gold rim lining.

"Hey Ryder look!" Skylar called excitedly. Ryder walked over to her and looked at the end table where he always took her. Now it was officially their table, there was a plaque that stood on the wall next to their table with their names engraved into it. The table cloth was gold instead of white like all of the rest, their table was noticeably bigger, and looked as though a spotlight was placed right over it.

"It's gorgeous," Skylar said as she gazed around the entire Diner, "All of it is just gorgeous," she said her eyes looking gold from all of the lights.

"I'm glad you like it," Mrs. Delarosa said from behind them. "Now whenever you're ready I'd like to get dinner started," she said as she motioned toward the tables that she wanted them to sit down at.

"I can't believe she did all of this," Skylar said as she took a seat across from Ryder. "You're a bit quiet, you don't like it?" she asked.

At the sound of her voice Ryder lifted his head from the ground and looked up at her but still he said nothing he stared into her clear grey eyes realizing that for the first time the storm that normally occurred there wasn't there realizing how genuinely happy she was. Ryder was too busy replaying his mother's words in his head to even pay her any attention until now.

"It's really nice," he said looking around.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said looking around wondering when the food was gonna get here. He could tell by the look on her face that she didn't believe him but it surprised him that she didn't bother to push him on the subject.

Finally the food had come and there was little to no talking as they ate which wasn't Ryder's fault he tried talking to her but she wasn't listening. At one point she had stopped eating and just stared down at her barely touched food while she shook her leg almost nervously under the table.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

Skylar looked up at him and attempted to speak but no words came out. She began fidgeting around with nothing in particular, she almost looked anxious to leave, which was a complete contrast to the way she raved about the place when they had arrived.

"Skylar what's goin on with you?" he asked as he looked around hoping no one was paying them any attention.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong," she said as she shivered as if she were cold but seeing as though it was the beginning of March and it was dark outside it was still warm as if the sun beat down on them.

"Are you sure?" he asked slowly.

She didn't bother saying yes she just nodded her head frantically. "Well if you're finished eating we could go try out that new dance floor," he said encouragingly as he watched her attempt a smile. Ryder was used to seeing her like this, not that he understood it but he knew that she probably needed some fresh air. "Would you like to go outside and get—"before he could finish she was shaking her head no frantically. "Skylar what the hell is going on?!" he asked no longer trying to contain his anger.

"I just want to dance," she said. Seeing as though she could no longer sit still he knew that if he brought her out on that dance floor she'd look as normal as ever as long as he kept her moving.

"Alright come on," he said getting to his feet and holding his hand out toward her. She grabbed his hand and hers shook in his as he led her to the dance floor.

They ended up dancing like 5 times and Ryder needed some serious ice for his foot, it turns out that in the current state she was in she was an even worse dancer, to the point where he actually hurt all over. Ryder led her to his car and had to buckle her in himself because her hands shook so badly. Ryder looked into her face and her eyes were rather vacant and the storm clouds were back. He sighed before going to his side of the car and buckling up. The ride back to her house was dead silent which was also not like her, as he parked in front of her house she hesitated as if she didn't want to go in, before Ryder was able to open his mouth though she hoped out and power walked to her front door, slamming it behind her as she entered.

Ryder watched from a far as Skylar exited her house no longer wearing the dress she had worn when she had accompanied him to the Diner, now she was in baggy sweatpants and a hoodie. The hood was pulled down low on her face with only a few strands of her blonde hair sticking out.

There was something completely off about Skylar and Ryder wanted to find out what it was. Ryder exited his car and watched her until she disappeared around a corner, in case she realized she was being followed Ryder waited a couple minutes before moving in the direction she had disappeared in. By the time he caught up with her she was watching this man harass this older woman. The woman looked sickly and she reminded Ryder a lot of his very own mother. Ryder could feel the growl rumble from deep within his gut as he watched the man with the long blonde ponytail. He was tall and clearly bigger than Skylar; the man looked as if he lived in a gym. Skylar didn't bother making her presence known as she crept up behind the man. Skylar wrapped her bonny fingers around the man's ponytail; she brought her knee up and struck right in the soft part of the back of the man's knee making him fall to his knees. The man tried to look around to see who held his hair in a vise like grip but Skylar rendered his head useless, she yanked on the man's ponytail until the man's head faced skyward. Ryder couldn't hear what she said to the man but the man's hand trembled as he handed the older woman back her purse and mumbled a few words Ryder couldn't hear. Ryder was proud of his little Bēlua that was until she physically removed the man's head and lit it ablaze. Ryder had never met a wisp who holds such power and unkempt this power can be...well over powering and by the looks of it Skylar thrived on the power, which makes more sense to Ryder now. Is this why she leaves all of the time? Why she thinks she's a monster, because she can't control her power? Ryder thought to himself. Something was very obviously not right here, he thought as he left before she could notice him watching her.

Ryder walked back to the warehouse with very few things on his mind but his main concern was Skylar, he wanted to help. He was feeling pretty sure right about now of what had caused her episodes on many of the nights they had spent together. He didn't want to put it off he decided right then and there that he would do something to help her but first he needed to see her in action with her well aware of his presence.

As Ryder stood outside of the one door he knew would start every scene between him and Skylar afterward, he hesitated only momentarily before knocking on the door. Ash was soon filling the space the door once had. This was one sacrifice he didn't have to think twice about before making.

"Oh!" she exclaimed her face openly showing excitement, shock, and surprise as she stood in nothing but her night wear—which wasn't much—in front of him. "Sir did you need something?" she purred almost seductively. Ryder was well aware of Ash's—not so secret—crush on him and open admiration. Ryder's ambiance displayed his disinterest and annoyance, his expression sending an all too clear message stating that she obviously got the wrong idea from his sudden appearance at her door well into the night.

"I need you to get dressed, quickly," he said showing his seriousness on the matter as he said the words.

"Yes, right away!" she said turning to hurriedly go back into her room to do as he had asked. He could tell she was highly aware of him still standing there in her door frame as she began to give him a show. He could care less of seeing her naked at the moment though as he growled "faster," to her backside as she got rid of her panties. Hearing him command her to go faster she began to strip the rest of the way down and then quickly replacing all of her items with a cleaner pair.

"Ready," she said as she walked hurriedly toward the front entrance of the tunnels at his request.

As they exited the tunnels completely Ryder didn't even hesitate when he saw Skylar still patrolling the streets like an officer on duty.

"What the hell is she doing?" Ash said as she too spotted Skylar. Ryder just smiled knowingly at that very moment knowing that without a doubt his plan was going to work and he was determined to see it through.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" he suggested. "Always the curious one," he mumbled as he watched Ash approach Skylar. Skylar seemed momentarily unaware of their presence. Ryder frowned once he realized that Skylar continued to ignore them and Ash didn't ask her question like Ryder suggested she should.

"Bēlua!" he called having gotten tired of watching her walk back and forth like a street walker just learning how to walk in heels. Skylar turned to look at him but didn't register recognition.

"What the hell do you want?" she asked as she once again continued to walk back and forth.

"What are you doing out here?" Ash asked. Ryder didn't bother to tell her to shut up though; at the moment he needed Ash to provoke her.

"Minding my business, Ryder why the hell are you walking your dog now, it's like 11 o'clock at night," she said unable to walk anymore as she leaned against the nearest tree.

"Bitch I'm sick and tired of your mouth," Ash said as she dared take a step toward Skylar. Skylar looked anything but threatened.

"I guess that's just too bad because there's not shit you can do about it."

"What the hell is wrong with you? You look possessed," Ash asked, and she was right Skylar's body shook as she leaned against the tree, her eyes were more of a like black—if ever there was one—and extremely hooded. She looked drunk.

"You almost sound like you care," Skylar said.

"Bēlua she's right," Ryder said cutting in.

"Whose side are you on?" Skylar asked cocking her head.

"Who said I was on a side," he said folding his arms.

"Oook, it's that respect thing right? Funny how you don't respect no one but your damn self and yet you feel as though everyone owes you respect; why is that?"

"This has nothing to do with respect Bēlua, I think we've argued that topic enough," he growled.

"Why because you said so? What you say goes right?"

"Bēlua this isn't about me."

"So who is it about? Let me guess, me right?"

"Look he's obviously just trying to help you," Ash cut in.

"If you're going to be two faced honey at least make one of them pretty. Who the hell was even talking to you?"

"Look bitch," Ash said getting into Skylar's face. "I am sick and—"

"Tired of me, yes I know you told me," Skylar said latching on to the finger Ash pointed into her face. "Unless you want to lose a finger or two I'd think twice before putting one in my face if I were you," Skylar warned.

"I'm not scared of you."

"That's what everyone says until I'm forced to show them why they should be."

"Good luck with that.

"Bēlua I'm tired of skirting around the truth with you, you need help."

"What makes you think I need help?"

"Well I assumed—"

"Well we all know what happens when you assume," she cut in.

"Don't fuckin interrupt me when I'm trying to help you."

"Let me guess it's disrespectful," she said with a taunting smile.

"Bēlua you're getting on my last fuckin nerve," he warned.

"Well you done burned through all of mine, I think it's only fair," she said with that same fuckin taunting smile. Ryder stalked toward Skylar pushin Ash out of his way and grabbed Skylar by the nape of her neck.

"You're annoying the fuck out of me and if you were smart you'd stop," he said beyond anger.

"I'm sorry; did I offend you with my opinion? I guess I'm lucky you haven't even heard the ones I keep to myself. Mental note don't express your opinions around Ryder. You know you should come with a warning similar to that one." Ryder's hands tightened on the back of her neck as she attempted to laugh.

"You have a right to your own opinion, and I have a right to tell you how fuckin stupid it is."

"Riiight but its only stupid if it involves you correct? How hypocritical," she said shaking her head back and forth.

"You need help and that is all I came down here to do," he said slowly.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you're an expert on my life and how I should live it. Please continue while I take notes," she said sarcastically.

"Bēlua this isn't a fuckin game!"

"Good because I'm not in any mood to play one."

"Would you like me to slap some sense into her sir?" Ash asked.

"Be my guess, I'm done," Ryder said as he let go of Skylar and began to walk away.

"You have got to be kidding me, you smack sense into me?" Skylar began to laugh. "Please do," she finished after sobering up. Ash began to walk toward Skylar obviously done trying to talk to her and Ryder felt exactly the same way, but he felt a little bad for Ash there was no way she'd be able to actually hurt Skylar but Ryder couldn't bring himself to care as he watched Ash do exactly as she said she would. Skylar was shocked at first that Ash had actually hit her but the shock wore off quickly and it was just placed with anger. Skylar stalked toward Ash and grabbed her by the back of her blonde head before she smashed her face into the nearest tree trunk. Ash held her nose probably checking to see if it were still there before going after Skylar and knocking her onto her butt, landing punch after punch into her abdomen and face. Skylar twisted her feet around Ash's back, crossed her feet at the ankles and flipped Ash onto her back. Ash gasped as the air was knocked out of her before quickly sucking in another lung full of air before again punching at Skylar. Ryder always admired that about Ash, she didn't dwell on her injuries too much, she just fought and then licked her wounds at the end. Skylar punched Ash in the face in a quick session of thrusts as Ash tried her hardest to block her hits. Skylar grabbed Ash by the neck and banged her head against the concrete, her hands left red marks all over Ash's body as if she had burned her by simply touching her. Skylar's body was highlighted in an unearthly blue light as well as her grey eyes as she continued to fight Ash. Ash put up a good enough fight but it wasn't enough. She was able to flip Skylar on her back once more but Skylar tangled her legs around Ash's neck and flipped her over her head before twisting her legs and snapping Ash's neck in two and if that wasn't enough she set her body on fire. The blue flames danced in Skylar's hands after ward and she didn't look bothered by it. She looked around nervously until her eyes met his, Ryder could see it there in her eyes, the power she felt while fighting Ash wasn't enough, she needed more you could tell in the way that her body began to twitch, and the way her eyes went in and out of focus as she tried to walk away.

"Bēlua!" Ryder called out to her grabbing her by the wrist before she could go too far.

"Ryder I don't have time for this bull shit," she said as she snatched her wrist out of his hold.

"I'M GETTING SICK AND FUCKIN TIRED OF THIS CAT AND MOUSE GAME WITH YOU!"

"THEN STOP FUCKING CHASING ME! JUST LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" she screamed as she got farther and farther away.

"I wished you'd show me just a little respect for all that I've been trying to do for you," he said as he caught up to her.

"I only have respect for the dead so until then." Ryder could tell that this was her way of trying to run him off but it wasn't going to work he needed her to listen to him.

"I know you respect me Bēlua," he said simply.

"When I think of all the people I respect the most I'm sorry but you don't come to mind."

"Right, fine then you don't respect me I don't care anymore I just need you to let me help you."

"I don't want your help," she said stomping up her porch stairs, flinging her front door open and stalking off inside. Ryder followed right behind her and closed and locked her door. Her living room looked rich as it was illuminated by the fire place that she had left lit.

"You may not need my help, and you may not want my help but I'm the only one offering so you have to take it."

"I don't have to do anything," she said as she ran her hands frantically through her hair.

"Skylar you have—," he started but stopped as he watched her sink to her knees.

"Skylar you have an—,"

"Don't say it," she warned as she flopped onto her belly and covered her ears with her hands. Ryder really didn't want to upset her but he realized that whatever he said would upset her no matter what so it was better to just get it out of the way.

"Skylar you have an addiction," he said calmly.

### Chapter twenty-six: Skylar Royce

"DON'T YOU THINK I FUCKIN KNOW THAT?!" she yelled as she belly crawled toward the couches in the living room.

"Skylar get up!" Ryder demanded as he began to approach her. Skylar could feel her vocal cords working overtime as she forced a scream past her dry-in-need-of-use lips.

"Bēlua!" his booming tone easily over shadowing her high pitch squeal of a voice. "GET. OFF. OF. THE. GROUND. NOW!" Skylar's body actually contemplated the notion but her mind immediately kicked the suggestion to the curve. She continued her military crawl until every rub and graze of the rug singed the feeling out of her hands and left her knees badly scrapped and bruised. When she could no longer crawl—too afraid that her hands and knees would catch fire—she lay on her stomach panting as if she had just run some kind of marathon (seeing as though her living room isn't at all small she guessed she kind of just did crawl a marathon).

Skylar could literally hear every step Ryder took as he got dangerously close. He knelt down beside her, a look of pity clouding his eyes.

Get out!" Skylar said not wanting him to see her so vulnerable. "Stop! Looking at me like that!" she demanded—or at least she tried to, it's kind of hard to manage with her cheek pressed to the carpet.

"Looking at you how?" he asked as he sat down against the couch closest to where she lay sprawled out.

"Like you feel bad for me or like you're sorry for me, I don't want your pity." The floor rumbled slightly as he laughed. "How much do you weigh?" she asked curiously annoyed.

"What? He asked as he stopped his mass load of laughter.

"How much do you weigh?" she asked slowly not because she didn't think he understood her but because every movement her jaw made burned her cheek against the wool carpet.

"I thought that was what you said," he said as he began laughing again. Hearing this sound coming from his mouth was so foreign yet in some odd way it belonged. "Why such a ridiculous question?" he asked.

"You make too much noise. I can feel and hear your footsteps and you laughter literally vibrates the floor I'm currently laying on." Obviously her admission wasn't funny seeing as though his laughter just died.

"You can feel that?" he asked confused.

"Yes I can feel it," she said as if it were obviously apparent. He hadn't said anything else so she risked a slight inclination of her neck so that she was able to see his face.

"What's the matter?" she asked looking at the sullen look on his face while trying to mask the pain that the new position she was in had created.

"Nothing...you're different," he decided to answer after a short pause even though his answer left the door open for a helluva lot more questions she decided to just let it go—for now of course.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked instead. She was highly aware of the convulsion that was currently going on in her body and though it hurt her raw and over sensitive skin, the need for release but not having one hurt her that much more.

"You're a rogue," he said as if it were the answer to all of her questions. She was just about to question him farther but the convulsion of her body was soon replace by a sensational cold sweat that broke out all threw her body. Now the involuntary jerking movements of her muscles were caused by something else entirely. She closed her eyes tightly wishing the cold away but it seemed to have reached places she hadn't even known weren't breached yet. Her body felt as though it had levitated from the ground causing her to squeeze her eyes tighter against the wish to look down. Having a grave fear of heights was in no way shape or form helpful at a time like this. Then she was developed in warmness though internally she was still cold but she shivered a lot less. The musky scent of earth and some kind of cologne hit her nose and caused her to open her eyes. Her eyes then met those of a mossy grass tint but they didn't look so lifeless as she stared into them up close. "You're a rogue," Ryder repeated as he looked away from her and toward a vacant bleakness in the shadows of her living room. Though it felt incredibly warm in Ryder's arms it didn't feel right it was getting darker and she knew she would feel terrible if she didn't get release soon she had no choice in the matter. "We all started off as rogues," he continued. She began to squirm in his arms, now was not the time for stories, she thought frantically. "Aaron Fields was our owner," he continued feeling in no way deterred as she squirmed. A memory of Ryder asking her who she worked for broke through the barricade the drought formed in her mind. "He helped train us and get control over the power that began to well up inside of us and because of that we were able to control our intense hunger for it." Ryder began to squeeze her tighter to his body and all she wanted him to do was to just let her go, because he squeezed her so tight though it stopped her spasms and left her little to no room to wiggle out of his arms. "You have obviously been on your own once you realized that you were changing and no one was there to help you gain control over your power so now your power controls you. It's like a drug, and right now you're going through withdraw which may feel bad but it's a good thing I promise you that," he whispered when he realized she had stopped fighting. "If I ask you this question do you promise to answer it?" he asked as he looked down at her. She thought about it but couldn't really find a reason why she shouldn't so she nodded her head. "What triggered it, do you remember?" Skylar froze in his arms. She remembered the time, day and year it had all started but she didn't want to talk about it. "You promised," he whispered. Skylar sighed and then turned slightly in his arms so the back of her head lay on his shoulder as she stared out toward the other side of the room.

"When I was 14," she started and then had to clear her throat because she sounded like she was trying to gargle her spit, her voice sounded unused. "I was 14 years old," she started again, "I was watching my dad not realizing that it would be last time, I was spoiled and immature and always through a fit when I didn't get what I wanted. Well this time I wanted to help my dad and he wouldn't let me, he kept saying that I would slow him down and then he didn't get this done, so I pouted and stomped away and watched from window as he left for work. My mom was crying one day and I didn't have to ask why, I had been watching the late night news while waiting for my dad to come home. I could hear my mother's wailing cries all through the house but I didn't want to cry with her, I didn't want to cry at all so I slipped out of my window and began walking in the opposite direction away from my house, away from my mother's pain and sorrow. I walked until I passed Mr. Wallace's house but I didn't stop I didn't pay any kind of attention to anything and anyone. Four hours later it had gotten dark but I didn't care there was nothing to get back home to but tears and I could do without those. On my way back home I noticed Mr. Wallace's gat was left wide open and the god was nowhere to be seen. I had heard lots of stories about Mr. Wallace's dog and so not seeing behind the gate safely away from me scared me. I began walking faster and the dog that was hiding on the side of Mr. Wallace's house had spotted me and began moving toward me. When I noticed the dogs' movements I began running in the opposite direction away from my house once again, and the dog began to pursue me in a head on chase. I didn't know how long I had run for but every nerve ending in my body tingled with excitement, and I would have done anything—did do everything just to feel that way again. I looked behind me to see how close the dog was and saw that the dog was about six blocks behind me. I looked down at me feet and was surprised when I had yet to see them touch ground, it was almost like I was running on air or that my legs were somehow invisible. My body tingled and glowed a blue hue, and I loved it, every second. I was high on power I felt light on my toes, my hear no longer heart from the pain I was holding in concerning my father's heroic death, my heart barely beat considering how fast I was running. I actually killed a hobo for no other reason than because I could. I searched out trouble, I wanted to see if it was possible for my body to feel any better than it did and hence the addiction was born I guess. The power was addicting—still is; I couldn't get enough of it and I loved how it made me feel."

"6 years you lived with this addiction and every night you go out and do what your body needs from you. It needs for you to feel alive in some sense of the word, deep down inside though you died with your father." Skylar cried silently at his revelation, in some part of her mind though she knew it was true. Ryder turned her around slightly in his arms until the side of her face was pressed against his chest, his legs were bent at the knees and she sat inside of them like a chair as her legs dangled off to the side of his. "I have to tell you something," he said after a brief moment of silence. Skylar moved her head slightly so that she could see him but really all she could see was his chin and the way it moved up and down as he talked.

"What?" she asked after he didn't say anything for the duration of the time. He cleared his through and looked away from her.

"I should have told you yesterday before all of this happened, it really doesn't seem like the right time to bring it up," he said looking back down at her lifting her chin just a bit so she was able to see him.

"There really won't ever be a right time," she said.

Ryder laughed mirthlessly before saying," Yea, I guess you're right," before looking back across the room.

"So tell me," she insisted.

Ryder sighed before saying, "My mom wants to meet you." Skylar didn't say anything for a minute but just continued to look at him while he continued to avoid her eyes.

"Why would she want to meet me?" she asked confused as she sat up a bit higher in his lap forcing him to look at her.

"I don't know really, she just started crying and I couldn't deny her."

"But, how did I even come up in your conversation?"

"Please just come."

"I never said I wouldn't come I just want to know why I'm coming," she said wondering what in the world he was keeping from her. "Why would your mother start crying?" she asked instead.

"Because she's allowed to fuckin cry, because she has something to cry about," he said defensively. Skylar said nothing for a while, waiting for him to calm down a bit.

Skylar placed her hand on his chest though it shook slightly before saying, "I'll come but is there anything I should know before I do?" She wasn't sure he'd answer but was surprised when he did—hesitantly of course.

"Please don't stare at her, or constantly ask her if she's ok because she's not. It may...smell but you have to learn to not let it bother you. She's sick really sick and I know she doesn't care about what others think of her but I do so please...please just do what the hell I say and don't make it difficult," he said as he looked back down at her. She knew there was clear understanding in her eyes and that he could see that, what he didn't know was that her mother was the same way, though her mother just ignored everyone and didn't smile or laugh or even cry she just laid there still with her eyes closed, he was lucky that his mother was still full of such emotion.

"Ok," she said giving a subtle nod of her head before laying her head back down.

"This is important to her," he said as he ran his hands over her head and down her arms absent mindedly before bringing them back and starting all over again. "She seems to think you make me happy."

"If only she knew," Skylar whispered against his chest. She could feel his body rumbled beneath hers as he laughed.

"Yes, if only she knew," he whispered as he continued to rub his hands down the side of her body over and over and over again.

My Dearest Aaron

To: 050972

From: Unknown Recipient

Subject: 12 days

Dearest Aaron,

It's almost time; we have less than 2 weeks before your rebirth is complete. I know you didn't mean your hurtful words and that you want more than anything to be able to see everyone you left behind—not by choice of course, this isn't at all your fault, but I just hope you come to appreciate all that I have done for you—for us. I hope you've listened to my whispering words at night and come to realize my sacrifices for you.

You tried to overcome the whip, thrash, switch of all the bestowed lashes. You died inside yet I was what you needed in order for you to rise above your ashes. I gave you hope to take with you, nothing remains as it once was, where once you were no more below as you were once above. Where before there was dark, I introduced you to light, where once you were grounded I introduced you to flight, where before there was fortune I introduced you to fame, once you had pride but now there's just shame. I've brought you back from the colorless world of despair I introduced you to life, your rebirth I've repaired. How will you thank me for all that I have done? You can give me no more than I've already won.

Aaron was tired of hearing those same old words over and over again, he was forced to listen to them at night and now she was writing it out for him. He never asked for any of this, he didn't need to be rebirthed. How the hell did they even find him? She's crazy, and thinks that this is what he wanted that this was what he needed but it's not. He never asked her to do this so why is she making it seem so. All of this for what? What's the purpose in this?

### Chapter twenty-seven: Sidney Fields

"Mom?" Sidney called as she walked back down her stairs. Her mother wasn't in the kitchen and she wasn't in either of the bedrooms, she didn't have a car it was currently in Hank's shop because he had convinced her that it had needed some work done, but Sidney was sure it was a way to keep her tied to him. Sidney checked the time on her phone and it was 12 at night, her mother wouldn't just leave the house like that. She decided that while she had her phone out she'd try calling Nate again, she had already tried three times and he hasn't picked up. She heard the phone ringing on the other end and then it went to voicemail. Sidney hung up not bothering to leave yet another voicemail and decided to see if he was at their place. It wasn't that long of a walk from where she lived so she decided that it was worth the trip. It was dark outside and if it weren't for the street lights she wouldn't be able to see a thing but because the street lights were on she was able to see a blond chick laying near a tree, no doubt dead from the disfiguration of the young woman's neck. Sidney moved around the woman's body and thought about moving it so that no just anyone would be able to stumble upon it but she had her own problems to deal with at the moment.

When Sidney arrived at the big tree she could see that someone was indeed up their but they looked as if they awkwardly sleeping on the biggest of the tree branches that they liked to sit on.

"Nate?!" she called to see if she could wake the man and at the same time see if it was Nate who was sleeping on the giant tree. It wouldn't be the first time, him and his mom and dad got into it a lot. "Nate?!" she called again. When the man didn't spur she thought that maybe it wasn't Nate. "Ryder?!" she called instead and still the man didn't budge. Sidney sighed before slipping out of her heels and grabbing on to the lowest branch so that she could pull herself up. It was hard to see even with the light glow in the night from the street lights so she slipped a few times before finally making it to the top. She knew she was covered in splinters she could feel the slight sting of them. When she sat next to sleeping man she grabbed him by the shoulders and shook lightly trying to wake him she couldn't see any facial features because it was darker up here then it was down on the ground but she was almost sure it was Nate. "Nate?!" she called again shaking him harder. Three things happened after that first Nate's head began to loll to the side before falling off completely, and then Sidney screamed the loudest cream she could muster, before she fell out of the tree and onto her ass. Sidney scrambled to her feet and moved to where Nate's head had fallen. He was dead no doubt about that, his neck looked as if it was cut off of his body only half way before being manually ripped the rest of the way off. Sidney tried to contain her cries as she gazed down at her best friends severed head at her feet.

Sidney stalked off into the direction of Skylar's house hoping beyond hope that Ryder was there. She couldn't help but think that Hank had done this. Hank's last words before he had left her house played in her head, I have something to get rid of, Sidney wandered what he meant but that before but she's sure that she had just found out.

No lights were on in Skylar's house but there was an orange glow that could be seen through the small window glass of her front door that told Sidney that she was up. Sidney knocked on the door and waited none too patiently for someone, anyone to open the door.

"Damn Sidney, do you not realize what time it is?" Ryder said as Skylar's front door swung open. Sidney was beyond happy that he was here but couldn't bring herself to voice anything as tears trailed down her face. "Get in here," he said grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her into the house. Sidney stumbled into the front door and all her eyes could see was a blur of orange glow coming from within Skylar's living room. "What the hell happened?!" he whisper yelled. "What did Hank do?" he asked before she could get her mouth open to answer his first question.

"Nate," she breathed out on a sob, trying unsuccessfully to control herself as she fought to get the words out, "he killed Nate," she managed before breaking down again. Ryder said nothing he just looked at her unbelievingly.

"He did what?" he asked for confirmation as to what she had just said.

"He killed Nate, Hank killed him I saw it myself," she said as she cried harder.

"You saw Hank do it?!"

She shook her head before saying, "No, I found Nate's body."

"Where?!"

"By our place, I thought he was sleeping...I-I tried to wake him and...and...and his head fell off," she said covering her face with her hands as she continued to sob.

"What makes you think Hank did it?"

"Be-Because he was here at my house with my mother and he was trying to look for Aaron's book of secretes in my room but he couldn't find it. Nate sent me a text saying that he knew who Hank was and...and I think Hank saw the text. Before he left my house he said...he said that he had something to get rid of."

"Damn it!" Ryder swore. "I don't have time for this right now, its fuckin mid-night Sid," he said running his hands through his hair. Sidney cleared her face of tears in hopes that she'd be able to see him better.

"Speaking of mid-night why are you here...at Skylar's?"

"It's a long ass story Sid, one I don't have time for right now."

"Ok," she said slowly.

"You didn't leave your mother alone, by herself again did you?" he asked. At the thought of her mother Sidney began crying again.

"I-I forgot," she said as she ran her hands through her short red hair.

"You forgot what? Sid what did you forget?"

"My mom, wh-when I went downstairs she...she wasn't there. She was nowhere in the house, I looked everywhere," she cried.

"Damn it!" Ryder growled up to the ceiling. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!" Ryder sighed heavily before punching the wall behind him. "Is it possible she could have gone willingly?" At his question Sidney shook her head; her mother was scared of Hank, and wouldn't have wanted to be alone with him. "And you checked everywhere?"

"Yes, I checked everywhere."

"I'm sorry Sid, damn I'm so fuckin sorry..."

"But there's nothing you can do, you have Skylar to worry about correct?" she asked filling in his blank.

"It's not like that Sid."

"Yea it is Ryder and I am completely ok with that, you've taken care of me all my life I'll be fine on my own."

"I'd never let you deal with this shit on your own—never! You hear me? You always have me and you know it, you haven't hesitated to ask me for my help before so don't start doing it now."

"Fine, but I'mma try to go home and get some rest there aint shit I can do about it tonight let's just hope she's still alive by the morning," she whispered as she headed for the door.

"Sid stop!" At his command she immediately stopped and turned toward him. "You have nothing to go back to remember, your mother's not home and I don't want you there by yourself."

"It's ok Ryder, shit even when my mother was home I felt like I was by myself—"

"Shut up Sid. There's a difference between feeling like you're by yourself and actually being by yourself and God I pray you never learn the difference. You're staying here got it?"

"Fine but where am I gonna go?"

"This isn't my house so I can't just let you choose whatever fuckin guest room you want to and Skylar is—"

"Woke, and is totally fine with you picking a guest room. I'm sorry to hear about your friend and mother. I hope you find her and if you need help I'll be glad to provide it," Skylar said from on top of the stairs.

"Thank you and I appreciate it—honestly," Sidney said.

"What the hell are you doing up?" Ryder asked.

"Yall weren't exactly quiet; did you expect me to sleep through that?" Sidney smiled at her response knowing that Ryder had finally met his match.

"Thanks again Skylar," Sidney said as she moved toward one of the other rooms on the first floor.

"No problem," she said to Sidney though her eyes never left Ryder's.

