"No come on Hayden you're not intruding." Chris said as he also walked into the living room with Lena and Hayden.

Chris sat down on the couch when he heard Lena say she had been here for a few days. "So where have you been staying?" He asked. "But don't you also have any other family you can stay with?" He asked.

Charlie nodded. "Really? Well I am must say I am sorry I worried him like that." He told Melinda. But then he saw her touch her chest. And was she out of breath? "Umm Melinda are you alright?" He asked not know anything about her heart problems.

"Sure sure. How about we both head into the kitchen then. I believe Emily and Nick are in there. Chris's mother and brother." Charlie said clarifying who he was talking about.

As Emily heard her husband and someone else walk into the kitchen she turned around. She say a young girl with him. "Oh you must be Melinda Chris as told us so much about you." She said with a warm smile.

Chris heard his mum start talking to Melinda. Great just great. He said as his ears began to turn red.

Helena smiled at the fact that conversation had changed from its apologetic mood. I was staying at a small inn near where I used to live, but I didn't get a chance to grab enough money before I left England and had to get out. She shook her head at his question. The rest of my family died quite a long time ago, actually. She shrugged, the color returning to her face.

The pain passed. He must be near...Melinda thought. But how would Dante know her location? "Of course, I just had a little breakout...it will be over in a second." She mentioned and tried to smile to Mr. Kaplan.

Melinda walked along into the kitchen. There Chris's mom and brother were talking until Mel and Mr. Kaplan arrived. This was the family she wanted, not the life she was having at Marseilles. "Hello, Mrs. Kaplan...it's nice to finally meet you..." She might have blushed, again when Emiliy mentioned Chris talked to them about her.

Don't you worry...I don't bite... Melinda's thoughts were passed through a thought.

"So you're pretty much say you don't have a place to stay?" Chris asked. "'Cause if you do I would be glad to help in anyway I can." He told Lena and nodded.

Being the seven year old that he was. Nick ran right up to Melinda and looked straight up at her. "Who are you?" He asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"It's nice to me you too." Emily said. "Umm can I get you anything?" She asked. But then saw her youngest son. "I sorry about that." She said and bit her lip slightly.

Chris then heard Mel send him that thought. Crap he forgot that she could read minds. Yeah it's not you I am worried about. He thought back.

Helena stopped for a moment; that wasn't really her thought process with coming here. She thought for a moment, and as she did, Lena realized that she didn't have a place to stay. Even though she didn't have a caregiver anymore, since she was not seventeen, there was no one to inherit the money her parents had left yet. And her house was just a lonely empty building that she could no longer live in. I guess you're right. Chris, I'm really sorry. At least until school starts.... She sighed; this was not the way things were supposed to go. She couldn't wait until two years from now when she wouldn't have this problem.

Chalice walked up to Chris' door. Her mom was gone, she died late last night. Chalice really wanted to hang out with someone that she was close to. She knocked on the door and waited for him to answer. She twisted her abnormally dark hair and looked toward the sky.

Melinda approached to the table where Nick and Emily sat. Nick seemed confused about who she was. "I...am Melinda, a friend of your brother's...and you must be Nick...Chris has talked to me about you." She mentioned and smiled at the boy.

Then, turned back to Emily. "Err...just a glass of water, please..." She asked with a smile. "And don't worry...it's fun to meet Chris's family at last..." She commented and smiled wide at both.

Worried about them?
Melinda asked Chris back.

Melinda approached to the table where Nick and Emily sat. Nick seemed confused about who she was. "I...am Melinda, a friend of your brother's...and you must be Nick...Chris has talked to me about you." She mentioned and smiled at the boy. Sweet little kid, just like his brother.

Then, turned back to Emily. "Err...just a glass of water, please..." She asked with a smile. "And don't worry...it's fun to meet Chris's family at last..." She commented and smiled wide at both.

Worried about them?
Melinda asked Chris back.

"So...this is a beautiful house you have, Mister and Mrs. Kaplan." She commented with a wide smile. How would she love to have one, not the great mansion she was forced to live in.

Chris shock his head. "No I promise it's fine. No need to be sorry." He said smiling to Lena, letting her know it really was ok.

