Aurora awoke with a gasp as she bolted up right in her bed. Her pajamas clung to her body with a cold sweat, the memory of the dream still fresh in her mind. She ran her hand through her short brown hair as she shook her head trying to shake off that familiar sense of foreboding she was always left with once she woke up.

The same dream has been plaguing Aurora for a whole week now. A week! She tried everything she could think of to stop them from happening, but nothing seemed to work. Aurora looked at her alarm clock on her cluttered  bedside table; which was filled with scattered ancient history books, her sketch pad, and a small silver frame containing a photo of her family. Five a.m. the clock read. She sighed 'well there's no use in going back to bed now,' she thought.

Aurora walked over to her dresser and pulled out a purple tank top and her favorite pair of blue white washed Capri and changed into them and tossed her pajamas onto her bed. Maybe a walk around the nearby park would help clear her mind.

She glanced briefly back at her desk, her eyes falling upon the photo. She smiles softly. 'I can't believe I still have that old photo.' She thought. It was the photo they took eight years ago when she was ten. It was a picture of her, her mom, father, brother, sister, and two cousins having a picnic. Aurora sighs. 'I remember that day, we all went on a hike up on the mountain by the park to have a picnic. It was one of the best summer days ever,' She shakes her head. 'It was also just a month before dad died.' Aurora let out a huff. "Geez these nightmares are even making me sentimental." She muttered.

Aurora grabbed her jean jacket off her desk chair and walked quietly out her room and down the stairs so she wouldn't disturb her sleeping family. Aurora was almost out the door when a voice behind her spoke up, startling her in the process.

"Up once again little owl?" The voice said. Aurora let out a sigh and tried to calm her beating heart. "Scottie, how many times do I have to tell you to stop sneaking up on me? Use your ninja skills for good not evil," Aurora said as she turned to face her cousin.

Scottie let out a chuckle making his blue eyes shine in the moonlight that streamed in from the windows. "I don't have ninja skills little owl. You're just oblivious." Aurora rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Now you're sounding like Jasper."

Scottie smiles' at this but then his expression turned serious and his eyes had concerned cousin written all over them. 'Here we go' Aurora thought. "Are you are all right Aurora? This seems to be turning into a regular thing for you."

Aurora just waved him off. "No need to worry about little ol' me. It's just a recurring bad dream. Nothing to worry about." She said with a forced smiled. Then she raised a hand onto her hip. And raised an eyebrow. "But, how do you know this has been happening more than once hmm?"

Scottie gave a sheepish smile. "Heh, I'm a light sleeper that's all." He said. Aurora smirked. "Uh huh," He wasn't getting off that easily. "And?" "I may or may not have been watching and silently following you since I first noticed this was happening," Scottie said. "To protect you and make sure you were safe of course." He quickly added.

Aurora snickered and shook her head. "Sure. Stalker." Scottie always acted like he was a second older brother. Sometimes it even felt like he was, with how easy it was to talk to him about things—unlike her actual brother who would just poke fun at her. 'Family, can't live with them, can't live without them.'

"But seriously Scottie, I'm fine. Nothing a usual walk around the park won't fix." Scottie nodded. "Alright, if you're sure." Then his eyes flickered to her wrist. "Aurora, how did you get that bracelet?"

Aurora's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she lifted her wrist causing the black beads on the bracelet to glimmer in the moonlight. "Oh this?" She asked. Scottie nodded. "Leo gave me this last week as an apology present for hitting me in the head with a soccer ball at practice." Scottie let out a "Hmm." In response.

"Why you ask?" Aurora inquired. Scottie just shook his head. "It's nothing, just be safe alright?" Aurora smiled softly and nodded. "I will, don't worry Scottie." With that, she then turned and walked out the door.

                                                                                   ***

"You do know what those beads are right?" Came a feminine voice from the bottom of the staircase. Scottie sighed and ran his hand through his light blonde hair in an attempt to relieve some tension. "You've been watching her this past week as well huh? And to answer your question Charlotte, yes I do. That's why I'm concerned."

Charlotte walked over to where Scottie stood and glanced at the door then looked back at Scottie. "Do you want me to go and follow her to make sure nothing happens?" She asked. Scottie nodded. "Yea I believe that would be a good idea. Just make sure Aurora doesn't see you. We need to keep this cousin charade up as long as we can." Charlotte nodded. "Right, the less she knows the better we can protect her." Then with that, Charlotte opened the door and went to follow Aurora.