### Chapter twenty-eight: Skylar Royce

"You look extremely well rested and a whole lot better than you did last night" Ryder said as she exited out of her bathroom, clean and freshly dressed.

"Thanks because I looked like shit yesterday right?" she said rolling her eyes. "Just what I wanted to hear," she said with fake enthusiasm.

"It was midnight we all know what happens to Cinderella at that point."

"I don't want to be Cinderella," she argued as she tied her head up with a ponytail holder.

"And why the hell not, there's nothing wrong with Cinderella," he said as he lounged against her bed as if he owned the place.

"If you like Cinderella so much then why don't you be her?" she said as she turned to face a nearly naked Ryder with nothing but his boxers on resting his head on his hand as he stared at her amusingly. He said he didn't want to leave her alone, after she woke up and found him lying right next to her. She complained that there were about 4 other rooms in the house that he could have chosen from but he was hella bent on sharing this one with her.

"So who do you want to be?"

"I want to be Princess Jasmine," she said dramatically.

"In that case I'll be Aladdin." Skylar laughed at his response.

"You're more like Jafar or his parrot Lagoon," she teased.

"That was low," he growled. "And I'll have you know me and Aladdin have more in common than you think." Skylar moved toward the bed and sat on the end closest to Ryder.

"Ok and what exactly do yall have in common?" she asked.

"Well," he said as he dropped his hand from underneath his head and laid his head in her lap. She played with his hair as he began to talk. "When Aladdin was nothing but an infant his father left him and his mother in order to find a better life for the two. Well when I was nothing but a toddler my father left me and my mother in order to find a better life for himself." Skylar didn't think she wanted to hear anymore, she thought he was just joking about telling her about what they shared in common.

"Look Ryder," she tried to interrupt.

"That's not all we have in common though," he continued. "When Aladdin's father left his mother was captured by bandits and was soon presumed dead. When my father left it was because he found out that my mother was captured with in the clutches of a deadly heart disease and doctors said that there was no way she'd make it another year alive with only half a beating heart."

"Ok I get it," she said in an attempt to stop him.

"No, No honey I'm not finished." Skylar sighed helplessly, she knew he only used those endearments when being sarcastic but she truly hated it when he did it. "Because he was orphaned Aladdin never received a formal education, and because I was bullied I never did either. Because of his lack of education Aladdin was forced to learn to survive in the streets of Agrabah because of my lack of...well everything I had to learn to deal with my mother's deathly condition, living only to make her happy. You see two peas in a pod."

"If you said all of that just to prove why you should be Aladdin then fine you can be him I can careless," she responded. Ryder laughed and got up off of the bed.

"Only you," he said shaking his head.

"Only me what?" she asked as she too hoped out of the bed.

"Only you would say something like that," he said still shaking his head as he walked toward the stairs.

"Well," she said as she followed behind him. "Only you would turn a childhood movie into a heart breaking tragedy."

When they entered the kitchen Sidney was already up with a bowl of cereal in front of her.

"Did you bother to make anyone else breakfast?" Ryder asked as he walked toward Sidney.

"She's still not there," Sidney said ignoring his question as she continued to spoon her cereal but not once did she lift that spoon to her mouth, her cereal was all mushy and soggy as if it had sat there all night.

"Who's still not there?" Skylar asked as she walked around Ryder and toward Sidney.

"My mom, I checked and she's still not home." At that point everyone grew quiet as if finally remembering everything that had went down last night. Skylar moved closer to Sidney and sat down beside her at the kitchen table.

"What happened when you got home last night?" she questioned.

Sidney looked up at Skylar then before saying, "I was with Nate for most of the night—"

"You were with Nathaniel?" Ryder question obviously not too happy about that.

"Yes—"

"Wait," Skylar interrupted. "Who is Nate or Nathaniel or whoever?"

"He's a friend of mine; he's been with me this entire time trying to help me out with dealing with Hank—"

"How could you involve him in this? He had NOTHING to do with this! It's YOUR fault he's dead!" Ryder interrupted—again.

"Ryder!" Skylar said giving him a shut the hell up look.

"No he's right it was my fault."

"No he's wrong it wasn't your fault. You didn't know that anything like this was going to happen, people aren't comfortable dealing with thing like this by their selves so they always typically run to the closest friend," Skylar said not really caring about Ryder's anger toward her. "And no one is gonna fault you for that," she continued. "Now, after you left Nate you went..." she said trying to get Sidney to finish.

"After I left Nate it was well into the night and I had expected my mom to be sleep but instead she wasn't and she had been crying and Hank was with her."

"So she was home last night, so when did she go missing and why was Hank at your house and why was your mother crying?" Skylar knew she was asking a lot of questions but she needed all of the details.

"My mom was home last night she had been crying because she said she had to tell me something and that she should have told me a long time ago but it was all just a ploy so that Hank could sneak off into my room and search for Aaron's book of secrets. When I had realized this I had left my mother and went into my room, I caught Hank and he didn't even try to deny what he had been doing in my room he just said that he had something to get rid of, and when he left the house I had gotten a text from Nate saying that he knew who Hank was."

"Ok wait back up for me just a bit; you immediately knew that your mother was lying and that it was all a ploy?"

"Are you trying to say that your mother and Hank was in on this together?" Ryder asked over Skylar.

"No my mom wasn't in this with Hank she was scared of him she told me as much so I knew if she had gone with Hank it wasn't willingly. And to answer your question Skylar, No I didn't know immediately that my mother was lying I still don't know if I'm being honest."

"So what was the big secret, was it bout Aaron and your biological father?"

"No, but that was what I had though too but she had said that I had a sister."

"She said that exactly, that you had a sister?"

"Now she said I have one."

"Implying that she is still alive," Skylar said more to herself but still Sidney answered.

"Yes."

"Hank had started to tell me the same thing," Skylar announced.

"But what happened?" Ryder asked.

"You happened, you basically interrupted him and then kicked him out before he could finish. He said that it was someone that I know."

"So it's possible I might actually have a sister?"

"That or it was Aaron's biological daughter," Skylar said slowly.

"So what happened after you got the text?" Ryder asked interrupting Skylar's next sentence.

"Wait we need to find out who this other daughter is," Skylar said.

"No we don't that's not important right now,' he argued. Skylar looked at him but said nothing. He knew something, he just wasn't telling, she thought.

"Go on Sidney," Skylar said as her eyes remained on Ryder.

"Well after I got the text I went back down stairs and that's when I noticed that my mom was gone and that Hank was as well and then..."

"Ok, yea we get it, you found Nate dead," Ryder said heartlessly. Skylar rolled her eyes at his crude remark and focused on Sidney instead.

"Ok, so it looks as though Hank could have taken her. Is it possible that she could have left on her own?"

"Not without me, she knew I was still in the house and she wouldn't have left me there alone." Skylar checked the clock that hung on her kitchen wall and realized that it was time for her to get to work, just when she was about to announce that to Sidney and Ryder there was a knock at her door.

"Who the hell is that?" Ryder asked.

"I don't have the ability to see through doors so I wouldn't know," Skylar said rolling her eyes as she got up to answer the door.

"Hey Sky! Sorry I know it's early but I just thought I'd stop by soooo here I am!" It's been three weeks since Skylar last seen Brooke and it's been three weeks since they've actually acted like best friends toward each other. Skylar still hasn't found it in her heart to completely forgive Brooke but she forgave her enough.

"Hey," Skylar said as she turned away from the door and walked back toward the kitchen table.

"Oh sorry I wasn't expecting you to have company," she said as she closed the door behind her and followed Skylar into the kitchen.

"Yea, I kinda wasn't expecting it either," Skylar said referring to all of them.

"Sorry to disappoint you all though, but I have to get into work so unless you want to house sit..." she said leaving the sentence at that.

"Oh," Brooke said obviously upset her just getting here and now being kicked right back out. "Well I guess I can hang with Casper until you get off of work," she suggested.

"You don't have any college classes or course work to get done?" Skylar asked not really caring in the least.

"Nope!" she said excitedly.

"I kind of need to house sit my own house incase my mom returns," Sidney said as she got up.

"I'll see what I can do about your mom Sidney," Skylar said before Sidney left.

"I appreciate it," she said before walking out the door.

"I guess I can stay here, if you don't mind me bringing Casper along," Brooke said as if Skylar actually needed a house sitter, besides she wasn't at all comfortable with leaving Brooke here all by herself while her mother still lived under the roof.

"No that's fine Brooke seriously."

"I'll be here until you come back," Ryder said not phrasing it as if it was a question but instead stating it as if his mind was all made up. Brooke didn't look at all happy about that though.

"Oook," she said slowly before grabbing her keys, "I'll be back around 5," she said slipping out of the house with Brooke close behind.

"Is that normal?" Brooke asked as they walked.

"Is what normal?" Skylar asked not really wanting to talk.

"Your boy toy staying over at your house?"

"He's not staying over and what the hell is a boy toy?"

"A boy toy is Ryder, he's your boy toy, though you two aren't dating you string him along like a little toy."

"Who's to say we're not dating?"

"Trust me I know you and he's not your type." Skylar didn't bother to respond to Brooke; Brooke always believed that she knew Skylar better than Skylar knew her damn self and she didn't bother arguing with Brooke about it.

***

"Skylar we need to talk," Ethan said the moment she entered the building.

"Ok," she said as she followed him to his office. Skylar was surprised to see a middle aged woman sitting where Skylar would normally sit, knowing her Uncle he hasn't dated since his last divorce (which wasn't at all an easy split between the two) she was also surprised to see that it was Sidney's mother that sat in her chair. Skylar knew her face clearly showed her confusion. "What's going on Ethan?" she asked forgetting all about her formalities.

"You obviously know the woman sitting here I presume."

"We've met briefly," the woman responded.

"Yea," Skylar said slowly. "I also know that her daughter is going crazy looking for her, she thinks Hank kidnapped her," she said to her Uncle/boss though her eyes never once left the woman.

"Ciana can you excuse us for a minute?"

"Of course," she said leaving the office.

"Ms. Royce sit," he demanded as he took his own chair. Skylar sat slowly not sure if she wanted to hear what she knew would come out of his mouth. "Hank has brought it to my attention that he believes his future wife and daughter in law are in danger." Skylar nearly chocked for two reasons one of the reasons being that HE WAS THE DNAGER! And the other being she was pretty sure that Sidney knew nothing about Hank becoming her future daddy.

"This may be a stupid question for obvious reasons but who did he say was endangering them?"

"Aaron's daughter," he answered simply. "I'm sure you know who Aaron and his daughter are.

"Yes I know who Aaron is and his supposed daughter is Sidney." Ethan shook his head slightly.

"No Sidney is not his daughter; I thought you knew all of this."

"I do which is why I said supposed daughter, but I wasn't aware that he had a real one until today."

"Well yes, and it has also been brought to my attention that you are close friends with Aaron's daughter."

"I don't know Aaron's daughter and even if I did I'm sure she's not the threat," she said mumbling that last part.

"Well anyways we looked into all of this of course and found an interesting document about Aaron and the day he had died."

"Ok, "she said nodding her head and indicating that she was following along.

"In this document it states that Aaron had died in a battle for his tittle and that the tittle would have been bestowed upon a Richard Masterson if he hadn't disappeared after the fight."

"Why did he disappear?" Skylar asked finding interest in what Ethan was telling her.

"Well Aaron was well known and well respected the fact the he was killed by the hands of their future leader, well let's just say that wouldn't have blown over so well so naturally he disappeared."

"And no one knew this Richard Masterson guy?"

"A few did but there information wasn't much to go on."

"Who are the few?" she asked curiously.

"No you know I can't possibly tell you that."

"We're in this together, why the hell not?" Ethan looked at her shocked for a moment before quickly recovering. He reached into a stack of papers that sat stacked high on the top of his desk and withdrew a documentation sheet before passing it to her. Skylar's jaw just about fell off of her face as she read the witnesses names and their statements. Skylar handed Ethan back the sheet of paper as she silently brewed in her anger.

"Ok and so why is Sidney's mother here?"

"Sidney's mother was able to provide us enough information on Aaron and his daughter in order to track them both."

"Them both?" she questioned. "But why would you need to track Aaron I thought he was dead?"

"He's not," he said simply.

"And how do you know this?"

"Well Ciana was able to provide for us many many reasons why she believes that he is still alive."

"And you don't plan on sharing any of that with me?"

"Nope, I can't you're associated with many of our suspects."

"Suspects? When the hell did we get those?"

"Because you are associated with many of our suspects I can't allow you to work on this case anymore," he said ignoring her outburst.

"What the fuck Ethan?! I was the reason we started working on this case in the first place, you can't just cut me from it!"

"Sorry Skylar," he said as if he genuinely meant it, he didn't even call her Ms. Royce. This must be bad, she thought to herself as she allowed herself to calm down just a bit.

"So what do you expect me to do?"

"Nothing."

"Of course," she said as she got up out of her chair.

"Don't be that way we told Hank the same thing."

"Oh I'm sure he's devastated somewhere, getting his anger out by killing puppies," she said sarcastically.

"Hey," he said stopping her form completely leaving the room.

"What's up between you and Hank, yall use to be partners but I'm detecting some kind of problem between you two?"

Skylar just smiled before saying, "You wouldn't even believe me if I told you."

***

Skylar slammed her front door and wasn't at all surprised to see that Ryder was still there.

"Is it 5 already?" he asked as he sat lounged on her couch with his feet on the coffee table she told him once before not to put his feet on.

"Get your feet off of my mother's favorite coffee table," she growled through clenched teeth. Ryder hesitated defiantly before slowly lowering his feet to the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked.

"When the hell were you going to tell me that not only did you, Nate, Sidney, Hank, and Sidney's mother take a trip down to D.E.A.N Inc. but that yall also signed a witness sheet stating that yall knew a Richard Masterson? When were you also going to tell me that you knew—and still know apparently—Aaron's daughter?"

"I didn't think telling you about the statement sheet was important and I knew that if I told you that Brooke was Aaron's daughter that you wouldn't believe me." All of Skylar's anger left her at that moment.

"Brooke is Aaron's daughter?" she asked confused.

"Shit you didn't even know?"

"Hell no I didn't fuckin know, no one told me including you," she said feeling that all too familiar itch in her bones and it wasn't even night fall yet.

"You need to calm down," Ryder said standing up as he noticed the change in her as well.

"I can't fuckin calm down! You lied to me; ALL of you lied to me!"

"We weren't trying to lie to you—"

"Don't tell me you were trying to protect me, do NOT feed me that bull shit!" she said as she began to back up slowly, heading for the door.

"Skylar," he called as he walked toward her noticing where she was trying to take it. "I didn't lie to you, I just didn't tell you. I know you Skylar and you would have denied it until your lungs turned blue if I would have told you that Brooke was Aaron's daughter. You grew up with her, you knew everything there was to know about her, you would have known if Aaron was her father correct?" he asked but not waiting for her to answer as he continued, "Just like I spent my life with Sidney and I thought I would have known if Aaron wasn't her father a part of me still denies it," he said as he took that last step that brought him directly in front of her. "Hurting you wasn't what I had in mind when I didn't tell you," he said slowly. Skylar sank against the front door. She didn't honestly care that she was lied to she was just pissed that she had worked so got damn hard on this case just to get it snatched away from her.

"Well because of you all being a witness and me knowing every single last one of you with the exception of Nate I have been kicked off of the case, no longer aloud to work on it," she announced.

"You do realize that you've been working on this case without them right and that you can just continue to work on it without them. They didn't notice before and they won't notice now," he said. Skylar couldn't help but smile he was right and at this point working with Ethan had gotten her nowhere. "But this time...instead of having Hank help you I will, if you don't mind that is," he finished.

"No I don't mind," she assured.

"Good," he said simply as he began to back away slowly.

"But first," she said before he could get away completely, "I need to know everything you know."

"It's a done deal," he said as he turned around and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" she asked confused.

"Well if you're going to know everything that I know you're going to have a helluva lot more to write on that wall."

### Chapter twenty-nine: Ryder Ferris

Ryder stood against the farthest wall that had no writing—for now—and watched Skylar work. He provided her with some information on as much as he knew about Aaron and she was able to fill out a few things on Brooke. There was one wall to her right that was covered with a map of Coconut Grove Ryder didn't know what for but she had barely paid it any attention so he decided to go take a look at it. Everyone's house was labeled on there even Hank's which Ryder was pretty sure was probably a fake, she even had their child hood tree that him, Sidney and Nate used to hang out at and apparently where Nate had spent his latest hours. Ryder also noted that there wasn't a thing about him on it which was probably eating her up inside but she has yet to say anything about it.

"Do you think I should add something about that Richard Masterson guy who had gone missing?" she asked rousing Ryder out of his mental thoughts.

"Yea, I'd say go for it."

"Do you know anything about him, you know from like when you worked with him?" she asked.

"Well we never really worked with him he was just there to help sometimes but his son used to train with us so I figured that was why he was there."

"Ok so he had a son, his son didn't miss his father at all?" she asked curiously.

"Well Richard's son Eric had died during one of the annual battles."

"Ok and so I can only imagine that that had upset Richard and that may have been a reason for him wanting to take Aaron's tittle," she said more to herself. She began to add things to her wall as she mumbled to herself. "Something's not right," she said out loud.

"What do you mean?" Ryder asked as he watched her turn and leave the room. When she came back she had a couple of papers in her hands. She sat the papers down on the ground and sat around them.

"Come look at this," she said as she held her hand up for him to grab. Ryder grabbed her hand and she pulled him down to the ground rather roughly.

"What is this?" he asked as he righted himself.

"This is the obituary that I had shown Sidney. It's Hank's obituary and not the Hank we know, this belonged to the real Hank Paul Henderson."

"Oook," Ryder said slowly as he glanced at the papers and tried to read them as she began frantically flipping through papers. "Could you stop so I could read them?" he asked frustrated.

"No because none of this is important but this is," she said pulling out a single sheet of paper. "Tell me something," she said as she cleared the rest of the papers out of the way so that they could see only that one. "How old is Sidney?"

"19," he answered without having to think about it.

"Ok and Brooke is 20," she stated.

"What are you getting at?"

"What if the kid that was found with Hanks body and he kid that was at the funeral wasn't Sidney but it was Brooke?"

"How are you possibly going to determine that?"

"Dates, this article is filled with dates we know that Sidney is 19 and Brooke is 20 but the kid that was found at the scene of the crime was 2."

"Ok," Ryder said following along with her.

"When Hank's body was found and he was announced dead that was of the year..." she said before searching through the articles to find out, "1996," she said after finding it. "So if Hank was found dead in 1996, or so let's start with Sidney. 19 minus 2 is 17, now 17 plus 1996 is..." she said talking more to herself then to Ryder, "2013 which means Sidney would have been 1 at the time and not 2 so she couldn't have been the little girl at the scene of the crime. Now let's do the same with Brooke," she announced.

"It's 2014 so Brooke had to have been the girl," Ryder said.

"Unless he has another daughter we don't know about," Skylar said only half joking.

"Let's hope not," Ryder mumbled as Skylar went back to shifting through the article papers that surrounded them.

"Look at this article; this was when the mother and daughter had gone to Hank's funeral 3 years ago. Its say's here that the girl was 4 which—"

"Which means that had to be Sidney because Brooke would have been 5 at the time," Ryder cut in.

"Exactly, so both girls had been talked about in the article as being described as Hanks daughter."

"Damn," Ryder said.

"I know right," Skylar agreed. "How does Richard Masterson fit into all of this, his son's dead he's missing and no one really knows anything about him besides the fact that he fought and killed Aaron over his title but was nowhere around to collect on that."

"Why don't you search him?" Ryder suggested. "Maybe you'll find more on him." Skylar didn't even pretend to think about it she immediately hoped up and left the room, she came back 5 minutes later with a lap top in hand.

"Shit, I really hope this helps I can't handle any more surprises," she whispered as she brought up the search engine and typed in Richard Lee Masterson. "Is this him?" she asked as a picture of Richard and all of his birth information popped up.

"Yup," Ryder answered.

"Damn it I was hoping you'd say no," she said.

"Why?" Ryder asked confused.

"Because this side information shows that Richard was only 13 years old correct me if I'm wrong but he doesn't look 13 years old in this picture and he wasn't 14 years old when he went missing," she said letting out a giant sigh.

"So what does this mean?" Ryder asked confused.

"It means that Richard Masterson probably wasn't really Richard Masterson, and the reason I know this is because there are over a million pages and not all of them are about the missing Richard but is about the construction worker Richard who died in a freak accident, are you starting to see the pattern here?' she asked as she looked over at Ryder.

"Do you think it could have been Hank, or whoever he is?" he asked.

"Do I think? No Ryder I know it is and here's why," she said coping Richard's photo and pasting it into Photoshop. "Ok so if we changed his hair from blonde to black, from a tad curly to straight and a bit longer, and then change his eyes from a golden green color, to brown, shave his beard and just give him a mustache who does he look like?" she asked after she was done making the changes.

"Hank," Ryder said a bit surprised. "Damn," he said obviously realizing the connection

"My words exactly," she said.

"What's his point in doing all of this?" he asked.

"I don't know but we need to find out who the hell he is really."

"Ok and how exactly are we to do that?"

"Well he has to have stayed in contact with at least one person, only one that's all we need and the rest should fall into place."

"How are you supposed to find that out?" he asked confused.

"The same way I found out that he wasn't Hank in the first place, but that means that I have to be allowed back into D.E.A.N Inc. Or..." she said eyeing him.

"Or what?"

"Or you could have more to add to that witness sheet," she suggested.

"What could I have to add that wouldn't be a lie, I'm pretty sure as a witness you're not allowed to lie."

"You won't lie, I'm pretty sure there's some things you know about Richard that you," she said putting the emphasis on you, "thought was important to share."

"But it wouldn't be correct," he said not really phrasing it as a question already knowing that that was her intentions. "And what will you be doing?" he asked almost hesitantly.

"I will be spending a girl's day with Brooke, and then we'll both meet up here," she said.

"Do you think we can take some kind of break tomorrow?" he asked.

"Why?" she asked as she collected the papers off of the ground. He didn't even bother to help her as she did it.

"Because I'm visiting my mother tomorrow and you said you'd come with me."

"Shit, I almost forgot about that, I guess we can take a break," she said as she got up with all of the papers nice and ordered once again.

"Do you think you'll be ok with this?" he asked curiously.

"With what, seeing your mother because I already told you that—"

"No not that I mean going out at night?"

"Oh," she said seeming as though just now realizing her problem. "Well I think I'll be ok I mean if I'm not then I'll try to come back early or try to call you," she said before realizing her mistake.

Ryder really didn't know what to tell her so he settled on, "alright we'll see," before walking away.

***

All Ryder could do as he waited for Skylar's nephew to get out of his meeting was think about whether or not he should have left her alone. It wasn't like he couldn't trust Skylar but he just needed to see how she dealt with his mother first for some reason this was extremely important to him. He only allowed one person to contact him and that was Loretta he didn't want to have to rely on anyone or anything for that matter.

Hank walked out of an office down the hall with all of his things in a box, when he noticed Ryder he looked angry or better yet beyond angry he looked pissed.

"Ryder Ferris," a deep man's voice called. Ryder looked over to see Skylar's Uncle with his head sticking half way out of his office waiting for Ryder to get p and follow him. Ryder was familiar with the place he's been here twice and already expected to see Ethan's extremely white office and highly uncomfortable chairs. "Have a seat," he said. "So what do you want to add to your witness sheet and does Skylar know you're here?" The second question caught Ryder off guard but he didn't let it be noticed as he answered the second question not yet knowing what to say for the first question.

"Why do you ask?"

"So that's a yes," he responded as he folded his hands on top of his desk. "So what would you like to add to your witness sheet?"

"It's about Eric, not Richard," Ryder said quickly trying to think of something.

"Who is Eric?" Ryder was surprised that Ethan didn't know and all he could think was that he just might be delving some important information here.

"Eric Masterson was Richard Masterson's son."

"Ok and what have you come to tell me about this Eric Masterson."

"Well Eric had died during one of our annual battles and Richard wasn't at all happy about that."

"How could you tell?"

"Well you mean besides the fact the he had battled Aaron for his title, a couple of our men had to stop Richard from causing a fight right there with Aaron because he thought that Eric dying was purpose because Aaron didn't want him to battle."

"And why didn't Aaron want him to battle?"

"Because he wasn't ready."

"And you were correct? It has come to my attention that you have done most of the fighting during those annual battles."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Ryder asked a bit defensive, trying not to lash out at Skylar's Uncle because...well he was Skylar's Uncle.

"Do you spend a lot of time with my Niece?" he asked suddenly.

"Why?" Ryder asked confused.

"Because you're starting to sound like her, she asked me the same thing and dare I say it it was word for word too."

"How much time I spend with your niece isn't the issue right now."

"But I think it is—"

"Because you're making it one," Ryder interrupted, "The fact that I spend any time at all with your niece is creating a problem and making you lose focus of what's important. Isn't that the exact reason you laid her off of the case in the first place? Because you were afraid that she was becoming too involved? Don't make that same mistake," Ryder warned. Ethan didn't look at all happy about the way that Ryder had spoken to him but he chose not to say anything for a while.

"Does my niece know that it is your whisperers that are being targeted and going missing? Is there a reason you haven't told her that? I asked her if she knew where the whisperers were being taken from and where they were being dumped and she had no idea, so I gave her a week to figure it out and still I bet she doesn't even know."

"Why is that important?"

"I don't know you tell me, you thought that it was important enough to keep it from her, there must be some logical explanation of why that is right? And why is it that it's your specific whisperers that are going missing there are whisperers all over the place so why target yours, does that not make you wonder?"

"No, truthfully it doesn't."

"Are you sure?" Ethan asked as though he knew something that Ryder was pretending he did not.

"Yes I'm sure, why the hell are you asking me this?"

"I was just wondering," Ethan said as he leaned back in his chair. "I think you should tell her though maybe she knows." Ryder didn't understand where Ethan was coming from but he couldn't bring himself to care either.

"Whatever, I gave you my statements do whatever the hell you want with them, but I'm leaving," Ryder said getting up to leave.

"Ryder everything I do and say is for a reason though you may deny it I know you care about my niece but if you truly care you'd tell her what I said it may be important to her; I know my niece and she can find important information out of the smallest of details." Ryder didn't doubt that for a minute he watched her do it.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said not sure if he meant it or not as he left.

***

When Ryder got back to Skylar's it didn't take him long to realize that Skylar wasn't yet there. It was killing him to wait for her to come back he wasn't sure if she was in trouble or not, and he was outside of his mind with worry. He got bored of flipping through her TV channels and walking around her house, he thought about going to her mother's room because he knew that that was where the dog was but it was locked and so he went back to sitting on the couch with nothing else to do. He lost count of the time because he got tired of checking it and he was tired of sitting down too so he decided to go out and search for her. Just as he was walking toward the door the door flung open, Ryder moved toward Skylar and hugged the shit out of her. "Damn it what the hell took you so long?" he asked as he hugged her.

"Sorry I guess I lost track of time," she said as she pulled back just enough to see his face. "When did you get back?" she asked.

"Hell if I know, I forgot a long ass time ago."

"That long huh?" she said with a small smile.

"Yes, that fuckin long," he said as he pulled away from her to look her over.

'What are you doing?" she asked clearly amused.

"Making sure you're not hurt."

"You could have just asked me and I would have told you that I wasn't hurt."

"Nothing went wrong?" he asked after he was fully convinced that she wasn't hurt.

"As in addiction wise? No nothing went wrong," she assured.

"Good," he breathed out as he took her hand and pulled her toward the couch. "Now tell me what happened and why exactly it took you as long as it did," he said as he pulled her down beside him.

"Well when I found Brooke she was talking to her mother trying to calm her down because her boss had just fired her, and if you didn't know her boss is Hank. I tried to help but she wasn't trying to listen to me and her friend Casper was just making it all worse. So by the time she was done with that we had left and began to walk around as we talked. She told me how her friend Casper's boyfriend had died in a car accident and of course I freaked the hell out I wasn't sure if it was Hank's doing or if he really just died you know? Then I tried to get her to talk to me about her dad because believe it or not I've never truly met him she said he died when she was young, but she didn't want to talk about him and so I asked her what she did want to talk about and I brought up that she had stopped by my house for a reason and then she said surprisingly that she wanted to talk about you," she said pointing at Ryder.

"Why the hell would she want to talk about me?" Ryder asked confused.

"Umm I don't know honestly but she did so we wasted our time doing that—"

"Wait what did she say, no what did you say?"

"Nothing bad calm down but she did ask me if I've ever been to your house like she knew I haven't and she kept pressing me on the matter. She asked me why not and I told her I didn't know—"

"Skylar," Ryder went to cut in.

"No wait let me finish," she said obviously wanting to get this out there, "So I asked her why she was asking and she said because she's been to your house and that I'd be surprised to see where exactly you lived and that it was closer than I thought." That surprised Ryder for two reasons one being he was pretty damn sure that he never told Brooke where he was living and two being her details of where his "house" was located was spot on. Skylar was looking at him as if she was waiting for him to confirm what Brooke was saying.

"Brooke has never been to me house," he had to stop himself from putting quotation's around the words house seeing as though it wasn't a house at all but it was where he was staying.

"So you're saying she's lying?" she asked raising a brow in question.

"Yes, I'm most defiantly telling you that she's lying." Skylar didn't say anything else about it she just nodded her head but something about the way she did made Ryder think that she thought he was lying.

"Well any way's that's all we talked about so I really didn't get much information out of her what about you?"

"Well to tell you the truth I kind of forgot my reasoning for going there because I was too busy getting chewed out by your uncle but I did notice that Hank either quit or he was fired but the look on his face suggests that he was fired."

"Why were you being chewed out by my uncle?" she asked as if that was all she had heard.

"I honestly don't know," he said deciding against telling her, that would just prove that her uncle knew where he lived and she didn't and that would no doubt infuriate her.

"Oook," she said slowly. Ryder could see it in her face that she didn't believe him. "So I guess we both accomplished pretty much nothing," she said disappointedly as she got up to leave.

"Skylar," Ryder called but she didn't respond nor did she turn around. "Damn it," he said as he got up to go after her.

"Please don't Ryder, just...go home," she said. Ryder didn't at all like the way she said home, he knew then that she was upset about that. Instead of listening to her he went to follow her anyways and she closed her bedroom door on him before he could reach the top her stairs. Damn it, he thought to himself knowing that she was obviously upset with him. He wanted to pound on her door and demand that she open it but decided against it and just left.

