Castouts (Accepting new characters)

*Steven drives around for about 30 minutes, while Kyle sits in the back silently but searching for Chris and Xander, finally Steven decides to break the silence* I don't get how far could they get on foot? She's not in the neighborhood so do either of you have any idea where to look for her? Kyle? You got any ideals? *Kyle still not talking to Steven but he does stick his tongue out at him.* Ok Kat what about you any clue where I should look. *Steven pulls over to the side and waits for an answer, he was so concern with everything he failed to notice the two men walking up the street in front of them, both dressed in Marine Casual with armbands on their left arm with the big white capital letters MP on them. Only when they're about to pass does Steven notice them and in a panic reaches for Kat and pulls her to him and kisses her until the two men pass. At first he did it just to hide his face from the two men but long after they'd passed Steven found himself still kissing her. Kyle's jaw drops at the sight of this and starts kicking the seat from behind.*


Kyle: Hey hey stop that..Hello we're suppose to be looking for Chris and Xander not playing kissy face HEY ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? So gross yuck!


*Steven does stop kissing Kat after he realizes he did it without her permission.*


Steven: Crap, Kat I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you do that, it's just I saw those men and I needed to hide and then before I knew it I was kind of enjoying it..I'm so so sorry.
 
Max smiled at Abi but shook his head. He thought of the place Chris was living in now. An abandoned hotel was what she called home. With peeling paint and walls barely standing the test of time, it was hardly a palace. And the clothes she was wearing were hardly an elaborate ball gown. "Sorry there Abi. I'm afraid neither of us are royalty. Though I guess Chris could be Cinderella. Though she doesn't have any wicked stepsisters. She had a sister but Kat doesn't seem wicked, does she?"





Still, he had to admit, she was pretty. All three of the girls were, in their own way. Terabithia had an innocent cuteness to her that made others want to protect her from the world. The sort of beauty you found in a newborn which seems to warm your very core.


Shira was the sort of pretty you found in a porcelain doll. A cold type of beauty that was to be admired but not touched. Made sense. From what he experienced the other day, it seemed like she could give you frostbite if you directly touched her.


Then there was Chris. Her attractiveness had a hint of frailty to it. Like she could disappear at any moment. The scars framing her eyes reminded him more of a masquerade mask than a set of scars. He couldn't help but wonder what she had looked like before the fire. A shame he couldn't see it. Not hearing an answer from Chris when he had asked her if she wanted anything, he ordered her a water. She was probably a bit dehydrated from the running.


"So, are you going to tell me why you were running? Was there someone chasing you?"
 
The last thing Katarina had been expecting was for Steven to grab her like that...at first she thought he would shake her or push her, but when he began to kiss her, her confusion quickly gave way to a feeling of warmth and pleasure. She returned his kiss, her hand slow, tentatively moving to his left cheek, and didn't hear Kyle's disgusted interruption at first. Then, turning towards him, blushing, she shrugged.


"We're going to, Kyle, chill out...sometimes you just need a break. That's all."


She had heard him say that he needed to hide, however, and she swiveled her head to look out the window closely, searching for the aforementioned people with some concern. It was hard to be too concerned, though, when she felt like she was glowing.


"What men...who are they?"
 
Chris blushed when Terabithia asked if she was Max's princess. Why would she ask that? Chris certainly didn't live like a princess, although the young girl couldn't have known that, nor was she princess-like in her appearance. Though Max's comment about her being Cinderella did bring a small, sad smile to her face. If only that was the case. Chris was never one to rely on people, but she wouldn't mind being "saved" from her current life. But she wanted it for her entire family.


But the thing that made Chris blush the most was that Terabithia was referring to them as if they were together. Max made no comment on it, but Chris was embarrassed. As if Max would be her prince. No one would be that for her and Max was certainly never want her either.


"I'm no princess. Max just did a very kind thing for me last night, that's all." She turned in Max's direction, smiling wider and with more warmth. "So I am glad to have run into you again." Chris then shrugged, not sure if she actually wanted to admit to why she had run.


"No one was chasing me," she said, wanting to get that out of the way. "I just... Sometimes I just need to get away from my family."


----


Jillian could see this was swirling out of control. He had to do something before Julian either woke up the other two or ran out of the shelter. Even if he did believe him, even if it was true... Jillian just couldn't force him to go. Not right now.


"Julian..." Jillian paused, trying to think of the best thing to say. "Don't go. Not right now at least. Wait until later and if you still want to leave, then you can go. I won't stop you if it's what you want, but I won't force you to go either. No...no matter what the truth is."


Jillian wanted to know the truth as well. He didn't want to learn that Julian was telling the truth, that he murdered someone, but he wasn't going to let it go now that he had been told. In his own way, Jillian desired to help Julian out. He moved towards him and hugged him, awkwardly, before retreating to his own bed. He didn't go to sleep and watched Julian to see what the boy would do.
 
