Okay, so Damian isn't human. It can't be that bad, right? He has to be good, I mean Daphinie and Malcom and the invisible man were obviously bad. Wait, wait, back up Ivy, how the hell did mom know they weren't human? I'm going to walk down there and- My thinking is interupted by someone slamming the front door.

I stomp downstairs, one to ask my mom how she knew, two to see who just broke my concentration on my thoughts. Thalia is furiously taking off her boots, she's clearly fuming, at what? I have no clue. Mom walks into the living room and looks at Thalia, then her gaze falls on me. She looks worried and pained. But I am in no mood to sympathize. 

"That son of a-" 

"Mom, how do you-"

Thalia and I both start at the same time. We stop though and I gesture for Thalia to continue. 

"I went to the Evans house-" Thalia starts.

"How do you know where they live?" I interupt. Although she ignores me.

"And they were all talking about Mr. Invisible, Caine was sitting on him so I walked over and punched the bi-" Thalia continues.

"Language!" Mom says interupting.

"Well I punched him, and then he got all mad at me so I punched him again. Then he said something how they were stronger now and how Ivy would be no match for them." Thalia finishes. 

"Mom, how do you know that the Evans aren't human? And what the heck are you talking about Thalia?" I ask. 

"You told her mom? How could you?" Thalia gasps.

"No, I didn't tell her." Mom says comforting Thalia.

"Told me what?" I ask.

"Mom how much does she know?" Thalia asks.

"Just that they aren't human." Mom replies.

"How much do I know of what?" I ask.

"She doesn't know about... Mr. Invisible's kind yet, does she?" Thalia asks.

"As far as I know, no." Mom replies.

"HELLO! I'M RIGHT HERE! ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!" I shriek at them. Finally they look at me. 

"Oh, Ivy, you know we want to." Mom says.

"Ivy we can't." Thalia says.

"ENOUGH!" I scream.

Thalia and mom stand there and look at me in shock.

"Ivy-" Thalia starts reaching out.

"NO! No more lying, no more avoiding my questions! I want answers!" I yell, smacking Thalia's hand away. Thalia stares at me and holds her hand, the one I just hit. 

"Look Ivy, we aren't aloud to-" Mom starts.

"SHUT UP! All I want is for you to answer my questions! You know what, I've got to go." I say. I pull on some shoes. 

"Ivy, wait!" Thalia calls.

"No. I'm not going to take it anymore. I figure you've been lying to me all my life!" I scream back to them. With that I run out the door and down the street. 

***

I run to the nature trails parking lot. I decide that here is the best place to be. I'm happy to find a pair of ear buds already in my phone so I listen to some tunes as I walk onto the trail. Some people pass me, for late night walking their dogs or runs, but I ignore them. I finally find the spot I'd go in as a kid with dad. I crawl into the strange stick like fort and stand there for a while. 

This area is hidden from the rest of the trail. Fallen tree's and branches hid it from the outside world. I've always felt protected in this little area. When dad was around, we'd come here every Saturday and make improvements. We had built a bench using the fallen branches and we had made a tepee. I look at them surprised they hadn't fallen down. I hadn't been in here since when dad had died. 

 I taste my tears before I notice I'm crying. I walk over to the bench and run my fingers lightly over top of it. I sit on it and let myself cry. After a while I walk over to the tepee, and crawl inside. It's spacious, so I lie down. The tears roll down into my hair. I lie in there for a while, finally I feel to cramped up and I crawl back out.

The tears are still sliding out, I've probably been crying for hours. I walk to the big tree that dad would lift me up on, I didn't need any help now but I just sat at the base of it. I knew that if I climbed up my tears would become to great and they'd never stop.

Suddenly cold arms wrap themselves around me. I don't look up to see whose they are. I just welcome them, I rest my head on whoever's shoulder it is. Memories flood into my head of all the times dad and I had come here. All the times we would catch mom lying to us, all the times we teased Thalia about boys. The tears were so strong now, I am sure they won't stop.

***

Now it's been over one hour with the strangers arms wrapped around me. Finally the tears slow and soon stop. I take a deep breath and look up. 

The stranger is Damian. He looks at me with worry, it clouds his eyes and his lips are pulled together tight. 

"Are you okay?" Damian asks.

"I don't know." I reply. I feel protected in his arms. I rest my head against his wet shoulder, my tears had soaked it. 

"Do you want to tell me?" Damian asks.

"I used to come here every weekend with my dad." I say, openly. This is the first time I've ever told anyone this, but it feels good.

"Your dad... passed away." Damian says as more of a statement. I just nod.

"This is my first time back here in years." I say looking at the night sky. 

"It must be nice to come back." Damian says.

"Damian... I figure out you and your family aren't human. Mom and Thalia won't tell be anything about everything. People seem to be hunting me... It's great to be back to the place where everything is peaceful." I blurt out. 

 "So what do you think we are?" Damian asks.

"I don't know... you're cold, and you move with ease, like running couldn't be more than walking. But that's all I've seem to have." I reply. 

"A long way to go then." Damian says.

"But the others... they aren't like you. They are, I don't know how to say this... evil? They have powers, unlike humans, they are strong and their voices are like honey, but then they turn into hard harsh voices and they get all P.O'd." I say. 