### Chapter thirty: Skylar Royce

Skylar got up about to start getting ready for work when she realized that she no longer needed to do that, which just succeeded in upsetting her even more. She begrudgingly got out of bed and started her day regardless of whether she had somewhere to go or not. She made herself some coffee before turning towards her mother's door, the smells that were coming from inside started to ease from underneath her locked door. Skylar was afraid to open the door and see the mess that she knew would be inside; she didn't bother. Skylar took her cup of coffee and flopped onto the couch, some of the coffee had flown out of the cup and onto her arm burning her immediately but she didn't care, she just let it sit there. She was pissed at Ryder for lying to her and she was even more pissed at the fact that she thought that he was honestly putting forth an effort with her. She didn't want to care but she did and because of that she didn't want to see him but knew that she had promised to meet his mother today and she did NOT want to take her anger out on her, she refused to let Ryder get to her that much.

Skylar finished her coffee as she stared at absolutely nothing. She looked over at the clock and realized that it was nearly the afternoon so she got up so that she could get dressed; despite the fact the Ryder had unwittingly hurt her she was determined to make a good impression on his mother. Skylar dressed in a Spring Tea dress. The dress had a sleeveless white floral lace print with a badge skirt attached; she paired the dress with a multi strap heel. She did her hair up in curls and let them fall down her back naturally, and then she did something she rarely did and added a bit of make-up. She wasn't entirely sure who she was dressing up for him or his mother but she pretended not to care.

By the time Ryder had come back it was nearly two and extra sunny outside, she had to stop herself from throwing on shorts and t-shirt. When she got up to open the door she paid Ryder little to no attention as she turned back around and went back into the kitchen to finish spring cleaning it—she got bored of waiting.

"Well good morning to you too," he said as he closed her door and walked over toward her. She still ignored him as she finished her cleaning. "Skylar," he called softly as he tried to turn her around by the elbows. Once he accomplished getting her to face him she raised an eye brow in question but didn't bother to open her mouth and actually talk to him. "Are you ok, correct me if I'm wrong but you seem...angry?" he said as he didn't bother to hide the fact that he was checking her out right now.

"I'm fine," she said as tried to turn back around.

"Yes, I know you are but I want to know if you are ok?" he said trying to look her in the eye. She didn't bother to answer a second time as she turned back around to finish her cleaning. "Ok so obviously you're not, do you want to...I don't know...talk about it?" Skylar wanted to laugh at his attempt but didn't find any of it funny.

"No I don't I want to just finish cleaning though."

"Ok, tell me when you're ready," he said before turning away from her. Skylar felt bad because she felt as though she was bringing him down with her and she hated the fact that she felt in anyway bad about that, but she did. This seemed supper important to him and she couldn't understand why but she didn't want him to regret this in anyway because it was important to her too. She really, really liked him she didn't know when it started but it did and she wanted his mother to like her. She wasn't sure if he liked her back but he sure did act like it at times but he never once kissed her or even tried. "I truly am ok," she said to Ryder in an attempt to calm him down, she could smell his worry over the Pine-Sol she was using to clean the kitchen. "Why are you so nervous?" she asked as she continued to clean the counters.

"What makes you think I'm nervous?"

"Ok, fine don't answer my question," she said just as she was finishing the kitchen. She turned toward Ryder and began to join him in her living room. He was sprawled out on her living room couch but she didn't care as long as he didn't have his feet on her mother's coffee table, but there wasn't much space for her so she decided she'd just stand.

"This seems like very, very important to my mother, and I don't bring people around to go see her, I mean I barely go and see her myself," he said as his head hung over the edge of her couch and his eyes remained shut. Skylar didn't know what to say, she could relate in some way because she didn't like people seeing her mother either but that never stopped her from going to go see her mother. "I don't want to put any pressure on you by telling you that this is important and that you have to act a certain way, you know? Just be yourself and I'm sure she'll love you," he said finally opening his eyes to look at her. "You look great by the way," he added and it actually made her blush.

"Thank you."

"Are you ready to go?" he asked as he made no attempts to remove himself from her couch.

"Are you?" she asked not entirely sure that he was. Ryder took some time before getting up and walking toward her door. She could tell that he was pretty nervous about this, probably more than she was. Skylar followed after him and he opened the door for her, she didn't even bother to get surprised she was used to it now.

The ride to his mother's was quite, which was somewhat unusual but Skylar was ok with it, she knew that there would be a lot of first's today.

### Chapter thirty-one: Ryder Ferris

As Ryder's car rounded that corner and stopped in front of the gates he began to get more and more nervous if possible. He couldn't get his voice to work as he pressed the speaker button. Skylar reached across the space between them and grabbed his hand but she remained quiet, which he was grateful for.

"Loretta it's me, buzz me in," Ryder said as he waited for the gates to open. Slowly the gates began to open and Ryder proceeded forward. He parked his car and got out to open Skylar's door, she took her time getting out but Ryder didn't complain. As she stood there in front of him for the third time today he realized how truly, incredibly, breathe taking she was. He took a chance and grabbed her hand and was relieved when she didn't pull away. They walked that short distance to the door and Loretta was already there waiting for them. Skylar trailed behind Ryder as they entered the house.

"She's awake Ryder," Loretta informed. Ryder nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't see you there," Loretta said as she caught sight of Skylar. Ryder could tell that Loretta was shocked that he had brought someone here to see his mother but she didn't voice or clearly show it as she took Skylar's other hand that Ryder wasn't holding and shook it lightly. "It's nice to meet you; I'm Loretta the care taker." Skylar smiled faintly as she took Loretta's hand.

"It's nice to meet you too; I'm Skylar." Loretta's smile was bright as she beamed it at the two of them, she seemed genuinely happy about this.

"Ok well let me get out of your way and let you get to it then, if you need anything Ryder, or Skylar," she added, "then I'll be in the kitchen," she said giving them one more smile before turning away.

"Are you ready?" Ryder asked as he stood outside of his mother's door knowing got damn well that he wasn't.

"Yup," she said as she stared at the closed door and watched as Ryder pushed it open slowly. Instead of seeing his mother in bed like he expected Ryder instead saw that she was up and in her wheel chair, Ryder's mother knew that he would be angry but obviously she didn't care.

"Hey Robby!" she said obviously happy. "I expected you hours ago—more like 24 hours ago—but I'm glad you made time. Who's your friend?" she asked as if she could have possibly forgotten.

"I'm Skylar," Skylar said as she walked forward and took his mother's hand.

"It's nice to meet you dear, I'm Ryder's mother but you can call me Rebecca—no Ms. Ferris I aint that old now," she said causing Skylar to laugh.

"I know the feeling, I'm only 20 and my own Uncle calls me Ms. Royce," she said causing Ryder's mother to laugh in turn. Ryder noticed that Skylar no longer looked nervous as she moved toward the end of the bed his mother should have been lying on and sat down.

"Sit down Robby," his mother said as she turned her wheel chair to face Skylar. Ryder moved toward Skylar and sat down beside her so that he was facing his mother.

"So Skylar tell me what it is you do?"

"Umm well I am one of many investigators for D.E.A.N Inc. it's a family business."

"Oh really and so how did you meet my son? I hope he wasn't in any trouble that I didn't know about," she said looking at Ryder giving him a mother's look.

"No he wasn't, actually it wasn't business related at all we kind of just...sort of bumped into each other I guess," she said obviously not wanting to tell his mother that she had been fighting and he happened to see and broke it up. Ryder's mother looked as if she knew that there was a lot Skylar was leaving out but she didn't comment on that.

"Oh, well my Robby has a thing for being at the right place at the right time." Ryder was used to his mother saying that he was known for being at the wrong place at the wrong time not the right, but he let the compliment pass knowing that it was meant more for Skylar's sake rather than his own. "So how long have yall known each other?"

"I don't know. Not long just about—"

"A month and a half," Ryder said cutting her off.

"Hey sorry to interrupt but it's time to go out Becca," Loretta said as she poked her head into the room.

"Go out?" Ryder questioned.

"Yes, the doctors think that it would be a good idea to try to get her outside at least once a day instead of trapped up in this stuffy heat," Loretta answered as she moved behind his mother to grab the handles of her wheel chair. Ryder trailed behind his mother and Skylar trailed behind him as they followed Loretta and Ryder's mother outside. The back of the house was large, there was cushioned benches and a beautiful garden with flowers there was even a small pond filled with little fishes, surrounded by a bird bath that water falls into the pond, Ryder knew it was gorgeous he created it all with his mother in mind. Loretta parked his mother's wheel chair next to the bench facing the pond, and Ryder and Skylar sat next to her on the benches.

"This is beautiful," Skylar commented.

"I know isn't it, it was a surprise from my son, he snuck around at night and did while I was sleeping and surprised me that mother's day morning. He knew I liked to sit by the window and so he made sure that I would be able to see it." Ryder was glad that his mother didn't say anymore, Ryder wasn't sneaking around because he wanted it to be a surprise; he was sneaking around because he didn't want his mother to see him.

"I didn't know you were a handy man, I would have gotten you to fix my backyard," Skylar joked. "My mother loves our backyard and I meant to fix it up for her but I never got around to doing it."

"Oh well I'm sure Robby wouldn't mind if you'd just ask him," his mother said as she looked at the two of them.

"I don't know I don't really like messing around with the things back there."

"And why not?"

"Well that's where my mother puts most have her mementos', it's weird really because she just hangs them on the giant oak tree in our backyard and that's where she wants all of her things to go when she dies, and I don't know I guess I don't really like to think of it really."

"Oh, well I can understand that, but what about your father can't he do it, you know can't he help you out?"

"My father passed away a while ago, its most of his things that hang on the tree."

"Oh I'm sorry dear I didn't know."

"It's fine really," Skylar assured. Ryder reached over and took Skylar's hand, that's how it always was between them, things just revealed themselves about each other but they never once had to ask. Skylar looked over at him and gave him a faint smile and just shrugged her shoulder as if it was no big deal but he knew it was.,

"You know I want to be a grandmother before I die—"

"Mom—"

"I want to feel as though I lived my life to the fullest like I experienced everything there is to experience," she continued as if Ryder didn't interrupt her.

"You sound kind of like my mother, she would have said the same thing," Skylar said as she took Rebecca's hand and gave it a gentle little squeeze.

"Your mother sounds like she was a smart woman," Rebecca said with a small smile. Ryder didn't like it when his mother spoke like that, it just made him think about her situation; his situation; there situation all together. "Robert always told me that if I never put a foot down then I'd forever be unbalanced, I'd never get what I want, and I'll be dependent my whole life."

"Robert was a controlling bastard anything he's ever said does not qualify as good advice," Ryder growled not at all liking the way that his mother was referencing her husband in any way.

"I know," his mother said softly, "but he said something smart without even knowing it."

Ryder, Skylar and Rebecca spent the rest of the day talking and eating the fruit salad that Loretta had brought them. By the time they had brought Rebecca back into the house and tucked her into the bed instead of the wheel chair—which Ryder was grateful for—it was dark and Skylar and Ryder were getting ready to leave.

"Thank you for this visit the both of you, it meant the world to me," Rebecca said as she fought to keep her eyes open.

"You're very welcome," Skylar whispered. Ryder noticed about half way through the day that Skylar was a bit distant and she looked a little sad, he didn't know what caused it but she refused to acknowledge it when he asked her what was wrong.

"Ok I think we should give Becca some time to rest , she was up way past what she usually is and she looks tired, I know it would mean a lot to her if yall visited again though," Loretta said as she came to help Ryder's mother get settled.

"We'll try," Ryder said as he followed Loretta out of his mother's room with Skylar close behind.

"I have to agree with Becca the fact that the both of you came means the world to me as well, I love seeing Becca that happy; it's been a while." Ryder knew that that last part of what she said was meant to be toward him, that it was his fault, but he refused to admit the truth of that.

"Thank you Loretta, for everything you've been doing for her I truly do appreciate every second of what you've done," Ryder said. Loretta began to get all teary eyed; Ryder knew that it was unfair of him to just now be thanking her after 11 years of the hard work and dedication Loretta has put in.

"You are so very welcome, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she said through her tears. "Now get out of here the both of you, I'd hate for you to see me bawl like a little baby," she said as she tried to laugh.

"Thank you Ms. Loretta," Skylar said as she went to leave the house.

"It's just Loretta to you sweetie, you remember that the next time you come to see me," she said before closing the door. Skylar said nothing else as she hoped into the car and waited for Ryder to do the same. Ryder knew that something had to be bothering her but she wouldn't tell him what it was. Ryder buckled up and drove in silence he could hear Skylar sniffle and he knew she was crying but he refused to ask her if she was ok because he knew she'd either ignore him or lie and say that she was.

When Ryder parked the car in front of her house she didn't even bother to wait for him to get out of the car and open her door she did it herself and didn't look back as she walked away. Ryder didn't know whether to follow her or stay in the car, but he got out of the car anyways not caring if she wanted him to follow her or not. At first Ryder couldn't tell where Skylar was, she wasn't in the living room or in the kitchen. He checked her room and she wasn't there, the light in her mother's room wasn't on from what he could tell so he knew she wasn't there either. He took a chance and went to what he classified as her office. He didn't expect to see any lights because there weren't any unless you counted the lights that came from the words on the wall. Instead of seeing the walls all lit up with lights he instead saw only one wall all lit up with lights and it was the one wall he thought she hadn't written on yet. There were words everywhere from the top to the bottom, it looked nothing like the notes she took for the case she's been working on, it looked instead like an extra-long story. Skylar was on her knees in front of the wall and she was writing on the floor. Ryder walked a little farther into the room so that he could see what she had been writing.

The first one Ryder came to was short and it was dated a year ago the only thing separating it from the rest was one word the stuck out on the top-center which looked to Ryder to be a tittle.

Indifference

If I knew now what I suspected then, I'd like to think I would've done things differently.

If I knew then what I know now then I would have known there's no difference between indifferently

There were a lot of poems on this wall, but Ryder didn't know why this wall was so different from the others and why it was here in the first place. Ryder looked down to the earliest one that was dated today, but it had to have been from this morning because he was with her all day.

You're everything I never knew I wanted

I closed my mouth, opened my mind, and let my heart speak for a chance.

I've come to regret everything I ever wanted in exchange for everything I had.

Our love isn't a fact but we have faith in it. Our love isn't as true as we believe it is but there's truth to it.

When I let my mind run it goes to you instead of keep runnin,

But that's because you're everything I never knew I wanted.

Skylar got up and left without a word spoken. Ryder looked on after her to see where exactly she thought she was going but it didn't seem as though she had gone far so Ryder moved down to the one she had just written

Deceit

You've concealed the meaning of truth;

Misinterpreting the meaning of you,

Refuses the sky's not blue,

Rebooting the outlook on youth.

You've refused the chance to review,

The world in a different room,

The chance to come to,

The door of your break through.

You've managed to turn old into new.

To deceive the ones closest to you and now you've refused to subdue;

To defeat and vanquish all that is true.

In the name of...?

Whatever it is you do.

Ryder went to go find Skylar but he didn't have to go far. Skylar was standing in front of her mother's door and for the first time in all that he's been here it wasn't locked. The smells that were coming from inside that room turned Ryder's stomach inside out; it was worse then what he was used to. Ryder walked over to Skylar, she had her head against her mother's door and she was openly crying. Ryder peered into the room almost lost the will to stand at the sight of her mother. "Oh God Skylar," he said as he tried to move toward her, but she didn't let him, she turned her back to him but only a little so that she was still looking inside her mother's room.

"You know, I really like your mom," she said out of nowhere as tears still took their plunge off of her face. Ryder didn't know where she was going with that but he didn't even pretend to care, her mom was what mattered at the moment.

"Skylar—"

"As a matter of fact I think she likes me too," she kept going.

"Skylar! I don't CARE! Why the hell didn't you tell me about your mom?"

"We're really not about to start pointing fingers, now are we Ryder? Because in all honesty there's a lot I haven't told you, just like there's a helluva lot more you haven't told me."

"Skylar you're treating this as some kind of joke when I'm being dead ass serious, your mother is sitting there—"

"I KNOW what the hell my mother is and what she isn't doing I DON'T need YOU to tell me goddamn it!" Ryder was getting frustrated he knew that there was no way in hell she could have been taking care of her mother like she claimed she was.

"So what do you plan on doing about it?" he asked trying to lower his voice so as not to upset her even more.

"Did I tell you that that wasn't all that Brooke had told me?" she said changing the subject. "She warned me about you plenty of times but I never once listened, but any way's she told me that there was something you were hiding from me that she thought I should know."

"WHY are you telling me THIS?! I am TRYING to get you to understand something for me and if I need to spell it out for you I will. Your—"

"She has pictures too, just in case you were to deny it," she cut in.

Ryder sighed knowing that if he were her he wouldn't want to hear what he was about to say either. "Pictures of what? What the hell is so important that you keep cutting me off for?" Ryder hadn't noticed the manila folder tucked beneath Skylar's arms until now. She took the folder out and handed it to him. Ryder opened the folder and took out the pictures but he didn't look at them. "What is this?" he asked.

"I use to wander why it was you never told me where you lived; it bothered the hell out of me. I used to wander why you gave me absolutely no way of contacting you but then I saw those," she said gesturing to the pictures, "and now I think I get it." Ryder looked down at the pictures expecting to see some pictures of him with another woman or something similar to that, but what he wasn't expecting was what he saw.

"Who took these?" he asked.

"Does it even matter?" she asked finally turning to face him. "Honestly why the hell does it matter?! You more than lied to me Ryder, those pictures there are of you with Every. Single. Whisperer. That has gone missing and ended up dead. You knew Every. Single. Last. One and never told me about it?!"

"Skylar what the hell are you getting at?!" he asked beyond angry at her obvious assertion.

"So this was what you didn't want me to know, it makes sense, it really does," she said as she cried angry tears.

"Skylar," Ryder growled.

"No Ryder! I trusted you! I more than fuckin trusted you and you've been LYING to me this WHOLE TIME!"

"Skylar you need to calm the fuck down and listen to me."

"NO! I'm sick and tired of calming down and the LAST thing I want to do is listen to YOU!" she said before storming off.

"SKYLAR?!" he yelled but she didn't stop. "Damn it," he muttered just as she closed the door, leaving him alone with this mess to clean up. "Shit!" he said before entering her mother's room. Ryder was pissed, he was so damn pissed it hurt; it hurt like a mother fucker. Ryder took a quick look at what was left of Skylar's mother before cringing and backing up a step or two. He couldn't help picturing his very own mother in the same very position and it made him mad. How the hell could she be so irresponsible? He thought as he saw the dog hovering in the corner obviously not wanting to be with her mother's corpse anymore. "Go ahead, get out of here,' he told the dog. Ryder looked back over toward Skylar's mother's body and refused his eyes the will to look away. He needed to do this, he didn't know why but he just did. This could possibly what his mother looked like soon and he would hate it if someone saw her like that and decided to do nothing.

The decomposing tissues of her mothers' body released green substances and gas, which made the skin a greenish-blue and it blistered—badly all over the abdomen. The front of her body swelled, the tongue had protruded, and fluids from the lungs oozed out of her mouth and nostrils; it was a sickening site.

Since there were no animals to destroy the body, the hair, nails and teeth became detached within—possibly—a few weeks, and probably after a month or however long it had stayed in this condition the tissue had become liquefied and the main body cavities had burst open. In other words the mattress she was lying on was soiled and probably nothing would help fix that problem so all Ryder could do once he moved the body was throw it away. He called a few professionals who knew more about this then he did to give him some pointers on what to do with the body. After the body was removed and the entire bedding—bed included—was sent to a dump site Ryder began to clean the room to get rid of the foul odor. He had been at it for quite some time, but once he was done he closed the door and went after the dog, knowing the smells of the room had to have stuck to his fur somehow; Ryder had to give him a bath the dog was none too happy about that.

After everything was all said and done Ryder didn't want to stay here another minute so he got into his car and drove off toward Banquet St.

"Hey Loretta can you let me in?" Ryder said as he stood outside of the gates. There was a slight hesitation before the gates opened and Ryder knew that Loretta was probably as confused as he was; it was going on 10 O'clock and Ryder never came around that time.

"Hey Ryder did you forget something?" she asked as he walked into the house.

"No. Is she woke?" he asked.

"Umm yea, though she really shouldn't be," she responded.

"I'll only be a minute," he assured.

"Take your time, I'm sure if she could she'd kick my behind if I rushed you," Loretta said before going back to her room.

Ryder peeked into his mother's room and she was facing the door but her eyes were closed. Ryder snuck in and sat on the visitors' chair—though he was the only visitor.

"Don't let my eyes being closed fool you I know you're there; don't tryta sneak with me boy it didn't work when you were little and had smaller feet and it aint gonna work now I tell you that much right now," she said as her eyes remained closed.

"If I planned on sneakin then I would have never came," Ryder said meaning it as a joke but not at all feeling in the mood to laugh.

"Speaking of its late so your reasoning for being here has to be important," she said. Ryder sighed not knowing how to go about this. "So...what did she do or what do you think she did?" All Ryder could do was stare in awe at his mother, she was always able to detect his moods and what might be causing them.

"Well for one I just spent the last hour and a half cleaning up after her mother, who by the way was dead the whole time in that room," he said, and with every word his anger came back. "She left her mother like that knowing...knowing—"

"Robby calm down there had to have been a reason she didn't seem like the kind of person who would do something like that without one."

"I don't care what the hell the reason could have been there is no such thing as a good reason for that!"

"Robby," his mother said in a warning tone, "like I said there had to have been some reason and it may not be a good enough one for you but it was certainly a good enough one for her."

"I just couldn't deal with her right now," Ryder said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Where is she at, do you even know?"

"No, I don't know."

"Is that a good thing that you don't know or a bad thing?" his mother asked somehow already knowing that it was a bad thing—a very, very bad thing, but still Ryder couldn't bring himself to care.

"I don't know why I should care or why I even cared in the first place she obviously doesn't trust me."

"Robby trust me when I tell you that it's probably your fault. I mean that in the nicest way. I know you and you usually push people away before they can get too close."

"But I didn't push her away, she pushed me away."

"And how did she do that?"

"She accused me of kidnapping and killing those whisperers," he growled.

"So she just came out and said that you did it without any reason or cause?" his mother asked doubtfully.

"No she had pictures but she doesn't even know that they were my responsibility, I take care of them why would I go out of my way to kill them?!"

"Does she know that? I guarantee she doesn't and that's where you went wrong, maybe if you would have told her that then she wouldn't have jumped the gun and accused you."

"But she didn't even ask."

"Why should she have to? If it was important enough to you then she probably thought that you would just come out and tell her. So what do you plan on doing now?"

"I don't know," he said.

"Well I suggest you go back."

"Why?"

"She obviously means a lot to you or you wouldn't have come to me for help so you should go there and clear things up with her like you just did for me, and if she doesn't listen then you tried and there isn't anything else for you to do, but trust me when I say she'll come around."

"What makes you so sure?" he asked skeptically.

"Because she trusts you. She may not think of you every second of the day but she has given you something that she knows you can break and that's all that matters. We all go through things and lash out at the wrong person it happens to the best of us but we get over it and she will too."

Ryder got back into his car with a small piece of paper clutched into his fist, he wasn't really ready to see Skylar at the moment she hurt him more than he was willing to admit but he knew that he had this coming he should have told her earlier but he didn't and he couldn't blame anyone but himself.

Ryder parked in front of Skylar's house and none of the lights were on—but that didn't mean she wasn't home. He got out of the car but didn't bother knocking on the front door this time. The house was fairly empty which meant that Skylar hasn't been back yet which was no doubt a bad thing with her addiction still going strong. He had to tell himself repeatedly that he didn't care until he almost—almost—began to believe it. Ryder still had the piece of paper clutched in his hands he thought about just placing it on her coffee table and leaving but he saw movement in the corner of his eye and figured it was Skylar.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked as he realized that it wasn't her.

"Well, well, well you don't seem at all surprised to see me," she said as she sat on the edge of her couch.

"Do you plan on staying here when Skylar come's back?" he asked as he ignored her comment.

"Funny I was just about to ask you the same question? I hear you two's little fight but who am I to take sides?" she said with a crooked smile. "This is my house so if I decide to show up in it or not is really none of your concern but what's your excuse?" Skylar's mother said as she cocked her head in question.

"I'm only here to drop this off," he said holding up the crumpled piece of paper—he might have or might not have held it too tight.

"And then you're leaving again, correct?" Ryder chose not to respond to her. She began to make tisk, tisk sounds at him before saying, "You're here to drop off a note like a little school girl and then you're just going to leave?" she began shaking her head like a disappointed mother. "Men will be men," she whispered loud enough for Ryder to hear her. "How does it feel to know that you're becoming just like your bastard of a father?" Ryder immediately went to charge at her but she quickly moved as if she saw it coming. "Isn't that what your father always did? When he didn't like something he hit your mother for it, didn't that always make you cry?"

"You don't know shit about my family!" Ryder said with an abundance of hostility in his voice.

"I know just as much as you don't," she responded as she moved back to the arm of the couch, now sitting directly in front of him—which happened to be a very bold move.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"It means that there is still a helluva lot you don't know yourself, like the fact that you weren't conceived out of love my dear, not even close it was more like rape—as a matter of fact it was rape.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" he yelled. "That's not true," he said menacingly.

"Of course it's not just like you refuse to acknowledge the fact that you have your mother's disease."

"That's where you're wrong, it won't affect me; I'm a full whisperer my mother was not."

"Is that what you honestly believe, that because your mother wasn't a full whisperer she was able to get sick and could possibly die? Awe honey that's not at all true, I was a full powerful whisperer and look at me—I'm dead. How do you explain that?"

"We're not like humans and you know it. Though we all die our souls are different, which is why you were able to appear right in front of me like you're doing. Like they say your souls cage is able to die but your soul itself is immortal and goes on to live forever—"

"I wouldn't say forever," she cut in.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said, there is a way to kill the soul no one just knows how." Skylar's mother paused for a minute, "You know I feel bad for you," she said almost sounding sincere. "Your father was one mean bastard but he didn't grow up that way and I honestly think it was unfair of him, what he did to your family."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ryder asked his anger turning—only slightly—into confusion.

"Let me tell you something I'm sure your parents didn't bother to tell you." Ryder almost said what made her think he wanted to hear anything she had to say, she could have been lying for all he knew but he was curious about what she had to say so for the first time since he had seen her sitting there he didn't question her. "When Robert, your father, came into this world he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth while he sat on a golden high chair," she continued taking his sudden silence as a go-ahead. "He got everything he has ever wanted. His parents were happily married and rarely ever argued. His mother took care of—what people refer to as—domestic needs you know cooking, cleaning and things of that nature, while Robert's father made the money and brought food into the house onto the tables."

"Well as Robert got older he started seeing things that weren't there. He saw his father as the word of the household, the man of the house, the dominant one, the more powerful and authoritative one where as he saw himself and his mother as the submissive ones, the passive ones ready to jump at his father's command, the ones that never dared step out of line but like I said he was seeing things that weren't at all there. So any who with that thought in mind Robert realized that when he grew up he wanted to be just like his father."

"I wasn't lying when I said that your father had raped Rebecca, your mother, they were dating for quite a while and there seemed to be no signs of problems but Rebecca wasn't yet ready for a child, she didn't think her hear could take it—literary, but when he raped her those were his intentions, he wanted a child; he wanted everything that his father had, had which is why he chose Rebecca specifically not at all knowing about her medical condition. Robert's father Raymond and his mother Riley named Robert, Robert because it was to prove to Robert that he belonged and that he couldn't ever leave or else he wouldn't fit in anywhere else—So Robert thought, when really they named him Robert after Raymond's grandfather. But—Robert thought that if he had a kid whose name started with an 'R' and a wife whose name started with an 'R' then he'd be one step closer to being just like his father."

"When Rebecca gave birth to you so always thought of you as her miracle child; no one thought she'd be able to give birth but she proved them all wrong just like when they said that she wouldn't live past 25. Your mother named you Ryder out of defiance and to this day your father never knew."

"When your mother was little her mother used to read her this story about a Prince named Robby; it wasn't an abbreviation, it wasn't short for anything it was just Robby. He didn't ride a horse like most Prince's, he rode a motorcycle bike. There was another man in the story—"

"Robert," Ryder said remembering when his mother used to read him the same story when he was little.

Skylar's mom nodded her head with a faint smile on her face before she continued, "Yes, coincidentally his name was Robert and he used to be king until the people of his town realized that he was not fit to be king; he didn't care about the people so they had a re-election—if you will—and Prince Robby became King Robby. Your mother never wanted to name you Robby or your father would have thought that it was some kind of tribute to him so she named you Ryder with a 'Y' on purpose. Your mother wasn't at all like most, she enjoyed the fact that there were no princesses or queens in the story because she enjoyed the idea of being able to watch the rest of the story play out through you," she said pointing at Ryder. "You were not mean to walk in your father's footsteps but that is exactly what you have been doing until my Sky-Blue had come around. I'm not sure if I pointed this out to you or not but it was no one's fault but your own."

"Your daughter has issues, serious, serious issues," was all Ryder had to say.

"Yes, I agree with you there but they are issues that you," she said putting the emphasis on the word you, "chose to involve yourself in. Just like you told your friend Sidney that it was her fault that Nathaniel was dead because she had no business involving him into her mess? Well my Sky-Blue purposely didn't involve you, you involved yourself. You chose to engage her that first night after she told you repeatedly to leave her alone, you unknowingly enjoyed the way she talked to you though because you saw it as a quest that you just had to concur, then you made it seem as though you had left her alone those next three nights when all the while you were having her followed until you couldn't take it anymore and you decided that you'd follow her your damn self and made sure that she saw that you were doing it. But," she said extra loudly, "even though you tried your damnedest to be your father by commanding her to do as you'd like, demanding that she show you respect it didn't work, of course she did none of those things. Trust me when I tell you that she's not one to be taking orders from anyone, not even herself, I'm sure you're well aware of her addiction. I will admit this though, when you weren't being your father all of those little things that you did for her the things that your father would have NEVER done, she respected you for those."

"Are you sure? Because she told me on many, many occasion's that she did not respect me."

"And that hurt your feelings did it not? It was all for a purpose though so don't take it to heart. My daughter has become...two completely different people; two people you have met, one being herself and the other being—what you both classify her as, and what I am in a total disagreement over—the monster. It's hard for her to remember things, or even think straight for that matter when she's the "monster" because she starts to think like an animal; worried only about her survival—which she believes involves the power she collects."

"Now back to the sole purpose I am here, you can NOT turn your back on her; believe it or not she doesn't know how to fight this addiction on her own. I don't understand how you unwittingly made it so that she relies on you for almost everything but she does and like it or not you can't turn your back on her—"

"Like she turned her's on me?"