In truth, the day was nice. The sun was bright and shining, the city was bustling and busy, everyone with something to do and somewhere to be. In Cherish's eyes, however, the world was a shade of a colorless film and the sky a wallpaper of dull grey. A chill wind pickpocketed her spirits and ruined her day, howling through her ears and spiking her bare skin. The atmosphere was cold and sterile in her mind as she shifted her weight to the fading red brick building behind her, holding her arms across each other. It was unmistakeable; the world around Cherish was fading away with every detail. Time had taken on a new speed devouring the hours since she left. It was always like that. Cherish watched the rushing blur of city life as she picked herself up, stuffing her bare hands in the pockets of her jacket and walked on. Her head was low but her gaze was constantly moving around, taking in her surroundings.


Cherish walked swiftly and with purpose, moving out of the way of passerby without touching them, staying as small and not noticable as possible. She pulled her hood over her face, shielding herself from the public eye. A large red sign caught her eye, a familliar sight. She allowed the wind to blow back her hood, revealing a mess of brown waves escaping from it's loose elastic. Not bothering to reach behind her, perhaps catch the small black band and seal it inside her pocket, she instead walked into the diner. A scent of freshly baked bread and the spice of steamy tomato sauce surrounded Cherish, filling her with the energy to work. She exchanged casual greetings with her co-workers, hugged her friend Livvy (the first person she met after leaving home), and hurried off to the bathroom with her uniform. She had already slipped off her shoes, and her bare toes on the cold white tiles immediately froze. Quickly, she yelped and tiptoe-hopped to the nearest stall. Slipping off her day clothes, she felt the fabric cool on her skin for a moment before removing it. Cherish had just bought the clothes and was reluctant to take them off. Her old clothes are dirty, worn and damaged. Though she still wore them, she had no choice. She had few things - a few twenties rolled up and stuck in the battery case of a yellow flashlight, a small pile of clothes and a brush. At times, she rented out a room for a night or two so she can shower and sleep in a bed, but most of the time her money is tight; she sleeps over co-workers houses, when desperate in street corners.


Exiting the stall, she took a quick glance in the mirror. Running a hand through her hair, it felt greasy and flat. Cherish did her best to fluff it up again but she had not showered in several days and it had lost it's bounce and fullness. Deafeated, the hair was pulled back in a low ponytail.


"Hey Olivia, I'm ready to take over." Cherish called out, tying on her apron as she walked towards the kitchen. Livvy passed her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as she passed.


The kitchen was hectic and crazy with noises of chatter and pots and pans clanging together. Orders had been shouted out, people filed in and out like army ants and the heat was unreal. She always felt lost in this room, too big for her smallness. A small slip of paper rested limply off the side of a tray which was filled with steaming food. As always, Cherish read the paper and brought the correct food to each table, asked the appropriate questions and wrote what was to be written.


Hours later, a small dark-haired woman assumed her shift, and so she smiled greatfully and left in her tired and worn state. She thought about calling Olivia asking for a night over, but she stomach growled as she gripped the twenty dollar bill in her pocket. This is for food, for the whole day. If I spend it here, I won't have enough for dinner tonight. Cherish made a face of discontent. She glanced at the clock above her head, telling her it was almost three o' clock. She could not change here, so she grabbed her blue bag from under the counter and pushed through the doors.


Sunlight blurred her vision though the unmatching cold breeze startled her. As her jacket slipped on over her clothes, she noticed, an awful lot of people were walking beside the busy streets at this hour. Every one of them gave her a fright. She skirted them when she could, pulling her hood low over her face, happy to be small. At once, she slipped her body into an alleyway, which seemed to end abruptly with a large rusted metal fence. She turned back to leave but the rush of people left her stranded in the small space between the crowd and gate. For a moment she was taken back by the herd of people, but instead of trying to charge into them hoping for a space, she lined herself directly against the wall behind her and sat down, feeling the cool, rough pavement as she watched the passerby go about their lives.
 
Raekel was not expecting to see the girl from yesterday pass by her. She watched Liselle as she walked, nonchalantly puffing on her cigarette, leaving against a fence. She wondered if she should do anything to Liselle. She had gotten away mostly unscathed from their encounter. Soda on her shirt. Poor girl. Raekel decided that she wasn't going to just let her walk by her after all.


As Liselle started running past her, Raekel reached out to stop the girl. As she did she saw someone - the girl from yesterday? - running out of the house she had gone into yesterday. As she held onto Liselle, she watched the girl walk down the street. Quickly looking to the house, she moved after the girl, wanting to talk to her. She had to know if the girl was in the same thing she had been in.


