Ad could hear the whole thing even through the door. "Half of 'em are probably mine!" she shouted through the door, knowing it was probably hard to hear her.

Justin looked up the stairs when Ad shouted. "Exactly. What Ad said" he said.

Ren smiled a little. "Well, if we can get Ad to get her problems off her mind, then we'd all be much happier, I'm sure" she said.

Justin looked at Ren and smiled slightly. "Most likely yes" he replied.

Ren chuckled. "My question is how? Are you gonna go up there and tickle her? Or let her sort it out on her own?" she asked.

Justin looked at Ren. Tickling Ad was hardly gonna sort this out but on the other hand, leaving her on own wouldn't either. He sighed and looked down and shrugged. "I honestly don't know" he replied truthfully. If he did, he'd make the decision but he didn't have a clue.

Ren bit her lip. Her anger had basically just increased ten-fold. She clenched and unclenched her fists and took a deep breath, silently fuming, but blocking her thoughts. She wasn't gonna make Justin see all that she was thinking over.

Justin looked at Ren and narrowed his eyes slightly. Okay, something was wrong and he didn't wanna stick around to see what. He got up and walked out not caring if anyone saw him or not.

Mikey watched as Justin walked out then looked at Ren. Did he dare tell her to calm down or not?

Ren jumped up. "I can't do this!" she exclaimed, grabbing her jacket. Her anger was too high for her to do anything.

Mikey watched as Ren got up. Well that was two annoyed people out the way. Now to sort Ad out. Like he was actually gonna succeed in sorting her out. When did she ever actually listen to him in the slightest? It was asif he never spoke sense to anyone. He made more sense than most people who had a life as screwed up as his. "You take Ad and I'll take Justin?" he asked Anna. They had to do something. All the times those two had helped him, it wouldn't be right just standing back and not helping them in return.

Anna smiled. "Alright. If I don't get anywhere, I'll come and get you" she said, getting up and walking upstairs. She slid into Ad's room. She was fast asleep. Go figure. She sat next to the red head and shook her shoulder, waking her up instantly. "Tell me what's bothering you" she demanded.

Ad looked up and then buried her face in Dreamer's thick fur. "Actually, I'm waiting for Cass to show up. I wanna talk to her" she said into the wolf's fur.

Anna smiled and left.

Ginny smiled at Court. They'd just been tlaking about Bradin for ages. She didn't want to make Court upset. Ginny still couldn't get her mind of Bradin.

Mikey smiled and went to wherever Justin was. Why did he always go walk abouts where someone couldn't find him? But eventually he found him. With Bradin. Great, time to try and keep Bradin calm. He slowly walked toward the two look-a-like teenagers.

Justin looked at Mikey then back at Bradin again. "So what are their names then? I mean, I'm sure Cass will tell Ad but in case she doesn't I'm gonna need to know" he said to Bradin.

Bradin smiled slightly at Mikey then looked at Justin again. "Lauren and Ryan Carpenter" he told Justin calmly.

Court smiled slightly at Ginny. Hmm, well this was slightly awkward.

Ad looked up when she felt Cass sit next to her. She looked up. Whoa! Was that really how she remembered her? Matted, sweaty, dull raspberry curls, sallow skin, and sunken blue eyes? Okaaaaaaay... "Hey" she said softly.

Cass smiled at Ad. "Heya, sweetie. You okay?" she asked softly, reaching out to smooth Ad's tangled hair.

Ad sighed. "I don't really know anymore. I just want people to acknowledge me in some way, which hasn't been happening lately. I mean, occasionally I smile from Anna, a sarcastic comment from Ren, and a short conversation with Justin or Mikey, but that's about it" she said softly.

Justin looked at Mikey then at Bradin. "I'm gonna go back inside" he replied.

Cass sighed. "Sometimes you gotta be loud to be heard" she said, lying across the foot of the bed.

Ad sighed and dared to ask the one nagging question. "What was it Cass?" she asked, and the unspoken words were clear.

Cass sighed. "Dust and debris caught in my throat" she admitted. She sniffled and her throat started burning, of course. She sat up and coughed violently. She laid back across the foot of the bed and failed to blink away the thick tears that ran down her face.

Bradin suddenly appeared in the room Ad and Cass were in. He saw Cass was crying and immediately went to her. Justin and Mikey both piled in behind.

Justin sat in the bed beside Ad. "What's wrong, Cass?" he asked.

Mikey stood lent against the wall. He didn't say a word. Just wondered where Maria was.

Cass looked up and saw Bradin. She sat up shakily and clung o him, crying. She shook her head instead of answering Justin. She just clung to Bradin and kept on crying.

Ad looked down and instictively leaned into Justin, still cuddling Dreamer, who draped himelf over both teenagers' laps.

Maria went upstairs silently. She sighed and sat near the top, strecthed out across a single step.

Bradin put his arms around Cass and hugged her tightly. He hated seeing her upset.

Justin put an arm around Ad and hus other arm over Dreamer messing with his fur.

Mikey look at them all and went to find Maria. He jumped as he almost tripped over her. Not good. He stepped back and sat on the step up from where Maria was sat. "Hey gorgeous" he said.

Cas finally stopped crying and pulled away, wiping her eyes. She locked her eyes sadly with Bradin's.

Ad sniffled and rested her forehead against Justins neck.

[color="blue"]Maria giggled. "Hey handsome" she said, leaning up to kiss Mikey softly.[/coor]

getting rid of Justin for now
 

Bradin looked Cass square in the eyes. "It'll be okay. At least she knows" he told her calmly.

Mikey shifted so he could kiss Maria sweetly. He then moved back again and lent against the rail behind him looking down at Maria. "Dang it!" he said randomly remembering what Bradin had told himself and Justin.

Cass smiled a tiny bit. She took a deep beath and nodded. She placed her finger underneath Bradin's chin and kissed him softly.

And boy did sparks fly.

"I love you" she whispered truthfully, her hand coming up to wrap itself around the locket.

Maria blinked a little...okay then.

Bradin smiled and returned Cass's kiss sweetly. "I love you too" he replied truthfully.

Mikey looked down at Maria and smiled slightly. Then he looked up as Justin approached the two of them. "Are you actually gonna tell Ad what Bradin told us or are you gonna leave it down to me?" he asked. Yeah....He had a feeling it was going to be left down to him.

Cass smiled wide and hugged Bradin tightly. "I have not heard someone sa that to me since I was one" she whispered into his neck. Well not with so much honesty at least.

Maria was confused. "Tell Ad what?" she asked cautiously.

now would be a good time for Ad to turn up
 

Bradin smiled slightly and hugged Cass back "About time someone did then" he replied.

Justin looked from Mikey to Maria. He never said a word.

Mikey rolled his eyes at Justin and looked down at Maria. "Bradin caught the name's of Ad's biological parents on his dads computer the other day. But Justin's too chicken to tell her" he explained.