"She's scared what the hell do you expect?! She's going to start questioning a lot of things because that's all she can do at the moment but in the end she'll figure it all out but not as long as that fuckin addiction is around and you're not. You make her forget, you make her forget all about the addiction and you leaving will just result in her getting sucked right back in again." Before Ryder could say anything the front door flew open, the ricochet of the impact of how hard the door and slammed into the back wall had left a crack. Skylar stood in the door way, Ryder was shocked that she had looked right past her mother and stared right at him. "She can't see me unless I make it so that she can." Ryder wanted to yell at her mother but he refused to look crazy in the process. Ryder could see the clouds swarming in Skylar's eyes from where he stood—which wasn't at all a good thing.

"Why the hell are you coming back this got damn late?!" he asked her.

"Why do you care?" she shot back. "It's my house I can come back to it whenever the hell I want to."

"Remember don't let her get to you," her mother warned. Ryder almost literally had to bite his tongue from saying his next words.

"Fine you're right," he agreed. "It's not my house, I shouldn't even be here," he said as he moved toward the door.

"Did I not just tell you to NEVER leave her alone?!" her mother yelled from behind her.

"She's your responsibility, why don't you watch her? You have nothing better to do," he said as he moved past Skylar and out the door. Skylar looked confused but mostly shocked as she just stood there and watched him go, he didn't even put up a fight.

### Chapter thirty-two: Sidney Fields

You'd think Sidney would be happy to see her mother again but, she simply was not because with her mother came Hank. Sidney honestly didn't think she'd see him again and not around his mother—so soon at that? But there the lovely couple was sitting around the kitchen table the next morning.

"Oh hey sweetie Hank made breakfast, join us," her mother said as she smiled lovingly.

"Oh-Uh No thank—"

"I said join us," her mother cut in. Sidney wasn't sure what her mother was getting at but if she wanted Sidney to join then Sidney was going to join whether she liked it or not. Sidney pulled out the chair across from the both of them and sat down rather cautiously. She looked at the plate that Hank had just sat in front of her and she'd be lying if she said that it didn't look good.

"What's the occasion?" Sidney asked. Rather it looked good or not she wasn't about to eat it knowing that Hank had made it.

"There is no occasion can't we have breakfast together like a normal family?" Hank said as he looked at Sidney as if she were the crazy one.

"The problem being, we're not a normal family so again I ask what's thee occasion?"

"Just eat the food Sidney," her mother spoke up—once again. What happened to her being all scared of Hank? Sidney thought to herself.

"You know Ciana now that we're all here I do have an announcement," Hank said as he sat down his fork.

"Ok," her mother said as she did the same, the only reason Sidney dropped her fork was so that she didn't have to pretend to eat the food anymore.

"I got a job offer," he announced. Sidney's mother squealed as if that were some big accomplishment, Hank has like 7 jobs that type of news usually stops getting exciting after the third job offer had been accepted.

"That's great honey, where at?" Sidney's mother asked.

"It's in Arizona," he responded with a big—fake—smile.

"Arizona? How in the hell did you scheme a job like that?" Sidney asked.

"Sidney!" her mother scolded. "Wow honey that's great but that's like a lot of miles away," her mother said sadly.

"I know honey but it's a great offer."

"I'm pretty sure you said that same thing about the other 6 too," Sidney mumbled.

"I leave tomorrow," he said suddenly. Now that was just a bit unheard of, Sidney thought as she eyes Hank suspiciously.

My Dearest Aaron

To: 050972

From: Unknown Recipient

Subject: 5 days

My Dearest Aaron,

Only 5 days until your reborn, all hope hasn't been torn. Only 5 days before what it once was becomes what it always has been. Your destiny my dear is written in stone, etched with in each of your bones. You are the destiny; I waited for oh so breathlessly. Now the time has come, what was can no longer be undone. Be patient my dear for you will become the bearer of this news, where as I will only become, from this moment forward, whatever you so choose.

Aaron stared at the email, again another one that made no sense to him. The woman has made Aaron believe that he has lost his memory but he's not entirely sure that that is 100% truth. He's sure that he might not remember everything but there are some things he does for a fact remember. He remembers Sidney and Ciana and Karen, Hank, Richard, Ryder, and Nathaniel he even remembers Eric. He remember some of their Whisperer of Night battles and his trips to the hospital, usually concerning Sidney and whatever dumb things her friends had gotten her into. He remembers Hank being his best friend, and though they don't talk much now he remembers the times he spent with Karen both the nice and the ugly. But for the life of him he can't seem to remember Ciana's email. He's tried everything but nothing has worked. The woman had basically taken every other internet privileges away from him by having them children protected which means passwords and the whole nine yards, but she didn't think he'd do much with the emails because of his memory loss and sadly she was correct in thinking so. But Hank refused to give up.

### Skylar Royce

Skylar hadn't seen or heard from Ryder in the last three days, her Uncle Ethan had called to tell her that Hank had quit and had given him some bullshit excuse stating that he had gotten another job offer in Arizona, which had to have been some kind of joke. Skylar was in and out of the house more than what was usual, she just couldn't help it her addiction was getting that much stronger, and harder for her to control.

Skylar hasn't stepped foot into her mother's room after she had come home, she didn't want to see it all empty and the dog also decided that he didn't want to go back in either. Skylar had to go shopping because she realized that she was no better than Mr. Wallace and that she should be taking better care of that dog if she was going to keep it, so she bought him every dog toy she saw not even sure if he'd even play with them and she bought a variety of dog food. She stayed in the house most of the day and went in and out of her dark room to get absolutely nowhere in the case but something that Ryder had said was bothering her, he asked her who had taken the pictures and she hadn't bothered to question it herself. Who did take those pictures and if they took the pictures did they happen to see what happened to the wisps and where they were being taken? If so then why didn't Brooke tell her that part?

Speaking of Brooke she was currently in Skylar's house eating almost everything that was in her fridge.

"I think you should get out, you look down," Brooke said as she chumped down about three slices of pizza.

"I don't want to get out, I think if anything I should stay in," Skylar mumbled.

"May I ask what's got you so down in the dumps?" she asked as she came to join Skylar on the couch. Skylar never told Brooke about her and Ryder' fight, she didn't even tell her that her mother was dead, usually she would because Brooke's like her sister but for some reason she thought it would be safer to just keep it to herself. "It's not your little boy-toy is it?" she asked as she frowned. Where once Brooke was drooling all over Ryder now she just hates his guts, it was a kind of sudden change but Skylar just thought that it was because Ryder scared her.

"No Brooke it's not that."

"Then what is it, I haven't seen you this down since your dad died," she said unknowingly making Skylar all the more sad. "How about I make you a proposal?" she asked excitedly.

"You can go right on ahead but I'm telling you this right now I probably won't be interested," Skylar said unenthusiastically.

"We'll see," she said as she got up to throw away her scarps. "Ok," she said clapping her hands excitedly. "Me and Casper are going to a party and—"

"I'm already not interested," Skylar cut in.

"Hold on hear me out?!" she wined. "Now I have to start all over," she said dramatically. "Like I was saying, there's this party that me and Casper are going to and..." she said dramatically pausing. "My insiders tell me that Ryder will be there too," she finished with a knowing smile. Skylar tried to make it seem as though she still wasn't interested but she failed miserably, but before she could get too excited she had to know if it was for real. A party didn't really seem like Ryder's thing. Yea well kidnapping and killing didn't either and yet you were quick to blame him for that, she reminded herself sorely.

"Who are these insiders?" Skylar asked.

"Uh, uh, uh, you know I can't tell you that," she said as if she was shocked Skylar had even asked such a silly question.

"Riiight," she drawled out. "I'm really starting to hate this confidentiality thing everyone got going on here. I'm really sick of hearing that excuse," she said as if her job didn't require her to say the same thing.

"Well this world has a right to its secrets," she said causing Skylar to raise a brow at her. "What?" she asked confused.

"You're usually the first person to agree with me about this confidentiality non-sense and now you're all for it?"

"Well that was before..." she said not entirely finishing her sentence.

"Before what? Are you hiding something from me Brooke because we never used to keep secrets?" Skylar said thinking back to Brooke being Aaron's daughter. Technically that was a secret to no one but her because she was the only one who has yet to find out about that but still it counted.

"How can you even say that? You keep secrets all of the time!" Brooke said.

"Yes but that's because I have no choice and they're not the secrets I'm talking about Brooke. I mean secrets between us; we're best friends we're supposed to tell each other everything!"

"Well I never said I had secrets you did, I just said that my opinion on confidentiality has changed that's all."

"What about your mom? You used to come to me pissed that she would never tell you anything pertaining to the work she does."

"Well that's different," she said simply.

"How the hell so?"

"Because Sky I want to be a psychiatrist and so I think it's only fair that my mother tell me something so I know what it is I will be dealing with. See? Different."

"Yea, right, you just like being nosy."

"Ok yea and that too but her stories be soooo interesting," she said theatrically.

"But I thought she didn't tell you about them?" Skylar said confused.

"Well she doesn't but..." she said as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"Oh my gosh Brooke, what did you do?!" she said encouraging her to finish. Skylar had to agree problems were interesting as long as they weren't your own.

"I went through some of her old cases I thought they'd be harmless you know?" she said shrugging her shoulders. "But when Mr. Henderson had somehow found out, he made her keep them in her office," she said sticking her bottom lip out as if that saddened her.

"How does your mom even know Hank?" Skylar asked.

"You mean besides the fact the he's her new boss?" she asked.

"Yes, besides that."

"Well then I don't know but she did mention being his psychiatrist once upon a time."

"Hank? Hank's psychiatrist? Are you sure?"

"Yup, but she wasn't all that sure, she just said that he reminded her a lot of a kid she used to talk to, but she could have sworn his name was something else. So in other words she doesn't really know and 9 times out of 10 it's not Hank." Skylar was almost positive that it was or at least a high chance that it could be.

"Brooke remember when you said that there was no way we'd be able to get into your mother's cases because of the confidentiality thing and all of that? Well since you're not really against confidentiality when it comes to your mother I think today we should try and find a way."

"How? Did you not hear me say that Hank made her start keeping the files in her office? Unless you plan on going there then that will kind of be impossible."

"That's exactly what we are going to do Brooke."

"What?! Are you crazy?! If my mom finds out she as kill me for sure."

"Look my boss just informed me that Hank is moving to Arizona because of a new job offer so now would be the perfect time, we might not find another so let's not waste it!"

"Oh God you're crazy. What do we plan on doing once we find the cases?" she asked.

"Oh I don't know, read them," Skylar said sarcastically.

"Ok but can we at least go to the party first," Brooke wined. Skylar sighed not really wanting to go anymore even if Ryder was going to be there, which she still doubted.

"Fine," she agrees reluctantly. "But don't expect me to look any better than this," she said gesturing toward her sweat pants and cami.

"Whatever," Brooke said rolling her eyes. "But if you ever expect to keep you little boy-toy in your clutches you're gonna have to put forth some effort here." Skylar just rolled her eyes as she got up to go upstairs, she looked over her shoulder and said to Brooke, "What makes you so sure I don't already have him in my clutches."

"Because if you did you wouldn't be home alone on a Saturday," she said before she passed her up on the stairs. "Now, let's see what you got in that closet of yours."

### Chapter thirty-three: Ryder Ferris

Ryder paced back and forth trying his hardest to reel in his anger before it blew out of control. Nico was just about losing all of the self-control he had left in him, he was worse than Ryder.

"Man all we want to know is what you saw after he left, not before not during but after. Jeez!" he said smacking his fist into the nearest wall.

"Like I told your friend, I saw the little blond walking down this way he stopped for a cigarette and then he kept walking—"

"I SAID AFTER!" Nico hollered causing the man to back up in fear. The music was pounding in the place but Nico still managed to get his voice even higher than that. Everyone in the building just about looked into their direction at the sound of Nico's out-burst.

"Look we pretty much know that Carter was here for the majority of the night, Nico went to the bathroom and Carter went outside to have a smoke. What happened after THAT?!" Ryder cut in.

"The boy stopped when a woman had approached him..." he stopped to recollect and Nico thought that it was the perfect time to question him farther on the woman.

"What did the woman look like, could you give an approximate on her age?" he asked.

"Umm it was a bit dark so my guess wouldn't be all that accurate but I would say that she was about around yall's age, 20 something maybe. She was tall, I don't know what her face looked like because her back was facing me but she had long hair; it about reached her bottom."

"Ok and so what did she do? Did she just talk to Carter, are you even sure it was her who took him?"

"I'm sure it was her but I wouldn't say she took him he seemed to have gone willingly, for a split second it looked as though he thought about coming back here but then the woman said something that had him moving immediately." Ryder continued his pace while Nico questioned the dud farther.

The bouncer seemed to be just repeating himself at this moment so Ryder left to see if he could try to calm down and maintain his average heartbeat, but that moment was immediately shot to hell when he saw Skylar and Brooke walking his way. They looked as if they were dressed for the party with little short dresses on but the party was just about over for him.

The girls seemed to not have noticed him as they continued their talk and entered the building. Ryder thought about calling out Skylar's name but he thought better of it, he was in no mood to act cheerful or take any bullshit she decided to say to him.

Ryder continued his pace outside of the club; he went from curb to curb but still he felt as though he had been shocked by 50 volts of energy. He was pissed that Carter could be so careless as to wonder off by himself when there's someone out there kidnapping and killing wisps. The description the bouncer gave did nothing to satisfy Ryder because the woman he described seemed just like any other. There was no telling who had taken him, but Carter's not stupid and if he did go willingly without Nico then whatever it was had to be of some importance but it's been over 3 hour now since he left and Ryder was getting worried. Ryder could see a piece of paper on the curb near the street where the bouncer had indicated that Carter was before getting in the car with the mysterious woman. He bent down and picked up the paper. It was a business card but it wasn't just any business card, it was Hanks.

Ryder stormed back into the party and located the bouncer and Nico exactly where he had left them but now Skylar was among them no doubt just now finding out about Carter's disappearance. Ryder interrupted whatever the hell they were talking about, not caring in the slightest as he did so. "Was there a man with the woman?" he asked the bouncer as he held the crumpled business card.

"Uh, no I just saw the woman."

"Are you sure there was no man there at all?" he asked.

"Is it possible that there could have been a guy there, not really looking as though he was with the woman but there none the less?" Skylar asked. The bouncer looked as though he was trying to recall everything that had happened in case he was missing something.

"Oh!" he said as if a light bulb had just now gone off. "There was a man; as a matter of fact the woman had gotten into the back seat with your friend she said something before she got back out and the car drove away."

"How the hell could you forget something like that?!" Nico asked.

"So you're telling me the girl never stayed in the car with Carter, she left?" Ryder asked.

"Yes, I'm sure of it, I'm also sure that it was a male who was in the driver seat," the bouncer said sounding all the more certain.

"Could you in any way describe what this man might have looked like?" Skylar asked. "I know you won't be able to come up with exact details but anything would be good," she added.

"No the windows where tinted, I only knew it was a man because I could see his shape behind the glass, and it wasn't very feminine."

"I don't doubt that it was a male," Ryder said as he left the club again and went back to where he had found the business card.

"Ryder!" Skylar called from behind him. Ryder didn't bother turning around knowing that she would just come up to him. "I don't mean to bother you," he wanted to cut her off right there but just let her keep going. "But I know what you're thinking. You think the man could have been Hank don't you?"

"Does it not make sense?" he asked as he turned to face her finding nothing else on the ground.

"Well—" she began but Ryder cut her off knowing that she was going to disagree with him.

"I forgot, never mind," he said as he went to go back into the club.

"You forgot what?" she asked as she stood there not bothering to follow him inside.

"How could Hank have done it when it was me remember?" he said as he continued to walk not bothering to look back at her. "I found this by the spot where you said the car was," he said showing the bouncer the picture of Hank. "Do you think it could have been him?" he asked as he searched the bouncers face for recognition.

"I don't know it could have been, but like I said I couldn't really tell. Ryder looked back outside over his shoulder and he could see the shadow of Skylar walking away, not even bothering to come back into the club. Ryder thought about following her but finding Carter deemed more important. "Do you have any security footage?" Ryder asked the bouncer.

"Yes, but I don't think it'll be of any help we usually don't get the video from that far across the street, only around the club entrances and exits."

"I'd still like to see it," Ryder said.

"Alright well then follow me," he said motioning toward the two men. The men piled into the small control room and just as the bouncer had predicted there was no video from across the street, the cameras didn't reach that far. "If it helps there is a pub across the street from us, maybe that got some footage," he said as they all left the control room and went back into the club, where everyone went on about their business; oblivious to the crisis they were having.

"You want me to check it out?" Nico asked his voice calm for the first time, which was probably a bad sign.

"We'll go together," Ryder said as he went for the doors.

"Hey Uh Ryder, did you see Skylar?" Brooke asked she caught sight of him.

"No," he said as he kept walking out the door and across the street with Nico in tow. When they got to the pub it didn't look open, all of the lights were out and it didn't look like a soul was in the place but the sign said open so Ryder and Nico entered.

"Surprise!" they heard from a collective of voices as the lights were suddenly flashed on. Ryder and Nico stood their stupidly as they gazed upon all of the once happy faces but not the not so happy faces as someone called out, "It isn't them, get back down!"

"Umm, is the owner of this place present?" Nico asked as he held his hands out as not to anger the disappointed crowd.

"Who wants to know?" a woman from amongst the crowd spoke up.

"I'M Nico and this is my friend Ryder we just want to ask you a question, we didn't mean to ruin the umm surprise party or anything we just want to know if it is possible for us to get a look at your security camera's. Our friend went missing from the club across from your place and the video footage doesn't reach over here and we'd just like to figure out who did it," Nico explained politely. The woman looked as though she was contemplating this for a moment.

"We're kind of in the middle of something, if you don't mind waiting here for a moment until I can do as you request then that will be gladly appreciated. Ryder wanted to argue with the woman, he did not feel like sitting around but Nico spoke before he could.

"We're fine with that," he said as he walked toward where the woman was still half hiding. Ryder huffed as he followed Nico as he hid behind one of the over turned chairs. Ryder didn't bother hiding, or squatting or anything of the sort. He stood there and as the woman stared at him he stared back but still didn't bother to hide.

"Fine," she said as if they had been silently communicating the whole time. "Ok people the lights are going back out," she announced as everyone hushed up and got back into position. Ryder sighed as the lights went off, he stood there as people mumbled amongst themselves then someone announced, "Shhh I think someone's coming," and everything was quiet again. The bell over the door chimed and footsteps could be heard, the group of hiding people remained in their positions for a little while longer and as the door was heard closing they jumped and yelled surprise. As the lights came on the two newcomers froze. Ryder was sure that as he gazed upon the two men they were not who the surprise party was intended for. "Shit, I told you they were open," one of the masked men said as he dragged his partner in crime out of the door and they began to run down the street.

"Did that really just almost happen?" One of the hiders asked shocked. Ryder wanted to laugh yet he found none of this funny.

"What's going on?" a woman asked as she entered the pub holding onto a man's hand with a confused look on her face.

"Surprise!" every yelled to the surprised and confused couple.

"Sorry, yall were supposed to come earlier instead we ended up yelling surprise to a couple of gentleman who only wished to see our security tapes, and two not so bright burglars," the owner of the store announced as she got to her feet and walked over to hug the couple.

"I can't believe yall did all of those," the woman said.

"Or at least tried to," the man beside her added. They all laughed as everyone got to their feet.

"I have to take care of these two gentlemen and then we'll celebrate," the woman announced to the couple as she walked toward Ryder and Nico and leaded them toward the back of the store. "I'm sorry about that fellas' but thank you for being patient with me," she said as she led them both into a dark room. Ryder and Nico entered and waited for the woman to turn on the lights, it took her some time finding the switch but soon the room was bathed in an orange glow. "Ok fella's," that's all the tape I got," she said as she led them toward it.

"Do you think you can rewind it a bit, I'll tell you when to stop," Nico said as he looked over the woman's shoulder at the video.

"Stop!" Ryder said before Nico got a chance to.

"Right here," the woman asked.

"Yes right there," Ryder confirmed.

"What makes you so sure?" Nico asked confused.

"That's Hank's car," Ryder said pointing toward the jet black Lamborghini.

"Ok well can you fast forward a little we need to see if that is for sure the car Carter had gotten into." The woman did as Nico had asked and they all watched the clip in slow motion as the car stopped and the woman the Bouncer had seen came out of the care, they could not yet see if anyone was in the driver's seat but they knew that someone was. They watched as the woman approached Carter and began to chat him up. Carter didn't look in anyway threatened by the woman as they engaged in conversation. The woman looked frantic as she talked to Carter and you could tell that Carter was worried as he looked back toward the club before entering the car. Just as the bouncer had said, the woman slipped into the back seat with Carter and then soon got out and the care began to pull away but Ryder still couldn't see any shadow of a man in the front seat, but the bouncer sounded absolutely positive that there was indeed a man in the front seat.

"Is that all you wanted to see gentleman?" the woman asked as they watched the car pull away.

"Yes, thank you," Nico responded again.

"No problem, now I have to get back to the party so if you'll excuse me," she said as she followed them out.

"Hey," Ryder called to the woman before he left; she stopped to face him but said nothing only giving a slight indication that he had her attention. "Those burglars will be back no doubt so make sure you lock everything up nice and good," he advised before he left. Nico and Ryder returned back to the club with less information than they left with, they didn't even know why exactly they were returning there was no other information for them here. "Hey I'm leaving man, I never wanted to come to this party any way's," Ryder announced to Nico.

"Alright I'll just...keep an eye on this place," he said unsurely. What he meant by that was 'alright man I'll stay here in hopes that Carter will come back'. Ryder Nodded at him and left the club. He felt bad for Nico but understood his pain completely. This was the third wisp in a week that has gone missing from Ryder's so called protection and Ryder was pissed. Ryder could hear laughter from behind him; loud and obnoxious and realized that it was Brooke and some skinny blond kid. Ryder tried his hardest to ignore the two but the fact that Skylar wasn't with them bothered him. Almost just as he thought it he could see what looked like Skylar and a woman he didn't know having a conversation at the foot of her steps. A kid stood not the far away from the two and she was wandering around which was very dangerous, especially at night. Ryder walked over toward the little girl who looked to be about 2 or 3, he knelt down to her size and she looked up at him and smiled. Ryder was not very good with kids or people in general but then again he never tried to be.

"Hi there," he said to the little girl. She didn't look shy at all as she walked over toward him.

"Hi," she said excitedly.

"What's your name?" he asked as he attempted to smile at her encouragingly.

"My name is Larissa and I'm 3," she said showing him how many on her little chubby fingers. Ryder's attempted smile turned into a real one as she said it. She pronounced 3 as free and he found it cute. When he was little he was always told and always corrected on the right ways to say things and if he said it wrong he'd no doubt be punished for it.

"My name is Ryder and I'm 21," he said back.

She looked at him confusingly before saying, "How many is that?" she asked as she held up her hands, wanting him to show her.

"Here do this," he said as he took her chubby hands in his. "Make a two with this hand," he said as he guided her hand into the correct number. "And make a one with this one," he said guiding her other hand into the correct number.

"You use two!" she said excitedly.

"Yes," he agreed as she proudly held up his age with her hands. "Mommy!" she called as she held her hands out in front of her and ran toward the woman who was currently speaking to Skylar. "Mommy?!" she called as she got closer. "Look!" she said once she had her mother's attention. She held her hands out in front of her so her mother could see. "Wider dis many," she said as she shoved her fingers in her mother's face. Ryder smiled as he watched her. The woman turned toward Ryder as he was getting to his feet.

"Really?!" she asked with clear fake enthusiasm. "And did you tell him how may you were?" she asked. It seemed like the woman was testing the little girl and Ryder got mad, not at all liking that. That little girl put up three fingers and shoved them into her mother's face.

"I this many," she said with a bright smile, not realizing that that was just a test.

"Good job honey," her mother said with more of that fake enthusiasm.

"Auntie Shky how many is you?" the girl asked as she walked toward Skylar.

"I'm this many," Skylar said as she held a two up with her fingers and a zero.

"What's dat?" the girl asked pointing to Skylar's zero.

"It's a zero," she answered.

"Am I a zewo?" the girl asked.

"No you're three," her mother said.

"You know when you were born you were a zero," Ryder said to the girl as he watched the girl pout from her mother's tone of voice. The little girl looked over at Ryder and smiled, somehow happy with that answer.

"Are you ready to go inside?" Skylar asked the girl.

"Yes," the mother answered for the girl, "how about we go inside, it's dark out here," she finished as she turned toward Skylar's open door. Skylar and the woman and her daughter began to walk into the house and Ryder turned to leave.

### Chapter thirty-four: Skylar Royce

Skylar was shocked that her sister Melissa had come to see her, she didn't think by telling her that their mother was dead that it would cause her to fly down here, Melissa hasn't seen their mother in over years so Skylar kind of figured that she had already assumed that she was dead.

Skylar followed after baby Larissa as they entered the house, the lights were still off and so it was kind of dark in the room.

"Where do you keep the switch?" Melissa asked.

"It's on that wall behind you," Skylar said. Melissa flicked on the lights and Skylar kind of wished she hadn't because she knew what was about to come next.

"Sky! This kitchen is a mess, do you not wash your dishes?!" she asked shocked. Skylar hated that Melissa acted like her mother; it used to bug the hell out of her when they were kids and it bugs the hell out of her now.

"I didn't get around to doing it yet," Skylar said.

"Oh and what was so important that you couldn't get it done the moment you were done using it, huh?"

"Melissa—" Skylar started but she got stopped by a quick shove to the stomach as Larissa pushed past her and ran toward the door. "Hey?!" Skylar complained as she watched the little girl reach for the door knob. ""What the hell was that for?!" she asked as she watched the girl struggle to get the door opened.

"Lorie!" her mother scalded.

"Yall weft my fwend outside!" Larissa said as she got the door to open, and she disappeared outside.

"What?!" Marissa asked confused. Skylar looked over toward the door as Larissa came back dragging a very amused Ryder. Skylar couldn't help but smile at the sight. "Lorie, get your hands off of that stranger!" her mother said appalled by her daughter's behavior.

"He not a strwanger mommy, he my fwend," she said defensively.

"Lorie you can't just befriend people you meet on the streets, I taught you better than that," her mother said as she placed her hands on her hips.

Skylar stopped laughing to cut in, "He's not a stranger Mel; he's a friend of mine."

"Are you being serious?!" Melissa asked.

"Yes," she said with something similar to a straight face. Skylar wasn't sure if Ryder felt the same way but at least she thought they were still...friends.

"Play wit me?!" Larissa asked Ryder as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"What do you want to play with?" he asked her.

"Dolls!" she said excitedly.

"Oh...dolls," he said not sounding excited about that at all.

"Come on," she said as she pulled him toward the stairs.

"Who is he really, you better really know him Sky, and I'm not talking about for a day either," Melissa said the moment the two of them disappeared up stairs.

"I do really know him, why would I lie about that? I wouldn't let Larissa play with a stranger," Skylar said rolling her eyes. Melissa thought she was supper immature and didn't know how to take care of herself or a kid for that matter, but Skylar felt as though she would make a better mother than Melissa does.

"How long?" Melissa asked.

"How long what?" Skylar asked confused.

"How long have you known him?"

"Melissa?!" Skylar said unbelievably.

"What?! He's alone with my daughter I need to know that you're 100% sure he wouldn't hurt her." Skylar had to think about it for a while. Ryder is very controlling but he hasn't been toward her in a while so she wasn't entirely sure if that was a change or not but she would count it as such.

"I'm sure he wouldn't hurt her," Skylar assured.

"How long?" Melissa asked persistently.

Skylar sighed before answering, "I don't know about...about a month and a half," she said almost certainly.

"Alright and how did you two meet?"

"Are you serious, you have got to be kidding me?!" Skylar said as she walked into the kitchen, thinking that she'd rather do the dishes than have this conversation with her.

"Fine, I trust you but if she comes down with one scratch—"

"What do you think he is some kind of serial killer?" Skylar asked disbelievingly.

"Hey don't say it like it's not possible, I heard about the kidnapping and killings," she said. Skylar decided to say nothing seeing as though she had blamed Ryder for doing exactly that not too long ago.

"Can we just let this go?" Skylar asked hopefully.

"For now," Melissa agreed—sort of.

"Thank you," Skylar said gratefully.

"Let's talk about mom's funeral instead," Melissa suggested.

"Mom's funeral?" Skylar asked confused.

"Yes, we are having one aren't we?" Melissa asked.

"Uh, no," Skylar said as she turned to face her sister.

"And why the hell not?" she asked. Skylar rolled her eyes; she didn't really expect her to know any of this about their mother so she decided not to cast too much blame.

"Three reasons," Skylar said showing her sister three fingers as she named the reasons on each one. "One being there isn't enough of mom left to have her cremated like she wanted, two being mom hates funerals she only knows few people and would hate to see them standing around while they lower her into the dirt, and three being she wants to be buried in the backyard next to dad."

"So if we're not having a funeral then why the hell am I here?" her sister asked.

"Honey I didn't invite you, I wasn't the one to call and tell you that we were having a funeral in the first place so I don't know," Skylar answered as she went back to cleaning the dishes.

"Why I can't take Larissa back home," she said.

"And why the hell not?" Skylar asked.

"Because her father's there," Melissa asked as if that was answer enough.

"Ok and?" Skylar asked confused.

"I don't want him to see her."

"That's his daughter too Mel you can't keep her away from him and him away from her that's not fair to neither one of them," Skylar said for the first time in her life sounding like the mother in their fucked up relationship.

"I'm not taking her home to see him," she said as if her mind was all made up.

"So where the hell are you taking her?" Skylar asked somehow already knowing what her answer would be.

"I was hoping she'd stay here with you," her sister said with a hopeful look in her eye.

"Hell no yall aren't staying here!"

"No, not me just her, please Sky?!" her sister pleaded. Aw Damn, was all Skylar could think.

"Mel?" Skylar asked, "You're not coming back for her are you?" she asked. This was the third time Melissa tried to push Larissa onto her, the first time it was because Mel was working two jobs and didn't want Larissa home alone, it took her almost a full year just to come and get her daughter back, then the second time she had "accidentally" left her here.

Melissa began to tear up before she said, "I don't think I can take care of her anymore?" she said shaking her head.

"Mel it's only been 3 years," Skylar said confused.

"I know but...I just can't," she said through her tears.