"Follow me," she told Liselle, though why she wasn't sure. She didn't look to see if Liselle would do as she said, instead trying to catch up to Hailey.


"Hey you!"
 
Jillian wouldn't make him go...no matter what? Even if she knew everything he had done, every detail...could she really mean that? Julian didn't deserve her. Julian had no right to a girl who was that accepting, that genuinely nice. Not even as a friend.


But he had no time to back away, to try again to force Jillian to reject him. Because the girl was hugging him, briefly but genuinely, and it was all Julian could manage to breathe. He could feel her arms around him, her skin warm against his own, he could SMELL her...and there was a strangely masculine scent to her, a scent that would puzzle him if he really thought about it. But for now, as usual, he didn't dare to look at Jillian too closely to see what she herself was not readily owning up to.


He is not quite crying anymore, but still struggling against strong emotion as Jillian withdraws and returns to her own bed, and Julian can feel her watching him. He takes in several deep breaths, then slowly lies down, closing his eyes, though he is not asleep.


She still wants him here.


**


When her shift finishes, Rikarah is still thinking deeply about what she had discovered of the little girl, Lei, and her father. She prepares the leftovers she had promised to bring to the others, putting them in styrofoam boxes as she thinks to herself. Tonight, she vows, she will find Calico. This time she will be prepared. The last thing needed is for that little girl to find her father and discover his true self.


As she walks back to the theater, food in hand, she is already thinking of all the possible locations he might be found at this night.
 
(Just a heads up, I'm going to be moving on Thursday and I have no idea when I'll be able to get a good home connection. I'll try my best to post on my phone but it's no guarantee. I'm posting this in the more active rps I'm in.)


Max had not really noticed Terabithia's assumption that Max and Chris were a couple. (I seriously didn't notice that. Haha.) After all, many girls and a few guys had assumed Max was dating them or liked them. He had no idea why. It was a bit odd actually. He never understood why people would assume someone had a crush on them just because that someone was nice to them. Those close to him should definitely know that he treated just about everyone equally. He actually had no idea how he would act if he actually liked someone.


Listening to Chris saying she just had to get away, Shira was the first to say something. "I know how you feel. Sometimes my brother can be just too much. A wet blanket and a princess. I like to avoid him as well." That last statement wasn't exactly true. Though Shira never consciously sought Cas' companionship, deep down she always looked for him when she was at home or lost or in crowded areas. There were times she simply had no idea what to do without her big brother.


Max chuckled at Shira's comment and then turned to Chris. "I also know what you mean. My parents are great and all but they just smother you sometimes. And you just want to go somewhere to clear your head." He looked down at the table for a bit before looking up. He thought of his parents who had certainly given him everything he asked for but at the same time put so much pressure on his shoulders that he felt like he was suffocating. Smiling at Chris, even though she couldn't see it, he said, "I'm glad I got to meet you again too. though next time, you could call me and I can pick you up. Running around the streets isn't safe, even for someone who can see."


He thought more about what ability she must've had. He thought about how she seemed so able to maneuver around without her eyesight. She didn't even use a cane or seeing eye dog, though with what he saw of her circumstances, he doubted she had enough to take care of a dog. It was one thing to be able to see people. Humans and other organisms were always making noise. It was easy to tell where a person is if they were always talking. But she also seemed able to move around inanimate objects, such as the table and drink glasses. Max had often heard stories about people losing one sense only to heighten others but that usually came with years of training and such. Chris had become blind not so long ago. She shouldn't have developed any hyperactive senses yet.


Also with hearing alone, you shouldn't be able to sense inanimate objects, even with training. You could only hear noise. If none is made, you can't hear so you also can't see. If Chris was a domino like Kat had implied at the rave, she must've had a power that takes over as her vision. Clairvoyance perhaps, or even a third eye? In a spiritual sense of course, as there was no visible physical third eye on her. At least not one Max could see. He closed his eyes to look up the rest of the clues. Then it hit him. Kat had asked if the loud music would hinder Chris' power. That would mean a heightened sense of hearing. Couple that theory with a sense of vision and you've got . . . echolocation. Chris must be able to hear sound waves bounce off of objects within an area and then paint a picture of her surroundings using the info from the readings. Of course that was just a theory, but Max had a hunch that he was right. And his hunches were rarely off.


Max had come back to reality when Shira threw a spoon at his head. She had hit her target. "Pay attention," she said, puffing her cheeks out slightly. Shira never did like being ignored. It suited her fine to be the center of attention. "When you are entertaining girls, you have to pay a lot of attention to them," she said in a matter of fact way.


Max laughed out loud. That was a bit cute in its own way, but she was right. He should be paying attention to the potential dominoes with him, and little Abi as well. He focused on Chris for now. "I won't ask why you want to get away, but don't you think Kat's worried about you now? She did run into a gun fight to find you."
 
