AN: Be warned, this hasn't been edited in quite some time. Even I cringe a bit when I read I get the time I will go back and attempt to smooth it out to the best of my current ability.

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I often wondered how we managed to get into this. All of us swore, to someone at least.

As time goes on things get fuzzy, harder to remember. I wished I could forget why we were there sometimes, but of course I never could.

I sighed, happy at least for one moment of peace. We were home. Well, as close to being home as we ever were. Shell Island was the place we always came back to, and sometimes I wondered why. As far as I knew we didn't grow up there. We have no families. So, why did wekeep returning? The people know us, but how did they know us? Why did we know all of them?

I was the only one who ever asked questions. And even though I would ask, rarely could I find any answers. And more often than not, Ilost even my questions in the haze of my islandwas so beautiful, so perfect. Wondering why we were there seemed pointless as long as we were there.

Maybe that was why we didn't know anything, because no one else wanted to know. They just didn't care.

As I sat in the long, soft grass near the edge of a cliff overlooking the beach. I could see them, most of them anyway. They were playing with a ball and a net, hitting it back and forth.

I smiled.

That was Blitz's second favorite game, and he was nowhere to be seen. My smile turned slowly to asmirk. He was probably in Aunt Lili's kitchen, stuffing his face, again.

I was the romantic of the two of us. I was the onesitting up on top of that hill, enjoying the incredible beauty of the sunset, because I did stuff like that.

Our days always start late there, and we never got into our hammocks until well after dark. We did nothing but play, except for thechores wedid on occasion when we actuallyworkedup enough motivation. There are no seasonson the Island, no rainy days. It was always warm, warm enough to sleep on the beach if you wanted to. We'd do that sometimes. We would sometimes tire from our play and collapse wherever there was room, falling into a deep dream-filled sleep until morning, when we would get up and start our play again.

I picked a blade of grass and began to chew it, feeling the breeze off the ocean cool my face and skin, brushing my hair back and making it fly behind me. I never wanted to leave that place again. I never wanted to go back...where was it? I'd forgotten again.

We always had to leave eventually, we knew that. And when we left, we would always know where we were going. It was never the same place, but it was also never pleasant. I was trying so hard to remember why it was that I hated the thought of going back so much, that I didn't hear the stalker that had slipped as silently as a shadow out of the woods behind me and crept up on me while I was sitting there, thinking.

I didn't hear him until it was almost too late. Then I hopped to my feet, instantly falling into my fighting stance, ready to meet any attack that may be coming from a wild animal or a lost spirit when I was tackled by a warm and laughing body.

We rolled several yards before coming to a stop right next to the edge of the cliff. I was on top of my attacker, of course, and ready to do him bodily harm. However, I always found it difficult to pummel someone who was laughing at me and themselves. The young man below me was doing just that: laughing uncontrollably. So much that tears came to his hazel eyes.

"I got you good, Macy, just admit it!" His East Limbeck accent put together with his hysterics was always enough to endear him to me, getting him out of even the worst of trouble.

I tried to stifle a smile. "Shut up, Blitz, you're an idiot! What're you doing up here anyway? The only times I ever see you on this island you're either eating or playing ball. More often than not you're eating," I said, tickling his bare ribs and stomach, causing him to laugh even harder.

Through his laughter he was barely able to speak. "I came up here to..hahaha--find my girl, see. I was...ah, stop it!...wondering if you'd seen her?"

"No, I haven't! I haven't seen any girls up here at all, not counting you," I teased.

He laughed all the harder, then suddenly stopped, grinning evilly. "Come on, Mace, you know I let you pin me down like this."

"Sure ya did. That's what you always say." I knew I was asking for it, and I wasn't surprised that like a flash of lightning he had thrown me off and pinned me on my back. I struggled playfully, but I knew he had me. He grabbed my wrists and held them above my head with one hand, like he always had since he'd first realized that he was stronger than me when we were children.