"Why the hell would you have her then?!" Skylar whisper hollered so the baby wouldn't accidentally hear.

"I thought I could but..." she stopped as she began to cry more.

"Why can't the dad take care of her?" Skylar asked as she tried to maintain control over her voice—and hands.

"He-he left a long time ago, he never wanted to be a part of her life," she admitted.

"So you lied to me and made me think that he had been there the whole time when he hasn't?!" she whisper yelled.

"No, it's not like that I just didn't want you to think that I wasn't capable—"

"YOU'RE NOT CAPABLE GOT DAMN IT! IF YOU WERE CAPABLE YOU WOULDN'T BE ABANDONING HER RIGHT NOW!" Skylar yelled.

"Why the hell are you yelling and what is going on?" Ryder whispered as he mounted the steps and entered the kitchen. Skylar just shook her head. There was no way in hell she'd be able to take care of a kid, she had too much shit going on to add that to the mix.

"Please," her sister pleaded as she tried to wipe her tears. Skylar just continued to shake her head. "Please Sky I need you to do this for me, please, please, please, I'll do anything," she pleaded.

"You'll do anything," Skylar questioned. "How about you be a fuckin mother and take care of the damn kid. You decided to have her now it's your responsibility to take care of her," Skylar suggested.

"I can't Sky, please help me please."

"What the hell do I look like taking in your kid when I have a whole lot of issues of my own!" she whisper yelled as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I can't possibly," she said shaking her head. "I'd be no fuckin better than you," she admitted. "And she deserves better than that—than this," she said gesturing toward her sister.

"What the hell is going on?" Ryder asked again, not liking that the sisters had been ignoring him.

"Nothing!" Skylar said to him.

"Nothing?" he questioned, "this sure as hell doesn't look like nothing," he growled.

"Nothing, as in its none of your concern," she said as she pushed past him and her sister. "If you want to leave her then fine leave now, but don't come back asking for her, I'd rather put her in the system than to give her back to you," Skylar said as she went toward her stairs.

"Bēlua!" Ryder called after her. Skylar stopped, not because he called her but because she hadn't heard that name in so long and she didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Don't call me that," she said before mounting the rest of the stairs. Skylar entered her room and could see Larissa playing on her floor with the dolls she kept in a chess for Larissa when she visited.

"Hi Auntie Shky!" she said excitedly. "Are you coming to play wif us?" she asked as she sat combing one of the Barbie's hair.

"I came to ask you a question," Skylar said as she joined her on the floor. Larissa looked up at her and awaited her question.

"How would you feel about staying here with me?"

"Weally?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, really," Skylar said as she tried not to cry in front of her.

"I would luv to," Larissa said as she through her arms around Skylar's neck and hugged her tight.

"Good," Skylar said as she hugged the girl back. "Do you promise to do everything that I say?" she asked as Larissa untangled herself from her.

"Pwinky pomise," the little girl said as she held up her chubby little pinky.

"Pinky promise," Skylar said as she hooked her finger in Larissa's.

"Wyder!" The girl called when she saw him in the door way of Skylar's room. The little girl got up and ran to Ryder. Ryder lifted her up in his arms and peered down into her little chubby face.

"What is it kiddo?" he asked.

"I get to stay here wif auntie Shky!" she said excitedly. Skylar looked at her over her shoulder as she hugged Ryder out of excitement. Ryder looked down at Skylar but she refused to meet his eye.

"Oh really?" he asked as he turned his attention back to Larissa.

"Yup," she said as she clapped her hands in his face.

"Well, maybe she'll late me come by sometime and play with you," he said as he looked back over in Skylar's direction as she got to her feet.

"Yay!" Larissa said as she bounced happily.

"Maybe," Skylar said as she took Larissa from his arms, "but you have to clean up your toy's first and then I'mma show you to your room ok?" she asked the girl as she sat her down on her feet.

"Ok," Larissa said no longer sounding all happy.

"Ok," Skylar said more to herself as she walked out of the room and back down the kitchen. She went into the fridge and put milk in a cup for Larissa. Knowing her sister Melissa probably didn't have bottles for the baby so she was probably used to drinking out of cups. "Shit," Skylar mumbled as she slapped her palm against the granite counter. The baby probably wasn't potty trained so she was going to need diapers and a potty to get her started on. "Shit," Skylar said again as she ran her hands through her hair. This was too got damn much; she did not need kids to take care of right now.

"Hey," Ryder said as he spotted her in the kitchen. Skylar didn't bother moving to even indicate that she had heard him, she kept her head down. Ryder walked over toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok?" he asked. Skylar didn't want to sniffle and have him realize she was crying, but her snot was really running and she had to do something to get it back up there.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said without lifting her head.

"Well Larissa is wondering about her bath, so..." he said leaving the sentence at that. Skylar got even angrier as she realized that she doesn't even have clothes for her. "Shit," she mumbled for the third time as she lifted her head to the ceiling as if to ask God why? Before she lowered it back to the counter.

"Hey I can help if you—"

"No I'm fine you don't have to do anything," she assured as she picked up the glass of milk and went toward the stairs to deliver it to Larissa. Ryder followed behind her as she entered her—clean of all toys—room. "Alright you ready to see your new room?" Skylar asked as she cleared her face of all evidence of tears and put on a smile for the baby girl.

"Yup," Larissa said as she followed Skylar out of her room and into the next. The rooms weren't really created for kids so all she had to offer was plain colored walls, a normal full sized bed, a dresser and closet—not yet filled with any clothes—and a connected bathroom with the next room which was too damn expensive for kids.

"This is your room," Skylar said. "When I get the time, if I get the time," she mumbled, "we'll try to decorate it for you ok?" she asked as she watched Larissa roam around the spacious—mostly empty—room.

"Ok," she responded absentmindedly. "Could you wead me a storwy?" she asked as she hopped onto the bed.

"Uh," Skylar said not sure if she even had any books here.

"Your auntie is tired; would you like me to tell you one instead?" Ryder asked as he rested his hands on her shoulders as if that was supposed to calm her.

"I don't think I have any stories here," she said as she looked at him over her shoulder.

"I don't need a book to tell a story," he said as he moved around her and toward Larissa who was getting comfortable in her new bed.

"Yay!" she said clapping her hands as Ryder got closer and sat at the edge of her bed.

"I'm going to tell you this story but I want to warn you there are no princesses in it ok?"

"Ok mommy say's that pwincesses are stupid anyways," she says causing Ryder to laugh.

"Princesses are not stupid they're just...desperate," he said as he smiled down at her. "But whoever the princess of my story is going to be won't be stupid or depress it I promise," he added.

"Pwinky pomise," she said as she held out her pinky.

"Pinky promise," Ryder said as he wrapped his pinky around her's. "Ok now this story is about a Prince named Robby but that wasn't a nick name it was his real name. He didn't ride horses like most Princes did he rode a motor cycle because he was cool," he said causing Skyla to smile from her spot in the background. Skylar listened to Ryder tell his story about the two Princes Robby and Robert until she was certain that he wasn't about to start talking about killing things or anything else that might give Larissa nightmares. She left the door frame of the room and let the door shut quietly behind her. She was not looking forward to having to take care of Larissa but she was going to make the best out of this situation but first if she was serious about doing this she needed some kind of release, so she snuck out of the house to find some. She knew she'd be able to do this less and less now that Larissa was going to be staying with her but she was willing to get what she could when she could get it. Hopefully it would be enough.

As Skylar was walking she could see Brooke and her friend Casper trying to get into the back door of some building Skylar could have sworn she had seen before but she was quickly loosing focus as her mind kept wondering to getting its release. Skylar didn't want Brooke or Casper to see her so she quickly moved in the other direction.

### Chapter thirty-five: Sidney Fields

Sidney's mom has been acting more and more like herself ever since Hank had left. Sidney and her mother began to bond a little more which was an improvement for the two of them, but Sidney was ok with putting forth a little effort but she hated to think that she was about to ruin all of that by asking her mother for the truth about her birth father and everything else she was lying to her about.

Sidney was in the kitchen when her mother had come down for breakfast.

"Hey sweetie," her mother said when she caught sight of Sidney.

"Hey mom," she answered as she wrapped her hands around her cup of coffee and watched her mother pour herself a mug.

"What's got you up so early?" her mother asked.

"I've just been thinking, something was bothering me and I couldn't get much sleep because of it," Sidney said which wasn't at all a lie.

"Oh, what's been bothering you?" her mother asked as she took a sip from her mug of coffee.

"Hank has actually," she said as she sat down her cup.

"Oh honey you don't have to worry about that anymore," her mother said as she furrowed her brows in confusion.

"No not that Hank," she said as she watched her mom slowly lower her cup.

"Then what Hank are you talking about?" her mother asked suspiciously.

"I'm talking about Hank Paul Henderson...the real one not the one that was pretending to be Hank," Sidney said slowly.

"What do you know about that?"

"Mom I know, ok? So you don't have to lie to me," Sidney said a little pissed that her mother—to this day—would still try to lie to her and keep her in the dark.

"Look honey you don't have to worry about that either, ok?" Sidney shook her head.

"No. it's not ok. I want to worry about it. All this time you made me believe that Aaron was my father, my birth father when my real birth father died at the hands of this man who you let just come in this house and pretend to be somebody he's not," she said as she watched her mother's face change from denial to acceptance of the truth.

"Sidney—" her mother started before Sidney cut her off.

"All I want to know is why you would try to keep something like that from me all of this time?"

"It's not like that Sidney, I wasn't trying to hide anything from you it just made for a really awkward and difficult discussion so I was just holding it off."

"What's so awkward and difficult in saying that Aaron isn't my father and that Hank was?" she asked.

"Well because there's a lot you don't know—"

"Then tell me," she cut in.

"I can't."

"And why not, it shouldn't be so difficult now seeing as though I know most of it." Her mother huffed obviously not wanting to get into this discussion.

"You really want to know?" she asked but didn't wait for any kind of indication from Sidney as she went into telling Sidney what she thought she wanted to know.

"Karen who is Brooke's mother, Brooke being your sister, was dating Aaron; they were together for quite some time. Jessica, Skylar's mother, you know Skylar don't you?" her mother asked. Sidney nodded her head. "Ok well Karen and Jessica they were the best of friends back in college and apparently they still are, just like Aaron and Hank were the best of friends back in college and I was friends with all of them. Aaron and Karen were going through some kind of relationship problems and decided that they were better off a part—"

"And so you stole him away," Sidney interrupted.

"No I didn't," her mother said as she continued her story. "I was still dating Hank at the time and Aaron was always just my friend," she cleared up. "Later on along the years Aaron heard from Hank that he was going to be participating in the war between the whisperers, espies, and humans and so Aaron agreed that he'd watch over Hank's family, meaning us, and when we heard that he had passed away—"

"You took that as your opportunity to swoop in and marry him," Sidney cut in—once again.

"No, Aaron had disappeared from some time and when he had come back he apologized for leaving and promised to see us through that terrible loss, then—"

"Then yall grew attracted to each other and then yall got married," Sidney said.

"Correct," her mother said with a sad smile. "But honey though Aaron isn't your biological dad he will always be your father figure ok, so you better act as though you know know different." Sidney laughed and her mother looked at her confusingly.

"You say that as though he's still alive," Sidney said, explaining her reasoning for laughing. Sidney's laugh died as she watched her mother's stricken face expression. "Mom what is it?" she asked

"It's nothing—"

"Please don't go back to this lying to me again," Sidney pleaded. Her mother looked at her for a while before responding.

"I don't want you to get excited or get your hopes up in any way ok, because this can be a prank or something?" her mother said as she looked around the room frantically.

"Mom what is it?" Sidney asked again.

"Last night I...I got an email...from Aaron."

"WHAT?!" Sidney said disbelievingly.

"I don't know if it was really him or not like I said it could have been a prank or something like that so just calm down," her mother said as Sidney hoped out of her chair.

"Who would know to pull a stupid prank like that? Mom you have to listen to me ok, I think Hank may be the one behind all of this," Sidney said as she looked at her mother to tell whether or not she believed her.

"It's not Hank honey," her mother said slowly shaking her head.

"Yes it is mom, he must still have you under his control or something like that because you have to see that it is Hank mom, you have to believe me," Sidney pleaded.

"Listen to me I'm telling you that it is not Hank, I think I know who it is and Hank does too," her mother said calmly.

"What?!" Sidney asked confused. "Then why the hell is Hank doing all of this?" she asked confused.

"I don't know honey but he wants this woman caught as much as the rest of us," her mom said.

"Woman?" Sidney questioned. "You say that as if you're sure it's a female," Sidney said.

"I think I am," her mother whispered.

### Chapter thirty-six: Ryder Ferris

Ryder woke up next to baby Larissa; she snored quietly as she slept. He removed himself from the bed and silently closed the door as not to wake up Larissa as he went to find Skylar, knowing her she couldn't possibly still be sleep. Ryder wasn't sure what time it was but he checked the whole house and found no sight of her. Instead of thinking that she was in some kind of trouble he just guessed that she went out a little early to take care of some necessities for baby Larissa.

Ryder wanted to help Skylar out but knew if he offered her his help she'd refuse it so instead he helped her without asking her if she wanted it, two things could happen because of this she could be mad or she could be grateful and quite frankly he didn't care which one she was. Ryder noticed that Skylar hadn't stepped foot in her mother's room since they had found her body the way it was and he couldn't really blame her but he wanted to make it a place where she'd be happy to go, surrounded by good memories and not the bad ones.

Ryder spent over a couple hours working on her mother's room before he deemed it done. He wasn't sure if she'd even see it but he was almost positive that she would, whenever she was ready. When he was done with that he realized that it was nearly 5 in the evening. Larissa had gotten up over hours ago and he had sent her into the kitchen and made her something to eat; now she watched him pace back and forth going out of his head with worry. Ryder stopped as he looked back at the little girl knowing that he had to do something to keep her entertained.

"Hey, do you want to go shopping for new things for your room?" he asked her.

"Yay," she said as she clapped excitedly. "Is auntie Shky coming too?" she asked as she hoped down from the kitchen stool and walked over to him.

"No auntie Sky hasn't come back yet," he said as he held out his hand for her.

"Oh," she said sadly as she placed her hand in his.

"But she will be back ok so don't worry," he said as he picked her up and walked her outside to his car. He didn't have a car seat for her but having her sit on his lap in the front seat was even more dangerous than sitting her in the back seat by herself. Just as Ryder had her all buckled in he moved toward the front of the car and could see what looked like the edge of Skylar's fee t pocking out of her back yard. "Umm Larissa," Ryder called to her as he watched her from his back seat. "My car isn't working do you think we can go shopping another time and just wait here for Auntie?" he asked. The little girl looked as though she was actually contemplating this before she said, "Ok!" and tried to unbuckle herself from the car.

"Here let me help you," Ryder said as he reached into the car and unbuckled her seat belt and then lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the house. Ryder opened the door of the house and was just about to let Larissa in when he heard someone calling his name.

"Ryder!" Ryder turned to see Brooke and some blonde making their way toward him but he didn't have time for them, Ryder entered the house while he held onto baby Larissa's hand and led her up to her room.

"I need you to do me a favor," he said to the little girl. "I need you to look around this room and then tell me everything that you would like to change ok, but not now I want you to think about it first ok?" he asked as he looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Ok, she said as she entered the room.

"I'll be right back ok," he told the girl before closing her door and heading toward Skylar's backyard to see what the hell she was doing back there. Ryder could see Skylar more clearly now as he moved toward her and she looked like she was sleeping so he went over to nudge her lightly but she didn't stir. "Damn it," he growled as he bent down to pick her up. He had no clue how long she stayed like this but one thing he knew or sure was that she wasn't dead. Ryder walked the rest of the way out of her back yard until he reached the front of her house; he maneuvered her lightly so that he was able to open the door.

Ryder cradled Skylar in his arms and walked toward the couch in her living room. As he sat down he wiped the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She was out cold and she was breathing kind of heavy.

"What the hell happened in here?!" her friend Brooke said as she barged into the house.

"You need to check your tone," Ryder warned her. She looked at him in disbelief before running her hands through her hair and shaking her head wildly.

"What the hell happened to Skylar?' she asked as she pointed a shaking finger in Skylar's direction.

"If I was not holding a very unconscious Skylar at this very moment I would like nothing more than to smash your face into the door you just came through. Now, I will tell you one last time I'm in no fuckin mood to be playing around, lower your voice," he said as he too tried to contain the level of his voice so he wouldn't raise any suspicion out of the little girl currently upstairs. Brooked voice was much calmer as she tried to get her words out.

"Wh-what—"

"What she is trying to say is what the hell is wrong with Skylar?" The blonde that he has currently seen hanging around Brooke said. Ryder's body physically shook with the need to hurt the inconsiderate bastard.

"What's your name?" Ryder demanded of the boy.

"Wh-? This is no time for introductions," Brooke spoke up.

"I think it's a greater time than any" Ryder said and she agreed without hesitation.

"My name is Casper," he said looking at Brooke disapprovingly.

"Well Casper I need you and your girlfriend or whatever the hell she is to leave right now," he growled. "Because if I end up screaming at the both of you and beating you until your both unrecognizable that will then result into getting that baby girl up there to come down here and see her aunt like this and if that were to happen I would have to kill the both of you," Ryder warned.

"What little girl?" Brooke asked.

"You can't kick us out," Casper said.

"As long as I am under this roof I can do whatever the hell I want." He's going to make this difficult, Ryder though as he looked into the young man's face.

"We'll be back," he said as he grabbed a hold of Brooke's hand.

"Only if I allow it," Ryder said as they left.

"Aww I knew you'd stay."

"I really don't have time for you right now," Ryder told Skylar's mother as he rubbed circles into Skylar's back.

"You know you can't leave her again, she can't go through this withdrawal by herself you know?"

"And I don't plan on making her," he said as he raked his fingers through her hair.

"Good now what about that child upstairs?"

"What about her?"

"Do you think you can handle her?"

"She loves me that shouldn't be a problem."

"Love is given and received you know?"

"Yes and she's giving and I'm receiving."

"That's not what I meant and you know that."

"Look can I focus on one problem at a time please?! You can't possibly think that this is going to be easy for me! She thinks—she thinks I'm the one kidnapping and hurting those whisperers and I've spent too much of my damn time protecting them to take accusations such as those."

"Look this is all Skylar has left ok, she lost me, and she obviously lost you so all she has left is this case. Solving this case is important to her because she thinks it will make her father proud and in a way it will but he'll be proud of her regardless. The point I am trying to make is what the hell did you expect she'd do once she found out? You know the entire band of kidnapped wisps, you apparently live in a warehouse which is perfect to store the wisp in and there are pictures of you interacting with them. If you were her what would you think?"

"She could have come out and asked me not just flat out accuse me."

"Yes, because you've been so willingly to give her answers before right? Don't do this to her, as a mother I am begging you to just hang in there with her ok? She needs you, she may deny it until her lungs turn blue but you and I know the truth." Ryder looked down at the unconscious Skylar knowing that her mother was right, he'd be no better than his father to abandon her once he realized that she wasn't entirely sane. He wasn't about to leave her knowing that she was the way she was like his father did to his mother, he was going to stay here with her rather she wanted him to or not and they were going to get through this together and if—if he were to ever leave her he'd make sure that it was with her in the best kind of condition possible, where he'd know she'd be fine on her own, only then would he leave.

"Ok," he said as he looked back over at where her mother should have been sitting but she was gone. "I'll do it," he said into the darkness even though she was no longer in the room with him anymore. Ryder sat Skylar down on the couch and went to find Larissa, it was getting darker outside he wasn't sure if it was smart to leave her all alone up in her room. Before Ryder could fully reach the stair well there was a knock at the door. Ryder turned slowly and peeked over at Skylar to see if the knock had woken her; it didn't so he went to the door to see who it was. In the open space in front of him stood Skylar's sister. To say that Ryder was surprised to see her would be an understatement.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked him.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked ignoring her question and quizzical looks.

"I need to speak to my sister," she said as she tried to peer over his shoulder and into the house.

"She's sleep what do you want?" he asked again.

"Why is she sleeping it's only like 7 o'clock?" she asked.

"Because she's tired, a kid can do that to you you know. Now what do you want?" he asked—again.

"I need to give her these papers," she said holding them up for him to see.

"What are they?"

"They're all the paper work that came with Larissa, her birth certificate, and every hospital report she has ever gotten, for like allergies and things like that." Ryder held out his hand for the papers and Melissa hesitated for a moment before handing them over to him. "Can I see her?" she asked. Ryder almost laughed at her ridiculous request, like he would actually let that happen.

"Sorry," he said though he really wasn't, "but maybe you should have thought of that before you gave her up so easily," he said before closing the door in her face. Ryder didn't bother looking over the papers he sat them on the counter and went to check on Larissa.

When Ryder entered Larissa's room he found her on the floor sleeping next to a piece of white paper that she had been drawing on and crayons and markers all over the place. Ryder cleaned up the crayons and markers and placed them into the bucket she had gotten them from then he picked up her drawing before picker her up and setting her on the bed. He tucked her in and thought twice before placing a kiss on her forehead and leaving her room. Ryder peered down at her drawing of a big flower and decided the he'd hang on Skylar's fridge, hoping that when she woke up she'd see it.

Ryder walked back over toward Skylar and lifted her back into his arms and carried her up to her room. He laid her down on her bed and tucked her into the covers before sitting on the edge of her bed and placing his head in his hands. He was so screwed besides having to somehow find out where Carter had been taken off to and checking in with his mother at some time now he has to watch over Skylar and watch out for the little girl she has to take care of. Ryder laid back against the bed, knowing that Skylar was still knocked out and Larissa was or still should be sleeping there was nothing else for him to do at the moment. Ryder got under the covers and slid in beside Skylar but quiet enough so that he didn't wake her.

***

When Ryder woke it was only about 3 o'clock at night. He watched as Skylar slid from beneath the covers and left the room, he thought about not following her but shit she was just knocked out cold for like five hours so there was no telling what she about to do so he got up and followed her anyways.

Ryder found Skylar in her dark room, writing on that damn wall again, she didn't acknowledge his presence as he stood behind her and he wasn't about to say anything to her until she spoke first, he was tired of being the one always having to break the damn ice. Skylar put down the little pen thingy she was using and ran her hands through her hair before pacing the room, but still she said nothing. Ryder walked up toward the wall to read the new edition she had added.

The Monster

With-in me live the two sides of one coin.

The angle I led other's to believe I am, and the monster I decoyed.

Never too noticeable in stone the hold it has on my soul;

Burns and Chars the surface, the monster with in claws and sears my bones,

Not even to leave me with the odds and ends of control.

A thick mind drought brought a respite from the optimism of my thoughts.

The Monster's hold withers and slithers with-in the deep recesses of this body of mine that rots.

It controls the actions of my body making them some-how tamer

And occupies my most inner thoughts, turning them into thoughts of a stranger.

My very own thoughts, words, and actions I'm having to wrestle;

Beyond the bounds of ordinary repercussions of the war going on in my own vessel.

Never once feeling repent toward my lack of control played out by The Monster's hand, it

Feels as though the restraints on my mind prevent me from being candid.

Just when I think I'm free to do, over me the monster towers,

The monster being free verses the decay of my own will power.

"What happened to you last night?" Ryder asked

"I don't know," she said softly.

"Skylar you've been out all night and then I find you this evening behind the house in the backyard knocked out and you're telling me you don't know how that came about?" Ryder asked as he refused to face her and kept staring at the lit up wall. Ryder heard Skylar sigh and then another light came on in the room. "Where did you go Skylar?" he asked as he turned to see what she was doing.

"Ryder," she said before sighing loudly, "I honestly don't remember everything that happened ok, but if it makes you feel any better all I can remember is leaving because I was under a lot of stress here and..."

"And you needed release," he said after her pause.

"Yea," she agreed reluctantly. "After that I don't really remember what happened, I remember seeing Brooke and her friend Casper but after that everything is kind of blank at this moment," she said as she looked over her shoulder at him but not really meeting his eye.

"You stayed here all day?" she asked after a while of silence.

"Yea, you never came home and I didn't want to leave Larissa here all by herself."

"Shit, I forget all about her. Damn," she said as she brought her hands behind her head and looked up to the ceiling.

"Well you don't have to worry about it, by the way her mom came by not too long ago and she dropped off some papers for Larissa."

"What kind of papers?" she asked confused.

"Medical papers and things like that."

"So she's really not coming back," she said a little disappointedly. Ryder didn't answer her because he didn't think he had to answer that question it was pretty obvious that she wasn't.

"Why'd you leave in the first place?" he asked her already somehow knowing her reasoning's. "Besides the addiction?" he added.

"It was too much," she answered reluctantly. "All of it, it was all just too much," she said as she turned to face the wall again.

"You're not going to get very far unless you get some sleep or something you look like you've been through hell."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically as the room suddenly got dark as she turned off all of the UV lights and left the room. Ryder followed her back up to her room and watched her crawl back into bed.

"Why did you stay?" she asked as she looked over at him as he stood at the foot of her bed. "Besides for Larissa?" she added. Ryder sighed before sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Because your need me," he said as he gave her a cocky smirk over his shoulder.

"I need you?" she questioned.

"And because your mother told me to, she made some pretty good points that not even I could argue with."

"My mother?" she whispered.

"Yes, your mother," Ryder said as he scooted back toward the head board of her bed.

"How..?" she asked confused. Ryder looked over at her and realized that he missed messing with her; he missed how they used to be before their feelings started getting into the mix of everything and then he realized that she had asked him a question.

"Um...how the hell do I explain this?" he said to himself.

"I already know about the whole whisper soul being—for lack of a better word—more powerful than the average human soul." She said.

"Well then I guess there really isn't much to explain then. Whisperer souls don't look like apparitions you know like most human souls do, they look more like what they did when they died--more or less like that—but there really isn't much of a change, you can't really touch them but they can make them self-seen to whoever they so choose."

"And my mom chose you," she said. She didn't sound upset by it or hurt that her mother didn't choose her she almost sounded happy about that.

"Yea, I guess she did," he agreed as he looked over at her faint smile.

"So what did she say?" she asked as he looked over at him.

"Umm shit, what didn't she say?" he said shrugging his shoulders. "She talked a lot about you if that's what you want to know, she knew more about me than I know about me which if I am being honesty freaked me the hell out," he said with a little laugh.

"Did she like you?" she asked.

"Umm I wouldn't say she liked me not at first but I think she's kind of used to me now, I guess."

"That's better than nothing. Trust me when I tell you that that woman didn't like anyone I did, she hated them all; every boyfriend and every friend with the exception of Brooke and that's only because Brooke was her best friend's daughter," Skylar said with a short laugh.

"Well that's because you friended and dated any fuckin body," he teased.

"I did not!" she said as she smacked him against the chest. "I chose my men and friends very seriously mind you," she said.

"Of course you did," he said with a wink.

"Fuck you Ryder," she said as she turned her back on him.

"I quit," he said as he dragged her back against him. "Your mother was really nice to me when she was telling me what the hell I was doing wrong, honestly she reminded me a lot of you," he said.

"By telling me that I act like my mother isn't going to get me to forgive you," she joked.

"Fine, but you can't say that I didn't try." Skylar turned against Ryder so that she could see him.

"How did Larissa take my disappearance?" she asked.

"She asked about you but I told her that you would be back so she drew you a picture; I put it on the fridge for you so you'd see first thing in the morning."

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"No problem, now get some sleep," he ordered.

"Ok," she said as she got more comfortable on the bed. "Are you staying?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"Do you want me to?" he asked her.

"Always making shit about you."

"It's a yes or no question," he taunted.

"Yes, ok? I want you to stay."

"I knew you wanted me," he teased as he slid in beside her and dragged her toward him.

"Fuck you Ryder," she said but Ryder could hear the smile in her voice.

### Chapter thirty-seven: Skylar Royce

Skylar couldn't help but toss and turn last night, her nightmare wasn't really a nightmare at all but it felt like one.

Skylar left the house last night and she didn't know what exactly she was looking for but she'd know when she found it she was sure of that. She didn't walk far from the house when she saw Brooke and Casper walking her way.

She didn't feel good, and she looked like a street walker as she tried to walk toward the pair. There were words spoken between the two before they approached her, there was something off with Brooke's voice as she called Skylar's name. Skylar tried to answer her but she couldn't manage the few words needed to so.

Casper walked toward her and for some reason Skylar was scared and she found herself backing up. When Brooke reached for her she smacked Brooke's hand out of her face and she began yelling at her asking her how could she and things of that nature. Brooke looked at her like she was crazy and then Skylar said that she knew what she did to her mother and Brooke got mad and started lashing out at her telling Casper that they had to get her. Skylar got even more afraid as she backed away from the pair.

Earlier that night Skylar could see flashes of her by Mr. Wallace's house, she doesn't remember why she was there but she witnessing herself drain the power out of Mr. Wallace, mark him before she set his body on fire and something about that moment had clicked for Skylar.

Now Skylar was back to the night she had been found passed out in her back yard. Brooke and Casper were speaking as if she couldn't hear them and though she could indeed hear them she couldn't make sense of what they were saying. Casper lunged for Skylar and grabbed her by the arm and began to pull her toward them, Skylar could remember her fighting the two of them and then she felt a pinch in the back of back and was sure that she had just been injected by something but couldn't remember what that was as she slowly began to lose conscience.

Skylar woke up panting and sweating. She looked over to confirm that Ryder was still in the bed with her and she could see him slowly awakening. She rubbed her hands down her face and went to get out of the bed.

"What happened?" Ryder asked as he peered at her through barely opened eyes.

"I remember what happened last night," she announced.

"Really?" he asked as he got up fully. "How'd you manage to remember?"

"I don't know, I kind of just relived it in my dreams," she said as she lifted her shirt over her head.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he watched her.

"You think you can do me a favor?" she asked as she let the shirt drop to the floor.

Ryder raised a brow at her, "Uh it depends are you about to ask me to do what I think you're about to ask me?" he asked with a cocky smile.

"No," she said with a frown. "I need you to look at my back and tell me what you see," she said as she turned around and gathered all of her hair in one hand. Ryder huffed; this was not what he had in mind. He got up from the bed and walked over to where she stood, she moved her body slightly so he could see it in the light.

"There's nothing here," he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked as she looked at him over her shoulder. "How about you turn the lights on," she suggested. Ryder did as she asked and then joined her back in the middle of the room.

"Ok, now I see it."

"What is it, is it some kind of mark?" she asked sounding a bit hopeful.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Oh shit a part of me was hoping you'd say no," she said as she turned to look at him.

"Why?"