How could Chris go about explaining it was not just her family that she wished to avoid. To say that she'd rather just not deal with people in general. She had actively sought Max out, well not entirely, but she did want to see him. If she said that she wanted to be alone as she normally was, she wondered if that would just push him away. She was glad though that no one made a remark of her blushing. She didn't wish to embarrass herself.


She smiled though, trying to allow herself to enjoy the company. It was both harder and easier than she had thought it would be. "Yeah sometimes my family just gets a little crazy," Chris said, though she wouldn't go into specific. She nodded at Max's comment and then shrugged.


"I'm sorry. I was actually going to call you. I guess things just got a little too hard to handle that I just wanted to go before I could call." Besides how would she call without someone to help her? She had no way of doing so or at least not that she could think of.


Chris did not mind the silence that came over the group, able to relax a little in it. She could still feel the presence of the others. Hear the small noises they made as none of them were sitting still. She did not use her powers though, thinking it was not necessary. She did move a little closer to Max though. She laughed at what Shira said.


"Don't worry Max. I don't mind if people aren't paying attention to me," she said, meaning it as a joke, but it was true. Still she didn't want to get into any of that with strangers. Chris then frowned and shrugged. "I know she will be, but I can take care of myself. I'm sure it'll be fine."'





'Besides,' she wanted to say, 'It's not like Kat takes our worries into consideration when she hurts herself or anything.' She knew that wasn't completely true, but Kat did keep things. Chris felt a bit justified in her running off. Besides she was fine, right?


----


Jillian watched as Julian laid back down. After a few moments, Jillian himself did the same thing. But he did not sleep either. Instead Jillian wondered at what had become of his life after he had run away from home.


He had left so that he could find out about himself and yet he hadn't come really close to that yet. Sure he was firm in his knowledge that yes he preferred men and only men. But Jillian was still unsure of if he only liked to cross-dress or if he really felt he was a girl despite his body being male. Sometimes he felt so female that it felt uncomfortable to be in this body. Where he would look at himself and wished he has been born female. How easier it would be. How right it would have been. Other times it didn't bother him that he was a boy and he just took pleasure from dressing as a girl and being referred to as one.


Of course Jillian had never expected to meet Lionel and be concerned for him and now he had Duck and Julian. Would he ever understand his own self? He thought maybe. He felt closer to the answer. But that was something that had to wait. Jillian wanted to see if he could help Julian first.
 
Xander and Natalia were still in the theatre, the stage area, as Rikarah returned home, obviously not noticing her return since they were too busy training. They were actually laughing at points, having bonded rather quickly in the time they had been practicing their powers. "So, quick recap? If I get mad then the electricity gets out of control?" Xander nodded, a grin on his face. Natalia was the first person he had ever really talked to about his powers - Kyle had his own power issues, Kat didn't have a power, he didn't want to rub it in her face, and he figured Chris had already experienced enough of her siblings' powers to last her a life time.


"Yeah, seems like you have the copy-cat power though, so when you interact with someone else who has a power I guess mine will go and you'll get theirs instead." "But if I speak to you AGAIN I'll get yours once more?" Xander shrugged, "Yeah I guess so, never met someone with your power before though, so I don't know, but on TV shows thats usually what happens" Natalia rolled her eyes, "So I'm a TV show now?" Xander chuckled, "Oh yeah! How'd you do that thing again? I need to learn how to do it!" Natalia frowns, "What this?" She holds out her hand, pointing it right beside the door as the blue electricity slowly gathers in her palm, she then throws her hand forward and a ball of electricity flies out of her hand and hits the wall. She looked to Xander and grinned, "That?" "Yes!! That's so cool! Why can't I do it?" Natalia shrugged, "I dunno. I just do it I guess." "How many times can you do it? Can you show me again so I can try and copy you?" Natalia rolled her eyes, but there was a grin on her face as she threw another ball of blue at the wall.


-----------------------------


Terabithia listened silently as the elder kids talked amongst themselves, although she didn't speak for a while she did take in what they were saying. She did however chirp out in the middle of their conversation, the one about being suffocated by family, "I don't have a family so I don't have to worry about avoiding anybody or being sm..smothered." She was rather proud of herself for getting that big word right, maybe Rikarah could teach her that other word again, what was it? Anti-dis...Anti...No, she couldn't remember it just yet. She swung her legs happily despite her declaration of being an orphan with no siblings, and spoke again, the brownie gone now, "Though Blue is kinda like my sister, but she doesn't sm..smother me."