"Look at this. I've pinned down a world champion. And I'm not letting you up until you admit that I'm the best looking guy in the universe."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Fine, you're the best looking guy in the universe," I said, acting like it pained me to say those words. The truth of it was that I found Blitz very attractive. Most girls would go for a more upright and proper looking guy, but I liked his sometimes dark/sometime light eyes, and his thick, spiky red hair. And most of all, I liked the rough look that he gets when he doesn't shave for a day or two.

Not that I'd ever admit any of that to him. In my opinion, he was far too happy-go-lucky as it was. I didn't need to encourage him by boosting up his ego.

Even though I was silently admiring how handsome he was, Blitz was still going on about all the things I had to say before he was going to "allow" me to go on my way, not even realizing that I wasn't paying the least bit of attention. "And I'm the smartest, and the strongest, and the most talented, and the funniest, and the best at chugging slushies without getting brain freeze."

I kissed him to shut him up, and because I'd wanted to all day. On the island we were hardly ever together, and I wanted to make a moment with him under the sunset. I paused only briefly from our reverie and opened my eyes a little to look at him.

"Let me up," I whispered.

He immediately complied, getting up and grabbing my hands, pulling me to my feet. I snickered to myself. Blitz had such simple wants and needs. All I had to do was either feed him or kiss him and he'll try to give me the world.

He stepped closer to me once I was up, wrapping one of his muscular arms around my waist while placing his left hand at the base of my neck and pulling me into a long kiss. He was so gentle and calm during these moments that sometimes I wish they'll never end. Then again if they didn't end he wouldn't ever be the crazy lunatic that I'd loved all my life.

For a long moment we stood there connected, until in very Blitz-like fashion he let me go and jumped back from me like an overly-hyper child. His eyes were once again glittering with mischief now that there was some space between us. I sometimes wondered if when Blitz stood up all his blood rushed out of his head. He always acted like a total goof-off while standing. When he's sitting or laying down he's always more quiet, less likely to be raising hell. Then again, whenever he's sitting or lying down it's because he's either sleeping or eating.

I shrugged mentally. So much for that theory.

"Tag, you're it!" he said, tagging me then running off down the shady sand trail through the woods that led down to the bottom of the cliff. I laughed, chasing after him. I knew I would probably catch him. I always did, even when we were kids. Then again, sometimes I wondered if that was because he wanted me to catch him.

I was barefoot, and the cool sand on the trail felt good against my feet. I sprinted headlong down the hill, wanting to catch up to my boy and make him it instead.

I chased him all the way down the hill, then through town and out onto the beach. We ran right through the others, who were still playing their game. Blitz was looking back, taunting me, and ran smack into Jordan, leveling him. The two ended up in a big pile on the ground and I ran over, somewhat concerned. Jordan was only half Blitz's size, and I was worried that the poor boy had been done in by my red-haired rascal. As soon as the guys had disentangled themselves, Angela and I rushed over to them. Angela was another one of the girls. We had a tendency to fuss over Jordan because he's the youngest of the nine of us. He wasonly twelve, and it seems like he only joined us a couple years ago. Although he may have been with us all along, but it's doubtful. It seems like we've been doing this for years, and he probably would've been too young when we started out.

"Oh, poor baby," Angie said soothingly as she fell to her knees beside Jordan.

Blitz reached for me, but I passed him by, crouching down beside Angela. I pushed back a few strands of Jordy's medium length sandy blond hair, hoping that he was okay. He seemed to be holding back tears, not wanting to show weakness in front of us. Jordy was always trying to prove to us that he was just as grown up as the rest of us, and I suppose that this was another one of those times.

"Are you okay Jordy?" I asked, my forehead slightly lined with concern.

Jordy nodded, trying to smile. "I'm fine, didn't even feel it."

I knew he was lying. If you getblindsided by Blitz, I don't care how tough you are, you're going to feel it. Angela and I helped him sit up, and then fretted over his darkening bruises until Tide came over and shooed us away.