"Because that means I know who the WKK is," she said as she walked past him and out of her room and down the stairs.

"You know?" Ryder asked as he tried to keep up with her.

"Yes," she said as she entered the dark room. She turned on both walls and began scribbling away; she pulled out a manila folder from the only piece of furniture in the room.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he joined her.

"Look at these pictures, and tell me if the mark on my back matches any of these," she said as she handed him the folder.

"Yea, it does."

"Shit," she said again.

"Do you mind explaining this to me so that I can understand?" he asked as he watched her pace and regard her wall of notes every five seconds.

"Brooke is the WKK," she announced.

"Seriously?' he asked disbelievingly.

"Seriously and here's why I think she did it. You told me that Aaron was her father correct? And so all of this time I've been lead to believe that she didn't know who her father was and that he had abandoned her. All growing up Brooke treated my parents like her own. When my dad had died she treated as though it was her dad. The moment my mother had gotten "sick" she became extra concerned and declared that she'd be the one to take care of her for me and me being stupid and not knowing why let her. She claimed that my mother was getting better and that she'd be ok all the while my mother was getting worse and worse. My mother was trying to tell me that she wanted to go to the hospital and that she didn't want to be taken care of by Brooke but I never listened to her. Then my mother started to lose her mind—literally. She developed amnesia out of know where she was a little too young for it so it made no sense to me. Brooke was excellent at acting and she played us all. She got me to teach her how to drain a wisp she really wanted to learn though she wasn't a whisperer—so I thought. So I taught her not at all knowing that someday she'd use for all of the wrong purposes. I taught her how to mark a body in order to know if something had gone wrong with the draining process if it was your wisp or not. My signature mark was always on the left shoulder and it was an x where as her's was always on the back and it was something like a swirl, just like these," she said motioning toward the pictures.

"What about Hank what does he have to do with all of this?"

"I'm not sure that Brooke even knows that Hank is involved. She knows that he is her mother's boss but she isn't aware of all of the other things he is I think she thinks that he's pretty much harmless and nothing to worry about."

"Well there is where she's wrong."

"But having Hank involved just might be a good think," she mused out loud.

"How so?"

"Well because nine times out of ten Hank is against whatever it is Brooke is trying to achieve and so therefore his plans are to stop her for whatever reason." Ryder looked uncomfortable as Skylar looked over her should to confirm that he was following along. "What is it?" she asked knowing that look of his all too well.

"Umm, there's something you don't know. Something that might or might not be of any importance but still I think you should know, any ways you never know it might help, besides your uncle said you could find evidence in the littlest of things, and God I sure hope that's true," he said more to himself than to her.

"What is it Ryder?" she asked. Ryder took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Aaron is still alive." And just like that Skylar knew that in those four words was a connection.

"When did you find this out?" Skylar asked.

"Somehow I kind of always knew that he was but Sidney said that her mother had gotten an email from Aaron but she wasn't sure whether or not it was a prank."

"Are you're sure?"

"Sure of what?" he asked confused.

"Sure that it's not some kind of prank?"

"No, I'm not sure but like I said I've always thought that he was still alive, no one has ever been able to defeat him let alone kill him so...I don't know," he said with a shrug of his shoulder. Skylar tried to process this all but something was still missing, it made no sense to her.

"What would Brooke want with Aaron, I know he's her father but...it just doesn't make any sense why would she need to kill whisperers and where does Aaron come into play?" she pondered aloud.

"Maybe we're missing something," Ryder said.

"We're missing a lot of things like Aaron for one," she said as she turned away from Ryder to look at her wall of evidence. "I know where the wisp are coming from now, I know where they're being dumped but I don't know where they're being drained."

"Maybe Hank plays a bigger part in all of this then we thought," Ryder suggested.

"What do you mean?" Skylar asked as she turned to face him.

"I mean why would Hank go through all of those changes if not for a greater purpose? He went from Richard, then to Hank we don't even know how many there were before that and all of those people are somehow connected to Aaron's life."

"Brooke did say that her mother thought that she had been Hank's psychiatrist once upon a time but she wasn't sure because he went by a different name, what if that was Hank? If we could find that out then there's sure to be some tell tell sign of why he's doing what he's doing."

"How are we gonna find out whether or not Brooke's mother was his psychiatrist?"

"We have to go through her older files."

"And where does she keep those?"

"In her office."

"And how are we gonna get there?"

"You're going to drive us there, silly," she said as she flashed him a teasing smile.

"You know that's not what I meant, how are we going to be permitted access?"

"I guess we'll find out once we get there."

"You know this isn't smart," he frowned.

"Since when does anything we do classify as smart?"

### My Dearest Aaron

To: 050972

From: Unknown Recipient

Subject: 3 days

My Dearest Aaron,

I was the one you abandoned, I was the one you took for granted, the one you couldn't stand. It hurt—to be disowned, to be let go of, to know that there is no love—left for me.

You desired better and I wasn't it. As I sat and watched you leave you didn't give a shit but who was I to stop you; to prevent you from moving on to new—and better things? Things that no longer involved me. I was no one but now to your very own freedom I hold the key.

So what will it be? The secret you never wanted any parts of? Or the life you favored over me and everyone else above? What will you choose? For the first time I'm leaving the choice up to you, so choose wisely. Now, what will it be?

Brooke entered the little white cubical space where she has been keeping Aaron. She could see her father huddled up in the corner and the little blonde kid she had tricked into coming with her in the opposite corner.

"What the hell do you want from me?!" the little blonde kid snapped as he seen her enter the "room".

"Well for now I just need you to be quiet."

"Not gonna happen until you tell me why the hell I'm here," he said as he scooted across the floor with his hands still bound and placed his back against the wall farthest from her. Brooke intentionally separated the two just in case they decided to get slick and use each other to untie themselves.

"So what is it that you've decided to do daddy?" Brooke asked tauntingly.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked instead of answering her question.

"I'll give you till tonight to make up your mind in the mean time you have three days before I decide your fate so choose wisely, and while you will be here I'll go rally up your next sacrifice," she said cheerfully. "Thanks to that book of secrets you have created and that I have stolen might I add, I now know that the most powerful whisperers, believe it or not 'cause I know I sure didn't, seems to be the children so that shall be your next sacrifice. One child contains the power of two whisperers who would have known?" she said as she laughed cynically as she turned to leave.

"Hey! What about me?!" Carter screamed as she went to leave.

"What about you?"

"You can't leave me here."

"You won't be here for long trust me," she said.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Ask him," she said motioning toward Aaron. Brooke closed the door behind her and smiled to herself as she went to collect that child needed to finish this off.

***

"What's going on here?" Carter asked Aaron as he turned to finish getting himself loose while she was gone.

"I don't know, she's crazy," Aaron mumbled.

"Well she seems to think you did something," Carter said as he continued to rub his rope against the hook conveniently sticking out of the wall beside him. Aaron sighed loudly.

"She's my daughter," he answered reluctantly.

"And this is how she treats you?" Carter asked shocked.

"I can't say that I didn't deserve it. I left her and her mother to take care of a family friends family while he went off to war, me and her mother were planning on getting a divorce anyways so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal."

"Are you sure that's the only reason? It seems a little petty to go to such extremes for something as small as that," Carter said as he tried to get himself loose.

"I don't know she talk in riddles so if there was something else then I didn't understand the meaning of it."

"What do you mean she talks in riddles?" carter asked as he concentrated harder.

"These stupid emails she sends me," Aaron said as he kicked the laptop Carter's way. Carter read the email.

"This seems to be about you abandoning her."

"I figured as much but I don't know what the others mean."

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"Don't you think I've tried?"

"What is she going to do to me?" Carter asked a bit worried.

"What she does to everyone else she takes and sacrifices."

### Chapter thirty-eight: Skylar Royce

Skylar and Ryder snuck into Ms. Laurence's office; it was dark and fairly empty.

"Where should I look?" Ryder asked.

"Check those cabinets over there and I'll check these ones over here," Skylar announced as she walked toward Brooke's mothers' desk and riffled through the paper sitting right on top.

"How will I know if I found it?" Ryder asked.

"If you find any papers with patient and then a number beside it at the top then that would most likely be it and so sit them on top of this desk here and we'll go through them," she said motioning toward the desk she was currently looking through. There were a lot of manila folders with random dates on them. "Also look for something with an older date; she has these things organized so most likely the date for which Hanks file would be under would be a lot older.

"In that case I think I found it," Ryder announced as he got to his feet.

"Really? Bring it here," she said as she walked over toward Ms. Laurence's couch. Ryder sat down beside her and handed her the file.

"This is dated all that way back to—" Before Ryder could finish his sentence the front door of Ms. Laurence's office flew open.

"Hey, what are you kids doing in here?" a security guard said as he stood in the entrance of the office. Skylar took the file from Ryder and stood.

"We were just leaving," she announced to the unconvinced guard.

"What is that you got there?" he asked motioning toward the file Skylar tried unsuccessfully to hide.

"It's nothing like she said we'll just be going," Ryder said as he walked toward the guard.

"I don't think so," the guard announced. He touched the little walky-talky thingy he had hanging on the end of his brown buttoned down security shirt, "I'm gonna need more security down here," he said as he kept his eye on the two of them.

"That won't at all be necessary," Ryder said as he dared take another step toward the guard.

"Stay right where you are," the guard said as he took out his night stick and threatened to hit Ryder with it.

"Come on Sky we're leaving," Ryder said as he held out his hand for her to take. Skylar wasn't sure what was about to happen but she took his hand anyway. He called her Sky, she thought to herself with a faint smile.

"Hey, stay right there," the guard said raising his night stick a bit farther. Skylar could see over the guards shoulder that more were fat approaching and that there was no way they'd be able to get passed them all. Skylar let go of Ryder's hand and before he could protest she began to possess the guard's body. She hadn't done this in so long so it was a bit uncomfortable and unfamiliar at first but when she was sure she was able to control him she turned toward Ryder and grabbed him by the upper arm and turned him so that all of the other guard could see him.

"False alarm boys, I got this one," Skylar made the guard say as she led Ryder down toward the lobby of the building.

"Hey," one of the guards called out to him. "How are things going with you and the fam?" he asked.

"Everything's...fine," he made the guard answer.

"Are you sure?" the man asked.

"Yes, I'm sure now let me take care of this and you can question me later," Skylar snapped.

"Alright boss I was just wondering," the guard said before turning to leave. Skylar lead Ryder outside and behind the building as she tried to exit the guard's body.

"Don't do that again," Ryder said as she righted herself.

"Fine but you can't say that that wasn't a good idea," she said with a slick smile.

"What are you going to do with him?" he said motioning toward the knocked out guard behind the building.

"Nothing," she said as she gave the guard a fleeting glance.

"So you're just gonna leave him there?"

"That's the plan," she said with a cock of her head as she took the lead to Ryder's car. Ryder and Skylar made the ride back to her house quietly. Skylar looked over the file that Ryder had found while he drove but so far he found nothing interesting.

"Anything?" Ryder asked.

"Nope, just two girls and a boy that reminds me nothing of Hank," she said as she turned the page to view the next patients file. "I think I might have spoken way too soon," she announced.

"What do you have?" he asked as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"I have a boy, he's 9 and his name is Erin and based on the small picture attached he has or had red curly hair and freckles. He's extremely skinny and pigeon toed—which telling by this report he was bullied for countless times. Karen, Brooke's mother, apparently liked to make Erin believe that they were friends so she'd tell him all about her family and he would tell her all about his. In time Erin grew up and declared that he no longer needed his Psychiatrist."

"What makes you think that's Hank?" Ryder asked.

"Look at the picture," she said as she passed it to him.

"Do you think it is possible that Hank or Erin knew Ms. Laurence so well that he actually thought he'd be a better fit than Aaron is as her husband? I mean think about it, it makes sense."

"That's exactly what I was thinking. I think Hank may be trying to replace Aaron."

"If the condition Aaron's family is in now is any indication I think Hank already succeeded in replacing Aaron," Ryder said as he parked outside of Skylar's house.

"Yea well I still think there's more to it than that," Skylar said as she stepped out of the car and entered the house with Ryder close behind.

"Oh yea, and what might you say—" Ryder started but Skylar immediately silenced the rest of his words with a well-placed hand over his mouth.

"Shhh," she said as she placed the document of Hank in the kitchen drawer and closed it before turning back to Ryder.

"What the hell'd you do that for?" he asked in an angry whisper.

"Someone's in the house," she said as she made her way back to them.

"And how the hell'd you figure that?" he asked.

"I can feel them," she said as she looked up the stairs toward the rooms.

"You can feel them?" Ryder asked in mild disbelief.

"Yes I can feel them," she said back as she headed toward the stairs. Ryder followed Skylar without another word spoken. The made it toward the stair landing and Skylar stopped.

"Since you can feel them what exactly do they feel like?" he asked as she stopped.

"I'm being serious Ryder," she hissed. "I think they're in Larissa's room," she said as she turned toward him with a worried look on her face. Skylar started to move toward the room in question but was stopped by a vise like grip on her wrist.

"Let me check," he said taking her serious for once. Skylar watched Ryder head toward Larissa's room with well-placed steps. She thought about following him but she quickly had to change her mind as she felt another's presence behind her. Skylar turned quickly to see Hank slipping through her front door. She watched him try and be slick as he quietly shut the door and went to head up her stairs but quickly stopped once he noticed her.

"Going somewhere?" she asked as she folded her arms against her chest. "Before you say something stupid, Brooke beat you hear," she said as she could hear Brooke and Ryder arguing from where she stood.

"What a way to stay one step ahead," he commended.

"Can we cut the bullshit and you just start by telling me what the hell you're doing here?"

"I kind of thought that that part would be obvious, I guess you're not one step ahead after all," he said as he mimicked her pose.

"We're back to playing your childish games I see," she said with a wicked smile. "Seeing as though you weren't the most well liked child I can see why you'd want to play said games, you missed out when you were little cause no one wanted to play with you; I get it but just to let you in on a little secret, no one still wants to play with you no matter who you try to turn yourself into." Skylar watched the shocked and angered expression quickly take over Hank's face from her judiciously positioned insult.

"What do you think you know?" Hank asked. Before Skylar could answer Ryder came out with Brooke in tow, he had her in a very complicated head lock as he dragged her past where Skylar stood on the top of the stairs.

"Skylar!" Brooke cried out. "Help me, your boyfriends going crazy," she said as she kicked out in frustration in order to free herself from Ryder's grip.

"What the hell happened?" Skylar asked Ryder.

"I don't have time right now I'll tell you later," he said as he continued to drag a screaming and crying Brooke outside. Skylar turned toward Hank who was already on the move.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" she asked as she flew down the stairs and tagged Hank.

"Ms. Royce I sincerely apologize but this has nothing to do with you," he said trying to dismiss her with a respective tone.

"How the hell can you say that when you're in my house?" she asked as she maneuvered herself in front of him in order to block his path. Hank didn't even bother with a response as he lunged for her and tried to move him out of his way.

"I don't have time for this, I know the book is here," he said as he grabbed her tightly by her upper arms and threw her against the nearest wall. A small yelp escaped Skylar's lips before she was able to get to her feet.

"I don't know what book you're talking about," she growled as she righted herself.

"You know damn well what book I'm speaking about," he said as he moved toward her. Skylar was ready for his next attach and the moment his hand reached out to grab hers she grabbed on to it and twisted in the direction that no arm should go. Hank screeched with pain as he tried to twist out of her grasp but every move of his am caused him to yell louder from the excruciating pain. "I'm talking about Aaron's book of secrets," he answered more precisely.

"Why is that book so important to you?" Skylar asked getting tired of hearing him ask for that book on countless occasions.

"It just is, is that answer enough for you?" he asked bitingly as he thrashed around in her arms. Skylar lost her grip on hi by the third time he had tried to pull away. Skylar backed up away from the fast approaching Hank.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Ryder said from somewhere behind her. Hank looked over Skylar's shoulder toward where Ryder stood.

"I feel like there should be an or else after a statement like that," Hank joked.

"I figured I wouldn't have to say it, that it was pretty much implied," Ryder answered. Skylar could feel him getting closer.

Hank laughed at Ryder, once he got his laughter under control he turned to look back at him. "Tell me one good reason why I should be afraid of you?" Hank asked with clear amusement in his voice. Skylar could tell now that Ryder was directly behind her as he gently but very forcefully moved her out of the way so nothing was standing between him and Hank.

"Because I stand between you and your next breath," he told him calmly. Hank didn't look so amused now.

Skylar was pretty sure that Ryder had everything under control so she turned toward the stairs at a fast walk toward Larissa's room. She opened the door and scanned the room with her eyes until her eyes detected the little lump on the floor near the bed which had to be Larissa. Skylar hurried toward her and lifted her up in her arms. Larissa was pale and didn't look at all in any way shape or form healthy. She breathed deeply but other than that there was no other movements coming from her. Skylar couldn't help but blame herself partly because Larissa was her responsibility—a responsibility she regreated-ly didn't want. Skylar lifted Larissa into her arms and cradled her as she made her way back down the stairs after grabbing a cold wash cloth and holding it against her forehead.

By the time Skylar made it back to the stairs Hank was gone and Ryder looked as if he was just getting back into the house.

"What the hell happened?" she asked him as she sat Larissa down on the couch.

"Ethan has them now but he wants us to be there tomorrow for the questioning," Ryder announced.

"What the hell is he still doing up?" Skylar asked once she had Larissa situated.

"I don't know, didn't bother to ask," he said distractedly as he looked over the documented papers they had gotten from Brooke's mother's office. "Why do you think it was important for Hank to steal Aaron's life at of all lives to steal?" Ryder asked.

"I don't know maybe it had more to do with Aaron's wife rather than Aaron himself," Skylar said as she joined Ryder in the kitchen.

"What do you mean by that?" Ryder asked as he sat down the paper.

"Meaning maybe his obsession was with Karen and not Aaron."

"But what did Ciana have to do with any of this, it was her that he was pretending to date remember?"

"I don't know...maybe you're right and it was Aaron he was trying to replace. Aaron was the man in power and he had a wife and kids, something that Hank has never tried to obtain for himself."

"I don't know any more honestly but I'm tired," Ryder said as he slapped the folder the documents were inside and headed for the stairs."

"What about Larissa?" Skylar asked as she looked over at the—hopefully sleeping—baby on the couch. "She looks as if she's been drained...of something but she just doesn't look right."

"I suggest a hospital we have her papers they seem legit so we should be able to get her checked out at this time. I say we're better off not waiting though since we don't really know the cause and how sever it might be," he suggested as he turned around and walked back toward Larissa and lifted her up in his arms. Skylar went to follow him out but Ryder stopped her. "You should probably just rest you've been through enough tonight," he said. Skylar didn't bother arguing she knew he was right she was still feeling a little light headed.

"Fine," she said as she stopped by the door.

"If it's not possible to get her back tonight then I'll..." he stopped his sentence. Skylar realized though where that sentence was going. "Shit," he said as he turned to look at her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said though she was tryin to hide how hurt she was by it. "If you don't make it home...I mean here by tonight then I'll know," she said as she turned toward the stairs leading toward her room and mounted them two at a time.

### Chapter thirty-nine: Ethan Royce

Ethan once again was locked out of his house, his soon to be x-wife tended to do that when he worked late and forgot to call and warn her ahead of time.

Ethan stayed at the office and was surprised when that Ryder kid had come in well into the night with a Brook Fields-Laurence and Hank who was supposed to be well on his way to Arizona for that supposed better job offer. Ethan had had Ava lock the two in separate conference rooms until the morning; he was in no way shape or form to question anyone tonight.

The next morning after his coffee and well deserved nap Ethan had gotten another message from Naveen calling in sick, he couldn't really question her for it or anything of the sort because she had a lot of days she hadn't used and she was obviously using them all up now but it still made him curious as to why.

He entered one conference room and had Ava enter the other. He watched Hank from the conference room camera's as he tried his hardest to escape the room last night, he could now see him through the one sided glass this early morning sound asleep on the floor in a corner. Ethan entered the room and if he could he would have slammed the door but it was the kind of door that closed itself. He made his footsteps heavy as he walked toward the table they were to sit out when the questioning was to begin. Hank was in no rush to get up Ethan could see so he asked one of the other people in the office to get him a glass of cold water knowing his intent at this point was to throw it on him and wake him up that way. As the water landed on Hank he jolted up immediately but made no other moves to get up.

"Join me," Ethan said as he sat at the conference table with hands folded. Hank rose slowly and took his time getting to the table.

"Why am I here? I mean no disrespect sir but this has to be some kind of mistake," Hank said respectfully.

"I'm under the impression that no mistakes were made," Ethan said just as respectfully.

"Now tell me Hank," he said his name as if he as well questioned it which at this point after everything that that Ryder kid had told him he did indeed question it. "Why aren't you in Arizona?" he asked curiously.

"I decided to stay instead I was going to make the announcement as soon as I showed up to work today," Hank answered without hesitation.

"Well needless to say you no longer have that as an alibi. I am correcting in guessing so am I not?"

"Yes sir, you are."

"Good then let's rule that out immediately. Tell me Hank, why is it that you decided it important to show up at Ms. Royce's house uninvited, well into the night at that?"

"I was under the belief that a book of mine was there—"

"You mean this?" Ethan said as he held up the book in question having confiscated it from Brooke Fields-Laurence's persona. Hank said nothing as he eyed the book of secrets. "I'mma take that as a yes," Ethan said as he put the book away from Hank's viewing. "Tell me why exactly this book, which might I add is not yours, was so important to you?" Hank seemed to have lost all formalities as he answered the question.

"Technically it is my book because I was a part of the Whisperer of Night just as much as Aaron was and since he passed away the book should now be in my possession, rightfully of course."

"Hmm," Ethan mused as he reviewed the papers that the Ryder kid had given him and the research he had taken the time to look up himself. "I see no Hank Henderson listed anywhere here on the roster for Whisperer of Night participants so what exactly is it you've done during the Whisperer of Night tournaments?" Ethan asked as he looked back at Hank.

"I was Aaron's assistant!" Hank said raising his voice just a bit.

"Were you? Because it says here that a Mr. Richard Masterson was Aaron Fields assistant," Ethan said with a knowing look on his face. "Are you trying to tell me that this Richard Masterson is actually you?" Ethan asked with a raise of his brow.

"I see what's going on here and I refuse to say anymore until I get a lawyer," Hank declared with a simple fold of his arms to show his defiance.

"Fine, you may not be willing to talk but I'm sure someone is," Ethan said as he grabbed hold of all of his evidence and left the conference room.

Ethan didn't have to walk far in order to be in the place where Brooke Fields-Laurence was being held. Ava saw Ethan standing in the door way of the conference room and she began to wrap it up. Ethan thought it a great idea to switch as they did because there was a greater possibility of one getting more information out of the suspects than the other—some lies are hard to remember. Once Ava had left Ethan entered the room and took her place in front of Brooke Fields-Laurence. He watched the girl she looked confident and not at all worried. Ethan was well aware of Brooke being Skylar's friend but he never once spent time with the girl so she was virtually a stranger to him and he intended to treat her like every other suspect.

Ethan pulled out the suspects' rap sheet and the witness statement that Ryder had given him. Ryder didn't have much to say about Brooke as he did about "Hank" but there was enough to go on.

"Do you know any of these people?" Ethan asked as he slid the pieces of papers toward her to view. Brooke didn't even pretend to view the papers he had slid in front of her, her eyes never once left the door since he had come in here. "Ok so obviously we're going to have to get straight to the point with you," he declared causing her to look over in his direction for the first time since he had sat down. "These whisperers here have gone missing and it has come to my awareness that you have been taking them, draining them and dumping them, are those accusations true Ms. Fields-Laurence?" Brooke continued to say nothing. "I don't have time to waste Ms. Fields-Laurence now if you have anything to say in regards to these accusations now is the time to say them otherwise we'll be forced to take matters into our own very capable hands." It hadn't escaped Ethan's notice that there were tears shimmering in Brooke's eyes, he didn't know what had caused them but she wasn't acting as if she was being questioned for a murder. Something was...off about her.

### Skylar Royce

Ryder hadn't come back with Larissa so Skylar assumed that whatever her condition was was serious and she had to stay overnight. She took this time she had to herself to finally put this case to rest, all of the evidence she had and needed was there now she just had to make sense of it all. The fact that Skylar had accused Brooke of not only kidnapping but killing as well didn't sit right with her the longer she sat there thinking about it. She knew Brooke all of her life and couldn't possible fathom her hurting someone let alone her own blood and family.

Skylar had gotten Sidney's mother to send over her computer; she needed to check this mysterious email out for herself before making any other assumptions. Skylar had the lap top open in front of her on her living room coffee table with a mug of coffee in one hand and the reports from Brooke's mother on Erin/Hank in her other as she read over the email once more.

To: CFields67

From: 050972

Subject: 5th or possibly 6th try

Dear Ciana,

This is about my fifth or possibly sixth attempt at trying to send you an email but for some odd reason I can't seem to get your email right, I hope that this is you—if not then sorry again mystery person but I'm trying to get in touch with my wife if you by any chance know of her please contact her and tell her that I am trying to get in touch with her. I can't tell you or her where I am because I don't even know but I hope she knows what to do once she finds this, if not then I'll just have to try again.

To: 050972

From: CFields67

Subjects: Is this really you?

Dear Aaron,

Is this really you or some kind of sick joke that no one in their right mind should find funny? If so then I'm so glad that you're alive and this seems really weird talking to you like this without being able to see you but I just want to let you know that I love you and I miss you so very, very much. And if this is not you then whoever this is you're a sick bastard for playing with someone else's life like this!

There was no response after that so there was no telling if it was really Aaron or not but something didn't sit quiet right with Skylar. She peered down at the document she held in one hand before taking a sip out of the coffee cup she held in the other.

Brooke's mother used a bunch of numbers similar to the ones used for Aaron's email. There at the top of Erin/Hank's document sheet and a few others were numbers that only consisted of 6 numbers just like Aaron's and Skylar couldn't really convince herself that that was some kind of coincidence. Not only did that seem suspicious but Hank's computer code back at the office consisted of the same numbers, she thought as she peered down at the picture she had taken of it before she left that day. 05A09L72F

As Skylar thought about all of this only one explanation made sense. On Erin/Hank's documentation sheet were the numbers: 111282 and coincidentally his birthdate was November 12th of the year 1982. Now if she was right about this then Aaron's birthday had to be May 9th of the year 1972. Skylar picked up her phone and dialed Sidney's number someone answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Fields this is Skylar."

"Oh. Hi Skylar."

"Mrs. Fields I have a question," Skylar said as she leaned back against the couch feeling confident in Mrs. Fields answer.

"What is it honey?' she asked as if she would answer anything she asked.

"I need to know when Aaron's birthdate was," she said calmly as not to alarm the woman.

"Oh, umm..."

"It's important," Skylar reminded her.

"Uh his birthday is May 9th," she answered finally.

"The year wouldn't happen to be 72 would it?" Skylar asked with a winning smile.

"Uh as a matter of fact it is."

"Thank you Mrs. Fields as promised I'll keep you up to date if I find anything I think you should know."

"Is the email from him?" Mrs. Fields asked before Skylar could hang up the phone.

"Not sure yet but it's still a possibility," she said before she hung up. Skylar pulled back up the picture of Hank's computer code now knowing what it all meant: 05A09L72F The letters in between Aaron's birthdate had to be Aaron's initials Skylar wasn't sure what Aaron's middle name was but she was sure about one thing—it started with an L. Skylar picked her phone back up and contacted her Uncle to her surprise he picked up immediately.

"I was wondering when you'd call," he said as way of hello.

"Sorry I thought you'd be busy with Hank and Brooke and besides I'm no longer on the case so I didn't want to be suspended for interfering." Skylar could hear Ethan's tummy rumbling laugh over the phone and it truly chilled her, laughing was so unlike her Uncle.

"So you mean to tell me that you haven't been at all working on the case even after I told you not to?" he asked after he was done laughing.

"Anyways," she said knowing he was right but for some reason she though that Ethan was actually counting on her to finish this case even though he kicked her off of it he knew all along that she wouldn't just be able to cut all ties to it. "I need a favor?" she said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I need you to hack into Aaron's emails."

"In order to do that I'mma need an email from him."

"I already sent it to your phone," she said proudly.

"Wait, Aaron..."

"Yup, he's alive," she said after his hesitation to finish. "Or at least I hope he is, if this email is indeed from him then this case will be solved faster than you'd ever hoped.

"I'll send the results to you as soon as I get them," he said. Skylar could hear the proud pitch to his one and couldn't help but think that it was her who had put it there. Skylar hung up and grabbed Erin/Hanks papers and walked toward her dark room. She walked past her mother's room and paused, she knew she wasn't ready to go in there yet if ever so she had no clue why exactly she had stopped so she kept going. Once the UV lights had been activated she turned toward her notes now knowing that if Brooke indeed was the person they were looking for then all they had to do was find out where Aaron was been hidden if he was alive. All of the killings, kidnappings, and dumping sites were in this area and so it would only make sense if the hiding places were as well, she thought to herself. Skylar couldn't shake the feeling that this felt too easy, that Brooke was just the easy answer out and that there had to be more and by more she meant more than just Casper though she was almost certain that though he thought he was involved he truly never was, this seemed more like a family issue...Before Skylar could finish her thought her phone chimed and she checked out the email from Ethan stating the username and password he wanted her to put in in order to access all of Aaron's emails. She walked back toward the living room where the laptop sat and did as Ethan's instructions instructed. She was soon in Aaron's email viewing a lot of email from someone under the alias Unknown Recipient. Most of the email were written not in code but riddles; almost poetic like. All of the emails were about abandonment and rebirth as if the unknown recipient was trying to lecture Aaron—who she was now positive was really Aaron.

Skylar was almost 100% positive that something was not right. This didn't sound like something Brooke would say or do she was sure of that now. All the years Skylar had known Brooke she had never heard her complain about her father leaving her, she was always under the impression that her father was dead which was one of many reasons why Brooke never wanted her mother to move on. Why would Brooke go through all of this trouble to find and help/torture a father she never even knew still existed? Skylar looked over all of the papers she had scattered around her—al documents written by Brooke's mother and then she looked over all of the emails. This didn't seem like something Brooke would do, not without clear motive or...persuasion.

### Chapter forty: Ethan Royce

Ethan had gotten nowhere with Brooke she barely spoke to him or answered any of his questions and when she did they always made little to no sense. He quit trying a long time ago and retreated back to his office surprised to see Skylar already there waiting for him.

"When the hell did you get in here?" he asked.

"Not important, let me talk to her," she said determination.