When Shira threw the spoon at Max's head Terabithia laughed out loud, trying to stifle the noise with the palm of her small hand, her eyes beaming with happiness as dimples dug into her cheek from the barely suppressed grin, but then a gun fight was mentioned and her eyes widen. "A gun fight? Where? Did you get hurt? Are you okay?" She blurted out worried questions, eyeing Chris for any injuries.


----------------------


Lei, in her search for Calico, had begun walking the streets nearby heading into the local zoo and blending in with the others there, not being asked for a ticket as she walked with a family and a group full of kids. Once she was inside, at one point, she took off her gloves, and put one hand against the wall beside her, closing her eyes and leaning on it in a manner that could be seen as resting from tiredness. But of course she was viewing the wall's life. So many years were put into seconds and it was enough for Lei to only catch the important bits, she always saw how it got there, and she always saw the last point of it's life. So she watched the wall get laid, brick by brick, then all the people that had ever walked past this spot, anyone who had ever touched the wall, she could see it all. She spotted who she was looking for, her dad Calico, she somehow missed him killing the russian man - this was all in the space of seconds - but she spotted some of his interaction with Rikarah and Terabithia, she recognized Rikarah, and kept Terabithia's name in her mind. She of course didn't see her dad speak rudely to Terabithia about eating the monkey brains. She sees him chuck money at Rikarah's feet, seeing it as a form of generosity, and this just deepens her love to the dad she hasn't even met yet.


She opens her eyes once she is done, putting her gloves back on and slipping out of the zoo, she asks around, giving out some lies about losing her big sister, even adding to some people that they are adoptive sisters once their appearance differences were asked about, and finally she is pointed in the direction Rikarah headed, though no-one of course knew where she was going. Lei could find her eventually, even if it took another day or two.


She would find Rikarah, maybe even Terabithia, and then she would find her brave daddy Calico.
 
When Rikarah drops off the food at the theater, she leaves it in the coolest corner of her room she can find and also up on a shelf, so that it will not spoil as quickly and so it will be less likely for insects or rodents to get into it. As she emerges from her room, having changed out of her waitress uniform into a casual costume dress that appears to be intended for a teenage girl, she hears voices from the center of the theater and pauses, listening. It sounds like Natalia, and a male she does not recognize. She is curious, as Rikarah always is, by the unknown, but decides that it is not within her favor to check it out. Natalia has still not spoken to her of her powers, and avoiding her would be the better option for now. Besides, she does intend to search for Calico.


Leaving the theater, her knife securely in the side pocket of her dress, she begins to walk, unsure at first of where to check. About one block from her starting point, she stops at the corner and pauses to consider. It is likely that Calico lies low during the day time, and it may in fact be wiser for her to wait until night falls.


**


It takes Julian a considerable amount of time to fall asleep again, and when he opens his eyes, having heard noises outside the door, he is stunned to see that morning has come. Sitting up slowly, he moves to make his bed, glancing over at the others in his room. It is still surprising to him that Jillian, as a female, would be allowed to sleep in the same room with three boys. But then, Jillian had always wanted him to stay...even after he told her the truth, or a tiny bit of the truth. So maybe he shouldn't be surprised by anything anymore.


He is unsure of what he should be doing or where he should be going, if anywhere, as a simple matter of routine of the shelter, and that's without getting into the dynamics of what he should do about what had happened last night. Act as though nothing had happened and be happy that Jillian didn't believe him, or else didn't hate him enough to mind too badly his presence? Try to explain to her more so she'd know what she was really getting into? He didn't know, and so as he waited for the others to give him some sort of sign, he nervously smoothed his hand over the neat blanket covering.
 
Chris nodded at what the youngest one of the group said. It was a little weird, her having no family. Did this mean that she had run away too. She talked about Blue as someone close, but not a sister. Yet she spoke nothing of parents. Chris knew she said nothing about parents either, but she didn't specify what her "family" considered of either, beyond having a sister named Kat. Max was the only one who knew somewhat of her situation and for that she felt closest to him at the moment. Though she had a feeling if she didn't get hurt or run into him, none of them would have any idea. Chris was not one to really open up.


Still the girl sounded young, so she guessed she either wasn't use to lying about these things or she felt there was no reason not to tell the truth. Though Chris guessed she didn't know everything either.


"This Blue sounds like a nice person," Chris said, trying to be more social. She knew if she didn't force herself to say something she'd just sit there in silence. She then frowned.


"I..." Chris paused. She didn't want to frighten the girl. "I'm okay," she said, settling for a half-truth. She was already beginning to feel like she wanted to go.


----


Jillian was the second person to wake up, but he did not realize that Julian was awake as well. He slid off his own cot and onto the ground, his back to Julian. He yawned and stretched, ready to start the day. He wondered about his work. He'd probably have to find a new one. Or beg. He couldn't recall if he had been late yet to his one. He knew he should try better, but sometimes he just couldn't help not going or being late or leaving early. He thought he was doing better now, but with Duck and Julian...


