"Why would you need to talk to my parents?" Zero asks.

"I need to ask them something," I say.

"You're Winter!" Lance yells. "Dammit, I knew it! Then I changed my mind!"

"So you're saying that after the wreck happened and the deaths of your grandparents, you changed your name to Ivy Frost and tried out for singing roles all at the age of 11," Russell says.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying," I say.

"You were 11," Russell says.

"I was already at a 3rd grade level when I began Kindergarten," I say.

"I can't believe that," Russell says.

"So was Oliver," I say.

"Your twin," Drake says.

"Yeah," I say and look at Zero then look away. "His body was never found. He could be alive or dead. I don't know."

"How about we search for him," Drake says.

"Don't bother. I've looked, there's no leads, anywhere," I say.

"We could-" Flix begins to say but is cut off by the door swinging open.

Zero and I quickly change our eye color. I pull up my mask.

"The Black Dragons and Winter are working together!" a guard yells.

I make eye contact with Zero. 'I'm gonna fake fight you guys and leave.' He nods his head in understanding. 'I'm glad you can read eyes.' He smiles.

"If you think we are working together, you must be insane," I say and fake kick Zero. Acting. He falls to the floor acting like it hurt. I run at the guards and make a path.

"Get her!" another guard yells.

"See ya later, losers," I yell behind me.

A gun shot rings out and gets me in the shoulder. I fall to the floor, but quickly get back up. I hear another shot and block it with the sword before it got me. It slices the bullet in half and they shoot into the wall on either side of me.

"She's wounded! Hurry and catch her!" a guard yells.

"Fang! I'm coming get ready to move!" I call into the headset.

I rush out the way I came in and continue running. Phoenix sees me and begins to fly next to me. The guards are still behind me.

(I'll lose them in a valley.)

I turn into a valley and turn left and right constantly until I'm met with a dead end. The guards run up behind me.

"No where to run now," one guard says evilly.

"That's where your wrong," I say and climb up the wall. I dodge all the gun shots as best I can, but occasionally a bullet would slightly get my skin. I get to the top of the wall and turn around to look at them. "Later, losers." I hop off from the top onto the other side.

"Dammit!" a guard yells.

Once on the other side I topple to the ground and lean against the wall. I look at my shoulder and my see it covered in blood.

"Fang... fly to my location..." I say weakly. "Hurry...I'm losing a lot of blood... I've been shot..." Phoenix gets there in a flash and I don't even know it. He squawks at me to get my attention. "Get the first aid out..." He quickly pulls it out and I open it. I wrap a gauze wrap tightly around the bullet wound. I stand up slowly. "Let's go..."

We quickly, but slowly, head towards the jet.

Once in the jet, I rip off all my clothes and get into the shower. When I get out, I wrap my wound, get dressed in some pjs and a tank top. Then walk out to pick up my ringing phone.

"Hello..." I say.

"We escaped," Lance says.

"Good..." I say.

"You don't sound good, are you okay?" Lance asks.

"I was shot..." I say weakly sitting down in a chair.

"What?!" Lance yells. You can hear the others in the back.

"What happened!?" Drake and Zero ask.

"Where are you staying?!" Lance asks.

"On the top of an abandoned building in my jet..." I say.

"Where?!" Lance asks.

"Just track my location... I'll send out my phone signal..." I say.

"We're coming!" Lance yells. "Get the medical equipment!" He hangs up.

Phoenix looks at me. "They know I'm Winter..." His eyes widen. "They figured out my past and everything." He squawks.

I stand up and take off the invisible barrier around the jet. A bang comes from the door.

"Ivy! Open up!" Lance yells.

"She can't you idiot!" Flix yells and opens the door. They all rush in.

"Lean her seat back flat," Russell commands.

Zero tilts my seat back slowly and helps me to lay on my stomach. Did I forget to mention that Russell was in medical school. He didn't want to continue after a while and found an interest in designing videogames.

"I can't watch," Zero says and turns away.

"Alright Ivy, this might hurt a little," Russell says and begins to cut my wound open more.

"OWW!" I scream out in pain and tears blur my vision.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Russell says hurriedly.

"Shut up and just get the damn thing out!" I yell tears streaming down my face.