"I don't think that's a good idea you're still connected..."

"I know that but I'm the only one who'll be able to get through to her I'm sure you've figured that out by now," she said with a challenging eye brow raise. Ethan considered it not sure what harm it could do now when they were so close to solving this thing, I mean shit he was already well aware that she's been working on it on the sly anyhow despite being kicked off.

"Fine, go for it," he granted. Skylar nodded her head slightly before leaving his office and entering the conference room where Brooke was being help. Ethan stayed behind the two sided glass and watched how Skylar went about it.

***

Skylar was confident as she entered the room where Brooke was being held, she knew that she was right about this it all made sense to her now. Brooke looked up to see Skylar enter and she showed her shock for a split second before quickly covering it and going back to being uninterested.

"Brooke," Skylar said in acknowledgement as she took the seat across from her. "Why are you here Brooke?" she asked. "We both know that you didn't do anything so why won't you tell them that?" she asked yet another question she already knew Brooke wouldn't answer but she knew that this next one would get her attention. "Why are you protecting her?" Brooke looked up at Skylar shocked but still said nothing—Skylar anticipated this. "You realize that she knows you're here, she knows that there's high—high possibility that you can be thrown in jail for this yet where is she? Are you really willing to hold this secret for her knowing that she'd let you rot in jail for what she made you do?" Skylar asked as she watched Brooke's eyes fill with tears. Skylar couldn't keep up the tough act anymore this was her best friend and she truly felt for her didn't want to see her throw her life away like this. "Brooke listen to me you can't do this..." she said pausing so as not to show how chocked up with emotion she was getting for her best friends.

"Skylar, what is it you think you know?" Brooke asked with a cock of her head. Skylar knew what Brooke's question really meant; she wanted to know how much exactly she was safe to say without giving away too much.

"Trust me when I say that I'm almost positive I know it all, even parts that you may not have been aware of yourself. See Brooke this has been going on longer than you think," Skylar said as she pulled out the documents.

"Hank Henderson? What about him?" Brooke asked confused. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"Everything actually," Skylar answered. "Hank Henderson is not really Hank Henderson as a matter of fact the real Hank Henderson was Sidney Fields' birthfather before he went off to war and died by the hands of fake Hank the moment he had tried to return for his family, the same family that he had put in the hands of Aaron."

"This makes no sense what are you getting at?"

"Hank Henderson, the one who tricked you...who had really tricked us all is actually a man named Erin Brooks. I'm not sure if the name sounds in anyway familiar but I think it might if you think a little harder. Erin Brooks used to be one of your mothers patients."

"I remember a little boy named Erin," Brooke said sitting up a little higher.

"I knew you would,' Skylar commented. "Was he not the kid you were trying to tell me reminded you of Hank?" Skylar asked.

"Yea, it was him."

"Well then in a way you knew all along."

"I'm still not seeing any connections, what does he have to do with me or Aaron?"

"You know I find it funny that you don't call Aaron dad, or father or even daddy, something 'you'," she said putting quotation marks around the word you, "have called him many times in 'your'," she said again with the quotation marks, "emails to him." Brooke looked uncomfortable as Skylar continued. "Brooke your mother and Erin Brooks have known each other for a long time until all of a sudden Erin declared that he no longer needed a psychiatrist. Though your mother was no longer Erin's psychiatrist they still saw each other on a regular basis—"

"Are you implying that my mother was cheating on my father with one of her patients?" Brooke asked shocked.

"NO, at that time she wasn't cheating they were just...platonic friends no relationship had truly developed—yet. I believe that Erin had become obsessed with your mother and everything she had promised and there were promises but he knew that none of those promises would come true as long as Aaron was around. Aaron falling for Ciana—Sidney's mother was coincidental but him divorcing Karen—your mother was not in any way shape or from a coincidence."

"How do you know all of this?" Brooke asked.

"What? Are you implying that you didn't know any of this?" Skylar asked faking to appear shocked.

"No and you know I didn't!"

"Really? I mean I kind of figured you knew all about it seeing as though 'you' wrote about it in one of 'your' emails to Aaron." Brooke's face paled as she realized her mistake. "I know it was your mother Brooke I knew it the moment I came in here all you have to do is stop protecting her and admit it," Skylar said softly. Brooke began to cry openly now.

"She said that we'd be able to become a normal family again likes it's always been if I did it...I believed her so...I did it, I did everything she told me to," she said between sobs.

"Are you saying that she had put you up to it?"

"I didn't want her to marry Hank," she said on another sob.

"Is that what she said she'd do if you didn't help her?" Brooke nodded her head slowly.

"I just...I've always wanted my family back you know that I hated being someone's secret I didn't want her to treat me like she claimed my father had so yea she put me up to it and I did everything she told me to."

"And you were not aware of Hank's involvement in all of this?' Skylar asked.

"No, she told me that she would no longer see Hank if I did this for her and I believed her." Skylar could see Ethan standing in the doorway of the conference room they were in with a pair of hand cuffs in his hands. Skylar caught his eye and shook her head. Ethan raised a brow in question and Skylar ignored him.

"Brooke I need you to tell me where Aaron is," Skylar said. Brooke looked up at her with pleading eyes.

"He's...dead," she whispered. Skylar looked at her confused.

"Dead?" she questioned disbelievingly.

"Yea," she said nodding her head wildly. "Hank had gotten mad when Aaron wouldn't declare rightful owner ship of the Book of secrets to him and...the fight got pretty ugly. He killed him...for real this time," she said with more sobs.

"I'm sorry," Skylar said before getting to her feet and walking over toward Ethan.

"Safe to make the arrest now?" he whispered. Skylar looked back at Brooke feeling bad for her best friend. "What's going to happen with her," she said gesturing toward the still sobbing Brooke.

"I don't know," Ethan said. "She's old enough now not to need her mother anyhow so I guess it's really up to her," he said as he exited the conference room with Skylar following close behind him. "Good job," he said smacking her on the back before he went his separate way. She nodded her head slightly before leaving as well. She walked with a little skip to her step happy that they had truly solved the case, now all there was left to do was tell Sidney's mother the bad news.

***

Ethan went back to his office and was again surprised to see that yet another person had entered without him noticing.

"Ava how the hell did you get in here?"

"Not important," she said as she closed his office door and strode back toward him with her arms crossed against her chest.

"What's going on?" he asked confused.

"The girl...Brooke?" she questioned as if she didn't quiet remember her name.

"Yea, what about her?"

"She's lying to you and she lied to Skylar and quite frankly her mother's reaction to Aaron's supposed death was more real than her's ever were."

"What are you talking about?"

"I knew the moment Skylar had come to me with the evidence of the emails on Aaron's email account where exactly this case was going so I called in the mother, she had no clue about Aarons death and she hadn't seen Erin Brooks in years I could tell as much by her reaction to him the moment I stuck her in the same room as him. 'Hank Henderson' the Brooke had said was her mother's boss?" she questioned.

"Yea about him?" Ethan asked.

"Ethan meet Hank Henderson," she said with a gesture to her hand. Ethan turned slightly to see a man standing in the corner of his office a man he hadn't even noticed was there.

"Who the hell is that?"

"That is Brooke's mother's boss his name really is Hank Henderson," she explained.

"She lied to us," Ethan said as realization sank in. "Shit," he said as he threw his office door open and walked down toward the conference room where Brooke had been held. Ethan was not at all surprised to see that it was empty. "Shit," he cursed again. "She must have known that we would get Aaron's emails, she set this all up from the start knowing that Skylar would be more willing to believe that her mother had put her up to it rather than believe that she had done it all herself," Ethan said now understanding what exactly had gone down.

"Nine times out of ten she won't be home she'll be where ever Aaron is. I think it'll be in our best interest to find out where exactly that is if we have any hope of finding her in time," Ava said.

"But we can't do that without Skylar's help," Ethan said out of frustration.

"Why her's?" Ava asked confused.

"Brooke is Skylar's friend she could no doubt try and think like Brooke."

"But she might not be willing to do that once she finds out that her best friend is indeed guilty," Ava said.

"Exactly now you know where exactly our problems lie," Ethan said as he headed toward the other conference room with Hank. "I do believe Brooke was telling the truth about one thing, Hank does want to replace Aaron he's trying to take over his life but as long as that Book of secrets is around and as long as "Richard" stays in hiding he won't be able to do that. He probably lied and said that he was going to Arizona in hopes of no longer be suspected and free to enter houses without taking any kind of blame," Ethan said to the fast pacing Ava beside him.

"But if Hank is not involved with Brooke but is believed to be then why didn't Brooke play along so that he could take all of the blame?" Ava asked confused.

"Because Brooke doesn't want anyone else to take the credit for this, she wants to be known for what she's doing and what she's about to do. The only reason she used her mother in her statements is so that it would give her a little more time to finish up whatever it is she's about to do," Ethan said knowing that what he said was the truth.

"Ok so what do we do in order to stop her?"

"We can't do anything only Skylar can."

"But you know she won't, that's her best friend."

"Trust me when I say that this job is important to her and so is this case, she's not doing this case for her she's doing it for her father so if she wants to please him like I know she does then she will do it," he assured her though he wasn't as confident as he was trying to get Ava to be.

"Fine," she said giving in. "I'll drive. I haven't been to her house in years," she mumbled to herself as she passed Ethan up and headed toward the parking lot.

### Chapter forty-one: Skylar Royce

By the time Skylar got home she had expected to see Ryder by now but felt a bit on edge when she didn't, she was almost positive that Larissa's condition wasn't nearly as serious as he was making it out to be. Skylar had thought of many many ways to break the bad news to Sidney's mother but none of them seemed right, if she were to tell her mother about Aaron's death then it was only right to do it in person.

Skylar cleaned up all of the existing evidence and paper work from her coffee table and transferred them all into her dark room before locking hopefully for longer than a week this time. She made an attempt to find something else to do but when that miserably failed she got to her feet and walked to her front door ready to break a 40 something year old woman's heart for no other reason than to get it over with so it's no longer on her conscience. Just as Skylar opened her front door she had to stop herself from running head first into Ava and her Uncle Ethan.

"What the hell?!" Skylar said once she righted herself.

"Sorry hun," Ava said as she passed her by and entered Skylar's house without even waiting for any kind of invitation.

"What are yall doing here?" she asked.

"We need your help?" Ethan said. After recovering from her momentary shock from hearing those words leave Ethan Royce's mouth Skylar asked the only question she could.

"Why me?"

"Look you might not believe me after I say this to you but I need you to focus on your job and solving this case instead of who's involved in it ok?" he asked but didn't wait for her to answer as he continued. "I need you to help us find Brooke because you are the only person who can."

"What?" she asked confused. "Why are you trying to find Brooke?"

"Honey she lied to you, she lied to us all and at this very moment if we don't find her than Aaron just might really be dead but right now he's alive we know it and we need your help so that we can find her because finding her will result in finding him," Ava explained. Before Skylar could even voice her disagreement her front door was kicked open and within it stood Ryder clutching—what she hoped was—a sleeping Larissa.

"What's going on?" he asked as he entered the house eyeing first Ethan then Ava before his eyes rested on hers.

"Who is that?" Ava asked confused Ethan eyes looking as though he wanted to know too. "Skylar...you have a kid?" she asked shocked.

"She's not mines, she's my sisters, it's a story I don't have time to pretend I want to tell," she said as she walked toward Ryder and tried to take Larissa from his arms but he wouldn't budge.

"Again I'll ask what the hell is going on in here?" he asked loud enough for everyone to hear though his eyes never left Skylar's.

"Brooke Fields-Laurence is missing and we think that where ever she is she's with Aaron so in order to find him we need to find her and we need Skylar's help in order to do so," Ava answered out of fear. Ryder looked more clearly at Skylar now before averting his gaze and peering at Ethan and Ava.

"I'll take care of it," he said as his eyes landing once again on Skylar.

"But—" Ava started.

"I said I'll take care of it," he said his eyes set in determination.

"Look Ryder I don't know you well but this is important we need to know now not later," Ethan cut in.

"You're right you don't know me well but when I say I'm gonna do something believe that I. Will. Do. It," he said slowly before nodding his head toward the steps trying to get Skylar to go in that direction. Skylar rolled her eyes but didn't move.

"You've been gone for two whole days with Larissa and didn't bother to call or anything in order to let me know that _she_ was at least alright and safe but now that you're back you expect _me_ to jump at _your_ commands?!" she asked. Ryder actually had the nerve to look shocked at her accusations; it's been at least two whole weeks since their last argument. "I don't care if _you_ don't trust me," she said knowing that it was a lie the moment the words left her lips, "but if you're going to do something with that girl there," she said motioning toward Larissa, "then at least send a fuckin letter or SOMETHING to let me know so _I_ don't have to worry half to death wondering if she's alright," that worry was for both of them actually but she tried to convince herself that it was more for the little girl. " _And_ ," she said turning toward Ethan and Ava who sat silently shocked at her outburst, "You two are going to have to give me more than that to convince me that Brooke is capable of kidnapping and murder or else I'mma be forced to think otherwise. She's my best friend and we've known each other for years so _excuse me_ if I'm having a bit of a hard time believing any of this bull shit!" Skylar tried to get herself under control before continuing—her efforts weren't very futile. "Now," she said eyeing them all. "Who wants to talk first?" she said with a raise of her eyebrow.

"Look Skylar obviously you've been through a lot sweetie and quite frankly I can't lie and say that I know what you're going through but this case isn't just important to you it's important to us all believe it or not—"

"What happened to Naveen?" Skylar asked as she realized for the first time that she's been absent lately.

"Uh," Ava hesitated after Skylar's sudden interruption, "We're not sure she said something about being sick, I guess she just needed a day off you know she doesn't like any of this whisperer stuff."

"Did any of you two know about Naveen's secret involvement with Erin/Hank?" she asked curiously.

"What?!" Ethan asked shocked.

"But..." Ava said stopping after having nothing else to say. "Doesn't she have a husband and a kid?" she asked.

"Did you honestly think that any of those things would stop a person from cheating?" Skylar asked with a humorless laugh. Skylar could see from the corner of her eye Ryder move around her and head for the steps, she tried to convince herself that she didn't care but she stopped herself immediately knowing all too well that she did.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ethan asked at last.

"I don't know maybe she was scared to go to work, I overheard one of her phone calls and she was a bit shaken, I mean she was crying and that is so unlike her. I've never in my life seen that woman cry before."

"It's a possibility," Ava said with a shrug of her shoulder. "I have noticed her avoiding him lately," she added.

"Maybe it's more than that," Skylar mused. "Maybe he's her reason for not liking wisps, think back she wasn't always like this she used to have no problem with them until recently."

"What could he have possibly done to make her not like her own kind?" Ava asked.

"Not sure," Skylar answered honestly.

"Skylar I think you might be on to something, Naveen and Aaron used to be a thing back in college before he got with Karen and then Ciana. I remember because Damon set them up."

"My dad?" Skylar asked.

"Yea," Ethan confirmed.

"Wait," Skylar said remembering something that Erin/Hank had said. "When I first met Erin/Hank one of his first words to me was that he was one of my father's friends, and how he helped him find the love of his life what if Aaron isn't the connection and Naveen is and all of this was just a scam to get closer to me?"

"Hank realizes that you're involved in almost everything and so he has to get involved as well so that he knows first-hand what you know, it makes sense but what about the constant change of appearances and the "killing" of Aaron and things like that?" Ethan asked.

"Erin/Hank who was Richard at the time had accused Aaron for killing his son, what if all of this was just a means to get revenge but his true goal was Naveen?"

"I think you figured it out," Ethan said with a small smile.

"Bu that's not all," Skylar said. "Hank got carried away none of this was supposed to happen. He got caught up in being able to do the things he never got to experience. He's never had a family they died when he was young so he went from one foster home to the next and then he met Aaron's family and apart of him wanted to be a part of it. Then there was the Whisperer of Night, Hank has never been a part of a group before, not at school, not ever so he found interest in the small band of wisps. Then there's the explanation for the book of secrets Hank has never had a friend who wanted to talk to him and share secrets with him and that Book of secrets was the key to that, he tried to get Aaron to trust him enough to want to hand him the book but he never did and so he took matters into his own hands and went after it himself. All of this has become an obsession to him something he felt as though he needed to accomplish and now all he has left to experience is a real relationship which he thought he had with Naveen," she said in a rush of words as all of the pieces started to fall into place.

"Ok so do you think Naveen may be in trouble?" Ava asked.

"No he wouldn't hurt her because he loves her, so the most he might do is stalk her which I think he might have already been doing hence her sudden absence from work and her not returning phone calls. She might just be scared not entirely sure of Erin/Hank's intentions."

"Ok so now that we have figured that out there's still the matter of the missing Aaron and the MIA Brooke Fields-Laurence," Ethan pointed out. Skylar's smile fell at the mention of that. "Come on Skylar you figured Erin/Hank out so I know you can figure this out too you just have to be willing to do so," he said calmly though Skylar knew that this was an urgent matter.

"I wouldn't even know where the hell to start I thought I knew her so well but if I was wrong about this then maybe I don't know her as well as I thought.'

"You know her better than any of us do and I'm already pretty sure you know where she'd go. Think about it, you told me that you know where the wisps are being dumbed correct?"

"Yea, they're being dumped behind restaurants in this area."

"Does that sound like something Brooke would do?" Skylar thought about it though she already knew the answer.

"Yea," she answered reluctantly. "She wouldn't put it somewhere spaced out because I told her once during another case that I had been working on at the time that that was what an investigator would be looking for because it was a typical move to space the bodies out away from where the killings were being done, or where the hostages were being kept."

"And now you know that the wisps were being taken from the same area, correct?"

"Yea but I only think she did that because she doesn't like Ryder," she mused.

"That means that the hostage has to as well be in this area, so where do you think that would be. Think like Brooke," he added. Skylar thought about it. Knowing Brooke she knew that the girl had to have done her homework in order to find Aaron; Skylar refused to believe that she had had Aaron all of this time.

"Thinking like Brooke won't work I have to think Like Erin/Hank he was the one who had hidden Aaron first and knowing Brooke it was less work for her to do so she wouldn't have bothered to move him especially if the location was a good one," she explained.

"Ok so where would Hank have hid Aaron?"

"Does anyone know if the Whisperer of Night tournament sight is still open?" she asked.

"No it closed right when Aaron and Richard had disappeared because the band of wisps no longer had a leader."

"But they would have had a leader," Skylar whispered. "I read an article on Aaron, and because Richard who had "beaten" Aaron in the tournament for the title had gone missing they—as in the refs of the fight—had no choice but to consult Aaron's back up leader."

"Back up leader?" Ava questioned.

"Yes back up leader, every leader has to have a backup leader just in case something happens to them, it's almost like a will," Skylar explained.

"So who was the backup leader?" Ethan asked. Skylar looked toward the stairs and then back toward Ethan and Ava.

"Ryder?" Ethan questioned shocked.

"It was said in one of the interviews of Aaron that Ryder was one of the best fighters Aaron knew, it was Ryder who was supposed to fight some Jordin kid during the tournament but because of family issues Ryder had to back out and Eric, Richard's son had fought the kid instead; that's how he died."

"Damn," Ava breathed out.

"The location of the Whisperer of Night is discreet so that it's not possible for a human to accidentally stumble upon it and if anyone knows where knew location is now it would be Ryder."

"And you're sure that that's where Hank hid Aaron."

"Has to be the place was crowded so Hank couldn't have really carried Aaron's body out of there without being noticed he had to get rid of him right then and there."

"So now what?" Ava asked.

"Now Skylar has to get Ryder to tell her the location," Ethan said.

"Oh well that should be easy," Ava said but Skylar didn't feel as confident.

"I don't know about that," Skylar mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Ethan asked.

"Aren't yall like a couple or something?" Ava asked.

"Or something," Skylar mumbled.

"What? Is it just...you know, like, a friends with benefits type thing?" she asked. Ignoring Ava's comment Skylar looked toward Ethan.

"He's very secretive, seriously, I've known him for about two whole months now and I don't even have his phone number, shit I don't even know where he truly lives. If he so much as thinks that the kind of information he provides will impact him somehow then he won't give it to me."

"So are you saying that it's not even worth trying?" Ethan asked.

"No, I'm not saying that I'm just saying don't get your hopes up," she said before turning toward the stairs and taking them two at a time.

Skylar could hear voices coming from Larissa's room so she went into that direction. She pushed the door open slowly to see Larissa looking up at Ryder who was telling her his story again. Ever since he had told her that first night she had wanted to hear it more and more and every time he added a little more to it as if he was really writing the story.

"Is there a pwincess yet?" Larissa asked. Ryder looked toward the door at Skylar he hadn't taken his eyes off her as he answered Larissa's question.

"Not yet," he whispered to her but Skylar could clearly hear him as if he had whispered it into her ear. "But," he said as he brought his mouth closer to Larissa's ear while his eyes stuck to Skylar's, "someday soon I hope there is one and if there is you'll be the first to know," he whispered. Larissa squealed in excitement and hugged Ryder around his neck but still his eyes refused to leave Skylar's. Skylar looked away from them and toward the hallway to clear her eyes before looking back at them.

"I want Robby to be happy!" she said in her excited voice.

"Robby doesn't seem happy to you?" he asked as he finally averted his eyes toward the little girl.

"No 'cause Bella won't trust him and he's nice to her all the time," she said with a little pout.

"I wouldn't say he's nice to her all of the time, he personally thinks that they argue too much but he knows it's partly his fault. Robby doesn't want to be controlling all of the time but he'd rather have Bella understand that sometimes he can't help it," he said looking back toward Skylar. "Sometimes he gets scared that if he doesn't have at least a little control over her then she'd run all over him and hurt him like the other's did," he whispered, not to Larissa and not to Skylar but it sounded more like he was speaking to himself, as if he was admitting the truth to himself.

"Does Robby still think Bella is a monster?" Larissa's question shocked Skylar, Bella did sound a lot like Bēlua but she didn't want to make that connection.

"Yes, she's still a monster," he answered. Skylar looked from Larissa to Ryder who was still looking at her. His answer hurt her but she knew it shouldn't have, she was just seeing things that weren't really there. "But I like to think she's my monster," he added with a sly smile, Skylar smiled back despite herself but once she caught what she had done she quickly dropped the smile.

"I need to talk to you," she said before Ryder could say anymore.

"Hi Auntie Shky," Larissa said once she noticed her in the door way.

"Hi baby," Skylar said her smile returning to her face as she entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked her.

"Good, Wyder got me a pwesent," she said excitedly as she removed the square shaped pillow from beneath her head and showed it to Skylar. On the pillow so neatly stitched were the words Skylar remembered telling Ryder one night, a saying that her mother used to say to her every time she was sad. Keep smiling because life's such a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about. That had brought a smile to Skylar's face and tears to her eyes. "Why you crying auntie?" Larissa asked as she ran her chubby fingers down Skylar's face in order to wipe her tears.

"A beautiful woman once told me that," Ryder said to Larissa as he smoothed out her hair.

"You mean the pwincess?" Larissa asked excited.

"Yea the princess," Ryder agreed. "I have to talk to your aunt ok?"

"Are you still weaving?" she asked sadly.

"Yea kiddo I am," he said as he kissed the top of her head before getting up and taking Skylar's hand. Skylar dropped the pillow not because she didn't want to take it with her but because she shocked by what he was saying. He's leaving? She questioned to herself in her mind. Ryder walked Skylar toward the hall way and closed Larissa's door quietly.

"You're leaving her?" Skylar asked though what she really wanted to say was: you're leaving me? Ryder didn't answer her question as he led her back to her room and closed her door in the exact same way he closed Larissa's door.

"What is it you want to talk about?" he asked as he turned to face her after letting go of her hand once she was in the room.

"You're leaving her?" Skylar asked again.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about because I don't think it was, now I'm kind of in a hurry so can we hurry this up?" What the hell was wrong with him? He sure as hell wasn't acting like he was in a hurry when he was with Larissa, she said to herself. Skylar sighed and ran her hands threw her blond tangled mess of hair.

"I need your help but seeing as though you're in such a hurry I don't see how you can be much help," she said quietly in a way not trying to raise her voice by showing her anger. Ryder sighed and check his watch before looking back up at her. He did look as if he was in a hurry but she was sure he was just in a hurry to leave like he told Larissa he would.

"Fine I'll spare some time but please make it worth it," he said shaking his head as if he couldn't believe he was actually doing this.

"If you just want to go—"

"Skylar don't do that I just fuckin submitted and agreed to help you so please just take the got damn help before I get a chance to regret it." Skylar was shocked that he did indeed just submit.

"I need to know where the Whisperer of Night is; actually I need to be taken to the location." Ryder looked confused by her request.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sure that that's where Aaron is being held."

"How sure are you?" he questioned.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked shocked.

"Skylar the Whisperer of Night is held where people can't stumble upon it for a reason so I need to know that you're 100% sure that he's there before I break yet another rule for you," he explained.

"What the hell do you mean before you break yet another rule for me?" she asked confused.

"Skylar Please," he said urgently. "Are you or are you not 100% positive, I trust you to be but I need to hear you say it."

"You trust me to be?" she asked with a mirthless laugh.

"Don't start," he growled.

"Yes, I'm 100% sure," she said with a sigh. Ryder said nothing for a while and then he turned toward the door.

"Fine then let's go," he said as he opened the door and headed toward the stairs. He didn't stop once he hit the bottom he just kept walking out the door and toward his car even if he didn't realize that Skylar was not behind him he didn't even attempt to open her door as he slip into the driver's seat and started it up.

"What the hell is with him?" Ava asked once she saw Skylar.

"He's...just in a rush to get there so...he can leave," she said as she turned toward the door and headed for the car. "Are yall coming?" she asked.

"No we'll just follow in my car," Ethan said as he and Ava headed toward the car that was parked a block away from Skylar's house. How the hell hadn't she noticed that? She thought to herself as she slid into the car and buckled up. Skylar didn't bother even trying to hold up a conversation with Ryder as she turned so that she was farthest away from him—that was of course physically possible seeing as though they were in the same car right next to each other—and faced the window. She'd rather see the passing trees and the people she didn't at all know than to see the anger and frustration on his face.

"Skylar," Ryder said.

"Please don't talk," she said not even bothering to look over in his direction. "You seriously don't have to."

"Well how the hell else do you expect me to tell you if you don't want me to talk?" he asked. Skylar could tell that he was serious; there was no humor in his words as he said them. Skylar lifted her head from the no longer cold glass of his side car window and peered out of it.

"This doesn't look like much of anything let alone a place," she said.

"Well it is," he said as he hopped out of the car but went no farther than that. "Listen to my directions and try not to get lost," he said as she hopped out of the car to stand beside him.

"Wait you're not coming with me?" she asked.

"No," he answered simply. "Now it's very simple, go straight threw the tree's don't turn until you see the piece of shirt hanging on one of the lowest branches, its plaid, red. Once you reach that checking point you turn right and again you'll see that shirt so you continue to go straight then again you'll see the shirt and you turn left until you reach a giant bolder and when I tell you that that bolder is giant I mean it, move the bolder you're a whisperer so it shouldn't feel at all heavy to you. Once you move the bolder you'll see a big enough hole that you can slip through once at the bottom of that whole the rest should be easy if you know what you're looking for." Skylar didn't want to complain but how the hell was she supposed to remember all of that? "You're part Espy don't doubt yourself trust me when I say you'll find whatever it is you're looking for," he assured once he saw her hesitation.

"Part Espy?" she questioned.

"Yes, which explains why you can feel certain things a whisperer or normal human wouldn't be able to feel or hear or even see. You must have developed the sense during one of your...binges for power one of your victims must have been one," he explained.

"Is that...a good thing?" she asked.

"What? That you killed an Espy and drained it of its power and stole it for yourself?" he asked. Skylar didn't at all like how he said that. She said nothing as she looked back toward the trees. She could see from the corner of her eye Ethan's car pull to a stop so she made her way toward them while trying to fight back the tears Ryder's words had caused.

"Is this the place?" Ethan asked.

"Yup, supposedly," she answered as Ethan passed her by to check it out himself. Skylar walked along side Ava who stopped not that far away from Ryder's car.

"Aww what's wrong sweaty?" she asked as she noticed the dried up tears on Skylar's face. Skylar ran her hand down her face and tried to smile at Ava while silently cursing her name for drawing the attention of the two boys who were currently deep in conversation.

"Nothing," she said shaking her head, "I'm fine," she assured as she turned back to the men who had stopped talking to look at her.

"Are you sure? You look...I don't know, like you're about to be sick," Ethan said with a concerned look on his face.

"I guess I'm just a little scared of what we'll find," she lied as she again tried to smile. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me." Ethan didn't look convinced but he said nothing as he tried to resume his conversation with Ryder but Ryder was too busy staring at her he as well was obviously not convinced. She didn't know what he was thinking but quite frankly she couldn't bring herself to care either. She was tired of caring for people who no longer cared for her back. "So are we doing this now or later?" she asked as she avoided Ryder's eye.

"I vote now we don't really have time to waste," Ava reminded us.

"Speaking of time I have to go but good luck with all of this," Ryder said motioning toward the bundle of weeds that may or may not involve the answers they've been so desperately searching for. Ryder hopped into his car and without hesitation sped off.

"Unfortunately I wasn't able to get the rest of the directions he seemed a little distracted," Ethan said looking pointedly at her, "so hopefully you remember them."

"I do," she said as she stepped up toward the weeds and led them through it. Like Ryder had said after passing like the sixth tree there was red plaid shirt ripped and tied to one of the branches, with Ryder's directions still fresh in her mind she went left and continued on until she bolder.

"Now what?" Ava asked as Skylar stopped. Skylar walked toward the boulder and prepared herself to lift it but like Ryder said it was surprisingly not at all that heavy. She moved the bolder to the side and looked down the narrow hole. "What the hell are we supposed to do with that?" Ava asked.

"We're supposed to go down it," Skylar answered as she sat on her ass and stuck her legs with in the hole, she was scared that something might come out and pull her legs but she didn't let that fear show as she shimmied her way through the tight spaced hole. "I hope none of you are claustrophobic," she hollered up once she touched ground.

"Aww damn," Skylar heard Ava say before she attempted to slide down the hall. Unlike Skylar where she had a little meat on her bones Ava was all flesh and bones she easily squeezed her way out of the hole. Sadly for Ethan though he was all muscle so it took him a lot longer to squeeze through.

"Alright now what?" Ava asked as everyone stood around in what looked like a fairly lit cave.

"I'm supposed to know where to go from here supposedly but I haven't got a clue honestly," Skylar answered.