Jillian started to remove his shirt and turned. He let out a yelp and yanked his shirt back down, going a little wide-eyed. He knew it wouldn't be as bad as pulling off his pants and Julian seeing that part, but how would he explain having such a flat chest? He guessed he had to try. Though Jillian had never admitted to being male or female. He allowed the person themselves to choose. After all he didn't know himself, so he didn't mind being seen either way at this point. Yet he was still embarrassed and felt guilty even if he knew he shouldn't.


"Julian. Glad to see you still here. Are you ready for breakfast? Have any clothes to change into?"
 
Julian's eyes widened as Jillian started to remove her shirt, her back turned to him. Up until this point he had been watching her sort of guiltily, not wanting her to know that he was awake and looking at her, but taking the opportunity when she couldn't see him to do so freely. But when she turned, in the process of removing her shirt, Julian gasped, almost choking...not only because of this brief semi-nudity, but because...well...Jillian's breasts...well...were nonexistent.


It wasn't like he'd spent a lot of time looking at Jillian's chest before this point. In fact, he'd tried to avoid doing so as much as he possibly could. He had always assumed, well, being a girl, that she had them.


But looking at Jillian's chest naked and bare...even in that brief flash of time...it had not looked any different from his own. Jillian had not even had small breasts, or even the beginnings of breasts, as though she were simply slow to develop. Julian knew that Jillian couldn't be younger than he himself was...so how could she not have breasts yet? Even her torso's shape was long, lean, and straight, his waist not curving inward and then flaring out into hips like a girl's...not even small ones.


Jillian looked like him.


Julian continued to nearly stare at Jillian, and for the first time he was noticing that her jawline was heavier and more masculine in appearance than most girls', that her hands were larger...and...did she have an adam's apple?


Was Jillian a BOY?!


When Jillian addressed him, it took Julian a few moments to even think about what she...he?...had said. He shook his head finally, his voice somewhat stunned.


"No...just these..." He hesitated, then almost whispered, "Jillian? Are you...a boy?"


**


In the car, Katarina's eyes shift between Kyle and Steven, growing more anxious as she notices Steven's demeanor. She shifts her weight, one hand twisting the other unconsciously as she again looks out each window she can see from, biting her lip briefly.


"WHAT? We need to find Chris...and Xander. He...he's pretty upset, and Chris was...Steve? Are you okay...really okay?"
 
As Hailey strides away from the one place she thought she would never leave she is telling herself exactly the opposite. How she would never go back there, how Jessie was such an idiot for going straight back to Calico. The man would always have his addiction and for some reason Hailey really couldn’t get that in her head until today. Today was different… last night she had been…she was raped. The girl cried in defeat, pushing the tears off her face with the palm of her hand.


“Hey you!”


The female voice sounds behind her, Hailey’s steps had already slowed but she was still walking as she turned back. There was a girl running after her, dragging along another one; the first is a short haired redhead, the other, a variety of colors in a long black mane. Hailey pauses, realizing they are indeed talking to her, “…Hi?” she notes, quietly past her raw throat.


o-o-o


Jessie is quick to follow the woman after the argument with Hailey, he was hoping to smooth things over with the girl before meeting his boss. It would take some time, but soon he would see the blonde girl back on his doorstep, that he knew for sure. For now he had to meet with Calico…


The man had sent one of the female gang members to pick him up and she carried little information other then he seemed angry. Calico always seemed angry, but that was probably because Jessie was always late with his payment. After the nightly rounds he picked up from all his current girls as well as the money he got from Mike. Now he had enough.


Scratching at his skin, he follows the girl through the intricate back alleys to find where Calico is currently camping out. As he gets in front of the man, he’s biting at his nails.


“If it’s the money you want, I got the money…” he offers the man.
 
Shira remained quiet for now. She thought about her first impressions of Blue. She didn't really have any. The two haven't really talked, did they? Not sure of what to do at the moment, she kept staring at her empty sundae glass. With the spoon on the ground, she couldn't even hit the glass to make those clink noises like a xylophone or something.


Max frowned. It was painfully obvious that Chris was feeling a bit awkward. Shira didn't seem to be opening up any more either. If he was to get them to participate in his research, he'd have to gain their trust. It seemed like a rather difficult task. Chris might've seemed open to him but judging by her living conditions, she probably wasn't going to warm up to him that easily. And Shira was a bit too quiet. She'd need a lot of work as well.


In an attempt to further project a good image on the girls, he smiled at the group. "How about a little vacation from our everyday lives then? It's the weekend and I don't really have any plans. You guys have anywhere you want to go? It's good to just forget the troubles we have sometimes."
 