"You seem to know more about them..." Damian says.

"Who are you... and them?" I ask.

"Well... like you said, they're evil. We are the good. You are a really important person to both our sides." Damian says. 

"So am I human?" I ask. 

"No, you are not human." Damian replies.

My world seems to freeze around me. I'm not human.

"A-are my sister and mother human?" I ask.

"Your mother is human, your sister... she's one of us." Damian replies.

"What about my father?" I ask. 

"He is one of us... that's why Thalia is." Damian replies.

"So, am I one of you?" I ask.

"No." Damian says.

I slowly nod. I'm not human but I'm not the same as Damian.

"Am I one of... them?" I ask, remembering the invisible man, and Daphine and Malcom. 

"No, you're a good one." Damian replies. I sigh in relif, I don't want to be evil. 

"How did you find me?" I ask.

"Because of what I am." Damian replies.

"What are you?" I ask.

"I'm sorry Ivy, I can't tell you." He replies sadly.

"I guess I should get used to that." I say.

We sit there in silence for a while until Damian finally breaks the silence. 

"Ivy, it's one thirty am... I'm going to take you home." Damian says, sliding out from underneath me. He stands up and I crawl over and out the entrance. I feel wierd crawling but I deal with it. I stand up but my legs give out under me. I almost collapse but Damian catches me. He picks me up and cradles me, then keeps walking. I snuggle into his chest, I feel so protected in his cold arms. Then something seems familiar.

-Flashback on Thursday night-

"Someone, here to take you home." He replies. His arms slide under my legs and back. Then he effortlessly picks me up. I snuggle into his chest, even though I didn't know him. I feel... protected in his arms. 

-Present Time-

I gasp. 

"Are you okay?" Damian asks.

"You... you're the one who saved me from Daphinie and Malcom on Thursday night!" I say.

"How did you remember?" Damian asks. 

"Flashbacks." I reply. Everything clicks into place and I remember Damian taking me home. 

"I don't know anyone who can deflect Daphinie's gift." Damian mumbles more to himself. 

Once at his car he sets me gently into the passenger seat. Exactly like he did on Thursday night, only this time I buckled my own seatbelt. He slides into the drivers seat and he starts the car and we start the silent car ride home. 

***

We pull into my driveway and I get out of the car, but my legs are still like jelly and I collapse once again. Damian grabs me and picks me up in the same manner he did before. He shuts my door and walks up the steps. He sets me on my porch swing, like he did on Thursday. He smiles at me and I smile at him. 

"My protecter." I say remembering what I had said to him on Thursday. 

"Something like that." Damian says smiling. Then I watch him walk off and into his car. He drives slowly down the road and turns, after that I can't see the car lights any more. So, I drift off into a deep sleep. 

***

"Ivy, what the heck are you doing sleeping on the porch swing?" Thalia says, pushing me.

"Ugh, seriously Thalia." I say, putting my hands on my face. The memories of last night suddenly come flooding in and I frown.

"Hey, you okay?" Thalia asks, sitting down by my legs.

"You're not human." I say, suddenly remembering what Damian had told me. 

"How do you know?" Thalia asks.

"Get away from me!" I say jumping off the porch swing.

"Ivy!" Thalia exclaims.

"No, seriously you're not human... Get. Away. From. Me." I say. I run into the house and up the stairs. I run into my room and lock the door behind me. 

"Ivy, open up!" Thalia yells, banging on my door. I sit there at my door and listen to her call by name and tell me to let her in. 

"Go away!" I say finally. 

"Ivy, don't even think of moving, I'll know when you do, I can feel your energy." Thalia says. I freeze, in my spot, I was just about to get up but Thalia knew... how?

"My energy?" I ask quietly.

"It's my gift, I can sense how far people are and how much energy and what power or powers they have." Thalia yells at me through the door. 

"P-powers?"  I stutter. 

"Yes! Now Ivy, please open up. Then we can talk." Thalia says. 

"But you've lied to me all my life. You're not even human." I say.

"I don't care what anyone says anymore. I'm going to tell you everything! If you're going to reject me because of my lies then I'm going to tell you everything!" Thalia says. I stand up and open the door. I stare at her, tears are flowing down her cheeks and she is sitting on the floor. I bend down and hug her. 

"It's okay Thalia." I say.

"I'm going to change and you are too, then we are going to go somewhere. There I will tell you everything." Thalia says. I nod and then Thalia goes off to change, while I pull out new clothes of my own. I throw on some simple skinny jeans and a white tanktop, then I pull my warm hoodie on top. 

Thalia is waiting for me downstairs. She opens the front door and I walk through with her close behind me. 

We get into Thalias car and she starts the drive off to somewhere. While I sit with my head pressed against the window, letting bittersweet memories of dad and mom and Thalia wash through me. 

Now time was changing, the human memories are all I can stick to, because Thalia was going to tell me everything. 

_______________________________________

Next chapter lets out all the secrets that were really not supposed to be told!

Hope you like!

I'm probably going to post another chapter or two before Christmas.... ;) Your peoples Christmas gift :D

But I'll say this now anyway...

Merry Christmas!

And to the others who celebrate different things, Happy Holidays!