Chris heard the door again. "Gosh I didn't know I knew this many people." He said and laughed slightly. "I will be right back." He said and headed out of the room towards the door. When he opened it he saw Chalice. "Hey Chalice." He said smiled. He then saw her hair black. He knew what was wrong. He gulped"Chalice...I am sorry." He told her.

Nick nodded slightly when Mel said his name. "Oh ok." He said and over to his dad and climbed up to his lap. He sat there still looking at Melinda. But when she said Chris had talked about him he smiled wide. "Really?" He felt special that his big brother actaully talked about him.

Emily hand Melinda a glass of water and sat down next to her. "So how long have you and Chris actually known each other?" She asked.

"Ah well thank you. It's nothing to fansy but it's nice." Charlie said and smiled.

Sort of. But I guess I shouldn't really be worrying. Chris thought.

Melinda was sort of worried. They were treating Chris as if he was a cold-hearted person...or. Oh yeah...he never liked to show his emotions. "Actually yes...he talks about you and that you two have a lot of fun..." She said, cheering up the kid, actually saying the truth.

"Thanks.." Melinda said to Emily and took the glass of water, taking a small sip til that question came. Gulp...how long...oh yeah, "It's been about four years, and surely a pleasure..." She trully said, glancing at the door once more. Chalice was here...one friend she could talk to.

"I plan to have a house like this...soon, I hope. It's just lovely and enough space for a family." She said with a long sigh.

No...don't worry...Melinda thought back.

Nick like couldn't be happier at that moment. "I want to be just like Chris when I grow up." He said and sat up straight because Chris being tall.

"Four years that's right, I remember him never being home that summer." Emily said smiling slightly. "But that kind of explains why he was so sad last summer. I don't think I've ever seen him that upset." She said.

"Yeah I was never really into the big fansy houses. I mean there nice but I always thought it better to have a house like this." He told Melinda. "So do you have any idea what you are going to do when you are done in France?" He asked.

No more worrying I promise. Chris thought back.

Hayden felt more and more akward by the second. She didn't know what was going on with anyone because she didn't know any one but Chris. She stood up and smiled apologeticly."I'm sorry to have come and run. I'll stop by some other time when its not as hectic. I just came by to ask for help but you already seem so busy and it looks like you have enough on your plate."

"I'm sure you will..." Melinda mentioned to Nick and laughing as the boy mentioned the tall size he now had.

Gulp.........Last summer...not so great. "I know...and I'm sorry. It was very difficult to make those decissions." She stopped. Melinda could never tell her secret life, and the only person who knew besides Jade and Mirelda were Chris and Jade's brother. Her head lowered a bit, looking at her lap. She felt so bad for Chris.

Melinda smiled. They were a nice family and knew that if Chris ever had one, his would be as great or more than they were now.

"I am not so sure...I think being a Muggle Chef is on my plans then open a restaurant." She informed. Melinda was excited about those plans and once she turned 18, everything was going to be perfect to be made.

Chris turned back to Hayden. "Hayden umm no it's alright you don't have to. Unless you don't want to stay which I would totally get why." He said letting her know it was fine because right now he had Lena telling him about her problems, Chalice at the door and her mom just died. Plus he had his ex-girlfriend in the kitchen talking to his parents. Yeah he was kind of freaking out.

Nick looked at Melinda. "Really?" He asked.

That probably wasn't the best thing for her to say at that point. Emily bit her lip. "I am sure it was, and I am so very sorry for bringing that up. I really shouldn't have." She told Mel.

"A muggle chef? Wow that sounds intresting. Now did you end up finishing your eduction this year?" Charlie asked.

"Yes...and I'm sure taller. Usually, the younger brothers are taller than the older ones..." She mentioned a quite interesting fact, easly seen at Marseilles with JoAnne and the twins.

"It's alright. It was just a very difficult time for everyone at that moment." She mentioned. "I never expected to leave Hogwarts but things happened and ending the relationship with your son seemed the best so no one could get so hurt and continue with our lives..." She said and tried to smile.

Melinda nodded towards Mr. Kaplan, for both answers. "Yes...I have a cousin who works in Beauxbatons and sends me what their seventh years learned last term." She said, remembering the quite bad challenges she was put into that last year. Hiding your own mind, not ever give up and continue reading until it's memorized.