"Okay," Russell says. He soaks something in alcohol and inserts it into my wound, pulling out the bullet.

"Oww! That burns!" I yell and flinch.

"Don't move! Drake and Lance hold her down!" Russell yells.

Drake hold down my left side and Lance my right. I can feel Russell remove the bullet and hear him place it on the table nearby. He cleans it and gives me stitches. He wraps it up and gives me a numbing shot to ease the pain.

"A-are you done?" Zero asks.

"I'm finished," Russell says and wipes his sweat away from his forehead.

Zero turns around and helps me turn back over along with putting my seat back up.

Lance looks me in the face. "Why didn't you call and ask for help!"

"I work alone... I told you that," I say.

"That doesn't mean you need to bear with getting shot! What were you going to do if we didn't come!?" Flix yells.

"I was gonna pour alcohol on it and take it out tomorrow," I say flat out.

"That's a good way to get yourself killed!" Drake yells.

"It's what I usually do if I get shot," I say.

"You've been shot before?!" Zero yells.

"Yeah."

"You didn't scar?" Zero asks.

"I have some very good ointment."

"I'm gonna have to get me some of that," Zero says.

"You can't buy it anywhere," I say. "I make it."

"You make it?!" Zero says surprised.

"Getting off topic!" Flix yells annoyed.

"Sorry!" Zero yells.

"You should rely on us more. We've been your friends for 10 years for God's sake!" Lance yells.

"I can't rely on anyone besides myself," I say. "Well me and Phoenix." Phoenix squawks happily and flies over to sit on the armrest of my seat. I pet his head and he coos.

"We've been friends for 10 years and you can't rely on us!" Lance yells perturbed.

"Thanks for telling us how much you trust us..." Flix says irked.

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that..." I say trying to get my point across.

"Why didn't you ever tell us any of this?" Russell asks.

"I didn't know how you would of handled it. I didn't want to lose you guys... I didn't know if you would've kept my secret and left me. Or kept it and stayed. Or report me," I say and my eyes tear up. "I never wanted to hurt you... I was scared..."

"Ivy..." they all say sadly.

"And same thing goes to you! Why didn't you ever tell me!" I fuss. "Did you not trust me either!?"

"We felt the same way. We didn't know what would've happened if we told you," Drake says.

"I-I just want us to always be friends..." I say.

"We do too," Zero says.

"Let's not talk about this anymore. We have and always will be friends. End of story," Flix says.

"True that," Lance says.

"I'm glad you guys are my friends!" I exclaim and hug them carefully though to not hurt myself further.

"We will always be there for you. All you have to do is call," Drake says.

"Alright, I will!" I confirm.

"Now for sleeping arrangements," Lance says.

"We will be sleeping here," Russell says.

"What?!" I don't have enough room in here!" I say.

"There's plenty," Flix says pointing to the long couch.

"That's enough room for two of you," I say.

"Two of us can sleep in the recliners," Russell says.

"Then that would leave one person left," I say.

"One will sleep in your bed with you," Lance says. "I will take that burden upon myself."

"Oh no you won't," I say matter-of-factly.

"Somebody will," Russell says. "You choose."

"Then Zero!" I say and grab his arm.

"What!" Zero yells face turning red. I pull him into my room and slam the door behind us. "W-why me?"

"Because," I say. "I'll be right back." I leave the room. Walking back out I open a cabinet full of blankets and pillows. Grabbing some I walk back out to the guys. "Here." I throw the blankets at Lance. "Phoenix, come on." I turn around back towards the bedroom with Phoenix flying behind me.

"Ivy? Why Zero?" Drake asks.

I turn around. "Because he won't do anything... weird." I walk into the bedroom.

Zero is already in the bed as far off the bed as possible. Phoenix gets on his perch and closes his eyes.

"S-so why did you choose me?" Zero asks again.

I get into the bed next to him. "You don't have to be so far off the bed. You can sleep normally."

He shuffles so he's on the bed correctly, but still stays as far away as possible with his back to me. "W-why me?"

"Look at me because what I'm going to say is serious."

He flips over and now faces me. "Serious?"

I grab his hand and pull him onto the bed like a normal person. His face turns red.

I look straight into his eyes. "I think you are my long lost brother."