*Kyle barely noticed the men Steven was hiding from all he saw was him kissing his sister.*


Kyle: Xander is a big mean jerk! Steven you're a jerk to and you shouldn't kill people!


*Steven ignores Kyle for the moment and addresses Kat's question*


Steven: Yeah, I'm alright...No I can't lie to you not anymore, remember I'm in the Marines, well they let me come home to bury my father and see my mother, I was suppose to report back after I was done but when I found out about Calico, I started going after him and his gang instead of reporting back to base, so those men are MPs..Military Police I think they're looking for me to take me back.


Kyle: Wait, you can't go back, I know I said you're a jerk but you can't go back Steven, don't let them take you back.
 
"Kyle, be quiet," Katarina snaps, turning her head to glare at him before she snaps her attention back to Steven, alarmed by what he is saying. Military police...could they take him back? Put him in prison? They couldn't FORCE him to go, could they...could they?


"Steve, what does that mean...can they make you go back? Or get you in trouble?" she says anxiously, again turning her head to try to see the men in question while motioning for Kyle to duck out of sight. She stays low as well, her voice dropping as she questions Steven. "They won't take you to jail...Steven?"


When she thinks about Steven being made to leave, it somehow is entirely different than him leaving voluntarily, and even more frightening. What would they do if they found her and her siblings too...they were police, they could report them to DSS, split them up, or worse...what if they found their parents? What if they made them go back?


Her breath catching, Katarina slumps further in her streets. "Drive away! Hurry!"
 
*Steven nods yes* Probably, especially if they find out what I've been doing to Calico's gang, yeah I really don't think they'll just slap me on the wrist and send me back to my unit. *Steven slowly pulls out into the street trying to not draw attention to them by speeding* Look I'll deal with that later, right now we need to focus on finding Chris and Xander and not me spending the rest of my life in Leavenworth. Now think you two where should we look. *He glances at Kat out the corner of his eye focusing on her lips, if he is going to go to prison he wants to kiss her at least one more time, but would be happier if he could spend the rest of his life kissing her.*
 
*Calico was in his gym working out, trying to figure out a way to flush out whoever is attacking his gang's shipments punching his heavy bag each punch landing with a sizable thunder sound, finally the bag begins to show it's wear ripping and tearing, the floor steadily becoming covered with not sand but blood, suddenly it flies off the hook when he slams into it with a powerful kick crashing against the wall spilling out of it is the crushed form of a rival gang member.* ANOTHER ONE! *As he says it two of his gang drag over a squirming punching bag the sounds of a woman screaming in it. Calico holds up his hand and stops them* What the hell is wrong with you? A woman are you kidding, you know damn well you have to double them up otherwise there is no way I can get a decent workout..Bring me the big one over there he looks like he's been eating well.* They drop the bag and go over to the wall and get the other bigger bag and drags it over, the man inside it is cussing and screaming at captives. But once Calico starts punching and kicking on it all the noise stops*
 
Katarina keeps looking out the window, no less worried as Steven drives at a normal pace. It looks for now like they are not going to chase them, but that could be them laying low for now. She tries to stop thinking about the military police and to concentrate instead on her sister and brother...where did they go every day? Where were places Chris would feel safe, where would she enjoy being...where might she go to feel better?


Katarina was ashamed to realize she had no idea. When she found Chris and Xander- and she WOULD, she vowed to herself- they would have to talk. They had to stick closer, they had to know each other about ten thousand times better than they did now. It was dangerous for them all not to.


"I don't know," she admitted, glancing back at Kyle. "Kyle...do you?"


Then, relieved, she realized that she did have at least one idea. "Max...maybe she went to find Max. His house? Or wherever he goes during the day? She has his number, she knows where he lives...we should go find Max."
 
Steven: Max? The guy from the Rave? Why would she go to him and do you know how to get to his place?


*Steven glances at Kyle who's trying hard not to doze off, he taps Kat on the arm so she'll take the jacket in the seat next to Kyle and cover him with it.*


This Max guy must be pretty impressive if Chris is going to him, do you think Xander is with her, cause I really don't think it's safe for them out here with Calico on the Warpath.
 
Jillian knew this conversation was going to happen at some point. He did well to avoid it with Lionel and he still wasn't sure if he should tell the young boy. Duck, Jillian wouldn't tell either until confronted. And he didn't know him that well anyways. But Julian. Julian had told him something personal, even if they were completely different things. Julian had confided in him and Jillian rather liked the boy. It had been so long since he was open about this all as well and Jillian found he wanted to tell someone.


"I'm sure we can find you some things. We can stop by a thrift store after my work. I should have enough to get you a few things." Jillian then nodded. "And yes, I was assigned male at birth. That must sound kind of silly to you. Assigned male. What I mean is... I've been cross-dressing for most of my life. I've always felt comfortable in girl clothes. Yet I cannot say if it goes beyond that. Sometimes I feel like a girl, other times I feel like a boy. But yes my sex is male."