"Come on ladies, can't you see that this boy needs some air? The two of you will smother him before he gets a chance to help us win this game we were playing before we were so rudely interrupted by a crazed running fireball."

"I heard that," Blitz said accusingly from where he was still laying on the sand. He hadn't moved at all, and I knew it was because he wanted me to come over and fuss over him some too.

I stood up, leaving Jordan's side and slowly walked over to where he sprawled out on the ground. He dramatically placed the back of his hand on his forehead as he looked away from me.

"Macy? Are you there? I can't see you. It's getting dark in here. Everything's fading, and it's so cold.I'm scared. I.I think I'm going to die. Macy? It's so, cold." and then, he went limp.

I fell to my knees beside him, throwing my arms around him. I let my head rest on the middle of his chest and I squeezed him tight. "No, Blitz, you can't die, you just can't! There was something I was going to tell you, and I never got to, and now I never will! It's terrible, just terrible! I should've told you when I had the chance. Now you'll never know that I always thought you were the smartest, handsomest, strongest..." My voice faded and slowed as I gradually raised my head from where it rested on his chest and looked at his face. "The fastest."

He was unable to keep himself from smiling at my praise, even though he was supposed to be playing dead. "Blitz! Corpses don't smile!" The smile instantly faded, somewhat. "Not even a little!" The smile vanished completely.

I then cleared my throat, and continued on my damsel-in- distress voice. "Oh Blitz! There were so many things I wanted to tell you! But most of all I wanted to tell you..." I faded again as his smile returned.

He opened one eye, looking at me. "Yes?"

I leaned down as though I were about to whisper in his ear. Then I smacked him on the forehead, grinning. "YOU'RE IT! HA HA!" I jumped up and skipped off down the beach before he could tag me back, laughing hysterically because he'd walked into my joke perfectly.

Blitz rolled back over his shoulder, standing up slowly. I could see from down the beach that he was about to come after me. And indeed, he began to walk in my general direction, then stopped and tagged Rayne's arm. "You're it!" he shouted, running toward me and away from a very stunned Rayne.

Rayne tended to be quiet, subtle. She was the complete opposite of Blitz. But after a minute of deliberation, she reached out and touched Ryan on the arm.

"You're it."

He smacked her playfully on the shoulder. "No, you're it."

Rayne touched him again, with more enthusiasm this time. "No, you're it!"

"No, you!" Ryan shouted, laughing as he tagged her back.

Rayne smiled as well, her rarely seen competitive spirit beginning to show. "You!"

"You!"

"You!"

"You are so it!" Ryan said matter-of-factly as he tagged her yet again.

"Are not!

"Are too!"

"Not!"

"So!"

"Not!"

"Not!"

"So!" Rayne slapped her hands over her mouth as Ryan smirked, knowing he'd won. Rayne soon began to scowl a little, angry that she'd allowed the argument to be lost because of her own trip over a word. She quickly tagged Tide, and then ran off so he couldn't get her back right away.

Soon the whole group was running around, tagging each other. Cavan, my black haired, blue eyed little brother ran straight into the water and started to swim out to sea when Tide chased him. I watched all this madness while laughing to the point of tears. It was so funny to watch them all running around chasing each other.

I thought I was very clever, staying out of the general area of the game. That is, until Blitz came up behind me and grabbed me, throwing me over his shoulder and running out into the ocean to dump me in the water right before a huge wave crashed over my head. I threw my hair out of my eyes and jumped up to attack him, but he caught me and dunked me under water.

Soon everyone was out in the water, and the mass dunking contest began.

That was a normal day. Full of innocent fun and laughter, teasing and games. We never worried or thought about anything, we just played. The most serious moments I could ever remember were the ones when Blitz would find me alone and we would occasionally kiss between our wrestling matches and jokes. This was truly paradise, and when the feeling came, the tug on my insides, I always felt sick because I knew it meant we had to leave soon.

We could never stay there forever.

We always had to go back, eventually.