"Hey, Chris." Chalice said as she smiled back at him. "It's okay, I got to see her before she died. I went there straight off the train and got eight or so hours of time. She passed in her sleep, very peacefully." she said as tears welled in her eyes. Chalice quickly blinked them away. "I just couldn't be alone in our old house right now. And you asked if I might want to hang out with you some over the summer." she explained. "Um... is this a bad time? I can come back later if you want." she said really quickly.

Nick thought of his brother's height. "Yeah right I really doubt that I will be taller then him. I mean have you seen him?" He asked.

Emily nodded. "Umm so I heard you're living in France. Where in France?" She asked dropping the other subject, still feeling bad about bringing it up.

"That's great that you had the chance to finish. So you thinking of opening the restaurant in England?" He asked.

"Umm still I am sorry. Come on in." Chris said opening the door a little bit more for her to walk in. "No it's fine. I mean Lena's in the living room right now. And Mel's talking to my parents but if you want to stay it's really alright." He said nodding.

Hayden smiled."Trust me I probably understand how you feel better than you think." Hayden shuttedred away from the thought."I got to go. I should go, my parents are both waiting. It's the first time in ten years they've been in the same room. The oly other person there is my older sister I never knew I had."It all came out she couldn't keep the hurt in. Lying, evil parents."I'll see you around." she turned away and made it look like she rubbed her eye to catch the tear. Chis doesn't need my problems, she thought, he has enough.

"Thanks Chris. I really appreciate this." Chalice said as she walked into his house. "You have a really nice house." she said. "I'll try not to intrude. Please tell me if I do." she said. She smiled and looked at her sneakers. Chalice probably didn't look quite normal. Black hair, ripped jeans, a t-shirt and some old sneakers. "It must be nice seeing Mel again! I'm so happy for you."

"Hey look I am sorry about this I didn't know it was going to be like this here." He said. But then saw her let out a tear. Oh my gosh are you kidding me. There were four girls in his house and three of them have cryed today. But he felt bad.

He turned to Chalice. "It's really not a big deal. Umm and thanks." He said. "Oh yeah it's great to see her again." He said and smiled wide. "But ah Chalice could you just wait for me in the living room. It's right there." He said pointing to the room. "I will be right ther." And as soon as she left he turned back to Hayden.

He pulled her into a hug. "Alright tell me whats wrong." He said.

Hayden felt Chris hug her and shrugged."My parents lied to me for ten years. I have an older sister named Becky. She was sent to live with my aunt in Japan. When my parents found out I was planning to visit her they knew they couldn't hide her any longer. So I got an owl and my mom told me everything. I'm not ready for this. I'm so use to it just being me. Yeah she's probably stressing more because she's older but what if I do something wrong and she does everything right." Hayden burried her face into her hands.

"So pretty much you're telling me you're mad at your parents for lying to you about your sister. And that you afraid of her being perfect?" He said and kept hugging her. "You have right to be mad. But there must have been some reason they didn't tell you." He told Hayden.

Haydne looked at him,"Yes, but ten years is a long time to lie. I don't want to go to Hogwarts now. I may be the youngest of us two but I'm going to have to help her next term. She'll be in her fourth year and if she's not in gryffindor theres nothing I can do." All this stress right out of school seemed uncalled for but it was there. "I just want my old life back when I was a nobody and an only child. When the only people I had to worrie about were me and my friends. I never had these problems till now. I wanted a normal life. This isn't normal."

Chris pulled back from hugging her. "Yeah ten years is a long time." He said agreeing. "Well if you don't want to help her next term I guess I could always help and show her around." He said and shrugged. "So it would be like you don't even know each other." He told her. "Can't you talk to your parents and tell them how you feel?" He asked.

Helena smiled back, happy to know that she truly wasn't being a bother. Thank you so much, and if there's anything I can do while I'm here, don't hesitate to boss me around. She grinned at him, just as there was another knock on the door. Wow, she thought, busy house. She chuckled slightly at his words and nodded quickly. It's no problem. Feeling quite a bit better, Helena sat down on the couch she was standing by and simply let her blue eyes admire the large, cavernous room.