Jillian looked at Julian wondering what he'd make of the situation. If he understood what Jillian was telling him. "I don't tell many people. I've always been comfortable with them making their own assumptions about what I am. I'm sorry though if you feel like I've lied or deceived you."


----


Liselle thought she might have been given a free pass. That the girl from before was just going to let her go off, but she guessed her luck didn't last that long. Of course she had no idea that Raekel had planned to do something in revenge and was only stopped by the appearance of Hailey. When Liselle looked at the redhead, she saw her watch someone and turned to see who.


Liselle was relieved then that Raekel had found a new target to go after and she started to move again. She didn't expect for Raekel to tell her to follow her. Liselle paused for a moment, not sure what to do. She'd rather not get involved in whatever was happening. She glanced at the house, seeing someone else exit, then licked her lips and looked at Raekel, who had already taken off after the girl. She sighed deeply, wondering if she was making the wrong choice and then followed.


If Liselle was being honest, she was curious as to what was going on. And at least Raekel did not strike out at her or anything. When the girl stopped, Liselle licked her lips again and shifted nervously, watching Raekel to see what would happen now.


----


Chris was really ready to leave. She could feel the tension in the air as the group of them went silent. How many times did she experience this type of silence before? Plenty. She didn't want to deal with it right now and besides Kat and the others were probably worried. Chris didn't move though and she actually shifted closer to Max as if seeking out some kind of comfort. She was surprised, but she did not show it.


She was both surprised and rather happy by Max's suggestion then. How nice would it be to get away from her life, even for a weekend? She was really tempted to take the offer, even if she didn't know any of them that well. She trusted Max in a weird kind of manner. He did help them out last night and he didn't have to. Chris didn't believe he would try anything or was trying to get something out of them. She sincerely believed he was being nice.


"That sounds, well, really great," Chris said. "I have no real destination in mind though and... I would have to tell my family before we left." As much as she wanted to get away, Chris would not just up and leave without a word. Her family had enough problems without worrying where Chris was.
 
Glancing over at Steven, surprised that he would be surprised, Katarina shrugs. To her, it's obvious why Chris might wind up with Max. The real question was who ELSE would she possibly be with?


"She liked him, I think, and he liked her," she replied. "He helped her...probably helped save her life. I hope Xander is with her...I don't know though. I hope so."


She covered Kyle with the jacket as Steven had indicated, somewhat distracted, as she frowned, trying to remember what way Max had driven. Finally the street name comes to her, and she begins to give instructions, looking out the window just in case...not only for Chris and Xander, but for the military police. As well as any other possible threats.


**


Assigned male...Jillian was male? Jillian was male...and despite the rather startling nature of this revelation, at least in Julian's eyes, Julian was not uncomfortable to hear it at all. In fact...mostly, he was relieved. Because this at least made sense to him.


He had wondered since the moment he saw Jillian why he was attracted to her, why he wanted to look and look at her, when she was a girl, and Julian was not attracted to girls. He had feared her, had wondered if she was secretly like Madison and that was the draw...but if she was really a guy...


"No," he said quickly, shaking his head. "I mean...I mean...that's...I don't f-feel lied to...you...you never s-said what you were. I just..."


He pauses, then blurts out, his face deeply red as he almost doubles over with his part shame, part relief to be able to speak the words out loud, try to make himself understood. "I-I...I'm g-gay."


The words are very soft, but he has spoken them. How often has he said this out loud? How many times has someone known this and not looked at him in utter disgust? But he knows that Jillian will not. Jillian, if anyone, will understand.
 
Raekel was not sure what she was actually going to say to the girl, but she did well when thinking on her feet. She was relatively pleased to see Liselle had followed her as she had ordered her to. She didn't actually think the girl would do it based off their interact from yesterday. But she didn't question it. She had time for Liselle later.


"I saw you coming out of that house. I must ask, were you there last night as well? Do you live there?" Raekel already had most of what was going on in her head. She just wanted to see if the girl would either lie or back it up with her own information. If she said what Raekel felt was the truth, she knew that she should help. Just thinking of what she experienced and what it did to a person. Raekel, as hard-ass as she was, wanted to prevent anyone from experiencing a similar situation. Unless she was far too late. Than maybe she could help her get away from it anyways.
 
Steven: So you guide me and I'll get us there and if we're lucky Chris and Xander will be there safe and sound. *Now a few blocks from where he saw the MPs, Steven increase speed waiting for Kat's instructions to get to Max's place. Hey Kat you may not have said it aloud but thanks for giving me a second chance with you all, no more secrets from me I promise I won't let you down.
 
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