"Well seeing as though this section of...whatever the hell this even is, I'm not sure if it's a cave or just a hole beaver the size of a small bear had created, but whatever it is just seems to go one way and that's straight so we're probably supposed to just go straight," Ethan commented. Ethan was right there was only one direction to go and nowhere to turn so they all started straight until they emerged out of what they were now positive was a tunnel. From the looks of it they were now in the middle of a field, there were bleachers all along the field.

"This must be where they watch their fights," Skylar commented.

"There's a door here," Ava said as she walked toward it.

"Is it locked?" Skylar asked.

"No, but it just looks like a locker room."

"All locker rooms have a way in and a way out on both sides so there has to be something else at the end of that locker room," Ethan said and so they all followed him into the locker room to see if his theory was true, and indeed it was. The door wasn't locked which only meant one thing to Skylar.

"Someone must have traveled this way because none of the doors are locked," she said to the other two in front of her. Once they all entered through the door they could hear banging and Ethan and Ava immediately drew their guns, Skylar on the other hand didn't have a gun so she was shit out of luck.

"What the hell was that?" Ava asked.

"Not sure but it came from this direction." Both females followed Ethan at his signal and came across the first door that was locked. Ethan motioned for them to be quiet as he stuck his ear against the door. Skylar looked around the irritatingly all white hall way they were in and noticed that there was another door; she stuck to the wall as she made her way toward it she tested the knob and realized that it was open.

"Guy's" she whispered. They both looked at her in unison. She motioned toward the door and tried to communicate in something resembling sign language that it was open but before she could she was pulled from behind, her head hit the floor hard and she was immediately immersed in blackness as she lost focus.

### Chapter forty-two: Aaron Fields

Carter was still unconscious Aaron noted as he looked around the room. Brooke once again gone and Aaron feared the moment she decided to reappear. He went back to trying to set himself free. His feet were already free and Carter had helped him get one arm free before Brooke had come back for him, she drained him but unlike all of the other's she hadn't drained him entirely, Aaron could tell as much because Carter was still breathing and if she had drained him completely he'd be dead. Though Aaron had one arm free you'd think that would go for his other arm as well but Brooke hadn't tied his arms together which in her on way was a smart ides instead she had tied them to the only things in the so called "room". There were tall poles from floor to ceiling that she had wrapped his arms around and secured him there his feet were the only thing she had tied together. Carter hadn't even been tied back up after she had drained him the first time she left them there looking like one giant heap of clothes in the center of the white marble floor his blood and many other's the only thing staining it. Aaron produced the nail that Carter had taken out of the wall and given to him after he had managed to get himself free and went to work at the last twine holding his left arm hostage.

Aaron could hear voices and wasn't sure what exactly to expect he has never once seen Brooke or even heard Brooke bring any other here but because the blue moon was tomorrow and she had only one day to get the last sacrifice—whatever the hell that meant, he supposed that this time would be different. Aaron worked frantically harder at trying to get his left arm free, he was making progress but not nearly as fast as he'd like. Aaron could hear a loud thump and realized that whoever was here wasn't invited by Brooke. Trying to swallow down his excitement he worked even harder at freeing himself knowing that whoever it was was momentarily distracted.

***

Skylar woke with a head splitting head ache, she literally wanted to rip out all of her hair, stick her hand through her skull and make it STOP! Skylar tried to get to her knees so that she could look around but the moment she managed to get one foot beneath her a well-placed foot pushed her right back down.

"Shit!" she said as her leg was crushed beneath her body. "What the hell," she said as she craned her neck to see Brooke hovering above.

"What the fuck are you doing here Skylar?" she asked.

"Brooke get the hell off of me!" Skylar said as she thrashed beneath Brooke's foot.

"I'm stronger than you Skylar, I'm stronger than you all you can't beat me," she said in a voice that sounded nothing like the Brooke she knew.

"Brooke no one is trying to beat you I'm just trying to get to my fucking feet if you'd just get the hell off of me," Skylar said as she continued to thrash beneath Brooke's foot.

"No going to happen," she said.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" Skylar asked as she gave up on thrashing so she could collect more energy while at the same time keeping Brooke talking.

"You know why?" Brooke said.

"If I knew why I wouldn't have asked the damn question," Skylar said.

"You and everyone else on this shit whole of a planet think you're all better than me," she spat.

"Honey I'm pretty sure not everyone on this so call shit whole of a planet even knows you," Skylar responded.

"Yall think yall are smarter than me to," Brooke said as she applied more pressure to Skylar's back. "Yall though I wouldn't find out," she said adding even more pressure. Skylar's breaths turned into wheezes as she tried to force air through her lungs.

"Wouldn't find out what?" Skylar asked painfully, forcing the words through the pain Brooke was causing.

"You all were probably all laughing at me, thinking look at the little lost girl, so clueless but I'm not so clueless anymore."

"Brooke I really don't see the point of holding a conversation with you if you don't plan on making any kind of sense anytime soon," Skylar said the moment Brooke had eased her foot a bit.

"You especially thought you were smarter and faster than me. Stronger and better than me,' she said with every word adding more and more pressure until Skylar looked like a little smushed bug under Brooke's foot. "You flaunted your perfect little father and your perfect little mother in my face knowing that I would never find out that my father was alive all of this time; knowing that I wouldn't find out that my own mother was a filthy, cheating, slut!" Brooke laughed a humorless laugh. "Then when your father died he was still as perfect as he was alive but when your mother got sick you took away the pleasure of seeing her not so perfect anymore, you banned me from seeing her you denied me access every time I asked but you didn't want me to know that your family wasn't so perfect all along."

"Brooke you're the only one who thought my family was perfect so how is that my fault?" Skylar wheezed.

"It was your fault! Your mother was the only one who was ever nice to me and treated me like someone important and you treated her like SHIT!" That last push from Brooke's foot was hard enough to literally crack Skylar's back in half. Skylar had enough of this shit, she snaked her arm behind her back and wrapped her fingers around Brooke's ankle, she could feel Brooke's hand before it had actually touched her and she pulled her foot with all of the strength she had until Brooke was lying beside her on the ground. Skylar sucked in a lung full of much needed breath before struggling to get to her feet.

"My mother never liked you she only felt bad for you, you should hear the things she says about you when you're not around," Skylar said as she kicked Brooke in the side.

"I CAN'T believe you, you were supposed to be my best friend," she said as she tried to crawl away from Skylar's foot.

"YOU CAN'T BELIEVE ME?!" Skyla asked shocked. "Brooke you kidnapped and killed your own fucking kind and for what because you were made that my family wasn't perfect that makes no got damn sense." Skylar spit the words as she watched Brooke get to her feet.

"I don't care about your perfect little family it's not even about that," she said back as she charged at her. Skylar easily side stepped her and closed lined her making her fall to the floor on her back.

"Then what the hell is it about?" Skylar asked as she moved out of Brooke's reach.

"You were so ungrateful, you had a family that loved you and you treated them like shit."

"You're no better; you still have a fuckin mother. So what people leave get over it people leave me every fuckin day as a matter a fact I couldn't even get my father's attention most of the time it was like he had already died before he actually did! It was all about work to him I mines well have been better off without a father and my mother..." Skylar stopped knowing that her mother did nothing to her, her mother was always trying to help Skylar but Skylar never let her she never wanted her she wanted her father and so she mistreated her mother and she knew it was too let for apologies but yet she gave them anyways hoping that her mother would forgive, and Skylar hated the fact that she waited until her mother died to realize how much she actually loved her and needed her.

"I rather have had my father physically around then not have him at all but no he chose another family over me! And you were the one always complaining over your life and your perfect parents, always looking for some kind of sympathy!" she said as she charged once again toward Skylar catching her off guard and knocking her to the ground. Skylar tried to push Brooke off of her but Brooke was relentless, she threw punches but only about two of them landed before Skylar flung her off of her and into midair before she smacked the floor with a heavy bang.

"Well I guess you'll be happy to know that I no longer have a parent who cares about me or who is even around to do so and neither do you," Skylar growled as she watched Brooke struggle to get to her feet. "Sympathy wasn't what I was looking for I was looking for a friend who I thought would understand."

"Oh I understand you were hand delivered everything you were so fuckin spoiled you never saw the effort people had put in for you I always wondered how you could be so dumb!" she said as she wiped the trickle of blood from the side of her mouth.

"Brooke this has nothing to do with me or your misplaced jealousy this is about Aaron and the fact that he abandoned you and not your mother. Of course the knowledge of that hurt you but you refused to show it because you wanted to portray yourself as the strong one when all along you were hurting even more than I was. But what I don't get is what did you think you would get out of torturing and kidnapping your own father? Are you forcing him to be with you because that's no better than him abandoning you because either way he.does.not.want.you," she said slowly. "No matter what you do he will never want you." Brooke didn't even bother charging at her instead she pulled a gun from behind her back and pointed it at Skylar. Skylar could not deny her shock.

"You stupid bitch!" Brooke said as she eyed Skylar through her thick haze of anger. "Do you know what I was doing down here all of this time?" she asked. "I wasn't torturing my "father" I'll tell you that instead I was taking the one thing he loved more than anyone—his precious title. He will be free by tomorrow I have given him countless chances to make a decision before then to stay with me or to go back to them," she said the word them as if it disgusted her. "If he chose them then his precious title would then belong to me and he could fight me for it if he so chooses to be I guarantee he won't win. See I've been busy and by tomorrow during the blue moon I will be the strongest Whisperer as of late and I will make it my personal mission to destroy who ever I deem unworthy—that means you,' she added as if it weren't already clear.

"What if something happens to you before then?" Skylar asked as she watched Aaron approach from the shadows to stand directly behind Brooke.

"Nothing will happen to me so don't hold your breath waiting for something."

"What if your very own father decided to kill you before tomorrow?"

"Impossible he's—"

"Right behind you," he cut her off. Brooke was beyond shocked as she turned to face a very pissed Aaron. Skylar took her chance at that moment to charge at Brooke. She got the girl on the ground and stomped on her armed hand until the gun slipped loose. She bent down and retrieved the gun before backing up.

"It's only fair," she said shrugging her shoulders. "Your father's not armed and so you shouldn't be either," she explained. "So if you want to fight him now's your chance."

"I'm not going to fight you Brooke," Aaron said as he watched Brooke get to her feet and take her stance.

"And why the hell not don't pretend you care about me now I won't believe you," she said as she cried silently out of fear. Skylar could smell Brooke's fear it was suffocating strong.

"I'm not going to pretend anything," her father said. "First of though I want it to be known that I never abandoned you, I lost you in a custody fight it was not my choice to leave you and second I want to say that it wasn't your mother's fault either we were kids and she didn't want me to have you she wanted you all to herself or not at all and I wasn't about to let that happen," he explained.

Skylar could see Ethan and Ava behind Aaron and so Skylar maneuvered away from the two and walked toward her aunt and uncle. "Where the hell have you two been? Y'all smell like...bleach and chloroform."

"Well that would be because we were locked into a cleaning closet," Ava answered.

"We tried our hardest to get here but not even a whisperer can escape a locked room," Ethan said. "Is everything fine with you?"

"Yup, just a couple of bruises but they'll heal," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Ready to make the arrest?" Ava asked Ethan.

"As ready as you are," he said as he walked toward the no longer discussing pair. Brooke was in tears hugging her father as Ethan came up behind her and placed her hands behind her back.

"Wow, I don't even want to know what went down here," Ava commented.

"Nothing like every other ending there was a waste of time filled with pointless talking and then a fight that honestly didn't have to go down then heart felt reunion ending in as you can see an arrest," Skylar said summing up everything that Ava had missed.

"Shit our cases really need to end differently," Ava said as she turned to leave the little cave they were in.

"Amen to that," Skylar mumbled.

### Chapter forty-three: Skylar Royce

It's only been four days since the case had ended, four days since Larissa had left to spend the day with her mother and four day's since Skylar last seen Ryder but it felt like forever. Skylar was a bit hesitant in letting Larissa out of her sight, she had grown close to the girl but Larissa was constantly sad that Ryder had left, Skylar could tell. Then came the questions about Larissa's mother, she hasn't asked about her mother since she's been here but now it was nonstop questions about her mother's whereabouts so Skylar decided to take her to see her mother. Melissa had come by in tears when she had seen her daughter and they left to spend the week together.

Now that the case was over Skylar truly didn't know what to do with herself. She paced constantly, slept occasionally and though she wasn't much of a TV person she forced herself to sit through at least two movies. During the fourth day she spent all day by herself, she started to get a little use to being alone, the only visitor she had within those four days was Sidney who had come looking for Ryder and had thanked her for finding her dad.

Skylar had thrown herself into a temporary summer job at a thrift shop, her boss was nice though she rarely ever saw him around during the job hours only after when it was about time for her to go home, but she felt as though she was gradually getting her life back. So of course you could only imagine her shock and surprise one day after work when she saw Ryder outside of her house, sitting on her porch stairs. She had to repeatedly tell herself that she wouldn't cry but just as she stood right in front of him the tears came. Ryder took his time getting up; he looked hesitant or almost worried as he walked toward her.

"What's wrong?" he asked once he stood only inches away from her. Skylar had had a whole sorry speech mesmerized but she couldn't remember it for the life of her so instead she said the first thing that came to mind.

"I missed you so got damn much it hurt, I was afraid that after you said that you were leaving that you weren't coming back that scarred me because I'm so used to you you know? You've helped me through everything and I've been nothing but a bitch to you." He said nothing as she spewed on. "I am so damn sorry I don't even give a fuck if you don't trust me just don't ever leave—" but before she could finish her sentence Ryder pulled her into the folds of his arms and kissed her like he meant. He gave his all to her, there was so much emotion in that one simple kiss. Skylar didn't hesitate to open up to him, she's been waiting for this and now that the opportunity arouse she wasn't about to let it pass her up.

"I missed you too," he whispered against her lips before nipping her bottom lip and teasingly capturing it between his teeth. "You don't have to apologize, in some fucked up way I get it and I'mma tell you what I should have shown you a long ass time ago. I trust you Skylar, I trust you more than I've trusted anyone, any woman, I've trust you even more than I trust myself at times and my intentions weren't to make you feel otherwise. I didn't think where I lived or even my phone number was important to give to you because well let's be honest I spend most of my time with you anyways," he said with a gentle smile. "But I didn't give them to you because—"

"I don't care anymore, seriously," she said cutting him off.

"Don't do that I'm trying to explain myself so please just shut up and listen," he said making her smile slightly at his minor out-burst. "I didn't give you any of those things because they were important to me, my mother is the only one with the exception of her care taker Loretta who ever calls me on that number or any number and you have been to my house you just hadn't realized it, and I don't invite people over because my mother is staying there and I am very protective toward her so I take visitations seriously but you...the way you were toward my mother was what truly mattered to me and you more than passed, you passed with flying fuckin' colors baby," he said flashing her a genuine smile. Skylar threw herself back into Ryder's arms and kissed him until she felt as though if she didn't stop soon she'd die of lack of oxygen.

"Damn," she breathed. "I feel like I waited my whole entire life for that," she said as he sat her back down on her feet.

"You ready to go in the house?" he asked.

"Should I not be," she said as she grabbed his hand, unlocked the front door and let him inside. Ryder walked her to the couch but before he could pull her to him she stopped him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I want to see it," she whispered as she looked toward her mother's door.

"Now?" he asked sounding a bit unsure.

"Yea, now," she said as she chewed on her bottom lip. They walked toward her mother's door hand in hand and propped it open slowly. Skylar hadn't been in her mother's room since Ryder had last seen her mother so she didn't know what to expect, but what she saw once she opened the door had her dropping tears immediately.

Skylar's mother's room wasn't really her mother's room anymore it was more. It wasn't just a place for her mother anymore it was a place for Skylar as well. There were pictures of her mother everywhere and there were even some of her father. There were these beautiful water candles, the ones that didn't need to be lit with fire, they gave the room a heavenly blue-ish glow.

"I can believe you fuckin did this," she said as she walked farther into the room. There were pillows filling up the entire space of what used to be her mother's bed. The pillows looked a lot like the one Ryder had given to Larissa; they were lined up so neatly on the bed with little thoughtful messages on them. Through Skylar's blurry eyed teary vision she turned toward the wall on her left to see a little doggy bed in one section where Angelo sat taking his morning nap, on the opposite wall were words draped in the most beautiful hand writing.

This isn't goodbye

Love taught me to die with dignity;

Though there's no flesh my spirit remains in the vicinity.

The first night I held you in my arms I knew I was in love,

Just like a diamond I couldn't help but stand in awe of.

But you grew to steer clear of all feeling,

You're not at fault this was your way of healing.

You've been through so much and yet you're still dealing

But you've never been one for surrender or yielding.

My world you've purified,

Know that I've always stood by,

Though you ask why,

I know I could lie.

Though I stood high,

I always knew you could fly.

You're my joy and my pride,

I may not be there by your side,

But this will never be good bye.

Skylar didn't recognize the poem as her own; she turned a curious gaze toward Ryder.

"Though she hasn't shown herself to you yet for reason I don't even know I thought it would be a good idea if she at least contributed to the room that was her's, so that you'd always know that she was around," he said answering the question she never voiced out loud.

"You're too fuckin much, I can't believe after everything we've been through that you'd still fuckin' do something like this for me. I can't fuckin thank you saying the words just don't seem like e-fuckin'-nough," she said through her tear stripped voice.

"You're so fuckin' welcome," he said making fun of her use of the word fuckin' in her every sentence. "Where's Larissa?" he asked as they left her mother's room.

"She went to stay the week with her mother," she said.

"So we have the house to ourselves?" he asked with a mischievous grin on his handsome face. He began to walk toward her and she had this sudden urge to run so...she did. Skylar turned toward the stairs and only got up about 5 before a big hand came around her waist and pulled her up into the air and over a very broad shoulder.

"You could have at least given me a head start," she complained as she lay dangled in his arms.

"I did, trust me if I hadn't you wouldn't have even made it to the first step," he said as he trudged up the remaining stairs and to her room throwing her on the bed without mercy. A little squeal left Skylar's lips as she scooted toward the top of the bed. She watched mesmerized as Ryder stripped in front of her without hesitation. "Would you like me to do the honors?" he asked gesturing to her clothes.

"No, I can do it myself," she said as she got to her feet and with clear nervousness began to strip away her clothes. Skylar felt a bit self-conscious as she stripped in front of Ryder but she tried her hardest not to show it--she wasn't entirely sure that her efforts had come across though. When she was fully naked she looked up at Ryder who was giving her overly exposed body a once over.

"You're gorgeous, seriously. A-fuckin-mazing" he said as he walked toward her.

Thanks," she said awkwardly as she fought the urge to back up.

"You seem a bit self-conscious," he teased.

"Nervous I'll admit but self-conscious no," she said shaking her head.

"Why so nervous?" he asked as he teasingly approached her with predatory steps, wrapping his hands around her tiny waist. "This isn't your first time is it?" he asked as his hands began to roam over her overly sensitive body.

"No it's not," she said shaking her head slightly taking in deep breaths to keep from pouncing on him, "but I wouldn't exactly say that I'm all that experienced either," she admitted sucking in a lung full of air as his hands ghosted over her breast.

"I see no problem with that I've been told I'm an excellent teacher," he said as he pushed her to the bed, immediately capturing her lips in a demanding kiss. Skylar opened her mind and body to him overwhelmed by all of the things he was having her feel all at once. The way Ryder thrust his tongue in and out of her mouth rhythmically sent an erotic tremor through her body. Ryder's mouth left hers and Skylar gasped as his lips pressed behind her ear and went to travel farther and farther down her body. He left no place untouched Ryder spread her legs gently and settled himself between them. He looked back up at her and paused only for a moment before ever so slowly pushing himself ever so gently inside.

They made love two times that night before finally drifting off to sleep. When they woke the next morning, they were both immersed with the ray of lights streaming in through the curtains. Skylar woke to find Ryder already awake and looking down at her.

"Morning," he whispered.

"G'morning," she said as she turned in his arms to face him. "How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"Don't know maybe about half an hour now," he said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"So you've been watching me sleep for half an hour?" she asked.

"Don't get carried away now it was only for like maybe 20 minutes," he answered with a goofy smile.

"Because that's so much better," she said sarcastically.

"I could wake up beside you every fucking night of my life," he whispered as he ran his hand up and down her back.

"What happened to the egotistical, controlling bastard I'm so used to speaking to you sound nothing like him," she joked as tried not to get overwhelmed by his words.

"He's still there trust me I just thought I'd be more approachable to you if I was honest."

"So what? Everything else you say to me is when you're not being honest?" she asked.

"No everything I say to you is 100% true but I rarely ever tell you how exactly I feel about you."

She said nothing though the question she wanted to ask was how exactly he felt about her but she didn't really want the answer she wanted nothing to ruin this moment. "I want to take you to dinner," he announced.

"Now?" she asked unsure.

"Yea, I want to take you now," he said as he sat up in bed.

"Umm ok," she said as she sat up too. "Do you have a place in mind?" she asked as she held the sheet up to cover her naked body.

"Yes," he said slowly as he pried the sheet away revealing her naked body to his hungry eyes. Skylar made no attempt to take the sheet back as she got out of the bed and headed toward her private bathroom for a shower. Skylar was nervous about this relationship with Ryder she's not use to being this way with him and it all seemed a bit sudden but a part of her really liked it, but the thought of going to sleep and waking up beside him was just too much to process it seemed a little fast but it wasn't like they were stranger's to each other they've known each other for about two months and a half now and they've pretty much been through it all together.

After her shower she wrapped herself in a towel and reentered the bed room, Ryder was once again dressed and he was waiting there, sitting on the edge of her bed. She grabbed panties and a bra for some odd reason not feeling as nervous as she should to be getting dressed in front of him. She sat down in her vanity chair to blow dry her hair as she watched Ryder in the mirror of the vanity. A lot of thoughts roaming through her mind but not entirely sure what to do about them. She liked Ryder no doubt about it she'd even go as far as to say that she might even be in love with him but she didn't think he at all felt the same and again he might be thinking the same as her that this was all a bit too fast.

"What are you thinking about?" Ryder asked.

"Too much to process right now," she answered before even thinking about it. She returned her attention back to getting her hair straight and dry before putting down her blow drier and going to her closet to look for a dress. "You plan on telling me where we're going?' she asked as she pulled out a navy blue dress with a very high neckline with several cutouts revealing a bit of cleavage.

"What better place to take you to than Mrs. Delarosa's cafe I mean that was our first official date," he said as he watched her. Skylar turned back to her vanity for some accessories and noticed a box that hadn't been there before.

"What's this?" she asked picking up the box and opening it up. Skylar almost immediately dropped the box once she saw that expensive ring that looked back up at her. She turned toward Ryder slowly. "Ryder?" she said knowing that the question she wasn't saying was easy to know without her voicing it.

"I don't want to waste time being your boyfriend just to find out what I already know," he said confirming her suspicions of what the ring stood for. She looked back down at the sparkling diamond in her hands.

"What do you already know?" she asked.

"I know that I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." Skylar's throat threatened to close up with the amount of emotions running through her.

"So this dinner was just a ploy so that you could propose to me?"

"No the dinner is the celebration."

"But what if I said no?"

"You won't," he said confidently as he got up to stand in front of her.

"But what if I did?" she said looking up at him not knowing whether or not she was serious or not. Ryder didn't seem at all like the commitment type so yes it was efficient to say that she was a bit taken back.

"You wouldn't."

"What makes you so sure?" she asked cocking her head to the side.

"Why are you so reluctant?" he asked instead of answering her question.

"Because I take this seriously and I don't want to waste my time on something that won't last; I don't want to get hurt," she added softly.

"I won't hurt you, you've pretty much seen me at my worst and I had plenty of opportunities to hurt you but I never did," he reminded her as if that statement was supposed to comfort her someone.

"I'm not just talking about physical hurt Ryder; I'm talking mental and emotional as well." Ryder stopped for a minute and said nothing; he looked down at the ring in her hand at then back to her face.

"I know what my father did and most people say I'm just like him but one thing I'd never do is intentionally hurt a woman in any way I've seen what it has done to my mother," he said in a very serious tone as unshed tears sparkled in his eyes.

"I believe you,' she whispered, "but are you sure about this? Are you sure you don't want to wait a little longer; get to know me or something?"

"No," he said simply. "I already feel as though we've been married this whole time."

"I do think we might fight a little too much," she said with a short laugh.

"I love fighting with you and if it ever comes down to it I'll fight for you too," he said wrapping her up in his arms.

"I'll admit I like fighting with you too," she said as she giggled into his chest.

"I don't just make these kinds of decisions on a whim, a lot of thought goes into it and a lot of thought went into this and I'm sure I want to marry you," he whispered against her head.

"What about Larissa?" she asked.

"I love that little girl and so whatever your decision is concerning her is fine with me."

"Really?" she asked as she looked up at him shocked.

Really," he whispered. "I love you Skylar," he said and she could literally feel the emotions behind his words.

"I love you too Ryder," she whispered as tears jumped to her eyes. Ryder pried the ring box from her fingers and removed the ring from its box; he pocketed the box and knelt down on one knee holding the ring out so that she could see it.

"Will you marry me? He asked as his eyes pleaded with hers. Skylar nodded her head frantically as the tears continued to flow down her face.

"Yes," she said as she watched him get to his feet. She didn't wait for him to steady himself before jumping into his arms.

"Shit, you could have waited until I at least put the ring on you," he said causing her to laugh and pull away while she held out her hand for him to place the ring on her ring finger. "Now you can jump into my arms," he said with a smile and she did, he caught her and gave her one of the most heartfelt kisses she'd ever received in her life. "Can we just skip the wedding and get straight to the honeymoon sex?"

### The End*

Thank you for reading PURPOSE; I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Poems from this author is their personal work if you want to use any of them please ask the author first, if you are caught using any of these poems without the authors permission that is considered stealing and precautions will have to be followed. Below is a list of the Author's poems from their personal collection. If you want to request that this Author write you a poem especially for you or your novel then email the author here at keyakeya436@gmail.com and send her a special request at no cost to you.

Author's Poems:

Indifference

If I knew now what I suspected then, I'd like to think I would've done things differently.

If I knew then what I know now then I would have known there's no difference between indifferently

You're everything I never knew I wanted

I closed my mouth, opened my mind, and let my heart speak for a chance.

I've come to regret everything I ever wanted in exchange for everything I had.

Our love isn't a fact but we have faith in it. Our love isn't as true as we believe it is but there's truth to it.

When I let my mind run it goes to you instead of keep runnin,

But that's because you're everything I never knew I wanted.

Deceit

You've concealed the meaning of truth;

Misinterpreting the meaning of you,

Refuses the sky's not blue,

Rebooting the outlook on youth.

You've refused the chance to review,

The world in a different room,

The chance to come to,

The door of your break through.

You've managed to turn old into new.

To deceive the ones closest to you and now you've refused to subdue;

To defeat and vanquish all that is true.

In the name of...?

Whatever it is you do.

Rebirth

You tried to overcome the whip, thrash, switch of all the bestowed lashes.

You died inside yet I was what you needed in order for you to rise above your ashes.

I gave you hope to take with you, nothing remains as it once was,

Where once you were no more below as you were once above.

Where before there was dark, I introduced you to light,

Where once you were grounded I introduced you to flight.

Where before there was fortune I introduced you to fame,

Once you had pride but now there's just shame.

I've brought you back from the colorless world of despair

I introduced you to life, your rebirth I've repaired.

How will you thank me for all that I have done?

You can give me no more than I've already won.

This isn't goodbye

Love taught me to die with dignity;

Though there's no flesh my spirit remains in the vicinity.

The first night I held you in my arms I knew I was in love,

Just like a diamond I couldn't help but stand in awe of.

But you grew to steer clear of all feeling,

You're not at fault this was your way of healing.

You've been through so much and yet you're still dealing

But you've never been one for surrender or yielding.

My world you've purified,

Know that I've always stood by,

Though you ask why,

I know I could lie.

Though I stood high,

I always knew you could fly.

You're my joy and my pride,

I may not be there by your side,

But this will never be good bye.

The Whisperer of Night

The wind wandered aimlessly,

Caressing my mind blatantly.

It whispered right before my eyes,

Revealing to me the storms of Life.

I hear sorrow laughing in your ear,

I can't visualize you but I know you're there.

The whisperer of Night calls to my fear,

It whispers against my skin and travels through air.

It carried me through wind, riding the waves of life,

Blowing in the separate threads that take no man a flight.

The Whisperer flickers through the dance of light,

Calling to me: The whisperer of night.

The Monster

With-in me live the two sides of one coin.

The angle I led other's to believe I am, and the monster I decoyed.

Never too noticeable in stone the hold it has on my soul;

Burns and Chars the surface, the monster with in claws and sears my bones,

Not even to leave me with the odds and ends of control.

A thick mind drought brought a respite from the optimism of my thoughts.

The Monster's hold withers and slithers with-in the deep recesses of this body of mine that rots.

It controls the actions of my body making them some-how tamer

And occupies my most inner thoughts, turning them into thoughts of a stranger.

My very own thoughts, words, and actions I'm having to wrestle;

Beyond the bounds of ordinary repercussions of the war going on in my own vessel.

Never once feeling repent toward my lack of control played out by The Monster's hand, it

Feels as though the restraints on my mind prevent me from being candid.

Just when I think I'm free to do, over me the monster towers,

The monster being free verses the decay of my own will power.

What will it be?

I was the one you abandoned

I was the one you took for granted,

The one you couldn't stand. It

Hurt—to be disowned, to be let go of,

To know that there is no love—left for me

You desired better and I wasn't it.

As I sat and watched you leave you didn't give a shit

But who was I to stop you; to prevent you from moving on to new—and better things?

Things that no longer involved me.

I was no one but now to your very own freedom I hold the key.

So what will it be?

The secret you never wanted any parts of?

Or the life you favored over me and everyone else above?

What will you choose?

For the first time I'm leaving the choice up to you,

So choose wisely.

Now, what will it be?

Unanswered

You played with fire, so why didn't you burn?

You were always the controller, so whens my turn?

You've made so many mistakes so when will you learn?

Karma seems to be your repellant because you deserve nothing you've earned.

PURPSE

Purpose, the reason for which you exist the reason for your creation;

The reason for which you consist of elation and jubilation.

I motivated the next breath you've taken,

The steps you've lost but the choices you've maken.

Purpose for the ones without one.

Purpose for the ones who've outdone,

Who've gone beyond range and limits,

Who've set goals and vanquish ambitions.

Purpose for those who deserve it,

Purpose for those who've earned it.

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